Yes, this is the UK version of the movie coming out, but this trailer is amazing and I love how we're finally getting to see the Hulk and Hawkeye do something. I'm really looking forward to this film:
Incidentally, if you live near an AMC theater (which I unfortunately do not) you can go ahead and buy your tickets now for a Marvel Movie Marathon which includes all six Marvel films (3 of them in 3D: Thor, Captain America, and the Avengers) for $40...and you even get a set of custom 3D glasses you can keep!
Showing posts with label The Avengers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Avengers. Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Monday, October 24, 2011
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Reasons the 90's Almost Killed Comics
While the 70's and 80's may have really helped comics, it was the 90's that almost killed them. Many people call the 90's the "Dark Ages" of comics, and it's easy to see why. Here are a few reasons:
While DC got all the press for their recent reboot, Marvel tried it in the 90's with horrible results. The Avengers and the Fantastic Four were sent to another dimension, and we were treated to 12 issues of "meh" at best storytelling.
Marvel farmed out the work on their major titles to Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld and others at Image Comics. It was a "daring" move that they hoped would generate sales. Instead, the 12 issues we have of this storyline through various titles were met with confusion and ridicule in many instances. I mean, when Captain America is stacked more than Power Girl, you should see problems coming.
While they did manage to bring the team back to the "real world" later, they can never fail to admit the idea stunk. The concept might have been good, but their execution left a lot to be desired. You can get the trade paperback editions of their storylines now if you need a good laugh.
Any avid fan of The Uncanny X-Men from the 80's still had some hope as the 90's rolled in. Jim Lee was the top artist out there, and when we were told he'd be taking over a new X-Men title we were thrilled. You were hard-pressed to find a comic book fan who wasn't scrambling to find that coveted first issue of X-Men when it came out, certain we were holding a million-dollar collectible in our hands! What we didn't know was that Marvel was anticipating a sell-out, so they were feverishly printing and reprinting copies of this book.
At first we were proud and excited to say we owned that first issue that was sure to go up in value. Then we noticed comic shops and bookstores were still selling it. Then they couldn't give copies away. Now what could have stood as a landmark collector's item is notorious for being one of the least valuable back issues of the X-Men franchise.
The 90's were a decade of dazzle for comic book covers. Never mind paper covers...no, the publishers decided what we needed were gimmicks!
We had foil-embossed covers! We had hologram covers! We had more variant covers than you could shake a stick at! We had lenticular covers! We had polybags with and without collectibles!
Some comics came bagged with trading cards! Some covers actually glowed in the dark! A few were die-cut to get them that extra edge! We had gatefold covers that spread out for miles (it seemed)!
Of course, many of the more spectacular cover enhancements meant that the comic itself would cost a little extra that month to cover it. At the time, it may have seemed like a spectacularly cool gimmick to begin with, but soon everybody was on the bandwagon and some months it was hard to find a comic that wasn't decked out in some gaudy cry for attention.
Now this is considered a joke of the comic book industry. Whoever was selling holograms to the comic companies in the 90's retired a very rich man.
I have to admit I was right there grabbing holographic copies of Spider-Man comics thinking I was having something special to give to my sons one day. Now they are stuffed in a box somewhere in the attic collecting dust with my copy of X-Men #1. Still, if you were willing to destroy the comic itself to get the hologram off you had a cool collectible sticker.
Oh baby, if you want to look at a low point in the 90's, look no further than this "turning point" in the life of Peter Parker. This confusing mess of storytelling reigned supreme as the worst Spider-Man storyline of all time until "One More Day" came out ten years later.
What's so sad is that the original story this is based on from the 70's was actually a pretty good story. The Jackal (Professor Warren) created a clone of Gwen Stacy and later Spider-Man himself. Spidey had to fight the clone and disposed of his body later. The story left just a little ambiguity as to whether our Spidey was the real thing or the clone.
Well, the Marvel writers in the 90's decided to turn things on their ear and say that our Spidey was actually the clone, and the real Peter Parker had been living another life since that incident. Even another clone named Kaine was eventually brought into the story and we were given quite the ride for a while. Peter Parker left with a pregnant Mary Jane to live a hero-less life while Ben Reilly stepped in with a new suit and took over as Spider-Man.
