It seems like we may have discussed this before, but I've always thought Doctor Mid-Nite was one of the coolest comic concepts ever. Besides having one of the best outfits of Golden Age characters, he was comics first handicapped super-hero, and actually has one of the most interesting secret identities in all comics. The cynical, skeptical Charles McNider, who professes to not even believe in the mysterious Doctor Mid-Nite, could really be the comic equivalent of House. And he has an awesome pet sidekick in Hooty!
Seriously, the more I think about it, the more it seems like the good Doc should be a superstar, rather than being relegated to being a relatively obscure JSA stalwart.
What other concepts do you think should be far more popular than they are?
Posted by Set on :
Right there with you on Dr. Midnight. I have a weakness for those two-fisted 'gimmick' steet level heroes of the 50s and 60s who were mostly brawlers with one 'trick' of some sort to even the odds (like blackout bombs, or a sleep gas gun).
Dr. Midnight, IMO, is a more interesting character than Daredevil, and yet Daredevil has generally had far more critical success.
I'm occasionally puzzled by how difficult it seems to be to make a character like Aquaman (or Namor, or Wonder Woman, or the Inhumans) that has their own unique land / realm / setting work in a shared universe. We can read Conan stories, or Warlord stories, set in character-specific settings, but something about a shared-universe character seems to always result in an unsatisfying attempt to tell stories that try to straddle those two 'worlds' and ends up failing to be a good Atlantis story, *and* fails to be a good Aquaman/Namor/whatever story.
In theory, Aquaman should be as able as Conan to deliver strong stories set in a vibrant and character-specific setting, but that so rarely seems to be the case.
Posted by lancesrealm on :
Naked Amazons riding kangaroos.
I'd buy it.
Posted by MLLASH on :
EDE for a Dr. Mid-Nite series!
Challengers of the Unknown *should* be a success... I still think it would make a great film.
"Real" people, no powers... having fantastic adventures and fighting weird menaces...
NO WEIRD, DIFFERENT CAST.
All we need is Red, Rocky, Ace, Prof, June and Corrina Stark.
I copy/pasted this from Wikipedia... loved the Loeb/Sale miniseries...
The Challengers returned in a limited series, Challengers of the Unknown vol. 2 (1991), by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale. It ran eight issues and was reprinted in trade paperback as Challengers of the Unknown Must Die! (2004). Loeb hoped for a monthly title, and planned at least a second limited series, to reset the Challs to youth and heroism,[citation needed] but neither volume materialized. Posted by Dev Em on :
Sleepwalker by Marvel. That thing should have been great. Not with what they did with it...but think about the possibilities of a comic that can be anything from page to page, since it would mostly be in a dream world.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by Set: In theory, Aquaman should be as able as Conan to deliver strong stories set in a vibrant and character-specific setting, but that so rarely seems to be the case.
Yeah, Aquaman was one of the characters I thought of when I started the thread and was curious if anyone would mention.
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH:
Challengers of the Unknown *should* be a success... I still think it would make a great film.
"Real" people, no powers... having fantastic adventures and fighting weird menaces...
Interestingly, I've been fooling around lately with the idea of a group kind of inspired by the Challengers, at least in the sense of being in the same basic extraordinary ordinary people having fantastic adventures genre. It's something I might work on if I ever have the time to try my hand at writing a novel or something.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I agree about Dr. Mid-Nite. I sometimes wonder if fans and editors being so focused on the JSA as a franchise is a hinderance in getting solo adventures of many of the members off the ground again.
Dr. Mid-Nite and Wildcat (with heavy boxing element as in the 40's) are two examples of that. They are certainly unique.
Another one I think should be highly successful, even today, is Tomahawk. There is no other comic book franchise like it--it's Davey Crockett taken to the next level. The mythos of Dan Hunter, Miss Liberty, King Gorilla (that's not the right name, I'm forgetting it) also just makes it so much more than a period piece.
Posted by Pov on :
quote:Originally posted by lancesrealm: Naked Amazons riding kangaroos.
I'd buy it.
I'd DRAW it. Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
We could probably name a lot of "team characters who could be successful solo characters if they weren't always thought of as team characters". I always think of Cyborg as being in this category.
I've never read any Tomahawk, but it certainly sounds intriguing!
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
Captain Marvel/Shazam and Plastic Man come to mind as former A-list characters!
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
In addition to Cyborg, Starfire has huge potential to be a big star. Both are unique characters in their own way that could find a niche audience.
Certainly Shazam and Plastic Man. The problem is DC keeps screwing them up, especially the former by making it more 'adult' and being embarrassed by the rich mythology because it's so young reader oriented.
