Know Your Foes!

Recently whenever Marvel begins a huge promotional crossover event they produce a book containing data files that review and update the status on various characters. In the past these Data File type books have read very much like an encyclopedia. Back in the 80’s Marvel produced a monthly book called, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Every so often they would produce updates and about seven years ago they started up once again.

During the Initiative and the Skrull Invasion promotions Marvel started adding more fun to these seemingly dry books. Marvel’s latest efforts came out on February 25th, entitled, Dark Reign Files - Know Your Foes. What makes this book fun is that the reader finds out that the less than friendly living computer, Quasimodo (Quasi-Motivational Destruct Organism) was found and reactivated by Norman Osborn and company. This creepy creation of the Mad Thinker has fought with the Fantastic Four, the Silver Surfer, Captain Marvel, the Beast, Spider-man, Hawkeye, and numerous other heroes over one reason or another.

In an email to Norman Osborn ol’ Quasi explains how he has analyzed 189 persons or organizations of interest. Each entry revues the following:

Threat: The entity’s perceived threat to the Cabal and the USA
Loyalty: The likelihood of the entity obeying the Cabal’s wishes
Influence: The support the entity has among its peers
Power: The particular might of the entity’s abilities or resources
Expendability: The entity’s ability to be discarded or replaced

Many of Quasimodo’s entries are an entertaining read. His assessment on the Leader for example is that he’s essentially more trouble than he’s worth and should be “promptly disposed of.” Or his thoughts on Mandrill, “I would advise placing this unfaithful foul-up in the deepest, most isolated prison possible, leaving him there until he rots away, never to be recognized by eyes, human or machine, again!” Nice!

I’m not sure if the Head Writer/Coordinator, Michael Hoskin picked the characters or not, but if he did, he certainly can be congratulated for choosing such a whacky mix. From new villains such as Lady Bullseye, Menace, and Miss Sinister, to classics such as Grim Reaper, Doctor Octopus, and Whirlwind. ROM fans will be excited to see the Dire Wraiths getting an entry. There’s Cobweb, the villain to Sleepwalker, Cardiaxe, the villain to Nightwatch, and the extraterrestrial Snarks, villains to Power Pack. Heck, even Ulysses S. Archer Marvel’s favorite space traveling truck driver’s brother, the Highwayman got an entry.


So that’s it in a nutshell! Be sure to give this book a read, as you won’t be disappointed. That’s a big 10-4! Over and out!