That's an Ultra Win!

Potential. A limit we all wish to reach. Whether we be an athlete on the field, or a worker behind a desk, we-as human beings-have extraordinary strength, perseverance, and focus when he tap into that latent potential. But imagine being able to fully use your potential, to master your hidden talents. Today's Z-Lister is Marvel Comic's Captain Ultra.

Captain Ultra was created in 1976's "Fantastic Four #177" by Roy Thomas, George Perez, and Joe Sinnott. While Captain Ultra is not a widely known character, he is easily extinguishable by his array of color and grand manner of speech. Cap used to be an average plumber named Griffin Gogol, but one day after servicing an old man who could not afford to pay him, Gogol was endowed with superpowers. The old man turned out to be an alien in disguise and used hypnosis to cure Gogol of his smoking habits. As a side effect he gained the powers of flight, super strength, super speed, x-ray vision, intangibility, and super-breath. He could also tap into his "ultra potential" to enhance a physical or mental feat. Such as lifting something beyond his own strength, resisting psychic attacks, or something as humorous as telling a hilarious joke or performing an extensive dance move. However, this power came with a cost. Gogol developed a fear of fire. Despite his new weakness, Gogol used his powers to become Captain Ultra.
As Captain Ultra he was rejected from a team called The Frightful Four, and later rejected membership into The Defenders, but had a decent career as a solo superhero. After years of therapy with a character named Doc Sampson, Gogol conquers his fear of fire and begins a stand-up comedy career alongside a superhero career. While on his comedy tour he defeated "The Demon Without Humor" by making it laugh with an "ultra-joke" and destroyed a mud monster that had taken over a small town in Texas. After "Civil War", Captain Ultra was recruited onto The Initiative: a program that would station a superhero team in every state of the country. Along with a small group of heroes, Captain Ultra was stationed in Nebraska. Two of Cap's teammates were mysteriously murdered and when Iron Man showed up to take control of the situation, Cap saw it as an offense. Captain Ultra fought Iron Man and almost defeated him with his "ultra-powers" if not for the intervening of Doc Sampson. The three of them worked together on solving the murder case, despite Captain Ultra being upset that two replacement superheroes were being fast-tracked over to Nebraska to replace the two heroes who were murdered.
It was after Captain America and Iron Man put the Superhuman Registration Act to rest that a former Avenger named Wonder Man was psychologically damaged from his own energy-based powers. Wonder Man formed a team called The Revengers to seek revenge on The Avengers who abandoned, ridiculed, and ignored him and other heroes. Captain Ultra joined this team, however three separate Avengers teams were able to overpower The Revengers and lock them up on a superhuman prison called The Raft. Captain Ultra claimed his reason for attacking The Avengers was that-despite his immense powers-nobody respected him or acknowledged him. None could see his potential like he could. Captain Ultra would later be seen in Pleasant Hill, a virtual reality prison that brainwashed criminals into believing they were living different, happier lives.
I've heard that comedians are the saddest people on the Earth, and with Captain Ultra I'm starting to really believe that. Here we have a character with amazing powers, he made a demon with no humor laugh for crying out loud. But his costume and his name seem to deter serious consideration. Seeing how silly he is as a hero only made him a more dangerous villain. Even fighting Iron Man and The Avengers didn't put this guy on any top tier rosters. And can you blame him for going mad? He is a score below Superman in power, and actually has the ability to be "his very best" in an instant, and yet he is rejected. Even when he got past his easily-exploitable fear of fire he was still undermined. And that's too bad because the idea of a superhero also being a stand-up comedian sounds cool to me. I love stand-up and I love superheroes, so you would think that concept could be useful. For a comic book or a Netflix series, I don't know. For as sidelined as Captain Ultra was, I think the character could be useful. I think he has potential. Sorry, Cap ain't the only comedian around here!
Thanks for reading!

Five Favorites of 2016

It's been a tough year, my friends. Robin Williams died. Prince died. David Bowie died. Wow, this is an awful start to this list. What has not been awful are the comic books that have come out this year! And just like last year I have prepared a list of my favorites. I want to stress that these are not the highest selling, the most popular, or the most important comic books of 2016, but they are my favorite to come out in 2016. So, here is The Panel Biter's Top 5 Favorite Comic Books of 2016!

5. "Howard The Duck"
Chip Zdarsky & Joe Quinones (March 2015-October 2016)

 Man, did this one come out of nowhere. Howard The Duck is one of my favorite comic book characters. Not because being a walking, talking duck is funny (it is), but because he's such an average guy in an above-average universe. His life is only eventful because he isn't the same as every other average person. Just being a duck gets him in trouble! And Zdarsky understands that point and takes it to new heights. Howard teams up with The Guardians of The Galaxy, befriends a lovable punk named Terra, saves the world from The Abundant Gauntlet, deals with Galactus, The Silver Surfer, The Collector, The Stranger, and, of course, Spider-Man. Oh, and a Sentinel with a Punisher-like backstory. By far my favorite story aspect is that Howard's life turns out to be a TV show for an alien television network and that plotline connects to the Marvel Universe as a whole! Zdarsky really blew the duck out of the pond with the second half of this charming, humorous, and thought-provoking series!

4. "Astonishing Ant-Man"
Nick Spencer & Ramon Rosanas (January 2015-October 2016)

 Hail Hydra. Ha, you guys got so mad. Ant-Man is a pretty cool character, but even I'll admit he didn't deserve a comic as great as this. Nick Spencer's Ant-Man is about a few things: heroism, redemption, forgiveness, comedy, and big-and-tall butt-kicking action! But more than anything else it's about a father trying to do right by his daughter. Scott Lang's ex-wife and daughter move out of New York to get away from superhero disasters, but Scott-against his ex's wishes-follows them to L.A. There he sets up a security business, hires some former villains to help him out, and does some crime-fighting on the side. For as average as Scott is as a character, his goofy and realistically humble attitude ends up creating a new superhero (the new Giant-Man), reforming two criminals, and helping his own daughter rejoin the superhero community. More than anything else, Scott makes sacrifices for his daughter. He distances himself to keep her safe, saves her from getting her heart stolen (literally), and even gets himself tossed back in prison for her. Ant-Man may not be the greatest father or superhero in the world, but to Cassie he's the only one that counts.

