| Posted: 17 Sep 2006 11:31 Last Edited By: Danny |
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Beacuse that comic is just boring anymore. Am I alone in thinking that writers have to push the boundaries a little bit to remain relevant or at least interesting? "Captain America" is just too static for such a wild point in our nation's history. How can a book about a patriotic superhero be so boring NOW?
Not so for Cap as seen in "The Ultimates", particularly in the recent Annual detailing the fights both physical and ideological between Cap, Falcon and Arnim Zola.
Not only did this comic do things that only a comic can do: switching back and forth in the readers perception of time and ideas far more seamlessly than even a well directed movie- it hit on RELEVANT THEMES.
I loved seeing Cap's explanation of why he has trouble with the sublties of political correctness. I liked that Falcon could prove to Cap that America has had, still has, and always will have some flaws that need to be righted, not glossed over in the name of blind patriotism. I loved that it wrapped up with both characters overcoming the valid arguments they were making to get the job done, to keep a dangerous evil from literaly and figuratively infecting America. If only it were that way in Washington DC now.
Till Ed Brubaker writes something interesting, I'm throwing in the towel on Cap's regular book. Somebody please let me know if it ever gets worth reading again.
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| Posted: 17 Sep 2006 19:24 |
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Well the last book was at least exciting. It had a lot more action in it than normally. I wish I could afford to get all the Ultimates but I got a few subscriptions when I had the money to the big ones like Captain America, Amazing Spiderman, Hulk Superman etc seems like all the exciting stuff is happening in the Ultimates and the Civil War mini series.
I wish I had more money.
Still I get your point though from your description it seems the Ultimates is more of an adult thinking man's comic book. Even though I thought the last issue of Cap was more exciting it didn't do much for me in the way of a story. It was just like, "wow look at that". But after I read it, it didn't have nothing that stuck with me.
I am wanting to know more about Bucky running around with an bionic arm though. What's all that about?
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| Posted: 17 Sep 2006 20:02 |
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Yeah Tim, I think you're just gonna hafta find a good comic book store. I did the subscription thing once myself- and I think I saved a few bucks, but it just wasn't the same as the epic nerd debates I enjoy every wednesday.
Also, you get to see some interesting things you wouldn't ordinarily run across.
I think this would be the time and place to mention the 9/11 Commission report now being available as a graphic novel. I had a look at it yesterday and it seemed well articulated and researched. When I've got $16.95 I plan on picking up a copy. I read the gigantic fine print version, but trust me... not as easy of a read.
Also, I think its worth mentioning that as I was perusing articles to help me write a comic related article- I found a spot in Wired magazine that mentioned comics simply not being worth the paper on which they are printed anymore. Apparently, executives of both major companies refer to them only as promotional materials for toys and movies. I think this fuels the need to just glam up the mainstream books and make sure the villan of the month is movie related. A sad tragedy of this strategy would def be Ultimate Spider-Man, which just stopped being good around the time of the second Spidey-movie. It was as if Bendis just COMPLETELY lost interest in telling a neat story and just resolved to get the villan of the month and his boring dialouge out of the way before he got to work on a more interesting task.
So as for me, I'm finding refuge in some more indie/vertigo related material, with of course the exception of the Ultimates, which I read every time it ships...about once every six months.
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| Posted: 19 Sep 2006 15:41 |
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I have to admit though the quality of paper and coloring processes used in comics today is way ahead of the old days. I just don't think I'm getting much of a story though. Most issues have nothing but splash pages.
I think I can understand comics of today being used more for promoting movies. They have to keep going somehow. Unfortunately today's kids don't have the patience to read a comic book or the imagination. There are too many things to keep them preoccupied like video games, cartoon network, etc. You are lucky to get a kid to go out and play.
Makes me wonder what it would have been like to grow up today. Would I sit around all day playing video games like my kid or still alternate between reading comics and playing outside all day.
One thing is for sure todays comics are a lot more expensive. You pay for that cool paper. Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better to have the cheaper paper if comics were more affordable and on every newstand where you didn't have drive an hour out of your way to hit a comic book store.
It might have been a more economically sound idea to focus on comic shops only at the time, but how many new fans are getting missed because they don't have a comic shop near them?
