Superhero ABCs: The Finale

This is it. The final entry in my Superhero ABC's. It's been a long journey from the Avengers to X-Men...and for today's final explosive post, I give you the Y and Z to complete the superheroic alphabet.

Y is for Yellow.

Y was the most difficult letter to pin down for this entire "event." My options were very limited, and I considered doing something like "Young Justice," "youthfulness," or "Ymir" (frost giant from the Thor universe).

I didn't like any of those.

I ended up settling on "yellow." Trust me, it's not because I'm in love with Coldplay.

In the early days of Green Lantern (the Hal Jordan version), we learned that the hero had a certain weakness: his power ring would not work on anything yellow. This was a supremely stupid and, it seemed, arbitrary weakness. Okay, that's exactly what it was. It was such a stupid idea, in fact, that years later yellow was changed through the alchemy-like magic of retroactive continuity as being symbolic for fear. Still stupid, yes, but not quite as stupid. Sort of.

For my Superhero ABC's, yellow is the perfect representation of something many heroes have: a weakness. Many of our heroes have an Achilles heel. For Superman, it's Kryptonite (he's also vulnerable to magic). Martian Manhunter has an aversion to fire. Aquaman can't stay on land for too long. Batman's single-minded focus on stopping criminals can work against him (as it did in the "Knightfall" storyline when all of Arkham's inmates escaped; the Batman of the Nolanverse is often bruised and battered...with the character stating that "Batman has no limits"). Familial and personal relationships can also become weaknesses (which is the reason many heroes have secret identities).

And now for the grand finale...

Z is for Zeitgeist.

Superheroes and comic books capture the feel of an era. In the above picture, you see Captain America punching Hitler. Cap was a product of the rah-rah, "Go America!" era of World War II. He was consciously created to be a symbol of a greater, patriotic America.

The hero is a good illustration for this concept of zeitgeist. He began as pro-America propaganda, briefly became a Commie-smasher, abandoned his identity during the Watergate scandal (becoming Nomad, "man without a country"), confronted several prominent social and political themes in the 80s and 90s, and opposed the Superhuman Registration Act (itself a kind of stand in for a Patriot Act-era America).

Cap, of course, isn't the only hero to capture the essence of an era. Golden Age heroes harken back to a simpler, more black and white time. Silver Age heroes represent a goofier, more carefree era, while Bronze Age heroes tend to tackle darker subject matter and more complex sociopolitical themes. These are generalizations, of course, but they reflect the development of American society.

Previous Entries:

Z is for Zeitgeist
Y is for Yellow
X is for the X-Men
W is for Wolverine
V is for Villains
U is for Uniform
T is for The Tick
S is for Spider-Man
R is for Robin
Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter X

X is for X-Men.

Hot off the heels of Wolverine come the X-Men.

The X-Men are quite a bit different from other superteams like the Avengers or the Justice League of America. While the latter exist basically as excuses to throw a bunch of popular heroes together, the X-Men are a group of mutants hand-picked by Professor Xavier to prove to the world that mutants aren't the bad guys. So while the Avengers and JLA assemble to confront whatever evil is conjured for this week's Super Comic Event, the X-Men tend to serve as an allegory for human freedoms.

The parallels are definitely there in terms of race relations, anti-Semitism, and sexual orientation, with the characters' mutant traits standing in for other civil rights causes. Professor X has taken these disaffected members of society and tried to teach them to use their powers for the benefit of humanity. In turn, he hopes the X-Men will prove mutants are a benevolent force that humanity should embrace instead of shun.

The X-Men will certainly stop a random purse snatcher if they encounter one, but their real nemeses are intolerance and fellow mutants who believe mutant-kind is above humanity and should rule it.

Monday: The epic conclusion to my Superhero ABC's!

Previous Entries:

W is for Wolverine
V is for Villains
U is for Uniform
T is for The Tick
S is for Spider-Man
R is for Robin
Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter W

W is for Wolverine.

It's Wolverine.

What more do you want me to say?

He's one of the most popular characters in all of comic books. Sometimes they throw him in another character's book and slap him on the cover just to make a few extra sales. He's appeared in movies, cartoons, video games, and every conceivable piece of officially-licensed merchandise Marvel has ever created. He's a terrific character weighed down by his own popularity and Marvel's penchant for overexposure.

