In my travels around the internet, your humble MS-QOTD often goes looking for background details on the weird and wonderful minor characters of comic books past, and has over the last few years discovered an irritating phenomenon: My searches only lead me back to my own writings here at Major Spoilers. It’s especially prevalent with characters who have the same name as a more popular characters, most recently found in my research of the original 1968 ‘Secret Six.’ Don’t get me wrong, I love Gail Simone’s assemblage of villains and ne’er-do-wells as much as any fan, but the original Bridwell/Springer spy intrigue story, cancelled after only a few issues during one of DC’s most creative periods, is a revelation of classic comics. It is, however, nearly impossible to find information on that “other version” thanks to the popularity of the newer take, leading to today’s revival query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) recalls explaining to my daughter that when I say ‘Land Of The Lost’, I don’t mean Will Ferrell, asking: What favorite minor property do you have to keep explaining is NOT the more popular “other version”?
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When I talk about Transformers, I mean the ones from the 80’s, not those hideous monstrosities from Michael Bay movies.
I could be referring to just about any incarnation except the movies. Out of all the continuations, re-imaginings and alternate versions of Transformers across various media (including some of the oddball Japanese official parody versions), the Bay movies are pretty much the only incarnation I can’t stand. And I say this as someone who really, really wanted to like them because I have liked so many, many other versions of Transformers.
I count products of generation 1 style as same continuation as 80’s ones, for example IDW comics and Masterpiece line of action figures, for example. Those are fine.
Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. The formula of the later U.S. show is just that. Formulaic. The original British show showed a far more compassionate Ramsey and didn’t rely on big money kitchen makeovers. It was about reigniting a passion for cooking. More personable and relatable.
I sympathize about the Transformers, but at least there is a healthy love and representation for the classic versions online.
For me, I’d definitely say the Atomic Knights. The originals are a really fantastic and innovative (for the time) backup series, but everything you find is about the modern rebirth.