Memory, as I think I've said before (not sure, can't quite recall - tee-hee) is a funny thing. Case in point: Many, many moons ago (or so it seems), I remember reading a letter in a MARVEL mag, wherein the writer said that the phrase "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent" was in error, because it should read "Violence is the first refuge of the incompetent". My memory suggests that it was in relation to the X-MEN and something that HANK McCOY in particular had exclaimed. I'd have said that it was sometime in the '70s I read this, but here's the thing. I've just read such a letter in X-Men #45, which I first acquired in 1968, and that seems too far back to me - I'm sure it was later than that.
So what's the explanation? It could be that someone wrote a similar letter years later, or that I read it in a UK Marvel weekly, because they sometimes reprinted some letters from American mags, but with a more British-sounding name attached to them. (The letters were genuine, just not new, nor attributed to the original authors.) Marvel UK did this in the early days when they thought a letter conveyed some pertinent point that the readers would find interesting - and perhaps also fill space on a slow week for letters. (ODHAMS PRESS did the very same thing in the '60s with regard to their Marvel reprints.)
However, there's another possible explanation. In my collection are the first two OMNIBUS volumes of the X-Men, which include the letters pages. Did I read it there? No, I'm pretty sure I read it much further back than that. So here's a question to all you Marvel experts (BARRY PEARL and NICK CAPUTO, are you reading this?). Do any of you remember reading such a letter in a US or UK Marvel mag, and the year in which you read it? I'd guess I probably first read it in a UK mag, but I've no idea which one. The only other explanation is that my memory is far better than I give it credit for, and that I actually recall reading it in X-Men #45 back in 1968. Got to be honest though, I doubt it - mainly because I'm not sure I even read the letters in US mags back then.
So if you can shed any light on this perplexing mystery (to me anyway), feel free to chip in.
I think there may have been a caption in a Marvel comic which used the 'last refuge' error- fairly sure it was included in the 1980s Marvel No-Prize Book.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember reading long ago that the proper quote ('first refuge') was originally coined by Isaac Asimov.
Now that you mention it, DS, it may have been the No-Prize mag, which I've got so I'll check. However, I seem to recall also reading it in a letter previous to that, but maybe my memory's faulty.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware Odhams and Marvel UK reprinted US letters with different names , the things you learn on blogs.
ReplyDeleteThey may even have kept the original name on the odd occasion, and only changed the location from US to UK, PM. Cunning devils, those editors. I've mentioned it before, so you probably knew, but had just forgotten.
ReplyDeleteThe Beast used the same line in #56, when the X-Men were facing off against the Living Pharaoh's minion's in distant Egypt....could be the one you were thinking of?
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't so much which issue the line appeared, BS, but whether a later comic featured a similar letter to that in #45. Though perhaps it wasn't a letter I saw, but rather the panel in the No-Prize mag as DS suggested.
ReplyDeleteHmmm - pretty sure I recall a much later letter elsewhere mentioning that some character declaring that "Patriotism may be the last refuge of the scoundrel" was most likely wrong as it seemed to be the first....might that have been what you were thinking of, with transposed maxims?
ReplyDelete(Naturally I can't recall which comic that was, but it was much later than the Thomas/Adams X-Men)
Could be that, BS. One day I'll dig out my UK weeklies and see if the letter (if it was a letter I'm remembering) was reprinted in one of them under another name.
ReplyDeleteHi Kid:
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter what the expression is. Violence was the ONLY recourse for the Marvel super-heroes. Do you recall any Marvel comic book that didn't have a fight, a battle or a threat? Yeah, the were a few that didn't end that way. (I remember Dr. Doom walking away from a fight) but there was one in the middle of the book!
Seriously, think about it. While writing they were against violence, they displayed it all the time. Did the diplomats of the comics, PRINCE Namor, KING (T'Challa) Black Panther, even King Dr. Doom ever have a sit down peace negotiation? Remember PRINCE Namor at the UN in FF Annual #1? No peacenik there.
Good point, Barry, and nice to hear from you as always. However, I think Stan characterised such episodes as 'action' rather than 'violence', but he was probably splitting hairs. Though it has to be said that the heroes probably would've been content to chat if the villains hadn't usually kicked things off by trying to destroy them. When are you doing a new blog post and is your book out yet?
ReplyDeleteNew blog isu-,today. I hope the book will begin typesetting this month.
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Stan always called it ‘action.’
Left a comment on your new post, Barry. I'm surprised I hadn't noticed it was published, as I always keep an eye out for your posts.
ReplyDelete