Grace- She Hulk
I only know of first character from innuhnet perusal and not through any purchased comic books, and thus have no comment other than that she seems to be similar to character I’ve paired her with.
But She-Hulk? Here was a character created to secure a copyright, and as such was initially played as a distaff version of the Hulk: she’s beset by berserker rages, which she bemoans in human form etc etc. But then Roger Stern, who wrote the Avengers through most of the 1980’s, got ahold of her. He had the bright idea that maybe She-Hulk likes being green, super-strong and voluptuous, and can easily reconcile all that with a career in law. And that’s what has made her easily one of Marvel’s most important and beloved female characters since.
I would put have her with Power Girl if PG had not been reestablished as a Kryptonian. So this one’ll do…
Commonalities:
Two very tall, super strong women with prodigious sexual appetites that neither see any need to apologize for.
Differences:
Only that Choi was born with her abilities, and Shulkie got hers from a blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner. And Choi is nowhere near as prominent a character…
Alternate histories:
GR: Grace Choi receives a blood transfusion from her cousin, the Blockbuster: she is consequently granted with tremendous strength. She joins the Justice League for a short time before briefly replacing Robotman in the Doom Patrol. Choi has since worked the Justice League a number of times and now serves with the Outsiders.
SH: Jennifer Walters is a young woman whose tremendous strength manifested itself in adolescence; she recently learned that she is related to the Femizons of the 23rd century. Known as She-Hulk, she has spent her heroic carreer with the Defenders.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Two strangers in strange lands
Martian Manhunter- Silver Surfer
It occurred to me the other day that, since the very first pairing I unveiled here came in my first introductory post, I didn’t much ruminate on the characters themselves. So I’m gonna do so now…
J’onn J’onzz, Manhunter from Mars, was introduced in 1955 as a sci-fi character typical of DC’s post-Wertham line. Apparently, JJ’s own features during the 1960s were kinda confused, what with something about the “Idol-head of Diabolu,” and then with something about him as a secret agent. While he was a charter member of the Justice League, he was soon found to be redundant in light of Superman. So around 1969 or so, he was shunted off to live on his native Mars.
15 years later, J’onn was brought back to the Justice League fold. From the mid ‘80s onward, creators seemed to have found a noble, restrained and contemplative “stranger in strange land” role for him—not unlike the Marvel character I’ve paired him with. He seemed to have engendered a lot of affection in creators and fans, which only increased due the character’s prominence on Bruce Timm’s Justice League Unlimited program.
And so…J’onn J’onzz has recently been killed without much fanfare and without any gravitas as part of DC’s Final Crisis crossover. Wouldn’t put much on him taking very long dirt nap, frankly…
And the Silver Surfer? The Christ-like and earthbound spacefarer is simply one of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s great achievements, one that has been recognized as such pretty much consistently since the character's introduction. The Surfer has been rightfully prominent in Marvel Comics' line ever since.
(See the first post for commonalities and differences)
MM: J’onn J'onzz is native to Ma’lecaandra, i.e. Mars. He is disturbed by the fact that his race has become complacent, but when the vastly powerful being Krona comes to eviscerate the planet, J’onzz offers himself up as a herald so that Ma’lecaandra will be spared. Krona accepts the offer and imbues him with tremendous abilities, and for hundreds of years J’onzz travels the universe warning the populations of planets to evacuate. He comes to Earth to do so, and is opposed by the Doom Patrol, who inspire him to take an interest in humanity and turn against Krona who in turn confines J’onzz to the Earth. For several years, he wanders the planet and is known as the Martian Manhunter; he strives to understand humanity and often allies with other superhuman operatives, chiefly the Outsiders. After awhile, J’onzz is able to travel through space again, where he finds that his fellow Ma’lecaandrans have long been extinct.
SS: A plague overtakes the planet Zenn-La: one Norrin Radd sees the entire population, including his family, die. He wanders his planet for hundreds of years before he is teleported to Earth by a scientist, who promptly dies from shock. Radd lives on Earth inconspicuously for years, but the emergence of the Mighty Thor prompts him to use his native abilities to oppose various menaces as the Silver Surfer. He co-founds the Avengers and remains therein for many years; the Surfer also is the Southern Hemisphere's most prominent champion. He has recently been killed —that is, until editorial fiat revives him.
It occurred to me the other day that, since the very first pairing I unveiled here came in my first introductory post, I didn’t much ruminate on the characters themselves. So I’m gonna do so now…
J’onn J’onzz, Manhunter from Mars, was introduced in 1955 as a sci-fi character typical of DC’s post-Wertham line. Apparently, JJ’s own features during the 1960s were kinda confused, what with something about the “Idol-head of Diabolu,” and then with something about him as a secret agent. While he was a charter member of the Justice League, he was soon found to be redundant in light of Superman. So around 1969 or so, he was shunted off to live on his native Mars.
