2022 is slowly becoming a crappy year for the comics industry, because another legendary artist has died. On 16th June, Tim Sale passed away in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. He was 66 years old.
I can’t tell you what the first Tim Sale art I ever saw was, but I can sure as hell tell you that I liked it. I loved his work, because it was moody and edgy, but at the same time, it was classical and mythical.
To me, the way Tim used shadows on characters and the background, was an art form on its own. His art kicked so many different types of arse. From Marvel, there was Daredevil: Yellow, Hulk: Gray, Captain America: White and Spider-Man: Blue; which is regarded as one of the best Peter Parker stories ever.
And from DC, there was Superman for all Seasons, Catwoman: When in Rome, and…Batman. The way that Tim drew Batman’s cape, you would think the cape was actually alive and sentient, because of the way it moved.
His work on the various Batman projects was so powerful and mind crunching, that I can only offer this compliment: for me, Batman is synonymous with Tim Sale, like Tim Sale is synonymous with Batman.1
His work has had an impact on me, and it still does to this day. Thank you, Tim.
Thanks for reading, avoid Sour Cream and Chives, and I’ll see you next Monday.
1 I’m really sorry if I have forgotten to mention any of Tim’s other work.
I want to talk about Saga. Why? Well let’s be honest shall we? After my last four blogs about the morally bankrupt Tories, I thought it might be nice to talk about something, that actually makes me happy; like watching rugby, and eating salt and vinegar chips.
After waiting 41 months, Saga is back and I’m pretty stoked.1 For those unlucky people that have no idea what Saga is or what it’s about, I’ll try and keep it brief. Saga is a monthly 2 comic book that’s published by Image Comics. It’s written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples, since the release of #1, back in March 2012.
This book is good. Seriously good. The book, Vaughan and Staples, have won multiple Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, and various other comic book awards. I’ve been very blessed that I started reading Saga with #1, so I try to convert anybody to the title. 3
Now I’m not going to bore you with a rant about Saga’s plot or why you really should read it 4, however what I am going to discuss, are my five favourite Saga covers. Basically, this is for fun and Fiona Staples is a kick arse artist.
At the time of writing this blog, Saga is on Chapter 59, otherwise known as #59. The covers I’m going to discuss are not ranked by awesomeness, but by the order of their release.
Also, just because certain other covers did not make this list, it’s not because they suck; because they don’t. I just can’t have a list of 59 covers, I need to sleep, eat, work, and play Lego with UMC1 and UMC2.
Sweet as?
Saga #16: November 2013
Saga #16, Art by Fiona Staples
As soon as I first saw this cover, I liked it. I’m not sure whether it’s because of the contrast of colours, or the image of Upsher and Doff, putting themselves in harm’s way, in search of the truth; or maybe it’s both of them. The cover is a great indicator to their personalities and their motivation.
Also having Upsher writing, “Please Do Not Kill,” on a helmet, is a nice, but funny touch. I love this cover. It’s so striking.
Saga #34: February 2016
Saga #34, Art by Fiona Staples
This cover features of my favourite characters from the series: Ghüs. He’s such a cool character, you just want to pick him up and tickle his belly. And of course, he is chilling with Friendo, his walrus creature.
To me, it’s just a simple scene that highlights Ghüs’ personality and his lifestyle. The blurry reflection of the two characters, helps to draw your attention to the beautiful sky in the background. The only thing missing from the cover, is Ghüs’ battle axe. This cover is utterly gorgeous.
Saga #38: September 2016
Saga #38, Art by Fiona Staples
I have mixed feelings about this cover. On one hand, you get to see the relationship between Hazel and her ghost-babysitter, Izabel. With Izabel’s shape shifting abilities on display, you get to see how much fun the two characters can have with each other, but also how important they actually are. Plus, the use of various shades of pink is quite impressive.
This of course leads us to the other feelings: anger, and grief. Izabel was such an amazing character and being a ghost, you thought she would be safe to protect Hazel, and to be in her life. Wow, we were wrong.
Looking at this stunning cover, I’m reminded of how the characters interconnect with each other; which is the strength of the book. I’m also reminded that sadly, no character in the book is safe.
Saga #39: October 2016
Saga #39, Art by Fiona Staples
Having the previous issue cover saturated with pink, this cover is surrounded by purple. Petrichor is shown here in all her beautiful detail, with magic lighting the foreground, while darkness is crawling around the edges.
I also think Petrichor paints a haunted image, to go along with the haunted past and her outlook on life. I’m not sure what else I can say about this cover, except that it’s evocative and extremely effective.
Saga #41: January 2017
Saga #41, Art by Fiona Staples
I found this cover to be fun, because of Alana’s and Marko’s stances. Alana is on brand, by firing a weapon, willing to kill anybody to protect her family. Marko is also reflecting his personality by wielding a shield, like his pacifist nature.
The use of various shades of green, at least to me, brings out some sort of neutrality to the cover, because of the happy couple’s opposite natures. I feel it works. It’s also the last cover, where Alana and Marko are on it together; minus Hazel. It’s just husband and wife, against the galaxy. It’s a cool image.
But then again, what do I know? Nothing, except that Sour Cream and Chives is the worst. I’d rather lick my dog’s paws, than eat any product of that flavour.
In conclusion,these are my five favourite Saga covers. Do you read Saga? What are your favourite covers?
Ok, that’s it from me today. Thanks for reading, wash your hands, look after yourselves, and I’ll see you next Monday.
1 Lying Cat would not have a problem with I just said.
2 Saga is one of the few monthly titles I read anymore.
3 I converted my wife to Saga. She saw me reading, what she thought was a soft porn comic book. After explaining the plot and her reading the trades to catch up, we now read the new issue of Saga together, when it arrives by post. Ahhh…romance.
Anybody that knows me or follows my blog, will understand that I’m a comic book fan. I’ve been reading and collecting comics for decades, so over that time, I’ve learnt a few things, which have included Neal Adams and George Perez.
Growing up and teaching myself about comics, I discovered and identified Neal’s and George’s art, before I could recognise their names. As a kid, the names of artists were not important to me, only if I liked their artwork. And for the record, I liked them both.
To me, and thousands; if not millions of people around the world, these two men were amazing storytellers. Their passion for their medium, shone through in their art, but also through interviews, attending conventions, and their community work. Neal and George also worked for different publishers, not just DC and Marvel.
Both men challenged what a comic book could be, by drawing strong, but flawed characters; introducing new and exciting characters that would push social boundaries; incorporate more mature themes to comics; redefining the way the body and muscles were drawn; but also being top quality storytellers.
Neal and George helped to build worlds, where a small boy, from a small town, from a small country, could escape to and dream that all things were possible. From intimate and personal stories; to race against time, globe trotting stories; to reality-crushing and cosmic stories, they could do it all.
Neal Adams cover for Avengers Vol 1 #92/George Perez cover for Crisis on Infinite Earths #1
Sadly, Neal passed away on 28th April, aged 80; while George passed away on 6th May, aged 67. My condolences to their families and friends.
Just like many other people I admired and respected; like Stephen Hawking and Stan Lee, I always thought I would meet Neal and/or George. It would have been at some sort of comic convention, where I would shake their hand, thank them for all of their amazing work, and then apologise for saying something they would have heard thousands of times before.
That can never happen now.
In New Zealand, we have some mighty trees called tōtaras. They are symbolically important, because they are massive, straight, quite light, and resistant to rot. Basically, they’re forest giants. Māori would use them to make large wakas (canoes), but also carve the tōtara to decorate maraes.
These are not my words, but they convey my thoughts and feelings:
KUA HINGA TE TOTARA I TE WAO NUI A TANE
THE TOTARA HAS FALLEN IN THE FOREST OF TANE
THE TOTARA IS A HUGE TREE THAT GROWS FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. THE GREATNESS OF THE TOTARA IS A METAPHOR FOR WHEN SOMEONE OF IMPORTANCE PASSES AWAY.
Simply put, Neal and George were tōtaras.
Whenever I see their artwork, until the end of my days, I’ll push away the thoughts of sadness and anger; and just be grateful that I’ll be looking at 2-D representations of what love looks like: the evidence of someone doing a job that they love.
Neal Adams cover for Green Lantern/Green Arrow #6/George Perez cover for The Infinity Gauntlet #1
Thank you Neal. Thank you George. Thank you for your art, stories, imagination, and passion. You are both immortal now.
