Comic Review: Avengers #200

Writers: Jim Shooter, David Michelinie, Bob Layton & George Pérez

Artists: George Pérez

Undoubtedly one of the most misogynistic pieces of crap that I’ve ever read! AVENGERS #200 is a sheer milestone of failure!

Ranking: ⭐

One of the biggest problems that continues to plague the comic book industry to this day is the prevalence of sexism, or bias towards female readers. Ever since comics first became prominent in the late 1930’s, there has been a common stereotype that the only audience that exists for comics is adolescent males. The stereotype exists not just among the general public, but among the comic companies themselves, as they will often attempt to pander their books solely to boys rather than appeal to a general audience. This has lead to many writers possessing a biased view towards women, which I feel hurts female comic characters in two specific ways. The first and most obvious problem is the objectification of female characters, as they are often portrayed in an overtly sexual manner (primarily through wearing revealing costumes), as conquests for the male characters, or as fragile creatures that need to be protected. While this is definitely a major problem, it’s nowhere near as damaging as the other sexist trend that plagues comics: “women in refrigerators.” Coined by feminist comic book writer Gail Simone, the phrase “women in refrigerators” refers to female comic characters who are either injured, killed, or depowered for the purpose of progressing the development of other characters (particularly men). I find this to be the worst form of sexism towards female characters, as instead of using these horrible events to further develop the female characters themselves, or to touch upon serious issues, they are instead reduced into plot devices for male characters. This not only devalues these characters as characters in my eyes, but as women as well, portraying them as both weak and as tools to progress the plot. While the stuffing of Kyle Rayner’s girlfriend’s body in a refrigerator (the case that the trope is actually named after), Sue Dibny’s rape and murder in IDENTITY CRISIS, and even Karen Page’s drug addiction and career as a porn star in the pages of DAREDEVIL are frequently referred examples, the worst case of “women in refrigerators” in my opinion, would have to be Ms. Marvel in the infamous AVENGERS #200!

While most readers today immediately think of the Muslim teenager Kamala Khan when they hear the name Ms. Marvel, she was not the first person to bear the title. That honor goes to Carol Danvers, who has currently taken on the mantel of the new Captain Marvel. For those who are unaware, Carol Danvers is a former U.S. Air Force pilot who gained superhuman strength and flight abilities after being exposed to a device that fused her genetic structure to that of the superhero Captain Marvel, effectively transforming her into a kree-human hybrid (the Kree is an often fought alien race in the Marvel Universe). Carol is perhaps most well-known for her connections to the origins of the X-Man Rogue, as she permanently stole Danvers’s powers while she was a member of Mystiques Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Chris Claremont created the character in the late 70’s as a response to the lack of strong and independent female superheroes in comics, as he wanted to prove that women could be strong without having to be pushy or reliant on men. Unfortunately, while Carol Danvers was meant to be a figure for the liberation of women, she herself became the victim of one of the worst cases of sexism in comic book history. After her solo-series was canceled, Carol became a member of the Avengers, where the writers decided to have her play a crucial role in the series upcoming landmark 200th issue. The set up for issue 200 began at the end of AVENGERS #199, the Avengers returned to their headquarters to discover that Carol had suddenly become nine months pregnant within the time span of just a few days. The issue then ended with Carol going into labor. The original idea behind the pregnancy was for Ms. Marvel to have been artificially impregnated with the child of the Kree’s leader, the Supreme Intelligence, but because a similar plot-line was already done in the pages of WHAT-IF, the writers were forced to completely rewrite the story from scratch. It’s also worth noting that the end-product of AVENGERS #200 is credited with four writers, including Jim Shooter (former Editor-in-Chief at Marvel and writer of the SECRET WARS crossover), David Micheline (co-creator of the Spider-Man villain Venom and author of the classic IRON MAN: DEMON IN A BOTTLE), Bob Layton (who was a frequent co-plotter with Micheline), and George Perez (the artist of NEW TEEN TITANS and CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS). While each of these men are good writers in their own respective fields, AVENGERS #200 was such a monumental train wreck, that they themselves have openly admitted it to being absolute garbage!

The story opens following the cliffhanger at the end of the previous issue, where the Captain America, Hawkeye, and Iron Man are waiting outside the Avenger’s medical bay as Ms. Marvel gives birth. After Thor helps deliver the child, the Avengers soon discover that the baby is aging at a rapid rate, learning to speak and obtaining knowledge to use complex tools and machinery within the span of a few hours. Although initially distrusting of the baby, Carol Danvers soon agrees to meet her supposed “child,” only to discover that he is now a full-grown adult who addresses himself as Marcus. Marcus then reveals that he is actually the son of the Avenger’s long-time nemesis, Immortus, who he had conceived with another mortal woman within his Limbo dimension. After Immortus’ death in a previous story, Marcus desired to live on Earth, but understood that since he was a product of Limbo, he could not enter our realm without disrupting the fabric of time and space. To prevent this problem, Marcus had forcibly abducted Carol and impregnated her with himself so that she would give birth to him on Earth, supposedly preventing the risk of his presence altering reality. Marcus’ plan is revealed to have failed however, when his presence causes different time eras to collide with each other, resulting in dinosaurs, medieval knights, and ships from the future to run amok across Manhattan. Will the Avengers be able to stop the complete collapse of the time stream, and if they do, how will they deal with Marcus in light of the atrocities he was revealed to have inflicted upon Carol.

To fully explain why AVENGERS #200 is a monumental disaster would take an eternity as it virtually fails in almost every category imaginable! Not only is this one of the most horribly written and poorly conceived comics that I’ve ever come across, but it leaps an extra mile in terms of awfulness with it’s extremely misogynistic treatment of Carol Danvers. Before I discuss the issues of sexism however, I feel that I should address the comic’s other problems first. The first and most immediate problem with AVENGERS #200 is the idiotic characterization of all the other Avengers. Throughout the story, the Avengers never take Carol’s feelings into consideration and do not react to her perilous situation like human beings would. This behavior is even present in the previous issue, as instead of attempting to investigate what could have caused it, the Avengers instead simply express excitement over the idea of a baby, with Wasp stating “Wow, a real baby,” or Beast proclaiming that he could be the kid’s teddy bear. It is simply astonishing how horribly written the Avenger’s behavior is, as real human beings would never act like this, and it completely contradicts their established characters. If this were a well-written story, the Avengers would have immediately investigated the circumstances behind the pregnancy, as well as provide medical care and emotional support for Carol. Instead, the characters are written as if their blind to both reality and Carol’s feelings, as not once do they stop and think that she might be hurt by the things inflicted upon her, or that a newborn baby speaking and asking to work with advanced technology is bit out of the ordinary. Not since the likes of SPIDER-MAN: ONE MORE DAY and MAXIMUM CLONAGE have I seen such idiotic and out-of-character behavior, which is made worse when Marcus reveals the terrible things he did to Ms. Marvel. 

