Retroactive continuity

[ClarkKent_DC]

Over in the "Siege (spoilers)" thread, Doc Beechler linked to a blog posting titled "Forget Death, the Character Needs to be Eradicated From Continuity", one blogger's rant about the Sentry.

Although I am utterly unfamiliar with the Sentry (and, based on what I read here, ought to be glad and ought to keep it that way), I find the writer's thoughts on retroactive continuity quite interesting. His main argument is that it was done quite badly in the case of the Sentry, but he offers a counter example: Jessica Jones, who was brought into the Marvel Universe through the Alias, and was revealed, bit by bit, to have been a background presence in the lives of Spider-Man and the Avengers. I am familiar with Jessica Jones, and I agree with his assessment that it was handled well.

Another example I'd like to offer is Jim Rhodes. Today, he's a major player in the Marvel Universe, although he first showed up in a backup story in Iron Man #118 (January 1979), that answered an obvious, but long-unanswered question: After Iron Man's first adventure, just how did he get home?

Any more examples? Thoughts?

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

One thing, the blogger is a woman.

[Cavaliere (moderator emeritus)]

I like that Mary Jane knew Peter was Spider-Man before they even were introduced by their aunts.

[Philip Portelli]

The Mary Jane thing was a way to solidify her place as Peter's *true* love over the late Gwen Stacy. Even though when Peter FIRST proposed to her, she just kind of laughed and walked out of his life. It was his second proposal that she accepted.

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

That Magneto was Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch's father...that only happened after Byrne's time at Marvel.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

Mark S. Ogilvie said:

I know even less about the Sentry, from the looks of it he was just a way for the writer to write 'his' history of the mu without bothering to be careful about it. That scene at the funeral struck me as the phoniest moment in the entire title.

I'm not sure but for some reason I think continuity implants happen more with villains than with heroes or supporting characters. I'm not sure why and I can't think of any solid examples right now, but for some reason I think villains when I think continuity implants.

Mark

You're probably right, Mark. My guess is that villains are just more suited to be the hidden mastermind behind the scenes (that we just thought up!).

[Philip Portelli]

The Sentry was supposed to be a character Stan Lee created before the Fantastic Four and was never published. Of course it was a joke but a clever one. Then he became very dark with his alter ego, the Void. He was added to the Avengers, apparently for no other reason than Thor was *dead* at the time and they needed a real powerful member. They tried a light-hearted mini, "Tales of the Sentry" but he was always portrayed as being dangerous and unstable. I never saw him so much as a retcon but as an attempt to pump up the MU with another high-level player!

[Figserello]

I see him more as the only original idea they've had in about 20 years. Certainly the only hero-concept that wasn't connected to a previous property. That's gotta count for something.

(OK, Runaways was original too.)

[Captain Comics]

Here's an example, IMHO, of a bad retcon: Tommy "Hush" Elliott. A best friend nobody bothered to mention for 50 years, who instantly becomes incredibly important in the first story we see him in..

[Figserello]

I read a terrible Warren Ellis story recently about some old Scottish hitman that Wolverine used to spend a lot of time with, and it turns out, he was so badass that Wolverine was scared of him and nearly cried like a baby when he found out that he was still alive.

Of course we'd never heard of him before.

I'm pretty comfortable with retcons at this stage. There's no way to-day's Steve, Tony Reed and co are the same chaps I read about as a kid. Too much is different and they couldn't have fitted all those adventures into 10 years or whatever. The 'original' FF met the Beatles forgoshsakes - (or half of them did.) I'm also tending towards the idea that its a new character when a new creative team take over.

To go back to an early example. The Superman of the Silver Age may as well have been a different character to the Golden Age squinty eyed guy. Everything about their stories are different. They kept the same name so that people would keep on buying the comics. Likewise, more people buy today's Marvel comics when the pretence is kept up that they are the same chaps that fought the communists back in the early 60s.

The DCU reboots in front of everyone's eyes every few years (Cap!), so there's no point even mentioning what goes on over there.

[Cavaliere (moderator emeritus)]

Figserello said:

I read a terrible Warren Ellis story...

A redundant phrase if I ever read one.

I am so NOT a fan.