>> Certainly better than Ben out in the spacesuit. I have to believe that's why Doom is still more human-shaped as opposed to Thing. <<

Yes, exactly. Ben took the worst hit, so has the least flexibility.

>> True enough. But at least Sue's nagging is focused, unlike Pepper's. <<

Point.

>> I think it's a combo of poor writing and poor tape. <<

I agree.

>> Problem is a lot of 'work books' can't get their examples to sound conversational. <<

You pretty much need a master linguist for that.

>> Johnny hasn't gotten the feedback he needs to improve. That woman in the bar reads like the first harshing he's gotten. He's been riding his cute and his 'little shit' waaay past normal expiration. <<

Likely so.

>> Not sure what Reed's back story is, looks to be trust fund For Science! But Doom has swiped enough patents that the cupboard is past bare, not been replenished. <<

Yeesh.

>> I figure Reed started maybe 16, or 17, but hit MIT at the high level considered normal there and then J curved. Pranksters got pwned so people just stopped messing with Serious Boy (and tried to get in on his papers) <<

That would make sense.

>> Doom was smart, probably had a court of sycophants but damn, Reed, not the smartest in the pond. <<

Painfully true. I like the tension between Victor-Reed-Sue though. That relationship goes all ways, except that Victor/Reed keep trying to deny their side of the triangle. Messy.

>> Tony would have been easy to dismiss. And envy. Mostly his liver, and the money. <<

Two words: Richard Corey.