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“'The Night Gwen Stacy Died:' The End of Innocence & the Birth of the Bronze Age

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Black Panther
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« Reply #15 on: May 31, 2009, 02:25:53 am »

<32> While the Punisher was staking a claim in the Marvel Universe, another anti-hero with a violent streak was debuting in the pages of The Incredible Hulk [23]. Matching and eventually surpassing the fan following generated by the Punisher, Wolverine was the symbol of the 'New Superhero'--a bitter, cigar-chomping amnesiac with a whole host of grudges and a set of razor sharp claws. Sharing the murky origins and revenge-driven back story of the Punisher, Wolverine (later known as Logan) was another member of the new breed. A darker hero had emerged following the death of Gwen Stacy, a hero for harsher times--a new Age had begun and the paradigm shift was complete.

<33> The arrival of the Punisher and Wolverine completed the transition that began with the death of Gwen Stacy a year earlier. Writers like Gerry Conway and Len Wein opened a Pandora's box of moral ambiguity and emotional complexity in the world of superhero storytelling that had never existed before. Conway had first introduced readers to the permanence of death and then offered up Death's Avatar in the form of an enforcer who was armed to the teeth and ready to keep the body count mounting in the Marvel Universe. The Punisher was also a distillation of the vengeance that Peter Parker felt when hunting Norman Osborn, an embodiment of the new kind of justice demanded by an America that had simultaneously lost its innocence and ignorance.

<34> The death of Gwen Stacy cannot be overestimated in terms of its historical importance to the comic book medium and the superhero genre in particular. As vast and cosmic in scope as some superhero adventures can be, one of the genre's greatest and most tragic moments was a tale told of one young girl--an intimate, heart-rending story about the death of a superhero's one true love.
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« Reply #16 on: May 31, 2009, 02:26:12 am »

<35> When writer Kurt Busiek and artist Alex Ross created the landmark mini-series Marvels [24], a heartfelt exploration of the Marvel Universe of the 1960s and early '70s, they gave readers a window into a world never before seen with that degree of verisimilitude. Ross' painted artwork was breathtaking, photo-realistic in style, and lent some of those classic tales a heightened sense of closeness and physicality. The first three issues recounted some of the most important moments in Marvel Comics history, from the arrival of world eater Galactus [25] to the first appearance of the mutant hunting Sentinels [26]. But while the scope of those first three issues was surely grand, the final installment had to bring the entire journey to a close with as much drama and epic grandeur as possible. To accomplish this lofty goal, Busiek and Ross chose to focus the final issue of Marvels on one small section of concrete and steel at the top of the George Washington Bridge in New York. The retold saga of the Marvel Universe's formative years came to an end with the death of Gwen Stacy, reminding readers of the shock that accompanied the original tale in 1973. Through their work, Busiek and Ross further illustrated the indelible impression left by that single story in the annals of superhero comics and paid tribute to its operatic stature [27].

<36> Gwen Stacy's death was undoubtedly the end of an era, a tectonic jolt that shook the superhero genre out of one cemented cycle of endless cause and effect and into a new paradigm that better reflected the socio-political and cultural sensibilities of its readers. With her passing, and the introduction of characters like the Punisher and Wolverine soon after, the next stage in the development of the superhero genre had arrived--not with a flash of lightning and a triumphant fanfare, but with the hollow snap of bone.
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« Reply #17 on: May 31, 2009, 02:26:34 am »

Works Cited

Amazing Spider-Man. Multiple issues. New York: Marvel Comics, 1962-Present.

Busiek, Kurt & Alex Ross. Marvels. January-April 1994. New York: Marvel Comics.

Conway, Gerry. "The Night Gwen Stacy Died." Amazing Spider-Man #121. June 1973. New York: Marvel Comics.

Conway, Gerry. "The Goblin's Last Stand." Amazing Spider-Man #122. July 1973. New York: Marvel Comics.

Eco, Umberto. "The Myth of Superman." The Role of the Reader. 1979. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Third Edition. 1962. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

O'Neil, Denny. "Snowbirds Don't Fly." Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85. August- September 1971. New York: DC Comics.

The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. 32nd ed. Timonium: Gemstone Publishing, Inc., 2002.

"So NOW You Know Who to Blame." Editorial. Amazing Spider-Man #125. October 1973. New York: Marvel Comics.

Wein, Len. "And Now...The Wolverine!" Incredible Hulk #181. November 1974. New York: Marvel Comics.

