One Night in Rutland: 1975

Marvel's next entry in the Rutland, Vermont comic book series doesn't take place on Halloween, doesn't have a parade, contains absolutely 0% Elders of the Universe in rubber masks, a total paucity of crossover references between Earths One and 616. On the other hand, Thor #232 shows you exactly why the Avengers need Jarvis around: to keep their famous Avengers meeting table liberally shined with Lemon Pledge™ to buff out all the scratches from very rude-ass Tony Stark putting his iron boots up on the table. Why, Iron Man, as soon as your employer, Tony Stark, heras about this, he'll be dressing you down in no time and probably cutting your salary and...what's that? Tony Stark is Iron Man? Oh. Ohhhhh-kay. I've made another one of my silly mistakes.


Panel from Thor #232 (February 1976), script by Gerry Conway, layouts by John Buscema, finishes on figures by Dick Giordano, finishes on background by Terry Austin, colors by Petra Goldberg, letters by John Costanza

Rutland, Vermont resident and Halloween Parade chief Tom Fagan gets in another appearance via the Avengerphone (that thing costs seven million dollars a minute to transmit) to report in that Loki is missing and has switched places with a local white-haired teenager. Loki was left behind in Rutland by Thor in another one of his usual failures to carry out familial responsibilities. Somewhere up in Asgard, Odin is shaking his head and hitting his giant, Kirby-gloved palm against his forehead.



And...yep! That's pretty much the whole Rutland appearance we get in this comic book. Avengers #83, it ain't. On the other hand, this comic does feature Tataranowitz farm fresh eggs! (Any relation to Filmation artist and director Tom Tataranowicz?) Also, we are assured this is real life.



That's a pretty good panel, because, as Woody Allen has told us, we all need the eggs, Still, it could use a wee bit o' tweaking, Bully-style! So, as a bonus feature, Comics Oughta Be Fun! mildly-Photoshops this panel to make its "This is Reality" trope more esthetically perfect:



And that's not the end of the Rutland, Vermont comic book tales! Next time: Green Arrow sleeps through a mission! (Which means it could occur anywhere from JLA #4 through #250, inclusive.)