Excalibur #93
“The Spire”
Writer: Warren Ellis
Pencils: Casey Jones
Inks: Tom Simmons
Colours: Ariane Lenshoek and Malibu Hues
Letters: Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Editor: Suzanne Gaffney
Original publication date: January 1996
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] [/et_pb_code][et_pb_button button_url=”https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/8680/excalibur_1988_93″ url_new_window=”on” button_text=”marvel unlimited link” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”14px” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#ef00db” button_border_width=”8px” button_border_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” button_letter_spacing=”2px” button_font=”Nunito|700||on|||||” button_use_icon=”off” custom_margin=”30px|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”right” animation_intensity_slide=”5%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%” hover_enabled=”0″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”0px” box_shadow_vertical=”25px” box_shadow_blur=”45px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(148,166,191,0.25)” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_button][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”My Books Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”23px|||||” custom_padding=”100px||100px|” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-78px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||7px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]This week, we’re inspired to do some griping about thong-back costumes and the wolf-girls who wear them in Excalibur #93, “The Spire,” in which Rahne Sinclair goes home again and heals from her traumatic past by revealing it was even worse than we thought? We also do some sermonizing about religion in comics with the help of returning guest, Dr. Michael B. Dando! Plus lots of ladies acting lots of ways which may or may not make sense and Pete Wisdom does an Xavier impression (which everyone hates).
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On good characters and good questions:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/93_rahne-good-questions.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" sticky_enabled="0" title_text="#93_rahne good questions"]“Good characters ask important questions. I think Rahne Sinclair does that, and has done that for a very long time.” -Michael
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On changing changes:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/93_meggan-powers.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="#93_meggan powers" sticky_enabled="0"]“From here on out, Meggan can do whatever we need her to do for the issue at hand and she might not be able to do it next issue.” -Mav
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" custom_margin="-16px|auto||auto||" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On sexualization vs objectification:" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM5_6js19eM" url_new_window="on" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/93_generic-sexiness.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" custom_padding="0px|||||" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="#93_generic sexiness" sticky_enabled="0"]“When a character is drawn in a generically sexy way that doesn’t extend from character—that’s problematic objectification. Because it’s dehumanizing, usually in the service of a generic male gaze.” -Anna
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On simplifications:" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4UqMyldS7Q" url_new_window="on" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/93_rahne-long-past-ready.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" link_option_url_new_window="on" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="#93_rahne long past ready" sticky_enabled="0"]“Rahne Sinclar is a really important symbol for queer and trans youth. And what makes that effective are the various forces affecting her. It’s frustrating to see that simplified here.” -Andrew
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On diminishing returns:" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qimg_q7LbQ" url_new_window="on" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/93_god-loves-riff.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" link_option_url_new_window="on" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="#93_god loves riff" sticky_enabled="0"]“God Love, Man Kills is such a foundational X-Men text. But too many other writers have been like ‘let’s do that’ without appreciating why the original worked.” -Michael
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On bigotry:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/93_bigotry.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="#93_bigotry" sticky_enabled="0"]“Cartoonishly evil religious bigots can let subtler bigotry off the hook, because people look at it go—oh I’m not like *that.* That’s evil. I’m fine.” -Michael
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" custom_margin="20px|auto||auto||" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_team_member name="Want more Michael B. Dando?" image_url="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/59_mike.jpg" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"]You can find him on Twitter (@mbdando), and check out the Lion Man comic books, by John Jennings and David Brame, edited by Michael!
And! Check out the Comics School podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
[/et_pb_team_member][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-107px|||||” custom_padding=”80px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-63px|||||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]And as usual:
You can find Anna on Twitter (@peppard_anna) and at Sequential Scholars (@seqscholars).
You can find Andrew on Twitter (@ClaremontRun) and at Sequential Scholars.
You can find Mav on Twitter (@chrismaverick) and on his podcast, VoxPopcast (@VoxPopcast).
Enjoy!
-GGW Team
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So first, this was a great episode, as usual and Michael’s a great guest. Praise is due.
But. I did find myself arguing with you all in my car as I listened because folks, if there is one thing the Reverend Craig absolutely, certainly is *not*, it’s a representative of the Catholic Church.
Marvel are understandably non-specific about his exact denomination but he’s a Reverend, not a Father. In that area of Scotland, he’s almost definitely a Presbyterian, specifically Free Church of Scotland, and I’m 95% sure that this was Claremont’s original intention for the character. He’s a Reverend, not a Father, from an area of Scotland where Catholicism isn’t very common and where in fact Catholics are usually the victims of bigotry rather than the perpetrators. Rev Craig would probably view Catholics as sinful idolators bound for Hell and be insulted to be called one.
Credit to Casey Jones, btw – the iconography in the issue is correct. That’s a Scottish church, not a chapel.
No credit to Warren Ellis though. For a start, there’s only one Kinross in Scotland as far as I know and this ain’t it, it’s the wrong size and in the wrong location. But OK, he had to call it something I guess.
More substantially, nobody from Edinburgh would say ‘och’, and you’re far more likely to find a redheaded Bridgit Shane in Ross than you are in Edinburgh. If she’d been from Glasgow, all that bit would make sense. As it is, to a Scot it’s bizarre. I’d be more forgiving if this was Claremont or someone but Ellis is British and a bare minimum of research (like asking a Scottish person) would have been enough to get that right.
This is what I do when people set comics in Scotland, sorry. 😉
We appreciate the correction! I have no idea why we thought Rahne was Catholic, other than simple ignorance on our part. Presbyterian is not a very common denomination in Canada,just was not on my radar.
Understandable. As noted, you all have a better excuse than Ellis does. 😉