3. "Detective Comics"
James T. Tynion IV, Eber Ferreira, & Eddy Barrows (June 2016-Ongoing)

 I've talked about this book a lot, but Detective Comics is the best Batman book out right now. Tom King is my boy and Scott Snyder is up there, but Tynion executes everything I want to see in a Batman story, everything I've never seen, and things I never even considered. For this title Batman rallies his cousin Batwoman, former sidekicks Red Robin, Orphan, and Spoiler, and long-time villain Clayface onto his "boot camp" to help defend Gotham from new threats. Batwoman's military father creates a mercenary group of Batmen, the rumored League of Shadows is coming, Batman's earliest victims return to have their revenge, and one of Batman's allies will die in the crossfire. Tynion makes Batwoman badass, he makes Tim Drake the smartest Batman character there is again, and he actually makes Clayface a lovable character! It's crazy! And yet so expertly done. You know what? That's my quote on the book, "It's crazy and expertly done". Print that! I really can't see Tynion slowing down, especially if the amazing art and colors of Eber and Eddy follow him. One thing is for sure, Detective Comics is what I want from DC Comics. Heh. Word play.

2. "The Vision"
Tom King & Gabriel Hernandez Walta (November 2015-October 2016)

 Would you be ready? If a robot man and his robot wife and their robot kids just knocked at your door and said, "Hi, we are The Visions. You're new neighbors"? Would you be ready for that? Tom King and Gabe H. Walta answer that question with a book so heart-grasping I forget it's still a Marvel comic. Let alone a comic about resident C-Lister, The Vision! But no, Tom King takes the "robot playing human" concept and flips it so hard! So The Vision builds himself a family and this family live in the suburbs and-obviously-people are uneasy. They see the Vision kids at school and the Vision wife outside and they post pictures online. And then an old enemy comes knocking while The Vision isn't home. After she murders this villain, Virginia Vision does everything in her power to hide the incident and prevent public fear of The Visions to be proven. This isn't the story of The Vision and his average family. This is a cold, quiet, disturbing look into what happens when the possible meets the typical. The futuristic meets the modern. The synthetic meets the organic. I cannot recommend this twelve-issue series enough. Whether you like him or not, The Vision's book is the smartest and most gripping title Marvel has had to offer in 2016. Tom King may be DC's boy now, but he left one hell of a mark on a character who's stories will never get better than this.

1. "Superman"
 Peter J. Tomasi, Mick Gray, & Patrick Gleason (June 2016-Ongoing)

Reading Peter J. Tomasi's "Superman" is like visiting an old friend and breathing a fresh breath of air. Everything you know Superman to be is in this book. Every inch of righteousness, guidance, friendliness, and pride resonates in this book. Superman is not just where superheroes were anymore, Superman is what superheroes have always been. In this title, Clark dons the iconic outfit once again since setting foot on this new, younger DCU. With the other Superman (2011-2016) being dead and this Superman (1980's-2010) being alive and well, Clark must prove himself to the superhero community and show that while he may not be their Superman, he has been "a Superman" for most of his life. And it's not just him, Superman has his wife Lois Lane-as brassy and snappy as ever-and their son Jon Kent (or Jon White. Oh, wait they're the Smiths now. Jon Smith) who is half-human and half-Kryptonian. Superman may have fatherhood down to a practice, but Jon's powers are a bit harder to understand. So, we watch as a man reintroduces himself to a world not too unlike his own, and we watch a boy live up to the legacy of his father. "Inspiring" is the best way to describe this title. But "good ol' comic book fun" works too! I love being able to love Superman again. I love how he isn't new or fresh or drastic, he is just Superman. You have to understand it's been six years since Superman has been the iconic voice of reason in American fiction, and now he gets to be all the great things he used to be AND a good father. It's amazing. I just thought in an age of "Man of Steel" and "Injustice" we'd never have the character who broke the mold and inspired millions. And now we do. Now we have a Superman. The book isn't too far in it's run so go pick up the first few issues and you'll understand why I'm so hooked. And why I'm so proud to wear that "S' on my chest.
Thanks for reading!

Boosterrific Facts

Let's see how much of a Booster Gold fan you are! Here are One Dozen Booster Gold Facts!

1. Michael Jon Carter is named after the main character of the 1917 science fiction novel "John Carter of Mars".

2. Micheal was born and raised in 25th Century Gotham City where he attended Gotham U and played football for the university's team. His nickname on the team was "Booster".

3. Michael was manipulated into gambling on his own games by his father, this led to him being kicked off the team and disowned by the rest of the team. He becomes the night-watchmen of a superhero museum. He stole superhero weaponry and a security robot named Skeets and traveled back to the present with the goal of profiting off of being a superhero. His first feat is rescuing president Ronald Reagan from an assassin who planned to kill and impersonate Reagan. Michael originally wanted to use the name "Goldstar" but nervously mixed "Booster" with "Gold" when introducing himself to Reagan, so Reagan introduced him to the American public as "Booster Gold".

4. Booster's creator Dan Jurgens designed the character to be a "modern" disillusion of what a superhero would be. A person that did heroic things for profit rather than for the sake of doing good. As such, Booster Gold would often turn towards cameras and advertise cereal and sports cars after saving the lives of others.

5. When Booster Gold faked his death in 2006, his casket was covered in stickers from his sponsors: Big Belly Burger, Vertigo Comics, Soder Cola, and EZ Caskets to name a few. After leaving The Justice League he started his own team called The Conglomerate which was a team of heroes who were sponsored and advertised. They were sponsored by Ferris Aircraft, Lexcorp, S.T.A.R. Labs and Pax Entertainment to name a few.

6. Booster's family includes his sister Michelle Carter, who would follow him to the present and use the superhero moniker Goldstar. She sadly dies during a battle against extra-dimensional creatures. Booster's descendant Daniel Carter uses the identity of Supernova. The name and costume of Supernova would also be used by Jonar Carter-Booster's father removed from time before his death. The time traveler Rip Hunter is actually Booster Gold's son from the far future. It was actually a future version of Booster who asks his son to find himself (Booster) in the past and teach him about time travel.

7. Along with The Conglomerate, Booster Gold also founded a company called Goldstar Inc after his sister died only for his trusted agent Davis to reveal he was an alien robot (a Manhunter) and steal all the money Booster pooled into the company. Leaving Booster bankrupt.

8. During his time on The Justice League International, Booster Gold befriended Ted Kord/The Blue Beetle. The who have a long-standing friendship that came to a tragic end when Kord was killed by Maxwell Lord. Some of their notable adventures included becoming superhero repo men, withholding Choco Cookies from The Martian Manhunter, and opening a gaming resort called Club JLI on an island called Kooey Kooey Kooey.

