I’ve never been “into” comics in any serious way. I don’t follow any particular hero though I have some favorites (Batman, Wolverine, Wonder Woman, etI’ve never been “into” comics in any serious way. I don’t follow any particular hero though I have some favorites (Batman, Wolverine, Wonder Woman, etc.); and if you look at my Graphic Novels Picture Books shelf, you’ll see I follow some series pretty closely (Saga, Monstrous, Rat Queens, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, etc.). When I was a kid, my friends and I often played the Champions RPG, and if I see an interesting title, I’ll try it out.
As the title suggests, The League of Regrettable Superheroes is an encyclopedia of “third stringers and Z-listers: near-misses, almost-weres, mightabeens, nice tries, weirdos, oddballs, freaks, and even the occasional innovative idea that was simply ahead of its time” (p. 8). Some of my favorite regrettable superheroes include the following:
From the Golden Age (defined by Morris at 1938-1949) --
The Bouncer: The name suggests a mutant bodyguard who protects bars but The Bouncer is actually the reanimated statue of the Greek mythological figure Antaeus, whose power is – well – bouncing.
Captain Tootsie: An early example of product placement.
Madam Fatal: A hero sure to incense our current crop of reactionaries: A man who dresses as an old woman to fight crime. Oh, who will think of the children!
Spider Queen: A spider-themed superhero twenty years before our favorite webslinger. Spider Queen is one of those heroes who wasn’t particularly odd or silly. She just never clicked with any audience.
From the Silver Age (1950-1969) --
Dial H for Hero: I include this as an example of one of several heroes who got a second bite of the apple: Dial H, Vol. 1: Into You
Gunmaster: You’d think a poster boy for the NRA but he’s actually a pacifist who only uses his guns as a last resort fighting the lawless in the Old West.
Peacemaker: The edition I read was printed in 2015, before Peacemaker got his second chance in the spotlight with The Suicide Squad.
From the Modern Age (aka the Bronze Age) (1970- ) --
Maggott: Maggott was just one of several failed X-Men candidates: Longneck, Rubbermaid, Forgetmenot, Glob Herman, Beak, Cypher. And my absolute favorite – Snot. And, yes, the name implies exactly what you think the guy’s “super” power is.
The Prez: I remember seeing the covers for this comic growing up in the ‘70s. Taking advantage of the youth-oriented movements of the era, The Prez chronicles the adventures of a 20-something who becomes president of the US and finds himself battling not only the usual political foes but also “legless vampires [and] giant evil robot chess pieces” (p. 231). Never read any of the titles.
ROM: Another title I remember from my youth but, unlike The Prez, I actually owned the 1st issue for a time.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: I kind of resent seeing Doreen Green amongst this often sorry crowd of “heroes” since there’s nothing regrettable about Squirrel Girl IMO. At least not the Ryan North volumes, of which I have all and gifted copies to my younger niece, Claire.
The League of Regrettable Superheroes is a fun read and an interesting window on the world of comics and recommended for anyone who’s interested in the genre....more
What does it say about the 21st century reader that the editor of this slim volume feels constrained to write:
So these remedies come with a health war
What does it say about the 21st century reader that the editor of this slim volume feels constrained to write:
So these remedies come with a health warning: don't try this at home. Those of us who have gathered these tips do not endorse them. You will not fix incontinence by sitting naked in a vat of ale. You will not stop your own wounds bleeding by slaying a pig. Nor do we condone the things done to other people or animals in these remedies. Please do not shave the skin off your feet to make a woman love you against her will; this is immoral. Please do not slit owls open to cure your gout; this is cruel (p. 5)
Wakelin has collected some of the odder medical remedies he and his students have come across in studying Medieval texts. He does make the point that these concoctions are outliers; most remedies were relatively harmless and some could have been efficacious (if only as placebos)....more
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