15 years later, J’onn was brought back to the Justice League fold. From the mid ‘80s onward, creators seemed to have found a noble, restrained and contemplative “stranger in strange land” role for him—not unlike the Marvel character I’ve paired him with. He seemed to have engendered a lot of affection in creators and fans, which only increased due the character’s prominence on Bruce Timm’s Justice League Unlimited program.
And so…J’onn J’onzz has recently been killed without much fanfare and without any gravitas as part of DC’s Final Crisis crossover. Wouldn’t put much on him taking very long dirt nap, frankly…
And the Silver Surfer? The Christ-like and earthbound spacefarer is simply one of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s great achievements, one that has been recognized as such pretty much consistently since the character's introduction. The Surfer has been rightfully prominent in Marvel Comics' line ever since.
(See the first post for commonalities and differences)
MM: J’onn J'onzz is native to Ma’lecaandra, i.e. Mars. He is disturbed by the fact that his race has become complacent, but when the vastly powerful being Krona comes to eviscerate the planet, J’onzz offers himself up as a herald so that Ma’lecaandra will be spared. Krona accepts the offer and imbues him with tremendous abilities, and for hundreds of years J’onzz travels the universe warning the populations of planets to evacuate. He comes to Earth to do so, and is opposed by the Doom Patrol, who inspire him to take an interest in humanity and turn against Krona who in turn confines J’onzz to the Earth. For several years, he wanders the planet and is known as the Martian Manhunter; he strives to understand humanity and often allies with other superhuman operatives, chiefly the Outsiders. After awhile, J’onzz is able to travel through space again, where he finds that his fellow Ma’lecaandrans have long been extinct.
SS: A plague overtakes the planet Zenn-La: one Norrin Radd sees the entire population, including his family, die. He wanders his planet for hundreds of years before he is teleported to Earth by a scientist, who promptly dies from shock. Radd lives on Earth inconspicuously for years, but the emergence of the Mighty Thor prompts him to use his native abilities to oppose various menaces as the Silver Surfer. He co-founds the Avengers and remains therein for many years; the Surfer also is the Southern Hemisphere's most prominent champion. He has recently been killed —that is, until editorial fiat revives him.
Friday, June 13, 2008
HIIIII-YAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
Thunderbolt (Peter Cannon)- Iron Fist
Only comments here are that the Peter Cannon character was originally a Charlton creation, and was only used by DC for a decade or so once rights reverted to its creator, Peter Morisi, and that Iron Fist was Marvel’s second most noteworthy martial arts after Shang Chi.
Commonalities:
I am only vaguely familiar with the Peter Cannon character, and have boned up via innuhnet research. But these two—both American guys trained in exotic mystical locations— seem to line up right up.
Differences:
Only that Iron Fist was conceived to capitalize on the kung-fu craze of the early ‘70s, whereas Thunderbolt’s provenance is based on prevailing “American guy learns ancient martial arts discipline— template common in funny books for many years by the 1960s.
Alternate histories:
TH: As a child, Peter Cannon loses his parents while on an expedition to a Tibetan monastery. He is raised therein, and eventually masters the martial arts disciplines unique to the location. Cannon returns to America and combats criminal antagonists as under the name Thunderbolt. He joins forces with the operative Steel, and the two have recently joined the non-sanctioned version of the Justice League.
IF: An American missionary couple lose their lives; their son, Daniel Rand, is raised in the hidden realm of K’un-L’un. After he masters the martial arts disciplines unique to the location, he returns to America in adulthood and combats criminal antagonists under the name Iron Fist.
Only comments here are that the Peter Cannon character was originally a Charlton creation, and was only used by DC for a decade or so once rights reverted to its creator, Peter Morisi, and that Iron Fist was Marvel’s second most noteworthy martial arts after Shang Chi.
Commonalities:
I am only vaguely familiar with the Peter Cannon character, and have boned up via innuhnet research. But these two—both American guys trained in exotic mystical locations— seem to line up right up.
Differences:
Only that Iron Fist was conceived to capitalize on the kung-fu craze of the early ‘70s, whereas Thunderbolt’s provenance is based on prevailing “American guy learns ancient martial arts discipline— template common in funny books for many years by the 1960s.
Alternate histories:
TH: As a child, Peter Cannon loses his parents while on an expedition to a Tibetan monastery. He is raised therein, and eventually masters the martial arts disciplines unique to the location. Cannon returns to America and combats criminal antagonists as under the name Thunderbolt. He joins forces with the operative Steel, and the two have recently joined the non-sanctioned version of the Justice League.
