Reasons the 90's Almost Killed Comics (Part 2)

Last week we looked at the first of my list of why the 90's are the "Dark Ages" of comics. Here we go with some more:

1. Feral Wolverine

I have to admit that stealing the adamantium from Wolverine by having Magneto rip it from his bones was a pretty cool idea. I give them points for being daring as far as that goes. And letting him have bone claws was pretty cool as well because that meant his claws were actually a part of his mutant abilities and it was a shocker to see them pop out.

And then Marvel got greedy.

For some strange reason the Marvel writers decided to take things to the extreme by having him slowly turn into an animal. The decision to make him an actual wolverine that had mutated apparently raised its ugly head again and they brought him down. He eventually went to wearing a bandana and even a ninja mask before it was all said and done.

2. Jackets and Pouches Everywhere

I can appreciate how comics try to stay relevant to the times with some changes. In the 90's, things went crazy. The X-Men were the epitome of crazy as far as costumes went.

I don't know if Xavier kept it freezing in the mansion or of they were just cold-natured, but for some reason jackets were in style. Gambit wore his well and it was cool. Everyone else just ripped him off.

Dazzler (a hero who shouldn't be in any comic) wore a jacket. Rogue wore a jacket. Jubilee wore a coat. Cyclops had more pouches than Batman's utility belt. But let's not leave out the Avengers, who loved their jackets too.

Black Knight wore one over his armor. Sersi wore one (sleeves pushed up, of course) over her costume. Crystal, the Wasp, Wonder Man, Firestar, Jusice and even Black Widow sported jackets during the 90's. I don't know why it became the norm for Marvel heroes, but they definitely weren't afraid to put them out there.

Eventually jackets phased out for a while and spandex made a return, but the damage had been done. At least Spider-Man never wore a jacket...unless you count the Scarlet Spider's hoodie.

And don't get me started on DC's Vibe. That costume just has no explanation. 

3. Bloodwynd

The 90's gave us a number of weird heroes, but we can't skip Bloodwynd. I'm the first to admit I wasn't a huge Justice League fan, but when I saw him show up in their confrontation with Doomsday (just before he killed Superman) my first thought was "When did Spawn join the JLA?" This character was an unabashed ripoff of Spawn and I have no idea how they avoided a massive lawsuit.

Just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone. I don't know that he's made any major impressions in the DC universe in over a decade. As a matter of fact, I doubt he made it through the recent reboot alive.

I have no idea if you should blame the writers for not knowing what to do with the guy, or the character itself, but Bloodwynd was a ripoff that stumbled out of the gate. But hey, at least he wasn't wearing a jacket.

4. Destroying Major Heroes...Then Bringing Them Back

The purpose of a reboot is to give us something new. Maybe sales are flagging on a title and they need to give the old horse a shot in the arm. Maybe new writers come in with new ideas. Or maybe a hero has just outlived their usefulness. For whatever reason, reboots are a hit-and-miss affair.

The 90's were brutal to the major heroes. Last week I talked about how Marvel tried to replace Spider-Man, but DC went ape-crazy in the 90's with wiping out their crew...though most of those deaths were short-lived.

So what did they do in the 90's? Well, they killed Superman (for a few issues). They broke Batman's back and replaced him with Azrael, who eventually went crazy and had to be put down by a healed-up Bruce Wayne. They turned Green Lantern into a crazed homicidal maniac who killed Sinestro with his bare hands...along with several members of the Green Lantern Corps. Then eventually he became Parallax, died saving the universe, became the Spectre, and then came back as Green Lantern again.

Many publishers would stop there, but they didn't. They had Aquaman lose his hand to piranhas and decide getting a harpoon/hook thing in there was a bright idea. They also gave him a new long hair and beard look that was supposed to make him "edgy". He stayed like this for a while, then they gave him a magic "water hand".

They killed Green Arrow with a bomb, until Parallax brought him back just before he died himself. They killed Hawkman and brought him back again thanks to his reincarnation powers. They didn't kill Martian Manhunter, who didn't deserve the pass but they made up for it big time by killing him off in the mid-2000's.

