3 Month Adjusted Chronology Theory
Objective
Produce an accurate, uniformly consistent, mathematically valid,
and logically arguable chronology.
Priorities
Do not disrupt any sequential order more than is absolutely
necessary.
No adventure could have been written or published before the
events actually occur.
Eliminate as many continuity errors as possible.
Premise
As a general rule, stories published in the MOKF series are
sequential and chronological, unless details indicate otherwise.
Facts
The events recorded in MOKF #17 occurred in 1971.
MOKF #17 has a publication date of 1974.
The difference is three years.
The events recorded in issue #118 occurred on August 06,
1982.
MOKF #118 has a publication date of November 1982.
The difference is three months.
Rumors
Many years ago, I read the average lead time for publication at
Marvel, during this era, was approximately three months. I encountered that little nugget in a book about the history of Marvel, which I found in a local public library. Unfortunately, I am unable to recall the title or author. Therefore, I am unable to cite any source or provide any
documentation of this claim. Furthermore, I have absolutely no idea where the author obtained this
information. Regardless, it seems to corroborate the facts in this one particular case of MOKF
#118.
Theory
Shifting the month of publication for each and every issue, by
three months, would result in a more precise time-line and provide the foundation for a more
accurate chronology.
Rationale
- While some story-lines are self contained in a single issue and stand alone, others are multi-part story-lines published in multiple issues over multiple months.
- While the events of some story-lines occur over a period of hours, others occur over a period of days, and none occur over the period of an entire month.
- Shifting the month of publication would also offset the beginning and end of each year. Theoretically, this could drastically effect which issues fall within any given year. The result should produce a more precise time-line and provide a more accurate chronology.
Testing Methodology
Using a spreadsheet:- List every issue of the MOKF series in sequential order by publication date.
- Shift the date of each issue backward by three months.
- Identify the geographic locations in which the events of each issue occur.
- Identify single-issue stand-alone stories from multi-issue stories and group accordingly.
- Organize stories in a chronologic order.*
- Repeat this process with each series title to to be included: SME, MOKF GS, DHOKF, etc.
- Integrate the additional series titles with the original series in a chronologic order.*
- Adjust the dates for issues #115-118 to August 1982.
- Starting with MOKF #118, working in forward order (downward toward MOKF #125), adjust the year of each issue to match the yearly cycle of months.
- Starting with MOKF #115, working in reverse order (upward toward SME #15), adjust the year of each issue to match the yearly cycle of months.
- For each group of multi-issue story-lines, adjust the month of each issue in that group to match the month of the first issue in that group.
- For each group of multi-issue story-lines that span multiple years, adjust the year of each issue in that group to match the year of the first issue in that group.
- Adjust incorrect dates based on known facts.
- Compare the results with all available data to confirm or deny accuracy and assess success or failure.
* WARNING:
Extremely meticulous research and a profoundly obsessive
knowledge of each and every issue is absolutely imperative to accurately determine the correct
chronologic order. Unfailing diligence is required to avoid any logical, analytical, mathematical,
or continuity errors! Chronologic relocation can cause more problems than it solves. At this point,
referencing geographic locations may or may not provide some assistance.
Initial Test Results
I am a freakin' GENIUS! Nevertheless, each must judge for
himself. View the spreadsheet here!
Initial Analysis
[ SME #15 - Page 14 ] Smith states, "I'll tell you about Fu
Manchu! It was 1911, and I was an agent of the British Government stationed in Burma, when I first
heard of... him!"
[ MOKF #17 - Page 7 ] Fu Manchu states, "For sixty years,
Nayland Smith has believed himself a man with a mission: to destroy me..."
[ MOKF #17 - Page 30 ] Shang-Chi's inner monologue states,
"Lungs that have labored for nearly ninety years cannot be silent. Almost before my decision to
find Sir Denis is registered in my thoughts - I sense him hiding behind a partially open
door."
[ MOKF #18 - Page 7 & 8 ] Smith states, "...You may be my
greatest weapon in my war against Fu Manchu - a war that has raged since I first saw him in 1911.
It was a different world, then. I was 28, then - and like every occidental, I feared the unknown
East..."
If Smith has been trying to destroy Fu Manchu for 60 years and
they first met in 1911, then events detailed in MOKF #17 must have occurred in 1971.
1911 + 60 = 1971
Publication date for MOKF #17 = 1974 April
The 3MAC date for MOKF #17 = 1971 September
If Smith was 28 years old in 1911, then his date of birth is
1883.
1911 - 28 = 1883
If the date those events detailed in MOKF #17 occurred is 1971
and Smith was born in 1883, then Smith is nearly ninety.