Endnotes

[1] Zap Comics was printed by Charles Plymell. [^]

[2] For good or bad, the role of superhero characters as surrogate family members for young readers is a powerful and undeniable one. Marvel Comics achieved the ultimate distillation of the superhero team as family with the title that launched their fictional universe, transforming comics forever-The Fantastic Four, which debuted in November 1961. [^]

[3] The Code, first adopted in 1954, was a self-imposed regulatory system sparked by the witch hunt-like investigations of the Senate, largely spearheaded by Senator Estes Kefauver and psychologist Dr. Fredric Wertham. The principle aim of the first draft of the Code was more concerned with constructing a set of rules that would effectively force chief target EC Comics out of business rather than address urgent moral concerns. [^]

[4] Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85, August-September 1971, featuring Green Arrow on the cover saying those immortal words, "My ward is a junkie!" [^]

[5] Perhaps one of the most highly regarded examples of this new social sensibility in superheroes was the history-making Denny O'Neil/Neal Adams run of Green Lantern/Green Arrow, beginning with #76 in April 1970. [^]
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« Reply #18 on: May 31, 2009, 02:26:57 am »

[6] The best source for a breakdown of the commonly accepted nomenclature for the various Ages of comics and the dates at which they are generally assumed to begin and end is The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide from Gemstone Publishing, Inc. There is, however, some ongoing debate in the comic book community about the exact names and dates of the Ages, particularly from the Bronze Age to the present. [^]

[7] The Marvel Renaissance of horror included the Man-Thing in Savage Tales #1 (May 1971), Tomb of Dracula (April 1972), Werewolf By Night in Marvel Spotlight #2 (June 1972), and Ghost Rider in Marvel Spotlight #5 (August 1972). [^]

[8] DC introduced the second incarnation of the Flash, AKA police scientist Barry Allen, in Showcase #4 (September-October 1956), generally accepted as the birth of the Silver Age of Comics. Allen was struck by lightning and immersed in experimental chemicals, imbuing him with amazing powers. [^]

[9] Gwen first appeared as drawn by Ditko in Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965). Romita began altering her look in Amazing Spider-Man #48 (May 1967). Her trademark hair band turned up in the very next issue, and the transformation was complete by Amazing Spider-Man #55 (December 1967). [^]

[10] Yet another example of the 'surrogate' effect noted earlier. [^]

[11] Lee finished his run as the first writer on Amazing Spider-Man with #100, returning for a brief stint with #105-110. Roy Thomas covered the title starting with #101, and Conway took reins with #111. [^]

[12] Some sticklers note that although the George Washington Bridge is the one mentioned by name in this and subsequent retellings of the story, it is the Brooklyn Bridge that we see in the actual artwork of the original story. [^]
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« Reply #19 on: May 31, 2009, 02:27:39 am »

[13] "The Death of Superman" took place in Superman Vol. 2 #75 (January 1993), but he was much better only six months later. [^]

[14] Batman's first sidekick was Dick Grayson, a circus performer who assumed the mantle of Robin way back in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940). Many years later, the second boy to don the Robin costume, Jason Todd, died at the hands of the Joker thanks to a reader poll in Batman #428 (December 1988). Tim Drake, the latest Robin, assumed the role about a year later. [^]

[15] Hal Jordan, the Silver Age Green Lantern and one of DC's most beloved heroes, began his descent in Green Lantern Vol. 3 #48-50 (January-March 1994) when he went insane and took the name Parallax. He died in Final Night #4 (November 1996) and was eulogized in GL #81 (December 1996). [^]

[16] Kuhn, pp. 52-53. [^]

[17] ibid, pp. 84 and 90. [^]

[18] Conway, "The Goblin's Last Stand," Amazing Spider-Man #122 (July 1973), page 18. [^]

[19] Letters page editorial, Amazing Spider-Man #125 (October 1973). [^]

[20] ibid. [^]

[21] The Punisher, as drawn by Ross Andru, debuted in Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974). [^]

[22] Even his real name remained a mystery in these early appearances. The Punisher's origin was later revealed in the magazine Marvel Preview #2 (March 1975). [^]

[23] Wolverine first appeared in a two-part story in Incredible Hulk #180-181 (October-November 1974), written by Len Wein and drawn by Herb Trimpe. Wolverine's initial look was designed by John Romita Sr. [^]

[24] Marvels was originally published as a four issue mini-series from January to April 1994 then reprinted in 1996. A trade paperback, hardcover edition, and #0 issue were also released. [^]

[25] The original version of that story appeared in the legendary Fantastic Four #48-50 (March-May 1966). [^]

[26] The Sentinels debuted in The X-Men #14 (July 1965). [^]

[27] Busiek's tribute to Gwen did not end there. Advertising the fact that he believed her death signalled the irrefutable end of the Silver Age, he dated the death of his mysterious Astro City hero - the Silver Agent - as 1973, further naming the character's alter ego as Alan Craig in recognition of Silver Age historian Craig Alan Shutt. [^]

http://reconstruction.eserver.org/034/blumberg.htm
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« Reply #20 on: May 31, 2009, 02:30:58 am »

Blast from the Past: CAPTAIN COMICS from CBG #1422 (Feb. 16, 2001)

How NOT to end a relationship!