I want to talk about Star Wars. Why? Hmmm….maybe because it’s Star Wars Day! The 4th of May aka May the 4th be with you, can mean different things to different people; but ultimately, it’s a day to celebrate all things Star Wars.
Slowly over time, UMC1 and UMC2 have been becoming more interested in Star Wars. They recently saw A New Hope, last week for the first time, and they now want to see all of the films. Patience, my clever padawan and youngling, patience.
Oddly enough, they like Star Wars for different reasons. UMC1 seems to be all about the different vehicles, whether they fly or drive. He wants know to about their engines, passengers, speeds, and other capabilities. UMC2 on the other hand, is all about the droids. He is nearly 4 years old, but he is hard core about droids.
Because of Star Wars Day, UMC1 and UMC2 decided to take after their artistic mother, and make some Star Wars art projects.
Utinni the Jawa by UMC2Utinni the Jawa by UMC2
UMC2 decided to make a Jawa, named Utinni. This is because he thinks they’re the worst aliens to purchase a droid from. He also believes that Jawas are extremely funny, but he doesn’t trust them. UMC2 constantly tells random people, to never buy droids from Jawas, because they’ll have bad motivators.
Gonky the power droid by UMC1
UMC1 chose to create a power droid, called Gonky. Apparently Gonky is some sort of super power droid, because he can run at extremely fast speeds, helping to fix broken spaceships, by supplying power to them. Oh, I forgot, he can also dance.
That’s it for today. From all of the staff at Some Geek Told Me, have a Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you. Always.
Thanks for reading, wash your hands, and I’ll see you next week.
I want to talk about children’s names. Why? This is because selecting a child’s name is supposed to be a meaningful process, but sometimes it feels like it’s one of the most difficult things a parent can do. I thought my wife and I would get divorced, over our inability to compromise on UMC2’s name!
Both UMC1 and UMC2 have pop cultures names, but they are not mainstream names. It would only take a geek to identify their names and the meanings behind them.
Now this blog is not an original idea. My wife saw something similar on social media, about non-geeks giving children extremely cool sounding names from pop culture, but the parents not understanding the background of the names.
I liked the idea so much, that I put it to a vote to all of the staff at Some Geek Told Me, and I received 100% support for this, to create my own list.
As a parent, you could name your child after anything; like a traditional name from your family, or your favourite singer or sportsperson. Maybe it’s a name you have heard from pop culture that you quite like, but have no understanding about where it’s from.
Could you imagine yourself as a parent saying, “Luke, please wash your hands,“ or “Where are your shoes, Shuri?” That works, right?
But, what about, “Iago, please wash you hands,” or “Where are your shoes, Cruella?” Does it work now? No, no it doesn’t. Not for a child, at least. Or an adult I guess.
Below you will find some truly awesome sounding names from across pop culture. The issue is that these names will be from characters that have not made the wisest of choices. This will be because of two reasons; 1.) Characters that have very wobbly moral compasses, so they have made some very shitty decisions, or 2.) Characters that have betrayed their values, beliefs, country, family or friends, for vengeance, money, or power.
My humble apologies if there are real people with these names out there. It’s not to cause offense to anybody, I’m just trying to get some parents to rethink their choices, because you’re upsetting the geek community. And that is dangerous….just kidding, no, it’s not. We’re harmless, apart from trivia nights, where we conquer all whom stand before us. Pity the fools.
Alright, let’s do it in alphabetically order, because I can’t think of a better way!
Anakin Aoyama Atomica Baelish Barriss Belloq Bellwether Bertholdt Black Adam Briony Brutus Caliban Cersei Claudius Cruella Cypher Daenerys Davros Demona Don John Dooku Ephialtes Fredo Gambit Ghirra Gin Goneril Gothel Hamlet Hans Iago Judas Kaede Kisma Kylo Loki Lotso Macbeth Madhouse Maeglin Meleoron Melkor Miek Mondego Morgoth Namor Nedry O’Brien O’Dim Obadiah Othello Palpatine Pettigrew Pong Prosset Reiner Roose Saruman Sauron Scar Severus Sinestro Smeagol Squard Starscream Stinky Pete Tandro Terra The Master Tyrion Valeris Vegeta Vizsla Volemort Vulko Walder Waller Waternoose Zuko
If you’re thinking of selecting a name from this list for your future child, please reconsider. Seriously, please rethink it. Don’t be a hipster; just trust a geek when I say: Your child will not thank you for it, nor will the geek community. Stay away from these names, like the Bog of Eternal Stench!
Did you recognise any names on the list? Do you think I missed some out? Please let me know your thoughts.
That’s another blog down, and a whole week to think of a new topic to rant about. Thanks for reading, wash your hands, and I’ll see you next week!
I want to talk about my relationship with The Sandman. Why? Because the Netflix TV show is getting released some time this year, so I thought now would be a great time to discuss the Lord of Dreams, and my relationship with him.
Let’s establish some facts first. When I say the Sandman, I am not referring to the Sandman, one of the villains in Spider-Man’s rogue’s gallery; one of the original members of the Sinister Six. You know, the sand guy from Spider-Man 3 and Spider-Man: No Way Home. It’s not that guy.
And no, I’m not referring to the Wesley Dodds, Garrett Sanford, Hector Hall, or Sandy Hawkins versions of the character, published by DC Comics; however great they are. I think you’re smart enough to know that I’m referring to the Sandman character from Vertigo/DC Comics; aka Dream of the Endless.
For those of you that have no idea about what I’m talking about; you’re not alone, it happens all the time. Just ask my wife, or UMC1 and UMC2. In the shortest summary of the character I can do justice to, The Sandman was the titular character of a comic book that was published by Vertigo/DC Comics, from 1989-1996.
The series was created by Neil Gaiman, with Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Todd Klein, Dave McKean, and many more.1 The Lord of Dreams and his siblings, The Endless, have appeared in multiple stories over the years, but also with characters from the Dreaming.
The Sandman #6
Alright, I have to veer off for a moment to discuss something. Yes, it’s another thing, sorry. The rest of this blog will not be donated in listing the different awards the series has won; or the cultural impacts on society it’s made, or a deconstruction analysis of the characters.
This is about my relationship with Dream; along with his dysfunctional family, and what they mean to me.
It all started with fear. I’ve been reading comic books for a long time, and over the years, I’ve dabbled in superhero, fantasy, horror, science fiction, western, and literary comics; and sadly, many others.
The point I’m very badly making, is that while I was reading all of these different titles and genres; I had never read The Sandman. To be honest, it was because I was afraid of it. Wow, this will take some explaining!
When The Sandman was being published, three things were happening to me:
1.) I had just started reading monthly comics.
2.) Through advertisement in magazines and comics, I slowly started to hear more about The Sandman.
3.) There was no way The Sandman was available to read, in my home town. Because of this, I was an observer to the never ending critical acclaim for the series, in magazines, newspapers, comics, and eventually the internet.
After moving to the South Island’s titan city of Christchurch, and years of falling into the rabbit hole of comic books, the media had given me the impression that the Sandman series was for two different kinds of people; it was a comic book for people that didn’t read comic books, and also it was a comic book for intelligent people.
It was for this stupid reason, that I had built up an image of what I thought The Sandman was: something that if I read it, I wouldn’t understand it. I hate not understanding something, so my fear was I would feel like an idiot during and after reading it.
“I don’t need to read a comic book to make me feel stupid, I can do that all myself.” That was my policy moving forward. I would avoid reading The Sandman, because I felt it will just make me feel stupid.
This carried on for years, until I found myself living back in Christchurch. One fateful day, I was looking at a very famous auction based New Zealand website, when I saw The Sandman #1 for $15 NZD. I really wanted to look away from it, but it was like passing a car accident; I couldn’t stop looking at it.
As the story goes, I ended up purchasing the issue. When it arrived, I made the awkward decision that I would actually read it. And I did and I loved it. This led me to read the trades from the library, but they didn’t have the entire collection.
This of course meant only one thing; if I wanted to continue reading the story of Dream, and if the library was unable to stock the missing trades…I was going to have to search the globe and buy the single issues.
And that is precisely what I did. I searched familiar and new websites for back issues, and even though it took me a few years, I managed to complete the series, so I could actually continue reading it. When I had collected all of them, I went back and started reading again, caught up to the point where I had to previously stop, then I kept going.
