New Gods - Eternals and Deviants (part 1)
So “the King” left the employ of Marvel, and proceeded to craft his own cosmology at DC in 1971: the “Fourth World.” Intended to have a beginning and end, the three series New Gods, Mr. Miracle and the Forever People were unfinished insofar as Jack Kirby's conception. As great as the FW is, he really needed someone to smooth his rough edges (clunky dialogue, often less-than-coherent concepts). Some believe, however, that the Fourth World had a great influence on the conception of Star Wars.
Kirby returned to Marvel in the mid ‘70s, and rejiggered the concept into the Eternals. So clearly the players in these grand, cosmic epics are best paired up.
Commonalities:
Mainly, it’s the sense that it might have been best for both diasporas to remain separate from each company’s main continuity, but that both enrich the DCU and MU, respectively. Otherwise, both revolve around concepts of a “true history of the universe,” and races waging war with the highest stakes imaginable.
Differences:
The New Gods reside on two planets in an extradimensional realm, whereas the Eternals and the Deviants live in hidden realms on Earth. And Kirby never came up with a Deviant that represented ultimate evil; a retcon that saw Jim Starlin’s characters becoming Eternals saw to it that Thanos filled the Darkseid slot.
Alternate histories:
NG: A series of “Old Gods” engineer two variant offshoots of the early human race: the first is a long-lived and (by human standards) aesthetically pleasing subset, who depart to the hidden realm New Genesis; whereas the second, a genetically unstable and grotesque (by human standards) sect, departs to the similarly situated Apokolips. The two races war against one another for hundreds of thousands of years (a delegation of former inhabitants of New Genesis departs to another planet) until the modern age, when the “old gods” return to judge the worthiness of their creations. Many New Genesis-ians leave this plane of existence, but some have recently awoken in human hosts.
Izaya: The ruler of New Genesis, now deceased.
Big Barda: his warrior daughter and presumptive heir to throne of New Genesis.
Orion: A warrior who assumes the throne of New Genesis.
Lightray/Sollis- A warrior who has taken a keen interest in human affairs.
Himon- Izaya’s brother, who leads an off-world sect of former residents of New Genesis.
Scott Free- Son of Himon, who takes the name Mr. Miracle and joins the Avengers.
Uxas/Darkseid- Son of Himon, who becomes a harbinger of death.
ET: A “godwave” unleashes energy that produces two perpetually warring “godlike” races: one, the peaceful and conventionally beautiful Eternals, resides on extradimensional realm Olympia; the other, the warlike and grotesque Deviants, resides in the similarly situated Lemuria. The two war against one another for hundreds of thousands of years until a truce is brokered by the trading of the firstborn children of the rulers of Eternals and the Deviants to the other. But when both children choose sides against the Deviants, their ruler Thanos strikes out against the Eternals, the inhabitants of Earth, and the rest of the universe in an effort to extinguish all life forever. The Eternals oppose him: recently Thanos has been exterminated by Ikaris, but at the cost of most the lives of most Eternals and Deviants. Some, however, have “awoken” in human hosts.
Zuras- The ruler of the Eternals of Olympia, now deceased
Thanos- The ruler of the Deviants of Lemuria
Ikaris- Son of Thanos who is traded to Zuras in childhood, but opposes Deviant aggression upon adulthood
Eros- Zuras’ son traded to Thanos who returns to Olympia and later Earth to oppose Deviant aggression, known later as Starfox
Thena- A Deviant with Eternal attributes, wife of Eros
Makkari- A high-spirited Eternal
Alars- An Eternal living in Lemuria who mentors Eros
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
The starting lineup of the West Coast Justice League, 1984
Green Arrow
Black Canary
Green Lantern
Captain Atom
Vixen
Black Canary
Green Lantern
Captain Atom
Vixen
Chicks with claws = perpetual appeal
Vixen- Tigra
I should say that if DC introduced a male african character with a similar backstory to Vixen, then said character would be a natural pairing for the perpetually elusive Black Panther.
As it is, gender distinctions are inviolable. So this one does the trick, methinks.
Commonalities:
Both have been shown to be pleasure-seekers who occasionally have regressed into savage, feral states.
Differences:
Tigra is a cat lady —not, notably, in the sense of a elderly woman who lives in a stinking house with 50 tabbies, but in the manner of an anthropomorphosized feline/human hybrid. Whereas Vixen draws on the earth’s morphogenetic field to mimic any animal’s traits.
Alternate histories:
TI: Greer Nelson is a descendent of the Cat People, and as such inherits an amulet that grants her the ability to mimic attributes of various felines; as Tigra, she becomes an adventurer and eventually joins the Avengers and briefly the government agency Freedom Force. She struggles with latent feral tendencies surface from time to time.
VI: A gravely injured Mari McCabe is chosen by a mystical cult to assume the abilities incumbent on the Tantu Totem; as Vixen, she adopts extranormal attributes of a fox. She eventually joins the Justice League and later the organization’s west coast expansion team, although her latent feral tendencies surface from time to time.
I should say that if DC introduced a male african character with a similar backstory to Vixen, then said character would be a natural pairing for the perpetually elusive Black Panther.
As it is, gender distinctions are inviolable. So this one does the trick, methinks.
Commonalities:
Both have been shown to be pleasure-seekers who occasionally have regressed into savage, feral states.
Differences:
Tigra is a cat lady —not, notably, in the sense of a elderly woman who lives in a stinking house with 50 tabbies, but in the manner of an anthropomorphosized feline/human hybrid. Whereas Vixen draws on the earth’s morphogenetic field to mimic any animal’s traits.
Alternate histories:
TI: Greer Nelson is a descendent of the Cat People, and as such inherits an amulet that grants her the ability to mimic attributes of various felines; as Tigra, she becomes an adventurer and eventually joins the Avengers and briefly the government agency Freedom Force. She struggles with latent feral tendencies surface from time to time.
VI: A gravely injured Mari McCabe is chosen by a mystical cult to assume the abilities incumbent on the Tantu Totem; as Vixen, she adopts extranormal attributes of a fox. She eventually joins the Justice League and later the organization’s west coast expansion team, although her latent feral tendencies surface from time to time.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
How African-American heroes are made, circa 1983
Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)- Captain Marvel/Pulsar (Monica Rambeau)
So we have two heroines who assumed the names of existing characters—one is of a good guy, the other bad.
Initially, Kimiyo Hoshi was an arrogant astronomer who was used as a pawn of the Anti-Monitor in the first Crisis, but who eventually came around to the good guy’s side. In the the most recent book featuring the character I’ve read (of which more below), she spoke like an American.
As for Rambeau: apparently Marvel felt like they needed a character by the name “Captain Marvel” for copyright purposes, since the Mar-Vell character had been killed off. So Roger Stern came up with an African-American woman to take the name: she was not a stereotype, but simply a black woman with courage and super-powers. She was made chairperson of the Avengers, but apparently editor Mark Gruenwald felt like Captain America needed to be emphasized again, so out went Rambeau, and so did Avengers writer Stern. She’s appeared occasionally since the ‘80s, under the name Photon and Pulsar.
