Blue Marvel Appreciation 2020

[ed2962]

Elaborate for me. What makes it a terribly bad idea?

Well, it's not really a "terribly bad idea" but the whole point of the The Squadron is to parody the JLA or to satire the concept of certain types of superheroes. If you want BM to shine, the idea is should be to move him beyond that "Superman/flying brick" archetype and do stories that they aren't doing with similar characters.

[ed2962]

I think we already know the answer to that question. Icon and Milestone come most immediately to mind. Their sales were ok, but not world shattering. They ended up getting gobbled up by one of the Big 2.

From a story standpoint, yes, Blue Marvel would be better off. But from a popularity standpoint, I doubt it. Marvel is his best chance to become a household name. Marvel just needs to hire the right talent for the job and get out of the way.

This makes me wonder what kind of contract Kevin has with Marvel. We're not getting anymore Isaiah Bradley due to conflict over rights. And it's no secret that Deadpool, Cable, and X-Force temporarily were changed to Agent X, Soldier X, and X-Static cuz someone in management didn't want to pay Rob Liefeld royalties for his creations.

[Agent Z]

As the above quote pertains to comic book stories, would this role, then, be an acceptable one for Dr. Brashear? Should his origin be altered to introduce a cosmic force that intended Blue Marvel's creation for the purpose of being the last hope and answered prayer? Not that he needs to be involved in every calamity or crisis, just when the sh** truly hits the fan.

I don't think so. His backstory works fine as it.

[MoneySpider]

Can't speak for McFarlane, but my sense of him is that he'd want Spawn to keep going for generations long after he's shed his mortal coil. I could see TMc putting a stipulation in his will that the character can't be sold to either DC or Marvel, but it can be limited licensed to them for the right $$$$$$$$$$. lol

Hopefully something like this will happen.

[Common Writer]

Well, it's not really a "terribly bad idea" but the whole point of the The Squadron is to parody the JLA or to satire the concept of certain types of superheroes. If you want BM to shine, the idea is should be to move him beyond that "Superman/flying brick" archetype and do stories that they aren't doing with similar characters.

Make no mistake... Blue Marvel is never gonna move beyond that "Superman/flying brick" archetype. It's an integral part of his DNA. He might as well embrace it with a little satire.

[JudicatorPrime]

Make no mistake... Blue Marvel is never gonna move beyond that "Superman/flying brick" archetype.

I disagree there.

Obviously, anyone who applies a very strict construction to Grevioux generically framing Adam as the Civil Rights Era "Superman" will always see him as a flying brick. But anyone who has paid attention to Adam's characterization, especially of his powers and other gifts, would see that he's anything but a flying brick. Ewing in particular made a point of showcasing more of Blue Marvel's energy and molecular manipulative abilities and scientific inventions and discoveries than his invulnerability or strength. Cantwell seems to be following suit, albeit in a grossly underwhelming manner. I suspect if Adam ever gets his own book, or lands in another team series, that writer will take further steps to blur the perception of Adam as a Superman mimeo. That shouldn't be too hard to do. I mean no one ever characterizes the Silver Surfer as being a flying brick.

[Common Writer]

I disagree there.

Obviously, anyone who applies a very strict construction to Grevioux generically framing Adam as the Civil Rights Era "Superman" will always see him as a flying brick. But anyone who has paid attention to Adam's characterization, especially of his powers and other gifts, would see that he's anything but a flying brick. Ewing in particular made a point of showcasing more of Blue Marvel's energy and molecular manipulative abilities and scientific inventions and discoveries than his invulnerability or strength. Cantwell seems to be following suit, albeit in a grossly underwhelming manner. I suspect if Adam ever gets his own book, or lands in another team series, that writer will take further steps to blur the perception of Adam as a Superman mimeo. That shouldn't be too hard to do. I mean no one ever characterizes the Silver Surfer as being a flying brick.

'Zat so?

Blue Marvel is the 'Scientist Superman' of Marvel Comics.

He has an undersea science fortress instead of a Fortress of Solitude.

He's an Investigative Scientist instead of an Investigative Reporter.

