Killraven's Early Years

[Kang]

I noticed some problems with Killraven's early years. Here is I think the correct way this should flow:

AA2 18 (12 - 16:1)-FB: Just days after the invasion begins, Maureen Raven tries to escape with her children Jonathan and Joshua. Jonathan is very young, and Joshua is not much older than an infant. Dr. Carver helps them to escape, but after hiding out for two weeks they are captured by the Keeper and Saunders. Maureen and Dr. Carver are both killed, and Joshua is taken by Saunders. The Keeper gives Jonathan to a Martian Master to be trained as a gladiator. Jonathan begins his training with his peers as a gladiator, first thinking it just a game.

M/GN 7-FB: Keeper Whitman pulls Jonathan out of gladiatorial combat for about two years at the age of 8 or 9, claiming to his masters it is to cure him of his rebellious ways. In truth, he was doing experiments on Jonathan that would give him his future abilities.

AA2 18 (16:3)-FB: Jonathan Raven in a fight, now with his name chanted as Killraven. He has fairly long red hair that is tied back. (I do not believe either of the gladiators in AA2 18 (16:2)-FB are supposed to be him based on their hair colors).

M/TU 45-FB: Killraven fighting another gladiatorial fight, looking older with even longer hair. (There is another "flashback" on the next panel, but based on the characters present, it seems to actually be a remembrance since those characters never had a chance to be together. I think the MCP agrees as no flashback is listed for the other characters pictured)

AA2 18 (16:4 - 16:7)-FB: Killraven escapes. He spends a year surviving and studying in Central Park.

AA2 37-FB: I will address this all separately below...

AA2 18 (17:2 - 19:1)-FB: At Brooklyn Heights he learns just how strong he is when he accidentally kills somebody. As the victim was one of the leader of Brooklyn Heights favorites, he then heads for Staten Island. After six years spent on Staten Island becoming a leader of a group of Freemen, Killraven and the others escape Staten Island to Manhattan. The Warlord loses his hand during the escape. They attack the Mayor's Manor, and he spreads the stories of Killraven (This is in 2017). Killraven then spends a year recruiting before going after the Keeper who originally caught him as a child.



I noticed AA2 37-FB is actually a ton of flashbacks splintered and told in a very meandering order. I do want to mention a bit of confusion here. When Killraven begins to tell the story of the first time Old Skull and Killraven fought in the same arena, he says the year was 2010. Later in the story, Old Skull corrects that it was 2014 when the two met. Killraven does not argue with Old Skull, but by now he is tired of the interruptions, and possibly has lost patience to argue that Old Skull is wrong. 2014 would put this in the middle of the time spent on Staten Island that supposedly didn't end for six years. Putting it in 2010 could make it just after he left Central Park. In that case, Killraven would still be in Manhatten before his escape to Staten Island. I could be wrong, but I think that is the proper way to place this.

AA2 37 (6:6 - 8)-FB: Old Skull is bullied in school for being bald and slow, and he receives the nickname "Numbskull." He tries and fails to prevent his dad from slaughtering a sickly heifer he tried to nurse back to health. Four years later in 2001, he helps his dad heard the last of their cattle to the Tradeline Conveyors.

AA2 37 (9:7 - 10&11:8)-FB: Old Skull and his dad are riding the Transparent Tramway that same year (he is 14). The invasion begins, and the Tramway is destroyed. Old Skull's dad's corpse was left in the wreckage, while Old Skull was taken prisoner.

AA2 37 (12:4 - 13)-FB: Old Skull is bullied by some of the other gladiators, but Killraven jumps in to fight them. Killraven introduces himself. Old Skull just calls himself "Not Numbskull," so Killraven gives him the name of "Old Skull."

AA2 37 (9:2)-FB: This is the first attempt for Killraven to begin to tell the story of the fight against Warr and his Legion of Spiders in Madison Square Garden. In this flashback the two fighters are squared up facing forward against their enemy. It is at this part where Killraven says the date is 2010.

AA2 37 (14:3 - 14:5)-FB: Killraven finally gets to tell the whole story. Warr and Killraven exchange words as the fight is beginning. Killraven says that he is only traveling this way once. Killraven and Old Skull are still facing forward toward Warr.

AA2 37 (6:2 - 6:3)-FB: As Killraven is feeling nostalgic, he has an image in his head of him and Old Skull in a back-to-back formation.

AA2 37 (10&11:12)-FB: This is Killraven's second attempt to tell the story. The Legion of Spiders begin to close in on the back-to-back Killraven and Old Skull while lasers fire around the arena to prevent escape.

AA2 37 (14:6 - 17:4)-FB: (Killraven uninterrupted continues to tell the story) Killraven and Old Skull fight the Legion of Spiders while Warr declares their back-to-back strategy a failure. The two turn the tide and defeat the spiders. Killraven fights Warr until Old Skull picks him up and throws him onto one of the spiders. They both burn, and Warr asks to be killed for the entertainment of the Martians. Killraven and Old Skull refuse and walk away.


So here are the changes I would recommend:

KILLRAVEN/JONATHAN RAVEN (Killraven Mythos)
{AA2 18 (12 - 16:1)-FB} <-- ADD
M/GN 7-FB
{AA2 18-FB} --> CHANGE TO AA2 18 (16:3)-FB
AA2 37-FB <-- REMOVE
M/TU 45-FB <-- MOVE TO HERE
AA2 18-FB --> CHANGE TO AA2 18 (16:4 - 16:7)-FB
M/TU 45-FB <-- MOVE FROM HERE
AA2 37 (12:4 - 13)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (9:2)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (14:3 - 14:5)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (6:2 - 6:3)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (10&11:12)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (14:6 - 17:4)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 18-FB --> CHANGE TO AA2 18 (17:2 - 19:1)-FB
AA2 18
...

OLD SKULL (Killraven Mythos)
AA2 37-FB --> CHANGE TO AA2 37 (6:6 - 8)-FB
AA2 37 (9:7 - 10&11:8)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (12:4 - 13)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (9:2)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (14:3 - 14:5)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (6:2 - 6:3)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (10&11:12)-FB <-- ADD
AA2 37 (14:6 - 17:4)-FB <-- ADD
{AA2 20}
...