Looking back on this, it's easy to see where this could have indeed been a killer project for Marvel. It really did give them a chance to partially reboot Spider-Man while keeping the long-time fans happy by not erasing years of comic reading. Instead, the concept became so convoluted that even the writers themselves were unsure as to where it was going and who particular heroes and villains were. Aunt May was killed off (something I say should have been left alone) but she was subsequently brought back by saying it wasn't really her that died. Gwen Stacy's clone ran away and we never ever saw her again in any storyline. So many possibilities that were tossed aside.
Because of sales, the storyline continued on for far longer than it ever should have. If three clones were selling, why not add hundreds more and create "Maximum Clonage"? Let's bring back dead guys like Kaine and drag this sucker on for another year! Eventually Peter and Ben had to team up to find out who really was the clone, and we ended up with a reveal that Ben was the clone and Peter was real...or was he?
The only really cool thing to come out of the 90's Clone Saga was Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume. I'm sorry, but whoever designed that one really nailed it as an incredible update to the suit while still paying homage to the original. I wish they'd still left that one around. It did come out in an action figure though, so it's better than nothing.
As I mentioned before, this was the potential for a reboot that could have worked, but they didn't have this mapped out well enough before they started and it soon became a write-as-we-go-along scenario that was doomed. Marvel had no lower Spider-Man point until they came out with "One More Day".
Two years ago they put out a miniseries by some of the original writers who were allowed to redo the saga in six issues with no interference from higher-ups like last time. In those six issues, they managed to put together a good story that would have made the saga (if they'd been allowed to do it right) one of the highlights of the 90's. Though the story feels rushed in some parts (there are several weeks that pass between most issues so the story can progress in a logical sense) it's still a lot better than the original.
1. Heroes Reborn
While DC got all the press for their recent reboot, Marvel tried it in the 90's with horrible results. The Avengers and the Fantastic Four were sent to another dimension, and we were treated to 12 issues of "meh" at best storytelling.
Marvel farmed out the work on their major titles to Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld and others at Image Comics. It was a "daring" move that they hoped would generate sales. Instead, the 12 issues we have of this storyline through various titles were met with confusion and ridicule in many instances. I mean, when Captain America is stacked more than Power Girl, you should see problems coming.
While they did manage to bring the team back to the "real world" later, they can never fail to admit the idea stunk. The concept might have been good, but their execution left a lot to be desired. You can get the trade paperback editions of their storylines now if you need a good laugh.
2. The X-Men Get a New Title...and a Million Copies of It
Any avid fan of The Uncanny X-Men from the 80's still had some hope as the 90's rolled in. Jim Lee was the top artist out there, and when we were told he'd be taking over a new X-Men title we were thrilled. You were hard-pressed to find a comic book fan who wasn't scrambling to find that coveted first issue of X-Men when it came out, certain we were holding a million-dollar collectible in our hands! What we didn't know was that Marvel was anticipating a sell-out, so they were feverishly printing and reprinting copies of this book.
At first we were proud and excited to say we owned that first issue that was sure to go up in value. Then we noticed comic shops and bookstores were still selling it. Then they couldn't give copies away. Now what could have stood as a landmark collector's item is notorious for being one of the least valuable back issues of the X-Men franchise.
3. Weird Cover Stuff
The 90's were a decade of dazzle for comic book covers. Never mind paper covers...no, the publishers decided what we needed were gimmicks!
We had foil-embossed covers! We had hologram covers! We had more variant covers than you could shake a stick at! We had lenticular covers! We had polybags with and without collectibles!
Some comics came bagged with trading cards! Some covers actually glowed in the dark! A few were die-cut to get them that extra edge! We had gatefold covers that spread out for miles (it seemed)!
Now this is considered a joke of the comic book industry. Whoever was selling holograms to the comic companies in the 90's retired a very rich man.
I have to admit I was right there grabbing holographic copies of Spider-Man comics thinking I was having something special to give to my sons one day. Now they are stuffed in a box somewhere in the attic collecting dust with my copy of X-Men #1. Still, if you were willing to destroy the comic itself to get the hologram off you had a cool collectible sticker.
