Dream (Super) Team

Forgive the wild and crazee speculation...

Many may not be aware of this, but DC Comics is in the process of re-booting their entire line.  That's right, decades of continuity tossed out the door in favor of a fresh start.  All characters and back stories have been re-imagined, starting over from scratch (and in the process wiggling out from under a lifetime of convoluted continuity).  Marvel Comics did something similar awhile back, creating an alternate line dubbed Ultimate Marvel for purposes of exploring how things might have gone differently.  Marketing ploy?  Definitely!  But also, an attempt to re-energize a creative world, make characters more fresh, experiment with ideas and styles.


But I've decided to let my own imagination run loose, picking and choosing from a variety of different sources my own dream team of superheroes!  Pure self indulgence!  I know!  But FUN!  So without further ado allow me to introduce the mighty Earthguard!

First, Nite Owl from the graphic novel and motion picture Watchmen.  Many who first saw this character in the movie trailer saw what one commentator called "a weak sauce Batman."  True, the overall look of this man harkens back to the Dark Knight, and in terms of fighting skills he's easily the equal of Bruce Wayne.  Likewise, he's a gadget man, but not as elaborately as the Caped Crusader.  In fact, Nite Owl began as a version of the Blue Beetle, which most obviously shows in his flying craft "Archie" (short for Achimedes).  Yet this hero evolved into very much himself, the son of a wealthy corporate lawyer with no interest in following in any parental footsteps.  Rather, he loved the world of myth, of legendary heroes and how they still live in us with our reaction to this world.  Case in point--the original Nite Owl!  Daniel Dreiberg had a serious case of hero worship with the beat cop who donned a mask in the 1930s to defend citizens from gangsters in the middle of the Great Depression.  When Hollis Mason, the first Nite Owl, unmasked himself and wrote his memoirs, Daniel found his calling.  Longing to live in an age of heroes, he decided to become one, taking on the mantle of a modern version.  Yet he remained, as one person put it, "the most human super hero," someone never quite sure of the answers (and thus less likely to commit atrocities in the name of an ideal).  His compassion and loyalty were never more shown than at the end of Watchmen, when he alone wept at the death of a his tormented almost-friend, the borderline sociopath Rorschach.

Second, Vampirella!  Her origins remain obscure, and in my own mind remain utterly mysterious (because the one given her at first frankly made not a lick of sense and has been ret-conned more than a couple of times).  Essentially, she is a vampire, but one without a past.  She cannot recall a time when she was not a vampire, yet her memories do not go that far back.  Certainly this world and its people seem alien to her.  Yet although instinct tells her to see us as nothing but food, she refused.  Desperately seeking to control her thirst, she makes it her task to combat and defeat several mystical forces of pure evil.  One of these is the dread demon CHAOS who plans to mate with Vampirella, allowing it to manifest in this world.  Another longtime foe is none of than Count Dracula!  Yet for all that, Vampirella in many ways remains a young woman just trying to get by.  Her "secret identity" is a magician's assistant to a faded but kindly old stage illusionist named Pendragon.  One can see the brilliant Nite Owl developing a blood substitute for her (as was done in the comics, predating True Blood by decades!)--the man of science fighting along side this lady of mystic mystery and menace,

Next up, Invincible from Image Comics.  A mere teenager, Mark Sebastian Grayson is also the son of Omni-Man, a member of a super-powered race who came to Earth and became one of the premiere heroes of the age, marrying in the process.  Then one day he murdered nearly every other member of the world's greatest super-powered team (pretty much identifiable as Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, etc.).  Turns out his people were preparing an invasion, with him as an advance scout.  But his son refused to accompany him offworld, vowing to defend his world from his father's people.  Talk about issues.  Talk about a burden!  Mark faces up to that challenge with a smartass attitude and an dogged determination to do the right thing.  Fortunately, he has the kind of powers that stand him in good stead as he slowly learns how to be a successful defender of humanity--hyperspeed, extreme strength, incredibly high endurance, and the power of flight.  Although the youngest member of the team by far, in terms of raw ability he is likely the single most powerful person not only among them but possibly on Earth.

Green Arrow from DC Comics began as essentially a retread of Batman--wealthy playboy who fights crime in his spare time.  Over time, though, that changed.  Methinks maybe the reason for that is mostly his motivation.  Unlike Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen suffered no childhood tragedy.  He had no issues to work out.  Rather, as his entire life shows, he was a born adventurer -- who happened to be an Olympic level archer (literally--he has gold medals).  He found his bliss, as it were, going out and fighting the good fight.  Along the way, he enjoyed quite a few non-masked adventures including a shipwreck and more than a few love affairs.  Methinks he holds the record for superhero with the most illegitimate children (be fair--upon finding them he generally tried his best to be a good dad).  An older man (he's probably the oldest person in this team, with the possible exception of Vampirella), his experience translates into cunning.  Green Arrow hardly ever uses 'stunt' arrows.  Doesn't need 'em!  Atypically, he also has a clear political agenda, being an advocate of the downtrodden with plenty of contempt aimed at the corrupt or simply callous of his own class.  He'd be something of a father figure for Invincible, as well as (to some extent) Nite Owl.  Maybe.  He'd love to flirt with Vampirella, but be ever ready to pierce her heart with a wooden shaft ... just in case.

