Excalibur #80
“Out of Time”
Writers: Scott Lobdell & Chris Cooper
Pencils: Amanda Conner
Inks: Harry Candelario, Keith Champagne & Randy Elliott
Colours: Chris Matthys
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editors: Suzanne Gaffney & Bob Harras
Original publication date: August 1994
Excalibur #80 might be “Out of Time,” but we’ve got all the time in the world to talk about a bunch more cyberpunk (and a little cybersex!) in and around the conclusion of the Douglock Chronicles with returning guest Dr. Clare Wall! THRILL to our analysis of capitalism’s appropriation of cyberpunk. WONDER at our cogent analysis of the politics of otherness in the Legacy Virus plotline. And MARVEL as we ask important questions like: can it actually be called surgery if you operate blind in the middle of a laser gun fight with no idea what you’re doing?
On goals:
“Reading this comic feels like being a player in a roleplaying game where the GM makes a decision to prioritize the goal they want the players to arrive at instead of prioritizing the players.” -Clare
On robo-pals:
“There’s an interesting element of bringing in Zero to serve as the spiritual guide for Douglock. So much of this arc sets up humanity as a paragon to aspire to… but the bond between Douglock and Zero complicates that.” -Andrew
On cyber-fears:
“Cyberpunk often explores the costs of technology on the body and the self, and what you’re willing to pay to give you an edge.” -Clare
On the politics of cyberpunk:
“The heroes of cyberpunk are not rich, powerful people. They’re often disillusioned and disenchanted with society, seeking to escape through cyberspace.” -Clare
On missing big hero moments:
“This is a huge evolution of Kitty’s powers, but it’s never explained… what should be a big hero moment for her doesn’t really come off that way because it’s out of nowhere.” -Anna
On flawed metaphors:
“The way the Legacy Virus is handled here, it conjures up the idea: AIDS is really sad. But it’s really *really* sad when straight people can get it… And it doesn’t feel ironic.” -Mav
On new powers:
“Meggan is a character who’s often acted upon… but there’s an affirming moment here, where she can enact agency on her environment.” -Clare
Want more Clare Wall?
You can find her on Twitter (@Clifi_Clare).
You can also find her art on Instagram, at clarewallpaintings.
And you can find her writing on her speciality – posthuman sci-fi and climate fiction – in the essay “‘There would be monsters, some hopeful’: Viral Agencies and Mutational Posthuman Politics in Post-Millennial Science Fiction,” in the academic anthology Interrogating Boundaries of the Nonhuman: Literature, Climate Change, and Environmental Crises.
And as usual:
You can find Anna on Twitter (@peppard_anna) and at Sequential Scholars (@seqscholars).
You can find Andrew on Twitter (@ClaremontRun) and at Sequential Scholars.
You can find Mav on Twitter (@chrismaverick) and on his podcast, VoxPopcast (@VoxPopcast).
Enjoy!
-GGW Team