IF: An American missionary couple lose their lives; their son, Daniel Rand, is raised in the hidden realm of K’un-L’un. After he masters the martial arts disciplines unique to the location, he returns to America in adulthood and combats criminal antagonists under the name Iron Fist.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
COME TO ME, SON OF OUR JAILER!!!!
General Zod- Loki
According to his entry on Wikipedia, there have been several versions of General Zod since the Superman mythos were pruned of other survivors of Krypton in 1986: Kal-El would now truly be the “last son of Krypton.” But as other Kryptonians have seeped back into the DCU, I’m delighted to learn that the contemporary iteration of Zod is based on Terence Stamp’s performance as Zod in 1981’s Superman II.
So! All together now!
COME TO ME, SUPERMAN, SON OF JOR-EL, IF YOU DARE!! I DEFY YOU!! COME AND KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!!!!
It’s tough for me to see how anyone would not consider Stamp’s ripe carrying on in the film as the single best quality of any of the Superman movies.
As for Loki: Stan and Jack or perhaps Stan’s brother Larry Leiber introduced Loki into the Thor books in 1962, they characterized him as the bad seed adopted brother to the titular thunder god. But in Norse mythology, he was most often described as Odin’s contemporary and as his “blood brother.” Does this count as discounting creator intent?
Commonalities:
They are both the chief antagonists originating from their opponent’s place of origin. And both are assholes.
Differences:
The recent Iteration of Zod resembles that of the second Superman film, so he’s apparently just as formidable as Superman. Whereas Loki is Asgard’s premiere necromancer.
Alternate histories:
GZ: A orphaned child of Kryptonian terrorists is adopted by Jor-El, the leader of Krypton’s dominant society. Zod grows up beside —and comes to resent— his adopted brother Kal-El, who was favored by Jor-El: as he reaches maturity, his abilities rival Kal-El’s and he becomes a persistent thorn in the side of Jor-El, who imprisons him in the Phantom Zone for consistent wrongdoing. When Kal-El is sent to Earth to learn from humanity, General Zod escapes the Phantom Zone and antagonizes his adoptive brother, now known as Superman. For years afterward, Zod attempts to conquer Krypton and vanquish Kal-El. Eventually, Zod leads an assortment of antagonists and succeeds in destroying Krypton. But while Krypton civilization is revived in the American West by Superman, Zod has reemerged in the form of a woman.
LO: Loki is an Asgardian “god” with unparalleled mystical abilities and is a rival of Odin, the leader of Asgard’s ruling council. While Odin warns that Asgardians are facing Ragnarok, Loki takes advantage of the chaos and tries to take over Asgard; he is defeated by Odin and imprisoned alongside his accomplices Amora the Enchantress and Skurge the Executioner in an extra-dimensional prison. When Ragnarok destroys Asgard, the three survive and have recently come to Earth to oppose Thor, the son of their jailer.
According to his entry on Wikipedia, there have been several versions of General Zod since the Superman mythos were pruned of other survivors of Krypton in 1986: Kal-El would now truly be the “last son of Krypton.” But as other Kryptonians have seeped back into the DCU, I’m delighted to learn that the contemporary iteration of Zod is based on Terence Stamp’s performance as Zod in 1981’s Superman II.
So! All together now!
COME TO ME, SUPERMAN, SON OF JOR-EL, IF YOU DARE!! I DEFY YOU!! COME AND KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!!!!
It’s tough for me to see how anyone would not consider Stamp’s ripe carrying on in the film as the single best quality of any of the Superman movies.
As for Loki: Stan and Jack or perhaps Stan’s brother Larry Leiber introduced Loki into the Thor books in 1962, they characterized him as the bad seed adopted brother to the titular thunder god. But in Norse mythology, he was most often described as Odin’s contemporary and as his “blood brother.” Does this count as discounting creator intent?
Commonalities:
They are both the chief antagonists originating from their opponent’s place of origin. And both are assholes.
Differences:
The recent Iteration of Zod resembles that of the second Superman film, so he’s apparently just as formidable as Superman. Whereas Loki is Asgard’s premiere necromancer.
Alternate histories:
GZ: A orphaned child of Kryptonian terrorists is adopted by Jor-El, the leader of Krypton’s dominant society. Zod grows up beside —and comes to resent— his adopted brother Kal-El, who was favored by Jor-El: as he reaches maturity, his abilities rival Kal-El’s and he becomes a persistent thorn in the side of Jor-El, who imprisons him in the Phantom Zone for consistent wrongdoing. When Kal-El is sent to Earth to learn from humanity, General Zod escapes the Phantom Zone and antagonizes his adoptive brother, now known as Superman. For years afterward, Zod attempts to conquer Krypton and vanquish Kal-El. Eventually, Zod leads an assortment of antagonists and succeeds in destroying Krypton. But while Krypton civilization is revived in the American West by Superman, Zod has reemerged in the form of a woman.
