I remember thinking that Shamrock was the coolest character introduced in Marvel's Contest of Champions mini-series. I thought that the power of amazing good luck was very unique and a lot could be done with it. Unfortunately, none of the new heroes introduced made much of a splash. Later on, Domino hit the scene with good luck power of her own, making poor Shamrock redundant. I still like her though and hope that she hasn't been forgotten completely.
I felt exactly the sane way...loved her introduction, simple and unique (at the time) power, and simple duo-tone costume and hoped she’d be making more appearances...no such luck (pun intended.)
ReplyDeleteI wonder how she’d fare against the empowered Black Cat Felicia Hardy.
I was reading your comments to this issue as well as those in STF 1382, also featuring Jack O'Lantern. Both he and Shamrock were more obscure characters. I first heard of Jack in DC's "Whatever Happened To" features but saw little of him thereafter. Shamrock was introduced at a time when I was not into comics. In fact I had never heard of her until the Guide to the Marvel Universe was released. I do not recall off hand seeing her in any titles when I got back into comics in about 1983. I only saw her in issues before that. I do not understand that either with two such cool characters. I would think that if the respective publications really wanted to get them off the ground, they would be featured in the more popular groups like the JLA or Avengers. I am not suggesting anything about whether they should have actually joined these groups or not. I only suggest that guest appearances in a few issues might have helped get them more into the mainstream.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of DC's Jack O'Lantern, what do you think about him meeting the Green Hornet?
Thanks again, Ross, for a great cover.
DC's Jack O'Lantern is a superhero, Marvel's Jack O'Lantern is a supervillain. Sounds like a prime "VS" cover to me.
ReplyDeleteFinally!!! I requested more of these two characters (& other international/racial characters) for your site several years ago & gave up on seeing them because as you put it they were too obscure.
ReplyDeleteI never bought that reason for their lack of appearances. Even 1 to 5 images could produce 1 to 5 covers.
Looks like I've got amazing good luck too. Now if only Dr. Mist, Seraph, Green Fury (not Fire a.k.a."the bimbo Human Torch knockoff"), Sunburst, Nubia, Arabian Knight, Sabra, Peregrine, Sunfire & Blitzkreig could be utilized on their own here before the year is out...
Also you use three of the comics top 5 characters Superman, Batman, Spider-Man but it seems like the other two = Mickey Mouse & Richie Rich have been banished from this site.
Is their a reason that they haven't appeared in years? Did Disney & Harvey lawyers send you cease & desist letters?
You used Donald Duck once as I recall but no Daisy, Minnie, Pluto, Irona, Hot Stuff or Dollar have had their own covers even though they all have logos & plenty of images to use.
I've never seen a comic with this Shamrock in it. I find it interesting (and slightly annoying) that she appeared about a year after Hero Games published the first edition of Enemies, the very first book of supervillains for their Champions game, which included a male character named Shamrock, also with powers of incredible luck (along with super-strength and durability, since luck-based powers weren't well developed in the Hero System at the time), and wearing a costume nearly identical to the one shown here. Of course, Marvel was a powerhouse company and Hero Games was four guys in San Francisco, so the male Shamrock fell into even greater obscurity than this female one.
ReplyDeleteStill, this is a great cover, Ross, and very fitting for the day.
PS: Along the same lines of covers fitting for the day, I'm still hoping to see a certain Wookie and a certain Flirkin meet, ideally on May 4 (Star Wars Day).
I did it again... make that Flerken.
ReplyDeleteAnon: That VS cover is already on the blog
ReplyDeleteCC: I just like Superheroes more, no other reason than that
Amazing cover! I always thought JACK O' LANTERN looked like a long lost member of the JUSTICE SOCIETY. Happy Saint Patrick's Day to everyone!
ReplyDeleteShe also has the power of thousands of souls who were victims of war. Most of the writers at Marvel thought she was too much of a stereotype having "Luck of the Irish" so didn't use the character. At various points over the years it's been shown that she retired from superheroing, became a hairdresser, became overweight, then moved to New York and opened a bar.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Marvel thought they had too many characters with extra "good luck" and/or extra "bad luck." All of them more or less knock-off's of the Scarlet Witch (with her improbability-altering "hex" power).
ReplyDeleteIn any case? Happy St. Patrick's Day, Ross! And Erin Go Bragh.
:-)
I'm surprised this cover wasn't titled Green O'Lantern.
ReplyDeleteHow do you think Shamrock would fare against Amos Fortune?
@ Mickey
ReplyDeleteIf "Whatever Happened To" was your intro to Jack then I have to ask if you missed his run in Justice League International as a hero/villain of the series during the 80s. His story kind of reached an in end during a Global Guardians story in Justice League Quarterly. He was also the main character in a short lived series in the '90s called Primal Force. I don't think he returned during 52 or Rebirth.
Dang! Once again, no "Daring of the Green." :-(
ReplyDelete@Carycomic: as David Warwick might say?
ReplyDelete"That's the true luck of the Irish, m'lad. Sometimes, it's good! Sometimes, it's bad."
Shamrock Ice Milk at school for lunch, Strawberry on Thursday I believe.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous: you mean, Warwick Davis (of "Leprechaun" trilogy fame)?
ReplyDeleteColm Meaney is a Leprechaun & a Genii. He's two two mints in one. But does he have retsyn? No only Certs has Retsyn.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Niacin and Thiamin (attys-at-law)?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous yes in every flavourful bite that says Budweiser.
ReplyDeleteWhat was Albert Einstein's favorite soft drink?
ReplyDeleteSquare-root beer!