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Post by woodside on Jun 17, 2009 21:27:17 GMT -5
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Post by freedomfighter on Jun 17, 2009 22:50:41 GMT -5
I've always liked Brother Voodoo. I thought it was a shame he was relegated to the back of the bus it were. I think it's silly that he becomes the sorceror supreme (voodoo is a religion after all and has had some comparisons to Christianity- it's kind of like saying the Pope should become the next sorceror supreme...). Plus Strange has had a fairly short tenure (the Ancient One had like 900 years or so? Doc has about ten Marvel time...).
As always, Bendis has some interesting ideas, but they're not really team ideas. There's little about how a team comes together at all in his interview, only how a few individuals interact and the Hood continues to be a major presence in the book, just sort of hanging around like the Kingpin did in Daredevil. The big difference is DD/Kingpin is a very personal conflict, this one is just protracted.
I will say the "depower bomb" just sounds silly. And I think that every time someone uses a device like that it's idiotic. I thought it was silly when Stan Lee did it too. How do you create a device that specifically targets mutant genes, technology, divine power from the Gods, alien DNA and permanently altered humans?
For example I've seen the Thing get hit with one of these types of weapons and he crumples to the floor weak as joe sixpack. Well, he's still 500 lbs and hard as super dense concrete, so you can't really hurt him...
Just doesn't make sense is all I'm saying.
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Post by scottharris on Jun 17, 2009 22:53:26 GMT -5
Actually, I didn't mind it. There were a couple things that I thought were kind of goofy, but overall it all seemed reasonable. That's not to say that I won't enjoy some mild mockery. For example: "I felt like Voodoo was something I knew nothing about and writers are supposed to do research, so I felt I needed to learn a lot. I spent most of the winter reading books on Voodoo, what it means and its history." Darn it, Bendis, why didn't you do this with Avengers? You spent all winter reading books on Voodoo? How about cracking open Essential Avengers vol. 1? "I didn't really use any of my research" Oh. Well, that explains it, nevermind. The other thing I thought was goofy about this interview was the entire first half of it was talking about how NA was setting up the new Sorcerer Supreme, and climaxing in Brother Voodoo taking over for Dr. Strange and then... immediately leaving the book entirely. So, why the big set up if he gets written out right away? On the other hand, I'm still waiting for the point of the "Ronin is... ECHO!" storyline, so maybe it's for the best. But certainly not the dumbest Bendis interview I've read. Some of what he said actually sounded as though he had thought about it first. |
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Post by redstatecap on Jun 17, 2009 23:34:26 GMT -5
The Hood is now the boss of all bosses?  Brother Voodoo is the new Sorceror Supreme? Every time I read one of Bendis' interviews, I am reminded that the guy is all about pumping his pet characters as the best thing since sliced bread. Cage, Jessica, Spider-Woman, Sentry, the Hood, Brother Voodoo, Echo/Ronin, and so on. Bendis' comments on the Marvel "creative retreat" just illustrate what Mavel has become these days -- one neverending "BIG EVENT" that is guranteed to "crack the internet in half." And you know what? Each and every one of those big events sucked. Hey Marvel, how about using a well-written story to sell comics instead of shock? RSC |
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Post by dlw66 on Jun 18, 2009 7:40:33 GMT -5
One could argue that Marvel's been on a "creative retreat" for years!
Others' complaints above mirror many of my own. Overall, I'd say what turned me off to the X-Men years and years ago is that the amount of characters exploded, making the reader incapable of caring dearly for any one or even a small group of them -- just too much going on. "You can't tell the players without a scorecard"-type of thing.
Similarly, that infection has spread to the entire line. Proliferation of new characters, most of whom are forgettable, and the focus on "THE EVENT", has rendered me incapable of not only caring, but of parting with my cash on a monthly basis.
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Post by von Bek on Jun 18, 2009 7:44:13 GMT -5
“I imagined if my brother, who I adore, lived inside me, I would punch myself in the face about 85 times a day. It's like there's someone just over your shoulder constantly bothering you and they won't go away. That's a very unique dynamic in the Marvel Universe and I thought it was a lot of fun to write.”
BENDIS! is the one bothering me and it seems he isn´t going away too...
Look at the things the guy says... Is he brain damaged or something? How not to mock such interviews?
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Post by bobc on Jun 18, 2009 8:26:40 GMT -5
God for once I'm not the most obnoxious about Bendis!! Hee hee! DL I was gonna say the same thing--that Marvel has been in "creative retreat" for a while now.
