Pop Culture

Sacrificial Lambs???

By The Reverend
July 29, 2003 - 13:26

Before I get too into this first diatribe, I have to admit that I did not get a chance to read the recent Titans/Young Justice collaboration Graduation Day, so I don't know the details of the story. I may not be alone either, because despite the fact that not everyone read the 3-part series, Graduation Day has earned a spot in comic book history for a lot of folks and not because it ended up flying off the shelves successfully. No, it got a lot of people's attention because when it was all said and done, Teen Titans co-founder Donna Troy was put to rest. While I realize that death is an aspect of superhero tales that can't be completely avoided, I was sorely disappointed that DC felt the need to add dramatic weight to an ultimately disposable story by killing off a character that has well over 30 years of history with the company. Did Donna Troy -- known as Wonder Girl to some, Troia to others -- have to die to consolidate the titles Young Justice and The Titans into a fresh n>>...ew book? Hardly. I suppose this is fresh in my mind because Teen Titans is making its debut this week, and I ended up realizing that Donna Troy is one of a long line of female heroines that comic book writers too often kill to make a story more intense.

I used to room with an actor/writer/director last year who made a comment one time that will stick with me until I move on to the next life myself: "Characters are made to be killed." As a writer, I can see how that idea holds true. Yet I always think the real challenge is keeping characters alive and finding new ways to keep their adventures fresh. In the 25 years I've read comics, the inevitable heroic deaths that come and go in major storylines is lengthy, but the ones that immediately jump out at me are those of the females. If you think about it, Spider-Man's Uncle Ben being murdered was as much a part of his origin as the deaths of Jor-El and Lara was to the origin of Superman. That being said, when Spider-Man was a career superhero, which character's death, to this day, stands out above all the others. Yes, the young and attractive Gwen Stacy. Same can be said for the loves of Daredevil's life. Elektra was famously offed in Frank Miller's run on Daredevil in the early '80s. And when Kevin Smith made his mark on the Man Without Fear five years ago, the biggest thing to happen was invariably the murder of Karen Page. And since it carries little weight now, what with Jean Grey (or whatever her CB handle is these days) still active as a charter member of the X-Men, all is forgiven if you forgot that, to this day, her death over twenty years ago in the most revered in the pages of any of the 23 or so X-Men titles produced by Marvel Comics.

The ones I just mentioned were highlights in the Marvel Universe. I don't even really read Marvel books, so I should get to the DC Universe now. Anyone remember a little anniversary project DC whipped up in 1985 called Crisis on Infinite Earths? Lord knows it was the highlight of the mid-'80s for me. The 12-issue series was legendary for its high death toll, and the highest impact death had to be that of Barry Allen, the Silver Age Flash. But even before he died saving the universe, the brunt of his passing was almost softened by the death of Supergirl just one issue prior, and they devoted a double-sized issue to that! As I look back, characters who gave their lives for the cause of overhauling DC Comics that jump out at me are Supergirl, the Huntress, Kole (almost like she was created for the sole purpose of dying in this series -- in fact, wasn't she??), and Wonder Woman. If you want to really split hairs, you could include Don Hall, a.k.a. Dove of Hawk and Dove fame because, um, you >>>>...know. Crisis on Infinite Earths was produced by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. A year or two prior to this, they put together a masterpiece of a story in their megahit book New Teen Titans entitled "The Judas Contract." Long and short of it, the Titans were taken down by their archenemy Deathstroke the Terminator who was under contract by the H.I.V.E. Deathstroke was mostly successful capturing the Titans with the assistance of the young heroine Terra, the teen superheroes' most recent addition to the team. Terra was a plant of Deathstroke, and she seamlessly fit in the Titans, all of them completely unsuspecting that she was on the enemy's side. It's been a while, but I recall when the inevitable final battle took place, the H.I.VE. were dismantled, Deathstroke was incarcerated, and the Titans were saved, but at the cost of one team member. Of course, that member had to be the initially spunky, eventually evil, Terra. Casualties in the final battle were many, but at the end of the day, the only actual death was that of a young lady.