LO: Loki is an Asgardian “god” with unparalleled mystical abilities and is a rival of Odin, the leader of Asgard’s ruling council. While Odin warns that Asgardians are facing Ragnarok, Loki takes advantage of the chaos and tries to take over Asgard; he is defeated by Odin and imprisoned alongside his accomplices Amora the Enchantress and Skurge the Executioner in an extra-dimensional prison. When Ragnarok destroys Asgard, the three survive and have recently come to Earth to oppose Thor, the son of their jailer.
Good gals, or bad gals?
Terra- Rogue
Anyone who was reading Teen Titans in 1982-1983 must have had one look at Terra, a sarcastic antagonist-turned-object of-Gar-Logan’s-affection, and thought, “ahhh, this the Titans response to the X-Men’s Kitty Pryde.” She was clearly conceived as an American teenager, but the PTB at the time noticed that a similarly enabled character, Geo-Force, had been established as a prince of a small European nation. So —presto!— she’s also the illegitimate daughter of Geo-Force’s dad.
But when the Judas Contract storyline rolled around in 1984, it was revealed that Terra was bad news; the character was intended by creators Marv Wolfman and George Perez to betray the Titans on behalf of Deathstroke, for whom she functioned as jailbait (a plot point that would never go down in today’s climate). She dies unredeemed during the final confrontation of that storyline: no last minute change of heart saw Terra coming back to the good guy’s side. Another iteration of Terra saw that a nice girl had been turned into the original’s doppelganger…or some shit. Apparently, yet another has recently emerged.
As for Rogue: the character was initially portrayed as a middle-aged antagonist who absorbs Ms Marvel’s abilities. But creator Chris Claremont cottoned to Rogue, possibly because he enjoyed writing dialogue phonetically (“AH CAIN’T BUUUH-LEEV HOW MUHHCH POWAH AH’M UHHHBBBBSORBIN’”) and then reformed her into a teenage X-Man. She’s been a fan favorite and mainstay of the X-franchise since.
Commonalities:
Both were introduced in a manner where you could not be sure what side of the fence they were on. Subsequent iterations of Terra may have been characterized similar to Rogue, for all I know.
Differences:
Their abilities differ: one is a geokinetic, the other siphons superhuman powers, energy and assorted attributes. And after Rogue was introduced as a middle aged redneck, she quickly became a key X-Man, whereas Terra has come and gone as a clone or something.
Alternate histories:
TE: A troubled teenage girl with vast geokinetic abilities named Tara falls in with a criminal mastermind and attacks the Teen Titans and their ally Hawkgirl. After seriously injuring Hawkgirl, Terra reforms and joins the Titans, with whom she has remained since.
RO: A troubled teenage girl with vast mutant siphoning abilities named Anne-Marie falls in with a criminal mastermind; taking the codename Rogue, she infiltrates the X-Men, betrays them and is killed in combat. Another, benevolently inclined young woman with Rogue’s appearance and abilities has since emerged and worked with the X-Men sporadically.
Anyone who was reading Teen Titans in 1982-1983 must have had one look at Terra, a sarcastic antagonist-turned-object of-Gar-Logan’s-affection, and thought, “ahhh, this the Titans response to the X-Men’s Kitty Pryde.” She was clearly conceived as an American teenager, but the PTB at the time noticed that a similarly enabled character, Geo-Force, had been established as a prince of a small European nation. So —presto!— she’s also the illegitimate daughter of Geo-Force’s dad.
But when the Judas Contract storyline rolled around in 1984, it was revealed that Terra was bad news; the character was intended by creators Marv Wolfman and George Perez to betray the Titans on behalf of Deathstroke, for whom she functioned as jailbait (a plot point that would never go down in today’s climate). She dies unredeemed during the final confrontation of that storyline: no last minute change of heart saw Terra coming back to the good guy’s side. Another iteration of Terra saw that a nice girl had been turned into the original’s doppelganger…or some shit. Apparently, yet another has recently emerged.
As for Rogue: the character was initially portrayed as a middle-aged antagonist who absorbs Ms Marvel’s abilities. But creator Chris Claremont cottoned to Rogue, possibly because he enjoyed writing dialogue phonetically (“AH CAIN’T BUUUH-LEEV HOW MUHHCH POWAH AH’M UHHHBBBBSORBIN’”) and then reformed her into a teenage X-Man. She’s been a fan favorite and mainstay of the X-franchise since.
Commonalities:
Both were introduced in a manner where you could not be sure what side of the fence they were on. Subsequent iterations of Terra may have been characterized similar to Rogue, for all I know.
Differences:
Their abilities differ: one is a geokinetic, the other siphons superhuman powers, energy and assorted attributes. And after Rogue was introduced as a middle aged redneck, she quickly became a key X-Man, whereas Terra has come and gone as a clone or something.