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| Posted: 22 Sep 2006 19:11 |
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I don't blame you for dropping Cap, there had been times when I just wanted to dump that book (Heroes Reborn), Cap is and still is the hardest hero to write for. He loves America, he loves freedom and democracy, but when writers and artists express that, Cap can come off preachy, arrogant, egotistical and elitist. Action is like a joke, new jokes with snappy comebacks and witty remarks get noticed and repeated and everyone wants to hear it, ... but gets tiresome and tedious over time, ... so the Action in Cap can get tiresome and tedious.
So, in 2000, to update Cap, we get Ultimate Cap, which is essentially treating Cap as a Soldier, than like Superman. Ultimate Annual 2 was great, can't wait for that Ultimate Armin Zola figure (Is that the coolest Frankenstein-like monster), but how can Falcon berate Cap about the lack of progress on racial tolerances when Cap himself is being commanded by an African America general and dating an Asian Mutant? I just felt Falcon didn't have much 'fuel' in his argument. Anyway, Ultimate Cap allows the writer to do some nasty and unheard of stuff to Cap that wouldn't be done in his regular book (I'm not saying that's a bad thing), but the Marvel Cap still has some edge and fun to keep me interested.
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| Posted: 25 Sep 2006 17:53 |
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You didn't like the Heroes Reborn Cap? I liked the first few issues at least I know. The art was very good at the very least. I thought it was an interesting change for a little while anyhow.
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| Posted: 30 Sep 2006 11:31 Last Edited By: Danny |
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I think Falcon was taking on a complicated problem in just a few panels. I tend to think he was part right, as was Cap.
From Falcon's point of view, Fury's success in the military or the Wasp's being a babe has nothing to do with recurring problems in the African American community or a perceived lack of sympathy for such on the part of affluent America.
From my point of view, someone is always going to have an easier time getting a ride in any society.
In this society, a tall good looking white guy will get a ride over a black guy. No judgements on right or wrong or why or why not from me on that one (thats more like a book), suffice to say its a shame and its a fact.
Had I been Cap, I might have pointed out as well that being litterally wrapped in the flag will help you get a ride just about anywhere in the Marvel universe.
Personally I feel like people of all colors are getting the short end in the South. i disagree with Kanye West, the problem isn't limited to "George Bush doesn't care about black people". I think the political establishment in this country doesn't care about poor people in this country of any color. They care about whoever provides the dough for the next election, so the best ethnicity to be in this country at the moment is "Oil Company".
I'll also repeat that Cap's response to Falcon really hit the nail on the head for me in the difference between "red and blue america", that is at the heart of this terrible division at such a crucial time.
Too many people in the blue states write off the people in the red states as insensitive or dumb. I live in blue territory now and this is put in my face at least once a week. At the same time, I will maintain as I always have on this board that the hatemonger politicans and otherwise leaders in the south are bad representation for the good people there. Likewise for the north, but much less so.
Falcon also pointed out that a lot of progress was made in Cap's absence, along with some crippling setbacks. I think the point is that the US has become a lot more complicated because it had to, because that was justice, and everybody is still having a hard time with that. Both sides should try to have some patience.
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| Posted: 02 Oct 2006 18:50 |
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I don't I don't think race matters worth a hill of beans anymore. I think being tall or short matters more than anything.
I'd say in schools today the same old crap is going on that went on when I was a kid. The short skinny kid gets his butt kicked in everyday. The big guys make the rules.
In the adult world I think it boils down to can you perform your job. Yes or no.
Politics especially in the liberal ranks but also in the conservative crowd to some degree tries to seperate us into categories and pit us all against one another for political gain while telling us they are just trying to bring us all together.
So I say lets think outside the box and go back to the golden rule. "Treat others as you would have them treat you"
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| Posted: 09 Oct 2006 02:53 Last Edited By: Danny |
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I agree, the golden rule is very important for at least some people in a society to be practicing. You'll always have those who don't.
I also agree that for serious people, job performance is the measure of a person. Not much else is taken seriously past that.