And hey, Marvel had their fun too. Besides replacing (and then bringing back) Spider-Man, they went brutal on their guys. Wolverine lost his adamantium through having it ripped from his very pores. The Fantastic Four and the Avengers were thrown to a new universe for a 12 issue "Reborn" reboot. They destroyed the Avengers again and gave us such classic "extreme" teams as "Force Works" (remember them?). Then Marvel had an "extreme fest" by giving us so many X-Men titles to follow that it was impossible to understand where any hero was supposed to be at any time. X-Treme, X-Men, X-Factor, X-Force, X-Man, and so many other titles brought to you by the letter "X".

The thing that annoyed me about it in the 90's was how short-lived it all was for the most part. In some cases it lasted for a couple of years, while in others the changes were mere months before you could see things reverting back (Superman was foreshadowed as back in the game almost immediately). On the other hand, it was a good thing those changes were short. Most of them were horrible choices.

New Toys from the NYCC

Wish I could be at the New York Comic Con (maybe next year), but here's a look at some of the awesome toys coming up. I know not everyone is a toy collector, but this grabbed me. Watch the 1:15 mark when you'll see the Mad Magazine display behind them. You can just see the Sergio Aragones Black and White Batman statue, along with a few other goodies.

Heroes Who Need To Lose Their Powers

Some heroes lose their powers (temporarily) and manage to move on, while others seem never to be touched. Here are a few heroes I believe could truly make some great stories as they dealt with their sudden loss of power. All those comic book companies who love crossovers, you could title this one "Powerless"!

Aquaman

There are those who would probably argue he's pretty much useless as-is, but think about this one. What if this man who had traversed two-thirds of the world that's underwater suddenly found himself stuck on the other third? What incredible underwater beauty and mystery has he seen, and now would never find again?

For this "fish out of water" story (sorry, couldn't resist), he would become this adventurer similar to Indiana Jones, trying to explore this world he had always shunned while always looking for a way to return to the oceans he loves.

Let him lose his power by magical means or something. I think there's a wealth of possibilities here for the character.

Luke Cage

After decades of being the toughest of the tough, what would happen if he suddenly found himself normal again? It's easy to be courageous when you know your skin is impervious to bullets and death rays. Now imagine how hard it would be for him to suddenly realize he has limitations and can no longer "tough" his way out of everything?

I can see this easily being a powerful storyline if done right. In the beginning he might feel useless or even a little scared because he feels useless as a normal guy. Then he eventually starts to realize true courage isn't in being able to stand up to a dozen blazing bullets without harm, but it's being able to stand up to the man behind the gun and saying you will not cower even if he could kill you.

How could he lose his powers? The treatment that gave him his iron hard skin begins to wear off. Imagine that first panel when he is shot and suddenly realizes he has a bullet wound. Very powerful!

Martian Manhunter

Turning him powerless would have to involve either making him human or forcing him to stay alien without any abilities.

I've honestly never understood DC's love for this character, but they continue to make him a linchpin of the DC universe. With the guy constantly having to come to terms with who he is and wants to be, let's take away his powers. He can be the "thinker" of the JLA (even though I know he's not involved with them after the DC reboot).

Robbed of his mental abilities and super strength, would he feel valuable to a team anymore? It would give the character the chance to move beyond his past and concentrate on his future. Let him find a place among his team mates as a leader. And hey, it's not like the character isn't kind of limited enough as is. Fire as a weakness? Bummer.

Deadpool

The thing that makes Deadpool such a funny comic is the fact that he's completely reckless in everything he does because he knows he'll heal up no matter what happens. Get shot in the head? It's cool. Lose an arm? Be patient and it'll be back. But what would he be like if he suddenly knew he wouldn't heal back from a wound?

I think he'd be pretty much a coward for a while. A funny coward, but a coward nonetheless. Then his need for mayhem and money would overwhelm his cowardice and he'd be forced to go on a mission of some sort.

At that point he couldn't be crazy reckless anymore. He'd be skittish and have to be forced into a confrontation. When the bullets started flying or the ninjas started coming, he'd have to change tactics to win. It would allow us to explore a new side to the character while still giving him room to make wisecracks and be his hilarious self.

DC Reboots Everything in August!

