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Just Imagine YOU Creating The DC Universe (Comments Requested)
So, this month on Atop The Fourth Wall, Linkara is reviewing issues of Just Imagine Stan Lee, wherein the man himself, Stan Lee, gave his own takes on legendary figures in the DC Universe. Specifically, Linkara will be checking out Lee’s takes on Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash. Now, he’s already looked at Superman and Batman, and thus far, we’ve got a miss and a hit respectively. Still, even the miss had good ideas, albeit not executed that well, and while Superman came off as a jerk…well, a lot of Stan Lee characters come off as jerks initially, but then develop into better people (or don’t, in the case of Reed Richards and a few members of the X-Men).
Anyway, the point is, looking these over, it’s actually interesting to think of what these characters would be like if they were first put to paper by different people. Sure, we’ve all done alternate universe takes of characters (I’ve done several, actually), but they ultimately wind up bearing resemblance to their mainstream counterparts. What Stan did, though, as far as I can tell, was take the bare bones concepts of the characters (Superman being an immigrant from outer space, Batman being a crime fighter in a batsuit, etc.) from when they were first conceived and went his own way with them. Although, while I say that this isn’t meant to just be another Elseworlds version of them, the map shown in Grant Morrison’s The Multiversity reveals that the characters of Just Imagine are the heroes of Earth 6 of the current Multiverse, but it’s still a radically different take on the characters. So, with that in mind, I wanna ask everyone reading this to just imagine if YOU created the DC Universe. What if YOU were given these simple descriptions of heroes and the ideas behind them, and how would you develop them? No preconceived notions of the characters beyond those concepts, no previously used continuity, just those short descriptions, and maybe some concept art to go by and their civilian names (optional). For now, let’s go with probably the five most iconic of all DC heroes, who started in the Golden Age and are still going strong today: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Green Lantern.
- Superman: An immigrant from outer space with powers beyond human beings now having to live among humans.
- Batman: A wealthy man who is secretly a crime fighter wearing a dark, bat-like costume to scare criminals.
- Wonder Woman: A princess and emissary of a race of warrior women who wears bullet proof bracers.
- The Flash: A person (not necessarily a man, since many Flashes have been female) imbued with the power of superspeed.
- Green Lantern: A person (again, not necessarily a man) with a ring powered by a lantern that can conjure green constructs of anything the wearer can imagine.
And that’s all there is to it. Lemme know what you’d do with any of these heroes based on those basic concepts, or if there are any others you’d like to see added to this list. Ja né!
Jyger’s Favourite 5 – 5 Things I’d Like To See Added Or Changed By Next May In Marvel
Well, it’s the last day of May, so I guess that makes this the last blog post for Marvelous May. I wanna thank everybody that came to this blog to enjoy my first ever theme month. Will I do this again? Meh, maybe, if I feel up to it. Still, if I ever do Marvelous May again, here’s some things that I’d like to see different with Marvel Comics and other related properties by that point. As usual, this is in no particular order. And I’m not even gonna bother mentioning that Marvel Studios should make a deal with 20th Century Fox, since I said that once already today. lol So, let’s start off with a big one that I’ve been complaining about for a long time now…
I cannot be the only person bothered by this. In fact, I know for certain I’m not. I remember being so excited for AXIS, thinking “WOW, they finally did it. They’ve got a big crossover event between the Avengers and X-Men where the focus is on stopping the villain and not fighting each other.” And what happened by the end of it? Heroes fighting heroes. Guys, it’s been played out to DEATH. I’m not saying you can’t ever do it again, that’s stupid. Of course, when you’ve got so many heroes from different walks of life and with differing view points on philosophy, methods in the field, belief systems, etc., things are naturally gonna get heated from time to time. But for God’s sake, it’s like at LEAST every other event in Marvel eventually boils down to or is centered around the idea of heroes fighting heroes. I’m just saying, it’s a new universe following Secret Wars, it’s a clean slate, let’s try something different. Hell, I’ve even got one in mind…
Here’s my idea: Have Marvel Ultimate Alliance be an annual Summer-long mini-series. Each year, the most insane yet awesome set-ups and scenarios occur, requiring the team-up of heroes that aren’t generally seen together. Stuff like ten villains being merged together into a single entity wielding the Mandarin’s rings, or a sentient sun that goes around literally turning whole planets to ash, or the Infinity Gems becoming entities that are out of control. Just crazy stuff like that where we’d need team-ups between the Avengers, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, Fantastic 4, Inhumans, and so on. It’d be great, and it’d be about superheroes saving the day against incredible odds.
Look, I see nothing wrong with flawed heroes. It’s unrealistic to imagine heroes not having any kinds of problems, considering all they have to deal with, and frankly, it’s not interesting to read. But for God’s sake, there’s a difference between being flawed and just being plain unheroic. This is my problem with Hank Pym, Reed Richards, and modern-day Tony Stark and Scott Summers. They don’t act like heroes. Granted, right now, Tony kinda has an out where his moral compass has been inverted, but he was already kinda taking a dive to the dark side long before that, as I’ve documented before. Then there’s Cyclops, who willingly put the world in jeopardy to bring back the Phoenix, and then after doing horrible things while being possessed by it, has apparently decided in the set-up for Secret Wars to become the Phoenix AGAIN. I remember a while ago making a demotivator telling everyone to get over the fact that Cyclops was a villain, and then recently he decided to try to be a good guy again, and now he’s pulling this crap. Oh, and just saying this now, I don’t care what is done from here on out, I am NEVER accepting Namor as a superhero ever again. That was my ONE problem with A-Force #1, was when he showed up to help out. On top of everything else he’s done, he knowingly and willfully blew up a fucking planet, killing everyone on it. More than anyone else in the Illuminati, he is now unforgivable in my eyes. I would sooner read Tony as a hero than Namor. If you want these guys to be villains, FINE, make them villains. If nothing else, it makes their behaviour easier to understand. Do not, however, jerk us around with this crap by having them be heroes that do outright villainous things. It’s ANNOYING.