It is hard to say however, that race does not matter. This is an extremely nuanced issue and I don't take the same position a 1970's liberal would. Times have changed to some degree.
It is still a fact, justified or not that Falcon was right about who gets picked up when they need a ride- black guy or white guy. This is more complicated than liberals or conservatives would have you believe. Jesse Jackson agreed he'd rather look back on a dark street and see a white man behind him. In another example, we fought to bring peace to the Balkans and we went for no reason to Iraq (other than oil, best I can tell), but we didn't do anything when people were slaughtered with machetes in Rwanda and we are ignoring muslim "islamofascist/terrorists" who are offing people left and right in Darfur. Why haven't we gone to Africa? America needs to ask itself that one before we congratulate ourselves too much on race.
The reasons for this are way more complex than the liberal/conservative agrument politicans have used to win votes off of this for centuries. Some is just human nature. People look out for those who look like them.
This may not be very PC, but there are some serious problems in the Black community and they don't need me to tell them so. These are mostly problems they are going to have to solve themselves, because the world unfortunately does not and likely cannot fix other people's problems. Thats as much as I feel I should say about it.
I've lived in some poor areas (as a tourist, I always knew I was more fortunate than these folks) and saw 5-10 year old kids there getting a pretty warped view of life. Is it their fault? No. Will they eventually be held accountable as adults for behavior they grew up thinking was normal? Yes.
The most I think we can offer people in the United States is as level of a playing field as possible regardless of color. Thats the best solution I think we could come up with to a complicated problem, educate as much as possible.
Of course, being tall or short does matter, but mostly it matters to short guys.
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| Posted: 09 Oct 2006 19:06 |
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Well being short matters mostly in high school when you got big jocks with nothing better to do than to flex their muscles to impress the chicks while dumping on the small guys.
I used to be one of the smaller guys. I'd like to think that most of those jocks are big fat beer belly types now. I took up weight lifting myself over the years. It'd be nice to go back in time to high school for a couple of days or two if I could keep my size I have now and my knowledge.
Education & money can help only so far. The black neighorhoods that suffer from crime need something the government can't give them.
If you educate a man and give him lots of money but his heart is wicked then all you have is an educated wealthy evil man who just became a lot more dangerous.
I know it's not necessarily popular to say, but the truth is, the Gospel of Christ is still the best solution to help a man's heart and life. Doesn't make him perfect, but a man without God is a man with no hope. I don't care if he owns the White House or the Taj Mahale. (Don't know if I spelled that right) 
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| Posted: 14 Oct 2006 07:37 Last Edited By: Danny |
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Actually education changes things a great deal. If you give a person a chance at success though legal means, then they will take advantage of it because that has become the rational choice. It is no fun operating outside the law and figuring you're going to be tossed in jail at any minute. But if you aren't given the opportunity to become "socially acceptable" then you're going to turn to a life of crime or dependence.
Our whole society is set up so you cannot function legally if you are poor. This is supposed to encourage people to work hard and it does to a large extent, but attempts to punish people through money seldom do anything but make poverty and crime worse.
For example: If someone can't afford car insurance then they can't make it to a job. If they can't make it to a job then they can't have car insurance. So they either sit around and find a way to collect, or they break the law. If they break the law, then they are jailed, fined and probably lose their job for not showing up. Suddenly they are poor again. Every time I've been to court I've seen guys in orange jumpsuits for driving without a liscense.
Education provides a way out of this loop. The more skills people have, the better equiped they will be to compete in an increasingly global economy. The better they will be able to vote to prevent politicans from selling the ground under their feet away. It encourages innovation and small business ownership. It exposes one to people different from oneself therefore discouraging xenophobia. I can see no way in which it does not benifit a person or a society.
Lots of black people have been helped by Afirmative Action programs and there is now a rising black middle class. Thats good progress. Now however, I think it is time to make these laws fair to everybody by extending afirmative action to people of all colors below the poverty line. My best friend would have been helped greatly by this. He managed to find friends and parents of friends who helped him work his way through school. His brother however, wasn't so lucky. While we were in college, he got a job at a local brewery. His wife went to school and began making more money than him and seeing life differently. He hung out with alcholoics and not suprisingly, became an alcoholic. He has been spiraling out of control since his late teens, was in a painful divorce and owes more money than he will ever pay back. He was such a talented guy, and we all looked up to him, but we pushed through school and he got trapped in poverty. Now we're worried about him living through it.