 

Ok, that's slightly an overstatement, since 1/3 of their titles won't be touched, but according to a recent interview in USA Today we'll be seeing a LOT of issues after Flashpoint ends that will start with #1. From what has been said, we'll actually see 52 new titles coming out, including reboots of Justice League (with younger versions of the heroes) and even Superman.

Let's be honest, Superman has nowhere to go but up from the past year or so. But look at something else: 52 new titles? Seriously? I want you to take a second and give me 52 DC heroes out there strong enough to hold their own title. Ready...go!

Yeah, I thought so. What we're seeing is a bunch of single starter issues and I suspect we'll be down to about 10 titles or so within a few months.

At the same time, DC is pushing more emphasis toward their digital comics and shoving people that direction. Do you read digital comics? I might look at an issue or two here and there--and it's definitely a cool way to have a ton of comics in a little bitty device or archive important issues--but to me they will never take the place of real paper comic books. I guess I'm an outgoing breed of customer while they focus more on the younger crowd.

Speaking of younger crowds, most of the new titles will be rebooted with younger versions of the heroes, including the new Justice League title headed by the dream team of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. We'll get the standard heroes of Batman, Superman, etc, along with some lesser heroes. Cyborg is supposed to play a big role in the team, but I have no idea why. I've never enjoyed the character or seen a reason he's vital to any team. Guess that's why I don't work for DC though, eh?

So what do you think? Brave move on the part of DC, or a desperate act that will end in disaster?

Heroic Hangouts!

Every hero needs a place to call "home"...even though it's not. Let's just say it's a really cool clubhouse and go from there. These bases would really make fun places to live!

The Fortress of Solitude

The commute for this one would be killer if you didn't have super-speed or flight on your side, but you have it admit it would be a pretty nice place to hang out. Now I'm not talking about the "ice castles" version you see in the movies and on Smallville...I'm talking about the one in the comic books. 

This thing had gigantic statues, a bottled city called Kandor, a full-sized cruise ship (just for decoration!), a private alien zoo, and so much more. Not to mention the fact that it virtually guaranteed no solicitors at your doorstep. They wouldn't even be able to find the place or lift the gigantic arrow key!

Of course, between all the world-saving and the Daily Planet day job, I don't see how Superman spent any time in the thing.

The Baxter Building

Home to the Fantastic Four since the beginning and almost constantly since, the Baxter Building is the antithesis of the Batcave: It's located right in the heart of the busiest city in the U.S. so everyone knows where it is! Add to that the fact that no one in the team has a secret identity and you get the feeling it was begging for visitors.

Filled to the brim with scientific do-dads and even the entrance to the Negative Zone, the Baxter Building packs a lot of function into a small amount of space.

It took several years and multiple battles before Reed Richards finally bought the place. Before that happened, it couldn't have been fun working in that building.

"What's that sound? Oh great, Doctor Doom's attacking the top floor again. Now I'll have to take the stairs to go home! 35 flights of stairs! I'm getting another job!"

The JLA Satellite

A base in outer space is another way to keep the unwanted visitors off your doorstep. Unfortunately, there are those of us who have crippling fears of heights which would immediately strike this off the list of potential heroic hangouts. 

This is definitely the most unsafe of the bases in this list, as any puncture to the hull would result in immediate and terrifying death for those who weren't built for outer space.

This base got a really bad rap during Identity Crisis, when Sue Dibny was assaulted by Doctor Light in it. To me that was something that could have been skipped over altogether.

The JLA no longer have this place, choosing instead to work out of the Hall of Justice. Those of us who grew up in the Bronze Age of comics still think of this place as the JLA's true home. Even the moon base they had for a while didn't seem as cool as your own satellite in space.

The Avengers Mansion

This one is cool because...well, it's a mansion. It's located in Manhattan (where all the cool heroes hang out) and has been the sight of several titanic battles over the years. Tony Stark originally paid for and built the thing for the Avengers back before they knew he was Iron Man and it's served them well over the years.

The mansion has been the site of several heart-wrenching battles. The "Avengers Disassembled" storyline saw the death of Ant-Man and Hawkeye there before it was destroyed. The Masters of Evil also came in the ripped the place to shreds at one point, almost killing Jarvis in the process.

