However, since this seems to be the norm in most if not all comic universes, it is how the second stringers are treated that defines their success. Look at Wolverine. He was created as a second stringer and has moved further up the ladder than any other B-lister.
Of course, his case would best be compared and contrasted with Firestorm who has been re-created, re-written, and replaced more times than I care to remember.
There are always going to be characters at DC that deserve iconic status, but for some reason, nobody ever gets it right. Aquaman and Hawkman also suffer from Capt Marvels fate, and they weren't even stolen away from another company.
I personally don't understand a lot of the ways CM is prtrayed. Doesn't he have the wisdom of Solomon? Wouldn't he be able to come up with impressive ideas and tactics? Has this ever truly been utilized? Being an adolecent should represent the innocence of the character, but would never interfere with his abilities after he says his magic word.
As for the Marvel Family moving into the supernatural realms, it's a good idea, but considering the lack of success DC has with non Vertigo supernatural fare, it wouldn't last. Nor would anything humor based. That path would only be popular amongst a select minority, and would never hold the interest of a broader audience.
The only way to get the character moving is to do something radical (ala Miracleman)and permanent with the character. Not replace him for a few months. tearing apart his world and then putting it back together exactly as it was.
There are no good answers. But for now, all I would like to see is CM back in red, Jr as he was, and Mary 100% bad. It's a start...
--Previous Message--
: It seems like DC has a linear view of their
: heroes. Superman has to be the toughest.
: He was the first and all others have to be
: inferior to him. Batman was next. He has
: to be the ultimate human hero/almost
: anti-hero.
:
: Everyone else has to be a notch lower.
: Captain Marvel, Captain Atom, others, I
: believe, are seen as needing to be
: diminished because I feel that it threatens
: Superman and other characters threaten
: Batman. So, there must be a flaw, Billy has
: to be a perpetual childish hero (not smart
: enough or mature enough to handle the things
: Superman does). Captain Atom has to be
: military obsessed, seeing only what order
: gone to extremes can do.
:
: I've proposed on this board that if that is
: the way DC sees this character, then let him
: go into the Supernatural. Stay in the
: DCUniverse, but let the family operate in a
: humor/magic universe, kind of like the strip
: series Supernatural Law that came out a few
: years ago. Or a ghostbusters type of family
: doing what Superman clearly has a weakness
: against. Keep them apart instead of just
: using Capt as an Anti-Superman that he's
: played that last several years.
:
:
1
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