Religion is fine, but it is not a solution in itself. Most black and latino communities I've been in have a larger Christian following than white people do in their respective communities. It might help, but it doesn't stop drug abuse, gang activity, or dependence on the government. On the other hand, I've never been mugged by a college graduate or met a drug dealer with a college diploma on the wall.
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| Posted: 14 Oct 2006 17:51 |
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You won't get me arguing that education is worthless. That's not what I'm saying at all. I think it's very important. That's why I yell at my kid all the time for slacking at school.
But I think that God helps people get an education, or stay off the streets, or whatever. Education may be a tool that God uses, but it's God that uses it.
Education apart from God just makes a smarter criminal. Maybe they don't mug people, but you have heard of white collar crimes, right?
To put things in perspective, you can also have religion and not have God in your heart. Then you end up with a religious crook. Unfortunately, you can't put God in a test tube or a man's heart for that matter. The only indicator we have of a man's heart is by his actions.
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| Posted: 15 Oct 2006 02:28 |
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Okay, just so long as we're on the same page about the education part. If that goes, we're screwed.
Although I hardly think education is to blame and more than what a crook ate for breakfast, you are right, the white collar crime bit IS a problem. I overlooked that in my last post.
The biggest crooks are smart enough to turn our country's values on its head. Thats how we got "greed is good", "if the President does it, then it isn't illegal" and "It depends on what the meaning of is...is."
So I totally agree that this is where we as a society need to determine on a case by case basis, what is right and what is wrong. I think the words of Jesus are good for this, but I won't legislate them- my opinion is one of many in this country- so we usually arrive at a consensus.
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| Posted: 15 Oct 2006 22:03 |
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Well glory be, you agree with me. 
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| Posted: 21 Oct 2006 01:28 |
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I'm sorry for bringing up this 'race' issue. I'm basically complaining and pointing out how DULL Falcon has become ever since he was dropped from the Cap titles. Ultimate has him pointing out the 'lack of progress and some progress' doesn't really makes him stand out.
Falcon was introduced to the Cap books when Cap was going through what was many of 'What to do with Cap' time, as a way to update and bring Cap into the modern world of the 60s and 70s. He too was in that 'What to do with Falcon', until Englehart came aboard and built an unstable working relationship between Cap and Falc. He even stressed the hostilities Leila had with Cap, yet Falc wanted her, and created a divide of whites (Cap, Sharon, Fury, Muldoon) and blacks (Falc, Leila, Ralf, Falc's nephews and Harlem), and had stories of bigotry (the 50s Commie hating Cap), police corruption (Muldoon), Falcon's private campaign of busting jaws of local criminals (Stoneface). He even had an allegory of how Watergate effected Cap and friends. Now that was the time when the Falcon shined.
Nowadays, Marvel tried many ways to promote Falcon, from new costume, new powers, new attitude, ... but has been a hit and miss effect on Falcon. Hit like the recent Cap and Falcon book and miss like the new Ultimate look on Falcon (Other than he's black, he just doesn't 'stand' out from the 'take no prisoner, blow 'em all up Ultimate Cap.).
My suggestion, keep Falcon on a low appearance or support role for awhile, then bring him out with a new twist, like in the Avengers book, that led to the Cap and Falcon book, and put him back into limbo until next time.
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| Posted: 21 Oct 2006 20:25 |
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Maybe the Falcon just needs some personality. Maybe they need a book to explore what makes him tick, what motivates him, etc.
Since we are on the subject of the Falcon pulled this from wikipedia on the history of the character.
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The Falcon (Sam "Snap" Wilson) is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero created in 1969 who frequently teamed up with Captain America and later joined the Avengers.
The Falcon is one of the first African American superheroes. Since Marvel Comics' first black hero - The Black Panther - is an African native, the Falcon stands as Marvel's first African American hero, making his debut a few months prior to Luke Cage. He is also the first not to have the word "black" as part of his name.