The Avengers moved to their own floating island/building for a while. Big surprise here, but it was eventually sunk during an attack in the "Acts of Vengeance" storyline. Recently it was rebuilt by Stark and given to Luke Cage as a base for the "New Avengers" after the events of Civil War.

The Batcave

Hands down the coolest place to live on Earth, the Batcave won our reader's poll of best overall base and it's easy to see why. Besides being hidden in a cave (and what guy doesn't think that's cool?) it's filled with the latest gadgets and goodies...along with an awesome car, boat, and plane at your disposal at any moment!

Don't feel like being in the dark? Well, you get the best of both worlds here by just walking upstairs to stately Wayne Manor! Now it's nothing but fireplaces and flat-screen televisions in every room, along with your own butler! No more cleaning up after yourself!

Actually though, there's a possibility Batman could have been a bit of a hoarder with all that junk he kept in there (a giant penny and a mechanical dinosaur? Seriously?). Also, what's the point of having such a boss base and never letting anyone else see it? I'd have friends over all the time, which is probably why I'm not the Batman (or am I?).

Heroes That Need Movies

When you think of superheroes who would get movies, guys like Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman all come to mind immediately. But when we find out Iron Man, Thor, and Green Lantern all get major theatrical releases this Summer, it gives hope for those lesser-known heroes to get some screen time. Here are my nominations for heroes who could probably hold their own in a movie:

Green Arrow

I know he's been a recurring role in the Smallville series, but how about giving the guy a shot at the big screen. I would go for a different feel for the character that was slightly more faithful to the comics version and I'd do a very condensed origin, but the guy has potential.

I know they were tossing around a movie called "Supermax" that would supposedly have Green Arrow having to escape from a maximum security prison filled with supervillains, but I'm not sure that's the best way to go. For one thing, in prison he obviously wouldn't get his costume or arrows (until maybe the last ten minutes of the film).

And definitely give him Deathstroke as his nemesis in the film. No one else would do.

Nightwing

I know you're thinking this could never work without appearing in a Batman film first, but it could be done. Consider the opening moments of the Birds of Prey series. We saw Batman, the Joker, and Barbara Gordon's infamous crippling shot all in a matter of moments in a blurry flashback. The same could be done to give any backstory necessary without changing the origin too drastically.

Why would this be better than just another Batman film? Well, Nightwing had a more light-hearted personality in costume than Batman. His fighting style was much more acrobatic as well. Now add to this the fact that Christian Bale is still up in the air about a fourth Batman film and you are paving the way to replace him in the fourth film without a reboot. Instead, Dick Grayson takes the mantle with an already-established film history.

The Invaders

Look, we have a Captain America movie set entirely during World War 2 and he flies solo the whole time? We established the CGI for a Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies, so there's the big hurdle beaten down.

Let's go ahead and fill up the roster. Union Jack and Spitfire would be there, with the regulars of Namor, Torch, Toro, and Bucky. That should be more than enough fodder to make a great movie.

I think the key to this would be skipping the Red Skull as the villain. Instead, give us a straight-up confrontation with Hitler, Master Man, or Baron Zemo.

The Flash

Another hero from a series that has been rumored for a big-screen role, the Flash is long overdue for a film.

Ryan Reynolds was mentioned for the role before taking the Green Lantern part, and I think Bradley Cooper would be a great second choice. Their personalities would really mesh well for a team-up movie later on down the line if it came to it since Barry Allen and Hal Jordan were such good friends.

The villain here is obvious: Professor Zoom. Most likely he'd be saved for a sequel though, and we'd get Captain Cold. He could give a few good moments in the fight, I suppose. I've never understood how a man moving so fast could have such a running dialogue with his rogues though. They'd carry on complete conversations in what was supposed to be the space of seconds while he's a blur. Go figure.

The Justice League of America

I know this is one that will probably never happen, but if we can get the Avengers I can't see why DC won't budge on this. After crafting the CGI for the Green Lantern film, I can't see anything to stop this.

Yes, the Avengers will be a geekfest for most comic fans, but to me this would be the franchise I'd love to see. The massive fight scene at the end of the film with Batman attacking from the shadows while Green Lantern and the Flash tried finesse, and Superman and Wonder Woman were taking the frontal assault, would be intense.