Commonalities:
Both characters have more or less the same abilities. And, in the first issue of of Giffen and DeMatteis’ Justice League in 1987, Hoshi behaves and speaks rather like Rambeau, with whom I’m much more familiar.
Differences:
Hoshi is from Japan; Rambeau’s from N’awlins.
Alternate histories:
DL: Japanese-American policewoman Kimiyo Hoshi is bombarded by the energies of an extra-dimensional channeling device: she gains the ability to transmute and manipulate light. Taking the name Dr. Light, Hoshi becomes a member and soon leader of the Justice League. She’s worked with the League sporadically after her chairmanship concluded.
PU: Astronomer Monica Rambeau is imbued with the ability to transform into any energy included in the electromagnetic spectrum during a universe-wide conflagration. Taking the name Pulsar, Rambeau has served as a member of the Avengers and briefly the Fantastic Four and the Defenders.
So we have two heroines who assumed the names of existing characters—one is of a good guy, the other bad.
Initially, Kimiyo Hoshi was an arrogant astronomer who was used as a pawn of the Anti-Monitor in the first Crisis, but who eventually came around to the good guy’s side. In the the most recent book featuring the character I’ve read (of which more below), she spoke like an American.
As for Rambeau: apparently Marvel felt like they needed a character by the name “Captain Marvel” for copyright purposes, since the Mar-Vell character had been killed off. So Roger Stern came up with an African-American woman to take the name: she was not a stereotype, but simply a black woman with courage and super-powers. She was made chairperson of the Avengers, but apparently editor Mark Gruenwald felt like Captain America needed to be emphasized again, so out went Rambeau, and so did Avengers writer Stern. She’s appeared occasionally since the ‘80s, under the name Photon and Pulsar.
Commonalities:
Both characters have more or less the same abilities. And, in the first issue of of Giffen and DeMatteis’ Justice League in 1987, Hoshi behaves and speaks rather like Rambeau, with whom I’m much more familiar.
Differences:
Hoshi is from Japan; Rambeau’s from N’awlins.
Alternate histories:
DL: Japanese-American policewoman Kimiyo Hoshi is bombarded by the energies of an extra-dimensional channeling device: she gains the ability to transmute and manipulate light. Taking the name Dr. Light, Hoshi becomes a member and soon leader of the Justice League. She’s worked with the League sporadically after her chairmanship concluded.
PU: Astronomer Monica Rambeau is imbued with the ability to transform into any energy included in the electromagnetic spectrum during a universe-wide conflagration. Taking the name Pulsar, Rambeau has served as a member of the Avengers and briefly the Fantastic Four and the Defenders.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
How African American heroes are made, circa 1972 and 1993
Steel (John Henry Irons) - Power Man (Luke Cage)
When Marvel resolved to introduce an african-american super hero in 1972, the result was completely and clumsily premised on the “blaxploitation” trend in cinema at the time. So Luke Cage, later to be known as Power Man, was written by Archie Goodwin and subsequent scribes spouting jive talk along the lines of “Sweet Christmas!!!” an exclamation I‘ve never encountered outside of comic books. Ahh, the unceasing wonders that result when white nerds in the ‘70s presume to craft realistic dialogue for black characters!
Nonetheless, Cage became less stereotyped as the 1970s progressed, and he has since been Marvel’s premiere african-american character: he’s been mucho prominent in recent years.
In my very limited understanding, DC’s Steel reflects a more nuanced treatment of how to present an african american character. Introduced in the 1993 Fall of Superman arc, John Henry Irons is an inventor who isn’t known to complain about “the man.” Why can’t a black guy be a middle class smart guy, like other super-heroes? Why indeed.
Commonalities:
Both strong doods! In the 52 series, Irons’ skin becomes briefly metallic, which is most Cage-esque.
Differences:
Irons is an inventor who dons an armor to do his stuff, whereas Cage is an ex-con and has been played as a Sam Jackson-style tough guy recently.
Alternate histories:
ST: John Henry Irons is framed for a crime he didn’t commit and is sentenced to a term in prison. He volunteers for a experiment where he is to don a prototype armor; Irons escapes and makes his way back to his hometown, where adopts the code name Steel and works as a extranormal operative for hire. He briefly replaces Robotman in the Doom Patrol and takes on a partner (to be named later); the two work together for many years. Steel now leads the dissident Justice League.
PM: Scientist Carl Lucas takes a job as a construction worker and is saved from plunging to his death by Thor, who inspires him to take up adventuring. Taking the names Luke Cage and Power Man, he devises a method in which he gains superhuman strength and durability. During the time that Thor appears to have died, Power Man takes up his slack, and eventually joins the Avengers.
When Marvel resolved to introduce an african-american super hero in 1972, the result was completely and clumsily premised on the “blaxploitation” trend in cinema at the time. So Luke Cage, later to be known as Power Man, was written by Archie Goodwin and subsequent scribes spouting jive talk along the lines of “Sweet Christmas!!!” an exclamation I‘ve never encountered outside of comic books. Ahh, the unceasing wonders that result when white nerds in the ‘70s presume to craft realistic dialogue for black characters!
Nonetheless, Cage became less stereotyped as the 1970s progressed, and he has since been Marvel’s premiere african-american character: he’s been mucho prominent in recent years.
In my very limited understanding, DC’s Steel reflects a more nuanced treatment of how to present an african american character. Introduced in the 1993 Fall of Superman arc, John Henry Irons is an inventor who isn’t known to complain about “the man.” Why can’t a black guy be a middle class smart guy, like other super-heroes? Why indeed.
Commonalities:
Both strong doods! In the 52 series, Irons’ skin becomes briefly metallic, which is most Cage-esque.
Differences:
Irons is an inventor who dons an armor to do his stuff, whereas Cage is an ex-con and has been played as a Sam Jackson-style tough guy recently.
Alternate histories:
ST: John Henry Irons is framed for a crime he didn’t commit and is sentenced to a term in prison. He volunteers for a experiment where he is to don a prototype armor; Irons escapes and makes his way back to his hometown, where adopts the code name Steel and works as a extranormal operative for hire. He briefly replaces Robotman in the Doom Patrol and takes on a partner (to be named later); the two work together for many years. Steel now leads the dissident Justice League.
PM: Scientist Carl Lucas takes a job as a construction worker and is saved from plunging to his death by Thor, who inspires him to take up adventuring. Taking the names Luke Cage and Power Man, he devises a method in which he gains superhuman strength and durability. During the time that Thor appears to have died, Power Man takes up his slack, and eventually joins the Avengers.