The other major problem with the comic disconcerting the sexism is that the premise is extremely weak for a milestone issue. Seeing as this is the 200th issue of the AVENGERS series, one would think that Marvel would want to honor such an occasion by telling an epic story that either reflected upon the Avenger’s history what made the book so great to begin with, or provided new and innovative concepts to the team’s mythos. Instead, the story that Marvel decided to tell was essentially about some random guy in limbo who had never appeared before this story, impregnating a mortal woman just so he could live on Earth. This is an especially weak plot when compared to Marvel’s other landmark issues, which told either emotionally gripping or exciting tales that either celebrated aspects the character’s past or introduced something new into their lives. This was evident with stories such as the return of the Burglar who murdered Peter’s Uncle Ben in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #200, the reveal Magneto’s tragic origins as a Holocaust survivor in UNCANNY X-MEN #150, or even Iron Man attempting to reclaim control of his company from Obadiah Stane in IRON MAN #200. When compared to the effort and innovation present of Marvel’s other milestone issues, the plot of AVENGERS #200 comes across as weak and mundane, providing nothing notable or innovative to the team’s history. Even putting aside the terrible writing and misogynistic treatment of Ms. Marvel’s character, AVENGERS #200 would still fail as a milestone issue due to it’s weak premise.

Speaking of misogyny however, it’s finally time to discuss the real reason as to why this comic is so notoriously infamous and despised. As I stated previously, the plot of AVENGERS #200 is centered around Ms. Marvel being impregnated by Marcus so that he could give birth to himself on Earth. While this premise is already weak, it is elevated from being stupid and contrived, to downright terrible and insulting when it is revealed exactly how Marcus carried out his plan. When Marcus reveals his history to the Avengers, he states that he abducted Carol Danvers from Earth and into his Limbo dimension. Although he says he could have mind controlled her with Immortus’ machines, he at first attempted to win her love through various gifts and acts of flirting. Marcus then immediately contradicts this statement by stating, and I quote, “Finally, after relative weeks of such efforts - - and admittedly, with a subtle boost from Immortus’ machines - - you became mine.” 

If it wasn’t already clear before, this comic is basically saying that Marcus raped Carol in order to achieve his plan. This is not something that’s implied, can be misinterpreted, or is hidden between lines. It is directly stating that Carol was raped, as the “subtle boost from Immortus’ machines” line suggests that Marcus used mind control in order to Carol do something that she would not do of her own free will. Even disregarding that one line, the implications of Carol’s plight would still be horrible, but they are made more damaging due to them not only being openly stated, but that no editor was able to spot such an obvious flaw. In my opinion however, it is not the rape itself that makes the treatment of Carol’s character so blatantly sexist, as it would have been excusable if the writers wanted to tell a story about how rape affects people both physically and psychologically. Instead, it is the manner in which it’s presented that makes this story both horribly misogynistic, and the worst example of “women in refrigerators” that I’ve ever seen in a comic. After Marcus reveals that he raped Ms. Marvel and that his presence will permanently damage the space-time continuum, he states that he needs to return to his limbo dimension. Carol however, states that she we’ll accompany him, stating that the feelings she felt for him during her time in limbo still lingered on, and that she felt closer to him due to her also having given birth to him on Earth. 

I… I can’t believe this is… this comic is essentially stating Carol Danvers, a rape victim, has fallen in love with her rapist, and the story then ends with her leaving with her rapist to live with him in limbo… That is without a doubt the most insulting and disgusting piece of misogynistic bullcrap that I have ever heard in my entire life! Not only is this a sexist slap in the face to Carol Danvers, but it’s also extremely insulting to rape victims and to women in general, portraying them as weak individuals with no willpower of their own, and are easily swayed by sex and love for men! That just enrages me to no end! What makes this even worse is the fact that none of the other Avengers even attempt to stop Carol from leaving with Marcus. In fact, they actually help Carol by having Thor transport her and Marcus to limbo. This is just awful on almost every conceivable level! I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but not even the modern-day works of Frank Miller are this sexist and degrading towards women. Miller may be a dirty old man who objectifies women as prostitutes and conquests for men, but not even he went as far as to insult rape victims by having a character fall in love with their rapist! I don’t think I’ve ever seen something more insultingly misogynistic than what is presented here in AVENGERS #200, and I hope I never will!

AVENGERS #200 is not just one of the most insulting and disgusting pieces of misogynistic crap that I’ve ever come across, but it also ranks among the top 5 worst comics that I’ve ever read or reviewed! It’s right up there alongside travesties like SPIDER-MAN: ONE MORE DAY, Chuck Austen’s run on UNCANNY X-MEN, and Frank Miller’s HOLY TERROR in terms of sheer awfulness! Not only is this comic horribly written with it’s idiotic mischaracterization and poorly conceived for a milestone 200th issue, but it has a prominent female character raped for no reason, and ends with her leaving with her rapist to have a “happily ever after.” Ironically Carol Danvers did end up having a happily ever after as AVENGERS #200 was immediately despised by both fans and people working at Marvel. This led to Chris Claremont undoing the damage in AVENGERS ANNUAL #10, where after having her powers stolen by Rogue, Carol returns to the Avengers and berates them for not helping her and that she was forced to leave as she was under Marcus’ mind control. And let me just say, after all the crap that Carol went through in AVENGERS #200 it was incredibly satisfying to see her essentially give the Avengers the middle finger and leave the team, allowing her to spend time with the X-Men until she recovered her powers. Aside from some of the creative fights the Avengers have with the time-displaced creatures and the artwork by George Perez, there is nothing redeemable about this garbage! To be fair to the writers however, I hold no ill-will towards them for this comic, as they've written plenty of good comics, and all of them have admitted that AVENGERS #200 is absolute garbage. Jim Shooter himself even publicly stated this on his blog, and that even though he has no idea how the heck it ended up the way it did, he takes full responsibility for it as he was Editor-in-Chief at the time. This is a story that's so bad, that none of its creators want to take credit for it! Overall, the only means in which AVENGERS #200 can be considered a milestone story, is as a milestone of sexism, misogyny, horrible writing, idiotic characterization, poor planning, and a degradation of women in comic books!

“The greatest threat to women (and by extension humanity) is the growth and acceptance of a misogynistic, authoritarian and violent culture of militarism.”

-Amina Mama

Anime/Manga Review: Elfen Lied

Creator: Lynn Okamoto

Despite it’s controversial material, ELFEN LIED manages to stand strong through it’s psychologically complex drama and characters…

Ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(WARNING: The following review discusses mature subject matter that some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised!)