Still, he's the best there is at what he does...but what he does best isn't very nice.

And he's also worn several different costumes (Crimsonstreak's gonna kill me for that) throughout his storied tenure. Find out more about them here.

Tomorrow: They complement Wolverine, but he doesn't usually compliment them.

Previous Entries:

V is for Villains
U is for Uniform
T is for The Tick
S is for Spider-Man
R is for Robin
Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter V

V is for Villains.

Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

You may as well call that the First Law of Comic Books.

Heroes must have a purpose. Sometimes that purpose is fairly vague (stop crime). Most of the time that purpose is a little more specific (stop the Joker's bomb). Heroes and Villains are two sides of the same coin. How close to the edge does Batman come to being a villain? Under different circumstances, couldn't the Joker have chosen to turn his misfortune into something positive? (a stretch, that one, but you get my point)

Superheroes usually have an arch-nemesis...someone who mirrors them in some way (the movie Unbreakable has a nice deconstruction of this). A hero without a villain isn't very interesting (see the Green Lantern movie...who was the bad guy? Why should we care? Oh...what was that? You didn't?). Batman and the Joker embody a great hero-villain dynamic. Near the end of The Dark Knight, the Joker remarks:

You just couldn’t let me go could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible aren’t you? You won’t kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness, and I won’t kill you because you’re just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.

The Joker is an agent of chaos, the force Batman is fighting. In X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr have diametrically opposed views on the relationship between humans and mutants. Their philosophical differences create a rift that turns one into a hero (Professor X) and the other into a villain (Magneto). Superman stands for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" while Lex Luthor is willing to get his way through subterfuge, greed, and graft.

Let's admit one thing: Heroes can be bland. Their devotion to virtue and saving the day can become tiresome. Thus, we see the need for colorful villains to drive the story and give the hero tangible goals.

Tomorrow: Snikt!

Previous Entries:

U is for Uniform
T is for The Tick
S is for Spider-Man
R is for Robin
Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter U

U is for Uniform.

Super suit.

Crime-fighting gear.

Power suit.

Uniform.

Whatever you want to call it, don't call it a costume. The hero of my upcoming superhero novel I, Crimsonstreak is fairly adamant about this. To him, fighting crime is a birthright. It's a job. That means superheroism is something that must be taken seriously (or, at the very least, semi-seriously). Heroes don't wear costumes because "costumes" are for trick or treating.

Of course, Crimsonstreak sometimes takes himself a bit too seriously (and mostly on this point about costumes...er...uniforms). Still, every superhero has one. Some have simple masks, others ornate cowls. Some have capes, others (ahem...especially for female avengers) barely cover anything. Spandex is often employed, usually in bright colors. Others have strange pouches and contours. Many have some sort of symbol.

I think it's safe to say you're not really a comic book hero (or villain, I suppose) unless you wear some of goofy-looking uniform.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Tomorrow: Because a hero needs someone to play with.

Previous Entries:

T is for The Tick
S is for Spider-Man
R is for Robin
Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter T

T is for The Tick.

The Tick began as an underground sensation created by Ben Edlund for New England Comics. After growing in popularity, the "nigh invulnerable" hero hit TV as an animated series... and my life would never be the same. Seriously. I love The Tick. People who went to high school with me can attest to this fact. I quoted the TV show and watched deteriorating copies of the episodes taped on VHS. I made copies of these copies and gave them to a friend. I even wrote a version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" featuring the Tick and his poor sidekick Arthur.

The Tick remains one of my favorite comic creations, a buffoonish caricature of superheroes and comic book conventions. He lives in the nondescript city called the...er...The City. His sidekick is a former accountant who dresses up as a moth (and often gets mistaken for a rabbit, much to his consternation). One hero, Die Fledermaus, is a Batman parody, complete with his own Die Fledermaus signal (results are decidedly mixed: "Everytime we flash the Die Fledermaus signal, he disconnects his phone and leaves town for a week.")

