h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Death's Head - A British Comics' Character - A3001708
Author: Geggs Sakkosekken (Scout) Thread of The Day (A2946116) 16/09/2004: Today it's F135418?thread=484642 - U201647

I found the original version of this entry (A1057745) while searching the guide for entries on Transformers.

I've converted it to GuideML, added the odd paragraph, worked links into the text, and done a little minor editing. The majority of the entry is unchanged, however.

And if anyone knows what the word 'retcon' means, please let me know!


Geggs

Astounding find! Never ever heard of the character before, but sounds like an interesting concept...(Transformers and Doctor Who? AND the Fantastic Four? This guy did get around a bit...)

Found some minor errors in the text though;
audiance - audience
clock - cloak
and the double quotation marks should be singulars...

In the section about other well known English comics/characters perhaps honourable mention to Hewlitt & Mulligan's 'Tank Girl', Modesty Blaise, Dennis the Menace (Beano and Dandy) and even good old Andy Capp. You'd be surprised how well known they all are worldwide.
PGHF

'retcon' is short for 'retroactive continuity', and describes the practice of re-writing past events in a fictional world (be it a comic, TV series, whatever), to change previously established 'fact' to fit in with a new idea for the series.

In this example, retconning Death's Head II would mean writing a flash back style story in which Death's Head never took over Minion's body, and so Death's Head never became Death's Head II.

Thanks for that both.

I've corrected the typos (and they were all mine. Oh, the shame). Mentioned the other famous British comics stars, and added a brief explanation of the word 'retcon' (thanks for that Kerr!).

Anything else, let me know.


Geggs

I should point out that Marvel are the absolute masters of the retcon. There are so many different versions of the X-Men and Spiderman stories that an attempt to map a timeline results in insanity in the mapper, and a diagram that looks like a Tube map.

I'm also tempted to write an entry on Dragon's Claws, as they were my favorite team when I was a kid.

When I was reading through this entry for the first time Dragon's Claws popped back into my consciousness, too. I'm sure I've got all 10 issues of the comic somewhere. Shame it didn't last longer. I actually subscribed to it, and after the tenth issue they sent a cheque for the remainder of the subscription back to me. That was a sad day.

And there's so many little details about the Claws that make for an interesting subject. Like the fact that early adverts contained the name 'Dragon's Teeth' instead of 'Claws', which led to some initial confusion. Not entirely sure way they changed it, to be honest. Maybe Furman just decided he liked 'Claws' better. Maybe it was something legal. Not entirely sure.

And a few issues in they did a single-page promo laid out like a normal comic page. Each upcoming issue had one frame about it. And I felt a murmer of fannish joy when one of those frames contained a sword hitting Death's Head's forearm. You couldn't see anything else in the frame, just the sword and the forearm. But that was enough for this slavering fanboy.


Geggs

There was an Ellery Queen novel called Dragon's Teeth, maybe that had something to do with it. There's also a small comic publisher called Dragon's Teeth, but I don't know how long that's been around.

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Coo. I've only just logged on, and I find this at the top of my postings page.

Nice cup of , anyone?


Geggs

Nice one

Now, about Dragon's Claws...

Yeah, I'll have to dig out the Claws comics and give them another read. Don't think I can even remember the names of the other team members.


Geggs

Digit was one, and Scavenger, I think. Can't remember the girl's name...

Oh! Well Done
PGHF

I seem to be dragging up the name Mercy from somewhere. That was the girl, wasn't it?


Geggs

I think so. Steel was the fifth member of the team. Gosh,aren't we sad .

And then there was Decker, who was tagged onto the team by NURSE.

Sad? No no no. No sadness here. Pure unrestrained geekjoy. That's what.


Geggs

My apologies. It wasn't Decker, it was Deller who was assigned to re-activate the Claws.

It took a while to find where I'd hidden the comics, but I've been reading them again!


Geggs

Geggs,

Good update of my post. I do have some issues with some of the additions, but generally, an excellent job.
Especially the GuideML coding, which I wasn't comfortable enough with to include in my version.

Thaks!

Glad to see you back, Kelvin!

I'm glad you like some of the work I did on the entry too. I tried to keep the changes to a minimum, and to preserve your work as much as possible.

The entry made its way through Peer Review successfully, and is now being sub-edited by Paully, the entry being subbed is at A3094391, and Paully's Unumber is U705659. Actually, I think I'll drop him a line and left him know that you are back.


Geggs

Looks good!
Now all I have to do is think of something else to contribute to the Guide!