And genius-level intellect aside, when it comes down to the heat of battle, he will still act as a flying brick.

Just like Superman would. Just like the Sentry would. Just like Carol Danvers would.

Ask Hyperion, ask Anti-Man, and ask Shuma-Gorath, about the way he fights.

'Scientist Superman' would make a great fit for the Squadron Supreme.

[Agent Z]

'Zat so?

Blue Marvel is the 'Scientist Superman' of Marvel Comics.

He has an undersea science fortress instead of a Fortress of Solitude.

He's an Investigative Scientist instead of an Investigative Reporter.

And genius-level intellect aside, when it comes down to the heat of battle, he will still act as a flying brick.

Just like Superman would. Just like the Sentry would. Just like Carol Danvers would.

Ask Hyperion, ask Anti-Man, and ask Shuma-Gorath, about the way he fights.

'Scientist Superman' would make a great fit for the Squadron Supreme.

The Squadron Supreme already have a Superman stand-in of their own. Putting Adam with them won't do him any favors and will just have fans pissed off that Hyperion got replaced by a black man. No one wins in this situation.

[Common Writer]

The Squadron Supreme already have a Superman stand-in of their own. Putting Adam with them won't do him any favors and will just have fans pissed off that Hyperion got replaced by a black man. No one wins in this situation.

Since when did we care about what 'Hyperion fans' think in the Blue Marvel Appreciation thread?

If Hyperion fans get angry at their boy being replaced by the Blue Marvel on the Squadron Supreme, then show them Age of Heroes #3.

That'll shut 'em up.

[Agent Z]

Since when did we care about what 'Hyperion fans' think in the Blue Marvel Appreciation thread?

I don't. I care about Blue Marvel and what I think will actually benefit the character and I don't think being on the Squadron Supreme is it.

If Hyperion fans get angry at their boy being replaced by the Blue Marvel on the Squadron Supreme, then show them Age of Heroes #3.

That'll shut 'em up.

What do you mean?

[Common Writer]

What do you mean?

....


Have you read Age of Heroes #3?

[Agent Z]

....


Have you read Age of Heroes #3?

No I have not.

[Common Writer]

No I have not.

Now you have:

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[XPac]

I don't. I care about Blue Marvel and what I think will actually benefit the character and I don't think being on the Squadron Supreme is it.



What do you mean?

Though I'd happily read Adam in almost on almost any team in almost any book, Squadron Supreme included, I'm still holding out hope for him to be in the Avengers. Probably not the main team, but at least a satellite team like Secret Avengers or Ultimates (which I still consider an Avengers team even if it doesn't use the name).

If he got a spot in a Squadron Supremem book, odds are it would be cancelled in 6 issues unless it had a fairly high profile creative team. Most satellite Avenger books will at least stick around a year. Being on an Avengers book gives him a chance.

[JudicatorPrime]

And genius-level intellect aside, when it comes down to the heat of battle, he will still act as a flying brick.

Just like Superman would. Just like the Sentry would. Just like Carol Danvers would.

Ask Hyperion, ask Anti-Man, and ask Shuma-Gorath, about the way he fights.

I suppose you could have added Ultimate Hulk to your list. But how did he deal with the Shaper of Worlds? Kang? Anti-Man the second time around? When your primary power is the ability to annihilate anyone and anything -- I say that again, anyone and anything -- and you're not a villain, well, you're going to default to less lethal means of combat 99% of the time. In Adam's case, yes, that's going to be testing quite a few chins and knocking people out. Adam is reluctant to use force. His powers scare the bejeezus out of him. If he could have talked his opponents down, he would have gladly done that. So it doesn't surprise me that most of the time he's going to throw a punch, rather than unleash antimatter hell.

The challenge for writers is to show that Blue Marvel can achieve a number of effects with the energy at his command. Personally, I would expand on his powerset to give him psionic abilities, magic and kinetic energy negation abilities, trans-spatial and trans-temporal powers, more robust matter manipulation powers, and give him a few other logical tweaks that make him seem like less of a flying brick. I think it's a mistake to cast him as the Superman of any era, unless we're talking about Superman 1M.