Because of this, and in my humble opinion, the story was astounding. For me, The Sandman transformed what was possible for the medium, but also for the scope of the project. From the writing, the art, inking, colouring, and the lettering, The Sandman had become an instant classic for me.
I’ve always been a slow starter, so I felt it was on point that it took me years to finally catch up with the world, on their love for The Sandman. The funny thing is that while I was reading about Dream and his world, I never felt stupid. It was honestly the opposite.
So what positive impacts has The Sandman had on me? Not counting the previously two paragraphs; it would be these:
1.) I’ve read comics through trades via the library before, and have been unable to finish the story; but this was the first time, I went out and purchased the comics, BECAUSE I needed to know how the story ended.
2.) My taste in comics has changed, because I have been more open minded about new titles. If a new title sounds and looks interesting, I’m going to try it. If it turns out that I don’t like it, then I’ll know. I am not going to have another Sandman on my hands, where I’ll think that I’m beneath the comic.
3.) Usually at some weddings, there are readings made from famous literature, to celebrate the union, like from the Bible, or a poem or a song. I asked my sister to read out Rose Walker’s Have you ever been in love? speech from The Sandman. Not the whole speech, but enough to drive the message home. Yes, The Sandman was quoted at my wedding.
4.) For the naming of UMC2, female and male names were discussed, because we didn’t want to know the gender of the baby. For the boy’s name, I campaigned hard for Daniel. Not Dan, or Danny, but Daniel. If UMC2 was going to be a boy, I really wanted him to be named after Dream. He didn’t of course, because I had to compromise by giving him a Jedi name, but the desire was there.2
5.) With any new projects connected to TheSandman or TheDreaming getting released, I’m going to buy them. Always. I’m a fan for life now.
6.) We don’t have Netflix, but I’m still excited that The Sandman has been adapted. I have no idea how I’ll ever watch the show, but after showing my wife the trailer, she mentioned that she had never read the series, and since I had the entire single issue collection, she asked if she could read mine.
I pretended not to hear her, until I gave her the reply, “I love you, but please don’t make me answer that question.You may not like the answer.”
If you have never read The Sandman, don’t be like me and put it off. After reading this blog, go out into this crazy world and find it. Your future self will thank you.
I want to talk about One Punch Man. Why? Because I’ve fallen in love with the series and not ashamed to admit it. It’s become a guilty pleasure of mine now, for better or worse. For those people out there that have never heard of One Punch Man; 1.) I’m sorry to hear that, and 2.) I’ll explain what it’s all about.
The story of One Punch Man started off as a webcomic, then transitioned to magna (print) anime (television) video games and a live action movie, which is being developed. One Punch Man was created by ONE1 and Yusuke Murata; while the manga has sold over 30 million copies and has been translated into several different languages.
Image by Some Geek Told Me
So, who or what exactly is One Punch Man?One Punch Man follows the story of a man named Saitama, that has trained and developed his body to a point that he has become so absurdly strong, that he can defeat any opponent with only one punch. He has also gained super speed and invulnerability through his training.
For his training, Saitama spent three years completing the same daily fitness workout: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, a 10 km run, as well eating healthy food, and not using the air conditioner or heater to reinforce his mental toughness. This training regime transformed Saitama into quite possibly, the strongest person in the world, but at the cost of his hair falling out, and slowly being disconnected from emotions.
There are many more facets about Saitama and his world, that I could explain to you, but I feel a lot of that can be found on other websites. Because of this, I want to talk about why I actually like this series, whether it’s the manga or anime.
I have the first 21 volumes of the manga, while the 22nd and 23rd volumes are still on pre-order for me. I have also watched both seasons of the anime, so I can come at this from both mediums. It’s just so much fun and entertaining! To me it’s just a guilty pleasure, it’s just so much fun.
I love how Saitama has deep and philosophical questions about himself, his role as a hero, as well as his place in the world. I find this very refreshing to see this coming from a protagonist, because Saitama is actually a complex character. He’s bored and he’s trying to find some adventure and bring meaning to his life. I think that’s awesome, I really do.
Another thing I love about the series; regardless if we talking about the manga or anime, is the fact that there are strong background characters. I mean, they really are amazing. There could be many spinoffs from these characters. I mean, I would love to have a backstory for Speed-o’-Sound Sonic; or for some of the Class S heroes, especially Pig God.
I also love the ranking system for the heroes, which I feel is very original and quite innovating, because it shows you superheroes from a completely different prospective and in my humble opinion; it works, it really works.
I don’t know if the ranking system could have been pulled off in American comics, because it would possibly come off as nonsensical. However, I think this is one of the advantages manga has over American and Western comics.
Sorry, I just love this series. Whenever I get a new volume, I try to make it a priority and read it within the first week; but usually, I go back and read the previous volume beforehand. This is because, it could have been four-eight months since I read the series, so it’s better to refresh myself with the story again.
I love how with the Class S heroes, everyone is quite different and they all have various motivations; and since I’ve already mentioned him, take Pig God for example. From what I have read and seen about him, he defeats his villains by eating them; that’s completely horrifying and hilarious at the same time.
Also there’s Puri-Puri Prisoner; he’s an amazing character because of his Angel Style fighting move, which can only be performed naked and the fact that he has a harem of men. He likes being in prison, because he’s closer to his “honies”. He is wickedly funny.
This series is so much fun, it’s rare for me to be reading something that makes me laugh so much. The series is so hilarious and it works, because Saitama is not a serious character, but Genos is. I feel the fact that these two have become heroes for different reasons, actually works in their favour, when working together. They are actually learning from each other.
There have been some magnificent scenes in the series, but I think one of best ones, is the practice fight between Saitama and Genos, especially in the anime. Reading it in the manga was brilliant, but to see it translated into anime, was simply just awe inspiring; it seriously was.
It was one of the coolest fight scenes I have ever witnessed; at one point Genos was fighting Saitama’s after images, and then displaying just how unbelievably and ridiculously overpowered Saitama is, his non-connecting thrown punch caused mountains to be smashed. It’s absurd and awesome at the same time. I can’t say enough about this series, I love it, I really really love it.
I feel that One Punch Man; just like Invincible, has added something to the superhero genre. The dialogue is funny, the art is exquisite and you can’t but help root for Saitama; not just to win, but because you are watching his internal growth.
One Punch Man is more than a comical or superhero spoof, it’s intelligent and it’s also very hilarious. This could be very naive of me to say, but I feel this series can make a lot of people happy.
And isn’t that the reason for storytelling; to make people think about things and themselves, but also to be entertained and One Punch Man does this. It doesn’t matter how long this series exists, I’m in for the long haul.
I can’t forget to mention about everybody’s fighting styles. Some of these are the best sounding names, this side of the Dragon Ball Saga. Lion Slash Meteor Shower, Tank Top Tackle, Void Shaking Tiger Fist, Hell Storm, and Collapsing Star Roaring Cannon, are just some of the epic fighting styles.
I think when it comes to One Punch Man, Saitama has become one of the new faces of superheroes in the 21st century; along with Class S, Class A, Class B, Class C heroes, and the monsters too.
I also think it would be a mistake for me to not discuss Mumen Rider. I think he is Class C, Rank 1 and to me, I think he is one of the most outstanding characters in the series.
This is because he has no powers; he is a rider for justice! When he turns up for a fight, he’s got his bicycle helmet, goggles and his bike, and that’s it. He get his arse kicked very single time, but that’s not what I like about him.
The reason is that they’ve created a character, that whenever there is someone that needs help, or if there is a crisis, Mumen Rider is usually the first person to put his hand up or the first person to turn up. Even though he is going to lose, he still turns up, which is actually extremely heroic.
One Punch Man is a series I only discovered 3 years ago, but it’s now become one of the greatest titles in my reading diet. If you have already read or seen One Punch Man, let me know. If you haven’t, do yourself a favour and correct that mistake.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you soon.
1 ONE originally created the webcomic, then Murata came on board as the artist for the manga.
I want to talk about comics and politics. Why? Because I heard about something recently, that as a comic book fan, made me think “Have you only just realised this?” as I quietly raged.
If you have already heard about this ‘drama”, then that’s excellent; though if you haven’t, then buckle up. Marvel released the first issue of a new Captain America mini-series, titled The United States of Captain America very recently.
