Bumblebee (Karen Beecher-Duncan) Appreciation 2020

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Definitely a fun idea. But when? He was probably mid-to-late 20s when he became the Atom when Wally was 14. So I guess the question is how long he will be active and whether she'd be his student when he was the Atom or after he retires (if you like him retiring). She can't be an apprentice to him until college. I don't know that I want her to skip grades to be younger than 18 in college. Could wait until she was grad student, too. So there's a decent-size time period she could be active it.

Is there any other character you like to peg her to, age-wise? Like for me, certain generations (usually on teen teams together) just have to be similar in age.

Also, do we know anything at all about her birth family or background before becoming Bumblebee?

Sorry for the late response. She debuted in the New Teen Titans era so I'm cool with her and Mal sticking with them. Granted her knowing Jason as Robin is more interesting because you could explore how she would react to her friend becoming a villian.

You could always have it be an informal apprenticeship- he trains her because he's the Atom and she's a new hero. Eventually she might decide to go to his college to continue the apprenticeship in a formal setting. He might inspire her to be a certain type of scientist or whatever.

[Samm]

So on Twitter there’s this whole debate over Bumblebee’s look in DC Super Hero Girls. Apparently the show made her lighter and people are upset about it

https://mobile.twitter.com/avgeI/sta...50731326115842

[Sutekh]

Remember that Karen is a genius who invented her weapons while Janet depends on someone else for her powers.

They could really go nuts with that. I'd like if her shrinking tech has *some* sort of relationship with Palmer's shrinking tech. Perhaps she worked as an intern with him while getting her degree, and picked up some pointers, even if her tech is not quite as versatile as his (but makes up for it by adding some bug-wings and ranged tasers, to start). She could develop new gear as time goes on, such as goggles that give her enhanced visual range and access to a portable computer in her backpack, or tangle-glop grenades that explode into a silly-string-like snare that hardens instantly into something like amber, for capturing / restraining people (or sealing a leak quickly...).

I love the idea that she's not just a girl with some random gear that's been handed down to her, and will never be able to progress beyond that, but an actual inventor who can adapt, and show up to a fight with something new and specific to the current mission. "Yeah, I heard they were using The Shade to bug out, that's why everyone's got polarized lenses and I threw down all these magnesium flares. I know you can't see, 'cause of the glare, but don't bother, there's no shadows anywhere! Bummer for you..."

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

They could really go nuts with that. I'd like if her shrinking tech has *some* sort of relationship with Palmer's shrinking tech. Perhaps she worked as an intern with him while getting her degree, and picked up some pointers, even if her tech is not quite as versatile as his (but makes up for it by adding some bug-wings and ranged tasers, to start). She could develop new gear as time goes on, such as goggles that give her enhanced visual range and access to a portable computer in her backpack, or tangle-glop grenades that explode into a silly-string-like snare that hardens instantly into something like amber, for capturing / restraining people (or sealing a leak quickly...).

I love the idea that she's not just a girl with some random gear that's been handed down to her, and will never be able to progress beyond that, but an actual inventor who can adapt, and show up to a fight with something new and specific to the current mission. "Yeah, I heard they were using The Shade to bug out, that's why everyone's got polarized lenses and I threw down all these magnesium flares. I know you can't see, 'cause of the glare, but don't bother, there's no shadows anywhere! Bummer for you..."

Yeah its a cool USP (unique selling point) for her and it allows to stand on her own two feet more.

On the twitter issue, colorism is a big issue in minority communities. So I'm sympathetic to their anger even i don't personally share it.

[kcekada]

Bumblebee as she appeared in Doom Patrol #20 (May, 2011).

The outfit is okay. I liked her hair in Doom Patrol much better than the way it was drawn in the recent Titan series.

[bretmaverick2]

I’d like DC be open to the idea of a book featuring Bumblebee and Mal as the Guardian. I think it may work. And it could include Mal’s long forgotten sister from his first Teen Titans appearance.

