Showing posts with label Wolverine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wolverine. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

X-Men:Always Taking 'GAME ON' to the Next Level


Some combinations are just meant to be together. Such is the case of X-Men and Comic Books. The mutant team was created and released in 1963 by creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with Marvel Comics publishing.  It was to be an unstoppable force that is still going strong to this day!  

So much has been written about X-Men.  I am what would be called an X-men novice.  I have dipped my hands in the amazing worlds, however, if I were to even begin to go into great depths of explanation or get on a soapbox...I would be squashed by any well knowledgeable X-Men expert.  So alas, I will refer for those who know more than I. 


What is an X-Men? Simply a mutant or rather a human born with superhuman ability due to a factor in their genetic code.  The transformation does not happen until puberty. A dividing factor has been established between mutants vs. humans, or distrust and fear due to mutant abilities.  An additional conflict is amplified in the story lines between the mutants. Good vs. Evil.  Rather, using the abilities for good or evil, and taking the mutations of human evolution to the next level through scientific experimentation.  

Charles Xavier and Magneto are usually the protagonists in the mutant community.  Charles the wealthy mutant who has founded a school to house and protect and train young children just coming into their abilities, showing them how to use their powers for good against evil and world threats. As well as his one time friend Magneto, who has also lifted up an army called the Brotherhood of Mutants, who inflicts and causes anarchy and destruction against the X-men and mankind.  This is a ridiculously small synopsis.  For further information check out: X-Men Marvel Wiki


Jumping into the world of X-men can be confusing at best.  There are X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, New X-Men, X-Men Legacy,Ultimate X-Men, X-Factor, plus secondary titles and spin off titles featuring solo characters (example Wolverine First Class.)




X-men has filtered into many medias since its debut in comic books.  Many films,video games, online games, and television shows have been successful.  Action figures have been made of many of the characters from each of the medias.  X-men has been a profitable name and business. 

So, the question must be asked what has made X-men and its characters so popular over the years?  Every decade new characters have been introduced, however the original tried and true have stayed the same.
Beast
Cyclops
Iceman
Professor X
Archangel
Phoenix
Wolverine
Magneto
Kitty Pryde
Storm
Night Crawler
Colossus
...just to name a few.  

X-men started off as a well rounded story.  Something just a little different. A bit extreme but different. The characters actually got to know each other.  There was storytelling.  Teams consisted off characters from different ethnic groups and nationalities and stations in life.  Personalities and difficult pasts HAD to be addressed in order to work together. 

The X-Men, in my opinion, began what appeared to me a legitimate Super-Hero throw down era.  They showed that just because you had abilities it was not all "have your cake and eat it too" -it took training and effort and team work, or have your HUZZAH handed to you on a silver platter!  Basically, the fighting rocked! You could see their life flash before your eyes in a blaze of comic book panel color. This leads me to my next thought - good ole Wolverine.


Ahhhh, the days of Wolverine when he would fly off the handle and threaten to just destroy everyone - even his own team. You know the "Is it all about you? Oh I thought it was all about me!" syndrome that only Wolverine can pull off so well.  Who could not resist pages of Wolverine attitude.

Decade after decade X-men has hit the bulls eye.  Grabbing the readers.  Confusing the heck out of us for what is next in line to read- lets face it - sometimes we are all confused. Giving us new characters that blow us away and new fights like AvX that is mind boggling in a delightful multi dimensional way.  X-men is a staple in my comic book life.  However I join the ranks of I wish I knew more. For now I leave you some of the greats:

Scott: "What do you think we should call me? When I'm in costume, I mean."
Logan: "It ain't a costume, kid, it's a uniform. And how bout we call you 'that ridiculous polite Pollyanna who won't last a week.'" 
X-Men Evolution issue 2 

Northstar: [about Gambit] "A spicy Cajun dish with some seriously hot buns."
Uncanny X-Men 425


Wolverine: "Deadpool ain't it? Sorta rhymes with Dead Fool?" 
Deadpool: "Yeah-- like Wolverine rhymes with... Louver Screen? ... Hoover Spleen? Hey what the heck does it rhyme with?" 
Wolverine #88