Friday, May 16, 2008
The worst of the worst…but in the best way
Darkseid- Thanos
I reckon that no one would disagree that Jack Kirby’s most enduring creation, after he left Marvel for DC in 1970, is Darkseid. Finally, after an interchangeable series of intergalactic despots menacing Superman and the Justice League in the 1960s and 1970s, this one stuck (although you could say that various Green Lantern antagonists fit the bill). Darkseid might even be known to non-nerds via Superman: the Animated Series and the Justice League Unlimited program.
As for Thanos, anyone can see that his character owed rather a lot to Darkseid. I wonder if the character's creator, Jim Starlin, minded that Thanos and his fellow residents of the moon of Titans were later said to be an offshoot of the Eternals. But as it is, Kirby Eternals series never had a really truly awe-inspiring antagonist anyhow: the Deviants leader Brother Tode didn't fit the bill, in my view.
Commonalities:
Big scary guys with ambitions to dominate or destroy on a universal level: not too much difference between Darkseid’s “anti-life equation” and Thanos’ love for the personification of death.
Differences:
Only that Starlin did not intend Thanos and the residents of Titan to have any connection to Kirby’s Eternals mythos. But, as of the late 70s, they do.
Alternate histories:
DA: Uxas is born the son of Himon and brother to Scott Free on a colony populated by “New Gods” ostensibly native to the hidden realm New Genesis. He possesses genes that mark him as part of the race of “New Gods” native to Apokolips, and is thus alienated from his family; taking the name Darkseid, he becomes obsessed with the “anti-life equation,” a means by which he could control all life in the universe. Darkseid is opposed by Hawkman, the Justice League and virtually every superhuman champion on Earth and beyond.
TH: Thanos is the ruler of the Deviants, an genetically unstable offshoot of humanity based in Lemuria, an underground kingdom that spans the Earth. A war between Deviants and their ancient enemies the Eternals reaches a truce when Thano’s son Ikaris is sent to live with the Eternal’s leader Zuras, who sends his own son Eros to Thanos in exchange. The ceasefire ends when Thanos begins to seek a means to court the personification of Death; his war with the Eternals becomes enmeshed with his desire to destroy all life in the universe, which finds Thanos opposed to nearly every superhuman champion on Earth and beyond.
I reckon that no one would disagree that Jack Kirby’s most enduring creation, after he left Marvel for DC in 1970, is Darkseid. Finally, after an interchangeable series of intergalactic despots menacing Superman and the Justice League in the 1960s and 1970s, this one stuck (although you could say that various Green Lantern antagonists fit the bill). Darkseid might even be known to non-nerds via Superman: the Animated Series and the Justice League Unlimited program.
As for Thanos, anyone can see that his character owed rather a lot to Darkseid. I wonder if the character's creator, Jim Starlin, minded that Thanos and his fellow residents of the moon of Titans were later said to be an offshoot of the Eternals. But as it is, Kirby Eternals series never had a really truly awe-inspiring antagonist anyhow: the Deviants leader Brother Tode didn't fit the bill, in my view.
Commonalities:
Big scary guys with ambitions to dominate or destroy on a universal level: not too much difference between Darkseid’s “anti-life equation” and Thanos’ love for the personification of death.
Differences:
Only that Starlin did not intend Thanos and the residents of Titan to have any connection to Kirby’s Eternals mythos. But, as of the late 70s, they do.
Alternate histories:
DA: Uxas is born the son of Himon and brother to Scott Free on a colony populated by “New Gods” ostensibly native to the hidden realm New Genesis. He possesses genes that mark him as part of the race of “New Gods” native to Apokolips, and is thus alienated from his family; taking the name Darkseid, he becomes obsessed with the “anti-life equation,” a means by which he could control all life in the universe. Darkseid is opposed by Hawkman, the Justice League and virtually every superhuman champion on Earth and beyond.
TH: Thanos is the ruler of the Deviants, an genetically unstable offshoot of humanity based in Lemuria, an underground kingdom that spans the Earth. A war between Deviants and their ancient enemies the Eternals reaches a truce when Thano’s son Ikaris is sent to live with the Eternal’s leader Zuras, who sends his own son Eros to Thanos in exchange. The ceasefire ends when Thanos begins to seek a means to court the personification of Death; his war with the Eternals becomes enmeshed with his desire to destroy all life in the universe, which finds Thanos opposed to nearly every superhuman champion on Earth and beyond.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Young hepcats/Space Cops
Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) - Nova
In 1994, while I was barely paying attention, DC brass decided to introduce a new, young hepcat version of Green Lantern: in doing so, they turned Hal Jordan into a crazed bad guy…
And fandom screamed… my understanding is in the 14 years since, Rayner has gained some measure of fan acceptance as one of four Green Lantern corpsmen form Earth.
As for Nova: apparently Marv Wolfman thought that late ‘70s Marvel needed a series with the sense of wonder of early Spider-Man, with perhaps a soupcon of GL. Nova was the result: methinks the character has endured long past any expectations.
Here we see how I get around the fact that Tony Stark was never a space cop: when the shoe’s on the other foot, he’s a member of the Nova Corps who went nutso and was replaced by a younger guy. AKA cheat cheat cheat cheat…
Commonalities:
Both characters were conceived for the identification of the intended audience —young dudes. And both are representatives of an interstellar police force.
Differences:
Nova makes no hard light constructions via a “power ring.”
Alternate histories:
GL: High schooler Kyle Rayner is selected at random by a dying alien representative of the Green Lantern Corps to take his place. Rayner assumes the abilities incumbent to the interstellar police force’s power ring, and encounters many in the metahuman community before serving off world alongside the Corps for a year. Rayner abandons his duties and lives as a normal human for a time before he is pressed back into service with a team of superhumans. He has recently left Earth to take part in a galactic conflagration, in which he become the most powerful Green Lantern.
NO: When Iron Man, Earth’s representative of the Nova Corps, loses his mind and destroys the Corps, Richard Ryder is picked at random to be the last representative of the interstellar peacekeeping force. While Ryder learns on the job, he joins the Avengers. Eventually, Iron Man and the rest of the Nova Corps are revived, and Ryder journeys into space to serve in various galactic conflagrations.
In 1994, while I was barely paying attention, DC brass decided to introduce a new, young hepcat version of Green Lantern: in doing so, they turned Hal Jordan into a crazed bad guy…
And fandom screamed… my understanding is in the 14 years since, Rayner has gained some measure of fan acceptance as one of four Green Lantern corpsmen form Earth.
As for Nova: apparently Marv Wolfman thought that late ‘70s Marvel needed a series with the sense of wonder of early Spider-Man, with perhaps a soupcon of GL. Nova was the result: methinks the character has endured long past any expectations.
Here we see how I get around the fact that Tony Stark was never a space cop: when the shoe’s on the other foot, he’s a member of the Nova Corps who went nutso and was replaced by a younger guy. AKA cheat cheat cheat cheat…
Commonalities:
Both characters were conceived for the identification of the intended audience —young dudes. And both are representatives of an interstellar police force.