Okay, let’s get this outta the way right now: I’m very happy that Renew Your Vows features a Peter Parker that didn’t make the deal with Mephisto, is still married to Mary Jane, and has a daughter named Annie-Wait, Annie? What happened to Mayday? Also, REALLY, guys? You had a redheaded daughter that you decided to name ANNIE? And yes, I know MJ has an aunt named Anna, but come on. Regardless, even if this is a change that will continue into the new universe, the bigger problem is that the deal wouldn’t have been UNDONE, just forgotten about and tossed aside to where it’s never addressed again. What I would much rather like to see is the main Peter Parker learning of this one living in Battleworld, recalling the deal, and before Secret Wars is over (or perhaps after it as a sort of follow-up story), he tells Aunt May the truth about what he did, then decides to go see Mephisto and call off their deal, realizing what he gave up and how wrong it was. THAT would be undoing One More Day and the deal with Mephisto, and would set Peter back on the path of taking actual responsibility for his actions and growing into an adult with real adult problems requiring real adult solutions. Granted, I might also like to see him still running Parker Industries as best as he can at the same time. Plus, then we’d have a really good excuse/explanation for why him and Miles are both Spider-Man following Secret Wars, since both have so much in their lives that they need to balance. Actually, I’m pretty sure that last part is more or less what they’re gonna do regardless of if the deal is undone or Peter and MJ are married or not, but whatever, just saying there’s more drama and potential storytelling to be had there.
I like Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. I may have brought this up once or twice before. lol However, even if I didn’t, I can assure you, I would still hate its successor, Avengers Assemble. The writing is weaker, the choices of voice actors are kinda iffy, and whereas EMH started off with a team that paid tribute to the early days of the Avengers in the comics and then eventually added new members from various eras of the Marvel Universe, this team is pretty blatantly based off the movie team, with Falcon being added to basically be the viewer’s stand-in guy for the team. Kinda like Jubilee in the X-Men cartoon, where she was the new girl and was our eyes and ears in this world. Then Scott Lang joins, because he’s got a movie coming out, and do you see the problem? The quality of the show takes a backseat to advertising the movies. And I’m not saying they shouldn’t advertise the movies, just that we still need a quality show. What would be a MUCH better idea, in my opinion, is to have a show where all the new solo-movie heroes (Ant-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Spider-Man), along with some of the new Avengers that joined in Age of Ultron (Vision, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Falcon, and War Machine) team up, and bring back the writing team that did EMH. That way, you’re still advertising the movies, but you’re also doing something different and you’re making sure the writing is good enough to where people WANT to watch. I have NO idea who is watching this show or why… … …Also, just saying this while I’m on the subject, EMH has the best frigging superhero cartoon theme. Not kidding. Play that shit.
Anyway, that’s all I got for now. Got one I didn’t list? Leave it below, and we’ll see how things change between now and next May. In the meantime, as we close out Marvelous May, be sure to check in next month when I give my thoughts on DC’s Convergence, both good and bad, and where this is all hopefully going. Ja né!
A More Detailed Analysis of the All-New, All-Different Avengers
…So yeah, once again, we’re talking about the new Avengers team. And btw, if you’re looking at the cover for the Free Comic Book Day issue and NOT hearing the Avengers theme from the movie, you’re doing it wrong. lol But yeah, with the team scaled down to seven, it seems the members are selected both for being legacy heroes and for having a wide array of varying powers and abilities. And honestly, I think that’s a good move. So, let’s take a look at what each member brings to the table, and how they might relate to one another, starting with someone the team wouldn’t be complete without…
While the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, wasn’t one of the original five founding members of the team, the legacy of Captain America is such that it wouldn’t be Earth’s Mightiest Heroes without him. And let’s face it, folks, regardless of if this is permanent or not, regardless of if Steve will ever regain the supersoldier serum and his youth or not, Samuel Thomas Wilson has proven himself as worthy stand-in for the role. As such, him being in this team is a must. However, despite currently acting as a leader for the Mighty Avengers, he hasn’t really done so for very long, which could prove an issue when it comes to being a possible contender for leader of the All-New, All-Different Avengers.
In any case, Samuel is a master acrobat and aerialist, which he makes perfect use of with the wings carried over from his old Falcon persona. Also assisting him in the sky is his pet bird, Redwing, with whom he had a telepathic link to (though Redwing MAY have been killed in a recent issue of All-New Captain America). He’s also been trained by Steve Rogers in a number of different martial arts styles when action needs to be taken to the ground. His body has been taken to the peak human range, able to press about 480 pounds. And, as is a must for anyone carrying the name of the iconic hero, Sam also wields Captain America’s shield, which is made out of Vibranium and thus able to absorb immense kinetic energy, making it near-indestructible. After one of the few occasions where that near-indestructibility was tested a bit too much, though, the shield was rebuilt using the mystical metal, Uru, making it stronger than ever. If that metal sounds familiar…well, the next Avenger on this list wields a weapon made from the same stuff.
“Whomsoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor”. That WAS the inscription on Mjolnir, the mighty hammer wielded by the God of Thunder, Thor. However, recent events have led to the inscription reading “if SHE be worthy”. Personally, I would’ve gone with the less gender specific inscription of “if THEY be worthy”, especially since this isn’t the first time a woman’s held the hammer, but regardless, the point stands: The new Thor is a woman. We don’t know WHO yet, but whoever she is, she’s proven so talented with Mjolnir that even Thor Odinson has given her his blessing and his name. The only real problem she has going into joining the Avengers is that she appears a bit inexperienced as a team player. Despite this, she does appear heroic-minded, and is most certainly one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
As I said before, Thor wields Mjolnir, a weapon made by the dwarven blacksmiths Eitri, Brok, and Buri, who used the core of a star as the mold. The star later went supernova, almost destroying Earth, and may have been the resulting force for what killed the dinosaurs. In addition to being a weapon composed of Uru and possessing immeasurable strength and durability, it also comes complete with a number of abilities. Thus far, the female Thor has demonstrated that she’s gained superhuman strength and can lift 100 tons for sport, can channel electricity with or without the hammer in her grip, can survive the vacuum of space, possesses chronokinesis, is near-invulnerable, and possesses immunity to all Earthly diseases and infections. And, as the chosen wielder of Mjolnir, she is the only one who can lift it, can summon the hammer to her hand from anywhere, and by tossing it and holding onto the leather thong, she can use it to fly at the speed of sound. Also, this Thor apparently possesses finer control over the hammer while it’s in flight than Odinson, even from a long distance. This is likely due to her apparently higher levels of self-restraint, able to keep a tighter focus than the former God of Thunder in battle. She may literally take every aspect of the former Thor and improve upon them all. However, she also has the same weakness as the enchantments involving Don Blake and Eric Masterson: Prolonged separation from the hammer will cause her powers to slowly fade. In order to maintain her maximum potential, she has to remain in direct contact with Mjolnir. But, considering her mastery over the hammer in such a short amount of time, this is a relatively small weakness to have, as she may prove to be the single most powerful of the new Avengers team.
Here’s where there’s kind of a big question mark present. Granted, it wouldn’t be the only one on this team, but I’ll get to that. As readers of the current Marvel product know, Tony Stark was inverted in the event AXIS. Basically, he’s more or less a villain now, although how you could tell considering some of his behaviour over the past few years (starting Civil War, mind-wiping Captain America, etc.) is a bit in question. However, the Iron Man suit on the cover is clearly in the old school hot rod red and gold, as opposed to the chrome Superior Iron Man. So, either he’s been reverted to normal, which could lead to more than a bit of discomfort and mistrust on the team for various reasons, or Secret Wars has brought back an earlier Tony Stark, one who didn’t do any of the crap his more recent incarnation has been responsible for, which could lead to Superior Iron Man being the old school evil twin scenario…which could be interesting, honestly. Of course, one other possibility is that it’s not really Tony in the suit, which would fit the trend of the others being newer characters stepping into old shoes. Personally, I’m kinda hoping for Pepper, since then the gender ratio of the team would be a bit more even.
Regardless of who is in the suit, anyone who has read the comics or watched the movies has a decent idea of what to expect. Repulsor blasts, flight capability, enhanced strength, is airtight so he can survive underwater and in space, and will likely have a vast number of hidden weapons and equipment installed. And, assuming it IS Tony under the suit…well…
This is where the other question mark on the team is. Vision’s personality and overall sense of self can differ, depending on current programming on his brain patterns. And since I’m not reading Uncanny Avengers, I don’t really know much about his current persona. However, if it’s kept unique from past versions, it would help to contribute to the theme of this team: Recognizable names and costumes, new personalities/characters. Regardless, Vision has nonetheless proven time and again to be a key component to any Avengers team, and can work his way into any gathering of heroes easily enough.
Vision’s abilities have generally been pretty consistent, so we can expect him to have his hyper-intelligent brain, capable of analyzing and processing information at the speed of the world’s greatest super computer and possess superhuman reflexes, can absorb solar energy and release them as energy beams, and has the ability to alter his own density to fly, turn intangible, become hard as diamond, or lift anywhere from 50 to 90 tons. Also, he can adjust and alter his vocal processor, optical scanners, and audio tuners, and can even use holograms to make himself appear human. Despite this, he’s not invincible, as there are those in the Marvel Universe with superior strength and speed to his. And while his brain is extremely fast-working, he HAS been shown to be capable of being distracted, which can be a problem. Also, despite not being human, he was once shown to be knocked out by a drug………Yeah, not sure how that worked. o.O
Probably the member I’m least familiar with. I don’t really know much of anything about the Nova Corps, other than them being intergalactic police officers, keepers of the peace and upholders of justice. I do know that Samuel Alexander is a teenager, one of three on the new Avengers team, and has been an official member of the Avengers since December, though he’s on probation for going after Kluh (basically, think the Hulk, only even more powerful and rampaging……YEAH, seriously) alone. So yeah, he can be a bit headstrong, over-confident, and still has a bit to learn about being part of a team, but he’s got a good heart, and the potential to be a great Avenger. Also, apparently he was named after Jeph Loeb’s son, who died of bone cancer when he was only 17.
