SUPER OLYMPICS
Instigator: Stark Enterprises and its subsidary, the Maria Stark Foundation (sponsor)
Purpose: Charity event
Allies: Alpha Flight (Aurora (Jeanne-Marie Beaubier), Northstar (Jean-Paul Beaubier), Sasquatch (Walter Langkowski)), Andromeda (Andromeda Attumasen), Asp (Cleo Nefertiti), Avengers (Captain America (Steve Rogers), Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Hercules (Heracles), Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Mockingbird (Bobbi Barton), Quasar (Wendell Vaughn), Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), Sersi, She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), Stingray (Walter Newell), Thor (Thor Odinson), Tigra (Greer Nelson), USAgent (John Walker), Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), Wonder Man (Simon Williams)), Lance Bannon, Black Cat (Felicia Hardy), Black Panther (T'Challa), Blizzard (Donald Gill), Captain Ultra (Griffin Gogol), Lila Cheney and Cat's Laughing, Dagger (Tandy Bowen), Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Darkstar (Laynia Krylenko), Diamondback (Rachel Leighton), Enchantress (Amora), Excalibur (Lockheed, Meggan, Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner), Phoenix (Rachel Summers), Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde)), Falcon (Sam Wilson), Fall People, Fantastic Four (Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Invisible Woman (Sue Richards), Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), Thing (Ben Grimm)), Frog-Man (Eugene Patilio), Nick Fury, Howard the Duck, Hulk (Bruce Banner), Stevie Hunter, Inhumans (Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon), Crystal (Crystalia Maximoff), Lockjaw, Medusa (Medusalith Boltagon), Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff), Triton), Rick Jones, Ka-Zar (Kevin Plunder), Makkari, Maria Stark Foundation, Namor the Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie), New Mutants (Cable (Nathan Summers), Cannonball (Sam Guthrie), Rictor (Julio Richter), Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair)), New Warriors (Namorita (Namorita Prentiss), Nova (Richard Rider), Speedball (Robbie Baldwin)), Glorianna O'Breen, Paladin, May Parker, le Peregrine (Alain Racine), Polaris (Lorna Dane), Power Man (Luke Cage), Power Pack (Counterweight (Jack Power), Destroyer (Alex Power), Molecula (Julie Power), Starstreak (Katie Power)), Shanna the She-Devil (Shanna Plunder), Sif, Silver Sable (Silver Sablinova), Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Super-Sabre (Martin Fletcher), Beverly Switzler, Toad (Mortimer Toynbee), Ben Urich, Viper, Mary Jane Watson, White Queen (Emma Frost), X-Factor (Archangel (Warren Worthington III), Beast (Hank McCoy), Cyclops (Scott Summers), Iceman (Bobby Drake), Marvel Girl (Jean Grey)), X-Men (Colossus (Piotr Rasputin), Dazzler (Alison Blaire), Jubilee (Jubilation Lee), Longshot, Psylocke (Elizabeth Braddock), Rogue (Anna Marie), Storm (Ororo Munroe), Wolverine (James Howlett/Logan), Zabu, see comments for extended list of real life writers whose 616 counterparts aided in chronicling the event for Marvel Illustrated magazine
Opposition: Loki (opposing Thor and Sif only), Thanos (opposing Silver Surfer only)
Location: Savage Land, Anarctica
First Appearance: Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue (1991)
History:
(Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue) - Stark Enterprises and the Maria Stark Foundation, wishing to sponsor a charity event for an environmental protection fund, chose the Antarctic Savage Land as the site for their proposed televised benefit concert. Working out a deal with the Savage Land's Ka-Zar and Shanna the She-Devil, the Maria Stark Foundation decided to use the concert as the opening salvo for two larger events: the first-ever Super Olympics and an accompanying swimsuit photo shoot featuring many of Earth's heroes and heroines modeling for charity. As the event was to be chronicled not on by television but by Marvel Illustrated magazine, numerous preparations soon began to ensure the safety of those present, including uncountable numbers of judges (made up of real Olympic judges as well as non-powered allies and sidekicks to Earth's heroes), reporters and photographers. To prevent the interruption of the events by supervillains, no advance word of the events were leaked to the public and no simultaneous coverage was allowed. Certain typical Olympic events were left out due to time allowances or a lack of interest (such as curling) and rules on disqualifications were set to make the competition fair but allowing for the use of super powers. Also, prior to the start of the Super Olympics, Marvel Illustrated writer Jack Morelli visited She-Hulk at Avengers Mansion and interviewed her about her weight training involving the use of Reed Richards-created Encapsulated Neutronium to add to the weights while not affecting their size or shape.
