Vixen Appreciation 2020

[LordAllMIghty]

Wait...can she take on the attributes of Fantasy/superpowered animals? Because if she could somehow take on the abilities of Krypto that is a serious game changer.

Pre 52, Vixen could mimic the powers of Gorilla Grodd and her abilities allowed her to mimic the powers of Superman, while she was stuck in her human mimicking mode. So theoretically, she should be able mimic the powers of Krypto the Superdog while in her Animal mode.

I'm not sure showing her mimicking fantasy creatures has anything to do with making her more interesting... I feel that showing her mimicking them is just her using powers that are well within her wheelhouse, since she is an Animal Master and should be able to mimic all/any animals, extant, extinct, mythological, etc. etc. This is just what she does, just like Beast Boy and Animal Man. Plus the Tantu Totem has magical properties, which basically allows her to do whatever she wants with animals.

To me, that's like saying Hal Jordan or John Stewart phasing through a wall or teleporting doesn't make them more interesting... but apparently those things are within their wheelhouse because that's two of the things the Green Lantern rings allow them to do.

Vixen is an Animal Master, and I think it's rather limiting to the character to think that she should ONLY be allowed/able to mimic CERTAIN animals when the truth is she is connected to ALL animal life and can access ALL animal life. And if it was not for her wearing the Tantu Totem, which already restricts her FULL power levels so that they don't overwhelm her, I don't think limiting her to only non-mythical animals makes any logical sense, especially when there are tons more powerful superheroes running around in the DC Universe with seemingly limitless powersets/potential.

Yes, there are real life animals with "bizarre and OP abilities that would make her plenty powerful", but I don't think she should be restricted from mimicking extinct or mythological animals just because they aren't the real-life animals.

Well said.

[Killerbee911]

you don't say....

I love that you commented and nobody said anything to you. Literally, the current creator comes in hints that hey I am going to be creating a new rogue gallery and nobody says anything. Anyways congrats on the book I am looking forward to this book and your John Stewart stuff.

[Blacula]

Why would Vixen ever mimic the abilities of any other animal if she could just be Krypto all the time? Or a dragon? And how would she ever be in danger again if she could just copy the powers of whatever deus ex machina fantasy creature a writer could dream up?

People calling for her to expand her power set really need to think this through.

[lemonpeace]

Why would Vixen ever mimic the abilities of any other animal if she could just be Krypto all the time? Or a dragon? And how would she ever be in danger again if she could just copy the powers of whatever deus ex machina fantasy creature a writer could dream up?

People calling for her to expand her power set really need to think this through.

that's a good point. It's nothing reasonable restrictions can't fix tho. like seeing as the Vixen's connection to The Red (and the Red itself) is magical in nature, you could say magical beings require like a contract or some kind of sacrifice to access. as for aliens, that's an easy one to fix. I believe with Beast Boy in one of the Teen Titans movies they established that the animals he had access to was determinate on his location (planet, dimension, etc.), so they could just synergize that idea in the comics for all Red users. that way it stops her from just pulling Krypto mimicry out of her ass and basically just he a kryptonian because she would have to be on Krypton to access Kryptonian animals and Kryptonian animals are just animals on Krypton.

on a tangential note: hot take(?) I've never been crazy about the idea of her mimicking humans and then being able to use different heroes' abilitiew. it's just such a hokey convoluted approach to her powers. if she copies humanity she should just be a smarter person or it should be something more like the "heart" aspect of Captain Planet.

[Redjack]

I love that you commented and nobody said anything to you. Literally, the current creator comes in hints that hey I am going to be creating a new rogue gallery and nobody says anything. Anyways congrats on the book I am looking forward to this book and your John Stewart stuff.

i think everyone here will be well pleased.

[lemonpeace]

i think everyone here will be well pleased.

I think it's safe to say everyone here is anticipating the story, iunno how much DC has been taking notice over the years but the hunger for Vixen stories has been real for a while. her years of publication to solo material ratio has been...disappointing to say the least.

[HandofPrometheus]

that's a good point. It's nothing reasonable restrictions can't fix tho. like seeing as the Vixen's connection to The Red (and the Red itself) is magical in nature, you could say magical beings require like a contract or some kind of sacrifice to access. as for aliens, that's an easy one to fix. I believe with Beast Boy in one of the Teen Titans movies they established that the animals he had access to was determinate on his location (planet, dimension, etc.), so they could just synergize that idea in the comics for all Red users. that way it stops her from just pulling Krypto mimicry out of her ass and basically just he a kryptonian because she would have to be on Krypton to access Kryptonian animals and Kryptonian animals are just animals on Krypton.

on a tangential note: hot take(?) I've never been crazy about the idea of her mimicking humans and then being able to use different heroes' abilitiew. it's just such a hokey convoluted approach to her powers. if she copies humanity she should just be a smarter person or it should be something more like the "heart" aspect of Captain Planet.

Not a fan of it either.

[Celgress]

I think it's safe to say everyone here is anticipating the story, iunno how much DC has been taking notice over the years but the hunger for Vixen stories has been real for a while. her years of publication to solo material ratio has been...disappointing to say the least.

I know I am. It's about time DC did something with Mari.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Why would Vixen ever mimic the abilities of any other animal if she could just be Krypto all the time? Or a dragon? And how would she ever be in danger again if she could just copy the powers of whatever deus ex machina fantasy creature a writer could dream up?

People calling for her to expand her power set really need to think this through.

People aren't calling for power expansion because they want her to be OP. They just want her powers to explore different genres(fantasy, horror) and use interesting mythical elements.