Alternate histories:
TE: A troubled teenage girl with vast geokinetic abilities named Tara falls in with a criminal mastermind and attacks the Teen Titans and their ally Hawkgirl. After seriously injuring Hawkgirl, Terra reforms and joins the Titans, with whom she has remained since.
RO: A troubled teenage girl with vast mutant siphoning abilities named Anne-Marie falls in with a criminal mastermind; taking the codename Rogue, she infiltrates the X-Men, betrays them and is killed in combat. Another, benevolently inclined young woman with Rogue’s appearance and abilities has since emerged and worked with the X-Men sporadically.
Friday, June 6, 2008
The Avengers, 2006-2008
Thor
Captain America
Thundra
Iron Man
Mockingbird
Vision
Tigra
Warbird
Angel
Falcon
—joined later by Iceman and War Machine
Captain America
Thundra
Iron Man
Mockingbird
Vision
Tigra
Warbird
Angel
Falcon
—joined later by Iceman and War Machine
When black characters replace white ones, look out!
Green Lantern (John Stewart)- War Machine (Jim Rhodes)
At any particular time, you can count on that visitors to the DC comics message boards are complaining about which Green Lantern should be emphasized. In fact, seeing as comic book nerds are pioneers in the field of computer-enabled crying and bitching, the replacement of Kyle Rayner for Hal Jordan as Green Lantern set the nascent ‘Net aflame in the early ‘90s.
These days, there’s a fierce debate re: John Stewart taking Jordan’s spot in Justice League book on the boards. does African-American writer Dwayne McDuffie have a anti-white agenda, these absurd people wonder (http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/forum.jspa?forumID=29209048&start=15)? Their outrage is further fueled by the fact that Stewart took Jordan’s place in the animated Justice League Unlimited program, and that the rapper Common was mooted to play Stewart in the now aborted JLA film.
As for Rhodes, the character took Tony Stark’s place as Iron Man when the former succumbed to alcoholism in the early-mid ‘80s, has kicked around since and has been immortalized by Terence Howard in “the best reviewed super hero film ever.
Commonalities:
Both took over for the respective franchise’s primary characters in the 1980s, probably for the sake of diversity. And both have military backgrounds.
Differences:
Only that Stewart is an architect and a space cop, Rhodes isn't; so again, we cheat…
Alternate histories:
GL: John Stewart is a marine who brings Ferris Aircraft chairman Hal Jordan back to America shortly after Jordan escapes from hostile forces via his prototype “power ring.” Stewart is then employed as an architect at Ferris Aircraft and is one of Jordan’s most trusted aides. When Jordan becomes debilitated by alcoholism, Stewart assumes the role of Green Lantern alongside the west coast Justice League expansion team. Stewart then works alongside a recovered Jordan; becomes paranoid when the ring affects his thought processes; recovers and then takes over again when it appears that Jordan has died; and has since worked sporadically with Jordan and other operatives.
WM: Jim Rhodes is chosen by the Watchers as an alternate for Tony Stark, the main representative of the Nova Corps for Earth’s solar system. When Stark leaves the Corps for a time, Rhodes takes over; when Stark loses his mind and then becomes an ethereal spirit of vengeance, Rhodes and Richard Ryder divide his duties. Finally, Rhodes serves with a resurrected Stark as the dual representatives of the Nova Corps and as a member of the current lineup of the Avengers.
At any particular time, you can count on that visitors to the DC comics message boards are complaining about which Green Lantern should be emphasized. In fact, seeing as comic book nerds are pioneers in the field of computer-enabled crying and bitching, the replacement of Kyle Rayner for Hal Jordan as Green Lantern set the nascent ‘Net aflame in the early ‘90s.
These days, there’s a fierce debate re: John Stewart taking Jordan’s spot in Justice League book on the boards. does African-American writer Dwayne McDuffie have a anti-white agenda, these absurd people wonder (http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/forum.jspa?forumID=29209048&start=15)? Their outrage is further fueled by the fact that Stewart took Jordan’s place in the animated Justice League Unlimited program, and that the rapper Common was mooted to play Stewart in the now aborted JLA film.
As for Rhodes, the character took Tony Stark’s place as Iron Man when the former succumbed to alcoholism in the early-mid ‘80s, has kicked around since and has been immortalized by Terence Howard in “the best reviewed super hero film ever.
Commonalities:
Both took over for the respective franchise’s primary characters in the 1980s, probably for the sake of diversity. And both have military backgrounds.