Those who have followed my reviews may have noticed that I have a tendency to defend stories that are prone to negative criticism or are controversial in some form. I think this is because unlike some reviewers, I prefer to look at each story I come across with an open mind and sense of optimism. Whenever I hear about a book, movie, or TV show that has largely mixed or negative reception, I become legitimately curious as to whether these criticisms are warranted, or if there are good elements to the work that people overlook because of these criticisms. More often than not, I usually find myself enjoying these works despite their flaws, as I am able to discover good things about them that I find to be worthwhile, and feel that the negative reception towards the story as a whole overshadows them. As a critic, I have reviewed countless stories that I feel have received large amounts of unfair negative attention and provided my own unique perspective on them, whether they be comics like SPIDER-MAN: THE CLONE SAGA, SPIDER-MAN: MAXIMUM CARNAGE, and BATMAN R.I.P., movies like the STAR WARS prequel trilogy, and even video games like FINAL FANTASY VIII. However, if there’s one genre of media that is more susceptible to dividing both audiences and critics than any other, it would have to be Japanese animation, or anime. Anime creates heated arguments between individuals like no other genre of fictional media that I’ve ever come across. With almost every anime that I’ve watched, people seem to either look at them with blind love, or mindless hate. This results in unfair bias towards these shows in my opinion, as the lack of middle ground with anime causes people to be instantly turned on or off by them without fully judging and analyzing it for themselves. Such is the case with ELFEN LIED, a highly controversial anime that has been both simultaneously universally praised and critically derided.

For those who are unaware, ELFEN LIED is a thirteen-episode miniseries that is notorious for it’s high levels of graphic violence and sexual content. I had first heard about this show while watching a countdown list about the top ten most controversial anime ever made, and ELFEN LIED made the number nine spot. After watching the video and doing further research, I discovered that despite it’s controversial material, this anime has a massive fanbase that praises it for it’s deep themes about humanity and psychological drama. Despite ELFEN LIED’s cult following, several critics I’ve come across (including the creator of that particular countdown list) have stated that there is no actual depth to this anime, and that it does nothing but portray over-the-top violence and sexual content that serves no purpose other than to shock and disturb. Similar to comics like IDENTITY CRISIS, this was a show that I was legitimately curious as to whether its criticisms were warranted, or if the fans were right about the anime’s supposed depth. Having watched the entire series, I can safely say that I really enjoyed ELFEN LIED. While I can understand where some of the criticisms are coming from, I feel that many of them are unfair, as this series has a lot to offer in both its themes, and especially it’s psychologically complex characters.

The first episode of the series begins in an underground containment cell located on an island research facility, where an armed guard is suddenly mutilated and decapitated by an unknown force. The source of the guard’s death is quickly revealed to be a mysterious young woman named Lucy, who is being monitored and caged within the facility. Lucy is a member of a race of mutated humans known as Diclonius, who are distinguished by their red eyes, pink hair, and horns resembling cat ears protruding from their skulls. But the most terrifying aspect about Diclonius is their ability to summon “vectors,” invisible hands known that are capable of ripping normal human beings to shreds. Bloodthirsty and driven by her hatred of mankind, Lucy breaks free of her confinement and begins slaughtering the guards and staff as she escapes the facility. As she reaches the island’s shores however, she is hit in the head with a sniper bullet. Although the helmet she was wearing prevented her from being killed, the impact causes Lucy severe head trauma and amnesia. The next day, Lucy is discovered on the beach of a small Japanese town by a young man named Kouta and his cousin Yuka. Taking the amnesiac Lucy back to their home, the two soon discover that Lucy has been reduced to the mental state of a toddler, and is capable of only saying a single word, “Nyu.” Using this word as a name for her, Kouta attempts to take care of the seemingly innocent “Nyu.” This proves difficult however, as Lucy’s amnesia quickly evolves into multiple personality disorder, as she frequently switches between her childlike “Nyu” persona, and her usual murderous self. To further complicate matters, it appears that Lucy had previously known Kouta before he discovered her on the beach. As the series progresses, the lives of Lucy/Nyu, Kouta, and Yuka will be changed forever as Lucy’s former captors continuously send agents to capture her, including other Diclonius, more individuals become intertwined in Kouta’s life, and the dark and tragic secrets behind Lucy and Kouta’s mysterious past are finally revealed!

While I don’t deny that this is undoubtedly one of the most violent shows I’ve ever seen, I found ELFEN LIED to be an intriguing series that utilizes its dark subject matter in order to develop compelling themes about mankind’s conflicting capabilities for cruelty and kindness, which are effectively conveyed through the show’s psychologically complex characters. However, before I discuss the elements that I enjoyed in ELFEN LIED, I feel that I should provide my own opinions towards the criticisms and controversies surrounding the show. The most obvious criticisms are concentrated on the show’s violence and sexual content. This is particularly evident when concerning the first seven minutes of the very first episode, as they alone seem to determine whether or not people will love or hate this anime. Within a short amount of time, the viewer is immediately presented with both nudity and extremely graphic violence, as a naked Lucy mutilates and decapitates several armed guards with her vectors, and the scene is complete with ridiculously large amounts of blood and gore. While I can definitely understand this scene turning people off, I feel that it works within the context of the show. The scene perfectly establishes the characterization and personality of the main protagonist before she loses her memories, as well as the show’s overall dark tone. The over-the top violence also serves to create suspense and intrigue for the rest of the series, particularly with Lucy's amnesia and split personality disorder. While she is acts innocently naive and childlike in her “Nyu” persona, the viewers are aware that her true personality is sadistic and murderous. Therefore, the viewers are drawn in by are desire to know whether or not her true personality will reemerge, and how it could possibly affect the lives of the other characters.

Aside from ELFEN LIED’s graphic violence, the other major area of criticism that I feel is largely biased is the anime’s portrayal of dark themes like discrimination and child abuse. While fans of ELFEN LIED have praised these themes for providing commentary on the savage nature of mankind, several critics have labeled the show’s depiction of these issues as pseudo-philisophical. Essentially, they’re saying that while the show is under the impression that it’s saying something deep and profound through it’s dark subject matter, its over-the-top portrayal causes it to become disconnected from reality, therefore preventing it from effectively depicting the themes it wants to convey. One scene where this criticism is particularly noteworthy is in a flashback to Lucy’s childhood, where while growing up in an orphanage, Lucy was repeatedly harassed and discriminated by the other children for her horns and introverted demeanor. When the bullies discover a stray dog that she secretly befriended, they end up brutally beating it to death right before Lucy’s eyes. People have criticized this scene for being highly unrealistic, as they feel that the idea of kids beating a dog to death is highly unrealistic, and that the scene only serves to exploit animal cruelty.