Differences:
Nova makes no hard light constructions via a “power ring.”
Alternate histories:
GL: High schooler Kyle Rayner is selected at random by a dying alien representative of the Green Lantern Corps to take his place. Rayner assumes the abilities incumbent to the interstellar police force’s power ring, and encounters many in the metahuman community before serving off world alongside the Corps for a year. Rayner abandons his duties and lives as a normal human for a time before he is pressed back into service with a team of superhumans. He has recently left Earth to take part in a galactic conflagration, in which he become the most powerful Green Lantern.
NO: When Iron Man, Earth’s representative of the Nova Corps, loses his mind and destroys the Corps, Richard Ryder is picked at random to be the last representative of the interstellar peacekeeping force. While Ryder learns on the job, he joins the Avengers. Eventually, Iron Man and the rest of the Nova Corps are revived, and Ryder journeys into space to serve in various galactic conflagrations.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The starting lineup of the Justice League of America, 1963
Superman
Green Lantern
Atom
Insect Queen
Blockbuster
first recruit/replacement for the founding dangerous berserker— Batman
Green Lantern
Atom
Insect Queen
Blockbuster
first recruit/replacement for the founding dangerous berserker— Batman
I must be kidding on this one…
Insect Queen (Lana Lang)- Wasp
Should anyone other than a friend of mine ever leave a comment somewhere on this blawg, I would expect this post in particular to get a WTF? or two.
You have Superman’s paramour from his Smallville days, one that as an adult was used as a rival to Lois Lane, but was shown a time or two in the ‘50-’60s/Weisinger era taking a fairly super-heroic guise which has since been ignored. Then you have a character initially conceived as a flighty, spoiled rich spouse to Henry Pym but later as “her own woman” and a capable leader of the Avengers.
It’s just that the Wondrous Wasp is an important heroine in the MU, and I couldn’t justify pairing her with Jean Loring, the estranged lawyer wife of Ray Palmer who took leave of her sanity a few years ago and killed one of their friends in order to get his attention. That she did so using his shrinking methods may be suggested as a way to line her up with Jan, but…no.
So I’m going with this most imperfect pairing.
Commonalities:
Well…um…Lang useta get small and adopt characteristics of insects! Which is sorta what Jan does! I’m not sure how Lana has been played in recent years, but she’s not unlike Jan, is she? Anyone? And Jan’s been separated from the troubled Hank off and on for long enough that I can justify pairing her with someone with no connection to the Atom.
Differences:
Well, one has always been a superheroine…and the other hasn’t!
Alternate histories:
IQ: Socialite Lana Lang meets Ray Palmer, who has adopted the identity of the Atom and who mourns the loss of his first wife. Palmer grants Lana abilities similar to his own, and she takes the name the Insect Queen. She and Palmer become founding members of the Justice League, and the two are married are shortly thereafter. Some years later, Palmer becomes unhinged and strikes Lang; he is expelled from the League and the two divorce. While Palmer is rehabilitated, Lang becomes chairperson of the League. The two are sporadically reunited, and Lang currently serves in the League.
JVD: Janet Van Dyne dates Donald Blake, who soon discovers his Asgardian heritage, while both are teenagers; in one continuum, she is granted the ability to shrink and shoot force-blasts and dubs herself the Wasp. In the current continuum, Van Dyne remains close to Thor, although she eventually marries and currently is the CEO of the corporation once controlled by Victor Von Doom.
Should anyone other than a friend of mine ever leave a comment somewhere on this blawg, I would expect this post in particular to get a WTF? or two.
You have Superman’s paramour from his Smallville days, one that as an adult was used as a rival to Lois Lane, but was shown a time or two in the ‘50-’60s/Weisinger era taking a fairly super-heroic guise which has since been ignored. Then you have a character initially conceived as a flighty, spoiled rich spouse to Henry Pym but later as “her own woman” and a capable leader of the Avengers.
It’s just that the Wondrous Wasp is an important heroine in the MU, and I couldn’t justify pairing her with Jean Loring, the estranged lawyer wife of Ray Palmer who took leave of her sanity a few years ago and killed one of their friends in order to get his attention. That she did so using his shrinking methods may be suggested as a way to line her up with Jan, but…no.
So I’m going with this most imperfect pairing.
Commonalities:
Well…um…Lang useta get small and adopt characteristics of insects! Which is sorta what Jan does! I’m not sure how Lana has been played in recent years, but she’s not unlike Jan, is she? Anyone? And Jan’s been separated from the troubled Hank off and on for long enough that I can justify pairing her with someone with no connection to the Atom.
Differences:
Well, one has always been a superheroine…and the other hasn’t!
Alternate histories:
IQ: Socialite Lana Lang meets Ray Palmer, who has adopted the identity of the Atom and who mourns the loss of his first wife. Palmer grants Lana abilities similar to his own, and she takes the name the Insect Queen. She and Palmer become founding members of the Justice League, and the two are married are shortly thereafter. Some years later, Palmer becomes unhinged and strikes Lang; he is expelled from the League and the two divorce. While Palmer is rehabilitated, Lang becomes chairperson of the League. The two are sporadically reunited, and Lang currently serves in the League.
JVD: Janet Van Dyne dates Donald Blake, who soon discovers his Asgardian heritage, while both are teenagers; in one continuum, she is granted the ability to shrink and shoot force-blasts and dubs herself the Wasp. In the current continuum, Van Dyne remains close to Thor, although she eventually marries and currently is the CEO of the corporation once controlled by Victor Von Doom.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Charter members of the Outsiders, 1971
Dr. Fate
Aquaman
Martian Manhunter
Blockbuster
—joined later by Power Girl
Bit of a cheat here, as only one of the above DC characters were ever in the Outsiders, which was conceived as a team for Batman to lead, whereas the Defenders were a “throw these dudes with not much common purpose together and call it a ‘non-team’" thang. But both teams have often been highly mutable, so this’ll do.
Aquaman
Martian Manhunter
Blockbuster
—joined later by Power Girl
Bit of a cheat here, as only one of the above DC characters were ever in the Outsiders, which was conceived as a team for Batman to lead, whereas the Defenders were a “throw these dudes with not much common purpose together and call it a ‘non-team’" thang. But both teams have often been highly mutable, so this’ll do.
Rhaaarrrggghhh!
Blockbuster- Hulk
In terms of character significance, this pairing is even more lopsided than the Wonder Woman- Thundra match-up. Like that one, we see a character lined up with it’s direct inspiration.
Clearly, the Blockbuster was created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino to evoke the Hulk. I would imagine that the powers that were at DC took one look at the second creation of the burgeoning Lee-Kirby explosion and said “they’re gonna try to make a monster sympathetic?” Indeed, the Hulk is a link to the kind of comics Timely/Atlas/Marvel proffered in the late ‘50s/very early ‘60s: typically, ones in which grotesque beasts were either created or were awoken by nuclear testing. Apparently, when Marvel’s line began to make waves, DC brass couldn’t quite understand how these crudely drawn stories featuring squabbling, sometimes threatening (anti-)heroes could be appealing.
