{"id":3590,"date":"2026-10-29T10:10:45","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T13:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theskeletoncurse.com\/?p=3590"},"modified":"2026-10-29T10:11:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T13:11:06","slug":"real-person-round-up-033","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theskeletoncurse.com\/?p=3590","title":{"rendered":"REAL PERSON ROUND-UP 033"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It’s going to be more Bobby and Binks and the Magic Crystal of History. Remember, this is all technically cannon<\/em> to Earth-Two continuity, and so is very interesting if you care about that kind of thing<\/a>. And if not… sorry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter the Hermit<\/b>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bobby and Binks check out the life of Peter the Hermit, a wandering religious man who is credited as the inspiration for the First Crusade, seen here as he influences the Pope (unnamed here but that’s Pope Urban II<\/b>) to get things rolling on that. In our world his role in this is probably apocryphal, but this is comics and there are different rules. The kids also witness the People’s Crusade, aka a bunch of poorly armed and provisioned civilians who get so excited about the idea of taking the Holy Land that they set out ahead<\/em> of the people who are going to do the actual conquering and get themselves slaughtered. Featuring Peter’s companion Walter the Pennyless, aka French knight Walter Sans Avoir<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The kids’ potted history of the Crusades ends with the capture of Antioch under Godfrey of Bouillon<\/strong>, and it’s odd to see that they seem to be simultaneously be broadly in favour of the Crusades as a concept<\/em> while disapproving of the wanton slaughter of Muslims. Not a common combo nowadays. (More Fun Comics 025, 1937)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry the Fowler<\/b>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The kids (here called Johnny and Jane for some reason) witness the unification of post-Charlemagne Germany under the rule of Henry I, aka Henry the Fowler. This is possibly the least guest-star-packed episode of the Magic Crystal of History at a grand total of one: Frankish king Charles the Simple<\/b>. (More Fun Comics 026, 1937)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry II of England<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Next up: the conflict between Henry II of England and Thomas Becket<\/strong> over the rights and privileges of the clergy,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This of course famously comes to a head when Henry kind-of sort-of says something about how it would be great if someone killed Becket and four knights (Reginald FitzUrse<\/strong>, Hugh de Morville<\/strong>, William de Tracy<\/strong>, Richard le Breton<\/strong>) do just that. Henry then claims that he was joking. (More Fun Comics 027, 1937)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John I of England<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Next up, the reign of King John I of England, aka Prince John of Robin Hood fame. Despite being foiled all those times he does eventually get to be the King when Richard I dies. John’s nephew Prince Arthur<\/strong>, meanwhile, is raised by King Philip II<\/strong> of France and eventually takes his foster father’s advice to make a play for the throne of England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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John wins the fight against Arthur but the rest of his monarching career is a series of fumbles: losing Normandy to the French, getting excommunicated for a while and finally acting like such an ass that his nobles gang up on him and make him sign the Magna Carta<\/strong>. Bobby and Binks like this, possibly because they view the Plantagenet line as illegitimate. (More Fun Comics 028, 1937)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry III of England<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In contrast to the entry on his fellow Henry (the Fowler) above, the tale of Henry III of England, son of John I, is simply awash with guest stars, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n