The villains to face? I don't think the Legion of Doom would be the way to go for the first film. In the old JLA comics they usually had one major villain that was enough to give the team trouble. My nominee would be Darkseid. I know he's in Smallville, but let's put him in the movie and show what a real invasion from Apokolypse would be like.

Heroes and Villains of the Spectrum - Black

I don't know if it's because black goes with everything, or it looks tough, or what, but black is definitely the color choice for character names. Settle back and enjoy this extra-long list...

Black Bolt

This silent leader of the Inhumans and member of the Illuminati has been around since the 60's. His slightest whisper can obliterate mountains. And yet he doesn't shoot any kind of bolts, nor are any of his powers black. So where'd he get the name?

Relegated pretty much to guest-star status in most comics after a very brief dual-branded comic title in the 60's, Black Bolt led the Inhumans for years as they protected themselves from one attack after another. Even moving to the moon didn't save them.

In the recent "War of Kings" storyline, Black Bolt was killed. His wife, Medusa, now rules in his stead. You and I both know he's coming back at some point in the future though.  

Black Panther

This character made it onto one of my earlier lists as one of those pretty-much useless guys who can't carry a title for squat. Still, he deserves a place on the list. He was an Avenger, after all.

Formerly the ruling king of Wakanda, he now patrols Hell's Kitchen for Daredevil while Matt's off getting his mind straight. After that, he'll disappear again for a while until some other writer thinks, "Hey, who could we bring into this title so we can sell two or three extra copies?" 

Black Canary

The eternal girlfriend of Green Arrow, this lady is one tough woman. She's an expert hand-to-hand fighter, and even though she's no Black Bolt, when she screams at you, you know you've been screamed at!

Dinah took over the role of Black Canary from her mother. Her past is pretty much crazy to try and follow, and her relationship with Green Arrow is equally frustrating (she even made out with Batman in the "All Star Batman and Robin" series). For now though, she's been an active member of the Birds of Prey since their inception and even pops up on "Smallville" every once in a while.

Black Goliath

Seen here fighting the most fearsome of all Marvel villains, Stilt Man, Black Goliath was a character who never really took off in the 70's. 

He got his ability to grow from Hank Pym, and made a lot of guest appearances in the 70's in comics like The Champions and others. It wouldn't be until the 80's that he would get a necessary reboot and a new name (as Giant Man).

His death during the Civil War storyline was the catalyst for the support momentum turning to Captain America's team over Iron Man's. Now he's on his way back thanks to Hank Pym and Ant Man.

Black Lightning

Another 70's hero who never took off no matter how hard they tried, Jefferson Pierce finally found footing as a member of the Batman and the Outsiders. He stuck around for the whole run of the original title.

Much later, Pierce would become a member of President Luthor's cabinet and a trusted adviser. He considered himself undercover trying to help the heroes, but the position did lead him to a showdown with Batman and Superman in the "Public Enemies" storyline (and cartoon!). He lost.

Black Manta

Aquaman's arch-enemy and constant foil, this villain has resurfaced (ha! Get it?) recently thanks to his son becoming the new Aqualad.

Initially, he started out as the standard bad guy that Aquaman would have to face. When the 70's brought us the cartoon "The Challenge of the Superfriends", Manta managed to beat out Ocean Master to be the resident "water guy" for Lex Luthor's Legion of Doom.

As they do with all characters today, DC brought him back as a darker version of himself now, killing without remorse and out to destroy Aquaman (again) in Brightest Day.

Black Beetle 

This mysterious villain has been in and out of the Booster Gold comics for a long time. His identity and true motivations remain an enigma for now.

Initially, he presented himself as a hero from the future out to save Ted Kord by reuniting all the Blue Beetles, but that was just a lie. He fought the newest Blue Beetle and attempted to convince him that he was a future version of himself, but I highly doubt that. More likely he will probably be revealed as either some multiple universe version of Ted Kord or Dan Garrett (the first Blue Beetle).

Black Knight

Dane Whitman is the latest man to hold the title (after his uncle was a villain named "Black Knight"). He's had a pretty eventful life for a guy with no superpowers other than his ebony blade.