It was, I believe, a cartoon that was ahead of its time. Had The Tick launched at a time when the Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, and Fox's Animation Domination enjoyed widespread appeal, perhaps he would've enjoyed the kind of continued, mainstream success he deserved.

SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

Tomorrow: Don't call it a costume.

Previous Entries:

S is for Spider-Man
R is for Robin
Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter S

S is for Spider-Man.

Spidey is one of the A-listers in the world of comics. His Uncle Ben gave us the famous phrase, "With great power comes great responsibility," a theme that's played over and over in comics.

His origin is equally famous: Nerdy Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider and gifted with extraordinary abilities. He has incredible agility, sticks to walls, and senses danger with his "Spidey sense." When Peter tries to make some cash on the side as a wrestler, he gets stiffed on money from the promoter. When the other man is robbed, Peter lets the thief walk away. The robber, in a bitter twist of fate, ends up killing Peter's Uncle Ben.

Paralyzed with guilt, Peter dedicates his life to living up to Uncle Ben's words, "With great power comes great responsibility." He didn't listen the first time, unfortunately, but he rises determined to right that wrong.

We've seen Spider-Man's face on practically every kind of product. He's given us two fantastic movies (and a supremely lackluster third film that gets thrown into the Vault of Movies that Never Happened). The 90s cartoon version remains one of my favorites (and it's streaming on Netflix!).

As an added bonus, I present to you a gift, this new Amazing Spider-Man trailer. If you can get past Andrew Garfield's hair, it's not too bad.



Monday: Spooooooooooooooooon!

Previous Entries:

R is for Robin
Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter R

R is for Robin.

As Batman's sidekick, Robin has a long and distinguished history. Okay, okay. Let's just call it a long history. There have been several different incarnations of Robin over the years. Dick Grayson's version is probably the most famous, Jason Todd's the most despised, and Tim Drake's the most analytical.

The sidekick trope is a frequent one in comics, though it seems that DC has had more sidekicks than Marvel. I say this anecdotally, of course, but when I think of DC sidekicks, Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Speedy come to mind. The only Marvel sidekick that immediately stands out is Bucky Barnes.

I think comic fans have a love-hate relationship with Robin. There are some good times (Burt Ward!), some bad times (Do you think Robin should die? Call the phone number!), and some tolerable ones (Tim Drake knows Batman's identity! Make HIM Robin!). Still, I think it's reassuring to know that the Dark Knight has someone watching his back, even if the kid can't legally drive.

Tomorrow: Does whatever a spider can. Yeah, this one's easy.

Previous Entries:

Q is for The Question
P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter Q

Q is for the Question.

The Question is a DC Comics character who got his start with Charlton Comics. In comic lore, he was famously one of the characters DC bought from fledgling Charlton in the 1980s (other acquisitions included Blue Beetle, Nightshade, Captain Atom, Peacemaker, and Thunderbolt). DC left it up to Alan Moore to direct the future of the heroes...he subsequently turned in an idea for an epic limited series in which some of the characters died.

DC wasn't a big fan of having its new acquisitions scuttled in such a quick and spectacular fashion, so Moore "reimagined" the Charlton Characters into the Watchmen characters we know today: Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, the Comedian, and Ozymandias.

The Question was an uncompromising vigilante who hid his identity with a faceless mask. He wore a trench coat and fedora to launch his campaign against evil. It seems, though, that the Question was more about fighting political intrigue than random thugs in the streets. The character's fingerprints are all over Rorschach; the fedora, the coat, the sense of facelessness, uncompromising political views.

Tomorrow: One thing Batman has that Superman doesn't. Unless you count Jimmy Olsen.

Previous Entries:

P is for The Punisher
O is for Origin Story
N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter O

O is for Origin Story.

Every journey has a beginning, they say, and superheroes are no different. We want to know how heroes got where they are, what compelled them to wage war on crime, and the circumstances leading to their incredible powers. All these little threads weave together to create an interesting hero (or at least we hope so).

The origin story has become such an integral part of comic book adaptations that nearly every comic book movie includes the origin story. Superman did it. Batman (1989) did it (and Bats did it again with Batman Begins). Spider-Man, Green Lantern, Fantastic Four, and Captain America were also origin stories.