9. The story "Kingdom Come" by Mark Waid and Alex Ross is set 50 years in the future where the superheroes of the modern age have been reduced to marketing objects. The biggest marketing device is a restaurant called "Planet Krypton" which is a superhero variant of "Planet Hollywood". Waiters dress up like superheroes, all the meals are named after superheroes, superhero memorabilia is throughout the diner. The founder of this restaurant chain is Booster Gold himself who likely retired from the superhero business.

10. Due to his adventures through time, Booster has become the cause of John Kent being born, Hal Jordan becoming the first human Green Lantern, and Barry Allen becoming The Flash. He is also the one to name the Superman-killing monster "Doomsday".

11. Booster Gold and Skeets' only animated appearances thus far are in "Justice League Unlimited" and "Batman: The Brave & The Bold". In both appearances the characters are voiced by Tom Everett Scott and Billy West, respectively.

12. In Mark Waid's sequel story to "Kingdom Come" simply named "The Kingdom" he established a concept called "Hypertime". "Hypertime" was the idea that various versions of a character's history could exist exclusively to each version of a character. For example: The very first Batman origin story that depicts Bruce pondering in his study when a bat flies through the window, as well as the "Year One" origin of Bruce bleeding out in his library when a bat crashes through the window, and the "Batman Begin" origin of Bruce falling into a bat-cave can all be valid stories so long as they are not mixed up. If you are doing another "Dark Knight" film it cannot use the "Year One" origin. This was Waid's way to validate and control continuity from that point on. In his 2008 solo series, an older version of Booster Gold claims he destroyed Hypertime so that the main history of the DCU could not be diverted. Essentially reestablishing the concept of destiny.
Thanks for reading!

Decking DC's Halls

As a fan of the DC Universe, I have decided to spend my life savings buying for my favorite DC heroes! Maybe that will get me a Justice League membership card. To be honest I just want the dental benefits.

Superman/Clark Kent: A set of shaving blades laced with a Kryptonite gel. Superman normally shaves by burning his facial hair off with mirror-bounced heat vision. So getting him a razor with only a small amount of Kryptonite would make the whole process quicker and easier.

Batman/Bruce Wayne: Parents. HAHAHA. But seriously I'd buy him one full-package spa day. Just one day where Batman relax and get rejuvenated. He's got enough kids to watch Gotham while he takes a mud bath. Still wearing the cowl, of course.

Wonder Woman/Diana: I'm awful at buying for women, but Wondie seems like she'd appreciate a good book. Get a better understanding of mortal history and fiction. So I'd buy her a Kindle, hopefully she doesn't break it.

The Flash/Barry Allen: Enough Legos to build a house. Imagine how much fun that could be! To be the fastest man alive AND smart enough to build whatever structure you can imagine out of plastic blocks. I think that would really tap into Barry's inner child.

Green Lantern/Hal Jordan: I'm not much of a DIY guy, but if I could find away to convert that hunky, metal Power Battery-which is the size of an old fashioned lantern-into the size of a phone charger Hal could charge his Power Ring on the go with ease.

Aquaman/Arthur Curry: What do you get a King? Something significant. Something that represents the connection between the surface and the ocean. I'd get him a pool noodle or a pool float. A talking bass or fishing rod might be disrespectful, but a fun pool toy shows that humans enjoy the sea as much as Atlanteans do.

Martian Manhunter: A years supply of Choco Cookies. Chocos are basically DC's version of Oreos and The Martian Manhunter has an unhealthy addiction to them. Does that make me an enabler?

Cyborg/Victor Stone: The latest Madden video game. Cyborg is a young adult, right out of high school, former football player. He would enjoy simulating his former football career. Plus he could just download it on himself and I won't have to buy him a gaming console.

Green Arrow/Oliver Queen: Oh, maybe one of those deer hunting shooter games you see in arcades? Some kind of old arcade game he could practice his shooting on. It would be great for his man-cave. Arrow-cave. Quiver?

Shazam/Billy Batson: Boxers, Socks, and T-Shirts. Here me out. Billy Batson is still a kid and I strongly believe spoiling a kid with superpowers will only hinder their maturing. If this kid gets lackluster gifts for Christmas as a child, it will only mean future Christmas Days will only go up. Plus, all these experienced superheroes deserve great gifts, Billy still needs to learn the value of clothing.

Nightwing/Dick Grayson: A plush Robin. Like, a doll based on him as a Robin. I think he'd find it cute. Just a chibi Robin plush. Pretty sure "Teen Titans Go" has plush figures.

Power Girl/Karen Starr: A sweater. Like, a thick sweater. Covers up the cleavage.

Booster Gold: A personal hygiene specialist. Think how much more advertising Booster could do if he was as clean, as handsome, and as good smelling as he could be. You'd think being from the future would be appealing enough, but cleanliness is a big attraction for people.

Harley Quinn: A new mallet with a hollowed head. Inside the hollowed head would be some holiday treats. Chocolate and peppermint and gummy candy. She seems like she has a sweet tooth. Like, that's her problem. She's not insane, she's not fractured, she just has a sweet tooth.

John Constantine: A box of smokes. A case of cigars. A 48 pack of beer. A bottle of whisky. Have fun you crazy brit.

Thanks for reading. And Merry Christmas to The DC Universe.

A Merry Marvel Christmas

As a fan of the Marvel Universe, I have decided to spend my life savings buying for my favorite Marvel heroes! Maybe that will get me an Avengers membership card. I mean if Sandman and Deadpool can be Avengers I'm pretty sure I meet the requirements.

Captain America/Steve Rogers: Audio books detailing world events between the 1950's to modern day. It's a lot to listen to, but I think if Cap can find the time he could catch up with what's been happening with the world just via listening. Cap's good at listening. He could listen to these audio books during his workout regiment or while Tony is talking.

Iron Man/Tony Stark: An Iron Man action figure. It seems kinda dumb, but I think Tony would find an action figure of himself endearing. Maybe a collection of action figures so he can reminisce over his old suits without leaving his living room.

The Hulk/Bruce Banner: A stress ball.

Thor: The God of Thunder looks like the kind of guy who'd have fun with human toys. Like a Whacka Hole arcade console. With a squeaky hammer! Don't want him breaking his toy on Christmas Day.

Ant-Man/Scott Lang: A three course meal. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. If he keeps the food properly stored, Scott could have enough food to last him a year if he shrinks small enough. I mean, if his money is going towards child support having free food for a long time could help him save up some cash.