Posted by Dev Em on :
With regards to SHAZAM/Capt Marvel. I really loved teh tone of Jeff Smith's take on the characters. Using the whimsy of the concepts in a different way.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
Yeah, DC's screwed things up with Captain Marvel and Plas so bad it's not even funny. I wonder what Dynamite could do if it had rights to those guys?
Firestorm seemed like such a major character when I was a kid. DC really messed things up with him somewhere along the line.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
It's interesting--we've just been talking about how the really high quality of Dynamite's Green Hornet: Year One and Zorro has been helped by Dynamite focusing on the facets of what made the characters so great in the first place (and they do the same with Jon Carter of Mars and the Lone Ranger). Meanwhile, DC has spent decades being embarrassed by or ignoring the histories of Captain Marvel, Plastic Man and numerous other properties and forcing those characters to change to fit the 'modern DCU' (both in continuity and tone in all of the last 3 decades).
I'd love if another comic book company got control of those franchises (even permanently) and had a shot to do them right.
Posted by MLLASH on :
Another concept with serious movie potential:
ANGEL & THE APE. Have thought this for YEARS.
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
As far as Teams go I always thought the Global Guardians could have been huge if given the right creative team!
Posted by profh0011 on :
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: It's interesting--we've just been talking about how the really high quality of Dynamite's Green Hornet: Year One and Zorro has been helped by Dynamite focusing on the facets of what made the characters so great in the first place (and they do the same with Jon Carter of Mars and the Lone Ranger). Meanwhile, DC has spent decades being embarrassed by or ignoring the histories of Captain Marvel, Plastic Man and numerous other properties and forcing those characters to change to fit the 'modern DCU' (both in continuity and tone in all of the last 3 decades).
I'd love if another comic book company got control of those franchises (even permanently) and had a shot to do them right.
And there you see the problem with trying to fit everything into one single "shared" universe...
Posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire on :
[ January 27, 2012, 12:24 AM: Message edited by: Lone Wolf Legionnaire ]
Posted by Set on :
quote:Originally posted by Lone Wolf Legionnaire: As far as Teams go I always thought the Global Guardians could have been huge if given the right creative team!
Oh heck yeah.
Tuatara, able to glimpse into the future and the past, could be a Ravager level hand to hand fighter (or Threeboot Dreamy), *and* view into the past of a crime scene to be a ridiculously good detective.
Bushmaster is 'Batman with a different animal theme.'
Olympian is ridiculously powerful and versatile, since a dozen of the Argonauts had 'super-powers,' and the other couple dozen were legendary warriors and kings.
Jack O'Lantern is pretty much an even more supernatural / mystical version of Alan Scott.
Dr. Mist *oozes* potential, since he's actually created super-people in the past, empowered by his mystic gems.
It's kind of a crime that Icemaiden (as Ice) and Green Fire (as Fire) are the only members of this group to break out of the 'foreign heroes' ghetto.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
I've been thinking about Air Wave recently, and came up with the idea that it might be cool if he were actually the Hal Jordan of Earth-2.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I actually really like it. Would he still be a district attorney (with same Hal attitude?). Maybe assistant DA, and Carol is his boss?
Posted by Set on :
Air Wave was cool (the one who turned to energy and flew around, before Monica Rambeau made it cool. The roller skating on electrical wires? Not so much!). Was Crisis on Infinite Earths the last time anyone saw him?
Posted by Dev - Em on :
I think he showed up in one of the later Crisis series as well.
Posted by Dev - Em on :
Infinite Crisis, and he showed up in Blackest Night...not in a good way though.
Posted by Fanfic Lady on :
I've always felt Crystal (of the Inhumans and, briefly but memorably, the Avengers) would make a great solo star, especially if Marvel could get a creator like Phil Jimenez behind the project.
She's a princess AND she commands all four elements in an ass-kicking way (when she's written right, which she hasn't been since 1994.) Potential wide-ranging crossover demographics there, Marvel.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: I actually really like it. Would he still be a district attorney (with same Hal attitude?). Maybe assistant DA, and Carol is his boss?
Love this idea!
The original Air Wave was basically a master of the advanced technology of radio! He had all sort of gadgets that let him do fancy stuff with radio waves, like project his voice into any metal object and stuff.
I'm thinking the reimagined Air Wave would combine elements of the two characters, with an array of powers linked to wireless communications, but not reliant on gadgets. I'm thinking he could access the internet in his head, for instance.
Posted by Set on :
quote:Originally posted by Fanfic Lady: I've always felt Crystal (of the Inhumans and, briefly but memorably, the Avengers) would make a great solo star, especially if Marvel could get a creator like Phil Jimenez behind the project.
Agreed. Crystal's got a great powerset, and doesn't annoy me nearly as much as Harmonia Li.