The Falcon's deceased nephew was the Incredible Hulk's sometime sidekick Jim Wilson, one of the first openly HIV-positive Marvel characters.
Biography
Character history
The Falcon originated as a hoodlum known as "Snap" Wilson. One day, on the way to Rio de Janeiro, he crash-landed on Exile Island. There, he was found by the Red Skull, who used the Cosmic Cube to turn him into an ideal partner for Captain America as part of one of his schemes. They defeated the Skull, and the Falcon became Cap's partner for a long time.
In Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #8-9 (April - May, 1999), in a two-part retcon story set in his early career as Captain America's partner, the character briefly takes on the "Captain America" costume and identity.
Back in his "Falcon" name and costume, Wilson later receives help from the Black Panther who creates a harness for him which allowes him to fly. The Falcon ultimately left as Cap's partner when he was named the leader of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Super Agents.
Later, as one of the few black superheroes active, he was drafted to join the Avengers by Henry Peter Gyrich to fill a quota. Resenting being a "token," he quit at the first opportunity.
At one point, a Sentinel chased him believing him to be a mutant, but this was later debunked and the Sentinel is presumed to have been malfunctioning.
Recently, the insane Scarlet Witch accidentally destabilized the Falcon's mind, pushing him back towards his "Snap" persona, and while he continued to work with Captain America, their relationship became strained, until, finally, Cap felt that he had no choice but to stop working with him. While Falcon argued, a man who the "new" Falcon had forced from his home to use as a safehouse shot Cap in the back (while aiming at Falcon). Thinking Cap dead, Falcon cleaned himself up and went after the so-called "Anti-Cap," who had been causing problems for them both. When Cap recovered, he spent six weeks looking for the pair, but when he finally caught up with the "Anti-Cap," he was told that Falcon was dead by the AC's hand, before the AC himself committed suicide. Shortly after, Cap found Falcon's abandoned costume in a field, further implying the Falcon's death.
With nothing explaining his reappearance, he has been subsequently seen in House of M #1 on the way to Genosha, in Captain America (vol. 5) #12, and in Civil War #1 however. He has joined with Captain America against the Superhuman Registration Act, and, when Cap is incapacitated, temporarily assumes leadership of the "Secret Avengers" in Civil War #4.
Powers and tools
The Falcon's only super-power is his empathic link with his bird Redwing endowed by the Red Skull using the Cosmic Cube. Recently, the Falcon has been able to extend his empathic link to other birds making it possible for him see through their eyes, similar to Dar in The Beastmaster movie and television series. He seems able to use this power with any bird within a one-mile radius.
For a long time, he flew using a specially built harness that resembles wings. After its destruction, the Black Panther supplied him with a new harness with hard-light wings, which can be configured into several different modes.
Alternate reality versions
U.S. War Machine
In the Marvel MAX series U.S. War Machine, Falcon appeared alongside Captain America and Hawkeye; he and Hawkeye served as Captain America's backup and wore no costumes, only being addressed by their real names. In this reality, Captain America was actually Bucky wearing the Captain's uniform as here the Captain had died in World War II in his stead.
Ultimate Falcon
Promotional Cover to Ultimates Annual #2 featuring The Falcon and Captain America. Art by Mike Deodato Jr.Falcon appears in the mini-series Ultimate Nightmare, which takes place in the Ultimate Marvel continuity. Not much is known about the Ultimate version of Falcon, except that he appears to have an entirely different origin than the original Falcon, is a scientist, has served with or under General Nick Fury, and wears a pair of metal wings similar to the harness given to the original Falcon by Black Panther. This version appears to be an accomplished combatant, especially when using the sharp edge of the metal wings he wears as a weapon.
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| Posted: 19 Nov 2006 20:17 |
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In response to Vincent, I liked the new Ultimate Falcon as I do think he is more in touch with modern sentiments than the portrayal in the mainline Cap book. I submit for example the terrible attempt at bringing Falcon in for an issue while the Winter Soldier thing was unravelling. That issue wasn't worth the paper it was printed on.