The opening concert of the Super Olympics began with Dazzler, backed by Lila Cheney and her band, Cat's Laughing. Taking advantages of many superheroes' powers to create the perfect photographic atmosphere, numerous photos of the concert were taken by Illustrated-drafted photographers Peter Parker, Glorianna O'Breen and Lance Bannon. During the wrap party of the concert, numerous heroes became good friends and several were interviewed, despite scheduling issues due to extraterrestrial invasion attempts and would-be world takeovers, for Marvel Illustrated, such as Northstar being interviewed by writer Fabian Nicieza, Thing being interviewed by the She-Hulk (resulting in an ongoing confrontation of insulting nicknames), and Daredevil's interview with Ben Urich.
Following the concert, the Super Olympics began with the lighting of the Olympic Torch by the Human Torch. Starting with the Track and Field events, the 1000 meter dash (a variation on the Olympic 100 meter dash) featured a race between the Avengers' Quicksilver, Freedom Force's Super-Sabre and the Eternal Makkari. Seconds after the starting gun, Makkari won the gold medal, leaving Quicksilver the silver medal and Super-Sabre the bronze by default. The next event, the 800 meter hurdles and high jumps, ended with Longshot winning the gold medal when a lucky tail wind helped him bridge the difference between him and Beast, who took home the silver medal, leaving the fabulous Frog-Man with the bronze and Toad and Speedball coming in 4th and 5th while Shadowcat, on the other hand, did not qualify in the top 5 despite not knocking a single hurdle down. The custom gymnastics event of mat/horse/bars slalom wrapped up shortly afterward, with Excalibur's Nightcrawler earning the gold medal, followed closely behind by Black Panther, Tigra, Spider-Man and Wolfsbane, respectively.
As the Super Olympics continued with the power lift event, Thor took 1st place, beating out Hercules, Hulk, Wonder Man, Thing, Namor, She-Hulk, Colossus, Sasquatch and Power Man for the gold. After the power lift, the swimming events rounded out the summer events with Namor winning the 1000 meter swim, beating out the New Warriors' Namorita, the Inhumans' Triton (whose medal was tested of its authenticity by the biting Lockjaw), the Avenger Stingray and the Atlantean Andromeda. Unfortunately for Namor, his tie with Namorita of a 9.89 in the synchronized swimming event was beaten by Multiple Man's perfect 10 score. Following a swimming exhibition by Howard the Duck, who banged his head on the diving board, a stunt flying exhibition choreographed by former dance star Stevie Hunter marked the end of the summer events with dazzling airwork by the Falcon, Archangel, le Peregrine, Black Bolt, both the Jim Hammond and Johnny Storm Human Torches, Quasar, Silver Surfer, Aurora, Northstar, Wasp, Darkstar and Nova.
The winter events soon began with Nick Fury taking the gold medal in the biathlon, followed shortly behind by Silver Sable, Paladin and Cable, while the custom event of super giant alpine freestyle slalom was won by Northstar, who beat out Makkari, Silver Sable and Daredevil. The two person bobsled event was won by a team of Hulk and Rick Jones, who won the gold over such two person teams as Thing and Human Torch, She-Hulk and Hercules, and Colossus and Longshot. The figure skating event was won by Dagger, who was followed by Dazzler, Shadowcat and Silver Sable, while the speed skating was won by Iceman, who beat out the icy villain Blizzard, who joined the event in the custody of Iron Man. Despite Captain Ultra's attempt to compete in every single event, the Super Olympics ended without any major hitches following the winter events.
Following the Olympic events, Marvel Illustrated feature writer Gary Barnum visited Palomar Observatory in California and used a powerful telescope to catch photos of the Silver Surfer for an article in the magazine. After watching the Surfer glide through the spaceways, Barnum captured a photo of the Surfer avoiding a conflict with Thanos by steering himself clear of the mad Titan. Still in the Savage Land, many of Earth's heroes enjoyed the landscape, mingling and relaxing.