4. The Clone Saga
Oh baby, if you want to look at a low point in the 90's, look no further than this "turning point" in the life of Peter Parker. This confusing mess of storytelling reigned supreme as the worst Spider-Man storyline of all time until "One More Day" came out ten years later.
What's so sad is that the original story this is based on from the 70's was actually a pretty good story. The Jackal (Professor Warren) created a clone of Gwen Stacy and later Spider-Man himself. Spidey had to fight the clone and disposed of his body later. The story left just a little ambiguity as to whether our Spidey was the real thing or the clone.
Looking back on this, it's easy to see where this could have indeed been a killer project for Marvel. It really did give them a chance to partially reboot Spider-Man while keeping the long-time fans happy by not erasing years of comic reading. Instead, the concept became so convoluted that even the writers themselves were unsure as to where it was going and who particular heroes and villains were. Aunt May was killed off (something I say should have been left alone) but she was subsequently brought back by saying it wasn't really her that died. Gwen Stacy's clone ran away and we never ever saw her again in any storyline. So many possibilities that were tossed aside.Because of sales, the storyline continued on for far longer than it ever should have. If three clones were selling, why not add hundreds more and create "Maximum Clonage"? Let's bring back dead guys like Kaine and drag this sucker on for another year! Eventually Peter and Ben had to team up to find out who really was the clone, and we ended up with a reveal that Ben was the clone and Peter was real...or was he?
The only really cool thing to come out of the 90's Clone Saga was Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume. I'm sorry, but whoever designed that one really nailed it as an incredible update to the suit while still paying homage to the original. I wish they'd still left that one around. It did come out in an action figure though, so it's better than nothing.
As I mentioned before, this was the potential for a reboot that could have worked, but they didn't have this mapped out well enough before they started and it soon became a write-as-we-go-along scenario that was doomed. Marvel had no lower Spider-Man point until they came out with "One More Day".
Two years ago they put out a miniseries by some of the original writers who were allowed to redo the saga in six issues with no interference from higher-ups like last time. In those six issues, they managed to put together a good story that would have made the saga (if they'd been allowed to do it right) one of the highlights of the 90's. Though the story feels rushed in some parts (there are several weeks that pass between most issues so the story can progress in a logical sense) it's still a lot better than the original.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Trailer Thursday: The Avengers
I know you've probably already seen this, but it's a ton of awesome. Wish there had been more of the Hulk, but I'm sure they're saving that for later.
Monday, May 30, 2011
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 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.
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!"
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.
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.
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?).
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?).
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Trailer Thursday: Hawkeye in Thor
You'll have to watch carefully, but at the 24 second mark we see a guy holding a compound bow as lightning flashes. That's either Hawkeye, Green Arrow, or Robin Hood. I'm going to put my money on the former, and I'm hoping that's not all we see of him in this film (though I've read that really is the extent of his cameo in "Thor" before taking a bigger role in "Avengers").
Monday, March 28, 2011
More Cool Costumes!
It's been quite a while since I've looked at cool costumes, so I thought I would shoot out a few more that I think deserve mentioning...
Gar Logan started out as Beast Boy with the Doom Patrol, but it would be his time with the New Teen Titans in the 80's that would forever cement his place in my list of cool costumes. The guy has green skin and can turn into any animal (again, green) but his costume is this cool red-and-white number that gives you no indication whatsoever as to his name or power set. Instead, it's just this neat design that was a vast improvement over his old purple Doom Patrol uniform.
Unfortunately, Gar's back to being Beast Boy and the purple outfit is a regular occurrence. Still, this suit wins for the time it was around, which remains the high-point of the Teen Titans comic run thanks to George Perez.
Another red-and-white color schemed hero, Captain Comet was a truly cool guy in the 70's to me. He was in the Secret Society of Super-Villains comic book (a title I recently scored a full run of at last year's Wizard World Atlanta for $20) but I remember being introduced to him in his first DC Comics Presents adventure with Superman. I didn't pick up SSOSV until later.
After SSOSV died in the DC Implosion of the late 70's, he pretty much dropped off the radar. He shows up here and there from time to time, most recently in a new incarnation and costume. The new costume pays homage to the old, but I'm still a fan of that 70's look. It's kind of simple, but the blue bands and white highlights are set up perfectly to compliment the color scheme. I have a character in the City of Heroes MMORPG that was modeled after this look.
