When it comes to a creative team's run on a particular book, would you prefer they stick more to a character's established foes and settings, or more towards situations you wouldn't normally expect to find them in? Obviously, it doesn't have to be either/or, but I would imagine most runs of any length lean more to one or the other.
I was thinking about this because of Domino. The first six issues have put her on a merc team with Outlaw and Diamondback, who I'm not sure she's ever interacted with. Diamondback I'm almost positive she's never met, although all three have had the misfortune to know Deadpool at different times. Domino has a werewolf for a chef now, she's going to see Morbius here in another couple of issues. It seems a bit outside her wheelhouse, although maybe I don't know what her wheelhouse is. J. Michael Straczynski's run on Amazing Spider-Man would probably fall into this as well. Certainly the stretch with John Romita Jr. as artist. Other than Doc Ock showing up for one story, JMS didn't really use classic Spidey villains. Plus, making Peter a teacher, limited appearances by Jonah or most of the longtime supporting cast.
On the other end of the spectrum, probably something like the Jeph Loeb/Jim Lee Batman run. Gotta have Joker, gotta have Batman deal with Ra's al Ghul, throw Riddler in there, make Bats fight Superman once for good measure, you know the drill.
It can go poorly either way, or go well either way. They can find something new in the old favorites, or just feel like they're doing cover versions of the old hits. Go in a new direction, and maybe the setting let's you explore a different side of your character, or they end up feeling so out of place or ill-suited it feels entirely off-base.
At this stage, I think I prefer at least trying to go with new challenges and settings. Domino's been a mixed bag, but I don't feel like I know what's coming next with it, which isn't a bad feeling to have.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
The ideal for me would be mostly new characters and situations, but with a big classic as a sort of "tent pole" for the run. If you had -- for example -- a twelve issue run, you'd do ten or eleven issues based on new characters, but then a big story on Doctor Doom, or the Green Goblin, or Magneto or whatever.
The temptation would be to do the classic story as a "season finale" but I'd avoid that because that sort of implies that the classic villain is more important than the new stuff, and that's not the impression I'd want to give.
I don't mind going in new directions, and coming up with fresh onsights and antagonists...but not at the expense of all previous continuity, or the gratuitous trashing of beloved secondary characters.
My problem...or joy...is that often I prefer the sidejicks and supporting characters more than the ostensible hero.
Kelvin: I like the sound of that approach. Especially not saving the classic villain for the end. Like JMS used Doc Ock, and Dr. Doom for one issue, but it was all in the middle of his Morlun/Ezekial stuff. Which was granted, a mixed bag, but was his own thing at least.
Sally: I find I like the supporting characters more in a lot of TV shows and especially animes I watch, maybe because the main characters dominate so much there. It doesn't seem to happen as often for me in comics. Maybe because its easier for the characters I like to get their own series, or at least mini-series so I didn't have to buy books starring characters I don't like. I don't have to buy Batman to see Cass Cain or Tim Drake, cause they got their own books.
Post a Comment