There's a reason for this, of course. Part of it is because studios feel that audiences who aren't familiar with a certain character need to find out how that hero came to be. The other reason is that superheroes have some great origin stories.

-bitten by a radioactive spider
-doused by gamma rays
-sent from an alien planet to Earth
-gifted with a magical power ring
-inspired by the death of a parent

Tomorrow: An antihero still looking for a credible movie adaptation.

Previous Entries:

N is for Nite Owl
M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter N

N is for Nite Owl.

Watchmen is a seminal work in the world of superheroes, a deconstruction of character archetypes and a psychological examination of what causes a person to put on a mask and dispense justice. Perhaps the graphic novel is held up to a ridiculous standard of prestige, but there is no doubting its influential role in comics since its launch in 1986.

Nite Owl is a main character in the story, and he is a "legacy" hero. The first Nite Owl was part of a group called the Minutemen. He eventually revealed his identity as Hollis Mason and wrote an autobiography. Inspired by Mason, a man named Dan Dreiberg took up the mantle, becoming the second Nite Owl. Whereas Nite Owl I was a brawler, Dreiberg's Nite Owl II was a gadgets guy; a kind of amalgamation of Batman and the Blue Beetle. His idealism (especially in his younger days) is also reminiscent of Superman; his gawky/nerdy non-hero persona smacks of Clark Kent.

In the comic, Dreiberg manages to keep his identity secret in the wake of the Keene Act that outlawed masked heroes. Nite Owl is a reluctant associate of Rorschach (the two once worked together) and carries a flame for Silk Spectre II. The three heroes eventually unite to stop a mutual friend who is now the world's Big Bad.

Monday: Every hero has this story to tell.

Previous Entries:

M is for Metropolis
L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter M

M is for Metropolis.

Metropolis wraps up a completely unintentional "mini-streak" of Superman entries.

I don't really know much about the city itself other than it's the home of Superman and the Daily Planet. It's on this list to talk about one of the essential elements of superherodom.

Superman has Metropolis. Batman has Gotham City. Spider-Man has New York (So does Daredevil. And the Punisher. And the Fantastic Four. And Iron Man...). Green Lantern has Coast City. The Flash has Keystone City (or Central City, if you're talking about Barry Allen). The Tick has The City.

Superheroes often exist in heavily urban areas. This makes sense for a multitude of reasons. A lot happens in cities. Important media markets are in larger cities. Large cities have large populations, lots of real estate to protect, and high crime rates. It works. I get it, you get it. If a superhero patrolled the streets of my small Midwestern hometown, he or she wouldn't have much to do. Many Midwestern cities lack the "draw" of bigger cities for heroes. Heck, Superman left Smallville to go to Metropolis.

In many cases, cities become synonymous with different heroes. Gotham, for example, is a decaying, crumbling analogue for New York. Like Batman, it is dark and foreboding; twisted and complex. Metropolis is a "cleaner" vision of the city, a shining jewel that seems more hopeful, like the character of Superman himself. Of course, in world of The Tick, The City is simply a fairly nondescript location full of generic buildings and businesses. Considering there's not much going on upstairs for Big Blue, that fits just about right.

Tomorrow: There are two of him. Both are washed up heroes, but one is still young enough to try to save the day.

Previous Entries:

L is for Lois Lane
K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter L

L is for Lois Lane.

This list is mostly devoid of female characters, but that's the way it goes in the male-dominated world of comic books. That, thankfully, is starting to change a bit.

Lois Lane isn't a superhero, but she has an important role in the superhero world. Lois represents the archetypical comic book love interest; a point of reference for any comic writer.

Lois is often put in situations where she's the "damsel in distress," but the truth is she's one of the strongest, toughest characters in comics, a true intellectual equal for the Man of Steel. She's willful, sometimes brash, quick-witted, and stubborn, traits that both complement and conflict with Superman.

Like Superman, Lois has been portrayed in different ways and by different actresses over the years, but the character remains a constant in the Superman mythology, be it as a love interest or reporting rival to Clark Kent.

Tomorrow: In many ways, it's the opposite of Gotham City.

Previous Entries:

K is for Kal-El
J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter K

K is for Kal-El.

