Usually during that period characters didn't go through quite that many backflips, though (in the last decade or so, this appears to be less true).
I... totally disagree. Comics have always been a freakin' soap opera.
Usually during that period characters didn't go through quite that many backflips, though (in the last decade or so, this appears to be less true).
I think you're right. It's the lesser characters who suffer this the most; because they have less presence in the public eye and less prominence on (in this case) Marvel's roster, creators continue to mess with different approaches to the character.Usually during that period characters didn't go through quite that many backflips, though (in the last decade or so, this appears to be less true).
I... totally disagree. Comics have always been a freakin' soap opera.
I think you're right. It's the lesser characters who suffer this the most; because they have less presence in the public eye and less prominence on (in this case) Marvel's roster, creators continue to mess with different approaches to the character.
With Moon Knight, a big factor that feeds this is the supernatural part of his background. On top of that, he has some kind of disassociative identity disorder. Given all of that, it's not surprising he's been through more interpretations than a lot of other characters.
I think the Fantastic Four, particularly Mr. Fantastic and the Thing, might have something to say about that. So might Banshee, Storm, and Ant-Man, (or Giant Man, or Yellowjacket)?Its not the soap opera I'm talking about. As you say, that's often been true. But a major character going through that much "lose power, gain new powers, cut back the new powers" tango for an extended period was not typical of the time.
I think the Fantastic Four, particularly Mr. Fantastic and the Thing, might have something to say about that. So might Banshee, Storm, and Ant-Man, (or Giant Man, or Yellowjacket)?
I think the Fantastic Four, particularly Mr. Fantastic and the Thing, might have something to say about that. So might Banshee, Storm, and Ant-Man, (or Giant Man, or Yellowjacket)?
It was less that they changed powers as much as lost them for substantial periods of time or had times when they were unreliable. In the mid-70s, Ben got his powers from a worn exoskeleton and Reed lost his powers for over a year's worth of issues.I don't recall either Reed or Ben changing powersets much during the period I'm talking about (unless you're talking about the incessant "We've cured Ben! No we haven't!" cycle).
Oh, yes he did, albeit at an earlier time frame than Ms. Marvel's trouble in the 80s. He did have his growth powers curtailed, then he left them because of his health (and so Hawkeye became Goliath for a significant stretch of time), and in the 80s he shifted from shrinking/growing himself to doing it to other objects and being more of a gadgeteer.Hank Pym never so much changed his power sets as went through periods of emphasizing different parts of it, and some machinations to explain why (though Yellowjacket was the only version that did the Wasp wing thing); he had both shrinking and growth pretty early, and they just decided to either limit him to one or the other for some periods (and of course with the growth how big exactly he could do) for various reasons, but he was still within the same broad power set from day one, and he never lost access to them completely except when he sat out doing it for a while (and then he could have gone back to one or the other at any time he felt like it).
Beast has mostly changed appearance, but his powers have been fairly constant: agility, prehensile feet, low-level super-strength, animal traits (claws, scent).Beast can be added to that list.
Jean's power set has been fairly constant as well: telekinesis and telepathy. Originally she only had telekinesis, but it didn't take long for the telepathy to re-develop. Same thing once she came back from the Phoenix retcon: only TK for a while, but that didn't last. She has fluctuated a lot in power level, particularly depending on how chummy she is with the Phoenix Force, but the powers themselves have been fairly constant.And Jean Grey/Phoenix/Madelyn Prior/Goblin Queen. I mean, really.
Beast has mostly changed appearance, but his powers have been fairly constant: agility, prehensile feet, low-level super-strength, animal traits (claws, scent).
Jean's power set has been fairly constant as well: telekinesis and telepathy. Originally she only had telekinesis, but it didn't take long for the telepathy to re-develop. Same thing once she came back from the Phoenix retcon: only TK for a while, but that didn't last. She has fluctuated a lot in power level, particularly depending on how chummy she is with the Phoenix Force, but the powers themselves have been fairly constant.
Now, if you want X-Men with complicated relationships with their powers, there's always Betsy Braddock...