This is a pretty understated costume with the blue and white scheme, but it works. This obscure hero hasn't made a lot of appearances in the comics, but he has held the position of security director of Project Pegasus for a while...which isn't too shabby.
His power actually involves a small force field around his body rather than an actual shield. I guess I can see where he was going with the name though.
You'll never see him on a t-shirt or in his own title, but he was good enough to make this list.
I was always a fan of this character's costume. Clint Barton definitely wins as the coolest guy to wear it (yet) and it made sense for him to get to stretch his abilities beyond the bow and into other weapons while he was getting his head on straight after House of M.
Looking sort of like a ninja Snake Eyes (and yes, I know Snake Eyes was a ninja), the costume allowed for swords, nunchaku, throwing stars, and a host of other fun goodies to be pulled out at any moment.
Clint is back to being Hawkeye and Echo (the original) isn't up to wearing it again anytime soon, but hopefully someone else will grab the suit soon and Ronin will be around again!
Say what you will about Hank Pym's constant costumed identity changes, the man can design a really cool costume. Ant-Man has made one of my lists before, and this short-lived blue-and-yellow Goliath suit joins him.
While choosing the name "Goliath" as a superhero name didn't make a lot of sense (hint: Goliath was a bad guy), the costume was a good choice. The antennae from the old Giant Man/Ant Man costume didn't really work.
I'm not sure the goggles were the best idea though. Blue Beetle and Booster Gold would disagree with me, I'm sure.
Paul Kirk was the original Manhunter, and though there have been two since him I still give him the best costume. I know a lot of people were put off by his somewhat garish appearance--especially for an assassin--but I think it works in print. In real life, the flowing sleeves and freaky boots probably wouldn't be the best choices during combat.
I have been reading a lot of Silver and Bronze Age comics again lately (as you'll notice in some of my upcoming posts) and was introduced to this character through his backup stories in Detectice Comics that eventually led up to his teaming with Batman in issue 443 and dying in that mission. It was an incredible storyline that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I've always thought the costume was cool. I bought the statue and the DC Universe figure of this character long before I actually read the stories.
Changeling
Gar Logan started out as Beast Boy with the Doom Patrol, but it would be his time with the New Teen Titans in the 80's that would forever cement his place in my list of cool costumes. The guy has green skin and can turn into any animal (again, green) but his costume is this cool red-and-white number that gives you no indication whatsoever as to his name or power set. Instead, it's just this neat design that was a vast improvement over his old purple Doom Patrol uniform.
Unfortunately, Gar's back to being Beast Boy and the purple outfit is a regular occurrence. Still, this suit wins for the time it was around, which remains the high-point of the Teen Titans comic run thanks to George Perez.
Captain Comet
After SSOSV died in the DC Implosion of the late 70's, he pretty much dropped off the radar. He shows up here and there from time to time, most recently in a new incarnation and costume. The new costume pays homage to the old, but I'm still a fan of that 70's look. It's kind of simple, but the blue bands and white highlights are set up perfectly to compliment the color scheme. I have a character in the City of Heroes MMORPG that was modeled after this look.
Blue Shield
This is a pretty understated costume with the blue and white scheme, but it works. This obscure hero hasn't made a lot of appearances in the comics, but he has held the position of security director of Project Pegasus for a while...which isn't too shabby.
His power actually involves a small force field around his body rather than an actual shield. I guess I can see where he was going with the name though.
You'll never see him on a t-shirt or in his own title, but he was good enough to make this list.
Ronin
I was always a fan of this character's costume. Clint Barton definitely wins as the coolest guy to wear it (yet) and it made sense for him to get to stretch his abilities beyond the bow and into other weapons while he was getting his head on straight after House of M.
Looking sort of like a ninja Snake Eyes (and yes, I know Snake Eyes was a ninja), the costume allowed for swords, nunchaku, throwing stars, and a host of other fun goodies to be pulled out at any moment.
Clint is back to being Hawkeye and Echo (the original) isn't up to wearing it again anytime soon, but hopefully someone else will grab the suit soon and Ronin will be around again!