In the first issue, Captain America is explaining that the problem of the American Dream, is that it’s a dream that not everybody can achieve or the way I understand it, is that if a dream can not be shared, then it’s a lie.
Upon hearing this, some people have be upset at Marvel and Captain America for being “too woke” or “unpatriotic” or “anti-America” or “too political”. It seems and I could be wrong here, that people are really angry at the fact that comics have now become political. In 2021, people have just come to the realisation that politics exist in comic books and they’re protesting about this.
When I’m talking about politics, I mean not just conservative/right wing, centre or liberal/left wing views, but also issues on poverty, LGBTQ+, healthcare, war, drugs, sexism, education, climate change, racism and the list could go on and on.
Before I address this topic, I need to quickly talk about two things. Firstly, the way Dr. Jason Johnson reported this subject on MSNBC was amazing and 100% correct. The things I’m going to talk about are based on what he said…again, because he was right. I don’t want to take away from anything that he said, I just want to build on it.
Secondly, the fictional characters we love in comics, movies, television shows and books, don’t actually exist in the real world. Actors have scripts to follow; authors control what characters do in a book; while the creative team of the writer and artist can determine what a comic book character will say and do.
With that being said, let us dismantle the idea of comics suddenly being too woke and too political. Seriously, this is just nonsense. Comics have ALWAYS been political is some way or another. They really have.
Claiming Captain America is too political is madness. Johnson mentioned three key things for me about Steve Rogers. The first is that in Captain America Comics #1 in 1941, Captain America is smacking Adolf Hitler in the face on the cover.
It’s also interesting to point out that Captain America Comics #1 was cover dated as March 1941, but went on sale in December 1940; a full year before America entered the Second World War. Democracy vs Fascism, right there on the cover of the first issue. America is not even in the war and want to take a shot at Hitler and Nazi Germany. Is that not political?!
The second is that Captain America has always stood up to bullies; if you know anything about his history and the character, then you would know that when any character that stands up to a company, organisation, government or country, it’s extremely political.
The third point is that if Captain America was a real person, then yes, he would have taken down the people that stormed the US Captiol Building on 6th January 2021; and also handed out voter registration cards. I’m not an American, but yes, after reading Captain America for years, that’s exactly what would have happened.
Another point about Steve Rogers, was that his parents were poor Irish immigrants, and grew up during the Great Depression in New York City.
Captain America has been proudly waving his political flag throughout his years, during Civil War1, he went against the wishes of the US government; went undercover to investigate prison abuse and reform2; fighting Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan3; declines to be a US presidential candidate4; confronts drug addiction5; unmasked Number One, the leader of the Secret Empire, believed to be President Nixon6; quits as Captain America because of the US government’s corruption7; discovering the truth about Isaiah Bradley and the super solider serum8; and The Falcon, an African American superhero, officially becomes Captain America’s crime fighting partner and co-star of this title9, along with many other stories.
Captain America is not the only Marvel character, that has been political. When they were created, the X-Men were an example of African American civil rights within the country at the time, with Xavier’s role of Martin Luther King and Magneto’s role of Malcolm X.
As the reader of Marvel comics, you are drawn into Daredevil’s world, where the protagonist is blind; Black Widow is an ex-Soviet spy; Wolverine is not an American, he’s Canadian; Hulk was created from the real world fear of nuclear testing and radiation; Silver Sable was a Nazi hunter; the Punisher walks round executing criminals; Doctor Doom is a supervillain, but also the ruling monarch of Latveria; and the most wealthiest and advanced nation in the Marvel universe, is Wakanda, an African country.
Here is a small sample of political Marvel storylines:
Peter Parker’s best friend Harry Osborn, develops a drug addiction (Amazing Spider-Man #96-98, Vol 1, 1971).
Hulk learns one of his oldest friends is dying of AIDS (Incredible Hulk #420, Vol 1, 1994).
Mar-Vell dies of cancer (The Death of Captain Marvel, 1982).
Sue Storm suffers a miscarriage (Fantastic Four #266-268, Vol 1, 1984).
Kamala Khan, a teenage Pakistani American girl, becomes a superhero (Ms. Marvel, Vol 3, 2014).
Miles Morales, a teenage African American/Latino boy, becomes Spider-Man on Earth-1610 (Ultimate Fallout #4, Vol 1, 2011).
Northstar, a gay mutant, married Kyle Jinadu in the first same-sex superhero wedding (Astonishing X-Men #51, Vol 3, 2012).
Tony Stark battles alcoholism (The Invincible Iron Man #120-128, Vol 1, 1979).
Details Magneto’s origin as Max Eisenhardt, as he lived at Auschwitz (X-Men: Magneto Testament #1-5, 2008-2009).
Mutants and Humans swap roles, where Mutants are praised and Humans are prosecuted (House of M #1-8, Vol 1, 2005.)
Marvel are not the only company that have been political. Take DC for an example and in particular, Superman. He has been political just as much as the Sentinel of Liberty over the years.
Superman has campaigned to end world famine10; helped train US troops in war exercises11; destroyed slum tenement buildings, to force the government to build better ones12; dealt with the murder of his friend’s son13; fought the Ku Klux Klan14; renounced his U.S citizenship, in protest of the government15; married Lois Lane16; dealt with Lex Luthor becoming US president17; and talked to a young woman on the verge of suicide18; to name but a few.
DC has a collection of political characters as well. Animal Man is the avatar and defender of the Red, a force that connects all animal life and micro-organisms; Swamp Thing is the avatar and defender of the Green, a force that connects all plant life; Wonder Woman has become an international feminist icon; Green Lantern Hal Jordan reflected America’s involvement in the space race; Sinestro ruled Korugar as an authoritarian; Harley Quinn is bisexual; Black Lightning fought street level crime in Suicide Slum; and Lobo smokes cigars.
Here is a small sample of political DC storylines:
Supergirl was introduced as Superman’s cousin, along with all of her superhuman powers (Action Comics #252, Vol 1, 1959).
A mini series that reexamines and highlights some traditionally disenfranchised groups in the superhero community (The Other History of the DC Universe #1-5, Vol 1, 2021).
Batman creates the Brother Eye and OMAC network to spy on superheroes, which has disastrous consequences (Infinite Crisis #1-7, Vol 1, 2005-2006).
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons create Watchmen. (Watchmen #1-12, Vol 1, 1986-1987).
Kal-El lands in the Soviet Union and becomes a world leader (Superman: Red Son #1-3, Vol 1, 2003).
Green Lantern Kyle Rayner’s girlfriend, Alexandra DeWitt, is murdered and stuffed into a refrigerator (Green Lantern #54, Vol 3, 1994).
Superman is an illegal immigrant, having arrived in the United States without the proper legal documents (Action Comics #1, Vol 1, 1938).
Reintroduction of Batwoman into DC continuity as a lesbian (52 #7 & #11, Vol, 2006).
Green Arrow discovers his sidekick, Speedy, is addicted to heroin (Green Lantern #85-86, Vol 1, 1971).
John Stewart, a black man, was appointed to be Green Lantern Hal Jordan’s replacement ((Green Lantern #87, Vol 1, 1971).
The Justice League fight against white supremacists and the government (JLA #80-83, Vol 1, 2003).
Politics in Western comics is not limited to the big two companies. Over the decades, many different publishers have brought social issues to the reader, such as:
Mark Grayson is raped by a female Viltrumite (Invincible #110, Vol 1, 2014).
Judge Dredd lives in the futurist Mega-City One, where unemployment is over 90% (2000AD, 1977-present).
An ex-superhero is the mayor of New York City (Ex Machina #1-50, Vol 1, 2004-2010).
Illegal dumping of toxic waste triggers mutations in four turtles (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1984-present).
Autobiographical series on Marjane Satrapi’s childhood during the Islamic Revolution and as a young adult (Persepolis The Story of a Childhood, 2000; Persepolis The Story of a Return, 2004).
A survivors tale of the Holocaust, told through the lens of Jews as mice and Nazis as cats (Maus, 1980-1991).
Seduction of the Innocent was published in 1954, detailing the damage comic books were having on the youth.
The creation of the Comics Code Authority in 1954, in an effort to regulate comics and their themes.
I could go on with this list, but I simply just can’t. I’m very sorry to any and all creators that I’ve not included on the above list; it’s because of the lack of time in writing this blog, so please forgive me.
