Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Just in time for All Hallow's Eve

Phantom Stranger- Modred the Mystic

One of the premiere mystical characters of the DCU is hereby paired with a relatively obscure sorcerous anti-hero.

Commonalities:
Powerful, immortal sorcerers, given to many mysterious, ponderous pronouncements. Both are haunted—cursed, even— by tragic events long long ago.

Differences:
Modred has a clearly defined origin and vacillates between heroism and villainy, whereas the Stranger is unambiguously a force for good, but has ambiguous origins.

Alternate histories:

PS: The being known as the Phantom Stranger was born in 6th Century England and became an accomplished sorcerer before surrendering his soul to a demon. He entered into suspended animation at that time and was revived in the current day, where he struggles to reclaim his soul. Thus he alternates between aiding the superhuman community and falling under the nefarious influence of the above-mentioned demon.

MM: The being known as Modred the Mystic is believed to have been born on Earth many centuries ago, but no definitive origin has ever been confirmed. What is clear is that Modred possesses vast mystical abilities and that he acts as a consultant to the superhuman community.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Super heroes with mullets! It was the '80s, of course

Booster Gold- Longshot

Are both these characters “high concept” creations specific to the 1980s? I know that Booster Gold is a probably heavy handed comment on, ahem, yuppies. But Longshot had something to do with “the medium is the message,” right? Anyone? Did both represent comic book creators trying a bit too hard?

Commonalities:
See above. And did both not have mullets at one point?

Differences:
Longshot’s abilities have something to altering probabilities: i.e. he has very very good luck. Booster Gold just used a lot of gimmicks culled from future technology.

Alternate histories:

BG: A humanoid from a future dystopia travels to 20th Century Earth, where he is dubbed Booster Gold and works in the film industry. He returns to his time and liberates his fellow humanoids from the yoke of their oppressors, and then returns to the current time and joins the Teen Titans. Booster Gold meets and eventually marries the human heroine Looker and travels back and forth between his time and the present often.

LS: A humanoid from another dimension observes the heroic community on Earth, and travels there to make his name as the hero Longshot. He openly courts publicity and attempts to make money off of his exploits, which troubles other heroes. Longshot joins the Avengers, where he befriends Spider-Man in particular, and the two embark on a number of extra-heroic schemes that inevitably backfire, as well as joining a number of Avenger expansion teams. Longshot fails to prevent Spider-Man’s murder, and has since traveled from one dimension and timeline to the next, exploring alternate histories.

The mercenary and the private club president

Deathstroke the Terminator-Sebastian Shaw

If the first character cited above, one who’s occasionally been played as an anti-hero, had been characterized more as a “good guy” in recent years, he would have been paired with Wolverine, no questions asked. He was portrayed as more or less beneficent in a solo series in the anti-hero happy early ‘90s.

But Deathstroke the Terminator (the second component of the DC character’s name hasn’t been referenced in funnee books, despite having debuted in 1980, a full four years before the Ah-note film) has been placed firmly in the “bad guy” column for awhile, and as such has been established as a major villain in the entire DCU.

So he’ll be paired with the unambiguously evil mutant leader of a New York private club bent on world domination: y’know, where you can play squash, watch CNBC, and then try to subvert the free world.

Commonalities:
Both are cultured, upper class but very ruthless antagonists.

Differences:
Apart from their differing but similar abilities, Wilson is a man of honor completely unlike the morally destitute Shaw.

Alternate histories:

DT: Aristocrat Slade Wilson is born with the ability to use 90% of his brain, and as such becomes an incredibly formidable combatant and strategist. Wilson becomes the leader of an elite club with the goal of world domination, and is opposed consistently by the Teen Titans.