And the Hulk was a sinister creature initially, a real nasty Mr. Hyde-esque piece of work to Bruce Banner’s Dr. Jekyll —the infantile “Hulk smash/Hulk is the strongest one there is/Hulk wants to be left alone” characterization emerged in the late ‘60s (I think). It’s no surprise that the always rationalistic DC’s rendition of the character would be an unambiguous bad guy.
So this pairing is imperfect. For a long time, I put the Hulk with Metamorpho, which was not a good idea. Many have noted similarities between Solomon Grundy and the Hulk, but the former is a zombie, and has no correlative to the Bruce Banner persona. But despite the fact that the Blockbuster is a minor character (and one that’s seen at least two iterations since its debut version, created in 1965, was killed off in the late ‘80s), he’s the best parallel for Mean Green.
Commonalities:
Scientists turn into super strong, not-so-bright brutes.
Differences:
Only that one is a character known by everyone, one that represents its parent company to the wider world via merchandising, a ‘70s TV program and two major films, and one that essentially is misunderstood and known by other characters to be goodhearted . These are distinctions that elude the other entirely: only the nerds know of Blockbuster.
Alternate histories:
BB: Chemist Mark Desmond is inadvertently exposed to radiation, and when under duress is transformed into a childlike brute possessed of immense strength. Referred to as the Blockbuster, the creature becomes world-renowned for its destructive rages, but occasionally is allied with other super-human operatives, who often understand that Blockbuster is misunderstood and essentially goodhearted. Meanwhile, Desmond is most often haunted by the creature’s exploits, and thus travels the world as an outcast. A lot of stuff involving repressed childhood trauma, multiple personalities and exile to other planets has happened too!
HU: Physicist Bruce Banner bombards himself with radiation, and sporadically is transformed into a nearly mindless brute possessed of immense strength called the Hulk. His unscrupulous brother manipulates Banner to perpetrate destruction and to be enraged by the sight of Captain America when in the Hulk form . Eventually, the Hulk falls in with various super-human criminals, and finally dies in battle.
In terms of character significance, this pairing is even more lopsided than the Wonder Woman- Thundra match-up. Like that one, we see a character lined up with it’s direct inspiration.
Clearly, the Blockbuster was created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino to evoke the Hulk. I would imagine that the powers that were at DC took one look at the second creation of the burgeoning Lee-Kirby explosion and said “they’re gonna try to make a monster sympathetic?” Indeed, the Hulk is a link to the kind of comics Timely/Atlas/Marvel proffered in the late ‘50s/very early ‘60s: typically, ones in which grotesque beasts were either created or were awoken by nuclear testing. Apparently, when Marvel’s line began to make waves, DC brass couldn’t quite understand how these crudely drawn stories featuring squabbling, sometimes threatening (anti-)heroes could be appealing.
And the Hulk was a sinister creature initially, a real nasty Mr. Hyde-esque piece of work to Bruce Banner’s Dr. Jekyll —the infantile “Hulk smash/Hulk is the strongest one there is/Hulk wants to be left alone” characterization emerged in the late ‘60s (I think). It’s no surprise that the always rationalistic DC’s rendition of the character would be an unambiguous bad guy.
So this pairing is imperfect. For a long time, I put the Hulk with Metamorpho, which was not a good idea. Many have noted similarities between Solomon Grundy and the Hulk, but the former is a zombie, and has no correlative to the Bruce Banner persona. But despite the fact that the Blockbuster is a minor character (and one that’s seen at least two iterations since its debut version, created in 1965, was killed off in the late ‘80s), he’s the best parallel for Mean Green.
Commonalities:
Scientists turn into super strong, not-so-bright brutes.
Differences:
Only that one is a character known by everyone, one that represents its parent company to the wider world via merchandising, a ‘70s TV program and two major films, and one that essentially is misunderstood and known by other characters to be goodhearted . These are distinctions that elude the other entirely: only the nerds know of Blockbuster.
Alternate histories:
BB: Chemist Mark Desmond is inadvertently exposed to radiation, and when under duress is transformed into a childlike brute possessed of immense strength. Referred to as the Blockbuster, the creature becomes world-renowned for its destructive rages, but occasionally is allied with other super-human operatives, who often understand that Blockbuster is misunderstood and essentially goodhearted. Meanwhile, Desmond is most often haunted by the creature’s exploits, and thus travels the world as an outcast. A lot of stuff involving repressed childhood trauma, multiple personalities and exile to other planets has happened too!
HU: Physicist Bruce Banner bombards himself with radiation, and sporadically is transformed into a nearly mindless brute possessed of immense strength called the Hulk. His unscrupulous brother manipulates Banner to perpetrate destruction and to be enraged by the sight of Captain America when in the Hulk form . Eventually, the Hulk falls in with various super-human criminals, and finally dies in battle.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Winged Warriors of WWII
Hawkman (Golden age) - Red Raven
With some upcoming golden age-oriented pairings, we will see characters that have similar M.O.’s assigned to one another —unlike, notably, previous posts where the fast guys or winged guys are paired with characters with dissimilar abilities…
Such as this one, which finds the original conception of Hawkman, one of DC’s key wartime characters and the perpetual chairman of the Justice Society, paired with an obscure character that was published once in 1940 when Marvel was called Timely, and was revived in the 1960s and 1970s by Roy Thomas.
Commonalities:
Both are the winged warriors of World War II!
Differences:
The golden age Hawkman has been a mainstay of the DU for decades as the premiere member of the Justice Society. Whereas Red Raven was ret-conned to have been a member of the Liberty Legion, and was used as an antagonist in the 1960s and ‘70s for the Angel and Sub-Mariner. I read somewhere that RR had not died and became leader of the “bird-people” —which were also ret-conned to be a separatist sect of Inhumans— but references differ as to whether his survival has stuck.
Alternate histories:
HM: An european child is the only survivor of a catastrophe that claims his parents, and is raised by a reclusive cult in Northern Africa that preserves the customs of ancient Egyptian culture. Upon adulthood, he chooses to return to the wider world in order to combat the Axis Powers; using mystical and archaic equipment, he takes the name Hawkman. He eventually joins the Justice Society and opposes threats to America’s home front. Hawkman returns to the cult, whose population enters suspended animation; the cult has been revived, and Hawkman sporadically interacts with other superhumans.
RR: A young man discovers that he is both the descendent and a reincarnated king of a tribe of “bird-people.” He excavates equipment that enables him to operate as Red Raven; he initially opposes criminals and the Third Reich, and soon joins the Liberty Legion as its chairman. The Legion disbands in the 1950s, but reforms in recent years, often working with the Avengers. Red Raven’s aging has been retarded, and he currently serves as a mentor to younger superhumans in the Liberty Legion.