Differences:
Only that Stewart is an architect and a space cop, Rhodes isn't; so again, we cheat…
Alternate histories:
GL: John Stewart is a marine who brings Ferris Aircraft chairman Hal Jordan back to America shortly after Jordan escapes from hostile forces via his prototype “power ring.” Stewart is then employed as an architect at Ferris Aircraft and is one of Jordan’s most trusted aides. When Jordan becomes debilitated by alcoholism, Stewart assumes the role of Green Lantern alongside the west coast Justice League expansion team. Stewart then works alongside a recovered Jordan; becomes paranoid when the ring affects his thought processes; recovers and then takes over again when it appears that Jordan has died; and has since worked sporadically with Jordan and other operatives.
WM: Jim Rhodes is chosen by the Watchers as an alternate for Tony Stark, the main representative of the Nova Corps for Earth’s solar system. When Stark leaves the Corps for a time, Rhodes takes over; when Stark loses his mind and then becomes an ethereal spirit of vengeance, Rhodes and Richard Ryder divide his duties. Finally, Rhodes serves with a resurrected Stark as the dual representatives of the Nova Corps and as a member of the current lineup of the Avengers.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
These two bow to no men
Catwoman- Black Widow
Lemme say that I’m delighted that someone I assume to be a real live woman has read and commented upon some my posts. I look forward to hearing from you again, Darci!
Here we have one character that most likely was intended at first to be a Soviet spy-style femme fatale common to the James Bond film franchise in the 1960s. The Black Widow was quickly written with more texture, which has persisted since.
I reckon that Catwoman is not only, due to representations on film and television, the funny book anti-heroine best known to non-nerds. She’s also the woman that Batman ultimately cannot forget. Being that he’s essentially a well-adjusted midwesterner, Superman can settle down with Lois Lane. But Batman is not well-adjusted, and he cannot help but have his heart forever captured by an occasionally “villainous” woman that’s just as tough and complicated as he.
Commonalities:
Both are key femme fatales to their diasporas: you fuck with these women at your peril.
Differences:
Only that the Black Widow was introduced with a distinctly “commie” bent.
Alternate histories:
CW: Selina Kyle is an agent of a european power known as Catwoman who at first is opposed by Green Lantern and comes to America and enlists Green Arrow to her cause. She reforms and joins the Justice League, works as an agent of the government agency Checkmate and then partners with the Question. Catwoman is currently a member of the government sanctioned Justice League.
BW: Natasha Romanov is a russian-american criminal known as the Black Widow, often crossing paths with Captain America. For years, she has vacillated between antagonizing and amorously pursuing Cap; similarly, she has allied with both superhuman champions and criminals when doing so suits her purposes.
Lemme say that I’m delighted that someone I assume to be a real live woman has read and commented upon some my posts. I look forward to hearing from you again, Darci!
Here we have one character that most likely was intended at first to be a Soviet spy-style femme fatale common to the James Bond film franchise in the 1960s. The Black Widow was quickly written with more texture, which has persisted since.
I reckon that Catwoman is not only, due to representations on film and television, the funny book anti-heroine best known to non-nerds. She’s also the woman that Batman ultimately cannot forget. Being that he’s essentially a well-adjusted midwesterner, Superman can settle down with Lois Lane. But Batman is not well-adjusted, and he cannot help but have his heart forever captured by an occasionally “villainous” woman that’s just as tough and complicated as he.
Commonalities:
Both are key femme fatales to their diasporas: you fuck with these women at your peril.
Differences:
Only that the Black Widow was introduced with a distinctly “commie” bent.
Alternate histories:
CW: Selina Kyle is an agent of a european power known as Catwoman who at first is opposed by Green Lantern and comes to America and enlists Green Arrow to her cause. She reforms and joins the Justice League, works as an agent of the government agency Checkmate and then partners with the Question. Catwoman is currently a member of the government sanctioned Justice League.
BW: Natasha Romanov is a russian-american criminal known as the Black Widow, often crossing paths with Captain America. For years, she has vacillated between antagonizing and amorously pursuing Cap; similarly, she has allied with both superhuman champions and criminals when doing so suits her purposes.
Mongoose blood? Heavy water, sure, but mongoose blood?
Flash (Jay Garrick) - Whizzer (Bob Frank)
Here be the second post that finds Golden Age characters with similar abilities paired with one another, which hopefully compensates for a lack of same in pairings of silver-, bronze- and beyond- characters…
So here we have the very first speedster, the template for every character conceived similarly since. Including the second cited here, whose origin is universally mocked as the most poorly-aged provenance of the Golden Age: he gained his super-speed due to a transfusion of mongoose blood.
Commonalities:
The original speedsters of their respective diasporas.
Differences:
None to speak of, other than one is a key character in the history of superhero fiction, and the other is regarded fondly for the reason cited above.
Alternate histories:
FL: A young man named Jay Garrick is gravely injured in 1940; he receives a blood transfusion that activates a meta-human gene which grants him the ability to move and react at superhuman speeds. Taking the codename the Flash, Frank combats crime and the Third Reich throughout the 1940s and joins the Justice Society. He marries another extra-normal operative, but their union is doomed when the two are exposed to radiation. Years after the woman dies, the Flash reappears and briefly works with the Justice League before he dies himself.