So I see ol' Baldy is once again wiping the slate clean on an interesting character (Brother Voodoo) and replacing it with crap. BV had a very distinctive past and was one of those Marvel characters that never really got the attention he deserved. But making him the Sorcerer Supreme? That is just stupid. BV is from a whole different realm.
Will someone make bendis go away? PLEASE
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Post by Tana Nile on Jun 18, 2009 15:43:31 GMT -5
Normally, I'm thrilled to see 70s characters pop back into prominence. But...Brother Voodoo?? Really? This guy?  I mean, even I, who bought all the crap Marvel put out back then, only bought two issues of Strange Tales with Brother Voodoo! So a grade Z character is now Sorceror Supreme? But I see he's been promoted to Doctor Voodoo now, so I guess that makes everything all right. What happened to Dr. Strange? Nervous breakdown after being trapped in New Avengers all this time? |
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Post by bobc on Jun 18, 2009 16:14:37 GMT -5
Come on Tana! Brother Man had that 70's black exploitation thing going on! Like when Luke Cage used to call everybody, male or female, "Sugar!" It was super bad!
Yeah Bendis has made yet another of his uhhhh "creative" re-workings of a Marvel character. I can't wait to see the pimply-faced fan boys gushing over how ingenious this is.
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Post by starfoxxx on Jun 18, 2009 16:50:56 GMT -5
I'm glad I dropped New Avengers.
The recent covers look like someone vomited on them, anyway.
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Post by humanbelly on Jun 18, 2009 16:51:05 GMT -5
Normally, I'm thrilled to see 70s characters pop back into prominence. But...Brother Voodoo?? Really? This guy? I mean, even I, who bought all the crap Marvel put out back then, only bought two issues of Strange Tales with Brother Voodoo! So a grade Z character is now Sorcerer Supreme? But I see he's been promoted to Doctor Voodoo now, so I guess that makes everything all right. What happened to Dr. Strange? Nervous breakdown after being trapped in New Avengers all this time? Heh. . . Wellllllll, o'course the young woman using (what was originally) The Savage She-Hulk as her avatar may want to be a little cautious about throwin' those stones at ol' Jericho. . . ! (I am kidding, of course. Because I think Jen is one of the most delightful lame-character turnaround stories THERE IS. She's a terrific and very unique character. But, boy, those first few issues of her original run. . . ) Brother Voodoo, though, turned into a joke almost immediately, didn't he? I think the only place he was showing up FOR YEARS was in the cartoons the Fred Hembeck used to pop up with. And I'd heard a rumor that even that was partly just to satisfy copyright requirements. . . to use his name periodically so they could retain the rights to it. (Like someone else is going to pilfer "Brother Voodoo"  ) HB |
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Post by woodside on Jun 18, 2009 19:00:08 GMT -5
The Hood is now the boss of all bosses? No. So, why the big set up if he gets written out right away? On the other hand, I'm still waiting for the point of the "Ronin is... ECHO!" storyline, so maybe it's for the best. It was resolved two years ago. |
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Doctor Bong
West Coast Avenger
Master of Belly Dancing (no, really...)!
Posts: 49
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Post by Doctor Bong on Jun 18, 2009 19:21:06 GMT -5
Normally, I'm thrilled to see 70s characters pop back into prominence. But...Brother Voodoo?? Really? This guy? I mean, even I, who bought all the crap Marvel put out back then, only bought two issues of Strange Tales with Brother Voodoo! So a grade Z character is now Sorceror Supreme? But I see he's been promoted to Doctor Voodoo now, so I guess that makes everything all right. What happened to Dr. Strange? Nervous breakdown after being trapped in New Avengers all this time? Although I am by no means an expert, from what I understand those who are initiated in "voodoo" don't call it that and find the name offensive instead. |
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Post by spiderwasp on Jun 19, 2009 1:52:21 GMT -5
I'm not really opposed to the idea of BV showing back up because I have always had a special fondness for lame characters (The Great Lakes Avengers, Razorback, Rocket Racer, etc.) but having him suddenly become the Sorcerer Supreme...That's like having Squirrel Girl take over as leader of the Fantastic Four or The Boogy Man from Power Pack become the new ruler of Latveria.
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Post by bobc on Jun 19, 2009 9:23:38 GMT -5
Me too, SW!! I love grade Z characters!
