Longshot (1985)

Co-Creators: Ann Nocenti (writer), Arthur Adams (pencils)

Six-part limited series chronicling the adventures of a guy who doesn't even know his own name, though people seem to call him Longshot a lot, so he doesn't argue.

Struggling in New York to work out who he is, Longshot encounters a whole series of well-conceived characters, only some of whom things go better for as a result.

Spider-Man shows up for a few pages, and just for a change we get the flipside of all those wisecracks he makes while fighting. His quips cut-into Longshot, who thinks he's being cruel. Dr. Strange shows up for the last couple of issues as well, although I don't think his name gets said much.

The villain - a super-egotistical blob called Mojo - is easy to despise too.

Nocenti's packed script and Adams' intricate art work well together to make this a deep take on the Marvel world that requires a fair amount of commitment from the reader. Like a good film-script, there is much that is quotable, although I think the greatest foresight would have to have come from the reporter who asks a film-star, "Do you have an update on what you ate for breakfast?"

I've read the whole thing straight through this morning (took me three hours) and there is an easily believable tone to the whole thing.

Longshot himself comes across as a character with a real lesson to teach. It's never clearly revealed whether he actually has any powers of super-luck or not, but his uncompromising philosophy is a hugely inspiring one:

Longshot: "You can do ANYTHING if you try! Just keep your motives pure, and BELIEVE!"

The most interesting thing about this theory is when it fails. For example, when all those children are there, and he won't fight the monster because he's just not sure whether it would be right.

Great soul-searching stuff.

(with thanks to Herschel)