Thursday, August 26, 2010

EQUALS, Or Just Apples and Oranges? -- A "Theme Thursday" Post


A funny thing happened on my way to Theme Thursday. I didn't even know about this week's theme until Wednesday evening!

I'd planned to write an article all on my own about both Sherlock Holmes, and Marvel Comics' Iron Man -- and I'm sure you can think of at least one thing the two characters have in common, eh? -- and got another idea Wednesday morning, for the post after that. My new idea was a goofy post presenting a faux comparison asking the question, "Which are better? Films & TV shows, or comic books?" Truly a case of apples and oranges, and certainly not an argument which I planned to take seriously, but when I read that today's Theme Thursday topic was "Equals," I thought, "Hey! I can make this work!"

As a long-time comic book fan, albeit a serious movie buff as well, I had originally planned to "prove" that comic books had the edge on movies and television programs, and was going to list just one admittedly-ludicrous example as that "proof":

In the original, so-called "Classic Trek" Star Trek show and its filmed sequels, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy was quite well-known for examining some unfortunate crew member who'd contracted an unknown ailment, or been attacked by a rubber-suited actor playing an alien beastie, or whatever... and gruffly pronouncing, "He's dead, Jim." Just like that. Some "doctor."


On the other hand, we have Professor Charles Xavier -- better known as Professor X -- of Marvel Comics' X-Men title and its literally dozens of spin-offs. (And let's ignore the successful franchise of X-Men movies at the moment. I'm just talking about the comics. The movies were based on them.)


Several years ago, in a somewhat forced and silly -- but best-selling! -- mini-series called Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars, Professor X was quoted as saying (although I'm quoting from memory) "It appears that, at some point, true death becomes irrevocable." Well! Look at all the indecisive words in that sentence (with my smart-ass comments added, below)!

"It appears [but may not be true] that at some point [possibly, beyond an apparent death?], true death [not some faked death, or misleading deathlike state] becomes [like, it isn't right away?] irrevocable."

That's a great way of saying that any character killed in a comic book isn't really dead and gone, unless no one ever wants to bring him/her/it back!

Now. If you were going to be medically treated by someone, which character's attitude would you want your doctor to have? A guy who barely looks at you and says, "Ah, screw it... Next?" or someone who'd work to bring you back even after you were buried?!?

So. Comic books are "better" than movies. A shoddy resolution based on one kooky example, I know.

And in that vein, I present the following stream-of-consciousness series of photos:

One weird trait in comic books (as opposed to movies... usually) is that certain things "work" only because the writers say that they work. Listing just one example: In real life, severe radiation poisoning kills you, generally. In comic books, it gives us -- to name only three heroes -- super-powered entities such as Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, and Daredevil.

Another thing in comics that's worked for 72 years is that when mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent takes off his eyeglasses and changes his hairstyle, no one recognizes him! (Funny, I take off my own reading glasses, and no one ever says, "Hey! Where did David disappear to?")

But in films? To my mind, it took the underrated acting ability of Christopher Reeve to make us "believe" that "The Big Blue Boy Scout" and Clark Kent were two different people.


By the way, that's Christopher Reeve, not Reeves. I suppose people were confused because the actor who portrayed both Clark and Supie in the 1950s TV offering The Adventures of Superman was George Reeves. (And by the way, as much as I enjoyed that TV classic, I never bought the idea that his identity switches would fool anyone.)


Of course, the fact that another Reeves, actor & bodybuilder Steve Reeves (no relation to George), played Hercules and similar "strongman" characters in movies made during the 1950s and 1960s no doubt added to the confusion.


So. Back to "Bones" McCoy.


In terms of this entry, it is kinda cool that Patrick Stewart, Captain Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek: The Next Generation (shown above with DeForest "Dr. McCoy" Kelley himself) was later chosen to play the part of Professor X in the X-Men motion pictures!


And hey, as long as I'm messing with Star Trek, has anyone ever noticed that three of the four guys who comprise The Wiggles...


Hey! I said "The Wiggles!" Those guys look more like The Beatles!


See?

Anyway, here are three of The Wiggles.


And in my eyes, they look like they would have fit right in with the cast of the original Star Trek program!


So, "Which are better? Films & TV shows, or comic books?" I guess they're equal.

(And if I had to hang around with pointy-eared aliens, I'd prefer a Vulcan like this one!)



Okay, fellow babies, we're done. Maybe you want to cuddle, but I'm just going to have a cigarette, and then go to sleep!

Good night, and thanks for your time.

19 comments:

  1. Thanks for the memories!

    I was addicted to two comics as a child: Phantom and Caspar.

    But I will buy your argument based on your singular example. Over here that is enough evidence for politicians from both the red, the blue AND the green teams.

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  2. What about Andy Capp? Who though domestic violence could be so funny?!?

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  3. haha. love this silver...comic books are always better...between movies and tv shows its a hard choice for some...

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  4. Stream of conciousness is right! I got losty in that somewhere near the beginning.

    As for movies vs comics... I was never really a comics fan when I was a kid. But movies!

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  5. Heh. But Bones could make a diagnosis of "He's dead, Jim" because he had a magic salt-shaker that he passed over the body that told him so. Sheesh, Fox. You don't get any better than that! ;o)

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  6. Hey Angel May that wasn't a salt shaker that is todays blackberry.

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  7. Thanks for the comments, fellow babies. I've been really tired, and strapped for time, but I've at least been able to visit the TT posts -- or the current, non-TT posts -- of everyone who's left a comment for me!

    And I'll do the same for anyone else who shows up "here."

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  8. Nice post, Mr. Fox. You ALMOST make me want to pick up a comic book and read it! ;)

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  9. @Betsy: How about if I write a comic-book history of my "Viper" band?

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  10. LOL! This is a great read. My husband is a comic book buff. I'm going to have him read this later :) Great take on the prompt.

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  11. @Bobbie: Thanks for stopping by. If your husband reads my post, I hope he'll feel free to comment, too.

    @Betsy: Probably not, really, but I may write a short blog post about my two most successful bands sometime soon.

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  12. Fox...I am laughing at this post...SO VERY ENJOYABLE! I don't even know WHERE to begin! I am a Star Trek fan but NEVER thought to compare them to The Wiggles! HA! And it is hilarious that Dr. McCoy seemed to declare people dead so often!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  13. Not a comic fan or a comic movie fan really but the Wiggles . . legends in their own lunchtimes.

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  14. Finally, a GREAT post! You covered many of my favorite subjects here, but who are the Whiggles and the Beetles?

    Keep this up and I will put you on a pedastel!

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  15. i prefer the movies, but that's just me. great pictures, love the betty paige vulcan

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  16. We were just discussing all the Reeves Supermen last week at WM, when we spotted George in "Gone With the Wind". Of course, he was my hero, watched faithfully on the little black and white set in the late-50s-early-60s. Funny how un-super he looks now.

    (um...no cuddling for me, thanks, I'll take a cigar, though, if you have one. Be sure to let me know what you think of Pygmalion.)

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  17. @Willow: A cigar, eh? That could be arranged.

    The Superman show from the fifties figures in one of the handful of vague memories I have from when I was about two years old! (You and I are about a month apart age-wise, btw.)

    And whenever I give Pygmalion a viewing, I'll let you know!

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