Goliath
Say what you will about Hank Pym's constant costumed identity changes, the man can design a really cool costume. Ant-Man has made one of my lists before, and this short-lived blue-and-yellow Goliath suit joins him.
While choosing the name "Goliath" as a superhero name didn't make a lot of sense (hint: Goliath was a bad guy), the costume was a good choice. The antennae from the old Giant Man/Ant Man costume didn't really work.
I'm not sure the goggles were the best idea though. Blue Beetle and Booster Gold would disagree with me, I'm sure.
Manhunter
Paul Kirk was the original Manhunter, and though there have been two since him I still give him the best costume. I know a lot of people were put off by his somewhat garish appearance--especially for an assassin--but I think it works in print. In real life, the flowing sleeves and freaky boots probably wouldn't be the best choices during combat.
I have been reading a lot of Silver and Bronze Age comics again lately (as you'll notice in some of my upcoming posts) and was introduced to this character through his backup stories in Detectice Comics that eventually led up to his teaming with Batman in issue 443 and dying in that mission. It was an incredible storyline that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I've always thought the costume was cool. I bought the statue and the DC Universe figure of this character long before I actually read the stories.
Monday, March 21, 2011
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Heroes and Villains of the Spectrum - the Rest
There are a lot of characters who choose red, green, or black for their names, but the rest of the colors are a little cheated. Here is our final list of "color name" characters, filling the gaps from the colors I've missed...
Now called "The Greatest Hero You've Never Heard Of", Booster Gold's image has changed dramatically since he got his latest series.
He was little more than a walking joke--a self-absorbed hero--until the events of the DC maxi-series 52 kicked him square into the spotlight and killed him...before bringing him back again.
Now Gold goes through time changing what he can and fixing the little anomalies that pop up here and there. I've followed the series since the first issue and I can honestly say it's one of the best I read now. Each storyline seems consistently strong, and the fact that Blue Beetle still pops up from time to time makes it that much better.
Originally a member of the Suicide Squad, Bronze Tiger started out as a villain before becoming the anti-hero he is today.
Recently he battled Catman to the brink of death for both of them, and I have to give him credit on that. DC has upped Catman's cred a lot with recent storylines, and letting Bronze Tiger keep up with him shows the respect they still have for the character.
In one alternate universe, he was a character called "Blackwing", their version of Batman. That would mean he was the only character who made it onto two lists...but I didn't think that would be fair since he was only Blackwing for the one issue.
She's bad, she's a secret agent, and she has her own minimate! Not bad for a kind of obscure character!
She has tangled with Spider-Man on more than one occasion and sometimes it's hard to see which side she's playing on. For the most part, however, she usually leans toward the good guy angle. She's not above twisting the law where needed though.
Currently, she leads her own group of highly-trained heroes and mercs wherever the money leads
Hector Ayala was the first major Puerto Rican superhero way back in the 70's. Using the magic amulets of the Sons of the Tiger, he became a martial arts madhouse with one of the simplest costumes every created. Since he made his debut in the "Deadly Hands of Kung Fu" magazine and it was black and white, he was a perfect fit.
Eventually he moved into the "Spectacular Spider-Man" title and was a regular for the first 50 issues or so. When his secret identity was revealed on television, his family became a target. Cancer began to kill him as well, so he gave up the amulets to face his sickness on his own.
Hector was killed in Daredevil a few years ago after being framed for murder, and is replaced now by Angela Del Toro.
A more sinister guy you'd be hard to find. Anything he tells you to do, you're going to do it. He's been around for a long time, but it was the 2000's that saw him become the truly twisted person you'd think he would be.
He started and stayed as a Daredevil villain for a long time, able to control anyone and force them to do whatever he wanted. He held Jessica Jones for a long time as a personal servant until she finally escaped during a battle with the Scarlet Witch.
A very short stint with the Thunderbolts saw him returned to the Raft. Once there, Luke Cage got the opportunity to settle the score for what Purple Man had done to the woman who eventually became his wife. It wasn't pretty.
Does it really count as a color-named hero when your name is one word? Yeah, it's close enough. Hank Pym has had many different identities, but the most infamous would have to be Yellowjacket.
He started out in this identity claiming to have killed Hank Pym and eventually marrying the Wasp before getting his memory back. Then when he was forced out of the Avengers it was again as this character.