While I do understand where these criticisms are coming from, I respectfully disagree as I feel that the scene works on both a thematic and narrative level. Although the scenario is definitely extreme, it’s not entirely implausible, as bullies in real-life have been known to resort to extremely cruel tactics in order to torment their victims, which is further supported by the bullies in the show being motivated by prejudice. Another factor that provides further plausibility to this scene is both the bullies’ status as orphans and the shows’ setting in Japan. Japan has one of the lowest rates of unadopted orphans, as children who are not adopted by an immediate relative are often legally barred from being taken in by other families. This is primarily because the child will often be asked to take on the name of their adoptive family, which many Japanese citizens view as dishonor towards ones’ own kin. As such, it is reasonable to believe that the bullies in ELFEN LIED fall into this category, and are tormenting Lucy as a means of “finding someone even more miserable than themselves.” I also feel that this scene works on a narrative level, as it effectively progresses Lucy’s character development. Before this scene, Lucy had not yet developed her hatred of humanity, and sought to coexist with other humans, which was conveyed when she showed her dog to another girl. The girl ended up betraying her trust however when she revealed the dog to the bullies, resulting in them killing it in front of Lucy. The combination of witnessing the dog's death and having her trust betrayed causes Lucy to deem the bullies as inhuman monsters, and they're the first people to be killed by her vectors. I feel that this scene effectively establishes a good foundation for Lucy’s hatred of humanity, as because she was still a child, it was easy for her to associate these bullies’ acts of cruelty with mankind as a whole, especially since she had not been exposed to life outside her orphanage. On the whole, while I freely admit that ELFEN LIED’s attempts to portray society’s corruption are over-the-top, I still feel that the criticisms about the anime lacking depth are unfair, as it does manage to effectively utilize its dark material from both a thematic and narrative perspective.

The area in which ELFEN LIED was a truly shines in my eyes however, is in it’s psychologically complex and tragic characters. As I’ve admitted throughout my reviews, one thing that will instantly draw me into a story is characters with in-depth psychologies and complex backstories. I enjoy analyzing characters from a psychological perspective, as I feel that it allows me to fully understand who these characters are, and what makes them do the things that they do. This is further enhanced through knowledge of the character’s backstory and past, as it allows the viewer to understand exactly what factors molded the character’s personalities and motivations into what they are today. ELFEN LIED definitely excels in this regard, as several characters are provided fleshed-out backstories and three-dimensional characterizations that make them highly engaging and intriguing. The two characters that I feel receive the greatest amount of psychological development are the two main characters, Lucy and Kouta. As I stated previously, Lucy is portrayed to be a relentless serial killer with an inherent hatred of mankind and desire to eliminate all human beings. This born largely out of her being both discriminated and bullied as a child due to her horns, as well as her Diclonius DNA giving her an evolutionary instinct to kill in order to repopulate the planet with her own species. Despite Lucy's savage nature, she is also provided layers of humanity that not only allow viewers to understand and connect with her, but also provide the character a three-dimensional struggle. It is later shown in the series that Lucy befriended and fell in love with Kouta back when they were both children, and he was the only person in her life to show her true kindness. This friendship creates an internal dilemma for Lucy, as she is now torn between her hatred of humanity, and her love for Kouta. Her struggle is further escalated when a misunderstanding causes her to be responsible for a great tragedy in Kouta’s life. This ultimately results in Lucy feeling guilty for driving away the one person that genuinely accepted her for who she was, which carries on into the present day when she returns into Kouta’s life as the amnesiac “Nyu.”

I found Lucy’s internal struggle to be both highly compelling and psychologically complex. Although she is a relentless killer, she seeks redemption in the form of making up for the pain she caused for the one person who truly accepted her. Because of the kindess that Kouta showed her when they were children, Lucy genuinely loves Kouta and wants to be by his side, but she feels that the tragedy she was responsible for will prevent her from obtaining that bond. This effectively correlates with Lucy's amnesia at the start of the series, as it reflects her desire to be with Kouta. While amnesia has become an overused cliché in anime, I felt that ELFEN LIED provided a unique interpretation of the formula by having Lucy's amnesia quickly evolve into multiple personality disorder. Because of Nyu's childlike ignorance and innocence, Lucy subconsciously allows this personality to dominate her mind as she feels it allows her to forget about the pain that she previously caused Kouta. Not only did this provide a unique twist on the usual amnesia cliché found in anime, but it also made Lucy a psychologically complex and sympathetic character. Essentially, while she is portrayed as a sadistic serial killer with little regard for human life, she ultimately seeks redemption through rectifying the sins that affected the one person who accepted her in her entire life. I felt this made Lucy a character viewers could connect and sympathize with, as while we may not approve of the murders she commits, the circumstances that caused her to commit these actions are provided depth and believability, and her desire to redeem past sins is admirable and allows the audience to want and see her achieve said redemption. Overall, while Lucy is portrayed as a sadistic murderer who hates humans, she is provided complex psychology and three-dimensional depth that made her a highly compelling and sympathetic anti-heroine in my eyes.

The other character that I felt possessed three-dimensional psychology and depth was the object of Lucy’s desire, Kouta. Unlike most of the human characters in ELFEN LIED, who are portrayed as inherently cruel and savage, Kouta serves as an effective foil to humanity’s capacity for darkness by representing the kindness that humans are also capable of. Throughout the series Kouta is portrayed as compassionate and kindhearted individual who is willing to put the needs of others before himself, no matter what obstacles may befall him. Not only is this evident when he decides to take care of the amnesiac Lucy/Nyu after randomly discovering her at the start of the series, but also when he adopts two other girls who were previously victimized and abandoned by society. Kouta's capacity to do things simply out of the kindness of his heart not only fleshed the character's nobility in my eyes, but it also effectively allowed him to serve as a lighthearted foil to the anime’s otherwise dark tone. This was primarily portrayed through his childhood friendship with Lucy, as while most kids bullied Lucy for her horns, Kouta was one of the few people to not be turned-off by her appearance, even stating that he found her horns to be “awesome.” I felt that Kouta’s friendship and kindhearted treatment towards Lucy was especially important to the plot, as it both served as the foundation for Lucy’s character arc and motivations in the present day, and as a counterbalance to the mistreatment she had previously experienced. While the bullies from Lucy’s past and the scientists who held her captive served as archetypes for mankind’s corruption, Kouta acted as a counterbalance by representing the compassion that man was also capable of. Kouta’s capacity for near unlimited kindness not only made him an extremely likable character in my eyes, but also allowed him to serve as a great foil to the anime’s themes about mankind’s corruption and cruelty.

Although ELFEN LIED is notorious among the anime community for it’s graphic violence and controversial material, this was a series that I found to be extremely engaging and compelling! While the violence is often over-the-top, the show still greatly excels at utilizing its dark subject matter to create in-depth themes and parallels towards humanity’s darkness through it’s two psychologically complex main characters, Lucy and Kouta. While I can definitely understand why some people would be turned-off by this anime due to it’s levels of graphic violence and nudity, I feel that several of the criticisms its received are unfair, as they have created biased opinions about the show lacking any depth. This is definitely a shame in my opinion, as I felt that the show possessed great depth with its psychologically complex characters, whose fleshed out backstories and parallels allow them to help drive ELFEN LIED’s themes about humanity’s conflicting corruption and kindness out of the ball park! If I did have any legitimate criticisms, it would be that some plot points are left unresolved (primarily due to adaptation differences from the manga it’s based on), and that some of the nudity felt very forced and unnecessary. Despite those problems, I found the anime as a whole to be an incredibly entertaining and satisfying watch. While I would definitely advise caution, I feel that ELFEN LIED is an anime that people should look at with an unbiased and open mind as it’s good elements are definitely worthwhile!

