Susan Storm-Richards: The Invisible Woman Appreciation 2021

[JackDaw]

It would be great if any of the character arcs were compelling.

I think realistically that’s all we can hope for…not just for Sue but for any mainstream super hero characters.

When characters are written by many different people over many years, and are subject to a ton of tropes (no aging over a certain point, etc, etc) there’s bound to be a lot of repetitive and poor-ish writing at times.

I know it’s probably not the typical opinion, but I actually think Johnny has been the one where the writing has been poorest…or maybe to be fair the one where the writing has drifted most away from the original personality of the Lee/Kirby creation.

I vastly prefer the Lee/ Kirby version to way he’s been written for decades now.

[Crimz]

I think realistically that’s all we can hope for…not just for Sue but for any mainstream super hero characters.

When characters are written by many different people over many years, and are subject to a ton of tropes (no aging over a certain point, etc, etc) there’s bound to be a lot of repetitive and poor-ish writing at times.

I know it’s probably not the typical opinion, but I actually think Johnny has been the one where the writing has been poorest…or maybe to be fair the one where the writing has drifted most away from the original personality of the Lee/Kirby creation.

I vastly prefer the Lee/ Kirby version to way he’s been written for decades now.

Sue suffers from being neglected and rarely focused on. Johnny suffers from shallow preconceptions effecting his characterization.

Two different issues that negatively effect the characters differently.

Sue's leads to what I've been talking about in the thread: lack of personality, only seen as the "mother", lack of presence outside of the FF, lack of storylines focused on her.

Johnny's leads to him appearing as shallower than he actually is and at worst being mischaracterized (just look at the current plot of him cheating).

I think both of the Storm siblings have suffered from poor writing in different ways leading to different problems. We really need a writer who likes both characters and wants to put in the work to really develop them. I agree Johnny is a worse position unfortunately because with Sue all it will take is one writer to really focus on elevating her for it to take. She's pretty much a blank slate in certain regards. For Johnny even if he gets an amazing run, with comics loving to return to the status quo, he'll likely revert to a shallow caricature by a following run because that's how most view him.

Sue's is a relatively easy fix while Johnny's is complicated due to the nature of comics and changing writers. He'd have to get lucky and have several writers in a row who have the same vision for him.

[Oberon]

Excellent thoughts.

[Crimz]

I like the idea of Kelly Thompson writing a solo for Sue.

She'd give her a more developed personality, a supporting cast, and an interesting story.

If her time frees up I hope Marvel asks her to do it and bring back Mattia de Iulis, loved his art on her mini.

[Frontier]

I like the idea of Kelly Thompson writing a solo for Sue.

She'd give her a more developed personality, a supporting cast, and an interesting story.

If her time frees up I hope Marvel asks her to do it and bring back Mattia de Iulis, loved his art on her mini.

Well, either her and Wanda are probably Thompson's next series if she's going to write every Marvel leading lady, although Sue probably has a better chance than Wanda.

[seccruz]

I like the idea of Kelly Thompson writing a solo for Sue.

She'd give her a more developed personality, a supporting cast, and an interesting story.

If her time frees up I hope Marvel asks her to do it and bring back Mattia de Iulis, loved his art on her mini.

Gimme Mark Waid and Ilius. They did an amazing job in her mini!

[Crimz]

Well, either her and Wanda are probably Thompson's next series if she's going to write every Marvel leading lady, although Sue probably has a better chance than Wanda.

Marvel's treatment of Wanda is weird, I don't think they know what to do with her.

Gimme Mark Waid and Ilius. They did an amazing job in her mini!

Waid definitely gets the character and I like how he writes Sue. I just would like a new writer's take on the character, especially a woman, and see what they do with Sue.

[Oberon]

I don't know if Daughters of Liberty has any presence at the moment but my idea would be that Sue receives a message from Agatha about "the next mission" and it is mentioned that they need Wanda. I think the three on a mission could have interesting plots and actions.

[Ravin' Ray]

https://twitter.com/DanSlott/status/1416719939596062721

"I know you're supposed to give every issue your all and that you shouldn't leave anything on the table, but it still bugs me that I may have used up my best Invisible Woman gag a full decade before I started working on Fantastic Four. "

[Crimz]

On Sue's personality, I'd like if she was given traits found in the classic adventure leads - charismatic, slightly mischievous and fun. Like Indiana Jones or classic Swashbucklers It plays off the adventure aspect of the team and Sue shows these traits the times writers remember that she should have more to her personality than "mother".



It would also play off the others well -

Reed is the genius straight man
Johnny is the immature hot head
Ben is the classic big, strong guy with the heart of gold

I just want there to be more to her than her powers and being a wife/mother.

[Oberon]

I love this scene (and actually remember it, boo-ha-ha) because Sue's powers are pretty magical seeming.

[CaptCleghorn]

I love this scene (and actually remember it, boo-ha-ha) because Sue's powers are pretty magical seeming.

And this aspect of Sue's powers is backing for Reed's point of view. Basically, "magic" is just science we do not understand. I love these scenes of Sue pranking a mime and comically arguing with Reed. This is what we need to see from Sue. I love the idea of Johnny not pranking Sue because unlike Ben who provides Johnny with an even battle, Sue would easily kick his @$$ is a prank war.

[Crimz]

And this aspect of Sue's powers is backing for Reed's point of view. Basically, "magic" is just science we do not understand. I love these scenes of Sue pranking a mime and comically arguing with Reed. This is what we need to see from Sue. I love the idea of Johnny not pranking Sue because unlike Ben who provides Johnny with an even battle, Sue would easily kick his @$$ is a prank war.

I'd really enjoy a little story about that.

A prank war that gets out of hand and the entire family gets dragged in.

[Ravin' Ray]

Re-reading Onslaught on Unlimited and I feel that Sue doesn't get enough credit here for her sheer determination to get Franklin back. In Cable #5, the two of them confront Apocalypse and form an uneasy alliance. She even earned the respect of En Sabah Nur.

[Crimz]

Re-reading Onslaught on Unlimited and I feel that Sue doesn't get enough credit here for her sheer determination to get Franklin back. In Cable #5, the two of them confront Apocalypse and form an uneasy alliance. She even earned the respect of En Sabah Nur.

I like when Sue shows grit and determination like this. I'd just want more times where it wasn't based on something happening to her kids. Have her show this kind of resolve in other situations.