To me, comics have always been political, because that’s the point. Yes, there is a story to tell, but it’s deeper than that. Comic book creators try to expose readers to new and different ideas, topics and issues, that readers may not have ever heard or thought about before.
I simply can’t tell you how many new and different social or political ideas, topics or issues I have discovered over the years, through reading comic books. Because of this, it gave me reasons to view the world differently; or at least to try understand the issues by researching myself.
Some of my first impressions of the larger world and the diversity of people, were through reading social and political issues in comic books. Comic books in all of its forms, are visual stories that are being passed onto the next generation. Of course there would be political themes in them, humans have created them; because we are a political species.
Before I leave you, I want to present you with two of the best and greatest examples of politics in comics, I can possibly think of. The first is Stan Lee’s literary work in the Soap Box. Within the pages of early Marvel comics, existed the news and information page, known as the Bullpen Bulletins; and within this, Lee had a monthly column called Stan’s Soapbox or Stan Lee’s Soapbox.
In the Soapbox, Lee would discuss Marvel, contests and the comics industry; along with heavy social issues. To me, I think Lee saw this as an opportunity to talk directly to readers, as a means of not just showcasing and promoting comics, but also to promote a better understanding about the world, as well as ourselves and how we can fit in it. Stan Lee was “woke”, before being woke was an actually term.
The second example is actually quite simple and so basic, that you probably already know it, but have dismissed it. We have to go all the way back to 1939 for this example and no, it’s not the start of World War II.
Are you ready for it? Here it is: Bruce Wayne is a victim of gun violence. That’s right, Bruce Wayne’s parents were shot in front of him, when he was a boy. And what did he do with that anger and grief? What every child would do; to make an oath to rid their city of evil and declare war on crime.
This is displayed in the beautiful Batman: War on Crime, where Batman discovers a boy named Marcus, had witnessed his own parents’ murder in a robbery. Batman can’t help to make comparisons to Marcus and himself, so by the end of the story, both Marcus and Bruce must confront the pain of gun violence and having survivors guilt. Gun violence and gun reform are still issues facing society, even in 2021.
In a nutshell, I think the people protesting against the involvement of politics in comics, may have honestly lacked the imagination or sense of wonder, to have never read a comic book. To pick up one up and be transported to worlds, where the problems people face there, are the same ones we face here is invaluable to our youth and the old.
We are supposed to read and learn new things, so we can change. You are not supposed to stay the same person throughout your life, you are built to learn, grow and explore new things and be open minded. Having political issues in comic books is an extremely good and positive thing, so don’t let anybody tell anything different.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next week.
1 Civil War #1-7 (2006-2007)
2 Captain America #260 (Vol 1, 1981) & Captain America #23 (Vol 3, 1999)
3 Captain America #264 (Vol 1, 1981)
4 Captain America # 250 (Vol 1, 1980)
5 Captain America #372-378 (Vol 1, 1990)
6 Captain America and the Falcon #175 (Vol 1, 1974)
7 Captain America and the Falcon #176 (Vol 1, 1974)
8 Truth: Red, White & Black #1-7 (Vol 1, 2003)
9 Captain America and the Falcon #134 (Vol 1, 1971)
10Superman: Peace on Earth ( Vol 1, 1999)
11Superman #23 (Vol 1, 1943)
12 Action Comics #8 (Vol 1, 1939)
13 Superman #84 (Vol 2, 1993)
14 Superman Smashes the Ku Klux Klan #1-3 (Vol 1, 2019-2020)
I want to talk about some Star Wars characters. Why? Because I find it fascinating that these characters no longer exist; if they ever really existed at all. Now you can raise your hand and confess to be a fan of Star Wars movies and that’s fine; so am I. However, what I’m going to be talking about are characters from the Star Wars Expanded Universe.1
Since Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi was released in 1983, there have been many stories continuing the adventures of Luke, Leia, Han and the rest of the gang. This has been through different media like novels, comic books, and video games; created and released by different companies, but all under the Lucasfilm licensing umbrella.
There have been decades of stories within the Star Wars universe, after the Return of the Jedi. Seriously, mountains of novels, comic books and video games; all expanding the mythos of Star Wars. Some highlights in the comics for me were Dark Empire, Dark Empire II, Empire’s End, Crimson Empire and Legacy.
There were also massive storylines within the novels of The New Jedi Order, Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi, as well as introducing readers to survivors of the Great Jedi Purge, Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Yuuzhan Vong.
This changed in 2012, when Disney purchased Lucasfilm; which meant Disney owned Star Wars; which meant Disney had the ability to create new content, as well as erase content; for good or for ill.
The Star Wars Expanded Universe was about to change in a major way, because the way I understand it, there are two Star Wars universes now: Star Wars Canon and Star Wars Legends. The Star Wars Canon universe relates to all of the Star Wars movies (Episodes I-VI), but also the original content that Disney was creating, in the media of novels, comic books, video games and movies (Episodes VII-IX, plus Rogue One, Solo: A Star Wars Story) and television shows.
Star Wars Legends relates to the original content of novels, comic books and video games, that were published or released before the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney. Basically, what I’m trying very badly to say is that when Disney purchased Star Wars, they decided to start with a clean slate after Episode IV, by ignoring or not recognising previous storylines and characters, thus giving birth to Star Wars Canon (Disney) and Star Wars Legends (Not Disney).
Hopefully that makes sense. The idea about this blog post in particular, is to draw attention to the fact that I love Star Wars far too much; but also to address the point that some important characters in Star Wars Legends, no longer exist in Star Wars Canon. Namely six of them, though to be fair, there are many, many more.
These six Star Wars Legends characters, at least to me; are extremely important and are greatly missed in Disney’s new version of Star Wars. So, let’s crack on and see who makes the list! The six characters can be divided into two families: The Solos and the Skywalkers, so three from each family. I’ll try and keep these summaries short and sweet, though there are no guarantees.
The Solos:
Jaina Solo Fel
Jaina is the daughter of Han and Leia Organa Solo, twin sister to Jacen and older sister to Anakin. Because of her family’s connection to the Force, she was revealed to be Force-sensitive. Jaina was eventually sent to the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV, to be trained by her uncle, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.
Over the years, Jaina became a formidable pilot and Jedi, taking the title of Sword of the Jedi, at her knighting ceremony, from her Uncle Luke. She fought in the Yuuzhan Vong War and also in the Second Galactic Civil War. It was during this time, that her twin brother Jacen, fell to the Dark Side and became Darth Caedus.
After committing some terrible crimes and trying to take over the galaxy, Darth Caedus was killed by Jaina in a lightsabre duel. Later on, Jaina married Jagged Fel, fought against a new Sith threat and Abeloth, fought against extremism within the New Republic and rose to the rank of Jedi Master.
So why is Jaina on this list? Jaina is what the epitome of what a good Jedi should be. She was tempted by the Dark Side, but she never fell to it; and she had the courage to stand up to her twin brother, when he fell to the Dark Side.
In a stretch, Rey from the sequel trilogy, could be described as Jaina; but like I said, it’s a stretch. For me, Jaina always strode to uphold the ideals of the Jedi, as well trying to put other people’s needs, before her own. Jaina also never wanted to split her allegiances between the Jedi Order and her love interest in Jagged Fel, though in time, she found a way to balance these emotions.
Jaina was an arse-kicker and a strong female character in the Star Wars mythos, so she remains greatly missed in the new Canon universe.
Jacen Solo
Jacen is the eldest son of Han and Leia Organa Solo, twin brother to Jaina and older brother to Anakin. Just like Jaina, he was Force-sensitive and sent to train with his Uncle Luke, at the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV.
Jacen became a Jedi knight and fought in the Yuuzhan Vong War, but was captured and tortured. During this time, he began to slip closer to the Dark Side, but returned to the Light Side. He escaped and helped bring about the fall of the Yuuzhan Vong Empire.
After this, Jacen spent some time traveling, but received a vision about a dark figure ruling the galaxy. Jacen took this threat seriously and after learning about his young daughter, Allana, he turned to the Dark Side to fulfil his destiny, as the apprentice to Lumiya, the Dark Lady of the Sith. It was here had became Darth Caedus.
As Darth Caedus, he murdered his Aunt Mara, tortured his cousin and committed numerous other crimes. In the end, Jacen was killed by Jaina, in a lightsabre duel, in order to save the galaxy.