After Janet's tragic death in "Secret Invasion", Hank decided to become his own version of the Wasp as a tribute to her. To most comic book readers, however, he'll pretty much always be remembered as either Yellowjacket or Ant-Man.
Herald of Galactus on more than one occasion, the Silver Surfer has been more of a tragic hero than anything else since his introduction. Trapped for years on Earth because of a field Galactus placed on it as punishment for his siding with the humans, the Surfer eventually was able to break through and get back out into space again in his own book. He was one of the original Defenders and has teamed up with just about every major hero in the Marvel universe.
His treatment in the second Fantastic Four movie is a polarizing subject. Some people feel he was treated almost perfect to character, while others think it was a horrible take on the character. Either way you feel about his role in the film, you can't deny they did a great job of bringing him to life. Galactus, on the other hand, got robbed.
Honorable Mentions: Doctor Spectrum and Rainbow Raider
The Squadron Supreme character Doctor Spectrum has to win the "Best of Show" title since he carries all the colors in his name. Of course, I guess Rainbow Raider would get upset if we did that, so we'll just say both should get their names in this list just because.
Rainbow Raider...heh...still gets me every time I hear the name. How on Earth did he ever expect to strike fear into the heart of any hero?
I briefly considered adding Crazy Quilt to the list because he used colors as his weapon, but it has to be the name or they don't make it.
Black Mask
Dr. OTR made mention of this fellow. Thanks again!
I guess he would have to be considered the "Kingpin" character of the DC Universe (though, ironically, you'd think he would be the Red Skull counterpart or something). A crime boss extraordinaire, he was a major force in Batman comics for a while and even played a major part in the death of the fourth Robin (previously the Spoiler).
He was eventually killed off and has since been replaced. He did pretty well for himself for a guy with no super powers to speak of. He definitely wouldn't win any beauty awards or anything, that's for sure.
Black Vulcan
Oh man, how could I have missed this one? During the 70's Super Friends cartoon craze, they needed to add some minority characters. We ended up with greats like Apache Chief, Samurai, El Dorado, and of course, Black Vulcan. Originally, they wanted to use Black Lightning for this spot, but due to a dispute with the creator of the character they ultimately decided it was easier to just make their own and move on. To my knowledge, he's never appeared anywhere but in the Super Friends show and comic book, and one other place I'll mention below.
He was able to turn into a living lightning bolt to fly and could fire lightning from his hands. But perhaps the greatest moment in his career came when he appeared in one of the first episodes of Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law and created the catchphrase "...in my pants."
Black Widow
There may be two of them now, but the original will always stand out for me. Natasha began as a villain and hooked up with Hawkeye early on in her career. Soon she became a hero and spent a large part of the 70's with Daredevil, even becoming his regular sidekick in the series.
She was one of the charter members of The Champions, and has served as an Avenger also. She even spent some time with SHIELD for a while. She's currently the girlfriend and partner of Bucky Barnes and has helped bring this newest Captain America to true hero status. She's one well-traveled lady, that's for sure.
Black Cat
Felicia Hardy was a cat burglar who developed a rather unhealthy fixation on Spider-Man. Her love affair for him faltered when he wanted to remove the mask, however. She wanted the Spider, and he wanted her to love the Man. They worked it all out over time, and he finally chose Mary Jane over her (and then stabbed MJ in the back for Aunt May...but don't get me started).
How popular is this character? Go to any comic book convention and see which cosplay babe has the most fanboys lined up to get their picture taken with her. She has more fans than Lara Croft!
I'd love to see her fight Catwoman, but I'm sure the writers would give the fight to Selina over Felicia. I prefer to think it would be a pretty close match.
This forgotten character was a member of the Liberty Legion in the 70's during the Invaders comic book's first run. He was sort of like the Angel from the X-Men in that he could fly and fight. He actually did make his first appearance in the Silver Age fighting the Angel in X-Men #44.
To find his first appearance, however, you've got to go waaaaaaay back...to August 1940. Red Raven was one of the earlier costumed heroes to appear. It wasn't the same character, but the similarities are too close to ignore.
The Marvel version of this character died in a battle with the Sub-Mariner.