Finally, I would include Storm of Marvel's The X-Men.  Several reasons, some technical.  One is that her powers make her unique -- essentially psychic control of the weather (coupled with skills learned as a thief in the streets of Cairo).  For another, she is what the others of this team are not--a natural Leader.  And she has points of connection (sometimes startling) with the other members.  For example, she too traveled the world and had many adventures before becoming a hero.  She has been homeless, a thief, a teacher, worshiped as a goddess, offered a throne, been bitten by Count Dracula and can personally take on almost anything inside the earth's atmosphere. 

This has been an exercise of the imagination.  I invite you to do as much--who would your supreme team of superheroes be?  I went after a balance of powers and story-telling potential.  You might prefer a different take.  Either way, enjoy!

THOR! (Review)

Spoilers ahoy!

Last night I took advantage of living in Los Angeles to see a sneak preview of the latest superhero flick Thor.  If you are enough of a geek to be following these things (and I am) then perhaps you already know that Marvel Comics is trying something rather cool.  Their superhero universe is a complex, interlocked place more grounded in the (so-called) real world than their chief rival, DC.  With the success of such films as Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk,  they began setting up a future project--a film about Marvel's premier superhero team, the Avengers.

Said Avengers movie should start filming any day now, with Joss Whedon at the helm.  Squee with me if you like.

Continued effort went into this film, making it part of a greater continuity.  We once again see SHIELD (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) agent Coulson, as well as a shout-out to the Hulk and a funny quip referencing Tony Stark.  More, we see another SHIELD operative named Barton whose weapon of choice is a compound bow and arrow.  There's also a fun little coda at the end, after the credits.

But how is the film itself?  First of all, it is fun.  Overdone action sequences are all too common in movies, lacking any balance with genuine peril and emotional connection to those involved (without which we don't care about any outcome).  Thor strikes an almost perfect balance--testimony to the directing skills of Kenneth Branaugh (whose Henry V remains one of my favorite Shakespeare films of all time).  The look stuns with its gorgeousness, especially an actual translation into physicality the often-outlandish designs iconic to the comic book's Asgard.  Loki (Tom Hiddleston) traditionally wears a particularly impressive and unrealistic outfit, with horns extending almost a yard in front of him--yet in the film this looks is recreated just enough.  We recognize it.  Yet it looks realistic.  No small feat.  Ditto the regal armor of Odin Allfather, Heimdall, the Destroyer and others.

Very importantly, good actors play all these roles.  Relative newcommer Chris Hemsworth plays the lead, and if he seems less accomplished or mature than Tony Stark or Bruce Banner--he is supposed to be.  Indeed that makes up much of the story.  As a great fighter and heir to the King, he behaves far too much like the star quarterback in high school.  Genuine qualities of courage and leadership mix with arrogance, impatience and a certain amount of greed.  He needs to grow up, and his father (played splendidly by Sir Anthony Hopkins) forces matters after his son almost single-handedly starts a war.  Stripped of his powers, and his enchanted weapon, Thor falls to Earth.  He soon hears his hammer fell not far away, but learns the hard way the truth of what his father said before hurling it after him--only one who is worthy may wield the hammer.  Unlike Excaliber, having the right genetics means nothing.  It all depends upon your character.

Thor himself is found by a scientist named Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), which makes for a nice updating.  In the comics she was a nurse.  Her function in the tale is as a guide to this stranger in a strange land, as well as a friend/love interest as he realizes how his own folly has led to this personal disaster.

Here frankly is also the film's greatest weakness.  For the whole middle of the story, Thor is supposed to be growing up--a lot--as well as falling in love.  One doesn't quite believe it.  Almost.  But not quite.  No complaints about the acting.  Hemsworth (looking rather like a more boyish, far less sinister Eric from True Blood) conveys a lot of personal shock, sometimes by doing nothing.  Not the easiest thing to pull off.  The pain in his eyes seems real.  But--the film seems to need a few more emotional beats to let that aspect of the story sink in.  Ditto the love story.  One senses an attraction, but we don't really believe these two have fallen in love (although the idea that they might do so feels totally right).

Please note, these are nuances.  What we see remains a riveting tale, with surprising twists throughout.  Again, very fine actors in all the roles, including the splendid Colm Feore as King of the Frost Giants (he's also now a regular on the cable series The Borgias).  Idris Elba does his usual wonderful job, in this case getting to play a character of great dignity.

But the real revelation is Loki--Thom Hiddleston's take on the God of Mischief proves refreshing beyond words.  One can safely say he steals the movie, mostly by successfully concealing his real intentions from virtually everyone--including the audience.  He makes for one of the most interesting and compelling "villains" in any superhero film yet--on par with (but nowhere near identical to)Heath Ledger's take on The Joker.

My bottom line--not quite as good as the first Iron Man.  Very close, though.