Guardian was his best version. Less said about Hornblower the better.

[Will Evans]

What’s the opinion on Mal as Vox? Or Herald?


The thing about comics Guardian is that you’ve got Jim Harper and Jake Jordan with a higher ownership to the role.

Though I’ve heard some fans say call harper the Golden Guardian and Jake the Manhattan Guardian.

[Güicho]

I would have gone with the exo-skeleton full Blue Guardian costume (in fact call him Blue Guardian) embrace the police shield emblem and everything, make it his own.
And today hit the Thin Blue Line / BLM schism direct in the face, with Malcolm Duncan straddling both!
Although that's all kinda of gone to Jake Jordan.

So Malcolm really needs his own:
Between Vox or Herald I'd stick with Herald.

Maybe have him and Karen upgrade the exo-skeleton to his own specifics and design.
Maybe even (instead of covering it up) just wear it on the outside, it looks pretty great.
And wear it over his more familiar brown/orange suit, or a grayish/black, with a new helmet design all his own.
I mean Beecher is a physicist, engineer, designed all her own tech and weaponry.
She bases her engineering on insects.
insects have exo-skeleton, so does her boy friend.
hence they create him a new theme and expand on his exo-armor.
How does DC and the fans not put this together!?



Also been saying this for years, give Bumblebee and Herald a team-up mini-series, see how they land.

[4sake Baned]

What’s the opinion on Mal as Vox? Or Herald?


The thing about comics Guardian is that you’ve got Jim Harper and Jake Jordan with a higher ownership to the role.

Though I’ve heard some fans say call harper the Golden Guardian and Jake the Manhattan Guardian.

I’d take Herald or Vox over Guardian identity. One he shouldn’t be a legacy character. Herald/Vox make more sense from A narrative perspective and say more about himself as a character and his relationship with Karen & plus super powers.

[Sutekh]

What’s the opinion on Mal as Vox? Or Herald?

Prefer him as Guardian, and am just fine with there being more than one Guardian, just as there are more than one Wonder Girl or Green Lantern or Superboy running around at any given time.

Although, if he's gonna have tech, whether as Guardian or as Vox or whatever, I'd want it to be tech designed by Bumblebee, and not just randomly found somewhere or handed down. (Although it's weird that, just as black characters with electrical powers seem to be a thing, with Tyroc, Cyborg and Vox, it seems like black dudes and sonic powers are a mini-trend.)

[Aahz]

Guardian is imo cooler than Herald or Vox, but he has no connection to the original Guardian so I don't think that he should use it.

[Captain Craig]

So on Twitter there’s this whole debate over Bumblebee’s look in DC Super Hero Girls. Apparently the show made her lighter and people are upset about it

https://mobile.twitter.com/avgeI/sta...50731326115842

Some people just always got to be mad about something. Just the world we are in currently.

[HandofPrometheus]

Some people just always got to be mad about something. Just the world we are in currently.

Uh no becuase this is something that should be taken seriously. Colorism is a huge factor in media and is constantly practiced in animation and comics in general...

[kcekada]

What’s the opinion on Mal as Vox? Or Herald?


The thing about comics Guardian is that you’ve got Jim Harper and Jake Jordan with a higher ownership to the role.

Though I’ve heard some fans say call harper the Golden Guardian and Jake the Manhattan Guardian.

Not sure who Jake is -- is that the black guy that Grant Morrison created? I think Mal has more resonance. I always liked the Ditkoish exo-skeleton he wore. Vox/Herald is just an attempt to update the very lame Hornblower idea.

[Johnrevenge]

What’s the opinion on Mal as Vox? Or Herald?


The thing about comics Guardian is that you’ve got Jim Harper and Jake Jordan with a higher ownership to the role.

Though I’ve heard some fans say call harper the Golden Guardian and Jake the Manhattan Guardian.

I like more the concept of Vox/Herald.