By putting on his helmet, Sam gains access to the Nova Force, a near-limitless source of energy. Different members of the Nova Corps can harness different levels of power from it, depending on their rank. As a centurion, Sam can lift up to 20 tons, possesses limited amounts of telekinesis, can fire concussive energy blasts in beam and sphere format, possesses a sort of cosmic awareness, can fly at seemingly physically impossible speeds, and can instantly translate any language to English, though he also knows some Spanish and Morse Code on his own. However, his strength and speed do have limitations, as proven in his fight with Kluh, who very nearly killed him, and has apparently left him suffering from a memory disorder, so that could be a problem for him.
The superheroine that I will not shut the fuck up about. XD So, I’ll make this quick: Kamala might be the newest and most inexperienced member of the team, which could lead to more than a bit of a problem, as is her HIGHLY over-protective family, but she’s a quick learner on the job, and has already proven herself time and again as a hero. And, because of a previous team-up she was a part of, I’m sure her and the last member on this team should work well together. Also, as an Inhuman, she can work well as an ambassador between the two groups, and I’m sure could likely call in support from a certain giant teleporting dog with superstrength that’s come to her aid more than once.
As one of two members of the team who can’t fly, Ms. Marvel nonetheless has no problem getting around. Given that she can alter her body to any size and shape that she wants, she could literally walk across whole city blocks in less than a minute. Of course, being able to shrink and grow to any size also makes her a nice stand-in for other size-changing Avengers like Ant-Man and Wasp, and being able to stretch out any body part means they won’t need to call in Mr. Fantastic anytime soon (thank goodness). She can even change her appearance to look like other people, meaning she could be a covert infiltrator if she wanted. Lastly, she has an accelerated healing factor, having once recovered relatively quickly from being shot. That said, this ability comes with a handicap, as she can’t use her other powers while healing, and the more she uses it, the less malleable her cells will be for a while, hindering her polymorphic powers, so she still needs to be careful on the job.
The last member of the All-New, All-Different Avengers, Miles is a member of the Ultimates. However, considering the rather bleak future of his world with Secret Wars rapidly approaching, it seems the Ultimate Spider-Man has managed to make it into the new Marvel Universe as a member of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Despite being one of the youngest Marvel heroes of all time, Miles has nonetheless proven himself as the replacement of his world’s Peter Parker, instilled with the same sense of responsibility and possessing a lot of the former Spidey’s creative and calculating mind.
Anyone who knows Spider-Man has a general idea of what to expect when it comes to Miles’ main abilities: He has superstrength, agility, durability, and reflexes. He can stick to and walk across walls by reversing his own electron attraction, and can swing from structure to structure using the web shooters worn on his wrists passed down to him from Peter. And, of course, he possesses the Spider Sense, which grants him omnipresent detection of his surroundings, and seems to have greater potential than even Peter’s due to the genetic enhancements done to the spider that bit him. However, despite this, he’s not as good at being able to recognize and respond to threats detected by the Spider Sense just yet, and while he’s picked up quite a bit of fighting skill just from watching tapes of his predecessor, he’s otherwise had no formal martial arts training. To counter-balance this, he has two abilities unique to himself: He can blend himself and his clothes into his surroundings as a form of invisibility, and he can use the Venom Blast, a paralyzing touch with varying levels of effectiveness on different opponents (apparently works best on opponents with genetic alterations to their body). As such, anyone who only has knowledge of the more well-known Spider-Man abilities can be caught off-guard in a fight with him, which is how he even managed to defeat the mainstream Peter Parker in a fight after their first encounter led to a bit of a misunderstanding.
Anyway, that’s the magnificent seven members of the All-New, All-Different Avengers. Got any thoughts or opinions on this team, or other heroes you’d maybe like to see join later on? Lemme know in the comments below, and let’s see how everything turns out on Free Comic Book Day. Ja né!
New Fanfic: Justice League Infinite + A Look At Infinite Batman
So, as I’ve announced on Twitter, I plan to do a Justice League fic soon. This will take place in an alternate universe where the Justice Society of America had existed since World War II, but collapsed near the end of the Cold War, and are currently not recognized by the American government as being on the right side of the law. As such, those heroes left in the wake of the JSA’s collapse operate as individuals, without any form of organization. However, that all changes when a threat from outer space brings several heroes together on a mission to save Earth from a creature that could enslave humanity.
Before I release the first chapter of this story, dubbed Justice League Infinite (and for those wondering, either my previous DC Comics-oriented fics will EVENTUALLY be retooled to fit into this ‘verse, or will just be kept around as examples of my older work, I honestly haven’t decided yet), I’ve decided to go ahead and give previews to each of the seven members of the team. So, let’s start with arguably the most popular superhero to date: Batman.
Bruce Terrance Wayne of this universe bears more than enough similarities to the more common version adapted for various movies, cartoons, and comics, though there are also several differences. We’ll go over the latter, since if you don’t know much about Batman’s history, personality, and skills, chances are that you’re probably not even reading this. From a personality standpoint, this Batman’s paranoia and standoffish behaviour are played up a bit more. He doesn’t trust the other Justice League members, and is unwilling to part with his secret identity, though he does show respect toward Wonder Woman due to her status as a royal diplomat. In his life as Bruce Wayne, he’s been shown to have both women AND men on his arm as dates, even though he actually doesn’t see himself getting into a meaningful relationship with anyone, regardless of gender.
In terms of history, this version of Bruce was born in 1981 and lost his parents at age 8. Without going into too much detail, he’s been active as the Dark Knight for 6-7 years (and if you’re getting the references with these dates, bravo to you, lol), although he’s only been confirmed to exist for the past 2-3, with most believing he was a myth. He’s also only recently taken on his first Robin: This universe’s version of Carrie Kelley, who, like in The Dark Knight Returns, came to Batman’s aid when he was near death one night, and has been undergoing rigorous training to prove herself as his partner. There’re a few other characters related to him that are drastically changed in this universe, but I’ll keep them a secret for now.
