tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post1580774970602115975..comments2024-03-27T19:04:14.544-05:00Comments on The Absorbascon: JLA HQ FORTNIGHT: A Tornado is a disaster, by the wayScipiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16217376618860561999noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-84948244072062200372011-12-21T15:35:12.639-05:002011-12-21T15:35:12.639-05:00I hear you, Dan. However...
I've never actua...I hear you, Dan. However...<br /><br />I've never actually heard anyone complain about Ollie's social activism.<br /><br />I have, however, heard them complain about his being a pompous, self-righteous, intolerant, and condescending jerk.<br /><br />The two things are <b>not</b> the same. Nor should they be.Scipiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217376618860561999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-23607280227063321782011-12-21T14:24:44.145-05:002011-12-21T14:24:44.145-05:00Green Arrow was utterly useless and pointless befo...Green Arrow was utterly useless and pointless before Denny O'Neil gave him a social conscience.<br /><br />I am bewildered by critics who complain about Olly's social activism...<br /><br />What is a superhero if not a social activist???? The complaint makes no sense at all. They're ALL social activists.<br /><br />And OF COURSE they're going to side with the downtrodden. What kind of hero defends the forces that BENEFIT from social injustice?Dannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-68511501304889875442011-12-20T15:56:46.698-05:002011-12-20T15:56:46.698-05:00Ronald: something is NOT better than nothing, when...Ronald: something is NOT better than nothing, when that something is "a crappy and irritating personality". <br /><br />Nathan: Indeed. But it almost seems like to easy a target. Of course, that's never stopped me before...Scipiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217376618860561999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-79832587198294456912011-12-20T07:10:40.462-05:002011-12-20T07:10:40.462-05:00PLEASE write more about Red Tornado. So many possi...PLEASE write more about Red Tornado. So many possibilities for critiques, songs, haiku contests ....Nathan Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05477802465452451455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-59994534594060602742011-12-18T22:32:52.523-05:002011-12-18T22:32:52.523-05:00Prior to his "jerk" personality, Green A...Prior to his "jerk" personality, Green Arrow, like many super-heroes dating back to the golden age, had pretty much no personality at all. So, you know, SOMETHING is better than NOTHING, right?Ronaldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-33343917636307604002011-12-18T17:37:10.958-05:002011-12-18T17:37:10.958-05:00Well, okay, I guess "need" might be a bi...Well, okay, I guess "need" might be a bit of an exaggeration. But I think "the Jerk" is a good character type to have around. Not all heroes are necessarily likable people, and even an arrogant blowhard can have an honest desire to help people. I like the idea of each major superhero having a different approach to heroism based on his or her personality, and I think Green Arrow's brand of heroism, such as it is, deserves representation.Imitorarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03789589943902054909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-31064685983301009752011-12-18T08:34:06.068-05:002011-12-18T08:34:06.068-05:00I heard that Green Arrow was the mouthpiece for a ...I heard that Green Arrow was the mouthpiece for a young sincere Denny O'Neil, who had a lot he wanted to get off his chest. I remember when I was young and sincere too; I could see everything that was wrong with the world, and could explain (in very imprecise terms) what is required to fix it all. It's an unfortunate property of youthful eyes.<br /><br />But Ollie's more aggravating traits can be moderated, and for the most part they have been over the years. It just so happens that every now and again he says or does something really aggravating and suddenly it's 1972 all over again.<br /><br />Ever read any early 80s "World's Finest" with Green Arrow backup stories? A staple of those stories was that Ollie Queen, newspaper columnist, would become aware of a human interest injustice, explore the matter, discover the corrupt forces behind it, and bring them to justice. It wasn't a bad formula. It took the best of O'Neil minus Ollie complaining about artifical Christmas trees.King Beauregardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04043228078537079759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-59016830453636897422011-12-18T03:02:16.585-05:002011-12-18T03:02:16.585-05:00SOMEBODY has to be The Offical Jackass of the DCU&...SOMEBODY has to be The Offical Jackass of the DCU"<br /><br />Do they?<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />I see no reason any of my heroes need to be jackasses.Scipiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12112155718721908876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-26301857555175720232011-12-18T00:53:52.222-05:002011-12-18T00:53:52.222-05:00I'd argue that O'Neil scored a hit with Gr...I'd argue that O'Neil scored a hit with Green Arrow. Yes, he turned him into a sanctimonious jackass, but SOMEBODY has to be The Offical Jackass of the DCU, and it might as well be Green Arrow. It's not like he was doing so well as The Official Low-Rent Batman Rip-Off of the DCU. At least after Hard Traveling Heroes he HAD a personality, even if it was an insufferable one.Imitorarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03789589943902054909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-12997546617760431332011-12-17T12:25:11.422-05:002011-12-17T12:25:11.422-05:00In case anyone's interested, Red Tornado's...In case anyone's interested, Red Tornado's more familiar look (with the yellow pinstriping) is not a paint job, it's a COSTUME that Black Canary made for him. That's right, Red Tornado wears a leotard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-4009587695579398372011-12-17T10:58:56.905-05:002011-12-17T10:58:56.905-05:00I have to admit, that Barry as a snail is just a t...I have to admit, that Barry as a snail is just a tiny bit hilarious.