There are many similarities between Jacen and Kylo Ren, and also with Anakin Skywalker. Like Anakin, Jacen tried to prevent something from happening, but only made it worse; and like Kylo Ren, Jacen was a child of Leia and Han. It’s interesting to point out, that all three characters are fallen heroes, but they all redeemed themselves before dying.
Witnessing Jacen falling to the Dark Side and becoming Darth Caedus, was like watching a car crash in slow motion, it was painful and sorrowful to see him transform and commit acts of evil. Though, I think that was the quality of the character; you had read about his birth and his childhood, so you felt some connection to him, because of the amount of time, you had spent with him.
Then to read about him becoming Darth Caedus, was a kick in the stomach; but I think that was the point. To care about a fictional character enough, that you hoped he could redeem himself in the next story. Jacen was an amazing character, because he reminded us, even heroes can lose their way; though they always find their way back.
Anakin Solo
Because of the way you are brought up, you are taught principles by your family. Those principles can turn into action, which in turn can have consequences. There is no greater example of this, than Anakin Solo. As well as you have already unraveled, Anakin Solo is the youngest child of Han and Leia Organa Solo and younger brother to Jaina and Jacen.
Because he was named after his paternal grandfather2, Anakin had a lot to live up to. Just like his siblings, he was revealed to be Force-sensitive and sent to the Jedi Academy with Uncle Luke. Anakin often feared he would fall to the Dark Side, just like his name sake.
When the Yuuzhan Vong invaded the galaxy, Chewbacca sacrificed his life to save Anakin. This created tension between Anakin and his father, because Han blamed Anakin for Chewbacca’s death, which they later resolved; but it planted the seed of Anakin trying to live up to Chewbacca’s sacrifice.
Since Anakin was a fierce Jedi knight and a great leader, he was involved in several missions against the Yuuzhan Vong. Among other factors, the Yuuzhan Vong then started targeting Jedi for attacks.
During the war, the Yuuzhan Vong started using creatures called Voxyn, which could track Jedi down through the Force. Jedi were being assassinated across the galaxy, which led Anakin to lead a mission to Myrkr, kill the Voxyn Queen.
During the mission, Anakin was badly wounded and fought off a group of Yuuzhan Vong, while the rest of his team escaped. He killed several Yuuzhan Vong, but ultimately, he was killed.
I think Anakin’s death was always destined, but it still was hard to accept, because just like his siblings, you had watched him grow up. Not having Anakin in the new Canon universe, some what lessens it, because of the huge, but short role he played as a hero. This however is counter balanced by his legacy and inspiring others to follow in his footsteps.
Jaina, Jacen and Anakin can not exist in the new Canon Star Wars universe, because in that version, Leia and Han only had one child: Ben Solo; and not three.
The Skywalkers:
Mara Jade Skywalker
Ok, we are half way there! The next entry is the first Skywalker on the list. Her name is Mara Jade Skywalker and she was Luke Skywalker’s wife and also mother to Ben Skywalker. Mara is an interesting character, since she has not always aligned herself with the Light Side of the Force, since she was Force-sensitive.
During the First Galactic Civil War, Mara worked as the Emperor’s Hand, which was a special operative that basically worked off the books and answered directly to the Emperor. Just before his death, Palpatine ordered Mara to kill Luke Skywalker, but instead she left.
Mara became a smuggler and eventually, she crossed paths with Luke. Over time and working together on different missions; as well as training at the Jedi Academy, they fell in love and were married. Mara was heavily involved in the Yuuzhan Vong War, after immersing herself within the Jedi Order.
She later became a mother to Ben, achieved the rank of Jedi Master and took on Jaina Solo as her apprentice. After the Yuuzhan Vong War ended, Mara continued to serve the galaxy, facing new threats. Mara also served in the Second Galactic Civil War and then hunting down Lumiya, the Dark Lady of the Sith.
When Mara discovered her nephew, Jacen had become Darth Caedus, she saw him not just as a threat to her family, but the entire galaxy. Because of this, she went and confronted him, where she was killed.
Mara was extremely loyal to her husband, son, the Jedi Order and the galaxy. She was such a bad arse, that because of her Imperial combat and weapons training, she had a set of skills other Jedi, simply did not have.
She was simply an outstanding character, especially for her redemption arc; which detailed her journey from the Dark Side to the Light. Her life was one of the highlights of the Legends universe and she is still greatly missed among fans.
Ben Skywalker
So we have looked at Luke’s wife, now let’s look at his son, Ben. He is obviously Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker’s son and cousin to Jaina, Jacen and Anakin. Also, if you haven’t figured it out yet, Ben is named after Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi, Luke’s first Jedi Master.
Growing up as a Skywalker, was not easy; especially when your father was the famous Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Ben was born during the Yuuzhan Vong War and because his parents were fighting them, he spent a large amount of time with his Aunty Leia and Uncle Han.
Because he was a Skywalker, he was Force-sensitive, but he closed himself off to the Force during the conflict. When he was studying under his cousin Jacen, he started to learn how to open himself up to the Force.
As time went by, Ben grew into a very capable Jedi knight and had to deal with Jacen’s transformation to Darth Caedus, as well as his mother’s murder. Year later, Luke was exiled from Coruscant, because he failed to prevent Darth Caedus from rising. Because of this, Luke and Ben started to investigate why Jacen turned to the Dark Side, in addition to fight against a backlash of public anger at the Jedi.
Along the way, Ben discovered a long lost tribe of the Sith, hidden away for centuries; fight a powerful Force-powered creature called Abeloth; and fell in love with Vestara Khai, a Sith apprentice
In the new Canon universe, we have Ben Solo; although he is more based on Jacen, than Ben Skywalker. I miss Ben, because it was fascinating to read about Ben’s journey and connection with the Force. To me, he was very observant, compassionate, loyal, intelligent and helped to build bridges with people and relationships. He even taught his parents things that were not Force related. He was a very relatable and positive character.
Cade Skywalker
Cade Skywalker is an unique entry on this list. To the best of my ability, I believe he is the only one whose first appearance was in a comic book, Star Wars: Legacy and not a novel. Star Wars: Legacy was set 137 years after the Battle of Yavin aka 137 ABY, so this allowed the creators a lot more room to build new worlds and characters.
Cade is Ben Skywalker’s grandson, though he would be visited/lectured by his great-grandfather, Luke Skywalker as a Force-spirit. Cade was raised in the Jedi Order, but one day, the order was attacked by the newly forged One Sith; which was a new Sith Order. Cade’s father, Kol was killed in the attack, so Cade turned his back on the Jedi. Eventually he became a bounty hunter and pirate with his crew, on his ship the Mynock.
The galaxy was ruled by the Sith Lord, Darth Krayt and because of various connected storylines, Cade is somewhat put on a collision course with him and the rest of the other Sith lords. There is a lot more to Cade’s story and his misadventures with Legacy, but I really want to focus on Cade himself.
Cade’s an unique character, because he can walk dangerous close to the Dark Side, but has no desire or intention to ever crave its power. He is an extremely power Force user, displaying abilities that are truly amazing and surreal.
Cade had left the Jedi and Sith behind in his old life and really didn’t want to be dragged into galactic politics; he just wanted the free and easy life. But, as some of the characters on this list discovered, that if you have the ability to fight for the powerless, to stand against evil, then it’s something you have to do, even it’s at the bottom of your list. That’s Cade.
I really enjoyed this era of Star Wars, because the Empire has began benevolent; the One Sith Order were the most dangerous and remarkable group of Sith, you had ever seen; Imperial knights had white lightsabres; and Cade, the heir to the Skywalker name, walked the path between the Light and Dark Sides of the Force.
Although one thing was certain, you would find it difficult to locate anybody that hated the Sith more than Cade Skywalker.
The reasons Mara Jade, Ben and Cade, no longer exist in the new Canon universe, is because Luke never married; so he never met Mara, so Ben was never born; thus Cade was never born.
Whether you are a fan of Legends or the new Canon universe; or maybe both of them, Jaina, Jacen, Anakin, Mara Jade, Ben and Cade are beloved characters that sadly, we will never get to read any new adventures about them.3
The great thing is, if you miss them enough, you can just visit the book shelf or comic book collection to see them again. They will be waiting for you like old friends, in a galaxy far, far away.