In terms of Infinite Batman’s skills and tech, the Caped Crusader still has his trademark detective skills and mastery of nearly every martial art known to man, as well as his intimidation, theatricality, and interrogation skills that allow him to appear superhuman, possibly even demonic, to the average thug. His Batsuit resembles the Justice League 3000 Batman’s costume, only darker and possessing violet-blue tones instead of red. In terms of what it can do, though, aside from the usual equipment of multi-purpose Batarangs, smoke pellets, and the Batclaw grapple gun, Bruce has built this suit as a means of stopping super-powered individuals if necessary, and has dubbed it ‘The Meta-Buster’. The paracape is thermal-shielded against ice and fire, though using it as such makes it nearly impossible to glide afterward. His gloves can generate varying levels of electricity to knock out foes or charge devices. There are also strength enhancers in the suit for combating foes with super-strength, though they burn out after a minute or two and require recharging. The cowl is connected to the Batcave computer, and the lens can grant him night, infrared, thermal, and even telescopic vision. Batman also has ultrasonic emitters that can summon bats or deafen enemies, and if the situation calls for it, it can seal Bruce off and provide him with oxygen to dive underwater or even survive the vacuum of space for a short time. All of this does come at a pretty big trade-off, though: The increased bulk of the Meta-Buster makes Batman a bit slower and less maneuverable, so anyone that can outpace him and is prepared for his various contingencies can easily subdue and disable him. And while it is, like most Batsuits, almost completely bullet and knife proof and insulated against electricity, it has its limits. If it takes too much of a pounding, the various added systems built into the Meta-Buster will shut down, leaving Bruce with a heavy armour no better equipped than some of his more traditional costumes.
Anyway, that’s all for the Dark Knight. Next time, we take a look at the Scarlet Speedster HERself, The Flash. Ja né!
My Own Answer To My DC Multiverse Questionnaire – The Heroes
So, as you saw in an earlier post of mine, a few days ago, I sent a number of people on Tumblr a sort of questionnaire, asking what they would do with their own world in the DC Multiverse. I guess with Multiversity being out (and being AWESOME, btw), with the possibility of the return or integration of the previous continuity on the horizon, and with other stories involving multiple universes being told in other books across DC and Marvel, it’s just really hitting me the mass potential that can exist in stories like these. But, just because I sent the questionnaire out in the first place does not mean that I am exempt from giving an answer myself. As I said before, I’ve done stories with my own take on the DCU, but that was more-so becoming my idealized versions of the characters. So, I guess this is how I would do my own world in the DC Universe, who would its heroes be, and who would its biggest villains be (besides alternate Earth villains or singular entity enemies like the Anti-Monitor or Darkseid). So, let’s start off with the Supers, shall we?
So, as you can see, I decided to go with some slightly unique Supers for mine. Basically, in this universe, Superman is actually John Henry Irons, though I suppose his Kryptonian name could be Val-Zod or Kalel. The reason I went with Irons, who we know as Steel in the main DCU, is because of all the individuals that tried to pick up the slack when Superman died fighting Doomsday (oh, I’m sorry, put into a ‘healing coma’…), Irons was the one who best represented who and what Superman was as a person. As for Supergirl, I’m thinking Cir-El, except instead of it being some massive and convoluted conspiracy by Brainiac, she’s just an ordinary human with Kryptonian DNA grafted onto her by Cadmus, and is taken on by John to learn to use her radical new powers safely and responsibly.
Batman in this universe is still Bruce Wayne, though I’m thinking he’d be changed a bit. For example, I think he’d use a bit more hi-tech body armour for his suit, something that protects him from Justice League level threats. Also, I’m thinking I MIGHT make him bisexual, since he’s the only DC hero I can think of that doesn’t get changes like that…and also, to stick it to that whole Seduction of the Innocent bullshit that happened back in the 40’s and 50’s. Also, I think I’d want Carrie Kelley as Robin, though her costume and gear would be more inspired by her Ame-Comi interpretation, and she would also likewise be the cousin of Barbara Gordon, and thus Jim Gordon‘s niece.
So, remember what theimancameron said about Diana and Mera being married and co-Queens of Themyscira and Atlantis? Well, here was my imagining: Orin and Hippolyta get tricked into a situation where they kill each other by Circe, and with Themyscira and Atlantis on the verge or war, Diana and Mera, not wanting anymore death, opt to get married, bridging the gap between the two lands and bringing their peoples together. Wonder Woman in this universe would have her standard abilities and equipment (the Lasso of Truth, super-strength, the bracers, though I think I’d want her to have a pegasus rather than have the ability to fly herself), but in addition to her compassion and knowledge of warfare, she would also be a master negotiator, opting to talk her way out of massive conflicts before they ever really occur, and is able to convince people not to resort to violence. As for Mera, her character would be pretty much the same (why mess with perfection, am I right?), as would her power-set, though she would mostly act as ruler of Themyscira and Atlantis in Diana’s absence, only joining her for missions of the utmost danger and mostly acting as a reserve for the Justice League.