Casual fans know him better by his earth names, Superman/Clark Kent. Kal-El is the Kryptonian birth name of the Man of Steel. Really, I'm cheating on this one, using "K" for Superman to accommodate some other heroes on this list.

Superman is one of the highest-profile superheroes in my Superhero ABC's; his creation ushered in a new breed of comics and heroes. Often imitated but seldom topped, he's the embodiment of the "flights and tights" school of superherodom, a 1930s creation who has endured into the 21st century with the ideals of "truth, justice, and the American way." He embodies virtue and goodness, and can be a bit of a Boy Scout. Thanks to his upbringing in Kansas by his adoptive parents, he also brings a dose of Midwestern common sense.

Superman has given us one of the first truly great comic book movies (Richard Donner's iconic Superman from 1978) and a truly memorable "event" storyline (the Death of Superman saga from 1993).

The hero possesses numerous abilities, ranging from flight to super-strength, X-ray vision, and (in most cases) invulnerability. He is susceptible to magic attacks, but his biggest weakness is to Kryptonite, crystalline debris left over from the destruction of his home planet.

Tomorrow: Damsel in distress by default. Feisty by nature.

Previous Entries:

J is for J'onn J'onzz
I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter J

J is for J'onn J'onzz.

J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, has been a key part of the Justice League for several decades. The lone survivor of a Martian Holocaust, he was transported to earth following a lab accident involving an earth scientist. From a powers standpoint, he is quite versatile, displaying many of the same abilities as Superman while adding other talents like shape shifting, invisibility, and telepathy/telekinesis.

In the Justice League cartoon, Martian Manhunter is at the helm of the Watchtower, often providing operational support and information to other members of the League. Of course, he gets to mix it up every once in a while to show off his multiple abilities.

A widower, J'onn J'onzz has a significant weakness in his fear of fire. Over the years, this weakness has taken the form of a true physical threat (i.e., fire is deadly to Martians as a race) and psychological one (i.e., fire paralyzes the hero's ability to think and perform his duties due to fire-related psychological trauma).

Tomorrow: The Last Son of Krypton.

Previous Entries:

I is for Iron Man
H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter I

I is for Iron Man.

The ol' Shellhead is a Marvel Comics staple: a member of the Avengers, a talented scientist, a womanizer, and a drunk. I've always liked Iron Man, but the character didn't get the attention he truly deserved until the 2008 movie starring Robert Downey Jr. as a pitch-perfect Tony Stark/Iron Man. The sequel was a convoluted mess, but Downey is so good in that role!

Stark is a billionaire playboy and heir to his father's company, Stark Industries. His origin story has been tweaked over the years, but basically Stark gets injured and captured during a battle. As shrapnel races toward his heart, another captured scientist named Yinsen builds an electromagnet that keeps the shrapnel from piercing Stark's heart. Eventually the two men assemble a crude battle suit that allows Stark to escape.

Upon returning to civilization, Stark wages a war on those who would misuse his company's weapons. He fights against arch-enemies like the Mandarin, Titanium Man, and the Crimson Dynamo.

One thing I've always liked about Iron Man is his Hall of Armor, a vast collection of specialized armors designed for any conceivable situation. Iron Man's alternate suits include armors fit for duty in extreme environments like the arctic, underwater, and space. He also keeps a set of Hulkbuster armor around just in case he needs to, you know, fight the Hulk.

Monday: A survivor who's afraid of fire.

Previous Entries:

H is for the Human Bullet
G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter H

H is for Human Bullet.

Sometimes it seems like certain heroes are good for one thing and one thing only. I mean...Aquaman. Seriously. Iceman makes...ice. He's great when you need a snow cone. You get the point.

That's why I've always felt the Human Bullet is one of the greatest superhero parody characters of all time. I know it's a one-note gag, but it's a heckuva note. When danger lurks, the Human Bullet leaps into his cannon, and with the help of his son Fire Me Boy, he rockets into the sky to stop the threat. Of course, the Human Bullet usually slams into something inconsequential, but every once in a while he manages to help a little.

I sure hope the Tick appreciates this guy's dedication to his job. And you have to feel for his poor wife.