By Andrew A. Smith
Contributing Editor

It’s the St. Valentine’s Day issue of CBG, and The Captain’s fancy turns lightly to thoughts of love.

Well, it would, if comics weren’t so depressing in matters of the heart. They say the course of true love never runs smooth, which may explain why Archie can’t make up his mind about Betty or Veronica, why Batman and Catwoman exchange high kicks as often as hot clinches, and why so many of Tony “Iron Man” Stark’s ex-girlfriends want to kill him.

Come to think of it, that last one isn’t too uncommon. But the number of happily-married couples in comics are as rare as chocolate-covered cherries in a Whitman Sampler.

Being a super-hero would be tough enough on a relationship, under any circumstances. There aren’t too many people who’d be content to stay home and watch Temptation Island while their buff Spandex-clad superguy or gal was out all night with other buff Spandex-clad types doing Lord-knows-what and coming home at daybreak with their clothes all torn and smelling of cheap ion-cannon discharge. It’s not a situation that engenders trust.

But the worst aspect of super-hero dating is what is often referred to as “The Gwen Stacy Syndrome.” That’s when writers find themselves boxed into a corner when it comes to a relationship that threatens to tie down their hero, and they reach for the easy solution: The Grim Reaper.

The name comes from Amazing Spider-Man #121 (Jun 73), when Marvel found itself scratching its collective head over what to do with Gwen Stacy. In those halcyon days, Peter Parker and Gwen had reached a point in their relationship where the altar seemed inevitable. But Marvel didn’t want the webslinger married, divorced, or widowed – they feared that such an adult status would reduce Pete’s appeal to kids. And they didn’t want Pete to dump her – he’d be a Spider-Cad.
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« Reply #21 on: May 31, 2009, 02:31:49 am »

Their solution, as all CBG readers know from this newspaper’s in-depth story on the subject, was Gwen taking a header off the George Washington Bridge. Gee, that was easy!

I was reminded of this when I received the following missive:

Dear Cap: I was wondering if you could search your vast resources and find out how many super-heroes and -villains have lost their significant others -- whether by death, choice or just plain erased from existence by a black hole or something! I only came up with Aquaman and The Kingpin, but I'm not so sure on the hows and whys. -- To’Bor, Nashua, N.H.

And the answer is: Just about all of them. Rifling through the archives here in the Comics Cave, it was difficult to find a super-character whose special someone hadn’t met with one grisly end or another. Of course, as is the case with Aquaman’s Mera, most returned from the Other Side when a plot complication was called for. But rather than list the many deaths of super-sweeties, let The Captain just name his Top Ten. And to make it interesting, you can mix and match the hero with the method of expiration for his or her beloved:

1) Sub-Mariner
2) Kyle Rayner
3) Troia
4) Daredevil
5) John Stewart
6) J’onn J’onzz
7) The Incredible Hulk
Cool Wolverine
9) Spider-Man
10) Black Canary

A) Death by blowfish poisoning
B) Death by evisceration
C) Death by dismemberment
D) Death by plague
E) Death by explosion
F) Death by impalement on sword
G) Death by radiation poisoning
H) Death by broken neck
I) Death by impalement on billy club
J) Death by car wreck

1-F) Sub-Mariner: Death by impalement on sword.
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« Reply #22 on: May 31, 2009, 02:32:08 am »

In Avengers #293 (Jul 88), Namor’s wife Marrina was transformed into a giant worm, and he was forced to kill her with The Black Knight’s sword. I kid you not. Marrina was a human/alien hybrid, and not only did she become a humongous, sea-going leviathan, not only was she slaughtering people right and left, but … she was spawning!

“Marrina, the wife of The Sub-Mariner, must die, so that all others may live!” quoth The Avenging Son, several pages before the dirty deed. I like this one, not only because of the giant-worm aspect, but also because Marrina was the second wife of The Sub-Mariner to hit Davy Jones’s Locker (the first one being Lady Dorma, who suffocated on air in the classic Sub-Mariner #37 in May 71). Some guys are just unlucky in love.

2-C) Kyle Rayner: Death by dismemberment.