“Controversy is part of the nature of art and creativity."

-Yoko Ono

Clone Madness (Epilogue)

So now it’s time for me to deliver my final verdict on THE CLONE SAGA as a whole. As I stated back in my first CLONE MADNESS review, THE CLONE SAGA is quite easily one of the most controversial and infamous comic in both Spider-Man and comic book history. In fact, before the abomination known as ONE MORE DAY came out, this was undoubtedly the most hated and despised story in Spidey’s mythos, and is still believed to be a complete mess that was an insult and ruination to Spider-Man’s character. Do I agree with those statements? Not entirely… 

While I freely admit that the saga is plagued with problems, as it went on for way too long, suffered heavily from marketing interference, and did produce some truly awful story lines like SMOKE AND MIRRORS, THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER, and especially MAXIMUM CLONAGE, in all honesty, I do not hate THE CLONE SAGA. Unlike something like ONE MORE DAY, where there was no evidence of effort or respect to Spidey’s fan base, I saw signs of genuine effort and creativity from the writers of the saga. While they were ultimately setback by the marketing department and Marvel’s approaching bankruptcy, they still wanted to tell an epic story line that not only revitalized Spidey’s mythos, but also brought him back to the roots that made him a great character in the first place. Signs of this effort were present throughout THE CLONE SAGA in stories such as THE EXILE RETURNS, WEB OF DEATH, THE GIFT, THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY, THE FINAL ADVENTURE, and especially THE LOST YEARS and its sequel REDEMPTION. I also felt that there were enough good characters to keep me invested in the story and want to continue reading. So while the saga did create some awful characters like Judas Traveller, Spidercide, and it’s version of the Jackal, it also gave us some truly great characters like Ben Reilly, Kaine, Janine Godbe, Dr. Seward Trainer, Detective Raven, Louise Kennedy, Jessica Carradine, and even Ken Ellis, each of whom were incredibly fleshed out and compelling characters in their own right. It was these great characters and the aforementioned good stories that made reading the saga a worthwhile experience for me, despite having to endure some crap. And to be fair, the saga was nowhere near as bad as many people claimed it to be in my opinion, as out of the dozens of stories that I had to read, there were only three of which that I actually hated (the other lackluster stories were mediocre at worst…). So overall, while I acknowledge THE CLONE SAGA’s problems, I feel that it possesses several overlooked good elements that are not only worth checking out, but also deserve to be cherished and remembered. Just like Ben Reilly, I was able to maintain a noble and optimistic viewpoint of one of the most infamous comics of all-time, and found some worthwhile content that I’ll cherish forever as a result…

Clone Madness (Finale): Spider-Man: Revelations

Writers: Todd DeZago, Tom DeFalco & Howard Mackie

Artists: Luke Ross, Mike Wieringo, Steve Skorce & John Romita Jr.

Although controversial, I honestly didn't mind Norman Osborn’s revival, and felt this was a suspenseful finale to the saga!

Ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(DISCLAIMER: This review will not only be providing my analysis on REVELATIONS, but also my final verdict on THE CLONE SAGA as a whole.)

Welcome to the final part of CLONE MADNESS ladies and gentlemen, where our long look at one of the most infamous and controversial stories in comic book history finally comes to a conclusion…

Well folks, we’ve finally reached the last story arc of one of the most hated and controversial Spider-Man comics of all-time, THE CLONE SAGA. Despite the infamy surrounding the saga though, I came across more good elements than I originally expected to, which have helped make reading all of these stories a genuinely worthwhile experience for me. Reaching the saga’s ending was an extremely hectic experience for the writers and creative team however. Because the saga was stretched out and delayed, the writers were desperate to end the saga in a quick, yet satisfying manner. As such, they fought tooth and nail with each other over several proposed endings, some of which were absolutely absurd (you can read about them both in THE LIFE OF REILLY, as well as the humorous parody comic 101 WAYS TO END THE CLONE SAGA). Around the time that BLOOD BROTHERS came around, the writers ultimately decided to reveal that a mysterious mastermind had manipulating the entire CLONE SAGA since the beginning from behind-the-scenes, with the sole intention of destroying the life of Spider-Man. When this route was decided, the writers expressed great difficulty in determining which of Spidey’s enemies would have the resources and motivations necessary to pull of a scheme as massive and convoluted as THE CLONE SAGA. The person they ultimately decided to choose as the mastermind however would prove so controversial a choice among not only the creative team, but also fans and critics alike, making REVELATIONS one of the most controversial stories of the entire CLONE SAGA. While REVELATIONS remains fiercely divided to this day, I thought it was not only a suspenseful and satisfying conclusion to THE CLONE SAGA, but also felt that the controversial elements were effective in tying up all loose ends.

(WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD)

The story opens on Halloween inside the underground laboratories of the Multivex Industrial Complex, where Dr. Seward Trainer is preparing the final stages of Gaunt’s rejuvenation process. Seward is quickly interrupted however, by the arrival of Gaunt’s employer, the ultimate mastermind behind all of the recent events in Peter and Ben’s lives. Knowing that Peter and Ben are now in grave danger, Seward attempts to flee and warn Ben, whom he still cares deeply for despite having betrayed him back in BLOOD BROTHERS. Before Seward can reach the two Spider-Men however, he is assassinated by Gaunt, who is no longer forced to rely upon his life support suit, and has now dawned advanced cyborg armor. Meanwhile, Peter and Ben are reflecting on what has recently happened in their lives, while Mary Jane, who is now in the final stages of her pregnancy, is having lunch with her Aunt Anna at the Daily Grind cafe. Unknown to Peter, Ben, and Mary Jane, all three of their lives will change forever as the mysterious mastermind finally makes his move, sending Gaunt out to attack Peter and Ben, while another of his operatives drugs MJ’s coffee, causing her to go into labor prematurely. As Peter and Ben battle Gaunt, Peter receives word about his wife’s increasingly worsening condition. After helping defeat Gaunt, Peter leaves to be by MJ’s side, while Gaunt’s employer attacks Ben. After MJ’s baby either dies from a miscarriage or is kidnapped, Peter is also captured by this mysterious mastermind, who is revealed to be none other than Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin who was thought to have been dead since the classic NIGHT THAT GWEN STACY DIED storyline back in the 70’s. Having manipulated the entire CLONE SAGA since the beginning, Osborn reveals that he actually rigged the tests back in THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER that declared Peter the clone as a means of psychologically screwing with Peter’s life and identity, meaning that Ben Reilly was the clone all along. With the truth finally revealed, will Osborn finally achieve his goal of destroying Peter Parker’s life, will Ben Reilly or MJ’s baby make it out the Goblin’s onslaught alive, and will Peter return as the one true Spider-Man? Either way, it is a night of revelations, and a night of goblins!