May the Force be with you and I’ll see you next week!
1 My youngest son is named after a Jedi, so I love the Star Wars Expanded Universe.
Welcome to part two of my fantasy adaptations! My last blog post was about properties that I would to like to see adapted into movies, so this version is about my fantasy television adaptations list. I hope someone out there agrees with me, with at least one of the entries on the list.
A Short History of Nearly Everything: Live action/animated over 1-3 seasons
This the first and only entry on the list that is a non-fiction property. A Short History of Nearly Everything was written by Bill Bryson and published in 2003. The book is about popular science, with Bryson unhappy with his own scientific knowledge, so he researched different fields of science and described them, to make scientific information more accessible. I love this book!
How should A Short History of Nearly Everything be adapted?
Unlike the other entries on this list, I feel this television show needs to be narrated and hosted by someone. Each episode would involve the host talking about biology, physics or chemistry or whatever subject that needs to be discussed.
The episodes could be about the origins of each scientific field, as well as how we know various things about that scientific field. Using a blend of live action and animated clips to adapt the book and explain the chapters, would be excellent. If you have seen Cosmos by the late great Carl Sagan or Neil deGrasse Tyson, you’re understand what I’m talking about.
Why should A Short History of Nearly Everything be adapted?
In my small and humble opinion, Bryson has done an amazing job at communicating scientific information in a fun and entertaining way. It’s engaging and funny, but at the same time, extremely insightful and relevant.
The book breaks down difficult concepts so people can get a taste of the subject, so I feel the television show would do exactly the same. I can’t rate this book highly enough for it’s purpose, so making a television show about understanding and explaining science to adults, would be a no-brainer.
Television show:
The Silmarillion: Live action over multiple seasons
Now for those of you out there in pop culture land, you could be familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien’s literature on Middle-Earth. The most famous of his huge volume of work would be The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. However, I want to discuss the novel that every fan says they are going to read, but never do: The Silmarillion.
The Silmarillion was released in 1977 and details the history of Arda. This involves focusing on the creation of Arda by Ilúvatar; the creation of the Ainur, Valar, Maiar, Elves, Dwarves, Men and other races; the Two Lamps; the Two Trees; the Silmarils; the many, many wars; Sauron and of course, the rise of Morgoth; throughout the First, Second and Third Ages of the Sun.
How should The Silmarillionbe adapted?
Because of the massive amount of content and the timeline of events, a trilogy of films would be unwise. Adapting The Silmarillion into a live action television show over multiple seasons, would allow viewers to connect and fall in love with characters over the years.
Plus, I can’t be the only one that wants to see the OG himself, Morgoth, walking around in his horrific glory, as well as watching Sauron grow into his power. Because no matter how bad or evil you think Sauron is, Morgoth is worse. He is the worst.
Why should The Silmarillion be adapted?
This brings up an interesting point, because Amazon Prime Video are producing a Lord of the Rings television show; what I have called the Middle Earth tv show. From what I understand, it’s set in the Second Age of the Sun, which is still thousands of years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Now I have no idea what is in this show, but my hopes remain high that they will be using the Silmarillion as the basis for the plot. Although they could do whatever they really want, I guess. My hope is that The Silmarillion will in fact be faithfully adapted, under the guise of this show.
To see Túrin and Niënor; Glaurung; Lúthien and Beren; the fall of Gondolin; Ungoliant; Angband and Morgoth; along with all of the massive family trees of the Elves and Dwarves; would truly be worthy of the word epic.
Television show:
The Danilov Quintet: Live action over 5 seasons
This the first entry where there are multiple books to be adapted. The Danilov Quinet are a series of five books, written by Jasper Kent. The books are called Twelve; Thirteen Years Later; The Third Section; The People’s Will; and The Last Rite.
The central characters in the series change, because it’s a generational story involving one family: The Danilovs and their blood line. Their role in the series is to protect Russia from…well, vampires.
How should The Danilov Quinetbe adapted?
I think a television show would be the best, because each book covers a different time period in Russian history: 1812, 1825, 1855, 1881 and 1917. Each television season, could focus on one book; for an example, the first season would adapt the first book, set in 1812. The second season would adapt the second book, set in 1825.
That way the viewer can see the progression of time, as well as having the adults actors age through make up or CGI; though some actors can be recast, because you met them as children, then adults. I do need to point out, it’s important that some actors don’t change, because…well, they’re vampires.
Why should The Danilov Quinet be adapted?
They are two things that I love about this series. The first is the location and era. The series take place in Russia, dating from the French invasion of 1812 to the Russian Revolution in 1917. I love this perspective, because Russian history was something I only knew a little about; but these books changed that for me.
Meeting different historic characters, as well as setting the backdrop for over 100 years of Russian history, provided me with amazing information, about Russian events, but also customs and culture. I came away with a healthier knowledge of the Russian nation.
The second thing that I love about this series, is the use of vampires. My wife loves the TwilightSaga, but the vampires in The Danilov Quinet are quite different. With these vampires, if one of them bites or kills you, you don’t become a vampire. You’re just dead.
In this series, to became a vampire, you need to be turned by another vampire. A vampire needs to bite you and drink some of your blood, then you need drink their blood. Once that is done, you need to die, then and only then, can you be reborn as a vampire.
I like this explanation, because whenever I hear of vampires in pop culture, that when you are bitten or killed by one, you are reborn as a vampire. To me, it means that vampirism is a disease, that converts anybody it touches…so shouldn’t everybody would be a vampire, because it’s like a plague with no cure? It would destroy the entire population.
In Kent’s literary world, that does not happen, so his vampires are more believable. To become a vampire, you must choose to become one. They are immortal and stay in the shadows, so not to draw attention to themselves. This makes them even more dangerous, because they have an agenda and they plan to see it through. This series needs to be adapted.
Television show:
Fire of Heaven/Husk: Live action over multiple seasons
I’ll admit to a little bias over this entry, because it was written by a fellow New Zealander. Russell Kirkpatrick wrote the Fire of Heaven/Husk fantasy series, which are actually made up of two trilogies.
The first trilogy (Fire of Heaven) contains Across the Face of the World; In the Earth Abides the Flame; and The Right Hand of God. The Husk trilogy is made up of Path of Revenge; Dark Heart; and Beyond the Wall of Time.
The saga is set within The Sixteen Kingdoms of Faltha, where a family/company has obtained vital information about the The Undying Man, the Immortal Destroyer. He is planning to invade and conquer the Sixteen Kingdoms, but only if the family fails to reach the capital and warn everybody.
How should Fire of Heaven/Husk be adapted?
Just like The Danilov Quinet, I believe adapting each book into a season of a television show, would be perfect. You would have time to introduce characters and flesh them out; as well as exploring new lands and customs, so you can connect and relate to the show as the viewer.
Added to the fact that Kirkpatrick has a Phd in Geography, each book has sensational detailed maps. These maps could show the viewer where the characters are at the moment, to give you perspective on the larger world and how the different characters fit into it.
Why should Fire of Heaven/Husk be adapted?
I love a convincing fantasy series and Fire of Heaven/Husk are just marvelous. From the detailed maps to the origins and status of the Undying Man to scale of the story, it’s just amazing. Just like Morgoth’s stronghold of Angband, I really want to the Undying Man’s stronghold of Adunlok, in Bhrudwo.
It’s just the scale of the series, that demands it to be adapted. Damn, it’s good; especially the battle tactics and the relationships within the different companies, as to their commitment to stopping the Immortal Destroyer and also Husk. I don’t know if it’s popular enough to be adapted, but it just has do; and viewers would be right there with them on their quests.
Television show:
The Dark Tower: Live action over multiple seasons
The Dark Tower series has been described as Stephen King’s magnum opus. It is epic. It spans eight novels and sixteen comic trades, as well as a feature film.
The story centres around Roland Deschain, who is the last in a line of gunslingers (knights). His mission, is to reach the Dark Tower for different reasons. Along the way, he has a Ka-tet (group) of companions that aide and assist him on his quest, fighting against the machinations of the Man in Black and the Crimson King.
The story is also told out of chronological order, because the fourth book is basically one huge flashback; while the comics tell the story in chronological order. With the books, you first meet Roland as an adult; but in the comics, you first meet him as a teenager. The comics also fill in gaps in the original story, but also adapting the novels as well.