As some of the heroes relaxed, many others participated in the Stark charity swimsuit photo shoot including: the women of the X-Men, Howard the Duck and Beverly Switzler, Mary Jane Watson, Wolverine, Beast, Hulk, the New Mutants, Namor and Namorita, Jubilee, Thor and Sif (whose photo shoot Loki attempted to disrupt), the Fantastic Four and Franklin Richards, both branches of the Avengers (who competed in a game of tug of war), Crystal and Medusa, and even some less heroic women such as Asp, the White Queen, the Enchantress, Diamondback, Black Cat and Viper.
Comments: Created by a number of writers, pencilers, and inkers (see below for the full list of the creative team). The article about the Super Olympics in particular was written by Rob Tokar with art by an unspecified artist listed in the credits (no one artist is credited for the art in the article but it is probably one of the ones listed in the book's overall credits). Other parts of the story are written by the various writers of the book. Of the sections of the story that have specific writers, they include:
The Marvel Illustrated: Swimsuit Issue was written as if it were a real magazine within Earth-616 with articles pertaining to Earth-616's superheroes. The real life creative team used to make the issue should therefore be considered as existing within Earth-616 as well, considering that the "From the Editor" section at the beginning of the magazine is written by the real life Bobbi Chase but makes mention of her being the editor of Marvel Illustrated, with Janet Van Dyne (Wasp) as fashion editor. Basically, the book was a real life representation of a magazine published on Earth-616. That being the case, the Earth-616 comic creators mentioned within the issue are: Brian Stelfreeze, Paul Ryan, Tom Palmer, George Perez, Mike Zeck, Tom Morgan, Walt Simonson, Ron Frenz, Joe Sinnot, John Buscema, Donald Hudson, Joe Jusko, June Brigman, Al Milgrom, Jon Bogdanove, Stan Drake, Jim Lee, Steve Leialoha, Kevin Nowlan, Rob Liefeld, Michael Golden, Jackson Guice, Whilce Portacio, Scott Williams, Marc Silvestri, Terry Austin, Steve Geiger, John Romita, Jr., Rick Leonardi, Al Williamson, Joe Rubinstein, Bret Blevins, Mike Mignola, Howard Mackie, John Rozum, Bob Washington, Gary Barnum, Tom Daning, Jack Morelli, Fabian Nicieza, Michael Rockwitz, Rob Tokar, Max Fleischer, the aforementioned Bobbie Chase, Gary Barnum, Chris Cooper, Dawn Geiger, Marcus McLaurin, Bud La Rosa, Bob Petrecca, Kevin Tinsley, Gregory Wright, Mark Chiarello, Jack Abel, Robbie Carosella, Jesus Gonzalez, Kenny Lopez, Jim Novak, Marie Javins, Tom De Falco, Mark Gruenwald, Stan Lee, John Romita, Sr., Virginia Romita, Alison Gill, Terry Stewart, Michael Z. Hobson, Bob Riscica, David R. Fox, Kathy Beekman, and Rei Tanaka.
Mary Jane Watson attended the event with Peter Parker. They were married at the time but I've listed her as Mary Jane Watson in the entry, as the Parkers' marriage was erased from existence by Mephisto.
Northstar's real name is misspelled Jean-Paul Baubier throughout his interview article in the magazine.
On the two-page spread involving the X-women, Excalibur's Meggan is misidentified as Dazzler in the magazine.
If there was any question as to whether the Marvel Swimsuit Specials were on Earth-616 or not, just look no further than the New Mutants (Xavier's School) entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC Vol. 8. It makes mention of the Superhero Olympics.
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Super Olympics have no known connections to
images:
(without ads)
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue, p4, pan1 (art by ????, see comments) - Human Torch lighting the Olympic Flame
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue, p5, pan1 (art by ????, see comments) - The 1000 Meter Dash event
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue, p6, pan1 (art by ????, see comments) - The Power Lift event
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue, p7, pan1 (art by ????, see comments) - The Figure Skating trophy ceremony
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue, p10, pan2 (art by ????, see comments) - Silver Surfer avoiding the cosmic damage created by Thanos
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue, p12, pan1 (art by ????, see comments) - Dazzler & Lila Cheney's opening concert
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue, p34-35, splash page (art by Paul Ryan & Josef Rubinstein) - Avengers East vs. West tug of war charity photo shoot
Appearances:
Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue (1991) - see comments for creators
First Posted: 06/03/2012
Last updated: 06/03/2012
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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