When REVELATIONS was first released, it immediately became one of the most infamous and controversial story lines to come out of the entire CLONE SAGA, even more so than MAXIMUM CLONAGE in some regards. Despite the hatred surrounding REVELATIONS though, I have to admit that I quite thoroughly enjoyed it. But before I talk about what I felt worked about REVELATIONS as a finale to the saga, I’ll discuss the major controversy surrounding this story. Similar to SINS PAST or IDENTITY CRISIS, the primary criticisms surrounding REVELATIONS are almost entirely centered on one major plot point, in this case, the decision to have Norman Osborn be the person responsible for THE CLONE SAGA. This plot twist was universally criticized not just by fans, but even amongst writers working on the saga as well. Glenn Greenberg was one of the most vocal opponents of this idea, as he stated in THE LIFE OF REILLY that not only did Norman clearly die back in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #122, but that “he died in one of the most powerful Spider-Man stories of all time. It was a key event in Spider-Man's entire history! We would be totally betraying the trust of the fans if we went in and undid that story!” Greenberg also felt that Norman appearing just now would make no logical sense as if he were alive all this time, why would he let his son Harry become the second Green Goblin, or allow the Hobgoblin to steal his equipment? This is one of the few cases where I’d have to disagree with Greenberg and most of the fans, I thought that utilizing Norman as the main antagonist was not just the only effective method of ending the saga (as convoluted as it had gotten to this point), but that it also made logical sense as well.

My defense of Norman’s revival may come across as hypocritical as in my SMOKE AND MIRRORS review, I openly criticized the writer’s attempts to convince the reader that the Gwen Stacy in that story was not only the real deal, but had also been alive all this time despite contradicting past continuity. I hated aspect of SMOKE AND MIRRORS, as Gwen’s death was not only a pivotal moment in Spidey’s mythos, but also heavily affected the character development of Peter Parker, as well as the comic book industry as a whole. So if Norman’s death was just as pivotal as Gwen’s, then why am I not offended here like I was back in that story? For me, the reason I feel that Gwen should never be revived is because her death was not only the second greatest tragedy of Peter’s life, but it also led to him eventually marrying MJ. As such, Gwen always came across to me as a character whose significance to the story was greater following their death than when they were alive (similar to Aerith in FINAL FANTASY VII). While one could make the same argument for Norman, as his death caused Harry to become the second Green Goblin, Harry had previously died back in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #200, and therefore, there was more incentive to bring Norman back (also, I can get behind bringing villains back from the dead, more than I can supporting cast characters). Also, the reason that Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras specifically chose Norman was because he felt that Norman was the only villain capable of pulling off a scheme as convoluted and massive as THE CLONE SAGA solely for the purpose of psychologically tormenting Peter Parker. First of all, Norman was not only a wealthy business tycoon and industrialist, but he was also highly intelligent as well. As such he possessed the means and resources to conduct this plan, and Norman was also mentally insane, which would help explain why the saga had gotten so overly complicated to this point. 

I also felt that the writer’s provided a simple, yet effective motivation as for why Norman waited for so long to strike back at Spider-Man. While a single one-shot issue known as THE OSBORN JOURNAL was published to fill in all of Norman’s activities between his “death” seven years ago, and his return in REVELATIONS. Here, it is revealed that Norman was able to survive getting impaled by his own glider as the goblin serum provided him an accelerated healing factor alongside his superhuman strength. As such, he later woke up in the city morgue and replaced his body with that of a random homeless individual. While Norman initially intended to use his “death” as an opportunity to attack Peter when he least expected it, he suddenly came across Harry taking up the Goblin mantel for himself. Seeing Harry determined to prove himself and avenge his father’s death, Norman decided to let his son continue the war against Spider-Man, but promised to return if Harry failed. Since Harry had recently died back in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #200, Norman blamed Peter for driving Harry towards his death, and left Europe where he had been hiding for the past couple of years to finish what he had started. I found this to be an effective motivation for Norman’s sudden return, as previous comics and Spider-Man media have shown that Norman has a very unique relationship with his son. While he genuinely does care for his son, he also sees Harry as weak and incapable of standing up for himself. As such, when he saw Harry become the second Green Goblin, he felt closer to his son than he had in a long time, and decided to give him a chance to prove himself. This also means that when Norman’s return following Harry’s death it was not only to avenge his son’s death, but also to reclaim honor to the Osborn family name. This worked within the context of Norman’s character in my eyes, and gave his vendetta to screw up Peter’s life more depth and credibility than just simple hatred and revenge. Overall, while most people hated the return of Norman Osborn, I actually felt it was not only well executed and suspenseful, but that it was also warranted and logically fit within the context of the story. 

Another aspect that I felt made REVELATIONS a satisfying conclusion to THE CLONE SAGA was not only how suspenseful the book’s tone was, but also the amount of build-up to Norman’s return. In my opinion, the most important task of any finale is to not only effectively tied up all loose ends, but to also make it feel as grand and epic as possible. REVELATIONS definitely succeeds in that regard, as the feels of dread and suspense for the reader are present right off from the first page. The moment where Seward Trainer first encounters Osborn from the shadows is filled with suspense as the fear and desperation that Seward conveys tells the reader that this is a legitimate threat with power and weight behind it. Not only does this moment effectively establish the danger that Norman represents, but it also increases the reader’s investment and fear for the characters. The story’s suspenseful tone and build up is also present in the scenes where Peter and Ben are fighting Gaunt. Not only is Gaunt finally revealed to be Mendel Stromm, Norman’s old business partner (further building up to Norman’s reveal), but his presence exists solely to distract Peter while MJ is undergoing labor prematurely, therefore increasing the suspenseful atmosphere of the story. Other scenes that displayed effective build up in my opinion were those featuring the Daily Bugle preparing an unscheduled Halloween party. Not only was this party unplanned, but all of the people invited were friends of Peter’s, and the party was being funded by Osborn Industries and Multivex, both of which belong to Norman. Therefore, these scenes gradually build up to the book’s finale where Norman imprisons all of Spider-Man’s friends in the Bugle, and Peter and Ben are forced to stop him before the building is bombed sky-high. The amount of suspense and build up present in REVELATIONS not only made it an effective finale in my opinion, but it also kept me engrossed in the story from beginning to end. 