Another one suggested by Dr. OTR, this relatively unknown character has recently stepped back into the DC Universe in JLA comic books.
Originally created as a Hank Pym-type knockoff (his other hero identity is Massive Man...sound familiar), the pint-sized hero has one of the more unfortunate names out there. I can't think of many bad guys who would tremble at: "Oh no! Here comes Blue Jay!" He sounds more like a sidekick than a main hero.
Hey, if Blue Jay, Red Raven, and Robin formed a team, they could be "The Bird Boys"! Just sayin'...
And that's it! We've looked at colors galore and I hope I managed to introduce you to a few characters you might have missed. Of course, I didn't hit them all, so feel free to comment away on any colorful named heroes or villains you think should have been included!
Booster Gold
Now called "The Greatest Hero You've Never Heard Of", Booster Gold's image has changed dramatically since he got his latest series.
He was little more than a walking joke--a self-absorbed hero--until the events of the DC maxi-series 52 kicked him square into the spotlight and killed him...before bringing him back again.
Now Gold goes through time changing what he can and fixing the little anomalies that pop up here and there. I've followed the series since the first issue and I can honestly say it's one of the best I read now. Each storyline seems consistently strong, and the fact that Blue Beetle still pops up from time to time makes it that much better.
Bronze Tiger
Originally a member of the Suicide Squad, Bronze Tiger started out as a villain before becoming the anti-hero he is today.
Recently he battled Catman to the brink of death for both of them, and I have to give him credit on that. DC has upped Catman's cred a lot with recent storylines, and letting Bronze Tiger keep up with him shows the respect they still have for the character.
In one alternate universe, he was a character called "Blackwing", their version of Batman. That would mean he was the only character who made it onto two lists...but I didn't think that would be fair since he was only Blackwing for the one issue.
Silver Sable
She's bad, she's a secret agent, and she has her own minimate! Not bad for a kind of obscure character!
She has tangled with Spider-Man on more than one occasion and sometimes it's hard to see which side she's playing on. For the most part, however, she usually leans toward the good guy angle. She's not above twisting the law where needed though.
Currently, she leads her own group of highly-trained heroes and mercs wherever the money leads
White Tiger
Eventually he moved into the "Spectacular Spider-Man" title and was a regular for the first 50 issues or so. When his secret identity was revealed on television, his family became a target. Cancer began to kill him as well, so he gave up the amulets to face his sickness on his own.
Hector was killed in Daredevil a few years ago after being framed for murder, and is replaced now by Angela Del Toro.
Purple Man
A more sinister guy you'd be hard to find. Anything he tells you to do, you're going to do it. He's been around for a long time, but it was the 2000's that saw him become the truly twisted person you'd think he would be.
He started and stayed as a Daredevil villain for a long time, able to control anyone and force them to do whatever he wanted. He held Jessica Jones for a long time as a personal servant until she finally escaped during a battle with the Scarlet Witch.
A very short stint with the Thunderbolts saw him returned to the Raft. Once there, Luke Cage got the opportunity to settle the score for what Purple Man had done to the woman who eventually became his wife. It wasn't pretty.
Yellowjacket
Does it really count as a color-named hero when your name is one word? Yeah, it's close enough. Hank Pym has had many different identities, but the most infamous would have to be Yellowjacket.
He started out in this identity claiming to have killed Hank Pym and eventually marrying the Wasp before getting his memory back. Then when he was forced out of the Avengers it was again as this character.
After Janet's tragic death in "Secret Invasion", Hank decided to become his own version of the Wasp as a tribute to her. To most comic book readers, however, he'll pretty much always be remembered as either Yellowjacket or Ant-Man.
Silver Surfer
Herald of Galactus on more than one occasion, the Silver Surfer has been more of a tragic hero than anything else since his introduction. Trapped for years on Earth because of a field Galactus placed on it as punishment for his siding with the humans, the Surfer eventually was able to break through and get back out into space again in his own book. He was one of the original Defenders and has teamed up with just about every major hero in the Marvel universe.
His treatment in the second Fantastic Four movie is a polarizing subject. Some people feel he was treated almost perfect to character, while others think it was a horrible take on the character. Either way you feel about his role in the film, you can't deny they did a great job of bringing him to life. Galactus, on the other hand, got robbed.
