Ultimate Spider-Man: Death of a Goblin (#112-117) (Spoilers)

Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #117 (Spoilers)

Bass said:
Okay - points on both sides; Tog and Lynx are right in pointing out the inappropriateness of myself, or E, or Ice, or whomever in saying, "THESE words, these ones right HERE - people know them. THESE ones however, are obscure and not to be used." We'll all draw the line differently.

On that point, I will agree with Lynx or Tog - it's not wrong to use "manesevich" just because *I* have yet to hear it.

However, "manesevich" is still too much. The list of Yiddish words you posted; there a list of ENGLISH words that are Yiddish in ORIGIN. English is a pigeon language, it steals a bunch from everywhere. "Manesevich" is not on that list, because unlike proper nouns (like bagel) or customs (kosher), unlike the NAMES of specific things, the words there are English words and usuable in English.

Spidey saying "manesevich" because he lives in Queens is like him yelling "Wuo Duh Tian Ah!" because he's lives near Chinatown.

The problem is this: "manesevich" is forced. What did it do? When he yelled it, did anyone continue the comic or did they just stop and go "WTF?"

That's my problem. It's that I *stopped reading the comic* when he said that because I was so taken aback. That's never a good thing. You never, at the climax of a story, want to stop reading, step out of the comic and go, "What the hell does 'manesevich' mean?!"

I think it's forced and its childish. Bendis deliberately chose an obscure Yiddish word and had Spidey say it to see how far he could take it. I think it's a bit silly of him.

I agree that Spidey could have learned it, and that Spidey could say it. I'll agree it's not horrendously implausible or out of character.

But I think, fundamentally, it was a stupid decision by Bendis because it's simply too overt a use of obscure Yiddish.
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Hmmmmm.

The only thing I can counter with is that I have yet to read the issue. I need to know the context of the word and, specifically, how it's spelled. Manasevich, and other variations, is a Jewish surname. Manischewitz is a well-known Kosher food company, most well known for their matzo and wine.

If it's not used in that context, then yes, you have a valid point because, honestly, I've never seen it used outside of those two things. Otherwise, I disagree. Especially if he's talking about the food company. Although, honestly, I'd have no idea why he'd yell out someone's name or be yelling about matzo or wine in the middle of a fight, which is what I'm assuming he did.
 
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Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #117 (Spoilers)

Lynx said:
Hmmmmm.

The only thing I can counter with is that I have yet to read the issue. I need to know the context of the word and, specifically, how it's spelled. Manasevich, and other variations, is a Jewish surname. Manischewitz is a well-known Kosher food company, most well known for their matzo and wine.

If it's not used in that context, then yes, you have a valid point because, honestly, I've never seen it used outside of being someone's name or mentioning it as matzo or wine. Otherwise, I disagree. Especially if he's talking about the food company.
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Oh it's totally outta context.

Spiderman is jumping outta the way of a charging Green Goblin and as he leapfrog hops over Norman's head he yells "MANISHEVITZ!" as if to say "whoopsey daisy" or "aye caramba!".

I still don't see a problem with it as I see Peter just using it as slang for slang's sake....but it's still totally outta context and "wrong" for this instance. Had he used "Pardon me bubulah" or "Oy Vey"...it wouldn't have been a problem and maybe more appropriate.
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #117 (Spoilers)

Victor Von Doom said:
Oh it's totally outta context.

Spiderman is jumping outta the way of a charging Green Goblin and as he leapfrog hops over Norman's head he yells "MANISHEVITZ!" as if to say "whoopsey daisy" or "aye caramba!".

I still don't see a problem with it as I see Peter just using it as slang for slang's sake....but it's still totally outta context and "wrong" for this instance. Had he used "Pardon me bubulah" or "Oy Vey"...it wouldn't have been a problem and maybe more appropriate.
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. . .

Yeah, ok, that seems a little off. The only thing I can think of, like you said, was he was trying to be funny.

Honestly, I'm not sure if that word has a meaning outside of being a surname or the name of a company. I just tried looking it up and couldn't get anything outside of a bunch of people and the company's website.

EDIT: Ok, I've search the Online Yiddish Dictionary and the only thing even close to it is "Manish" which means "Manic". It might mean "crazy person", but if it's not in the freaking Yiddish Dictionary, then Bendis was just trying to be funny and, apparently, failed. That and it's even more obscure since meshugener is a more well known way to say "crazy person" in Yiddish.
 
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Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #117 (Spoilers)

Bass said:
Welcome Vmenge! Thanks for trying to keep this on topic! :D
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lol, I'm sorry
It's just I don't really care about the whole 'MANISHEVITZ!' thing :p
It's not like it's the end of the world :wink:
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #117 (Spoilers)

vmenge said:
lol, I'm sorry
It's just I don't really care about the whole 'MANISHEVITZ!' thing :p
It's not like it's the end of the world :wink:
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If it WAS the end of the world, I'd hope we'd have better things to do than talk about a Spidey comic. :p
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #117 (Spoilers)

For those who don't know, Manishevitz is the name of the sweet Jewish wine typically drunk at Passover.

I got drunk on it once at my Aunt's seder (Passover dinner) when i was like ten. True story.

IMO Spidey just seems to be channeling Bendis whenever he says this stuff, rather than just joking in character.
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #117 (Spoilers)

I read USM in trades.

The Death of a Goblin Storyline was good as one big trade.

I think the Jewish word was a joke personally.
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #117 (Spoilers)

Overheard in the last few days:

[a toast from a large african american gentleman in full hip hop regalia at a bar in the neighborhood of jamaica, queens:]

"Motherf***ing shalom over here in this piece!"


[a hispanic kid talking to his asian friend as they walked their bikes down the sidewalk in park slope, brooklyn:]

"...and then you just stuff a rag in the bottle and light it up, and you got a mazel tov cocktail."


[a very round gentleman of indeterminate race wearing a panama hat and addressing what he assumed to be a pair of jewish girls walking down frenchman st. in new orleans:]

"What's a matter, you only date Jewish guys? I'm Jewish."

"Oh yeah? What's your name?"

"If it means you'll come on and take a seat over here on my face, my name is Yum Yum Kippur, baby."


* * * * *

Apparently you don't have to be Jewish to say this kind of thing. And you don't even remotely have to know what it means to say it. In fact, being dumb and Gentile usually makes it funnier. I thought this thread was silly from the start, but it inspired me (a roman catholic) to start using the word 'Manishevitz' as an exclamation of fear or surprise or just plain bewilderment just to see how it went over.

Of course, a lot of it's in the delivery, but it gets a laugh every time.
 
I re-read this yesterday. It's one of the best Ultimate Spider-Man stories. Better than I remembered it, and I do remember liking it when it came out even though the ending was abrupt.

It is, by far, the best USM artwork in the entire run of the book. The colors are PERFECT and I wish they were able to duplicate that for Immonen's New Avengers because the colors are off there.
 
Captain Canuck said:
this is in the wrong thread...

Death of a Goblin, not Death of Spider-Man. Understandable mistake though.
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Yeah, I posted it in a hurry. I had to go pick up my Check. I just scanned the Forum and saw "Death Of..." and put it in here.

Mattimeo84 said:
Unless, dun dun dun, Goblin dies again...
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Possible. Now that Peter will no longer be Spider-Man. What would Norman have left.
 
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