I like that she's got a strong power, and yet, unlike the Scarlet Witch or Sersi or Jean Grey, it's a pretty well-defined powerset, and is less likely to get written as out of control or a deus ex machina (that ends up having to be written completely out of the comic, because the writers are having trouble using her).
Similarly, a Gorgon/Karnak 'buddy comedy' sort of mini-series could be awesome (they've got a bickery vibe very reminiscent of the antics of Power Man & Iron Fist or Hercules & Amadeus Cho).
IMO, far, far too much of Inhuman appearances seem to revolve around the Black Bolt & Medusa show, guest-starring 'those other people.'
Posted by Fanfic Lady on :
quote:Originally posted by Set: Agreed. Crystal's got a great powerset, and doesn't annoy me nearly as much as Harmonia Li.
Ha. Based on this and other comments here at Legion World, I'm so glad I dropped the Levitz Mark III version of LSH before Harmonia took center stage.
quote:Originally posted by Set: I like that she's got a strong power, and yet, unlike the Scarlet Witch or Sersi or Jean Grey, it's a pretty well-defined powerset, and is less likely to get written as out of control or a deus ex machina (that ends up having to be written completely out of the comic, because the writers are having trouble using her).
Exactly. For example, Crystal would be at least fairly vulnerable in synthetic environments. Could provide milage for the nature vs. technology debate.
Posted by Dave Hackett on :
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: I agree about Dr. Mid-Nite. I sometimes wonder if fans and editors being so focused on the JSA as a franchise is a hinderance in getting solo adventures of many of the members off the ground again.
Dr. Mid-Nite and Wildcat (with heavy boxing element as in the 40's) are two examples of that. They are certainly unique.
Another one I think should be highly successful, even today, is Tomahawk. There is no other comic book franchise like it--it's Davey Crockett taken to the next level. The mythos of Dan Hunter, Miss Liberty, King Gorilla (that's not the right name, I'm forgetting it) also just makes it so much more than a period piece.
I really wished they'd followed up on the over-the-top but brilliant Wagner Dr. Mid-Night mini. Johns certainly picked up the character in JSA, but he completely changed the characterisation. I really dug the aloof, hard-nosed, aristocratic Wagner version of Pieter Cross to the more vanilla nice guy that Johns gave us.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
Me too.
That was a fantastic story by Wagner. The Doc that followed in JSA was pretty good but never reached the potential Wagner set up with the mini.
Posted by Power Boy on :
quote:Originally posted by Fanfic Lady:
quote:Originally posted by Set: Agreed. Crystal's got a great powerset, and doesn't annoy me nearly as much as Harmonia Li.
Ha. Based on this and other comments here at Legion World, I'm so glad I dropped the Levitz Mark III version of LSH before Harmonia took center stage.
quote:Originally posted by Set: I like that she's got a strong power, and yet, unlike the Scarlet Witch or Sersi or Jean Grey, it's a pretty well-defined powerset, and is less likely to get written as out of control or a deus ex machina (that ends up having to be written completely out of the comic, because the writers are having trouble using her).
Exactly. For example, Crystal would be at least fairly vulnerable in synthetic environments. Could provide milage for the nature vs. technology debate.
I really enjoyed the 'Ultimate Crystal' I think IIRC she was only in a special issue or annual of Ultimate Fantastic Four but she was written really well ... as a thrill seeker, and kinda like a rebellious younger royal princess would be ... taking off from the moon to explore Earth and her relatives come back and get her, Johnny Storm falls in love with her but ... at the end of the day she's like ... it was fun but I'm staying with the Inhumans.
Posted by Fanfic Lady on :
Peebs, I did read that story, and all I can say is, I'm going to politely disagree on Ultimate Crystal.
I think 616 Crystal still needs to see her day of glory. She came so close during the Harras/Epting era of Avengers. There's unfinished business.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
So, I just came across this incredibly cool one-shot Golden Age strip that I wanted to share.
Harvey's Scarlet Nemesis and Black Orchid
So Rocky Ford and Judy Allen are partners in a private detective agency. But, unknown to one another, each has a secret identity! By night, Rock operates as the Scarlet Nemesis, and Judy assumes the role of Black Orchid! They frequently team-up in pursuit of criminals, but due to an agreement between them, they refuse to try to learn one another's true identities.
Their one story is pretty mediocre, but this strikes me as really groovy setup for a comic. The key would be to strike the right notes as to the differences between their relationship as Rocky and June and their relationship as the Scarlet Nemesis and the Black Orchid.
Posted by Power Boy on :
Green Flame ... with black hair ... It was black in her debut with the JLI. More Brunette beauties!
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
quote:Originally posted by Power Boy: Green Flame ... with black hair ... It was black in her debut with the JLI. More Brunette beauties!
As. i recall, it was green in her hero ID in her actual debut in Super Friends, but black in her secret ID.
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