A Word From Al

 In: Rave > 1998
 Posted: 1998
 Staff: Al Sjoerdsma (E-Mail)

My goodness, where are the proofreaders? It is the second issue of the big-event storyline, Spider-Hunt, the first crossover of all the Spider-titles since (gag) Revelations and you have to wonder how much the production folks care. Look at the following examples from ASM #432:

p. 2: Spidey makes reference to the "Daily Bulge". I'd love to think that this is Spidey's rapier-like wit in action but I think it's actually a lapse by the letterer.

p. 2: "And the grandson of Norman Osborn, my greatest enemy..." says Spidey. Who's the "greatest enemy" in this sentence? Sounds like it's the grandson.

p. 3: As Spider-Man slings webs at some would-be bounty hunters, one of them exclaims, "What's he tossing at it?" Is that "it" as in "us"?

p. 3: "He's trying t'make fools outta of us!" says another of these hunters. If you ask me, when you don't seem to realize that "outta" is actually "out of" thereby making the following "of" redundant, you're sort of making a fool "outta of" yourself.

p. 6: Norman says, "I can't help but FELL responsible." Oops.

p. 12: "A gentleman do not discuss his family with strangers", says the Black Tarantula. What DO a gentleman discuss with strangers?

p. 12: "Norman Orborn." Has Spidey forgotten his greatest enemy's name?

p. 13 Again with "Norman Orborn"!

To be fair, this problem is not confined to Marvel. It seems to crop up all over our media from newspapers to television. Recently, I was watching a football game in which one of the teams was vying for a spot in the post-season. The big graphic up on the screen concerned that team's chance at a playoff "birth". Now, that's an interesting image but, I suspect, the wrong word. Maybe the only problem these days is a tendency to rush and an over-reliance on spellcheck. Still, if Marvel doesn't appear to care if it's "Osborn" or "Orborn", why in the world should you?

 In: Rave > 1998
 Posted: 1998
 Staff: Al Sjoerdsma (E-Mail)