While REVELATIONS was an effective conclusion to THE CLONE SAGA in my opinion, there were two major flaws that make it feel bittersweet despite being a well-written and entertaining finale. The first of which was Ben Reilly’s death at the end of the story. I have very mixed feelings about the writer’s killing off Ben as while I do understand why they felt they had to do it, I feel that it could have been avoided. Since REVELATIONS was going to be the ending of the entire CLONE SAGA, the writers had to prove once and for all that Peter was the original, and that Ben was the clone, permanently putting all of the clone nonsense behind them. Although Norman stated earlier in the story that he had rigged the tests to label Peter as the clone and Ben as original, the writer’s felt that Norman words were not entirely trustworthy since he was the antagonist. As such, the writers decided that the only way to prove once and for all that Ben was the clone was to have him sacrifice himself for Peter, die, and then have his body undergo the clone degeneration process and disintegrate into dust. While understand the logic behind this decision, I feel that they should have thought of a way to keep Ben alive. While people hated the idea of Ben permanently replacing Peter, Ben Reilly was still a great character in his own right, and still has a devoted fan base to this day (which I myself am now a part of). Since he’s one of the most three-dimensional, lovable, noble, and optimistic comic book characters that I have recently encountered, I felt that the writers should have confirmed Ben’s status as the clone in a different manner than killing him off. For instance, the Green Goblin cut off one of Ben’s arms or legs, and that single body part would then undergo the degeneration process, confirming that Ben was undoubtedly the clone while still keeping him alive. So while I understand why the writer's felt Ben needed to be killed off, I wish they could have found away to keep him alive. The other major problem that I had with REVELATIONS was how ultimate fate of Peter and MJ’s baby was left unresolved in later stories. To be more specific, I actually liked how the writer’s made the baby’s fate unclear in the story. While MJ’s baby supposedly dies from a miscarriage, one of the nurses is later seen delivering a mysterious bundle to Norman Osborn, and is ordered to take it to Europe where it will never be seen again. This not only heavily implies that the baby is actually still alive, but also allows the writers to avoid explicitly having infanticide as a plot point in the comic. On its own, this plot point was actually well done, and easily increases the reader’s investment to want to continue and find out what actually happened to the baby. Unfortunately however, this plot point ultimately leads to nowhere in later stories, as any mention of the baby has been avoided by the majority of future writers, and the issue has never been resolved to this day (and considering ONE MORE DAY’S retconing of Peter and MJ’s marriage, I don’t think it ever will be). While these problems don’t necessarily hurt the story in my opinion, they do rob it of some of the satisfying payoff that I felt it should have amounted to. 

Overall, while REVELATIONS does suffer flaws with it’s handling on the final fates of Ben Reilly and the baby, I had absolutely no problem with the decision to resurrect Norman Osborn as I felt that his return not only made sense logically, but that it also provided the story with a good amount of suspense and build up, making it an effective finale to THE CLONE SAGA. While many people feel that REVELATIONS was a disappointing finale that THE CLONE SAGA, I personally enjoyed it as I thought it succeeded in wrapping up the majority of loose ends, and helped Spidey transition back to his original status-quo before the saga’s beginning. So while not a perfect finale, REVELATIONS was still a satisfying and entertaining one in my humble opinion, and as Glenn Greenberg stated, “it could have been a LOT worse. It could have [easily] been another MAXIMUM CLONAGE.” 

Thank goodness it wasn’t!

“Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.”

-Nicholas M. Butler

Clone Madness (Pt. 15): Secrets

Writer: Tom DeFalco

Artist: Ron Garney

SECRETS!’ attempts to retcon Judas Traveller and Scrier are ultimately mixed, with more success for Scrier than Traveller...

Ranking: ⭐⭐⭐

Welcome to the 15th part of CLONE MADNESS lovers of sequential art, where we untangle the infamous CLONE SAGA, which while creating some truly great characters like Ben Reilly and Kaine, also produced some incredibly boring ones like Judas Traveller.

In my last CLONE SAGA review, REDEMPTION, I elaborated on how that story effectively provided satisfying resolutions to the development of some of my favorite characters like Ben Reilly, Kaine, and Janine. Today’s story arc, SECRETS!, is somewhat of the reverse of the REDEMPTION in that regard, as while that story concluded the character arcs for some of the saga’s best character’s, today’s comic does the same for some of the saga’s worst characters, particularly Judas Traveller and Scrier. Ah yes… Judas Traveller, I haven’t brought him up since my review of THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER, and thank goodness for that. Judas Traveller is quite easily the single worst character of the entire CLONE SAGA in my opinion (even more than Spidercide or it’s version of the Jackal). Traveller is not only a god-like being that has no backstory, defined role in Spidey’s mythos, or relevance to the overall plot, but he was also one of the most boring villains that I have ever come across. He would continuously monologue about his supposed mission to uncover the truth about good and evil, continuously rambling about pseudo-philosophical bull-crap that makes no sense when you actually think about it, and they just went on and on. Yeah, in case you haven’t noticed, I kind of hate Judas Traveller’s guts. I’m not the only one who dislikes this character, as not only is he heavily criticized in other reviews I see about THE CLONE SAGA, but several writers working on saga disliked him as well, particularly Glenn Greenberg. The primary reason for this was, as Greenberg perfectly stated in THE LIFE OF REILLY, not even the writers and editors knew what the Traveller’s purpose in THE CLONE SAGA was. Because of Traveller lacked an established character or role in the plot, whenever he appeared in the saga, I would instantly be taken out of the story and lose whatever interest I had. In essence, Traveller was a constant source of annoyance (and boredom) for me, as he would interrupt the ongoing narrative of the saga and distract me from the characters that I was actually invested in. Today’s story line SECRETS! however, attempts to rectify the sins of Judas Traveller (as well as his ally Scrier, who was another god-like being that was completely pointless), by providing him somewhat a purpose to the saga’s narrative. SECRETS! is ultimately a mixed bag, as while the story somewhat falter’s in its attempts to redeem Judas Traveller, it finds greater success in providing Scrier an interesting purpose in THE CLONE SAGA narrative. 

The story opens with Peter Parker having an ominous nightmare about Judas Traveller. In the dream, Traveller is bound up and chained while attempting to warn Peter that both of them have been betrayed and manipulated. As Peter ponders over this disturbing dream, one of Traveller’s allies, Chakra (who I have to admit is actually kind of cool, if only for the fact that her name reminds me of NARUTO), is being chased across the streets by the rest of Traveller’s group of followers known as the Host. It turns out that while Chakra remained loyal to Traveller (why she does baffles me…), the other members were secretly working for someone else behind Traveller’s back. It is revealed that this mysterious mastermind that the Host truly answers to is indeed the same one who has been manipulating the entire CLONE SAGA from behind the scenes, which is evidenced by Traveller’s strongest subordinate, Scrier, secretly meeting with Gaunt, the cyborg henchman of this mastermind who was introduced back in BLOOD BROTHERS. Chakra is soon able to escape from her pursuers, and contacts Peter and Ben to help her rescue Traveller, who has been imprisoned inside an airtight casket hidden underneath a gymnasium swimming pool. As Peter and Ben accompany Chakra to rescue her master, she reveals that despite all evidence portrayed in previous CLONE SAGA stories, neither Traveller nor Scrier are the god-like beings that they claimed to be. With this newfound knowledge, will Peter and Ben be able to rescue Judas Traveller and overcome the true threat behind Scrier, and if they do, will they be left with more answers or questions?