1971 - 1883 = 88
The "1911 meeting" date has been confirmed as correct by
Cay Van Ash, and accepted as correct by
Dr. Lawrence Knapp, Win Scott Eckert, Matthew Baugh, Steve Englehart, and myself.
The next question is the accuracy of Fu Manchu's "sixty years"
statement.
It could be argued the "sixty years" reference was not
intended to be precise and Fu Manchu was simply using a round number. He wouldn't likely say
sixty-three years, would he?
I argue that Fu Manchu is possessed of an intellect equal to
that of any three men of genius. If it had been sixty-three years, yes, he would say as much. Fu
Manchu is known to be precise, particularly when speaking.
Additionally, if it had been more than sixty years, then why
not say, "For more than sixty years..."? Alternately, if it had been less than sixty years why not
not say, "For nearly sixty years..."? Furthermore, the 3MAC Theory provides convincing independent
mathematical evidence to support the precision of Fu Manchu's statement and this entire chronology.
Perhaps, the most authoritative and compelling evidence
supporting the accuracy of Fu Manchu's statement comes from the author himself - Steve Englehart.
After all, he scripted that line. It's there, plain as day, in black and not-quite-white. It says
sixty years. That's the fact.
The only remaining question is the accuracy Smith's age in
1911. Again, the most authoritative and compelling evidence supporting the accuracy of Smith's age
comes from the author himself - Steve Englehart. After all, he scripted that line. It's there,
plain as day, in black and not-quite-white. That's the fact.
[ DHOKF #9 ] A poster is attached to a tree located in San
Fransisco's Golden Gate Park. It advertises "International Karate Championship John Gimpert vs
Lloyd Russette Sunday March 17".
According to my research, Sensei Lloyd Russett resided in
Michigan and Sensei John Gimpert resided in Ontario at this time. March 17 fell on Sunday in 1974.
Consider this poster would be advertising the event before it is scheduled to take place.
Publication date for DHOKF #9 = 1975 February
The 3MAC date for DHOKF #9 = 1973 November
[ MOKF #61 ] In London, Leiko Wu plays the song "Dreams" by
Fleetwood Mac from their "Rumours" album. Separately, Shang-Chi comments on Fleetwood Mac's 'new
recording', "Dreams", which is playing on the radio.
This song was released on the "Rumours" album February 4,
1977. However, the single was released June of 1977 (in the UK) and was certified as a gold record
September 14, 1977. Source
Link
Publication date for MOKF #61 = 1978 February
The 3MAC date for MOKF #61 = 1977 November
[ MOKF #71 ] Begins with Shang-Chi and Leiko Wu at her a flat
in Soho, London. They leave Leiko's flat, workout for two hours, then view "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind” in a movie theater.
This film premiered on November 15, 1977, at the Ziegfeld
Theatre in New York. However, it premiered on March 13, 1978, in London. Source Link
Publication date for MOKF #71 = 1978 December
The 3MAC date for MOKF #71 = 1978 March
[ MOKF #100 ] Smith states, "Somewhere between 1932 and now, the seeds of Fu Manchu's 45 year old plan have borne fruit."
1932 + 45 = 1979
Publication date for MOKF #100 = 1981 May
Publication date for MOKF #100 = 1981 May
The 3MAC date for MOKF #100 = 1979 January
[ MOKF #114 ] Takes place during the Mid-Autumn Festival and
Shang-Chi is listening to the song "If I Was A Dancer (Dance Part 2)" from the Rolling Stones album
entitled "Sucking in the Seventies".
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth
lunar month. In 1982, that was September 2. This adventure was published in July 1982.
Chronologically, the story could not have been written or
published before the events actually occur. Therefore, these events must have occurred September
12, 1981.
Additionally, Shang-Chi is listening to the song "If I Was A
Dancer (Dance Pt. 2)" from the Rolling Stones album entitled "Sucking in the Seventies", which was
released April 14, 1981. Source
Link
Publication date for MOKF #118 = 1982 July
The 3MAC date for MOKF #118 = 1981 September
[ MOKF #118 ] The events recorded in this particular issue
occurred on precisely August 6, 1982, as evidenced by a written message taken from a radio
transmission by a communications technician.
Publication date for MOKF #118 = 1982 November
The 3MAC date for MOKF #118 = 1982 August
[ MOKF BB #1 ] The events recorded in this particular issue
occurred near December 3, 1989, as evidenced by a bank draft with this date.
Publication date for MOKF BB #1 = 1990 February
The 3MAC date for MOKF BB #1 = 1989 December
Conclusion
In every single case, the 3MAC date is more accurate.
Obviously, with more research and information, we can fine tune these initial results for even
greater accuracy. Nevertheless, 3MAC provides a uniformly consistent and mathematically solid
foundation, which is logically arguable.
'Nuff said!
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