The Falcon we saw in the recent Ultimates Annual at least had something to say and made some relevant points. He didn't look silly, and he got some interesting things out of Cap. I think this is more in keeping with the character of the 70's that you're talking about. We've only seen this guy for about 4 issues, scattered all over the Ulitmate Universe, so I hope we see more and that he has a chance to develop.
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| Posted: 20 Nov 2006 19:15 |
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I got Ultimates Annual # 2 in a 50 cent box the other day. It's pretty good. I was surprised to read Cap's statement in a modern comic. I really identified with that statement even though I've never lived in the 40's, of course.
"They (referring to his head and heart) tell me that when I talk about God as something real, people should understand not look away as if I'm crazy.
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| Posted: 21 Nov 2006 12:56 |
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Yeah, I thought that made for a very interesting Cap story. Its always good to give some attention to the differences between then and now for Cap. I thought that was well done here. It is how people actually argue. Not that I would know.
I just can't wait for Cap to say, "They elected people to the Presidency who subscribe to the economic policies of HOOVER??!! Its a MAD HOUSE! A MAAAD HOUSE!!!"
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| Posted: 21 Nov 2006 17:36 |
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What the hoover vacuum company?
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| Posted: 23 Nov 2006 14:24 |
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No, the guy who ran the economy into the ground.
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| Posted: 23 Nov 2006 18:22 |
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| Posted: 08 Dec 2006 15:44 |
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I'm glad Cap didn't use that N word, since he originated from a period where that word was okay, plus that period also hated asians.
But for me, who is just an info/entertainment-junkie, I'm overloaded with the angry/bitter Afican American characters, so this Ultimate Falcon didn't stand out too much because most of those messages he expressed have already been expressed before (Documentaries, news stories, comedians like Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, etc, Movies, Rappers).
As for the Falcon in Wikipedia, it's all infomation gathered after 20 years of stories and writing. Yes, the Falcon came after the Black Panther and had no 'Black' in his title, but back when Stan and company was putting together Cap stories to sell, he nor the writers and artists back then NEVER INTENDED FALCON TO BE A HOODLUM. He was a resident of Harlem who raised birds on the rooftops. He traveled to South America on business and fell in love with a Falcon bird and bought one so he can raise in America. The plane he was on crashed in the ocean and Sam found himself stranded on the Exile island. While there, he learned that the natives were being enslaved by those mercenaries who once worked for the Red Skull and decided to stay behind and rally the natives to fight back. Once the Exiles were defeated and the natives got their island back, Falcon returned to America and several issues later became Cap's partner.
This Hoodlum or 'Snap' Wilson background came up in Englehart's end run on the Cap books. After 5 years of Secret Empire, Watergate influenced-Cap no more, Nomad, Yellow Claw, Corrupt Police, Evil twin, Evil women, tie in with then-low-selling Xmen, Englehart thought he could shake up the Cap universe by having a betrayer, and revealed that it was the Red Skull who created the Falcon (He used the cosmic cube to change Snap to Sam Wilson, and made him that goody-goody rebel leader.).
So this Hoodlum/Snap Wilson was a gimmick to shake up and bring interests into Cap books. Back when I was reading these books, I thought this was a way to drop Falcon from the book and return Cap to the lone wolf ways, but Jack Kirby wanted to use Falc in his run, but eventually, he too got tired of Falcon (He didn't even draw the battle Falcon had with a mutant/monster bird). So, when Roy Thomas took over, he put Cap on a Quest, searching for info on who Steve Rogers was before he became Cap. It was then, that the Falcon was dropped from the book.
That mini series didn't sell well, a short side story in Gruenwald run of Cap just tried to return Falc to the good side (His father was a preacher who was killed in a gang fight and caused Sam to 'Snap' and become a hoodlum).
I'm guessing you just heard about the Falcon and was surprised by the treatment Geoff Johns did in the Avengers book (Which is pretty good), but you need to experience reading and evolution of these characters as they being published and the time and environment that influenced the stories. I was hoping others on this board might share his/her experiences of reading these stuff.
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| Posted: 08 Dec 2006 16:12 |
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Quote:
But for me, who is just an info/entertainment-junkie, I'm overloaded with the angry/bitter Afican American characters, so this Ultimate Falcon didn't stand out too much because most of those messages he expressed have already been expressed before (Documentaries, news stories, comedians like Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, etc, Movies, Rappers).