As for the remainder of the Justice League, I’m thinking it would consist of Poison Ivy, Doctor Fate, a female Flash, and Green Lantern. Poison Ivy would more or less be like Greg Pak’s Storm (which, if you haven’t been reading, you NEED to), using her powers to help those in need and to hell with the consequences from whatever governments she interferes with in the process. Doctor Fate would probably be the New 52 version from Earth 2, Khalid Ben-Hassin, who is a man of Egyptian descent and finds the Helm of Nabu in a tomb. The female Flash would probably be inspired by Jesse Quick, in that she’s a very organized and goal-oriented heroine, with a bit of Kingdom Come’s version of Iris West as Kid Flash, in addition to actually taking over the role from her father, and perhaps a touch of Wally West, having initially served as Kid Flash and also being a bit jokey when the time calls for it. Finally, Green Lantern would be Simon Baz, who I really feel wasn’t given enough room to develop on his own, and could further explore his role as a hero in spite of being falsely accused of being a terrorist. As time went by, though, more heroes could be introduced, like Oracle, Cyborg, Vibe, Martian Manhunter, and maybe even the second generation Trinity of Power Girl, Huntress, and Fury.
So, that’s the heroes of my world, but what about the villains? Well, check back in soon to find out. Ja né!
Infinite DC – Who Is On The Justice League? (FEEDBACK REQUESTED)
So, as I’ve mentioned in the past, several of my Infinite DC fanfics are eventually leading up to a Justice League story, in particular the ending to Man of Tomorrow. Now, while the main plot of this story is pretty much decided in my head, one thing that keeps changing bit by bit is who I want on the Justice League. Five members I know for a fact will be on the team are Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Batman, and Green Lantern. The sixth slot will go to either Martian Manhunter or Cyborg, the seventh slot is still completely up in the air, and now I’m beginning to wonder if I really wanna do the standard Magnificent Seven with the group, or include an eighth slot for whoever didn’t get the sixth.
As you can see, I’m in need of feedback. Before you give it, though, let’s talk about the seventh member. The criteria for the hero that fills seventh slot is as follows:
- They have to be a woman. I don’t want Wonder Woman to be the ONLY superheroine on a team full of dudes.
- She cannot be a member of the Birds of Prey: Dark. Ergo, she can’t be Black Canary, Huntress, Raven, or Batwoman. There will EVENTUALLY be mingling between the two teams, just not yet.
- She cannot be part of the extended hero teams of the other members, so not Power Girl, Batgirl, Wonder Girl, Jesse Quick, or Miss Martian.
- She has to have some sort of power or ability that is unique to the team. So, no one who is just a strong woman who can fly.
Anyway, with that said, here are some of my most considered options for the seventh hero, as well as reasons why I might not choose each one. Keep in mind, I’m aware I could change the stuff that gives me pause to add them, but some of these things lend to possible stories I can tell later, so I don’t know that I’d want to change them.
Fire was one of my first choices, in fact the one I’d initially decided on, for a number of reasons: Her ability to turn into and control fire, her characterization being in stark contrast to Wonder Woman’s, her Brazilian heritage giving further international flavour to the team, and the fact that, while she’s served with extended versions of the Justice League and the JLI, she’s never really been on THE team of 7 or so heroes. This would give her a unique presence to the team. Reasons why I wouldn’t want to add her is generally due to the fact that she’s known nowadays for being a tag team of sorts with Ice, so having one on the team without the other might feel odd, and her name is sadly HORRIBLY generic, not to mention can be confusing when there are other heroes with ‘Fire’ in their name, like Starfire or Firestorm.
Hawkgirl was again another obvious choice, given her repeated presence on the Justice League (in particular being part of the Big 7 in the DCAU League), and her incredible strength in both armed and unarmed combat. Like with many things in Infinite DC, I’d want to make her a mixture of the more commonly known Hawkgirl and the Hawkgirl from the New 52‘s Earth 2. She’d probably wear the Earth 2 costume, but rather than wield a Nth metal mace or her crossbow blaster, I’d giver her an Nth metal crossbow blaster that turns into a mace. Why? Because mêlée weapons that turn into guns are awesome. Reasons why I might not add her is just how typical it would be, and an admitted temptation to have her be on the Birds of Prey: Dark instead.
Okay, I’m kinda breaking my own rules here, but I feel that Katana isn’t necessarily part of the Bat Family team, or is at least independent enough now that she could be a member. Heck, she IS a member of the Justice League of America in the comics these days, and she would bring international flavour to the team, along with that frigging badass sword. Reason why I would be hesitant to having her on the team is because she’s one of the DC characters who is probably a bit more prone to slashing people, which could conflict BAD with some of the others on the team.
Zatanna, because hey, the Justice League could use a little magic, right? Not to mention fishnet stockings. lol But yeah, Zatanna would be the magical expert of the team, wearing her usual stage-magician attire, and minus her relationship with assface, I-I mean Constantine. Reasons why I might be hesitant to let her into the Justice League are because, like Hawkgirl, I’m tempted to make her a member of the BoP (especially since she was a member of the Justice League Dark in the New 52, which is where Birds of Prey: Dark gets its name), and because having to write her spells backwards, while not the worst thing in the world, could be a bitch to spellcheck. XD
*GASP!* Mera and not Aquaman?! Can this be?! Well, I kind of have plans for Aquaman later on that require him to be off the team, but that doesn’t mean Mera absolutely cannot be on it. Her ability to control water, no matter where it is, would make her a major player in the Justice League, a team that I don’t think she’s ever formally joined, despite having worked with them several times. Oh, and to be clear, she would just be Mera. Not Aquawoman, not Water Woman, and the one I find most insulting, not Aquawife. Reasons why I might not include her is due to her trademark anger issues and shaky history with Wonder Woman.
