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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2023 12:23:28 GMT -5
No, not him. Damn, I wish I could give more. I think the comic debuted in 1996. May have seen the character jumping off a building. Damn, what was it? My memory is usually very good. That’s the one. Thank you. Probably read 2-3 appearances.
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Post by MWGallaher on Feb 14, 2023 12:43:24 GMT -5
They weren't new characters, but I expected these two licensed comics were off to a long, long run when they hit the stands in the early 70's: After a couple of issues, I realized Doc wasn't going to take off like I had hoped, with Marvel botching the start by updating it to the 70's before a quiet reversion, but I held out hope for The Shadow. Within a couple of years, I learned not to get too attached to any new comics, and I don't think I ever again felt any confidence that a new feature I liked would be sustainable. I was always disappointed when a favorite would disappear in less than a year or two, but never shocked.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2023 12:47:52 GMT -5
Not so much “new characters”, but I am surprised that the A-Team’s 80s comics exploits amounted to a 3-issue mini-series. It was a popular show and a bit of a juggernaut, so I am surprised we didn’t at least get a limited series or ongoing series (UK comic Look-in at least produced an original ongoing strip).
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Post by MDG on Feb 14, 2023 13:09:15 GMT -5
They weren't new characters, but I expected these two licensed comics were off to a long, long run when they hit the stands in the early 70's: After a couple of issues, I realized Doc wasn't going to take off like I had hoped, with Marvel botching the start by updating it to the 70's before a quiet reversion, but I held out hope for The Shadow. Within a couple of years, I learned not to get too attached to any new comics, and I don't think I ever again felt any confidence that a new feature I liked would be sustainable. I was always disappointed when a favorite would disappear in less than a year or two, but never shocked. I think this was an example where "comic fans" (and fans turned/turning pro) were more excited about these revived characters than "comic readers," who were still the backbone of sales. Tarzan was able to keep up because there were still Tarzan comics being printed( as well as the Sunday strip) + Tarzan movies were still shown on TV a lot. Conan was the only pulp hero that stuck but, as discussed elsewhere, that didn;t necessarily translate to a market for a lot of fantasy characters.
And I don;t know what kind of licensing fees the Shadow and Doc Savage commanded at the time, but it must've cut into profits.
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Post by tarkintino on Feb 14, 2023 13:49:50 GMT -5
They weren't new characters, but I expected these two licensed comics were off to a long, long run when they hit the stands in the early 70's: After a couple of issues, I realized Doc wasn't going to take off like I had hoped, with Marvel botching the start by updating it to the 70's before a quiet reversion, but I held out hope for The Shadow. Within a couple of years, I learned not to get too attached to any new comics, and I don't think I ever again felt any confidence that a new feature I liked would be sustainable. I was always disappointed when a favorite would disappear in less than a year or two, but never shocked. Same here about The Shadow, as it was a generally excellent book right in line with the more mature direction superhero comics were taking at DC of the period. I rarely say an unsuccessful title or character "deserved" better, but I will always make an exception with The Shadow.
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Post by tarkintino on Feb 14, 2023 13:57:52 GMT -5
As a hardcore Legion fan, I see Karate Kid a bit differently. The brief trying to leverage him as a breakout martial artist character during the 70's craze was not well executed, but as a Legionnaire in the future, that was a whole different matter. First is the "everyman" concept...how could a non-powered superhero hope to hang with the power levels of the other Legion teens? The message was a hero's heart was just as important a part of the equation. And then his romance with Projectra...how could this outside commoner be accepted as her consort? And the saddest moment I have ever read in any Legion comic book...his showdown with and death in combat with Nemesis Kid during the early Baxter series. I was having a chat with Jim Shooter a couple of months ago at a convention, and asked him who is favorite Legionnaire was, and he didn't hesitate, it was Karate Kid. Sure, he was not destined to be a big solo breakout character, but as a noble character more than holding his own without superpowers on a team like the Legion, Val Armorr was always a very cool character to me. And I'm still bitter he was killed off!! I see your points, but I've always believed Karate Kid was sort of shaped to be something more because he was a regular guy on a team filled with superheroes. No matter what external changes or trends occurred, DC never tapped into that until it was too late (the solo book), and by then, the idea of a martial artist in the superhero world was no longer unique (see: Marvel). He was just there.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2023 15:30:07 GMT -5
As a hardcore Legion fan, I see Karate Kid a bit differently. The brief trying to leverage him as a breakout martial artist character during the 70's craze was not well executed, but as a Legionnaire in the future, that was a whole different matter. First is the "everyman" concept...how could a non-powered superhero hope to hang with the power levels of the other Legion teens? The message was a hero's heart was just as important a part of the equation. And then his romance with Projectra...how could this outside commoner be accepted as her consort? And the saddest moment I have ever read in any Legion comic book...his showdown with and death in combat with Nemesis Kid during the early Baxter series. I was having a chat with Jim Shooter a couple of months ago at a convention, and asked him who is favorite Legionnaire was, and he didn't hesitate, it was Karate Kid. Sure, he was not destined to be a big solo breakout character, but as a noble character more than holding his own without superpowers on a team like the Legion, Val Armorr was always a very cool character to me. And I'm still bitter he was killed off!! I see your points, but I've always believed Karate Kid was sort of shaped to be something more because he was a regular guy on a team filled with superheroes. No