SS: Soldier Sebastian Shaw is experimented on by military scientists, granting him the ability to absorb kinetic energy and transform it into raw strength. Shaw becomes a mercenary, and becomes estranged from his family. Shaw eventually opposes the X-Men, and enlists the young superhuman Rogue in his efforts to defeat the team. For a number of years, Shaw works alongside the X-Men, but has more recently turned against that organization and has since antagonized other superhuman operatives.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Pretty teenagers? Or abstract cosmic entities?

Halo - Cloud

Many weirdos on the innuhnet will admit to being turned on by comic book characters. While I am pleased to report that this has never been true of me, I will admit that, as a 15 year-old, the prospect of a female character having a crush on another female character (in this case, noted bald bitch Moondragon) was…intriguing. The second character cited above was represented as a teenager with storm clouds covering her naughty bits.

Then it was revealed that Cloud was a sentient nebula that could also take a male form …ahh, ‘80s comics!

Cloud is far, far more obscure these days than Halo, an appealing and similarly conceived character who makes the rounds of the DCU very occasionally. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cloud was brought back one of these days.

Commonalities:
Both are extraterrestrial beings take the form of teenage girls.

Differences:
Cloud shoots lightning and otherwise turn into a…cloud! Halo emanates various energy effects, based on colors of the spectrum.

Alternate histories:

HA: An energy being known as an “aurakle” takes the form of teenager Violet Harper; now known as Halo, the being learns about humanity while joining a shortlived incarnation of the superhuman organization the Outsiders, alongside Elongated Man, Kid Flash and a few others. She eventually returns to space.

CL: A sentient nebula inhabits the recently deceased body of teenager Carol Faber. The being does not remember its former state, and encounters Captain America, Colleen Wing and other superhumans; assuming the name Cloud, she joins the above-referenced in forming the Defenders and learns about humanity under the tutelage of Wing.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

A failed, if fondly remembered toy, and an also ran character remembered only by Grant Morrison

Jemm, Son of Saturn- Rom, Spaceknight

One of the above named was a rather silly looking toy doll marketed by Parker Brothers —in a rare foray outside of the board game category— in 1979. The toy did not survive for very long (maybe it would have if it was more line with dimensions common to "action figures") but inspired a tie-in comic that outlived it by several years. The character can no longer appear in that particular line, as the license to use it expired and was never renewed.

The other is not, notably, the doll by the same name that was spun off into a 1980s cartoon show popular with preteen girls; but it was initially conceived and pitched as new direction for J’onn J’onzz. When J’onzz was said to have been planned for a revival in the Justice League, this character was re-jiggered slightly. His comic didn't make much of dent, and the character was revived by Grant Morrison in his 1990s JLA series.

Commonalities:
Both visit Earth from their native planet, and combat nasty aliens. And both, frankly, are utterly obscure to all but the most dedicated ‘80s fanboy.

Differences:
Rom is a cyborg, and Jemm is an also-ran J’onn J’onzz: both share several attributes nonetheless.

Alternate histories:

JE: Jemm is the first of a race living on the moons of Saturn to volunteer to defend his people from invading Koolars, a subset of the “white martian” race. He and other recruits successfully repel their foes, and Jemm comes to the planet Earth to combat the Martians further. He encounters other superhuman champions and eventually returns to the moons of Saturn to repopulate his now exterminated civilization.

RO: Rom is the heir to throne of Galador, a planet populated by an expatriate race from the planet Zenn-La. When the Dire Wraiths, a subset of the Skrull race, begin to war against Galadorians, Rom goes into hiding and develops his hereditary abilities, and later departs for the planet Earth. After a number of exploits combatting the Wraiths, he returns to Galador, where he is disowned for not taking a side in a civil war therein. Rom has since intervened in galactic affairs from time to time, often alongside distant kinsman the Silver Surfer.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

These latinas are, please excuse the dreadful cliche, "hot"

Fire - Firebird

In which prominent Latina super heroines with fire-based powers are paired with one another. And apparently brazilians can, despite not being recognized as such by the U.S. Census, be classified informally as “latino.”