Spider-Man/Peter Parker: A weighted yo-yo. Yes it's simple, but how often do you see Spider-Man working out? What if it's raining and he can't go a-swingin'? A weighted yo-yo could help him work on his swinging, lifting, and slinging. Despite what Doc Ock may think, Spider-Man can always improve himself.

Wolverine: Cigars, beer, and jerky. He's a very simple man.

Cyclops/Scott Summers: Ruby-Quartz contact lenses. More for style than function, after all you can't really fit a slider button on contact lenses.

Luke Cage: A yellow, deep V-neck shirt. Bell-bottom jeans. And a silver tiara. Basically his classic outfit from the 1970's. But I'd also get the exact same outfit for his wife Jessica Jones and his daughter Daniel Cage. So they can all dress as Power People! Come on! Luke's a goofy Dad now. He'd love it!

Deadpool: A gift card to Chipotle. Oh, and a lot of body spray. Like, enough to disguise the smell of a corpse.

Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan: A custom Hijab (a type of headdress worn by Muslim women) decorated with Marvel characters like Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk, Spider-Man, and Wolverine.

Rocket Raccoon: A fruit basket. Yeah it's generic, but Rocket is a raccoon from space! All he's ever eaten in alien food, so apples and grapes and bananas would be new to him. And give him another reason to visit this big, blue, dirt ball.

Hawkeye/Clint Barton: Confetti arrows. That could be fun! Shoot an arrow and it leaves behind a path of confetti. I think Clint could have a party with something like that. Or scented arrows to freshen up the house. Or arrows with apples on the end to feed/shut someone up!

Black Widow/Natasha Romanova: Buying for an adult woman is difficult. Well, she's Russian. Maybe a Russian cook book? One of those stacking dolls? Oh, forget it. I'll get her polish. Not for her nails, but for her guns.

Ghost Rider/Robbie Reyes: Squirrel Girl's phone number. Squirrel Girl babysat for Luke Cage and Jessica Jones in the past so giving Robbie a loyal, protective, and friendly assistant to help watch his brother Gabe would be super helpful. For Robbie's social life and his violent, bloody, horrific life.

Thanks for reading! And Merry Christmas to The Marvel Universe!

Torch Facts

Let's see how much of a Human Torch Fan you are! Here are One Dozen Human Torch Facts!

1. Before the creation of The Fantastic Four in 1961, the mantle of "The Human Torch" was held by an android named Jim Hammond who was a hero in 1939. That Human Torch worked alongside Captain America and Namor The Sub-Mariner on The Invaders. Ironically, Namor would return as the ally/enemy of Johnny and The Fantastic Four.

2. In 1961, Johnny Storm's fire form was seen as a human-shaped flurry of flames. In 1963 all the reprints of previous "Fantastic Four" issues his form was changed to a completely red human surrounded in flames. This was done to distinct him from Jim Hammond's fire form which matches the flurry of flames.

3. The Human Torch was the first member of The Fantastic Four to individualize his uniform. First in 1973 when he wore a red and gold variation of the Fantastic Four uniform for twenty-seven issues. This costume was a homage to the original Human Torch. His second costume was yellow and black with a new fire symbol. He donned this suit in 2016 when he joined The Uncanny Avengers.

4. Johnny Storm has dated both Crystal and Medusa of The Inhumans. Those two characters are sisters and members of The Royal Inhuman Family. Crystal also had a brief marriage to the character Quicksilver who would later become a teammate of Johnny on The Uncanny Avengers.

5. Johnny had once married Alicia Masters, the former love interest of Johnny's teammate and best friend Ben Grimm/The Thing. Alicia turned out to be a shapeshifting alien called a Skrull, but that was revealed decades later so the initial idea was that Johnny just stole Ben's love interest.

6. The event "Civil War" was kickstarted by an incident in Stamford, Connecticut where over 600 civilians-including 60 children-were killed in a fight between superheroes and super-villains. Due to these events, the superhero community was met with much criticism by the general public. This was made apparent when Johnny Storm had a bottle broken over his head at a night club by a civilian who blamed "people like him" for all those deaths. This was reflective of public response after September 11th where Muslims were met with violence and paranoia by the general public.

7. When The Fantastic Four first formed Johnny was sixteen years old. Johnny was around the same age as Spider-Man so the two of them grew up experiencing different superhero careers as well as remaining close friends. Spider-Man was grounded and worked alone, while Johnny had cosmic adventures and worked on a team. Recently, Peter Parker bought The Baxter's Building just so when Johnny's teammates Reed and Sue come back to Earth they will still have their home.

8. Johnny Storm had a brief career as an actor. He was almost cast in a Western called "The Rawhide Kid" (named after the Marvel character), but lost the role to someone else. Someone who turned out to be a Skrull, by the way. After doing some commercials he spent time as a firefighter and the Chief Financial Officer for The Fantastic Four. He was also a car mechanic and a herald of Galactus.

9. Chris Evans portrayed Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in 20th Century Fox's "Fantastic Four" in 2005. In 2011, Chris Evans was cast as Captain America and continued to be Captain America in The Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2015, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch was portrayed by Micheal B. Jordan in Fox's third swing "Fan4stic". Michael B. Jordan will be playing a character named Killmonger in 2018's "Black Panther" as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I'm sensing a pattern here.

10. The Fantastic Four had an animated series in 1978, but The Human Torch was replaced with a new character named HERBIE. HERBIE was the robot servant of The Fantastic Four who stuck around in the comics after the show. The common myth is that the TV network was afraid seeing The Human Torch would influence kids into lighting themselves on fire to imitate him, but the actual reason The Human Torch was left out was because there was a Human Torch film in production that never came to light. The character of Firestar was created for "Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends" in 1981 because the showrunners originally wanted to use The Human Torch as the third superhero alongside Spider-Man and Iceman, but the rights to the Human Torch were "all tied up" at that time. Firestar would be brought to the comics after this cartoon. Again, patterns.

11. Johnny Storm attended lectures about fire safety to learn more about his powers. He's learned how to make his flames non-harmful to people he touches. His control of heat extends to his entire body as he has heated liquids in his palm multiple times and once burned poison out his blood stream through force of will.

12. In the Ultimate Comics universe, that version of The Human Torch creates flames by burning off skin cells. Because of this he suffers from severe weight loss, exhaustion, and he enters a state of hibernation after burning off a layer of skin.
Thanks for reading!