<br /><br />Bryan, in the cartoon, Reddy wasn't actually nearly as annoying as he is in the book...but that is simply due to the magnificence that is Batman: The Brave & the Bold. Everytime I READ about Red Tornado, I want to slap him.SallyPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05592635194271250605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-14563286902897392262011-12-17T09:43:20.131-05:002011-12-17T09:43:20.131-05:00The Red Tornado used to say "O Boy!" Wha...The Red Tornado used to say "O Boy!" What was that, a Quantum Leap crossover?<br /><br />Readers familiar with the story that had the mole/snail scene know that the magical arrows were being shot by Speedy (Roy Harper, Earth-Two), whom Circe had turned into a centaur. See, THAT'S what DC should have done instead of cutting off Roy's arm and killing his cute innocent daughter Lian, they should have turned him into a centaur. That'd have been pretty traumatic, right?Ronaldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-55254900265219837952011-12-17T09:31:05.976-05:002011-12-17T09:31:05.976-05:00Aw, Sally, don't be so mean. Did you see Reddy...Aw, Sally, don't be so mean. Did you see Reddy in Batman:The Brave and the Bold? Captured him perfectly (as they invariably did with goofy Silver Age concepts). A rather befuddled and odd academic, who doesn't really understand what's going on with these humans, but is trying hard. A Commander Data for the DC Unverse. That's the key -- don't try to make him human. USE his inhumanity.Bryan Lnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-24128769300892411962011-12-16T16:23:35.278-05:002011-12-16T16:23:35.278-05:00Argghh! I hate the robot Red Tornado almost as mu...Argghh! I hate the robot Red Tornado almost as much as I adore the Ma Hunkel Red Tornado! Thank goodness she finally got to hang out with the Justice Society!<br /><br />Seriously, she's just the Bee's Knees. "Reddy" on the other hand, is irritating beyond belief. And apparently incompetent to boot.SallyPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05592635194271250605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-3136744641038023292011-12-16T16:03:51.140-05:002011-12-16T16:03:51.140-05:00Scipio, what are your thoughts on the animated Red...Scipio, what are your thoughts on the animated Red Tornado's recent role as den mother for Young Justice? More generally, have you continued following the show lately? I think adding poor Captain Marvel as a wannabee member has worked out brilliantly, in one of those "I can't believe no one thought of this before" ways. <br /><br />I'm a 25 year old reader, I grew up reading Impulse and the Peter David Young Justice, but even my nostalgia doesn't override my preference for how the animated series is handling almost everything. The recent Tornado/T.O Morrow episode in particular was more emotionally satisfying than the messy 1990s "John Smith" Red Tornado plot arc that I don't think any comic writer was really interested in following through with. <br /><br />Reading the new 52 Teen Titans makes me wish DC had launched with a Young justice series. If you were writing/designing a YJ series, how would make it awesome?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-50233059046624678352011-12-16T11:48:42.533-05:002011-12-16T11:48:42.533-05:00Have a Fruit Pie, Bryan, LOL!Have a Fruit Pie, Bryan, LOL!Scipiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12112155718721908876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-8901000612193906122011-12-16T09:25:59.643-05:002011-12-16T09:25:59.643-05:00I loved that issue where Circe transformed Flash, ...I loved that issue where Circe transformed Flash, Tornado, and Zatanna. I bet I read the covers off that thing. And I'm still a sucker for JSA and JSA/JLA team-ups. I don't care how bad they are. There. I admitted it.Bryan Lnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-62471566283576736132011-12-16T08:52:42.977-05:002011-12-16T08:52:42.977-05:00I think Red Tornado's appearance in the first ...I think Red Tornado's appearance in the first JSA story was a smaller part of how the JSA encompassed nearly EVERY non-title-holding DC hero of the time; see, folks, even the "humor" character ALMOST made it in. Later, of course, another "humor" character, Johnny Thunder, would in fact make the cut.<br /><br />Just as a trivia point, when Prize Publications formed its one-shot nameless golden age super-team in Prize Comics #24 (1942), they actually DID include "humor" characters: The Corporal and The General, who apparently starred in a feature of what I would presume were no doubt at the time relatively amusing military hijinks.Ronaldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-1045321508412740672011-12-16T08:12:26.725-05:002011-12-16T08:12:26.725-05:00Yup. In person, Denny O'Neil has intelligence...Yup. In person, Denny O'Neil has intelligence, wit, and an astonishing amount of personal charm. Unfortunately, on paper, those mostly act as personal bodyguards to protect his horrible heavy-handed writing, with its randomized plots, painfully unnatural dialog, and character mangling.Scipiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12112155718721908876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11737441.post-6337574547077707522011-12-16T07:55:51.911-05:002011-12-16T07:55:51.911-05:00This is all Denny O'Neil's doing, isn'...This is all Denny O'Neil's doing, isn't it?<br /><br />I give the guy credit for trying to fix what was wrong with DC, but there were more misses than hits.<br /><br />Superman: drop his power levels, make him immune to kryptonite (hit but quickly rolled past the foul line)<br /><br />Wonder Woman: depower her and make her a martial artist (which I contend COULD have worked if writers hadn't treated her like she was "broken") (miss)<br /><br />Batman: made him awesome (big, big hit)<br /><br />Green Lantern: troubled social conscience (miss)<br /><br />Green Arrow: irritatingly hippie-esque (miss)King Beauregardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04043228078537079759noreply@blogger.com