CSBG Archive
Comic Book Six Degrees: Bat Lash to Archie
I name two comic book characters. You then have to connect the two using only shared appearances in comic books (official appearances in comics only – no cameos like Terry Austin sneaking Popeye into the background of a panel and no outside comic book appearances, like cartoons and the like). You have to do so using less than six comics total. Covers and pin-ups do not count – only actual appearances in the same comic book story (so it doesn’t count if they each appeared in separate stories inside the same anthology). Mythological characters and real people (by the way, unless a fake name is used for a real person, like Ronald Raygun or whatever, you can use the person even if they are not officially named in the comic) are unique to their own comic book appearances (so DC’s Thor is different than Marvel’s Thor, DC’s Ronald Reagan is different from Marvel’s Ronald Reagan, etc.). But a licensed character is the same in all of their various comic book companies (so the Marvel Red Sonja is the same as the Dynamite Red Sonja) and approved appearances by a real person can go across comic book companies, as well (so, for instance, you can use Marv Wolfman from his Teen Titans appearance to connect with Marv Wolfman in his Fantastic Four appearance). Approval tends to be the key (except for public figures, of course).
Every week, whoever connects the two characters in the least amount of turns gets to pick the next week’s match- (in the event of a tie, the winner is chosen randomly). Last week was Pow-Wow Smith to Lara Croft. David Simpson was one of a couple of people who got it in three connections. Here is how David connected the two characters:
Pow Wow Smith was in History Of The DC Universe Book One with Superman
Superman was in JLA/Witchblade 1 with Witchblade
Witchblade was in Dark Crossings: Dark Clouds Overhead with Lara Croft
David’s challenge is…
Bat Lash to Archie
E-mail me your answers at bcronin@comicbookresources.com. Do NOT post your answers in the comments section!
Whoever connects the two characters in the least amount of comics gets to pick the connection for next time around (I’ll pick a random winner in the event of a tie)!
Remember, only authorized appearances in comic books count (for instance, Wolverine in Gen13 #13 and all Marvel characters in Savage Dragon/Destroyer Duck do not count)!
18 Comments
Matt Lazorwitz
June 5, 2012 at 5:27 am
Here’s a questiion: Is Lil’ Archie, the child version of Archie, considered a distinct character from the teenage Archie? Or are they considered one character for the sake of connections?
Omar Karindu
June 5, 2012 at 5:54 am
Another question: Since History of the DCU counts, do handbook-type comics count?
Cully
June 5, 2012 at 9:55 am
History of the DCU was story based, more of an “oral history” than a textbook.
David Serchay
June 5, 2012 at 10:51 am
A question slightly related to Matt’s. With costumed characters it’s the secret ID not the costumed name that counts, right? Carol Danvers is Ms. Marvel is Warbird?
Brian Cronin
June 5, 2012 at 10:54 am
I’d prefer not to (as Lil’ Archie seemed to have his own distinct continuity), but I guess there isn’t a good enough reason to say no, so sure.
Brian Cronin
June 5, 2012 at 11:00 am
No to handbook comics. As Cully notes, History of the DCU was an actual story. But I guess you could argue History of the DC Universe was not a COMIC BOOK story, so maybe I shouldn’t count it in the future.
Brian Cronin
June 5, 2012 at 11:01 am
Yes, Carol Danvers is Ms. Marvel is Warbird (is soon to be Captain Marvel).
Michael P
June 5, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Don’t forget Binary!
Brian Cronin
June 5, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Binary is the exception. She doesn’t count.
Gordon Smith
June 5, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Let’s see…
Archie>Punisher>Batman>Jonah Hex>Bat Lash
Does that work?
Gordon Smith
June 5, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Sorry. Upon actually reading the rules, I guess that doesn’t work. I can’t re all all those comics in which the connections occurred. Mea Culpa!
J. Kevin Carrier
June 5, 2012 at 10:02 pm
Using “History of the DC Universe” does seem a little sketchy. On the other hand, kudos to David for remembering “JLA/Witchblade”, which I completely blanked on.
Prodigal
June 5, 2012 at 10:46 pm
I’ve got it in three steps, but since I already won one of these I’m looking forward to seeing how the winner connects them.
Prodigal
June 5, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Sorry, that should have been “I’m going to abstain and am looking forward” , etc. Not enoug hcaffiene in my system tonight to type clearly…
Anonymous
June 6, 2012 at 12:54 am
I’m okay with “The History of DC Universe” as it falls into the ‘illustratd text story’ category, which has a long history in comics. (And this particular example is gloriously illustrated.)
Once Brian specified the golden age version of Pow Wow, I was expecting most people to go via his appearance in “Armageddon: Alien Agenda”.
Ethan Shuster
June 6, 2012 at 9:25 am
Tough one. I can only get it down to four.
Ethan Shuster
June 7, 2012 at 8:58 am
Ah, now I’ve got it down to three!
Ethan Shuster
June 7, 2012 at 9:11 am
Question: While I didn’t use it here, is the series “DC vs. Marvel” included in the possibilities. I suppose it is, but that seems like way too easy a step for this sort of thing.