WH: A young college student named Bob Frank inhales experimental “heavy water” fumes, which activate a mutant gene granting him the ability to move and react at superhuman speeds. He takes the codename the Whizzer and combats criminals and the Third Reich and co-founds the Liberty Legion. The Whizzer retires for several decades, but in recent years has returned alongside other Legionnaires: due to his retarded aging, he is active mentoring novice superhuman operatives.
Here be the second post that finds Golden Age characters with similar abilities paired with one another, which hopefully compensates for a lack of same in pairings of silver-, bronze- and beyond- characters…
So here we have the very first speedster, the template for every character conceived similarly since. Including the second cited here, whose origin is universally mocked as the most poorly-aged provenance of the Golden Age: he gained his super-speed due to a transfusion of mongoose blood.
Commonalities:
The original speedsters of their respective diasporas.
Differences:
None to speak of, other than one is a key character in the history of superhero fiction, and the other is regarded fondly for the reason cited above.
Alternate histories:
FL: A young man named Jay Garrick is gravely injured in 1940; he receives a blood transfusion that activates a meta-human gene which grants him the ability to move and react at superhuman speeds. Taking the codename the Flash, Frank combats crime and the Third Reich throughout the 1940s and joins the Justice Society. He marries another extra-normal operative, but their union is doomed when the two are exposed to radiation. Years after the woman dies, the Flash reappears and briefly works with the Justice League before he dies himself.
WH: A young college student named Bob Frank inhales experimental “heavy water” fumes, which activate a mutant gene granting him the ability to move and react at superhuman speeds. He takes the codename the Whizzer and combats criminals and the Third Reich and co-founds the Liberty Legion. The Whizzer retires for several decades, but in recent years has returned alongside other Legionnaires: due to his retarded aging, he is active mentoring novice superhuman operatives.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Now they become death, destroyer of worlds
Krona- Galactus
Sure, there were cosmic, universe-threatening demi-gods in comic book fiction before 1966’s Fantastic Four no. 66. But the story that spread out into the next three issues, now known as “the Galactus Trilogy,” raised the bar. The very idea of Galactus, a being that consumes the essence of planets, knocked readers on their ear: when you take into account that the tale introduced the Silver Surfer, it’s probably the single greatest achievement of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s ‘60s partnership.
I’m not entirely sure, but I believe that Krona, a mad scientist from the race that would evolve into the Guardians of the Universe who obsessively seeks the secret of the creation of the universe (or multiverse), was ignored as a fecund antagonist after the character was introduced in 1965’s Green Lantern no. 40. But he was established with Galactus-level significance at the very least in the early ‘80s and afterwards.
Commonalities:
Both are shown to be present near the creation of the universe and are enmeshed in a process of destruction on a vast, cosmic scale.
Differences:
Krona is typically presented as malevolent, whereas Galactus is essentially a morally neutral force of nature.
Alternate histories:
KR: Krona is the sole survivor of the universe that preceded our own: he emerges after the “big bang” and exists afterwards as a force of nature introducing entropy to one planet at a time. Krona uses heralds, such as J’onn J’onzz, to evacuate these planets; he arrives on Earth to some years ago and is opposed by the Doom Patrol and eventually most superhuman operatives on Earth and throughout the cosmos.
GA: Galan is a renegade scientist native to the planet that would later yield the race of “Watchers”: he becomes obsessed with witnessing the “big bang” that creates the universe. But doing so has been foretold to create a process by which the universe will gradually be eviscerated. Known as Galactus in the untold billions of centuries afterwards, he is opposed first by Iron Man and the Nova Corps and eventually by most superhuman operatives on Earth and throughout the cosmos.
Sure, there were cosmic, universe-threatening demi-gods in comic book fiction before 1966’s Fantastic Four no. 66. But the story that spread out into the next three issues, now known as “the Galactus Trilogy,” raised the bar. The very idea of Galactus, a being that consumes the essence of planets, knocked readers on their ear: when you take into account that the tale introduced the Silver Surfer, it’s probably the single greatest achievement of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s ‘60s partnership.
I’m not entirely sure, but I believe that Krona, a mad scientist from the race that would evolve into the Guardians of the Universe who obsessively seeks the secret of the creation of the universe (or multiverse), was ignored as a fecund antagonist after the character was introduced in 1965’s Green Lantern no. 40. But he was established with Galactus-level significance at the very least in the early ‘80s and afterwards.
Commonalities:
Both are shown to be present near the creation of the universe and are enmeshed in a process of destruction on a vast, cosmic scale.