With some upcoming golden age-oriented pairings, we will see characters that have similar M.O.’s assigned to one another —unlike, notably, previous posts where the fast guys or winged guys are paired with characters with dissimilar abilities…
Such as this one, which finds the original conception of Hawkman, one of DC’s key wartime characters and the perpetual chairman of the Justice Society, paired with an obscure character that was published once in 1940 when Marvel was called Timely, and was revived in the 1960s and 1970s by Roy Thomas.
Commonalities:
Both are the winged warriors of World War II!
Differences:
The golden age Hawkman has been a mainstay of the DU for decades as the premiere member of the Justice Society. Whereas Red Raven was ret-conned to have been a member of the Liberty Legion, and was used as an antagonist in the 1960s and ‘70s for the Angel and Sub-Mariner. I read somewhere that RR had not died and became leader of the “bird-people” —which were also ret-conned to be a separatist sect of Inhumans— but references differ as to whether his survival has stuck.
Alternate histories:
HM: An european child is the only survivor of a catastrophe that claims his parents, and is raised by a reclusive cult in Northern Africa that preserves the customs of ancient Egyptian culture. Upon adulthood, he chooses to return to the wider world in order to combat the Axis Powers; using mystical and archaic equipment, he takes the name Hawkman. He eventually joins the Justice Society and opposes threats to America’s home front. Hawkman returns to the cult, whose population enters suspended animation; the cult has been revived, and Hawkman sporadically interacts with other superhumans.
RR: A young man discovers that he is both the descendent and a reincarnated king of a tribe of “bird-people.” He excavates equipment that enables him to operate as Red Raven; he initially opposes criminals and the Third Reich, and soon joins the Liberty Legion as its chairman. The Legion disbands in the 1950s, but reforms in recent years, often working with the Avengers. Red Raven’s aging has been retarded, and he currently serves as a mentor to younger superhumans in the Liberty Legion.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Hocus! And, Indeed, Pocus!
Dr. Fate- Dr. Strange
But of course!
I’ll limit my comments here just to note that the powers that were/be at DC found it necessary to replace the original Fate, Kent Nelson, with a variety of successors. This is part of a tendency at the company to have older characters cede their names and roles to younger, hipper iterations that, y’know, the kids can relate to. Never mind that magicians can easily avoid such things as aging…
Commonalities:
The two are the sorcerers supreme of their respective diaspora — magic being a discipline that has more or less been shown to do anything that creators need to do at a particular time. And Nelson was shown to have, likes Strange, medical training at least once, which is the only time that I'm aware of him having much going on besides practicing magic…
Differences:
Only that the “Fate” persona was often synonymous with his master Nabu and thus was separate from that of Nelson, whereas Strange comes by his portentous bearing on his own.
Alternate histories:
DF: An arrogant physician named Kent Nelson sees his medical abilities deteriorate, and resolves to seek out the ancient wizard Nabu in his abode in the Mesopotamian region Ur. Nelson intends to have the sorcerer cure his ills, but eventually recognizes his arrogance and consents to become Nabu’s disciple. He emerges fully trained as Dr. Fate, the most powerful mage on Earth, and returns to the west, where he opposes supernatural menaces and soon encounters a woman named Inza, who becomes his disciple and lover. Fate is the premiere mystical consultant to the superhuman community; he works closely with the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and another individual to be named later.
DS: A young Stephen Strange accompanies his father into a tomb in the Himalayas, where the two encounter the legendary wizard the Ancient One; Strange’s father dies, and Stephen is raised and trained in the mystic arts by his new mentor. By the dawning of World War II, Dr. Strange’s training as the most powerful sorcerer on Earth is complete, and he returns to the West, where he combats supernatural menaces and opposes the Axis Powers alongside the Liberty Legion. He marries his longtime companion Clea and retreats from view until recent years when he serves with a re-formed Liberty Legion and with the Avengers. Strange dies, but the spirit of the Ancient One chooses others to take his place.
But of course!
I’ll limit my comments here just to note that the powers that were/be at DC found it necessary to replace the original Fate, Kent Nelson, with a variety of successors. This is part of a tendency at the company to have older characters cede their names and roles to younger, hipper iterations that, y’know, the kids can relate to. Never mind that magicians can easily avoid such things as aging…
Commonalities:
The two are the sorcerers supreme of their respective diaspora — magic being a discipline that has more or less been shown to do anything that creators need to do at a particular time. And Nelson was shown to have, likes Strange, medical training at least once, which is the only time that I'm aware of him having much going on besides practicing magic…
Differences:
Only that the “Fate” persona was often synonymous with his master Nabu and thus was separate from that of Nelson, whereas Strange comes by his portentous bearing on his own.
Alternate histories:
DF: An arrogant physician named Kent Nelson sees his medical abilities deteriorate, and resolves to seek out the ancient wizard Nabu in his abode in the Mesopotamian region Ur. Nelson intends to have the sorcerer cure his ills, but eventually recognizes his arrogance and consents to become Nabu’s disciple. He emerges fully trained as Dr. Fate, the most powerful mage on Earth, and returns to the west, where he opposes supernatural menaces and soon encounters a woman named Inza, who becomes his disciple and lover. Fate is the premiere mystical consultant to the superhuman community; he works closely with the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and another individual to be named later.
DS: A young Stephen Strange accompanies his father into a tomb in the Himalayas, where the two encounter the legendary wizard the Ancient One; Strange’s father dies, and Stephen is raised and trained in the mystic arts by his new mentor. By the dawning of World War II, Dr. Strange’s training as the most powerful sorcerer on Earth is complete, and he returns to the West, where he combats supernatural menaces and opposes the Axis Powers alongside the Liberty Legion. He marries his longtime companion Clea and retreats from view until recent years when he serves with a re-formed Liberty Legion and with the Avengers. Strange dies, but the spirit of the Ancient One chooses others to take his place.
Monday, May 5, 2008
One feminist with a sword, another with a cleavage window
Power Girl- Valkyrie
When I started to pay attention to super hero culture again a few years ago, I was very amused to see that, in the past decade, Power Girl has been established to be…ahem…the super heroine with the biggest rack in the DC universe.
Look around message boards frequented by the kind of miscreant who could possibly understand what I’m talking about here long enough, and you will find drooling references to the character.
This perplexes me, as I’ve never been turned on by, or have crushed on, distaff fictional creations of this sort. But adherents of “creator’s intent” should approve of DC’s prevailing policy on Power Girl’s pontoons, since legendary artist/co-creator Wally Wood apparently resolved to draw her breasts bigger and bigger until his editor noticed and told him to stop.