He was a member of the Avengers for years, holding many roles. Throughout their many cosmic adventures he was able to hold his own. Not as smart as Hank Pym (who is?), he is still a brilliant tactician and scientist. Just recently he joined MI-13 with Captain Britain.

Black Adam

This "black sheep" (ha! Get it!) of the Shazam family has a twisted history. He was a hero in ancient Egypt who became a villain...who became a member of the JSA before becoming a tyrannical ruler of his own nation again...then a bad guy...then a anti-hero...now, who knows?

He's been able to hold his own against Superman thanks to his magic-based abilities, but he has a mean streak that you wouldn't like to be around. This is the guy who started off the "52" maxi-series by ripping a guy in half (long before Sentry thought of doing that to Ares).

Black Hand

A pretty much obscure Green Lantern villain, Black Hand somehow became the key player in the "Blackest Night" miniseries. Geoff Johns was able to take a character who never really got much respect and turned him into a major hitter for a little while. The most interesting turn is where he is now in the stories (a Purple Lantern controlled by love...at least he is at the time I'm writing this).

He definitely wins as the most painful moment in the "Green Lantern:Rebirth" miniseries. While trying to steal a GL ring and being stopped by Green Arrow, Hal Jordan shows up as the Spectre to punish him for his sins. The punishment: his right hand is turned to coal and crumbles off so he becomes his name sake...a black hand. Ouch!

Honorable Mention: Obsidian

Another tragic hero-turned-villain, Obsidian is Jade's brother and the son of Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern. He found his way to Infinity Inc with Jade, but eventually the dark side of his powers became too much for him to deal with.

After a brief stint as a villain, he's now pretty much an ambiguous figure in the DC world. He does have an awesome action figure out now though!


Next week, we look at the leftovers. We'll take a look at all the colors who just had a couple of guys in there and didn't warrant an entire list of their own. White, yellow, orange, purple, and the rest are waiting for their turn!

Heroes and Villains of the Spectrum - Blue

Our next stop on the spectrum tour comes with the color blue. These folks think there's something cool about having "Blue" in their name...

Blue Beetle

Like Green Lantern, there have been several versions of this character. Focusing on the one who carried the title longest, Ted Kord was basically an athletic guy with a great sense of humor and some of the coolest gadgets on Earth. 

Hovering above the city in his "Bug" (a flying ship), he was the inspiration for the Nite Owl character in "Watchmen". His death at the hands of Maxwell Lord was a catalyst in the eventual discovery of the OMAC project.

Blue Diamond

One of the original members of the Liberty Legion, Blue Diamond appeared in the 40's for real as one of the earlier obscure heroes in print.

His skin was diamond-hard (thus the name) which allowed him to take a lot of punishment on the way to dishing it out. He still appeared in comics up until the 80's, showing up in a Marvel Two-In-One comic.

Ultimately, he was turned into an actual diamond to help preserve his body since he was getting so old and traveled through space with an alien. Back on Earth, now he's pretty much disappeared from the radar.

Blue Devil

This DC character has a strange origin. Originally, a stunt man put on the costume, only to find he couldn't remove it after an encounter with a real demon in a cave.

The character was originally played as a light-hearted Booster Gold type character, but that changed. The Blue Devil had his own series for a while, but has pretty much stayed in the background as a secondary character. As of late, he's joined up with some of DC's more supernatural crew (including Detective Chimp, who we never expected to see again) called Shadowpact.

He even made a quick cameo in the JLU figure line and has recently had a fairly nice DCU figure made of him.

Bluebird

Sally Avril wasn't around for long as a superhero, but she had spunk.

Originally deciding to become the official photographer of Spider-Man (until she found out Peter Parker had the job), she decided instead to become a hero of her own. She teamed up with Spidey a couple of times (not his choice) before he was finally able to talk her out of the dangerous profession.

Unfortunately for her, she was killed in a car wreck after giving up the superhero job while on her way to take more photos of Spider-Man in action.

Blue Eagle

This character was a member of the Squadron Supreme in their first incarnation during the maxi-series of the 80's. He had originally appeared as American Eagle before taking on his colorful moniker.