Differences:
Krona is typically presented as malevolent, whereas Galactus is essentially a morally neutral force of nature.
Alternate histories:
KR: Krona is the sole survivor of the universe that preceded our own: he emerges after the “big bang” and exists afterwards as a force of nature introducing entropy to one planet at a time. Krona uses heralds, such as J’onn J’onzz, to evacuate these planets; he arrives on Earth to some years ago and is opposed by the Doom Patrol and eventually most superhuman operatives on Earth and throughout the cosmos.
GA: Galan is a renegade scientist native to the planet that would later yield the race of “Watchers”: he becomes obsessed with witnessing the “big bang” that creates the universe. But doing so has been foretold to create a process by which the universe will gradually be eviscerated. Known as Galactus in the untold billions of centuries afterwards, he is opposed first by Iron Man and the Nova Corps and eventually by most superhuman operatives on Earth and throughout the cosmos.
Monday, June 2, 2008
They run their teams from their wheelchairs
Niles Caulder- Charles Xavier
A rumor has persisted for some time that either the Doom Patrol and the X-Men books were unduly influenced by the other . Both books debuted in 1963; both books featured antagonists that belonged to an organization including the words “Brotherhood” and “Evil”; and both were premised on outsiders defending a mistrustful general populace.
But the contention seems to rest on the characterizations of their leaders: both ae super-geniuses confined to wheelchairs. Bob Haney and Arnold Drake, the Doom Patrol creators, and X-Men co-creator Stan Lee denied that any such mischief took place, and in any case, the Doom Patrol seems all around more Fantastic Four-esque to me.
But their similarities work well enough for my purposes, despite that a pairing here necessitates that both must be transferred into franchises that are not paired with one another.
Commonalities:
Both are, like I said above, super-geniuses confined to wheelchairs, and are thus lead their organizations from their respective home bases.
Differences:
Xavier is an omega level mutant telepath. Caulder ain’t. Caulder, though, has a luxuriantly full head of hair and beard.
Alternate histories:
NC: As a youth, Niles Caulder’s metahuman intellect allows him to master multiple scientific disciplines, but an encounter with an alien antagonist leaves him a quadriplegic. Taking the code name “the Chief,” Caulder founds a school for young metahumans: his first class—Robin, Kid Flash, Speedy, “Elongated Kid” and Wonder Girl— takes the name the Teen Titans, who often oppose his former friend Black Adam. In the ensuing years, he has intermittently resided in the Vegan star system with his lover, Koriand’r, and running his school and advocating for metahuman rights.
CX: As a youth, Charles Xavier masters multiple scientific disciplines, but an encounter with an antagonist leaves him a quadriplegic. Using the code name, Professor X, he assembles three individuals —Susan and Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm— recently granted with extraordinary abilities; the quartet is collectively known as the Fantastic Four. It is later learned that Xavier was behind said transformations; his reputation as a manipulator sullies his profile in the superhuman community.
A rumor has persisted for some time that either the Doom Patrol and the X-Men books were unduly influenced by the other . Both books debuted in 1963; both books featured antagonists that belonged to an organization including the words “Brotherhood” and “Evil”; and both were premised on outsiders defending a mistrustful general populace.
But the contention seems to rest on the characterizations of their leaders: both ae super-geniuses confined to wheelchairs. Bob Haney and Arnold Drake, the Doom Patrol creators, and X-Men co-creator Stan Lee denied that any such mischief took place, and in any case, the Doom Patrol seems all around more Fantastic Four-esque to me.
But their similarities work well enough for my purposes, despite that a pairing here necessitates that both must be transferred into franchises that are not paired with one another.
Commonalities:
Both are, like I said above, super-geniuses confined to wheelchairs, and are thus lead their organizations from their respective home bases.
Differences:
Xavier is an omega level mutant telepath. Caulder ain’t. Caulder, though, has a luxuriantly full head of hair and beard.
Alternate histories:
NC: As a youth, Niles Caulder’s metahuman intellect allows him to master multiple scientific disciplines, but an encounter with an alien antagonist leaves him a quadriplegic. Taking the code name “the Chief,” Caulder founds a school for young metahumans: his first class—Robin, Kid Flash, Speedy, “Elongated Kid” and Wonder Girl— takes the name the Teen Titans, who often oppose his former friend Black Adam. In the ensuing years, he has intermittently resided in the Vegan star system with his lover, Koriand’r, and running his school and advocating for metahuman rights.
CX: As a youth, Charles Xavier masters multiple scientific disciplines, but an encounter with an antagonist leaves him a quadriplegic. Using the code name, Professor X, he assembles three individuals —Susan and Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm— recently granted with extraordinary abilities; the quartet is collectively known as the Fantastic Four. It is later learned that Xavier was behind said transformations; his reputation as a manipulator sullies his profile in the superhuman community.
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