"Speaking of gettin' things, Cyke -- Yer gonna be gettin' me a new bike! I lend ya mine fer one day and ya leave it parked in another dimension. So start raiding the cookie jar, bub, 'cause the lod Canucklehead's gotta have a set o' wheels!" 
 Wolverine, the Adventures of the X-Men #4



"You always know where the X-Men have been, because it's always on fire."
Pete Wisdom, Excalibur

"Finally, anyone wishing to complain to Mr. Logan about injuries sustained during yesterday's field expedition will, I'm afraid, be waisting his or her time." 
White Queen

"I'm a patient woman, but sometimes I wish all children had a single neck and I was knotting a rope around it!"
White Queen







Thursday, September 13, 2012

Favorite Superhero - or Do You Like To Breathe?



When I am asked the question, (innocently), "Who is your favorite Superhero?" 
I panic. I freeze with the fear of a 1000 blazing suns!
My eyes start to twitch and I feel a full system shutdown heading my way.  
I am not one to brag, but I have knowledge.
I know DC characters from Marvel characters.
I can name all the Thundercats, Voltron, Masters of the Universe, Transformers,TMNT and a good portion of GI Joe characters plus villains, not to mention a smattering of other swashbucklers.  So, the task of actually knowing a character and having the data to back it up should be easy. 
Alas, my brain goes to jelly. 

I have come to a couple of conclusions of why this physical comic meltdown seems to occur. Let me make it clear that all my conclusions could fit in a fanny pack and have not aided my dilemma. However, the train wreck in me says keep going...

My first conclusion is this, simply: When the word superhero is typed into google a plethora of hits come up. One exciting tidbit is: The Ultimate List of Superheroes and Villains by Comic Vine. There are literally thousands of superheroes and wonders of the universe listed on this fantastic page. 
Donald Duck is #5.
I do not know if I really need to expand on this much more, expect to say I do admire sassy attitude.

Another conclusion: picking favorites is so overrated.
If I was asked which do you like more, breathing or the use of your brain?  And then told to hurry and pick one! AAAAA...seriously?!?  There is just too much involved. 
There are times I would love to flip the off button for the ole' noggin, but I was never good at holding my breath for very long. 
And if I picked just one does that mean I am judged for still liking the other. 
"Nope sorry - You like breathing so today you have a LOBOTOMY scheduled!"
I guess in comparison, when I finally do come out with an answer and say, "ummm my favorite is well, oh gee, OK - I enjoy Daredevil"
Then I trot off to the comic book store and see said asker, and they see me buying a heaven forbid - Spiderman, Thor, Superman, Wolverine...it is pure confusion, head scratching, stammering - you get the drift. Can't a girl just love the universe? 

Now, getting to the nitty gritty of it all for me, why is it "Who is your favorite Superhero?", not "Who is your favorite Super Villain?" 
Dark Helmet in "Spaceballs" said it best, 

"Evil will always triumph because good is dumb." 

The way I look at it - villains are cool. 
Without our neighborhood villains there would be no need for Superheroes. 
As Vic the Publicist so eloquently states from "Mystery Men":


"VIC THE PUBLICIST: 
I think right now we should focus on the positive. Tonight was good.
CAPTAIN AMAZING: 
Yeah - you think so? 'Cause I was worried it was, um, I don't know... PATHETIC! "Amazing triumphs at a nursing home"? That's great copy, Vic.


VIC THE PUBLICIST: 
Look, I'm a publicist, not a magician. You want big news, you have to have big fights. A superhero needs a super villain. And thanks to you, we've got none left."


To sum it up, I have my favorites on certain days. I have the characters that make me laugh - ALWAYS.
Then there is the good ole' fashion dose of nostalgia and I will never be able to shake those tried and true characters from my bones.
(Note to self - have it written in my will to have He-Man and Lion-O buried with me.)
I have my femme-fatal side that rages true and strong and I consider that a class or category of its own! Then I have my all time favorite villains.
So I guess the question for ME is not, "Who is your favorite Superhero?" but rather "Who is your favorite comic character TODAY?!?"