So yeah, vote which of these women you’d like to see in my Justice League below. Or, if there’s one not listed who fits the criteria and who you’d like to suggest, feel free in the comments. Also, lemme know if you think Cyborg, Martian Manhunter, or BOTH should be members, and we’ll see what happens. Ja né!
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What I Bought Yesterday – Batman and Robin #24, Supergirl #24 (WARNING – SPOILERS)
So yesterday, I went to Heroes’ Beacon, got a couple of comics, and now I’m here to talk about…
First off, I should explain that I didn’t forget to talk about these books yesterday, it was just a matter of a couple of plot points in each book that I wasn’t really sure how to approach them. But, I think I’ve got it straightened out now, so let’s start with Supergirl #24.
So, what did I say during my look at Supergirl #23? “No, Supergirl isn’t really dead. Well, in the sense that even if she IS dead, chances are she’s got a Get Out Of Death Free Card of some sort coming to her next issue”. AND I said “She’ll be brought back to life, and that’ll lead to a three-way fight of sorts between Supergirl, Cyborg Superman, and Cyborg Superman’s creator, who is confirmed to be Brainiac“. Well, that’s pretty much what happened here. Zor-El decides to restore Kara, the result being that he becomes Cyborg Superman and having his memory wiped again. Also, to anyone who thinks that this is just a copy of Supergirl, you are…Well…Take it, Lex Luthor.
Apparently, her body was vaporized, but her consciousness was stored away in the I’Noxian Collective, such to the point that she managed to create a new body for herself using their tech before Zor-El is able to restore her, all the while telling his buddy to lie to him and Kara about what really happened when they both come out of the procedure. Basically, Cyborg Superman is left to believe Brainiac ruined the procedure to restore him to his original self, and when he faces Brainiac and his forces head-on, Supergirl and the I’Noxian Collective are able to escape. The I’Noxians tell Supergirl she should try to find her own happiness now that she’s been cured of the Kryptonite poison following what happened to her. So, what are my issues with this book? Well, for starters, we DID still have to see Supergirl horrifically vaporized to set this up, although you could argue after this issue that all it really succeeded in doing was pissing her off…A LOT. Still, was HORRIBLE to see. The other thing is that I’m skipping next issue, since it’s a tie-in to a crossover event that I’m not reading…which is sad, because apparently it’ll be the last issue written by Michael Alan Nelson. Also, while I will probably be buying Supergirl again afterwards, I AM a bit concerned for the next arc, as it apparently involves the new and Twilight-looking Lobo. *shivers*
Batman and Robin #24, or Batman and Two-Face, involves mob bosses getting together and deciding it’s time to ‘cleanse Gotham of the freaks’. So a red-haired woman named Erin McKillen, who is one of them, is called upon to draw out Two-Face. Why? Well, in the retconned history that is the New 52, apparently McKillen is the one that created Two-Face, having tied down Harvey Dent, murdered his wife, and then poured acid on his face with the intent to kill him…Okay, I don’t really MIND this origin for Two-Face, but I’m not really sure why they felt the need to change it from the original, other than just for the sake of changing it. Not much else to say about this angle, other than he finds out Erin’s in town, she escapes the cops when they come for her, but Batman apprehends her. The OTHER major plot point to bring up is that Bruce has insisted that Damian and Talia’s graves stay open, after Ra’s al Ghul took their bodies for some evil plot. Why? He wants the reminder of what Ra’s has done, because as soon as he takes care of the current situation involving Two-Face and the mob bosses, he’s coming for Ra’s al Ghul…which is interesting, because I’ve read previews for upcoming issues of Birds of Prey and Red Hood and the Outlaws, and it seems that both of those groups have some SERIOUS issues with Ra’s al Ghul in the future, too. I smell a crossover coming!…Joy. -_- Oh, no Carrie Kelley this week, but apparently, she plays a HUGE role in next week’s issue. My guess is, since we never really established much about her parents in any continuity she’s been in, McKillen is her mother or something.
So, not really bad books this week, but ones that were a bit odd in places. Check in next week, though, as we see Talon possibly team up with Batman to take on the Court of Owls. Ja né!
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Jyger’s Favourite 5 – 5 Favourite Scenes From Superhero Tales (WARNING – SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTING AHEAD)
Well, I WAS gonna save this for the 1 Year Anniversary of my own little brand of superheroes, but I got impatient, so I decided to go ahead with this now and do something different for the 1 Year Anniversary. If you haven’t been reading, Superhero Tales is a series of stories on DeviantArt for my own original superheroes and superheroines, from their perspectives as they go about their lives. There are characters like the Green Defender, a man who is infused with an advanced form of electricity called green voltage, Starslip, a teenage girl who can alter her molecular structure to turn intangible or harder than steel (and recently phased out of her closet), Zenith Woman, a stranded alien from a race of warrior women who protect the universe, and a group of heroes called The Hexagon, which teams Green Defender and Zenith Woman with four of the greatest superheroes in the world.
Now, since I like to keep a good sense of humour in the midst of an often-times tragic and scary world, naturally I tend to do so in my writing, and Superhero Tales is no different. And while I get that it can be somewhat egotistical to spend time laughing at my own shtick, sometimes I just write out something so ridiculous that I can’t help myself. Plus, let’s be honest, I’m no stranger to self-promoting, so why not here? So, with all that said, let’s take a look at five of my favourite scenes from my stories, and just so you know, SPOILERS for anyone who hasn’t been reading much of what has happened as of late.