Otherwise, PG was created to be an Earth II answer to Supergirl. But Crisis Numero Uno did away with parallel Earth conceit, and then Power Girl was said to have been an ancestor of the obscure Atlantean wizard Arion…or some shit! Under this origin, she could have been paired with She Hulk or Warbird. But, come Crisis II, PG was again said to have come from Krypton of Earth II’s universe and as such is the only survivor of that universe…or some shit!
So she’ll go with an Asgardian character…one who was initially cooked up by Roy Thomas to clumsily acknowledge second wave feminism in the pages of the Avengers, and afterwards was convolutedly shown to be a female iteration of the Mighty Thor. My gawd, you try and untangle all the history of the Valkyrie!
Commonalities:
Respectively, these two are female versions of Superman and Thor, and both often spouted feminist boilerplate at the time of their creation.
Differences:
I’m not sure, but I think Power Girl has been shown to be essentially a modern woman; hardly a mythological maiden charged with escorting fallen warriors to their eternal reward in Valhalla.
Alternate histories:
PG: A kryptonian warrior named Kara Zor-L is put into suspended animation: her consciousness comes to reside in the body of an earth-woman named Karen Starr. The two aspects are fused, and under the code name Power Girl, she serves in a organization with the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and others. Although the “Kara Zor-L” aspect eventually perishes, the earthling Starr has survived and retains some kryptonian abilities.
VA: A parallel universe iteration of Asgard is destroyed by Ragnarok: like her cousin, the Mighty Thor native to this universe, Brunhilde is transported to Earth, where she emerges as an adult with all the abilities of an Asgardian: she takes the human identity of Barbara Norris. As the Valkyrie, she serves with the Liberty Legion until all universes are melded in to one. While under the impression that her heritage is entirely different, Valkyrie joins the Avengers and a new Liberty Legion; she has recently realized her true nature.
When I started to pay attention to super hero culture again a few years ago, I was very amused to see that, in the past decade, Power Girl has been established to be…ahem…the super heroine with the biggest rack in the DC universe.
Look around message boards frequented by the kind of miscreant who could possibly understand what I’m talking about here long enough, and you will find drooling references to the character.
This perplexes me, as I’ve never been turned on by, or have crushed on, distaff fictional creations of this sort. But adherents of “creator’s intent” should approve of DC’s prevailing policy on Power Girl’s pontoons, since legendary artist/co-creator Wally Wood apparently resolved to draw her breasts bigger and bigger until his editor noticed and told him to stop.
Otherwise, PG was created to be an Earth II answer to Supergirl. But Crisis Numero Uno did away with parallel Earth conceit, and then Power Girl was said to have been an ancestor of the obscure Atlantean wizard Arion…or some shit! Under this origin, she could have been paired with She Hulk or Warbird. But, come Crisis II, PG was again said to have come from Krypton of Earth II’s universe and as such is the only survivor of that universe…or some shit!
So she’ll go with an Asgardian character…one who was initially cooked up by Roy Thomas to clumsily acknowledge second wave feminism in the pages of the Avengers, and afterwards was convolutedly shown to be a female iteration of the Mighty Thor. My gawd, you try and untangle all the history of the Valkyrie!
Commonalities:
Respectively, these two are female versions of Superman and Thor, and both often spouted feminist boilerplate at the time of their creation.
Differences:
I’m not sure, but I think Power Girl has been shown to be essentially a modern woman; hardly a mythological maiden charged with escorting fallen warriors to their eternal reward in Valhalla.
Alternate histories:
PG: A kryptonian warrior named Kara Zor-L is put into suspended animation: her consciousness comes to reside in the body of an earth-woman named Karen Starr. The two aspects are fused, and under the code name Power Girl, she serves in a organization with the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and others. Although the “Kara Zor-L” aspect eventually perishes, the earthling Starr has survived and retains some kryptonian abilities.
VA: A parallel universe iteration of Asgard is destroyed by Ragnarok: like her cousin, the Mighty Thor native to this universe, Brunhilde is transported to Earth, where she emerges as an adult with all the abilities of an Asgardian: she takes the human identity of Barbara Norris. As the Valkyrie, she serves with the Liberty Legion until all universes are melded in to one. While under the impression that her heritage is entirely different, Valkyrie joins the Avengers and a new Liberty Legion; she has recently realized her true nature.
Friday, May 2, 2008
The classic early ‘80s X-Men lineup
Now this can be told as well…
Cyclops
Marvel Girl
Iceman
Storm
Nightcrawler
Colossus
Lilandra
Cyclops
Marvel Girl
Iceman
Storm
Nightcrawler
Colossus
Lilandra
The classic late ‘70s Titans lineup
Now it can be told…
Nightwing
Wonder Girl (her transmutation into an all-powerful, vengeful being results in her apparent death)
Wildcat
Raven
Changeling
Cyborg
Nightwing
Wonder Girl (her transmutation into an all-powerful, vengeful being results in her apparent death)
Wildcat
Raven
Changeling
Cyborg
Two metallic gentle giants
Cyborg- Colossus
Here, we cheat on one Kounterparts guideline: “Kounterparts must come from a similar place of origin”; and observe another: “notions of ethnicity and of class are fluid.”
Colossus was, I think, the first Russian character in the MU to not be played as a dirty commie or a dirty commie who overcomes the brainwashing of his oppressors in the Kremlin. Peter is just a sweet farmboy who’s often bemused at life away from the USSR.
In this way, he would resemble a Russian sometime Titan named Red Star (formerly Starfire, initially an unthinking commie stooge) more than he does an african-american whose part-man, part-machine bearing gave Marv Wolfman and George Perez an excuse to indulge in the “angry black guy” cliché so popular in super hero comics books in the ‘70s. In the Teen Titans animated program, Cyborg is shown to be an amiable dude who rather likes all the cool shit he can do.
So I think that the guys’ personalities (sweet, noble and principled) are close enough.
Commonalities:
The “bricks” of their respective teams, vis-a-vis their massive strength. Both are essentially conscientious, gentle fellows who regretfully resort to violence only when absolutely necessary.
Differences:
Colossus is russian and can switch from metallic form to flesh at will. Whereas Cyborg is an african-american who was shown to be unhappy that he must walk around in public with most of his body implanted with metal prostheses and various devices. Colossus has also never been shown to be terribly bitter.
Alternate histories:
CY: Victor Stone, an American raised in Africa, discovers during adolescence that parts of his body can convert into metallic prostheses. He is recruited into the Titans, where he serves under the code name Cyborg for many years. He falls under the influence of Black Adam for a time, and apparently dies; Cyborg has recently been revived and has rejoined the Titans.
CO: A Russian-American named Piotr Rasputin’s mutant genes are jump-started by his scientist parents after he is injured during an experiment; his entire body becomes composed of a metallic alloy. His bitterness regarding his conspicuously bizarre appearance is alleviated somewhat when he joins the X-Men, where he assumes the codename Colossus and befriends Nightcrawler in particular. For a short time, his outlook becomes less and less human, and he retires to another planet populated by mechanoids. Eventually, Colossus returns to Earth and mentors younger mutants; he has recently joined a reunited X-Men.