How should The Dark Tower be adapted?
In 2017, a feature film called The Dark Tower was released, based on King’s work. It did not receive positive reviews and was panned by many critics and fans. I think it’s because, how do you cram eight books worth of characters, events and plot into 95 minutes of film? The answer is that you can’t.
Because of this, a television show would the perfect vehicle to reintroduce the story to the world. Setting it over several years, would give you the time and resources to correctly adapt The Dark Tower. I mean, is it just me or do you really want to see a Thinny or Blaine the Mono?
Why should The Dark Tower be adapted?
The reason The Dark Tower needs to be adapted again, is because it’s needs another chance for viewers to fall in love with it. The thing about The Dark Tower is that it connects King’s different works together; like a multiverse crossover.
The story is so long and vast, a single 95 minute film, can not explore Mid-World and it’s surrounding worlds. Now there was going to be a Dark Tower television show, but the way I understand it, it has been scrapped. This is sad, however, it just means someone else can step up and make the greatest genre spanning television show in history.
Show us Eddie, Susannah and more of Jake. Show us the Fall of Gilead. Show us the Battle of Tull. Show us the Lobstrosities. Show us the Crimson King. Show us Mordred, because he is a-hungry; but ultimately, show us the coolest character in the entire saga: show us Oy. Whomever can make this a reality, will have remembered the face of their mother or father.
Television show:
Black Science: Animated over multiple seasons
Black Science was a comic book series, created by Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera. It was released by Image Comics and it ran from 2013-2019, covering 43 issues.
The storyline is about a group of scientists that create a machine called “The Pillar“, that can punch holes through reality and into other dimension/parallel worlds. The scientists then have to survive each world and to try and return to their home world, because utter carnage is being spread across the Eververse, because of their misadventures.
How should Black Science be adapted?
I feel Matteo’s art work is quite distinct and mind blowing, that the only way it could be done justice, if the show was animated. The characters and settings would be easy to transfer from the page to the screen, because of how amazing Matteo’s art is.
The reality and cost of recreating the art work in real life, would be a nightmare, so animation would be the best option. Also having Invincible pave the way, for an adult animation comic book property, basically sets up the show.
Why should Black Science be adapted?
Well, where do I start? From Remender’s writing to Matteo’s art, this series is begging to brought to the unconverted. From the responsibilities of being a parent and spouse; to the relationships of work mates and children; to the power of guilt and regret; to forging your own path, at the cost of others; Black Science is a sci-fi masterpiece.
Seriously, imagine watching Grant McKay and his gang of Anarchistic Order of Scientists, creating problems faster than they can fix them, would be astounding. Also the Dralyn, are some of the most terrifying creatures to be created in the last 10 years. They are pure nightmare fuel. Prepare to be liberated!
Television show:
Judge Dredd: Live action over multiple seasons
Judge Dredd. What can I say about the ultimate lawman, that has not already been said before. Judge Dreed debuted in the British weekly comic, 2000AD in March 1977 and was created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquer. Dredd lives in a dystopian city called Mega-City One. This city stretches from along the Eastern seaboard of North America and has an unemployment rate of over 90%.
Dredd is a street judge, a special type of law enforcement officer that can act as judge, jury and executioner. Criminals can be tried at the scene of a crime, as well as being sentenced. The toughest of these Judges is Joseph “Joe” Dredd: Judge Dredd. Armed with his Lawmaster (motorcycle) and Lawgiver (firearm), he is not someone to mess with.
How should Judge Dredd be adapted?
Alright, before we move on, let’s address the two elephants in the room. Judge Dredd has already been adapted into two feature films: Judge Dredd with Sylvester Stallone(1995) and Dredd with Karl Urban (2012). I’m not going to talk about these films, however if you have not seen Urban’s Dredd, it is amazing. Really, do yourself a favour and go and watch it. It will convert anybody!
Anyway, I want you to imagine something. Imagine some perps sitting around in their Block apartment, when the door gets kicked in and Dredd enters, kicking arse and taking names. Now picture that amazing scene and imagine witnessing it every week in a television episode!
The show would be extremely violent, but that’s the world Dredd lives in. The producers could adapt different storylines from the comics, as well as create some original content. Just think about it, every week, you could see Judge Dredd sentencing someone to the iso-cubes or sending them to Resyk.
Why should Judge Dredd be adapted?
From what I understand, there are plans to bring a Judge Dredd television show to life; it’s just whether it will become a reality or not. It would great if it did, because I’m a Judge Dredd fan. I’m not an expert, but I am a fan.
I just feel having a Judge Dredd television show executed1in the right way, would make explosive and entertaining television. It really would. I mean, it’s Judge Dredd for Drokk’s sake!
Also the show could reveal the origin of the Judges, Judges from other countries, more of Judge Anderson; but also introduce the Dark Judges. Come on, you knew that coming didn’t you? Imagine seeing a live action version of Judge Fire, Judge Mortis, Judge Fear or even, Judge Death. Seriously, just imagine it!
The show could also bring up questions about equality, freedom, civil rights, justice, prison reform and democracy. My only concern is that whether it’s Urban playing Dredd or someone else, they would need to keep the helmet on. The reason is that, it does not matter what Dredd looks like under the helmet, because the helmet signifies the law and Judge Dredd is the law.
Television show:
East of West: Live action over multiple seasons
East of West is an other property that spans different genres. It was a monthly comic book series and it released by Image Comics. It ran from 2013-2019, covering 45 issues, plus one special. It was also created by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta.
East of West is set in an alternative version of the United States of America, where the country is actually divided into seven different nations. This is known as “The Seven Nations of America” and it consists of The Union, The Confederacy, The Kingdom of New Orleans, The Endless Nation, The Republic of Texas, The People’s Republic of America (PRA) and The Armistice.
It basically centres on two groups of people: one group is trying to bring about the end of the world, by enlisting the help of the Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The other group which includes Death, are trying to stop them. Also Death’s son, Babylon, was kidnapped and trained to be the Beast of the Apocalypse, which his old man is not exactly pleased about.
How should East of West be adapted?
This is an easy option, because it’s quite obvious. Like many of the entries on this list, a television show would flesh out characters like Death, War, Famine, Conquest, President Chamberlain and so many others.
I feel the show should be live action over animated like Invincible or Black Science, because as a fan of the comic book, I feel the costumes, set designs and prop development, like in the Endless Nation and PRA; would raise the bar for television shows and their production.
I also feel using live actors would cement the connection with the viewer, because the stakes in this world, keep getting higher and higher. You could really immerse yourself in the different nations, not unlike the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros in Game of Thrones.
Why should East of West be adapted?
Seriously, have you not read it? Why wouldn’t you? It’s amazing! The fact that the American Civil War did not end in 1865, but actually in 1908, gives you more than enough reasons to be interested in this tv show.
You have different themes running through it like power and control, with Presidents Chamberlain and LeVay; justice with the Ranger; regret with Bel Solomon; ambition with John Freeman I; revenge with the Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse; faith with Ezra; duty with Wolf; and family with Death. It’s very strong storytelling.
For me, I would love to see Babylon and Balloon, walking across the land; the Endless Nation and their insane machines; Death and his death givers aka his twin guns; the Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse for…well, being themselves; the Oracle and her creepy eyes; and The Ranger and his dog.
Though one character remains to be discussed and she would become a new female arse kicking icon ; the Bride of Death, Mao Xiaolian, the Premier of the People’s Republic of America; and Babylon’s mother.
I want to see Mao in her red armour, with the Dragons and Widow Makers at her back, pledging two things: ordering Death to locate their missing son and return him; and the second would be Mao swearing to honour her enemies’ death wishes. Her enemies want to die, so she will march with her army and grant them that wish.
Can you imagine how invested people would be with this show?!
Alright, that’s it. If any of the comic books or novels that I have mentioned, ever get adapted into movies or television shows, can I please ask the producers to add my name to the credits? Please? Also, if you have not read any of them, please do so, because they are worth it.
Now I have a full time job, which requires me to take work home, every day. Because of this, I have tried to write a blog post every two weeks, so I have the time to do both things. The problem is, I have been looking at other bloggers’ volume of work and it puts me to shame.
So starting next week, I am going to try and write a blog post once a week. I don’t know if this will work, but if people are willing to read my tiny blog, then I’ll give it a crack.
SOME GEEK TOLD ME 
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