Superman Through the Ages! Forum

The Superman Family! => Captain Marvel => Topic started by: TELLE on April 26, 2007, 06:46:54 PM



Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: TELLE on April 26, 2007, 06:46:54 PM
Administrator's note: This thread contains posts merged in from The Secret of 52 Revealed! (http://superman.nu/smf/index.php?topic=3503.0)

This summarizes many of the problems I have with current Dc comics.  At least someone else agrees with me that superhero comics are in their decadent phase.  Taken one way, the new version of Mr Mind is wrong-headed, needlessly "retro-continuous", and just plain ugly.  Taken another, it's very similar to what Moore did to Mxy in 1986.

courtesy today's journalista:

http://tcj.com/journalista/?p=343

 
Quote
As we all know by now, one of the hallmarks of Superhero Decadence is the reimagining of former beloved characters from children’s comics in order to make them more acceptable to bored 30-year-old kidults. This week’s victim is Captain Marvel antagonist Mr. Mind. Remember Mr. Mind, the super-intelligent caterpillar with the voice-amplifier box, created by Otto Binder and C.C. Beck? This is what they did to him. (Above: Oooooohhh, how mature. Detail of a panel from DC Comics 52 #51, ©2007 DC Comics.)

the link is to a spoiler from 52, week 51 (a miniseries currently published by DC Comics)

http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/3398160.html



(I do like how T.O. Morrow pokes Reddy in the eye in the final panel)



Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: Michel Weisnor on April 27, 2007, 12:33:12 AM
Many posters prefer changes to "juvenile" comic characters. Just read through some message boards for positive responses to Mr. Mind's transformation. Don't forget, move forward with Trials of SHAZAM! Forget Jeff Smith's take, it's not in continuity. 


Captain Marvel and supporting cast are really children's cartoon characters. They are not meant to fit into the modern DC mythos. Deviation from Fawcett's originality spoils what gives these characters unique identities. Of course, as the quote points out, the audience is adults (and college students). The likelyhood of current readers enjoying Billy Batson saying a magic word and becoming Captain Marvel probably will not captivate or for that matter draw monthly 50,000+. Although, even with modern changes this still will not be possible. Sad really, because, Captain Marvel has all the right pieces for a great children's fantasy series. Come on DC, tap into the Manga market with SHAZAM!
 


Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: nightwing on April 27, 2007, 01:33:55 PM
Quote
Of course, as the quote points out, the audience is adults (and college students).

No, the quote says the audience is "kidults," which is a perfect portmanteau for that crowd, and I am so stealing it!  ;)

Comics are dead as soon as their readers need their subscription money for meds, oxygen tanks and nursing care.



Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: Super Monkey on May 08, 2007, 08:02:18 PM
Grant Morrison on what he wanted the new Mr. Mind to be:

NEWSARAMA: The others have pointed to you for asking, "What if Skeets were evil?" once the process had begun, which caused a whole new element to be included...how much did that shake up the story that was originally planned?

Grant Morrison: I'm not sure. I feel as if it was already implicit in the story and it just took me to point it out. Why else was Mister Mind depicted watching TV in issue #2? Based on that alone, he had to be the big bad and Skeets had to be involved, mostly because Mister Mind fits so nicely inside that little robot shell. It added some extra drama and made the big ending possible, although I originally wanted Mister Mind to metamorphose into a goofy-looking little butterfly wearing glasses. I thought it would be scarier if this tiny, supremely evil creature could do absolutely anything but I was overruled on the grounds that our lead characters wouldn't look very cool running from an angry Red Admiral with a two-inch wingspan.

Read the whole thing here: http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=111900



Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: Great Rao on May 08, 2007, 11:35:15 PM
I originally wanted Mister Mind to metamorphose into a goofy-looking little butterfly wearing glasses.

Now that is brilliance.


Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: TELLE on May 09, 2007, 06:38:39 AM
I like this part of the interview, since it ties in with another thread here about Mr Mind:

Quote
I originally wanted Mister Mind to metamorphose into a goofy-looking little butterfly wearing glasses. I thought it would be scarier if this tiny, supremely evil creature could do absolutely anything but I was overruled on the grounds that our lead characters wouldn't look very cool running from an angry Red Admiral with a two-inch wingspan.

Now this would have been fun!



Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: dto on May 09, 2007, 11:36:16 AM

Quote
I originally wanted Mister Mind to metamorphose into a goofy-looking little butterfly wearing glasses. I thought it would be scarier if this tiny, supremely evil creature could do absolutely anything but I was overruled on the grounds that our lead characters wouldn't look very cool running from an angry Red Admiral with a two-inch wingspan.


A goofy-looking little butterfly?  He wanted to create Mister Mothra?   ;)



Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: TELLE on May 10, 2007, 03:18:45 AM
we should merge the two mr mind discussions...

these are important issues!



Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: Permanus on May 10, 2007, 05:18:57 AM
Quote
Of course, as the quote points out, the audience is adults (and college students).

No, the quote says the audience is "kidults," which is a perfect portmanteau for that crowd, and I am so stealing it!  ;)

Comics are dead as soon as their readers need their subscription money for meds, oxygen tanks and nursing care.



Incidentally, "Kidults" is a word that's been in currency over here for a few years now; it refers (I think) to thirtysomethings - usually men - who obsessively refer to the children's programmes of their youth, like Thunderbirds and The Magic Roundabout.


Title: Re: More Shazam complaints: the new Mr Mind
Post by: Super Monkey on May 10, 2007, 07:07:57 PM
we should merge the two mr mind discussions...

these are important issues!



ok