Explored Comics

The Inhumans have always been an interesting set of Marvel Comics characters.  Their creation obviously was a construct of several themes going beyond just muscular-bound men and buxom women “pow-ing” and “zapping” their way through the panels.  Through their adventures, many writers have explored the themes of monarchies, family, social status, genealogy, inheritance, individuality, genetics, and history, just name a few.  I have always had a fondness for the character of Black Bolt, who, by inheritance was king, but, through the Terrigen mist, was essentially mute because the single whispered word  passed through his mouth causes destruction, a symbol of the unforeseen consequences a ruler has when he speaks.  In addition to having to govern over his people, he has to contend with his insane brother, Maximus, who seeks to dethrone Black Bolt and take his place. In recent Marvel history, Black Bolt has suffered under the weight of his throne, such that he was r...

I have been a fan of Adam Warlock for a long time.  I encountered him first in the Infinity Gauntlet crossover event, which with the Crisis on Infinite Earths and Secret Wars events from the ‘80’s seems to be the lodestone for good crossover events.  The Infinity Gauntlet crossover appears to be the basis for Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, at least up to present, each of the movies prominently featuring one of the stones composing of the Infinity Gauntlet in their movies.  Oddly, Adam Warlock has been almost absent from the Marvel cinematic movies.  (Speculation had been made that in one scene of the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, wherein the Guardians visit the Collector, one could see Adam Warlock’s chrysalis in the background.) Adam Warlock particularly flourished under the watch of comic artist and writer Jim Starlin, who stretched Warlock’s story beyond the panels into a metaphysical contemplation of several larger, more adult themes such as religion, justic...

I have to admit that I like the idea of Green Arrow, a robin hood type figure who fights for the poor and meek against the rich and strong.  I think as much as any other character, Green Arrow seems to have gone through many manifestations.  Perhaps a better word might be reincarnations.  I think Green Arrow, although not one of the trinity of DC Comics lead super heroes, is subject to manipulation by comic book writers and artists, simply because he is a paragon of pity and mercy for the poor, similar in the manner that Batman is the paragon of true justice. When DC Comics rebooted their comic books under the New 52 brand, there was a lot of hope for the books.  One of the books they re-launched was Green Arrow.  It started very roughly.  The writers and artists had taken away from him his wisdom and experience and replaced it with youthful vanity and inexperience.  I started the book (and continued collected I am ashamed to say) even though I felt th...