matter what external changes or trends occurred, DC never tapped into that until it was too late (the solo book), and by then, the idea of a martial artist in the superhero world was no longer unique (see: Marvel). He was just there. Yeah, I do see that perspective as well. The Legion is a little tough...their vast "ensemble" nature is really the magic at the end of the day. Other than obviously Superboy/Supergirl as sometimes members, nobody else was a solo title star in their own right. If a breakout feature had been based on pure popularity, it would have been more someone like Brainiac 5, and obviously not even that was in the cards. To your point of a regular guy on a team of superheroes, he didn't provide what say a Batman did for the JLA (actually Brainiac 5 again would fill more that role in terms of strategy and problem solving). In terms of being the "spirit" of the team, heart and soul and all that, honestly it was probably more like a Bouncing Boy who achieved that at times (comical a premise as he seemed at face value). In terms of combat skills, KK was sometimes the reference point for teaching other Legionnaries some fighting techniques (particularly valuable for the lesser/more passive powered Legionnaires), but again, it was not like the Legion revolved around him. And while I stand by my comments that regardless, he was a great supporting "cast member" as it were, the solo series felt like "martial arts is selling", quick let's push that karate guy to the front of a title. But I would also say again, the "martial artist" aspect was a bit secondary to me...it was a means to give him some combat capability in my mind when he joined the Legion, but the 30th century setting was much more sci-fi feeling than your typical martial arts title. They would touch on it at times certainly, but this was a title more grounded in fighting the Fatal Five, Mordru, Dark Circle, etc.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 9,589
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Post by Confessor on Feb 14, 2023 17:20:58 GMT -5
Talking about the failure of the New Universe titles to take off in a big way, I was a MASSIVE fan of Justice when it came out. I was on board from issue #2 in 1986 and I felt sure that I was in on the ground floor of the next comic book phenomenon. Tensen (the series' protagonist) was sure to take his rightful place alongside the likes of Spider-Man, Captain America and the Fantastic Four. Alas, it was not to be. Not least because the series took a horribly ill-advised U-Turn into Bobby Ewing, "everything you know is wrong"/"none of this happened" territory with issue #15 (although, admittedly we got some really interesting and wildly hallucinogenic issues with Keith Giffen on art duties after that). Also, although they don't really count in terms of this thread because, actually, they're quite well known B-listers nowadays, I'm amazed that Cloak & Dagger didn't go on to be absolutely massive after their initial appearances in Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man. The fact that they've always struggled to carry an on-going title is still something that baffles me. They're such good characters, with great costumes and a cracking backstory.
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Post by badwolf on Feb 14, 2023 21:41:20 GMT -5
I thought C&D did become big back in the day. They went on to be regular fixtures in PPTSS and had multiple ongoing series.
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Post by berkley on Feb 14, 2023 22:19:23 GMT -5
I don't think the artwork for Marvel's various Doc Savage comics ever did justice to the character, who should have been one of the most visually striking heroes in comics. Steranko would have been perfect, but since that was probably unlikely, what about the young Paul Gulacy? DC did much better with the Shadow, in this regard.
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Post by Batflunkie on Feb 14, 2023 22:41:09 GMT -5
Also, although they don't really count in terms of this thread because, actually, they're quite well known B-listers nowadays, I'm amazed that Cloak & Dagger didn't go on to be absolutely massive after their initial appearances in Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man. The fact that they've always struggled to carry an on-going title is still something that baffles me. They're such good characters, with great costumes and a cracking backstory. I feel like Mantlo was the only one who really understood the characters, afterwards they kind of floundered
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Post by EdoBosnar on Feb 15, 2023 4:25:14 GMT -5
I don't think the artwork for Marvel's various Doc Savage comics ever did justice to the character, who should have been one of the most visually striking heroes in comics. Steranko would have been perfect, but since that was probably unlikely, what about the young Paul Gulacy? DC did much better with the Shadow, in this regard. Disagree if we're talking about the b&w magazine, which had really nice art - mostly by DeZuniga, either doing the full art or inking John Buscema and Val Mayerik.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Feb 15, 2023 6:30:24 GMT -5
I don't think the artwork for Marvel's various Doc Savage comics ever did justice to the character, who should have been one of the most visually striking heroes in comics. Steranko would have been perfect, but since that was probably unlikely, what about the young Paul Gulacy? DC did much better with the Shadow, in this regard. Paul Gulacy's mix of photo-realism and the surreal would have looked gorgeous paired with the good Doctor. If you squint you can almost imagine that Six From Sirrus is that "Never Was" book with him on Doc Savage:
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2023 7:24:10 GMT -5
Has Adam Strange soared quite as high as he may have deserved to? I know he’s had various titles, a trade, etc. Just feel like he could be used more.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Feb 15, 2023 9:29:23 GMT -5
Also, although they don't really count in terms of this thread because, actually, they're quite well known B-listers nowadays, I'm amazed that Cloak & Dagger didn't go on to be absolutely massive after their initial appearances in Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man. The fact that they've always struggled to carry an on-going title is still something that baffles me. They're such good characters, with great costumes and a cracking backstory. I feel like Mantlo was the only one who really understood the characters, afterwards they kind of floundered I reread that first Cloak and Dagger mini semi-recently and it was kind of awful.
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