My feelings on SECRETS! are ultimately mixed as the entire purpose of this issue is to retcon two characters that previously lacked a purpose in the saga’s narrative, and attempt to provide them one. For those who are unaware, “retcon” is a fancy term for retroactive continuity, meaning that a particular character or plot point from the past is altered to something different than what it was originally intended to be. Retcons are quite easily the most volatile plot device in the medium of comics, as while retcons can effectively expand upon a character’s history and provide further dimension to them, they also have the capability to damage that character if they contradict what was previously established about that character. This is why I take such issue with THE CLONE SAGA’s version of the Jackal, as the Jackal from the 1970’s was a pathetic and perverted college professor who used cloning technology to bring back the woman he loved from the dead while also getting his revenge on Spider-Man. The Jackal in THE CLONE SAGA however, was a one-dimensional rip-off of the Joker who wanted to take over the world for no apparent reason. Essentially, where I’m going with all of this is that writers need to be extremely careful when retconing previously established characterization and backstory, as it could easily hurt what already existed about said characters if not handled correctly. In the case of SECRETS! however, the retcons for Judas Traveller are largely inconsistent, while those for Scrier I thought actually helped expand what little to his character there was. 

As I’ve mentioned in my reviews of POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY and THE TRIAL OF PETER PARKER, Judas Traveller was portrayed as a god-like being that possessed nigh-omnipotent power, and was practically invincible. Traveller was not only capable of morphing into weird bird-like creatures, but he could also walk through walls, cause streets to explode with a snap of his fingers, summon swords from out of nowhere, and also have complete control over the space-time continuum (this is more of the kind of thing you’d see in a THOR or SILVER SURFER comic!). Not only did this make the character feel completely out of place in Spider-Man’s mythos, as Spidey’s enemies are primarily street-level criminals or simple individuals who are corrupted by the influence of power, but it also contributed to the boredom surrounding Traveller as well. Because Traveller was presented as so powerful, it made any conflict between him and Peter or Ben Reilly feel too unbelievable, as there was no realistic way that two humans with spider powers could defeat an omnipotent being. This also meant that any retconing the character from his god-like status would also be a difficult challenge for the writers, as they would have to provide some logical explanation. 

To a degree, the writers do succeed in providing somewhat of a satisfactory retcon for Traveller’s powers, though at the same time, it does result in some unnecessary inconstancies with the character (as if there weren’t enough already!). Here in SECRETS!, it is revealed that Judas Traveller was never the god-like being that he claimed to be, but that he was rather a mutant with the ability to alter people’s perceptions of reality. Apparently, this power extended to himself as well, as it caused Traveller to suffer a nervous breakdown that made him believe that he was a god-like being. In some ways, this change is good, as it not only makes Traveller less absurdly powerful (and thank goodness for that!), but it also serves as a decent explanation for how his powers worked. With acts such as him summoning swords or exploding streets, the idea that they were all illusions is fairly plausible. Despite the good changes that this retcon provides, it does create several flaws and inconstancies as well. If Traveller was able to cast illusions to alter people’s senses, then how was he able to shape shift into a bird?! Was he casting the illusion on himself as well? Also, if his allies like Scrier and the Host knew that Traveller’s powers were illusionary, than why were they so concerned about them literally ripping-apart the fabric of space and time back in the dreadful CROSSFIRE arc. Inconsistencies such as these only serve to create more plot holes, therefore making Traveller’s character a bigger mess than he already was. Still though… at least he’s no longer a god-like being, and I am definitely happy for that!

While the retcons for Judas Traveller are only semi-effective, I actually found the one’s for Scrier to be quite creative and clever! Ironically, while I’ve complained about both Scrier and Traveller as being unnecessary and underdeveloped villains, I honestly have not talked that much about Scrier in these CLONE SAGA reviews. The reason for that is while Scrier was also supposedly a god-like being, he was never a major annoyance for me or interrupted the narrative flow like Traveller did. The reason for that is because Scrier was largely restricted to being a figure in the background throughout the majority of THE CLONE SAGA, constantly watching events from the shadows. Scrier was also a bit more interesting than Traveller, as while Traveller’s goal was a confusing quest to discover the true nature of good and evil, Scrier seemed to have his own hidden agenda that was separate from Traveller’s, therefore creating some degree of suspense and intrigue around his character. 

SECRETS! finally reveals both Scrier’s hidden agenda and his true nature, as Peter and Ben discover that not only is Scrier not a god-like being that they originally thought he was, but that he’s actually not a single individual. In actuality, Scrier is actually an organization of several people who all wear the exact same cloak and ghost-like mask and utilize advanced technology to provide the illusion of magical abilities. Most other reviewers I’ve come across have criticized this plot-twist about Scrier, as they feel the idea of him being several people makes no sense and overcomplicates the saga even more. Personally though, I have to disagree with them as I feel that this retcon is not only clever, but actually benefits the ongoing CLONE SAGA narrative. As I stated back in my BLOOD BROTHERS review, the writers decided to reveal that a mysterious mastermind working from behind the scenes has manipulated all of the events of THE CLONE SAGA. In order to make this idea plausible however, this mastermind would require field operatives that not only conveyed information to him about Peter and Ben’s activities, but also conducted some of the dirty work as well. Therefore, the idea of Scrier being multiple individuals contributes to this plot thread, as the Cabal of Scriers not only serve as the field operatives of this mysterious mastermind, but by all of them wearing the exact same costume, they can easily avoid suspicion as well. This also serves towards explaining how Scrier previously made people believe that he was a god-like being, as throughout the saga, Scrier seemingly possessed the uncanny ability to appear and disappear at any random location, regardless of time or distance. The information SECRETS! provides fits well within previously established continuity as Scrier being multiple people effectively explains how he was able to appear and disappear so randomly. Other reviews feel that this has only made the character even more confusing and overly complicated. I have to disagree with them in that regard, as I not only found the possibility that every time we saw Scrier in a previous story it was a different person to be intriguing, but that it also made the character feel more intimidating and somewhat scary. Overall, the retcons for Scrier’s character work effectively in my opinion as they not only redeem the character as an antagonist, but also provide him an actual purpose within THE CLONE SAGA narrative.

For me, SECRETS! is a mixed bag, as while it is well written and fairly entertaining, it’s successes and failures are ultimately determined by the retcons introduced for Judas Traveller and Scrier. While the retcons for Traveller are only half-effective and ultimately inconsistent with previous CLONE SAGA stories, the retcons for Scrier were actually well thought out in my opinion and manage to provide the character a clear and defined purpose in the saga’s plot. Overall, SECRETS! is a perfect representation of both the positive and negative effects that retcons can have on comic book stories and characters. In the case of Scrier, they can provide new information that helps benefit the character, while with Traveller, they can easily contradict previously established continuity and hurt the character. Whether or not all of the retcons established by SECRETS! were successful, they were all necessary in my opinion as they not only cleansed Traveller and Scrier of the elements that made them huge distractions in the first place, but also showed that the writers were attempting to rectify mistakes they had previously made, even if they were not 100% successful. Another benefit to SECRETS! was that it also provided further suspense and build-up to THE CLONE SAGA’s last story arc, REVELATIONS, which I’ll be covering in my next and final CLONE MADNESS review!

“All in the eye of the beholder - Some of the most destructive forces in the world (Fire & Water), can also have the power of beauty.” 

― Martin R. Lemieux