Commonalities:
Both characters bear Latin American roots and have fire-based abilities…

Differences:
…but Fire physically becomes flame, whereas Firebird manipulates said element. And Fire is a tempestuous Brazilian hedonist (a stereotype, natch), whereas Firebird is a very religious Mexican American.

Alternate histories:

FI: Beatriz da Costa is a young Brazilian-American woman who encounters and is altered by a radioactive meteor in a desert in the Southwest: she is thus imbued with the ability to transform herself into a being of pure flame. She assumes the codename Green Flame and then simply Fire and soon joins a West Coast expansion of the Justice League. Fire has served therein occasionally while working as a social worker.

FB: Bonita Juarez is a young Mexican model who finds herself as an agent of that country’s secret service; she encounters and is altered by a pyroplasmic explosion that grants her pyrokinetic abilities. Taking the codename Firebird, Juarez joins an international organization of super-heroes and later an global iteration of the Avengers. Firebird has since worked as an agent of the international intelligence agency SHIELD and with the Daughters of the Dragon.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

How they woulda done super heroes in the days of the old testament

Spectre - Vision (Aarkus)

In which the spirit of vengeance and the right hand of the Abrahamic God in the DCU is paired with…an obscure Kirby/ Simon creation from 1940 that has only seen print a handful of times in the past 60 years. Some believe that two creators modeled the first Vision on the Spectre anyway.

Or should the Spectre be paired with the Living Tribunal, or some other omnipotent cosmic spirit?

Commonalities:
Both are otherworldly, ethereal creatures that deal swift justice to evildoers.

Differences:
Well, the Spectre has been more or less the DCU’s Yahweh for almost seventy years, whereas the Vision is utterly obscure (and from another dimension).

Alternate histories:

SP: A being from another dimension is transported to Earth in the 1940s, and briefly combats to Nazis and criminals. The Spectre encounters the likes of Batman and Aquaman during wartime before returning to his former plane of existence.

AAR: An immensely powerful, nigh-omnipotent spirit known as Aarkus inhabits the body of a mortal during World War II, and works alongside the Liberty Legion. Afterwards Aarkus acts as the most powerful being to associate with the super-heroes of Earth.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The Avengers Detroit

The Avengers, 1984-1985

Sub-Mariner
Silver Surfer
Scarlet Witch
Beast
Torpedo
Tigra
Living Lightning
Shadowcat
—Sub-Mariner left and was replaced by Captain America

As if the Justice League Detroit wasn’t poorly conceived in the first place, an Avengers iteration feels more like the Defenders, don’t it?

Two third-stringers and one major mutie

Here, three quick and dirty pairings, banged out so that I can detail the Kounterpart-ed version of the infamously ill-conceived Justice League Detroit.

Only the first Marvel character cited could be described as a major player: I may expound upon Kitty Pryde at another time.


Gypsy- Kitty Pryde

GY: Cindy Reynolds joins the Teen Titans shortly after she discovers her illusion-casting abilities; as Gypsy, she has been affiliated with the team since.

KP: Kitty Pryde runs away from home shortly after discovering her ability to “phase” through solid objects. She encounters and quickly joins a short lived version of the Avengers as “Sprite.” She has since worked with the Silver Surfer, Thundra and the Daughters of the Dragon.


Steel - Torpedo

ST: Hank Heywood discovers a quasi-cybernetic battle suit and, using the codename Steel, becomes a part-time crimefighter. He dies in action.

TO: Brock Jones’ body is imbued with a supercharged mechanisms by his quite insane industrialist grandfather. Reluctantly, he takes the codename Torpedo and joins a short-lived lineup of the Avengers; he dies in action.


Vibe - Living Lightning

VI: Paco Ramone joins the West Coast expansion Justice League shortly after an accident creates the ability to emanate powerful vibratory shockwaves, taking the codename Vibe. He has worked with other superhuman operatives off and on since.