Blizzard The Minister

If Jack Frost hasn't nipped at your nose yet, I am confident when I bet that this frozen fiend will make threat! So it's best not to forget Minister Blizzard! This week's chilly mastermind had a very brief time as an enemy to DC's concubine, Wonder Woman. So let us hesitate no more, and let this Z-Lister have his score, read on to meet this snow-man head on! This week's Z-Lister is Minister Blizzard from DC Comics!

You've met Freeze, and Cold, and Frost, and Snowman

Icicle, and Junior, and maybe The Dead King of Atlantis

But let me introduce you to another icy accomplice

His name is Minister Blizzard, created by Will M. Marston

And if you remember the name, it's the same

Who created Wonder Woman!

His name is Minister Blizzard, first seen in 1944

In "Wonder Woman #29" he made our lady sore

He was the Prime Minister of a kingdom of ice

Where his princess Snowina found

A scientist had created a tool

That could melt her home to the ground

While the scientist had no intention

Blizzard warned Snowina of this invention

And urged her to have him take it away

So Blizzard froze the scientist and his friends

But Wonder Woman put Blizzard to an end

By telling Snowina of Blizzard's true intentions!

Blizzard created an iceberg to crash into New York

But Wonder Woman met him with quick retort

By smashing the berg from one piece

And then locking Blizzard away with ease

His name was Minister Blizzard, and his tale wasn't over yet

As he reemerged with a new iceberg, and a dastardly plan

His name was Minister Blizzard, and he tied Wonder Woman tight

By using her own lasso against her, she couldn't put up a fight

But before The Minister could freeze Manhattan island

Wonder Woman escaped and sprung into action

Beating the blue boy red with no redaction

Saving New Yorkers in timely fashion

 By teaming up with Icicle Junior and Captain Cold

Minister Blizzard froze Ecuador and made The Justice League fold

While the heroes tried to thaw the land

The villain's employer had his hand

And took to Gotham, he went ham!

Robbing every store

And who was this badguy who got The Minister in heat?

Well it was a past Z-Lister, ain't that neat!?

And his name was The Shadow Thief!

His name was Minister Blizzard, and he didn't do much after that

He tried to wage another war in the city of The Bat

An old rich man opened a snow-park for the good children of Gotham City

But Minister Blizzard got real triggered and acted pretty shitty

He attacked the park and proclaimed loud

"You won't mock my kingdom, you old, rich clown"

"I warned you time and time again"

"If you besmirch my home with a fake park of your own I'll have your head"

But within three panels, Blizzard's reign went "ka-poot"

When he felt the exterior of The Batman's mighty boot

And everyone forget he existed!

So if you have learned anything it's to be careful with communications

Because one day you might make a mistake

And offend someone from another nation

He may have your face and know your language

But I assure to watch your tongue

Because if you're not smooth, or you make the wrong move

He might come back and freeze someone

His name was Minister Blizzard, I really hope that's the end of ice-guys

Because if I see snow just one more time

I might just boil my own eyes!

Thank you for reading.

Stay warm.

Come Back of Age

Something amazing has happened recently. For the first time in my life, I witnessed a miracle. And not child birth, that's not a miracle. Not when a sixteen year old can do it. No, what I saw was truly inspiring. I saw the life of a franchise reemerge. Not through money. Not through threats. Through will. Through unyielding support. Ladies and gentlemen, Young Justice is coming back.

In 2011, Brandon Vietti and Greg "Really Good at Cartoons" Weisman created the best DC Comics cartoon of our generation, "Young Justice". Borrowing the name of an early 2000's comic book series and pulling inspiration from 75 years worth of material, "Young Justice" was a show about the sidekicks of notable DC Comic's superheroes finally stepping out of their mentor's shadows and forming a division of their own. Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Miss Martian, Superboy, and Artemis worked alongside their mentors and expressed their individuality at the same time. With characters like Zatanna, Rocket, and Speedy/Red Arrow appearing later, this show was packed with great stories, a compelling narrative, and amazing character development. Truly-after years of just Batman stuff-it was a good era to be a DC Comics Fan.
In 2012 the legacy continued with it's second season which raised the bar considerably. A five year time jump would show us our favorite characters in new roles: Robin became Nightwing, Aqualad betrayed his friends, Red Arrow becomes a washout, and Kid Flash goes into retirement. As season two goes on we're kept on the edge of our seats, watching as two villain factions come to blows and a visitor from the future warns of an impending doom. The new characters of Blue Beetle, Impulse, Static, and the original Roy Harper/Speedy bring new perspectives on the world of superheroes.
And then...poof. After season two's cliffhanger the show was cancelled. Ratings, toy sales, and other studio concerns brought Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. to dump the show Greg and Brandon had planned. And I stress "planned". Did you know Greg Weisman had a "show bible" for "Young Justice"? Essentially a "show bible" is a timeline within the continuity of the show. Greg had the entire history of his show from World War II with The Justice Society of America all the way to the 30th Century future with The Legion of Super-Heroes. I'm not great at math, but that's a long time! It's not crazy to assume how many important DC events were in there too. Batman Beyond, The Death of Superman, The OMAC Project, who knows what else could be part of this universe? What we knew for sure was the hype train had died. No season three, no closure on our favorite heroes, and no answer as to what comes next. On November 7th, 2016, the world was told what comes next.
"Young Justice Season 3 confirmed". Four words and a number I once thought to be a joke. As true as "Illuminati confirmed" or "Half-Life 3 confirmed". For four years the fans of Young Justice petitioned and downright begged for another season. Greg and Brandon agreed with the sentiment, they wanted to make the show as badly as the fans wanted it. But nothing solid ever came to be. The studio didn't want to do it, not with "Teen Titans Go" making soooo much money. The animators and voice actors and producers had all moved on to other projects. But just because the show was over didn't mean it didn't have it's after-party. "Young Justice" season one-and eventually season two-made it to Netflix where fans like myself were able to rewatch it in all it's glory. I even converted my friend Seth into a fan of the show. And as if that experience was great enough-watching it with a friend-all that whining and begging and support led to the impossible. A third season will come to Cartoon Network.
What will happen? What will change? When will we see it? I don't know and I don't care how long it takes because I am still in shock. To know we as a fan community actually made this happen. I know Greg and Brandon and many voice actors turned the gears for this, but how often do we get what we want as comic book fans? It was so refreshing to see a smart comic book show again. No chibi, meme-bait. No dower repeats. A show that had actual heart put into it. And now thanks to Greg, Brandon, all the people on the show, and all the people like you and me who loved it dearly, we will see Young Justice return. Because a show as amazing as that deserves praise, attention, and remembrance. And with the fan response this show has gotten over the past couple of years it's going to be hard to forget.
Thank you for reading.