Green Lantern writer Ron Marz didn’t waste any time offing the new Emerald Gladiator’s girlfriend, who joined the choir invisible in only her fourth appearance (Green Lantern #54, third series, Aug 94). And what a way to go: dismembered by Major Force and stuffed into a refrigerator.

OK, it’s not pretty, but it’s pretty imaginative.

3-J) Troia: Death by car wreck.

Poor Donna Troy. Not only did her husband and child die in something as banal as an auto accident, not only is she saddled with the goofy name Troia, not only has she dated two of the most immature men in the DC Universe (Kyle Rayner and Arsenal), but they’re STILL trying to give her a proper origin (see current issues of Titans). Donna, Donna, Donna – can’t you see that Nightwing is the perfect man for you? Well, if he wasn’t already involved with half a dozen other women. And if he didn’t think of you as a sister. Come to think of it, maybe Arsenal isn’t so bad.
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« Reply #23 on: May 31, 2009, 02:33:15 am »

4-I) Daredevil: Death by impalement on billy club.

Yup, Bullseye used DD’s own weapon to ace the Man Without Fear’s long-time sweetie Karen Page in Daredevil #5 (second series, Mar 99). Bullseye had already practiced by skewering former Daredevil girlfriend Elektra with her own sais, but that one didn’t take. Karen, alas, seems to have permanently gone the way of All-Flash, like former Matt Murdock squeeze Heather Glenn, who committed suicide. Matt and Namor ought to form a club or something. Lord knows they shouldn’t date any more.

5-B) John Stewart: Death by evisceration.

Hard-luck Green Lantern John Stewart seemed to finally have hit the jackpot with former GL Katma Tui of Korugar – until Star Sapphire shredded her like so much sausage in Action Comics #601 (May 88), in one of the most gratuitous deaths ever in comics. Not only was it pointless and grotesquely brutal, but it didn’t even involve a refrigerator to make it memorable. I tell ya, the other Lanterns have all the luck.

6-D) J’onn J’onzz: Death by plague.

As fully explained in Martian Manhunter #0 (Oct 98), Martian malefactor Ma’alefa’ak engineered a telepathic pyrovirus called Hronmeer’s Curse to spontaneously combust not only J’onn’s wife and child, but his entire race! This one isn’t really an example of The Gwen Stacy Syndrome, since Le Hombre Verdad’s family has been dead off and on since his inception. But it was a memorable and emotionally affecting issue, and also explains why MM gets queasy at barbecues.

7-G) Incredible Hulk: Death by radiation poisoning.

Long-time greenskin galpal Betty Ross-Talbot-Banner died from gamma-ray exposure in Incredible Hulk #466 (Jul 98), the result of machinations by Emil “The Abomination” Blonsky. Since Betty was cleared away like so much debris by editorial fiat to make room for the “new direction” of the Hulk, she’s a classic example of The Gwen Stacy Syndrome. Still, as written by Peter David, it was a heart-tugger.
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« Reply #24 on: May 31, 2009, 02:33:57 am »

(Captain's note: This one didn't take.)

8-A) Wolverine: Death by blowfish poisoning.

In Wolverine #57 (late Jul 92), Logan’s Japanese fiancé Mariko Yashida was tricked into using a blade poisoned with blowfish toxin to slice off one of her own fingers. The actual coup de grace was delivered by the ol’ Canucklehead himself (to spare her the death agonies), but that’s one remarkably peculiar way to go, even for comics.

9-H) Spider-Man: Death by broken neck.

OK, this one was a gimmie, since I’ve already explained that Gwen Stacy took a dive off the George Washington Bridge (assisted by The Green Goblin). What I didn’t mention is that the fall didn’t kill her – it was the sudden stop that broke her neck when Spidey tried to catch her with his webbing. Guilt, guilt, guilt!

10-E) Black Canary: Death by explosion.

Dinah Lance’s decades-long romance with The Emerald Archer ended in Green Arrow #100 (Sep 95), when the Battling Bowman met his end in an exploding aircraft that – what? He’s coming back this month? Oh. All right then, the original Black Canary’s husband, Larry Lance, was killed by a bolt of stellar magic by the star-being Aquarius in Justice League of America #74 (Sep 69), when – what? He was shown to have survived in JLA #220 (Nov 83)?

Oh. Well, it just goes to show what we’ve always known: It’s better to be a guy in comics than a gal. For women, the retirement plan really stinks.

Andrew Smith, who vows never to take his wife into combat with a super-villain, writes the syndicated “Captain Comics” newspaper column and can be reached at capncomics@aol.com or on his Web site, http://www.captaincomics.us/forums. Please include a city/state of address.