Tomorrow: It's killing him, but it's keeping him alive. He can be a bit of a teetotaler.

Previous Entries:

G is for Green Lantern
F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter G

G is for Green Lantern.

In brightest day, in blackest night
No evil shall escape my sight
Let those who worship evil's might
Beware my power... Green Lantern's light!

So, yeah, Green Lantern started out as a railroad engineer dressed in a predominantly red costume.

Years later, he would become Ryan Reynolds in a predominantly fake costume.

In all seriousness, I like the Green Lantern because the character shows us there's more "out there" than just earth. Sure, Superman is an alien, Martian Manhunter is an alien, but Green Lantern gives the DC Universe a certain sense of scope. The Corps is basically an intergalactic police/peacekeeping force where members deemed worthy of power rings patrol and protect different sectors.

The Lanterns have a great oath and a snazzy logo. There are thousands of members representing different races across the universe. Those who don power rings are limited only in their willpower and imagination in what the ring can do.

Tomorrow: Fire me, boy!

Previous Entries:

F is for the Flash
E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter F

F is for the Flash.

Ah, the Flash. This is a hero I've always enjoyed, a super-speedster with quick wits and a great super-suit. My first introduction to the character was the 1990s CBS show (yes, the one that featured Mark Hamill as a guest star villain). Subsequent Flash adventures included stints on the Justice League cartoon as well as Batman: Brave and the Bold. I also liked the incarnation of the character in the DC Justice League: New Frontier movie.

Super-speed is one of my favorite superpowers, and I'd be a complete lunatic if I tried to claim that the Flash didn't serve as an influence for my hero, Crimsonstreak. I wrote a fast-talking superhero who wears red. In my book, Crimsonstreak's the fastest being ever to exist. Even the character's name can be seen as a nod to the Flash's secondary moniker (the Scarlet Speedster). The characters have completely different backgrounds, but I definitely leaned on the Flash as an archetype for my character.

Tomorrow: In brightest day, in blackest night...

Previous Entries:

E is for Events
D is for Dr. Fate
C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers

Superhero ABCs: Letter D

D is for Doctor Fate.

I could've gone with Daredevil. Heck, I could've gone with Darkwing Duck.

Fact is, they're both more recognizable to non-comics fans than Dr. Fate. After all, Ben Affleck played Daredevil in a movie that did relatively well at the box office. Darkwing Duck had his own cartoon.

I picked Dr. Fate for a very specific reason. He represents heroes who weren't doused by gamma rays or bitten by a radioactive spider. He's no tech expert in a suit or armor; no scientifically-enhanced super soldier.

Dr. Fate represents a different side of the superhero continuum, and an important one at that. He embodies the magical, mystical side of comic books. The character's history is convoluted, but if you boil it down to its most basic parts, the Helm of Nabu endows the wearer with magical powers. This comes at a cost, of course, as Dr. Fate is a kind of amalgamation of the personalities of both the wearer and the source of the helmet's power, an ancient wizard named Nabu.

Dr. Fate is a powerful character, and my experience with him is mostly tied to his appearances in the Justice League cartoon series. I think he also made an appearance on Batman: Brave and the Bold as well. I found Dr. Fate to be an interesting character, and thought he had an interesting (if, as mentioned earlier, convoluted) history.

For the purposes of my Superhero ABC's, Dr. Fate stands in for those heroes who use magic. There are others who could've stood in. Captain Marvel, while very Superman-like, is also a magical character in many ways. You've got the magicians Zatara and Zatana. And then you've got Doctor Strange, Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme. To be honest, I almost went with Dr. Strange for this one, but I just like Dr. Fate a little bit more.

It was a close call, actually. A character in my novel, the Amazing Merrick, represents the magic wielders in I, Crimsonstreak. He's probably closer to Zatara than Fate or Strange. But Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum directly influenced the Batcave-like lair of another hero, the Crusading Comet. So when you step into the Sanctum Cometus, you'll know where the idea came from.

Monday: You can't sell a few comics without breaking Batman's back. Or killing Superman. Or pitting Iron Man against Captain America...

Previous Entries:

C is for Captain America
B is for Batman
A is for The Avengers