Plas Facts

Let's see how much of a Plastic Man fan you are! Here are One Dozen Plastic Man Facts!

1. Plastic Man is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. His powers rival those of Superman, The Martian Manhunter, and Captain Atom.

2. Patrick O'Brien was an orphan raised by criminals. He got the name "Eel" because he was too slippery to get caught by police. He was a professional safe-cracker and used his knowledge of the criminal underworld to fight crime as Plastic Man.

3. Plastic Man had a cartoon series on ABC in 1979 that ran until 1981. It had thirty-five episodes and was released in it's entirety on DVD in 2009.

4. Plas' best friend Woozy Winks once saved a wizard for drowning. In return, the wizard put a spell over Woozy that would cause nature itself to protect him from harm.

5. During Grant Morrison's "JLA" run, Plastic Man was the only new member of The Justice League other than Wally West and Kyle Rayner who were adopting the mantles of Flash and Green Lantern respectively. Batman apparently vouched for Plastic Man, believing despite Plas' past that he could be a hero.

6. During his time on The JLA, Plas was frozen, shattered, and put back together piece-by-piece in the "Tower of Babel" arc. He was frozen and shattered into pieces again in the "Obsidian Age" arc of "JLA", but that was during a trip to the far past. Plas was conscious for a millennia as millions of pieces of him spread across the ocean. He sat there until the modern day when the rest of The League would return to the present and gather the pieces. Once put back together, Plas left the team to deal with the trauma. This now means Plastic Man is over 3000 years old.

7. Plastic Man is featured on the cover of an April 19th issue of "The New Yorker" magazine in 1999. This issue of the magazine includes a biography of of Plastic Man's creator Jack Cole.

8. Plastic Man's illegitimate son is a hero named Offspring. After overcoming his insecurities as a father, Plas properly spent time with his son and introduced him to The Teen Titans.

9. During an arc called "Divided We Stand" the Justice League members were split into two people each. Their superhero side and their civilian side. While the superhero version of Plastic Man was a goofy crime-fighter, the civilian version of Eel O'Brien was struggling with his criminal tendencies. Eel would play a huge role in that story by dressing up as a mugger and beating up Bruce Wayne with a gun to prove to his civilian JLA members that the separation was a bad thing. Being split meant they didn't have their powers and talents, but kept their emotional damages.

10. When The Martian Manhunter was possessed by an ancient Martian called The Burning Martian, Plastic Man grew to the size of a skyscraper to beat Martian Manhunter back to normal.

11. Plastic Man is immune to telepathy because his organs are as elastic as the rest of his body. This means he can morph the shape of his brain constantly to make it unreadable.

12. In the "Flashpoint" universe Plastic Man became a serial killer after getting his superpowers. Using his powers he escaped prison by shrinking, hiding himself inside another inmate who was being transferred, and then literally crawling out of the inmate's mouth.
Thanks for reading!

Actual Troll Face

Today what we have may not be an elf, but a merry hairy man who had an issue with Hell. Hela, that is. From far in the cosmos comes a troll named Pip. This is his story. As if we gave a shit. Today's Holly Jolly Z-Lister is Pip The Troll.

Pip The Troll was created in 1975, in "Strange Tales #179" by that Jim Starlin guy. Pip's people are known as Laxidazians, though his appearance is quiet grotesque to them. You see Pip is one of many of this alien race to grab a can of Mutagen and get drunk off his face. Through pints and pints of alien funny juice, his size and build began to reduce. He got hairy, short, and rude as the night is young. He lost some fingers and toes, but kept all his thumbs! He began smoking and drinking and scooping women right up, all because he couldn't have just one cup. Pip had been captured by The Universal Church of The Truth. If they couldn't convert you, they'd make you go "poof". This Church followed an evil lord and sought control of the universe, although the Laxidazians had become their problem first. Pip's race was immune to The Church's mind-washing so killing them all off was what they opted. So tossed on an execution ship, and chained to many more men, Pip met he who would become his best friend. Adam Warlock, a being comprised of energy. He was so powerful he could grasp infinity. With Adam's help Pip escaped and a battle they waged, on that church I mentioned before. With Adam and Gamora and Thanos too, Pip destroyed the man who ran that crazy space snafu. Magus, a version of Adam Warlock from time ahead. Hopefully, Adam wouldn't see him again (oh, he will).
Pip lost Adam some time later and in his search discovered a threat much greater. Thanos again, but as foe and not friend. The Mad Titan brought Pip's life to an end. Using The Soul Gem that's bound to his body, Adam Warlock revived his stout buddy. But only Pip's mind resided within the stone and the realm of Soulworld became his new home. After revival and aid to Adam Warlock's adventures Pip gains membership on Adam's team of protectors. Infinity Watch keeping an eye on the six powerful gems, one of which Adam gave to him. With The Space Gem hidden betwixt Pip's grimy toes, all he has to do is think of a place and then off he goes! During the team's stay on Mole Man's island of monsters, Gamora defends it from The United Nations. Over sovereign rights or something of that effect, all that matters is that Pip won his bet! During "Infinity War" Adam splits himself into two: Magus The Evil, and Goddess The Good. With The Watch, and Thanos, and the heroes of Earth they fought Magus. They proved their worth.
As his team was now lesser and needed help fighting Goddess, Pip contact Marvel Comic's Mister Rogers. Oops, I meant "Mister Richards". Mr. Fantastic hooked Pip and friends up with The Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Pip even donned some superhero clothes. However, due to his smell The Hulk put him through hell when he washed him in a tub by force. In the process of stopping Goddess from brain-washing heroes of plenty, Pip became cosmically powered and ended her life unconventionally. He accidentally turned Goddess to salt and then questioned the power he'd got, then he sat upon Goddess' throne. With his thoughts in motion Pip began to notion on how much he could gain with this power. He could have women, wealth, planets made of pure gold. He could have revenge on The Hulk who scrubbed him so cold. Realizing he only wanted something good he attempted to conjure a birthday for himself. Unfortunately, a brain-washed New Warrior named Silhouette knocked out the poor whelp. Pip's soul was chased by the Asgardian Hela who made X-Factor Investigations chase the ugly fella. But X-Factor had been tricked by the hell-queen and helped Pip get free, with aid from The God of Thunder himself. Pip joined X-Factor for a very brief time next appearing in space's confides, covered in Nicotine patches and tan lines.
Pip is disturbing, this much is true. Pretty sure you'd rather have a talking raccoon saving you. He seems to be a play on "bad guys can be good", but when it comes to good deeds he's no Robin Hood. Sure he has good intentions, he has good role models as well, but Pip was always being picked up every time he fell. Never on his own, but with heroes with strength. As far joke characters go though, he sits neatly on the plate. So live on Pip, you freak of nature. Maybe one day we'll see you in a cinematic feature!
Thanks for reading!