LL: Miguel Santos discovers his ability to to transform his body into electrical plasma, i.e. Living Lightning, shortly before he joins a short-lived version of the Avengers. He dies in the line of duty.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Ladies and germs, the jewish batmen!!!

Ragman- Moon Knight

The title of this post says everything I wish to say about either character.

Commonalities:
Did you hear me? I said jewish Batmen!!!! Yet both have a mystical orientation distinct from Batman.

Differences:
The Moon Knight’s strength waxes and wanes with the moon, while the Ragman’s uniform is imbued with the essence of various corrupted souls, or somesuch other weird shit that I can’t quite determine using my computer.

Alternate histories:

RM: Mercenary Rory Regan is nearly beaten to death by a vengeful and corrupt former client; he is about to die when a Golem, the mystical protector of the jews of Prague, appears to him in a vision and offers to revive him if he acts as his agent on Earth. Regan accepts, and takes the guise of the Ragman (as well as two other aliases). While he was briefly affiliated with the Justice League, the Ragman is seen as mentally unstable by the metahuman community, due to his multiple personality disorder.

MK: Marc Spector witnesses the death of his father at the hands of thugs; he soon discovers a suit made by his father which is mystically imbued with the essence of the Egyptian deity Khonshu. As the Moon Knight, Spector defends his community, and eventually joins an organization composed of other mystically-oriented operatives.

Monday, October 6, 2008

"Ha ha" said the clown…"Hee Hee" says Gobby

Joker- Green Goblin

Legend has it that Steve Ditko, Spider-Man’s co-creator, intended that the true identity of the Green Goblin would have been a completely anonymous individual —this apparently is not true, as Ditko has said that he would have preferred that it be a Daily Bugle employee.

If the former scenario became status quo, the character would have even more resembled that of the Joker, a character whose origins are best left completely to the reader’s imagination. A compelling back-story appeared in Alan Moore’s Killing Joke, although presented with the caveat that the Joker couldn’t himself tell whether it was true.

As it is, the Goblin was shown to be Norman Osborn, the father of Peter Parker’s pal Harry: this reveal was Stan Lee’s preference and thus apparently the reason Ditko left the series and Marvel in 1966. Osborn most notoriously killed Gwen Stacy and thus ended the Silver Age of Comics. The character was killed off shortly thereafter, only to be revived in the 1990s. Recently, he’s been said to have fathered twins with the girl he would later kill and then to have been a government operative, two remarkably ridiculous plot devices that I can’t believe any truly professional editor would countenance.

Commonalities:
Both are murderous jackanapes, and each are central to their opponent’s mythos.

Differences:
The Goblin is super strong and bears a personal connection to Spider-Man, whereas the Joker is a pure psychopath and the id gone berserk; his personal history is irrelevant w/r/t a desire to inculcate chaos.

Alternate histories:

JO: Jack Napier, a driven and unscrupulous engineer and businessman, discovers an experimental formula developed by an employee. He recreates the serum, which explodes and quickly enhances his strength and exacerbates his antisocial tendencies. He takes on the identity of the Joker and develops a number of practical joke-themed devices to further his schemes. When he attempts to take over organized crime in his town, he is opposed by the Blue Beetle. But the Joker is defeated by the Beetle numerous times, which culminates in the murder of the Beetle’s girlfriend and his own seeming death. It has been revealed recently —and stupidly!— that the Joker survived and has been tormenting the Beetle from afar and now —also stupidly!— works for the U.S. government.

GG: The criminal lunatic known as the Green Goblin has alluded to conflicting identities and origins, but none have ever been confirmed. What is known is that the individual was deformed in an accident, leaving his skin green and his mind utterly unhinged. The Goblin has in particular bedeviled Captain America, with whom he is obsessed, for years, has murdered hundreds, and is feared by others in the criminal fraternity. He is not motivated by illicit gain and power as much as he is to create total and enduring mayhem.