Should Shocker be a serious villain or just comic relief?

[The Overlord]

Should Shocker be a serious villain or just comic relief? I feel like the comics alternate between these two options.

If he is just a comic relief character, he should just be intro action scenes and should appear in villain group shots and nothing else, he shouldn't carry a story.

If he supposed to be serious, he should get motives and a personality that's better than one dimensional bank robber. Give him a backstory or describe his morality. He is supposed be the most professional Spidey villain, but what does that mean, is he more honorable or noble than other Spidey villains or is he an ice cold psychopath who would sell out his own mother for a buck?

[Jman27]

I mean he can still be the comic relief and have serious moments. Just gotta give him that serious moment. Iam just unsure if the audience will accept it though considering their low opinion of him

[Huntsman Spider]

I think Shocker could work well as a villainous parallel to Spider-Man, in that they're both incredibly intelligent and skilled, but constantly underestimated and looked down upon by many of their peers . . . at least until they cut loose and show why they shouldn't be underestimated.

[ARkadelphia]

I like my Shocker as comic relief

[Mister Mets]

He should have moments when he's serious.

There are meta-explanations that he may have neuroses and self-esteem issues that sometimes lead to him getting in his own way.

[Huntsman Spider]

He should have moments when he's serious.

There are meta-explanations that he may have neuroses and self-esteem issues that sometimes lead to him getting in his own way.

Another parallel to Spider-Man, now that you bring it up.

[The Overlord]

Another parallel to Spider-Man, now that you bring it up.

He should have moments when he's serious.

There are meta-explanations that he may have neuroses and self-esteem issues that sometimes lead to him getting in his own way.

Isn't that what they kinda did with Electro, that he suffers from crippling self-doubt due to having an overbearing mother, despite the fact he is more powerful than Spidey is?

Also isn't the scientist parallels with another villain already covered with Dr. Octopus, where he is presented as an anti-Peter Parker growing up and his parents are like a warped version of Aunt May and Uncle Ben?

I think there is a danger of making these characters all feel the same unless you put more stuff in make Shocker's relationship with Spidey feel different from Electro or Dr. Octopus.

Shocker definitely needs some sort of backstory, it doesn't have to be revolutionary but put in something. Also, define his character more beyond being greedy and pathetic, that's really only two beats they ever hit with this character. It seems like sometimes the writers define him as so pathetic he poses no threat to civilians and may have a moral code and other times, he attempts mass murder to get a quick paycheck from a psycho mob boss who wants to kill a jury that dared to convict him.

I also think making him a comic relief with serious moments might not work if the writers can't handle the tone of the character. Because in the past it seems like they made him a comic relief character who became more serious by turning him into an attempted mass murderer. Maybe actually humanizing him and treating like a human being rather than a cartoon character would work better.

[Frontier]

I think Shocker is due his own arc or spotlight issue.

[The Negative Zone]

Just do him serious sometimes and other times comic relief or combine the two. The comics have been going on for years, let characters be flexible.

[PCN24454]

I think it’s annoying that people even look at him as comic relief. Especially when Doc Ock can be taken seriously.

[exile001]

I definitely think he has the potential to be a serious threat, but every time he gets a good outing the next several writers use him as a punchline. That said, a more serious version may have disappeared or become a generic punching back like Electro by now.

I really like the guy, so am cool either way.

[PCN24454]

I think Shocker is due his own arc or spotlight issue.

Nah, he doesn’t need it. He’s a supervillain; he exists to be beat up.

[Venomsaurus]

I gotta admit I'm always partial to the 'punching bag' villain. It's a really fun trope. That pathetic bad guy that, can seriously hurt people when he tries, but is also just so inept that you can't help but feel bad for him. Spidey doesn't even call him Shocker most of the time. He just calls him Herman, which is so embarrassing. Imagine putting all that time and effort into a costume, theme, and then Spidey can't even stick to it when he mocks you. That's gotta hurt.

So for my money, I hope he stays the loser he is. Every supe needs a punching bag villain every no and then for a lower stakes moment. A cool down from all the crossovers and world ending demon invasions.

Sometimes you just want a familiar face to punch, ya know?

Nobody? Just me? Okay...

[Jman27]

I gotta admit I'm always partial to the 'punching bag' villain. It's a really fun trope. That pathetic bad guy that, can seriously hurt people when he tries, but is also just so inept that you can't help but feel bad for him. Spidey doesn't even call him Shocker most of the time. He just calls him Herman, which is so embarrassing. Imagine putting all that time and effort into a costume, theme, and then Spidey can't even stick to it when he mocks you. That's gotta hurt.

So for my money, I hope he stays the loser he is. Every supe needs a punching bag villain every no and then for a lower stakes moment. A cool down from all the crossovers and world ending demon invasions.

Sometimes you just a familiar face to punch, ya know?

Nobody? Just me? Okay...

dont worry editorial gets you

[Alex_Of_X]

Just do him serious sometimes and other times comic relief or combine the two. The comics have been going on for years, let characters be flexible.

Yeah, I'm team variability. If Spidey vacillates between funny and serious, so should some of his baddies, Herman especially!

Love him in unscheduled stop. Love him in superior foes. Quilt-head, I love you so.

The desire for consistency tho makes me fascinated in that wish to have the fluid world of Spidey adhere to solid rules. Ock is an antihero, always, Osborn has a split persona, always, Kraven is serious, always, Shocker is competent, always.

Isn't it neat that things get changed every once in a while? That different writers have different stories to tell, and different approaches to the same characters? I myself never cared about boomerang until Spencer made him fun. What a bummer it would've been if Editorial told him: "No, Fred Myers is a character of pathos and depth, you must honor him."

The marvel universe is a magical place where Galactus can be the scariest thing ever, but can also hang out with Squirrel girl. Tying it down to a consistent tone is imho like painting with half the colors