The Sound of Music

Comic books haven't been known for their sounds. We all recognize the written effects of "Snikt" or "Thwip", but since these are books there isn't exactly a soundtrack to what we are reading. That's one of the great things about comic books films, they can have terrific scores to compliment the characters. Captain America, Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man have had awesome scores crafted by musical geniuses. But lately there has been a trend of using established songs in these films. Today we're going to look at the use of music in two very different films. Guardians of The Galaxy. Suicide Squad. What's The Difference!?

When Marvel Studios announced they were doing a film on The Guardians of The Galaxy, even I-El Panel Biter-lifted by arms to the side and asked "Who". One Google trip and recollection of forgotten memories later I recalled The Guardians and their overall importance to Marvel's cosmic events. But if it wasn't the style, the fun, or the action of Guardians of The Galaxy that boosted it to B-List, it was the music. A collection of classic hits from the 1980's and earlier that weren't only fun to listen to, but they made sense. Every song was used for the right moments. Songs for fun, songs for romance, songs for togetherness, the overall soundtrack for Guardians was just as appealing as the characters. All of these songs-mind you-were on a tape called "Awesome Mix-Tape" which was made by Peter Quill/Star-Lord's mom and it is the only thing Peter held on to while he was growing up in space. The music is reflective of the love and chipper spirit he shared with his mother and every time a song plays it plays because he puts it on! It's natural, it makes sense, and it justifies why a Marvel movie would use known songs rather than a big orchestral score. By the time of this post the teaser for "Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2" is out and doesn't feature any new music, and we know that "Awesome Mix-Tape #2" exists at the end of the first film so there will be more music in the sequel. But by using a song from the last film they don't distract the viewer from what's happening in the teaser. And that's very important because Guardians uses their music in a way that you can still get the full effect of what's happening on screen. And as we're about to learn you don't want to distract the audience with music.

Suicide Squad was franchise suicide for Warner Bros. David Ayer had a concept for what he wanted the film to be, but after the negative response of "You v. Who" Warner went and told Ayer to make changes. Cut scenes, put in jokes, make it less dark. That's what the people want, right? More jokes. It can't have anything to do with the writers, editors, or-I don't know-that idiot we keep getting to direct these films! But I digress. Suicide Squad had quite the line-up of songs. It's hard not to notice. But unlike Guardians, Suicide Squad's playlist wasn't catered to one era of music or even one or two genres. No, Suicide Squad had modern, classic, rock and roll, rap, and dubstep. All the stuff the kids like, right? Just to match their Hot Topic style, Suicide Squad chose an array of music people like to hear and smashed them into the film. And I stress the word "smashed". None of the music is natural in the film, there isn't even a clever story element that justifies the soundtrack. There are moments were you think a character has a specific theme song, but then-CUT-a new song plays when another character shows up, completely cutting off the other song like pressing skip on an iPod. And without a real reason, we can only assume these songs were chosen simply because Warner Bros knows people like the songs. Then again, paying a composer and paying royalties to music artists probably equal out. Actually, you'd be spending less of the films budget if you just got one composer instead of passing cash out to modern day artists. So financially it was a bad move, but practically it was too! Suicide Squad uses it's robust soundtrack to distract you. To take your attention away from the poor edits and cuts to the film, and make you think it was "an okay film" because you liked the music. Maybe not on purpose, but you were subliminally numbed to the stupidity of that film by music. Music that actually took talent, time, and experience. Unlike Suicide Squad. When a film studio insists on spreading well-known songs over their film-in every damn scene-it is the equivalent to smearing peanut butter on a piece of toast as dark and solid as a hockey puck. Unless you're one of those weirdos who likes burnt toast.

So in the future, try to be wary of music you hear in comic book movies. Sometimes they fit into the story, sometimes they are used to cover mistakes. As long as you recognize the difference between a film and a two hour music video collaboration, maybe film makers will too someday!

Thanks for reading!

What's your favorite song? Comment below!

Kurt Facts

Let's see how much of a Nightcrawler Fan you really are! Here's One Dozen Nightcrawler Facts!

1. Dave Cockrum came up with the idea of Nightcrawler while stationed in Guam with the U.S. Army. He originally brought the idea to DC Comics as a submission into their team "The Legion of Super-Heroes", but the idea was rejected. When Roy Thomas-Editor for Marvel Comics-offered Cockrum's idea a spot on "The X-Men" book, Roy only asked Nightcrawler be made German to fit the international theme of the book.

2. Nightcrawler is the son of two X-Men villains, Mystique and Azazel. Mystique is a constant member of The Brotherhood of Mutants and is also the mother of Rogue, making Rogue and Nightcrawler half-siblings. Azazel was a member of The Hellfire Club and shares Nightcrawler's powers. Originally, Nightcrawler was going to be the child of Mystique and her female lover Destiny as Mystique could shapeshift into a male. However, Chris Claremont's superiors felt the idea was too controversial.

3. According to Azazel, he and and Nightcrawler are part of a subspecies of mutants called "The Neyaphem" which were demonic mutants who battled-and lost-to angelic mutants called "The Cheyarafim" a long time ago.

4. Nightcrawler is a strong Catholic which is ironic due to his appearance. At one point he had even become a Priest. What's even more impressive is that-as a Priest-Nightcrawler officiated Northstar and his male lover in a same-sex marriage.

5. Nightcrawler's early exposure to American culture were Errol Flynn movies. This is why he is often seen using swords and behaving as a swashbuckler.

6. Nightcrawler has a unique sound when he teleports. "Bamf". At first Nightcrawler could only teleport where he could see, but he later developed a spatial awareness that keeps him from teleporting inside solid objects. The puff of smoke he leaves behind smells of sulfur because when he teleports he actually goes through a hellish dimension and then appears back in our reality.

7. Kurt's father Azazel fed his blood to a demonic maggot which turned the maggot's offspring into miniature versions of himself. In order to bring them over to his side, Nightcrawler-while in Heaven-sold his soul to these creatures which turned them blue. These creatures-The Bamfs-follow Nightcrawler's commands and help him fight crime, they also populated The Jean Grey School of Higher Learning before Nightcrawler came back to life.