Even if she could mimic Krypto's powers it's not like his abilities are compatible with every issue there is to solve

[Tzigone]

People aren't calling for power expansion because they want her to be OP.

Just for the record, wanting her to be OP is exactly what I got out of people calling for her power expansion.

[MoneySpider]

Why would Vixen ever mimic the abilities of any other animal if she could just be Krypto all the time? Or a dragon? And how would she ever be in danger again if she could just copy the powers of whatever deus ex machina fantasy creature a writer could dream up?

People calling for her to expand her power set really need to think this through.

You could ask the same thing about Animal Man and Beast Boy. Also, her NOT using all the powers at her disposal wouldn't make much sense. Since we're asking these types of questions, we could also ask why Scarlet Witch said "No more mutants" instead of saying "No more crime" or "No more criminals" or "No more disease" or "No more poverty", etc. etc. How can Scarlet Witch ever be in danger again if she could simply say "No more of this enemy being in my face trying to harm me?"

How can Zatanna ever be in danger of ANYTHING when she can just say a spell to make things go away, or turn things into something else, or have things do whatever she wants them to do?

As powerful as Thor, Superman, Swamp Thing, Ghost Rider, Spawn, Dr. Strange, Wonder Woman, Shazam, Captain Marvel, Hulk, Blue Marvel, Sentry, Hyperion, Invincible, Icon, the Green Lanterns...BATMAN...etc. etc are, they still can be put in danger, depending on what good writers put them through.

And again, despite all of what Vixen can do and can potentially do, she is STILL not as powerful as a LOT of Marvel, D.C. and Image characters. If you're going to offer this critique for Vixen, there are tons of other characters that should fall under the same level of scrutiny.

In his series in the 1980's, Animal Man mimicked the abilities of a sun-eater, which I don't even think is an actual animal but seems to be some space phenomenon/entity or something. A lot of online fans seem to eat that up and talk about how "broken" he is for stuff like that but never seem to use that AGAINST him. They talk about how great that run was by Morrison. But if Vixen mimics a dragon or a primate such as a human being, people talk about how she's too powerful and should just be "limited" to mimicking non-human animals and OTHER primates that aren't human.

I might have missed it, but Beast Boy mimics all types of mythological creatures and I don't think I've heard or seen anyone complain about it. They usually talk about how cool it is. But when Vixen does something like that, some people complain and immediately try to limit her potential.

I don't get the logic.

[Tzigone]

I might have missed it, but Beast Boy mimics all types of mythological creatures and I don't think I've heard or seen anyone complain about it. They usually talk about how cool it is. But when Vixen does something like that, some people complain and immediately try to limit her potential.

Well, I don't like Beast Boy mimicking mythological creatures (nor do I think it makes sense with his origin), if that helps. I think way too many characters are way too powerful now, and were better (more interesting/better used) when less powerful.

I'd like to see work on developing these as characters (personality, motives, supporting casts, etc.) instead of just "more power, please."

As someone who isn't a particular fan of various characters, but goes to their appreciation thread to see what people like and what they want and to learn more about said characters, I would say a lot of them are full "take element/villain from another character's mythology and give/loan it to mine" and "moar power." There are plenty of other things that vary, character to character, but besides the obvious "use my character more/let them star more" those two are the most heavily present in those that haven't ever been solo heroes.

[MoneySpider]

Well, I don't like Beast Boy mimicking mythological creatures (nor do I think it makes sense with his origin), if that helps. I think way too many characters are way too powerful now, and were better (more interesting/better used) when less powerful.

I'd like to see work on developing these as characters (personality, motives, supporting casts, etc.) instead of just "more power, please."

As someone who isn't a particular fan of various characters, but goes to their appreciation thread to see what people like and what they want and to learn more about said characters, I would say a lot of them are full "take element/villain from another character's mythology and give/loan it to mine" and "moar power." There are plenty of other things that vary, character to character, but besides the obvious "use my character more/let them star more" those two are the most heavily present in those that haven't ever been solo heroes.

You do know that Vixen was first introduced as a solo hero, right? It's just that she has not yet had a solo ongoing book yet. She was introduced as a solo hero going up against/teaming up with Superman in her first "official" appearance in 1981...

[Tzigone]

You do know that Vixen was first introduced as a solo hero, right? It's just that she has not yet had a solo ongoing book yet. She was introduced as a solo hero going up against/teaming up with Superman in her first "official" appearance in 1981...

Yes, I do know. I've read it. I enjoyed the story. Let me clarify - those who have never had a solo ongoing series (to build their histories, supporting cast, etc.). The ones with lesser foundations for their own "worlds." With those that have had their own titles (or some team heroes that got heavoer exploration), they already hav particular enemies, supporting characters, etc. that fans tend to like (even if different fans like different ones). But many team heroes don't. And instead of proposing ideas to develop their own worlds and personalities within them (a biggie for me, since many characters vary so much over the years, so I want to know which ones fans prefer when I don't have as much exposure), I frequently just see people suggesting ways to up their power and how they could use other hero's villains/mythology.

And yes, I admit it, I don't think of heros who never had a solo title, but only guested in other heroes' books in a non-team fashion as actual solo heroes. Technically incorrect, but certainly my perception.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Just for the record, wanting her to be OP is exactly what I got out of people calling for her power expansion.

Then you're misunderstanding people. Having the ability to mimic an Adze or something =/= making her OP, it's giving her justification to fight more fantastical enemies and move into other genres. She's already a champion of Anansi, a mythical trickster, so it's not too far off for her to take up more magical story elements.

If anything writing her character to use more African mythos in her superpowers could make Vixen's role as an African monarch more grounded. It's a chance for African mythology representation too.