"With great power there must also come great responsibility!"
-- Stan Lee, 1962

http://www.cbgxtra.com/default.aspx?tabid=42&view=topic&forumid=60&postid=8665
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« Reply #25 on: May 31, 2009, 02:36:43 am »

GWEN STACY
(app. 1966-1973)

History: Gwen was introduced as one of the pals 'n' gals of Peter Parker's new peer group at Empire State University in Amazing Spider-Man 31. She and Parker got off to a bad start -- he was preoccupied by the dying Aunt May and accidentally ignored her at their introduction -- but the two had increasingly romantic thought balloons about each other until they began dating, and Parker eventually acknowledged to Mary Jane that he loved Gwen (Spectacular Spider-Man magazine No. 2). While sex between the two was never overtly acknowledged (as it was later when Peter would stay overnight with Mary Jane), it was clear that Peter and Gwen were heading for the altar.

Presumed creators: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with credit to John Romita Sr.

Death: The Green Goblin captured Gwen in Amazing Spider-Man 122 to force Spider-Man (who he was aware was Peter Parker) to confront him atop the George Washington Bridge. In the course of the conflict, he knocked Gwen off a bridge pylon, and when Spidey snagged her with his webbing, the abrupt fall snapped her neck, killing her instantly.

Resurrection odds: Pretty low. Gwen's death was a dramatic highlight of Spider-Man's career, and it's unlikely a future writer will be allowed to undercut that. Futher, now that Peter is married to Mary Jane, Gwen would have no utility in a future storyline. Futher, she was resurrected once as a clone, which was poorly received by fans and the idea was dropped.

Fun Facts: There is some controversy over Gwen's death; later reprintings omitted the distinct "SNAPT" sound effect that indicated the broken neck. It seems Marvel chickened out for a little while about Spider-Man inadvertently being responsible for her death, but has finally owned up to it after years of arguments. The "SNAPT" sound effect has been restored to more recent reprintings.

A recent Comics Buyer's Guide article researched the decision to kill Gwen, and it fell to writer Gerry Conway, with complicity by artist John Romita Sr. (who first suggested it) and editor Roy Thomas (who signed off on it). Conway has acknowledged that he killed Gwen because he couldn't figure out what to do with her. Clearly a wedding was in the near future, but nobody at Marvel wanted a married Spider-Man. Even if he later divorced or became a widower, he could never reclaim his "single" status and it was felt that his appeal to younger fans would be diminished. Nor could he break up with her -- their uncompromising love for each other had been too well established and a breakup would make Peter look like a cad. Ergo: Adios, Gwen. Ironically, Peter is now married with no loss in popularity.

Do I really need to point out how sad this is? A popular major character killed because of authorial cowardice? I didn't think so. Unfortunately, it's fairly common. In fact, I now routinely refer to the death of a love interest for editorial rather than artistic reasons as "The Gwen Stacy Syndrome."

The damnedest thing is that the Green Goblin was killed in ASM 123 to balance the scales -- but he has since been resurrected. Aside from a clone in the '80s, Gwen remains dead and probably always will be, while her killer walks around free. Life just isn't fair, is it?

http://web.archive.org/web/20041031073847/http://www.captaincomics.us/archives/bookofdead/gwenstacy.htm
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« Reply #26 on: May 31, 2009, 02:40:19 am »



Physics of Superheroes 1 - Death of Gwen Stacy
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« Reply #27 on: May 31, 2009, 02:45:50 am »



YouTube - Best Shots Review Vlog Week 14: One More Day
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« Reply #28 on: May 31, 2009, 03:27:36 am »

Gwen Stacy

Gwendolyn "Gwen" Stacy[1] appears as a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965).

A blonde college co-ed, Gwen becomes the first love of Peter Parker (Spider-Man). The Green Goblin kills Gwen in The Amazing Spider-Man #121 (June 1973). Both the decision to kill Gwen and the method in which Marvel implemented it are controversial among fans, but it is still a pivotal point in both Spider-Man’s history and in American comic books in general. Spider-Man writers and fans disagree about who is the character’s “one true love,” Gwen or his subsequent wife Mary Jane Watson. In the 2007 feature film Spider-Man 3, she is played by Bryce Dallas Howard.
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« Reply #29 on: May 31, 2009, 03:29:38 am »



Gwen and Spider-Man. Art by Steve Rude.
Publication information
Publisher    Marvel Comics
First appearance    The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965)
Created by    Stan Lee
Steve Ditko
In-story information
Full name    Gwendolyn Stacy[1]
Supporting character of    Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Dead Girl
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