#1 – Jack’s Prayer from The Hexagon #10
Jack’d is kind of an enigma. You never know exactly what he’s going to say or do in situations, he has powers that cannot be logically explained, and he has an irrational fear of monsters from outer space, which is odd for a guy who fights zombies on a regular basis. So, in this scene from The Hexagon #10, as they were fighting alien plant monsters called Botanical Aberrations while speeding around a city in a buggy, THIS was his reaction, as witnessed by The Bard from the back-seat.
“Dear Lord, I am aware of the fact that my powers are likely satanic in some way, shape, or form,” I hear Jack’d pray in the shotgun seat while hurling flash paper fireballs at the worms. “But if you could do me a favour and spare my life, I would be VERY much appreciative!”
There’s just something hilarious to me about a horrific-looking chaos mage praying to God in situations like this. Kinda dark, I guess, but funny nonetheless.
#2 – The AT4W References from Green Defender #4
Say, have I mentioned that I kinda like the show Atop The Fourth Wall? Okay, okay, put the weapons down! Yes, I’ve paid homage to my reviewer role-model, Linkara, and his comic book review show on a number of occasions…and naturally, in a series about superheroes, how could I possibly resist making a reference to him in Green Defender #4? Now, there were actually two in this particular chapter, but this one is my favourite.
It’s been two nights since the Greene murder as I weave between cars on the Emeraptor. The streets have been somewhat quiet, save for a break-in at a corner store and one moron who actually tried to pose as an internet celebrity and get free comic books for his ‘status’. I wouldn’t have even needed to get involved, but I was in the area, and the man was claiming to be armed. Not so much.
And for the record, I have yet to explain where that man purchased his not-so-magic gun. I’m saving that for a DVD exclusive. 😉
#3 – The Bard’s Disliking of Truth or Dare from Starslip #6
Okay, this one might not actually make a ton of sense as to why I find it particularly funny, but just bear with me as we look at this scenario play out before Starslip.
“Well actually, since we got more than two people…” Olette says with an almost evil smirk, pulling out an empty bottle.
“Oh no, NOT Truth or Dare!” Bard cries desperately.
“Oh, come now,” Maple replies, “it should be fun.”
“EVERYTIME I have EVER played Truth or Dare with you, you have dared me to do increasingly embarrassing acts,” Bard accuses. “First it was the hair dye, then it was wearing that horribly extravagant dress, then it was singing Never Gonna Give You Up at that bar when the people there were just BEGGING for an excuse for a fight to break out.”
“We escaped, didn’t we?” Maple reasons as both myself and Olette are ready to die laughing.
Now here’s the reason why: The Bard is actually based heavily off of N. Harmonik, who is also my spellchecker, and I know for a fact that she doesn’t like Truth or Dare fanfics. So yeah, that was actually meant to be a friendly joke directed at her…Also, at some point, I NEEDED to include a Rick Astley reference. It’s like a law.
#4 – The Flirt from Zenith Woman #2
…Y’know what, let’s just let the scene speak for itself, as a rather muscular-looking man hits on Zenith Woman while she’s in civilian disguise and going shopping with The Bard.
“Well, think your friend would mind if we went for a stroll?” the man suggests, and it’s at this point I notice his gaze is quite a bit lower than my face. “Maybe go for a bite to eat?”
“…Oh!” I say as I realise his intent. “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe we should be mating at all.”
The man blinks, looking flustered. “Wha-…wai-“
“It’s just, that sort of thing should only be done between two who share a strong bond,” I go on. “Also, while your muscles are a bit bulkier-looking than mine, I’m almost certain that, should we attempt to mate, I would likely break you, and I’m afraid I wouldn’t want that on my conscience.”
The man just looks at me oddly, stepping away slowly. “…A-Alright then…I’ll see you ’round…”
I watch as he leaves, confused, until I hear an odd sound coming from behind me. Turning, I see Robina standing a couple of feet away, and she appears to be trying to keep from laughing.
“…What?” I ask, befuddled.
“…Vyx, you have NO idea how awesome that was,” Robina says, tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she keeps from laughing harder.
There’s just something inherently funny to me about an alien girl interacting with dumbass human men. When you see it happening, you know it won’t end well and you likely know the punch-line to come, but you can’t look away! XD
#5 – The Defender Signal Suggestion from Green Defender #17
I’ve made it pretty clear in the past that Batman is my favourite superhero. As such, much of Green Defender was inspired by Batman. And if you’re wondering, here’s who else inspired him…
However, while I try not to make GD TOO much like Batman, there are some moments where I just can’t help but make tongue-and-cheek references to him, as seen here when he’s meeting Detective Catherine Summers on a rooftop.
I land softly on the roof. I’m about a minute late, but I felt the need to scope out the area to make sure this wasn’t a trap. Standing in the shadows of the roof entrance is Detective Summers, having a cigarette as she waits for me.
“Y’know those are bad for you,” I note as I walk over.
“I hear the same thing about having mass voltage running through your body, but you seem okay,” the Detective replies. “Besides, it’s an e-cigarette. I’m trying to quit.”
“Also, there are better ways to contact people than to stash cellphones in their pockets,” I go on.
“Well, what would you prefer, a giant spotlight with your symbol on it or something?” Summers inquires.
Thinking for a moment, I just shrug. “…Eh, too egotistical…”
And that’s my 5 Favourite Scenes From Superhero Tales. I hope you enjoyed this blatant attention-whoring, and by all means, leave a comment below what you thought, and if you like these, by all means check out Superhero Tales. Ja né!
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