Honorable Mentions: Doctor Spectrum and Rainbow Raider
The Squadron Supreme character Doctor Spectrum has to win the "Best of Show" title since he carries all the colors in his name. Of course, I guess Rainbow Raider would get upset if we did that, so we'll just say both should get their names in this list just because.Rainbow Raider...heh...still gets me every time I hear the name. How on Earth did he ever expect to strike fear into the heart of any hero?
I briefly considered adding Crazy Quilt to the list because he used colors as his weapon, but it has to be the name or they don't make it.
Guys I Missed That Should Have Been In Previous Lists:
Black Mask
Dr. OTR made mention of this fellow. Thanks again!
I guess he would have to be considered the "Kingpin" character of the DC Universe (though, ironically, you'd think he would be the Red Skull counterpart or something). A crime boss extraordinaire, he was a major force in Batman comics for a while and even played a major part in the death of the fourth Robin (previously the Spoiler).
He was eventually killed off and has since been replaced. He did pretty well for himself for a guy with no super powers to speak of. He definitely wouldn't win any beauty awards or anything, that's for sure.
Black Vulcan
Oh man, how could I have missed this one? During the 70's Super Friends cartoon craze, they needed to add some minority characters. We ended up with greats like Apache Chief, Samurai, El Dorado, and of course, Black Vulcan. Originally, they wanted to use Black Lightning for this spot, but due to a dispute with the creator of the character they ultimately decided it was easier to just make their own and move on. To my knowledge, he's never appeared anywhere but in the Super Friends show and comic book, and one other place I'll mention below.
He was able to turn into a living lightning bolt to fly and could fire lightning from his hands. But perhaps the greatest moment in his career came when he appeared in one of the first episodes of Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law and created the catchphrase "...in my pants."
Black Widow
There may be two of them now, but the original will always stand out for me. Natasha began as a villain and hooked up with Hawkeye early on in her career. Soon she became a hero and spent a large part of the 70's with Daredevil, even becoming his regular sidekick in the series.
She was one of the charter members of The Champions, and has served as an Avenger also. She even spent some time with SHIELD for a while. She's currently the girlfriend and partner of Bucky Barnes and has helped bring this newest Captain America to true hero status. She's one well-traveled lady, that's for sure.
Black Cat
Felicia Hardy was a cat burglar who developed a rather unhealthy fixation on Spider-Man. Her love affair for him faltered when he wanted to remove the mask, however. She wanted the Spider, and he wanted her to love the Man. They worked it all out over time, and he finally chose Mary Jane over her (and then stabbed MJ in the back for Aunt May...but don't get me started).
How popular is this character? Go to any comic book convention and see which cosplay babe has the most fanboys lined up to get their picture taken with her. She has more fans than Lara Croft!
I'd love to see her fight Catwoman, but I'm sure the writers would give the fight to Selina over Felicia. I prefer to think it would be a pretty close match.
Red Raven
This forgotten character was a member of the Liberty Legion in the 70's during the Invaders comic book's first run. He was sort of like the Angel from the X-Men in that he could fly and fight. He actually did make his first appearance in the Silver Age fighting the Angel in X-Men #44.
To find his first appearance, however, you've got to go waaaaaaay back...to August 1940. Red Raven was one of the earlier costumed heroes to appear. It wasn't the same character, but the similarities are too close to ignore.
The Marvel version of this character died in a battle with the Sub-Mariner.
Blue Jay
Another one suggested by Dr. OTR, this relatively unknown character has recently stepped back into the DC Universe in JLA comic books.
Originally created as a Hank Pym-type knockoff (his other hero identity is Massive Man...sound familiar), the pint-sized hero has one of the more unfortunate names out there. I can't think of many bad guys who would tremble at: "Oh no! Here comes Blue Jay!" He sounds more like a sidekick than a main hero.
Hey, if Blue Jay, Red Raven, and Robin formed a team, they could be "The Bird Boys"! Just sayin'...
And that's it! We've looked at colors galore and I hope I managed to introduce you to a few characters you might have missed. Of course, I didn't hit them all, so feel free to comment away on any colorful named heroes or villains you think should have been included!
Monday, February 21, 2011
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!
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!
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