Here, we cheat on one Kounterparts guideline: “Kounterparts must come from a similar place of origin”; and observe another: “notions of ethnicity and of class are fluid.”
Colossus was, I think, the first Russian character in the MU to not be played as a dirty commie or a dirty commie who overcomes the brainwashing of his oppressors in the Kremlin. Peter is just a sweet farmboy who’s often bemused at life away from the USSR.
In this way, he would resemble a Russian sometime Titan named Red Star (formerly Starfire, initially an unthinking commie stooge) more than he does an african-american whose part-man, part-machine bearing gave Marv Wolfman and George Perez an excuse to indulge in the “angry black guy” cliché so popular in super hero comics books in the ‘70s. In the Teen Titans animated program, Cyborg is shown to be an amiable dude who rather likes all the cool shit he can do.
So I think that the guys’ personalities (sweet, noble and principled) are close enough.
Commonalities:
The “bricks” of their respective teams, vis-a-vis their massive strength. Both are essentially conscientious, gentle fellows who regretfully resort to violence only when absolutely necessary.
Differences:
Colossus is russian and can switch from metallic form to flesh at will. Whereas Cyborg is an african-american who was shown to be unhappy that he must walk around in public with most of his body implanted with metal prostheses and various devices. Colossus has also never been shown to be terribly bitter.
Alternate histories:
CY: Victor Stone, an American raised in Africa, discovers during adolescence that parts of his body can convert into metallic prostheses. He is recruited into the Titans, where he serves under the code name Cyborg for many years. He falls under the influence of Black Adam for a time, and apparently dies; Cyborg has recently been revived and has rejoined the Titans.
CO: A Russian-American named Piotr Rasputin’s mutant genes are jump-started by his scientist parents after he is injured during an experiment; his entire body becomes composed of a metallic alloy. His bitterness regarding his conspicuously bizarre appearance is alleviated somewhat when he joins the X-Men, where he assumes the codename Colossus and befriends Nightcrawler in particular. For a short time, his outlook becomes less and less human, and he retires to another planet populated by mechanoids. Eventually, Colossus returns to Earth and mentors younger mutants; he has recently joined a reunited X-Men.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
On other planets, ladies can be descended from cats and birds
Starfire- Lilandra
Ahh, Starfire! The third DC character to go by that name, and an alien princess with a voluptuous figure that’d make nerds forget Red Sonja! She’s best known as the wide-eyed, decidedly un-pulchritudinous adolescent unfamiliar with terran customs from the Teen Titans cartoon: a few years ago, I met a ten year old girl who claimed that Starfire was her favorite character ever.
As an Titan, a case could be made that Koriand'r should be paired with Storm, but offworlders must be paired with offworlders here. So she’ll be paired with another alien princess, one that was conceived as the intended of Charles Xavier— my personal preference, which is worth less than nothing, is that a elder statesman like Xavier shouldn’t be running around with good lookin’ space frails.
Commonalities:
Both are princesses of alien races, both of which are descended from non-simian creatures (Tamaraneans from felines, the Shi’ar from avian) and both are formidable warriors.
Differences:
Chiefly, Lilandra altogether severe, regal and not at all exuberant, like Kory. And Lil doesn’t fly around and shoot laser bolts via absorbed sunlight.
Alternate histories:
SF: Koriand'r is a warrior princess of Tamaran, the throneworld of the Vegan interstellar empire. When her older siblings (one of whom is known as Blackfire) becomes mad with power, she flees for Earth. She recognizes the mentor of the Titans as her true love, and recruits said team to assist her in deposing her brother. Koriand'r and aforesaid mentor sporadically pursue their relationship on and off Earth, as she assumes leadership of her empire.
LI: A princess of the Shi’ar race named Lilandra flees her homeworld after she’s sold into slavery by her sister, known as Deathbird. Lilandra makes it to Earth and encounters the X-Men, which she promptly joins and serves with for several years. She is tutored in terran ways by Marvel Girl and enters into a relationship with and later plans to marry team leader Cyclops; their wedding is disrupted and she is subsequently betrothed to two Shi’ar men. Lilandra returned to Earth, mentored younger mutants and has most recently joined a revived X-Men.
Ahh, Starfire! The third DC character to go by that name, and an alien princess with a voluptuous figure that’d make nerds forget Red Sonja! She’s best known as the wide-eyed, decidedly un-pulchritudinous adolescent unfamiliar with terran customs from the Teen Titans cartoon: a few years ago, I met a ten year old girl who claimed that Starfire was her favorite character ever.
As an Titan, a case could be made that Koriand'r should be paired with Storm, but offworlders must be paired with offworlders here. So she’ll be paired with another alien princess, one that was conceived as the intended of Charles Xavier— my personal preference, which is worth less than nothing, is that a elder statesman like Xavier shouldn’t be running around with good lookin’ space frails.
Commonalities:
Both are princesses of alien races, both of which are descended from non-simian creatures (Tamaraneans from felines, the Shi’ar from avian) and both are formidable warriors.
Differences:
Chiefly, Lilandra altogether severe, regal and not at all exuberant, like Kory. And Lil doesn’t fly around and shoot laser bolts via absorbed sunlight.
Alternate histories:
SF: Koriand'r is a warrior princess of Tamaran, the throneworld of the Vegan interstellar empire. When her older siblings (one of whom is known as Blackfire) becomes mad with power, she flees for Earth. She recognizes the mentor of the Titans as her true love, and recruits said team to assist her in deposing her brother. Koriand'r and aforesaid mentor sporadically pursue their relationship on and off Earth, as she assumes leadership of her empire.
LI: A princess of the Shi’ar race named Lilandra flees her homeworld after she’s sold into slavery by her sister, known as Deathbird. Lilandra makes it to Earth and encounters the X-Men, which she promptly joins and serves with for several years. She is tutored in terran ways by Marvel Girl and enters into a relationship with and later plans to marry team leader Cyclops; their wedding is disrupted and she is subsequently betrothed to two Shi’ar men. Lilandra returned to Earth, mentored younger mutants and has most recently joined a revived X-Men.
The Avengers, 1961-1978
Founding members
Thor
Captain America
Thundra
Mr. Fantastic
Iron Man
Sub-Mariner
Silver Surfer
Recruits
Hawkeye
Ant-Man/Yellowjacket
Captain Mar-Vell
Mockingbird
Beast
Vision
Ms. Marvel (Una, Mar-Vell’s wife and partner)
Scarlet Witch
Thor
Captain America
Thundra
Mr. Fantastic
Iron Man
Sub-Mariner
Silver Surfer
Recruits
Hawkeye
Ant-Man/Yellowjacket
Captain Mar-Vell
Mockingbird
Beast
Vision
Ms. Marvel (Una, Mar-Vell’s wife and partner)
Scarlet Witch
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