BOOM! Studio’s Steed and Mrs Peel #2 may not be for everyone as it is A) Written by Grant Morrison, B) Based on semi-obscure 60’s British spy/sci-fi show “The Avengers” and frankly C) A BOOM! Studios book.
I am SHOCKED to find I missed plugging a fun Grant Morrison book. SHOCKED I say.
I think I could draw these three factors on a triangle and tell you “Choose any two reasons why you won’t buy this book.” There are those; and I suppose after some of his Bat-Book hi-jinx I can understand how you feel; who vowed never to pick up a Grant Morrison book again. Then there are those of you who have never seen The Avengers, or who would never buy any titles not from Marvel or DC.
Let me point out a few things The Avengers have brought to fandom, shall I?
A WORLD WITHOUT THE AVENGERS
Let’s forget that the TV show of the Avengers predates the first Bond movie by a year…after all, the Bond novels existed before the Avengers TV show, right? One thing to consider, however, was that The Avenger’s was the first to rely on heavy gimmicks, such as trick umbrellas, hidden walkie-talkies and bladed hats.
It’s the Avengers, not necessarily Bond, that gets credit for Spy-Fi. Without the Avengers, I don’t think there would have been a Nick Fury: Agent of Shield.
You wouldn’t have Emma Frost, the White Queen, tromping around in her skivvies in the X-Men, that’s for sure. Legendary X-Scribe Chris Claremont is a Brit, and John Byrne, though born in Britain is actually a Canadian…both of these men watched the BBC during formative years, and (shamelessly) mined The Avengers for ideas to put in comics.
The Hellfire Club, a staple 80’s X-Villain hangout, was a real historical happening, a social club where British rulers could experiment with dark sins while piloting the future of their Realm. The Hellfire club as it premiered in Uncanny X-Men #129 was lifted directly out of The Avenger’s Episode “A Touch of Brimstone,” complete with its underwear clad, chess piece named rulers.
They also pulled forgotten baddie Arcade straight from “The House That Jack Built,” but let’s forget about that, shall we?
Without the Avengers there would be no Scar-Jo in a black leather catsuit, either. NOW I have your attention.
Dame Diana Riggs was the actress who played married super spy Emma Peel, one of the strongest, coolest and chic-tastic women of the geek pantheon. Emma was not the first lady to don an all in one cat suit, but it was her FABULOUS familiarity in one that started the trend.
Black Widow, Catwoman, and many other “classic” body suit wearing femme fatales start cropping up in cat suits AFTER Diana. Check it out…they almost always wore long ball gowns split at the hip. Meow!
LIFE WITH THE AVENGERS
Geek culture is a pile of ideas, all perched upon each other like stones on a mountainside. Pull one idea out and it sends an avalanche down on our collective geek heads.
There are LOTS of great comics out this week, (Chew #24, B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth #1, Batman #6, Wonder Woman #6, Star Trek/Legion of Superheroes #5, Spider-Man #679.1, and that OTHER comic starring a team called “The Avengers,” Avengers #22 just to name a few) BUT, if you could see your way to letting a crazy British Super-Writer cram weirdness into a beloved British Spy-Fi show of yesteryear, won’t you PLEASE consider picking up Steed and Mrs Peel #2 from BOOM!?
Tally-ho!
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More musings from Unkiedev, Earth’s own sidekick, can be read at unkiedev.blogspot.com