Two late-joining members of Infinity, Inc., Wildcat and Dr. Midnight, became former members at the hands of Eclipso. Both were female successors to the masculine originals. Justice League International's biggest casualty had to be that of the original Icemaiden, Ice. And who can forget the tragedy that befell brand spankin' new Green Lantern Kyle Rayner when he found his girlfriend doing an impression of a keg-erator? What is it about the gender of a hero that heightens the tragedy of it? Is it really more tragic for a lady to die in a story than a guy? Previews of Graduation Day warned that an original member was going to die. Is it any surprise that the Internet contingency out there (you, my friends) correctly predicted that it was going to be Donna Troy?? I think when readers have the stories so figured out, before they are even released, that it's time for the creators to come up with fresh ways to make an impact.

Almost a month has passed since I saw The Hulk. Not to say the movie was disappointing, in fact I loved it. But it was easily the worst experience I've ever had at a movie theater (600 N. Michigan, in Chicago, for those keeping track). I believe that when a place of business fails a customer, they have to be called out on it. I was in the back row, with a good seat, but I was fairly close to the exit door to the main lobby. I was already so fu**ing annoyed by people who thought it's okay to talk during a movie. But for the last 30-40 minutes there was a very loud conversation being held right outside the door to our theater. I saw an usher head out the exit, so I thought it was being addressed. But the noise persisted, and I was infuriated to find out that the folks holding a conversation outside our door were theater employees. These dumb-ass flunkies who are destined to be movie theater management at best when they reach adulthood (Heaven help us when these losers can vote) were carrying on during their breaks at the doorway of a show in progress! I can't believe anybody thinks that appropriate, and I'm pissed that management let it happen. Needless to say I'm never going there again.

So how was the movie, you ask? Like I said, I loved it. I think the CGI for the Hulk was excellent. I think he was as effective as any live-action effects could have produced. I wanted more, more, more of the big guy. If anything, he was underused. I've heard complaints about how long it takes before the Hulk himself finally appears, but the same can be said for the first Superman movie, if you think about it. Shoot, it worked for Jaws. The performances were good, even though I think Jennifer Connelly did the same one-note act that somehow warranted a Best Supporting Actress Oscar last year for A Beautiful Mind. The "little girl who got her bike stolen" look just doesn't do it for me. The Hulk has made news for it box office underachievement. Understandably $124 million in four weeks is cause for concern, a statement that is agonizing to make even as I write this. This summer, it is official: if you've made a big-budget picture with lofty ambitions and franchise wishes, a $2>>>>>>...00 million return domestically is necessary. Even as I found myself enjoying The Hulk, I knew that it was way over the heads of the pre-teen crowd. More than ever, word of mouth is huge, and I knew I was going to have a tough time recommending this film to anyone that wasn't some sort of comic book purist. I think legitimate comic book fans can account for $75 to $100 million of the take for the likes of X2, and Spider-Man. After that, it's all on the shoulders of men and women, boys and girls, who couldn't tell the difference between Mary Jane Watson and Gwen Stacy. If you produce something too heady for them under the guise of a comic book-based movie, repeat business ain't happening. God bless the powers that be for getting a true visionary like Ang Lee to direct a movie about the Incredible Hulk, but I readily admit that after having seen the movie that the director was too ambitious for his own good. Give this franchise a couple years to breathe, and hand a new story over to a more action-oriented director who wants to have a little more fun with the Hulk. Screw the Leader, I want to see the Hulk slug it out with the Abomination. Oh, and Ang? We get it already. It was all Bruce's father's fault.

I'm going to get back to you all in a week with my thoughts on the San Diego Comic Con. Not to say I'm going, but we should be seeing a lot of goodies that are supposed to make us squeal like young girls. Though I should probably rephrase that in case the folks at DC get the itch to kill us off.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12