8. Nightcrawler was raised by a gypsy named Margali and performed gymnastics in the Bavarian circus. The crowd assumed Nightcrawler was wearing a costume, but after his foster brother slaughtered children around the village and Kurt accidentally killed him the villagers deemed him a demon.

9. Nightcrawler left eternal happiness in Heaven to save his friends-The X-Men-from Azazel in Purgatory. He also ignored Charles Xavier/Professor X's warnings (as Professor X had also gone to Heaven) of giving up the peace of death in return for the dangers of living. In truth, Nightcrawler became bored of Heaven.

10. Nightcrawler's body is covered in short, thick, dark blue fur with even thicker hair atop his head. He has never been seen completely hairless, but he has used a cloaking device to appear human. It's a common misconception that his skin is blue because in "X2" the Alan Cumming version has dark blue skin covered in Biblical markings. That interpretation of Nightcrawler reappears in "X-Men: Apocalypse".

11. Nightcrawler's first love interest was a girl named Jimaine, the daughter of Margali and Nightcrawler's foster sister. When she moved to the US years later and reunited with Kurt, she changed her name to Amanda Sefton. They would be reunited and separated many times. At one point, Amanda hid a magical weapon called The Soulsword inside Nightcrawler's body. She could do this because of Nightcrawler's faint connection to magic.

12. During a "War of Pranks" between Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and Colossus, Wolverine hacked into Nightcrawler's hologram device to make Nightcrawler look like actress Angelina Jolie. This resulted in a photo of Coloussus meeting Angelina Jolie hitting the tabloids.
Thanks for reading!

The Prime Problem: The Real Boyscout

So with the complicated and over-expanded history of Superboy-Prime loaded into your headspace, you might be wondering the ultimate point of the character. Why he needed to exist. And what my opinions are of the character. Well, here ya go!

Superman is the first superhero. You can take your Greek mythology and Flash Gordon and shove em because Superman is literally the foundation for all modern superheroes. He's the foil, the starting point, Batman got to be as awesome as he is because Bob Kane and Bill Finger literally said, "So what's the opposite of Superman". Superman isn't just a power fantasy or a symbol of hope, he is the living embodiment of moral responsibility. He is the best case scenario of a modern God. When you look at "Man of Steel" or "Injustice: Gods Among Us" and you see what Superman could have turned out to be with all his power you begin to appreciate what he's been. A good person. He isn't perfect, he makes mistakes, there are some things he can't fix with all his words or all his powers. But he still tries to do the right thing. He still gives people a chance, he still opts to arrest rather than kill, he still tries to smile even in the face of aggression. Not because he's smug or overconfident, but because he doesn't let fear stop him and he-or I guess the good writers over at DC Comics-doesn't want us as the readers to let fear stop us or make us weaker. That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as what Superman represents as an American icon, but it's all of those inspiring things that make Superboy-Prime one of my favorite comic book villains.
Imagine, if you will, growing up reading comic books. You're just some normal kid, you like superheroes, maybe you share similarities with your favorite character. A standard life. You got a family, friends, a high school sweetheart. Your entire life ahead of you, comics or no comics. Then one day, Superman arrives at your door. Not walking, but flying. Then the moment after he shows up, you start to fly. And bend steel. And outrun trains. And Superman-a comic book character come to life-tells you that you're actually him. That you aren't just a Superman, but THE REAL Superman. Powers, heritage, and all. And so he gives you a costume, he brings you into the world of comics you loved so dearly, and you help him save the universe. Fictional figures like Batman and Wonder Woman become real, the writers and artists who made these comics possible are now drawing what you do and writing what you do. Are you subject to them or is this all your own choice? Do you leave the reality you grew up in or play superhero for the rest of your life? Maybe you don't have that choice, maybe the minute you stepped into this world you lost the one you came from. And as you stay in these pages, you see the rest of the world get darker. Superman dies and comes back, Batman has his back broken, The Green Lantern kills all his friends. What the hell has happened? Why are your favorite characters losing what made them heroes? And when you try to fix it, all you do is make it worse. Bludgeoning child superheroes with a mere swat of your hand, crushing bones in your grip, blasting the heat of a Sun from your face. All in frustrating lack of control. Lack of understanding. And when you fail to fix the world you idolized, you decide you just want to go back home. You don't want to be a superhero anymore. After failing time and time again, creating more enemies, endangering your life and taking the lives of others, you finally get home. And everyone hates you. Everyone knows what you did with your power. Everyone knows what you were. A villain. A killer wearing the costume of a hero. Whether those lives were real or not, when given the chance to take them you did. And when the world either fears you or mocks you, whether you go down in comic book history like all your heroes or you are overlooked like so many other failed creations, when you have nothing left. You turn to death. But death doesn't want you. You embrace the person you love, they tell you it's over, they tell you those writers and editors and artists won't lead you astray anymore. But they do. They bring you back to the comic books. They make you kill people. And they stick you in the one place you can't escape. Between fiction and reality. Until they feel like using you again. Happy Birthday, you're only 20.
That is what makes Superboy-Prime compelling to me. I think he is a character with too much potential, there's too much to say about him and even more of what could be said. He isn't just the "Superman gone bad". He's the very likely possibility of a kid's wish come true. He's the real power fantasy, the one you can't control or turn off. Superman should not be an example of "absolute power corrupts absolutely" because as a character he was raised better than that. But all Prime knows is what he has read. He is a real person and real people cannot handle so much power is so short of time. If Prime had been taught by Superman things may have been different, but you pull some kid from the real world, give him powers, and then tell him how great he is and then immediately tell him they already have enough Supermen so they don't need him? You create a problem child.
Just the concept of a real person in a comic book universe-subject to the industry's will-is interesting to me. What if he comes back? Will he remember all the reboots DC Comics has had? Will he know the movies and TV shows they have now? Will go to the DC offices again demands answers as to why these REAL WRITERS ruined his life? The deeper you think about this, the less it seems like a comic book story. This is a real life Superman being manipulated for the purpose of entertainment and he gains nothing by being what he is. It's starting to sound like some meta-textual independent comic written by Grant Morrison! Part of me hopes DC uses Superboy-Prime again (even if it's kind of unfair to him), but part of me also thinks they may not expand what he represents. It's like Superboy-Prime was ahead of his time, and that if he is used again it won't be to his greatest potential. If Superman is the starting point for all superheroes, then maybe Superboy-Prime is the end. The last superhero. Because nothing could be more unreal than what is real.
Thanks for reading.