Unfortunately, his term as Blue Eagle was very short-lived. He was killed during a battle when Lamprey drained his wings of their power. He fell to his death.

Blue Shield

This character is actually pretty cool, though mostly forgotten.

He has the ability to create a force field around himself and others, and is currently the director of the Pegasus Project, a position held by Quasar, among others.

He's probably the coolest thing to come out of the Dazzler comic series of the 80's (his origin was told in issue 5). Hopefully we'll see him pop up sometime in the future, though given Marvel's treatment of their older characters it's probably best he stays hidden for now.


Next week, we look at the absolute mother lode of comic book color name titles: Black!

Heroes and Villains of the Spectrum - Green

Last week, we looked at the color red. We had a lot to choose from, but there aren't as many this time around. This week, let's look at some characters who choose to keep "Green" in their name...

Green Lantern (Alan Scott)

I suppose if I were to list all of the Green Lantern's out there we'd have a bit larger list, but we'll just stick with the two main ones for the purpose of this list. You might say I'm cheating, and I guess I might be a little.

Alan Scott became the first Green Lantern, with a strange weakness to wood that left him pretty vulnerable. He was a charter member of the JSA and due to several really weird occurrences was able to stay young pretty much forever.

Eventually he absorbed the power of the ring into himself and lost it altogether.

Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)

The latest hot DC property to headline a movie, there can be no doubt this character's popularity has dramatically increased thanks to Geoff Johns' dedication to him.

At one point in the 90's his title was on the brink of cancellation, but a villain turn to Parallax and the introduction of Kyle Rayner brought in a new bump in sales. Hal even died to save the universe in one final act of heroism. But it would forever be the "Rebirth" miniseries that began the upward trend. After years of teasing his return, Hal Jordan came back to the mainstream comics and has been selling strong ever since.

Green Arrow

Another "back from the dead" character (what is it about the color green that kills these guys?), Green Arrow hasn't had it easy lately. Aside from several seasons on "Smallville" and some of the most memorable episodes of "Justice League Unlimited", Oliver Queen has spent most of his time making one mistake after another. He and Black Canary have this love/hate relationship that may never really be ironed out. 

His most recent turn has left him living in a forest in the middle of Star City while fighting to get his company back. All of this after killing the villain who was responsible for his granddaughter Lian's death. No doubt things will turn around for him eventually though and he'll be back with Black Canary and with the JLA someday.

Green Hornet

It's might seem wrong to put him here, but he is a superhero and does have a comic book. Let's just ignore the profanity-laced movie that came out recently, the real Green Hornet was a hero who knew how to handle himself. Kato was the better fighter all along, but GH knew how to fight too when he needed to.

The old radio shows are the best, though the 60's television series comes in a close second. Seeing Bruce Lee tag  those bad guys always makes me happy. The Green Hornet actually had his own comic book in the 40's, at the same time his radio show was going on and a few movie serials came out. He's recently returned to comics thanks to Kevin Smith's script-turned-comic book and a few other series boosts.

Green Goblin

Guess what? This character died and came back! 

Norman Osborn became the Green Goblin and somehow was decided to become Spider-Man's iconic villain. I guess I can understand the fascination since he knew Spidey's secret identity and eventually killed his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy...but still, I'm not sure I'd have picked him as the constant villain for the character.

You can't fault the guy for trying though! He's been through everything and even became the head of SHIELD for a while, and still he keeps coming back. 

Green Lama

This character was one of the Project Superpowers heroes that Alex Ross has brought back to the limelight recently. I can't really say I'm in love with the name or even the costume, but he does deserve a place in our list. 


While his name might make you think his powers would involve spitting or something, instead he was a halfway decent crimefighter back in the early days of comic books. Ross has a slightly different turn for the character's costume and demeanor now, but you can still see where the inspiration came from.

Honorable Mention: Jade

No way, but yes, she came back from the dead too during the recent "Blackest Night" miniseries. The daughter of Alan Scott and one-time girlfriend of Kyle Rayner, Jade had the power of the Green Lantern inside of her.

Eventually she would become a casualty in the Rann Thanagar War, though her death was a lot shorter-lived than the others on this list.


Next week, we look at the characters who loved the color blue!