#10- Superboy (The Clone)- While I liked the television show SUPERBOY, I was never a big fan of the comic that focused on the early life of Superman. I can't tell you exactly why, but it never really appealed to me. However, after Superman died at the hands of Doomsday, several beings came forth to take his place, all of which became some of my favorite all-time comic book characters. But my absolute favorite was the clone of Superman that came to be nicknamed Kon-El. I liked the idiosyncratic powers of the character. His tactile telekinesis is a very malleable power indeed, and the source of some great story lines. But it was the fact that Superboy was created from a clone of Superman and a human being that really excited me. It was like Superman had a son, and I always thought that was cool. This son was matured without his presence and so there is something extremely complicating (in terms of complicating Superman's life) about that and anything that complicates Superman's life, I like. They gave him a great cast of villains to fight early on, and that original Superboy comic book was really solid. I loved it. Now since those early days the character has had some good times an bad times, and I've really been put off by some of the recent turns. All the elements for a great character are still there, but they haven't gone the direction they should. It is much like what happened to Ghost Rider. Still, this was one of my first regular DC comics and it places high on my persona list of faves.
#9- Alan Scott Green Lantern- It shocks most people that Hal Jordan is not my favorite Green Lantern, but he isn't. I don't know what it is about Alan Scott, maybe it is because he figured prominently in one of the first comics I ever collected, or maybe it is the fact that his powers are magical and I'm always fascinated by beings that can defeat Superman (which a magically powered Green Lantern is definitely capable of). But Alan Scott is an old hero with an old soul, and the exploration of a person from a simpler time possessed of such massive powers and surrounded by a very different breed of superheroes makes from some great stories. I especially love the comics that re-imagine his old days during WWII. While I didn't like the fact that the New 52 retconned the character to be younger and homosexual, EARTH 2, in which he is featured, is one of the best things DC has going for it right now and and his character is a big reason why. Alan Scott started off as my favorite lantern and has grown on me since, quickly raising to the highest ranks of my team of faves.
#8- Ash From Army of Darkness- Nobody who knows me very well should be surprised by this. Originally a kind of anti-hero from a cult classic television show, the character exists in a very expanded comic book universe in DARK HORSE and DYNAMITE comics. Was upset to find out that the man who played him so brilliantly, Bruce Campbell, doesn't much like the Dynamite comics, as they use his likeness without permission. And while some of Dynamite's stuff isn't the best, some is absolutely brilliant, and I love collecting these books. Ash's character is comedic and fun, but also capable of some pathos. His place in the universe as 'the Chosen One', meant to protect us all from the demons and the deadites that originate from the world of the Necronomicon, is not a role he would've chosen for himself, and he has always been a character that has greatness thrust upon him unwillingly. But he wears the mantle well, both in film and in the comics. And I hope we keep getting to share in these adventures for a long time to come.
#7- Spider-Man- There was a time when Spider-Man would've sat prominently at the number one spot on this list. I collected more Spider-Man than any other comic for the first 5 years of my collecting (or so). I love Peter Parker, he's so human, and while he's mightily powerful, he remains very vulnerable both physically and mentally, and it is that vulnerability that has made him so popular with readers. A person who is torn between two lives, perhaps more than any other character, we read the comics with Super-Man as much for Peter Parker and his struggles, as for the hero that dons the mask. Spider-Man and Peter Parker are one, and figuring out how to navigate both sides of his life makes for some very interesting story telling. His powers are very malleable, driving the stories and ensuring that Spider-Man never overpowers the world in which he dwells. The only reason Spider-Man is no longer at the top spot is that I haven't loved the writing over the last ten years, and I miss the brilliance of the writing in the 90s. The films have captured some of that magic, and I can't imagine Spider-Man ever falling out of the top 10. How I'd love to see the kind of stuff that pushes him back to the top.
#6- Wonder Woman- I used to just like Wonder Woman until I met my wife. Her love for the character rubbed off on me, and since Wonder Woman is sort of responsible for the second most important relationship in my life (after God), she couldn't help but jump to the top of my personal field of interest. I particularly liked the Gail Simone run on the last Wonder Woman book before New 52. But it is the Linda Carter TV series that really captures the spirit of the character to my mind. Beautiful, powerful, and a fierce warrior, Wonder Woman is bit of a paradox: always prepared for war, but seeking peace above all else. I have simply come to love the new affair between her and Superman and I enjoy their joint comic book quite a bit. Her powers are malleable but expansive, for she almost as powerful as Superman but has the limitations necessary to keep her from being too overpowering in a book. She walks a delicate balance and does it well. But it is the aesthetic of the character that really gets me. The artwork out there that is centered round her has really gotten under my skin, and I love it.
No comments:
Post a Comment