Meta/StarFall: Introducing a Legacy Character to a New Universe

[Andrew Perron]

On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:48:37 +0000 (UTC), Tom Russell wrote:

> With Hawk and Dove, for example, Ditko always
> made Dove an emasculated wuss, while O'Neil almost always had Green
> Lantern having to cede the point to Green Arrow.

I'd pay money to see a movie about Steve Ditko and Denny O'Neil driving
across America.

> I would probably model the right-wing hero after
> some of my conservative friends, who support gay rights, don't think
> the President is a radical muslim communist Hitler, and are frankly
> appalled by the invasion of the far-right into the mainstream
> Republican party.

This works.  Or you could have them take opinions that would have seemed
entirely reasonable and defensible back in the day, but which have slowly
come under the scrutiny of society at large.

(Maybe even have them be fairer about some things than our modern society
is.  I know if I hear about how obesity is Satan von Evilstein the 2nd one
more time...)

> As far as a racist hero is concerned: I think it can be done without
> making the hero repugnant *if* the hero is aware of it, or made aware
> of it, and tries to do better. That kind of struggle could be
> interesting to read about, as it emphasizes both the human-ness of a
> superhero, and the idea that all of us can, with effort, become better
> than we are.

Indeed.  The flawed hero is a classic archetype, and racism is a flaw
that's rarely explored in someone who's actually meant to be heroic.  It
would be interesting.

Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, now to stab puppies!