You know the folklore of "real" African voodoo is fascinating--a good writer could do a lot with Brother Voodoo. The first thing I'd do is change his name though--it's a little dated
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Post by freedomfighter on Jun 19, 2009 9:41:42 GMT -5
I'm not really opposed to the idea of BV showing back up because I have always had a special fondness for lame characters (The Great Lakes Avengers, Razorback, Rocket Racer, etc.) but having him suddenly become the Sorcerer Supreme...That's like having Squirrel Girl take over as leader of the Fantastic Four or The Boogy Man from Power Pack become the new ruler of Latveria. Or the Hood suddenly becoming the top villain and commanding an army of much better known, more powerful bad guys. Oh wait... |
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Post by spiderwasp on Jun 19, 2009 11:17:33 GMT -5
I'm not really opposed to the idea of BV showing back up because I have always had a special fondness for lame characters (The Great Lakes Avengers, Razorback, Rocket Racer, etc.) but having him suddenly become the Sorcerer Supreme...That's like having Squirrel Girl take over as leader of the Fantastic Four or The Boogy Man from Power Pack become the new ruler of Latveria. Or the Hood suddenly becoming the top villain and commanding an army of much better known, more powerful bad guys. Oh wait... Now FF, I know I was being a little silly but I'd never suggest something that goofy.  |
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Post by freedomfighter on Jun 19, 2009 15:27:43 GMT -5
Oh yeah one other thing struck me, the whole Bucky thinks "everyone should be using guns" thing. The same Bucky who fought alongside Cap, the biggest opponent of lethal force unless as a last resort?
I realize Bucky has been super retconned to the point where he was the deadliest teenage assassin in WW2 (I swear that sentence is even sillier than wearing tights) but he would understand some fighters are far more effective not using guns. I mean how does a gun help Spider Man, whose crazy unpredictable, bounce-all-over-the-place, swinging from a thread style of fighting would kill as a many friends as foes if he was holding a machine gun?
I mean, does it make sense to anyone??
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Post by Tana Nile on Jun 20, 2009 2:05:50 GMT -5
Heh. . . Wellllllll, o'course the young woman using (what was originally) The Savage She-Hulk as her avatar may want to be a little cautious about throwin' those stones at ol' Jericho. . . ! (I am kidding, of course. Because I think Jen is one of the most delightful lame-character turnaround stories THERE IS. She's a terrific and very unique character. But, boy, those first few issues of her original run. . . ) Brother Voodoo, though, turned into a joke almost immediately, didn't he? I think the only place he was showing up FOR YEARS was in the cartoons the Fred Hembeck used to pop up with. And I'd heard a rumor that even that was partly just to satisfy copyright requirements. . . to use his name periodically so they could retain the rights to it. (Like someone else is going to pilfer "Brother Voodoo" ) HB HB, I couldn't stand She-Hulk when she first appeared. It was such an obvious attempt to 'protect' the Hulk copyright...and yet another female character based on a male one. But as you said, she's grown to be a very strong character, with lots of connections through the Marvel Universe.. But Brother Voodoo never seemed to get any better. I know he was featured in Black Panther awhile back, and even then I was still shaking my head. Just seems like a huge leap to become sorceror supreme. By the way, I used to love Fred Hembeck's stuff! His love for Marvel showed even as he was making fun of it. |
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Post by squidboy on Jun 20, 2009 21:28:17 GMT -5
Betaraybill, Bendis would probably take being next to Madonna on any list as being a validation of everything he believes in.
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Post by freedomfighter on Jun 20, 2009 21:38:35 GMT -5
BENDIS: “The Hood and what he means to the Marvel Universe will be altered dramatically." ...yeah... what he means to the Marvel Universe... ::sigh:: BENDIS: "There will be victims. There will be people who succeed tremendously and fail horribly during this as things get crazier and crazier" ::raises hand as an Avengers fan:: Victim, right here. Well, maybe not so much a victim as innocent bystander. Reading the interview made me like him less, and thus move him lower on my "People I Don't Like" list (oh, yes, the list is real)(notreally) excerpt: -78: Chad Speedwater; 5th Grade bully -77: Madonna -76: Brian Michael Bendis-74: Ryan Leaf -75: Ice Cream Man who always sped through the neighborhood and never stopped for us kids etc, etc This is a hilarious post. I am envious that I have not come up with something this inspired. You have shamed me... And I have exalted you. |
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Post by dlw66 on Jun 20, 2009 21:45:21 GMT -5
This is a hilarious post. I am envious that I have not come up with something this inspired. You have shamed me... And I have exalted you. You beat me to it, FF, but I have in kind exalted BRBill. Funny, funny!! |
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