Comic Book Goodness

We saw The Avengers yesterday. I was considering doing a full review, but why? It did so well this weekend, and promises to continue doing well for a such a long while, that virtually everyone will see it anyways, so what impact could my comments have? That being said, it was brilliant! Loved it! Just about every minute was awesome. There were a couple of spots that annoyed me, but nothing that detracted from the film. We saw it in 3D, but honestly, it would have been fine in 2D. The 3D was good, but not over-the-top. One other note; I am now completely sold on Mark Rufffalo as Bruce Banner.

Before that, Saturday was Free Comic Book Day. So, between my wife, my daughter and me, we got a good stack of free stuff, with only one duplicate (stupid Dark Horse, and their reversible double-issues). Of course the annual Atomic Robo issue is always a treat. The series itself is really cool, but the FCBD issues are self-contained, and don’t feel like they “require” you to continue reading (unlike the Marvel ones).

These two elements, combined with the fact that I have watched more than a few comic-based animated films on NetFlix recently, have me almost wanting to collect comics again. Which I’m well aware is the point of FCBD. However, comic books have become an investment these days. Used to be, you could collect a single title, or maybe a small handful, and get the complete story. But not so anymore. Now, with so many crossovers and over-arching storylines, you have to practically buy everything on the shelf to get the whole story. And I just can’t afford that.

This makes me wish that someone would start a comic book company with four-color superheroes, but in self-contained titles. If I want to read Amazing-Dude, I don’t want to have to also read The Avenging League, and all the members’ individual titles, just to get the whole story. I’d like to be able to read 3-4 titles a month and be happy. But, with so much digital media and everything else out there, such a business model no longer works for a medium that has remained in its current form, virtually unchanged, since the 60’s.

So, chances are, I will not be buying comics. Instead, I may start buying occasional graphic novels that collect individual issues together, and tell a complete story. Then I can pick and choose what I read.

Also, we need to see Marvel’s Hercules on the big screen. He needs an individual movie, and then be included in The Avengers 2. It won’t happen, though. The Avengers and all of the other current Marvel movies are highly tied to the “Ultimate” Universe of Marvel (which is why we have Sam Jackson as Nick Fury), and in that universe, there is no Hercules. So, if I want to see my favorite Olympian on the big screen, I will have to wait for a movie based on the mythology. Still, it would be cool to see Herc and Thor go at it like they do in the comics.

Anyone else have a comic book geek-out weekend?

Marvel Musings

Probably one of my favorite illustrations of Cap.
So iconic.

So, this weekend was the opening of Captain America. And I have yet to go see it.

Normally, when a big movie comes out, I am more than willing to forgo the crowds on opening weekend and wait a good week or two. But for this one, I am chomping at the bit. I have been waiting for this movie for over 20 years. I still get giddy when I see the trailers (which I periodically watch, just to get my temporary fix). And after seeing a low-quality pirate of the after-credits Avengers teaser, I almost want to cry. So, it’s with some great sadness and frustration (mainly due to financial hiccups) that I sit idly and await the time when I do get to see what is, for me personally, the ultimate superhero movie so far.

I have always been a Marvel fanboy. I mean, I loves me some DC; Batman and his family (particularly Nightwing), Superman, and Captain Marvel have always been cool characters. But there is something about the Marvel Universe that always pulls me in. And within that universe, Captain America has long been my favorite. That’s probably due to some really great writing in the 80’s. Particularly the story that introduced John Walker as Super Patriot, who then went on to take over as Cap, and Steve Rogers became The Captain…anyways, yeah. Big Cap fan here.

I’ve spent the last week watching all 26 episodes of season 1 of Disney DX’s The Avengers cartoon on NetFlix. It is amazing! The animation is pretty tight, the action is nice and fast, and the stories and characters are so well-done. They take familiar character traits and story elements, mix in some elements of the new wave of movies, and come up with a show that is both fresh and exciting for new fans and old alike. If you have NetFlix, and can stream instantly, I highly recommend them.

But, I have one gripe about the “new” Marvel. Editor in Chief Joe Quesada came out with an alternate universe a few years back in which to re-invent the iconic characters of the Marvel Universe. He called it the Ultimate Universe, and it’s still around and has a lot of followers and fans. For the most part, they did a lot of cool things. But one change is both cool, and disheartening at the same time. Nick Fury.

As a lark, they modeled the Ultimate Nick after Samuel L. Jackson, with his permission. I thought it was a cool idea, and worked for the Ultimate Universe. But, it became so popular, that it worked its way into the movies. And even in the Avengers cartoon, Nick is a black guy. Why does this bother me?


This is the Nick Fury
I grew up on.


Because Nick Fury is white. He is a hero of WWII, leader of the Howling Commandos, he was created before Captain America*, and later fought alongside him. Nick took an experimental serum, meant to try to replicate the Super Soldier serum that created Cap. It didn’t work quite right. All it managed to do was to slow Nick’s aging down. So, even though he is over 90 years old, he looks and fights like a man of 30-35 years. That was one of the things that made Nick so cool. He had a huge amount of experience, and provides a good bridge for Cap, who is a man out of time.

But now, that Nick is slowly being forgotten. I would wager that there are many fans who don’t even know about the original Nick Fury. And that saddens me a little. But, times change, and so do comic book characters (despite them not ever seeming to).  Still, he does get some play.  He is featured (in a different form) in recent issues of Steve Rogers (a spin-off series after Steve was "killed" and gave up being Cap...again).  But it's not really Nick Fury.  Not the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D.  And who knows, maybe I am missing something.  Admittedly, I don't read comics nearly as much as I used to.

All that being said, as long as they are writing and telling good stories with the new Fury, I’m ok with it. I still have the memories of my old Nick, and he will always have a place in my geeky little heart.

So, here I sit, looking at the Captain America action figure on my desk, and eagerly anticipating this weekend, when I can finally see a dream come true. I tell ya, I actually get a little lump in my throat when I think about how wonderful this movie will be.

*EDIT: According to the Marvel Wiki, his first appearance was in 1963.  However, in the continuity of the Marvel Universe, Nick was fighting Nazis in WWII before Steve Rogers became Captain America.  So, technically I'm at least half-right.