Yeah, I agree. That's been done to death. I'd like to see a black hero that isn't hung up on being black. Kind of like Mr. T. I know he's a little silly at times, but he's really a cool guy that seems intent on helping others. Watch his new show on TVland. He's always been big on kids drink your milk, go to school, respect parents, etc. Sort of like Captain America in some way, or at least they way I sort of imagine. Can't you see Cap telling kids to finish school and stay off drugs if he were a real guy.
On the other hand though for that particular story Cap needed someone of a different perspective to play off of.
But it would be cool to have a black superhero that represented all of America and not just the black community. But as soon as you make a hero like that everybody will say he's not real because he doesn't fit the typical angry stereo type. I'm sort of tired of angry superheroes to begin with. Where's the happy hero ready to serve his country. Enough of all the dark and gritty stuff. At least give more of a balance. Now every hero has to be dark and gritty even Superman seems a lot more serious than when I was a kid.
For some reason, I never got too excited about the Falcon as a regular character when he just made guest appearances it was neat then, but when he was there all the time it seemed boring.
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| Posted: 22 Dec 2006 13:40 |
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Thats just it. An average, ordinary character who dons a costume and fight crime doesn't cut it nowadays. They have to have something that makes he/she stands out. Usually with ethic minority characters, its either their royalty special (like the Black Panther, Namor, Inhumans, etc.), or they have some criminal background (Like Luke Cage, the Falcon).
Anyone remember BATTLESTAR? That's the African American sidekick to John Walker/Captain America (Gruenwald had to change the name from Bucky to Batt due to some complaints), No royalty, No crime background, .... Cool name, super strong, ... and he went on to work with Silver Sable and was hurt and imprisoned during the Civil War time.
In fact, look at Shang Chi, he had a comic that lasted over ten years, had a second run in a black and white magazine, but ended up as a support character in the current Heroes for Hire run.
I even thought Storm had enough support for an ongoing book.
What I always loved about Cap, is that he was an ordinary guy who became a Superhero (Like Nova), and all his buddies, Sharon, Bucky, Falcon, Dman, and even John Walker, were all ordinary people who became superheroes. (Yeah, I know, what about Tony Stark, Peter Parker, ... well, Tony's a super smart business man who became a corporate leader and Peter is a super teenage scientist who invented that web shooters.).
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| Posted: 22 Dec 2006 15:54 Last Edited By: Tim |
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The biggest thing about the Falcon is that I don't think I dig the whole wings thing. Hawkman has never really been a favorite of mine either.
Now, I liked Luke Cage and Iron Fist from the days of the Power Man and Iron Fist series. That was cool to have two superheroes get paid. It was kind of like a modern day western. They made the black guy, white guy buddy team cool before Miami Vice hit when every movie and TV show started copying the trend.
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| Posted: 23 Mar 2007 19:29 |
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I thought I'd give danny the answer he wanted...blaming Hoover is simplistic. A lot more went into the "greta depression" than Hoovers polices and it took a lot more to end it than Roosevelt (like WW2)....just a thought.
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| Posted: 24 Mar 2007 09:14 |
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Might you be referring to the presidents that preceded Hoover? The collapse of an increasingly gloablistic society in which wealth was extremely concentrated?
Right, but Hoover certainly didn't help. "Rugged individualism" turned out to be the antithesis of what carried us through WWII successfully. He was voted out accordingly.
Personally, I feel a well run war can be great for an economy. We saw this in the 90's. George H.W. Bush's success in Iraq, coupled with Clinton being able to keep the lid on the Middle East while conducting other successful foreign ventures, worked out well for us and the world.
Of course, we should be wary of war mongering for the sake of economies, as there were plenty of losers in WWII and only one real winner. Furthermore, policies that freeze capital in the hands of a few, as was the situation leading up to the depression, should be deemed as un-american as communism. Essentially, it was a time when the rich remained very rich and the poor were incredibly poor. The middle class created during Roosevelt's tenure is what we need to push for at all costs. This seems to have traditionally yielded the best results.
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