Starfire vs Toonfire

The adaptation of Teen Titans to TV had some rather interesting character changes. There are two in particular that I find interesting. Next post, I'll talk about Terra. Tonight though, maybe a few thoughts about Starfire vs "Toonfire".

It's really fun the way that they kept so much of he essential nature of the character, and yet made such a fundamentally huge change in the nature of the character. Starfire has always been an elemental character, a character who was always about her passion. I don't think it's an accident that her first true storyline had her kissing of Robin as such a key element of the story.

Now, on the other hand, Toonfire is equally passionate as Starfire, and seems to have much the same temper (view her fights with Blackfire, or Killer Moth's daughter). However, they took her and added a layer of deep naiveite. She feels her passion so strongly (and the ep where she bodyswitched with Raven shows it), but she's essentially an innocent. Sure, she has her goofy habits (keeping odd pets, celebrating Blorthog, and the like), but the character is just much more endearing in the end. I don't know, maybe it seems that underneath all that passion, Starfire's most essential emotion is anger, while Toonfire's is joy. That's probably unfair to Starfire, but that's the feeling I get from them.

JLU

Well, I've been quiet the last few days. Partially I've just been busy, but I've also been thinking/looking at some health issues. Never get diabetes, it's a bad thing.

Anyway, I imagine that tonight's JLU will be popular, but I found it a bit flat. As I've said before, I'm not someone who is incredibly into big big brawls. The fights play a role, but the story that's carried behind the fight is far more interesting.

That said, what story there was here was pretty superficial. Dinah and Helena are still at one another's throats, and they get dragged into Roulette's arena.

I guess the thing that bugged me the most was the ending. Why did the writers feel that they had have the ladies "prove themselves" with a two out of three falls match? If they'd ended by going out for a burger or something, it would have been far better. Still, seeing those two working together is a good thing. Too bad JLU is ending. This would be a good introduction to start setting up the true Birds. They just need Babs.

I really think that the Birds would be a very good place for WB's next animation (more so than the Legion). It would work well as something for the Adult Swim timeblock, and start off with a version of "The Killing Joke". Maybe interleave Babs' recovery with Dinah and Ollie's breakdown.

Oh well, I can dream I guess.

Power vs Wisdom

It's getting to be that awkward time of the month for me again. Since I get my books in a monthly box (that generally shows up midmonth), I'm well behind on things. I know there is a pretty major IC issue out there, so it's really hard to discuss things.

Now, I've read some interesting posts (Kasiedo, I'm looking at you), that are dealing with the different philosophical backgrounds of the two Supermen. However, unless it's something that's just popped up in since my last box, there's another question that hasn't really come up.

The two Supermen are discussing their different approaches to using their power, and their ways of dealing with crime and criminals. On the other hand, have they really gotten to the next step? Certainly, Superman has the power to do pretty much whatever he wants. However, does he have the wisdom? Do any of the metas have the wisdom to try to direct or shape society in the E-2 Superman manner? That's the other question that is lurking. Sure, Supes can pick up a planet, and Batman can use the pebble you just kicked to figure out that you jaywalked 13 years ago in Cleveland, but does that give them the wisdom to take a controlling role?

I'd imagine that will be one of the points that comes out in the resolution of the story, but it's the question that needs to be asked.

Turning Point: Black Reign

As my recent posts should have made obvious, I'm getting to be more and more interested in the "man on the street" aspect of comic books. There's lots of different directions you can do it. I really enjoyed the novelization of Kingdom Come which really fleshed out the preacher character well. In that book, one of the recurring themes was "what place do normal people have in a world of Olympian Gods?"

As I've said, I really think that looking at the DCU from that point of view, JSA: Black Reign should be an absolute turning point. While I prefer large universes to one or two books that define everything, this is a weakness. In the DCU (or MU), there are so many books that important, or even key, developments in one book can get "washed out." These are not only key developments in that one book, but also in the larger flow of the universe.

If you stop and think about it, there should be no way that Black Reign should not have been a "universe turner". Not only do you have a splinter group of the JSA going "rogue", but the JSA itself seems to be an "accomplice" to that. They went there, and they came back without finishing the job. It certainly would appear to the ordinary person that the Society is sympathetic to Black Adam (as opposed to the no-win situation they were in).

I really hope that Johns (or whoever is going to write JSA in the future) returns to Black Adam's situation. What kind of ruler is he going to be? In a sense, I can see him as an almost Dr. Doom type ruler. He'll do his best to develop the nation in a very paternalistic way. However, woe betide anyone who has a different vision of the country, even if it is a fair and valid one. Can you really see Adam allowing an election on any meaningful point? What will he do the first time someone asks to elect the dogcatcher?

Even more important, how has the world reacted? How will they continue to react? Are they screaming for Superman or someone to go in and "clean out" the baddies? Metahumans taking political power by force has got to be a recurring nightmare for political leaders. For that matter, it's entirely possible that some group like Checkmate could be ordered to "deal with" Adam. There's alot of potential there, not only for JSA, but for the entire DCU, and I really hope that they finally pick up on it and use it.

Oh wait, I forget. Earth-2 Superman is a better story.

*sigh*

Quixiotic Heros

A few days ago, I happened to hear the old standard "To Dream the Impossible Dream". For some reason, I decided to order the "Man of La Mancha" cd (original Broadway cast), and boy am I glad I did. While driving today, I listened to it no less than three times. Even better than the music is the story that's lurking in there.

Now, I'd seen the play many years ago, when a traveling troupe played it one night at my college. I'll be honest, I wasn't deeply impressed at the time. However, after listening closely to the music, and reading the story summary in the notes, I'm enthralled with it.

What struck me as I was driving home though was the way that some of the themes in the music are echoed in my favorite comic book heros. No, not that my favorite heros are all loons (though some might say that). It's that so many (not all, but many) of my heros are "Quixiotic" in a sense.

In the notes, it talked about the Don's way of "seeing the world as it should be, not as it is." That really resonated. I love heros who are deep seated idealists, who will not lose their ideals no matter how dark and ugly the world may get.

Heros like Captain Marvel.

Couldn't you see the big lug singing "Impossible Dream", especially the phrase "To fight for the right, without question or pause, to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause"

You can have your Punishers, Wolverines and Lobos, I want a hero that's more than a bit Quixiotic

The Common Man's perspective

You know what would be interesting? A book from the "common man's" perspective in either of the major comics universes. I don't mean a comic book. I mean, a book written as if it were meant to be sold in WayneBooks or the like.

The ordinary person would have such a strained perspective on things. Of course, even for us in this mundane, spandex free world, can have sudden destruction come down on us. However, in a super-hero universe, there's always that nagging fear that this will be the time that your house gets flattened by a hero recoiling from the villain of the week's punch, or indeed, far, far worse. What Gothamite doesn't live in secret fear of the Joker? Would there be an entire field of psychology for those afraid of running into a "costume?"

That's only the beginning of the questions. What place does a plain, ordinary accountant have in a world where Superman will buzz your officebuilding every morning at 8:58? Some of these things have been dealt with in one book or another, but to see how the normals would try to cope? The idea itself is just fascinating.