If THE GL Replaced GLs

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

You somehow saying that reminded me of that horrible human Lantern suit Alan wore just before the new52...



I think Alan's KC sword or lance or whatever was epic. Kingdom Come was just a masterpiece.

~//V\\~

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

If you want to take it even further back, an Alan solo comic was doomed on the day that DC decided to forever tie the JSA characters to WW2, thus guaranteeing that they would have to age out and become unusable. Geoff should have changed that when he launched his JSA comic, but he didn't.

Adding three new Lanterns was the coup de grāce.

For that matter, they made Sinestro practically a seventh Lantern. Look up there at the banner. So where is there any room for an ongoing that stars Alan?

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

The idea is to scrap it all and go back to just Alan. To finally be rid of the emotional spectrum BS I'd almost be game for it. Alan was my 2nd favorite Lantern behind Kyle. The first comic I had with Alan in it was a Zero Hour tie-in and he looked like a beast. I wondered why some of the Golden Age properties were still collecting dust when they could've been getting remade like THAT.



~//V\\~

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

It is kind of fun to entertain the thought of a DCU where Jay Garrick and Alan Scott are the only Flash and Green Lantern. Taking their rightful place along Bruce, Clark and Diana.

If Julie Schwartz had decided to use their original alter egos when revamping them in the 50s and 60s, (for example, GL being a test pilot named Alan Scott, or the Atom being a scientist named Al Pratt working on a white dwarf star fragment), so much would be different now.

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

It is kind of fun to entertain the thought of a DCU where Jay Garrick and Alan Scott are the only Flash and Green Lantern. Taking their rightful place along Bruce, Clark and Diana.

If Julie Schwartz had decided to use their original alter egos when revamping them in the 50s and 60s, (for example, GL being a test pilot named Alan Scott, or the Atom being a scientist named Al Pratt working on a white dwarf star fragment), so much would be different now.

Everybody wants to create their very own Green Lantern and Flash. That started with Julius Schwartz and it hasn't stopped since. And the longer it's gone on, the worse the problem has grown, because there will always be a cadre of fanatical fanboys who will go to the mat and throw fits on behalf of every one of these characters, no matter how bad they might be.

Why? Because creators want to put their mark on classic properties, and because fanboys want stuff to happen during their watch.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

There is some truth to that. What you said about every writer wanting to add their own piece to a franchises history, and fanboys wanting to witness it.

The after effect is the morning after regret. It's like picking that girl or guy up at the bar for a one night stand. It was hot at the time and you REALLY wanted to do it, but a week later you realize how skanky they were and wish you had never done it. And just want to pretend it never happened.

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

The emotional spectrum is a slut I washed my hands of years ago LOL

Dave, is there any other golden age villains or supporting characters who you can think of that haven't been mentioned?

~//V\\~

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

He had Doiby Dickles, Sportsmaster, Solomon Grundy...not a lot other than gangsters. Even Rose and Thorn was originally a Jay Garrick villain that Alan later grabbed, like Daredevil stole Kingpin from Spidey.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Doiby was a villain?

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Lol, no. I was just thinking about him. He was Alan's buddy, his Jimmy Olsen, who provided comedic support.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Alan in any new stories is pretty much going to have to continue siphoning from the JSA villain well. The Icicle, Gambler, Vandal Savage, Sportsmaster, etc. The problem is, they made Alan SO powerful, most of the old golden age villains don't stand a chance against him. He was almost better before he got ridiculously powered up, as is the case with most superheroes. It sounds great to make your hero uber powerful, until you have to find a way to write stories for them (coughIoncough)

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

Alan in any new stories is pretty much going to have to continue siphoning from the JSA villain well. The Icicle, Gambler, Vandal Savage, Sportsmaster, etc. The problem is, they made Alan SO powerful, most of the old golden age villains don't stand a chance against him. He was almost better before he got ridiculously powered up, as is the case with most superheroes. It sounds great to make your hero uber powerful, until you have to find a way to write stories for them (coughIoncough)

That's EXACTLY what i used to say on CBR. A few people agreed, but most didn't. They'd say, "Well, just make the villains more powerful too!" Or, "But what about Superman?" Or, "What about Sandman?"

To answer the first question, the more powerful that heroes and villains grow, the more abstract their battles become, and the further removed from anything that people actually care about. Unless you put the whole damned universe at risk in every story, which will get old fast.

To address the Superman question, that's where Kryptonite comes in. Get rid of that, and then let's see anyone write stories about Superman!

Re Sandman: His power level makes him unsuited for an ongoing. It's the same reason that Dr. Fate, Dr. Strange and the Silver Surfer can't carry one. You just can't write a lot of stories about such powerful characters.

If DC would power the Spectre down to a reasonable level, and write him a a human being with a job and a life, then he might be able to sell an ongoing.

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

To address the Superman question, that's where Kryptonite comes in. Get rid of that, and then let's see anyone write stories about Superman!

Re Sandman: His power level makes him unsuited for an ongoing. It's the same reason that Dr. Fate, Dr. Strange and the Silver Surfer can't carry one. You just can't write a lot of stories about such powerful characters.

If DC would power the Spectre down to a reasonable level, and write him a a human being with a job and a life, then he might be able to sell an ongoing.

Silver Surfer had an ongoing [that for a time was even written by Ron Marz] that lasted over ten years that began in 1987 and ran for 148 issues. Doc Strange has had two ongoings last 88 and 81 issues in the past. Fate has had a series get as high as the 40's at least once I can remember. It's not impossible. Spectre could sell if they could balance the POV between Corrigan and the spirit.

With a simplified franchise, since Alan's power is more magic and supernatural... maybe a new weakness could be a problem using his power against newer technology. He could be good with tech as far as working in a subway and then as a radio engineer, his power just wouldn't be as effective against it and he'd have to think around situations. I mean... it's better than a weakness to wood LOL

~//V\\~

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Lol, no. I was just thinking about him. He was Alan's buddy, his Jimmy Olsen, who provided comedic support.

I wasn't trying to be snarky or anything. I thought I might have missed some later turn in the stories.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Nah, I didn't take you as snarky. I was more amused at the stupid way I wrote that paragraph.