Christmas is on its' way along with a New Year, so today I thought'd be fun to revisit all the interesting comic book characters I have introduced to you since this blog's creation back in September. So, let's take a stroll down memory lane with these thirteen Z-Listers!
(Glorious, aren't they?)
Pardon the white, but all of our colorfully-covered characters are here once again to receive a rousing roast from your's truly. The most recent Z-Listers were actually heroes who went by the name Son of Vulcan. These two may look different, but both versions of the character keep similar themes and powers. They also both sport the big-letter-symbol motif that Superman started. Then there was White Tiger, a superhero who brought about my Hispanic pride. White Tiger was a mystical martial artist who's mantle was adopted by his sister after his death. Oh look, it's Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man! This hog-posh of horror was a shapeshifting scientist who clearly adored clashing, in both the physical sense and fashion sense. Next to him is another crazed compilation, Composite Superman. Yes he may look like Superman and Batman stitched together, but this diver-turned-janitor actually has the powers of 30th Century Superheroes. Along with being a self-absorbed psycho, Composite Superman is also disturbingly uncreative. Bat-Girl agrees. Don't adjust your scree, that is Bat-Girl. Her name is Bette Kane and her conception was part of DC Comic's plan to convince readers Batman and Robin weren't homosexuals. Great motive, 60's writers. I'm sure Bat-Girl is unhappy to be seated next to Marvel's alien Hugh Hefner, Starfox. Along with being Thanos' brother, a former Avenger and a walking lawsuit, Starfox is also notorious for using his powers to lure women into sleeping with him. Can you believe Starfox's post got the most views on The Panel Biter? Oh gosh, Snowflame is here, up in the top left. In case you can't tell, Snowflame is a super-villain who got his superpowers from snorting cocaine. Worse yet he can give his enemies a contact high just by touching them! Don't do drugs, kids. Don't carry swords either, Swordsman taught me that. He's the purple-frenchmen who was an enemy to The Avengers, he even joined the team for a short time before proving himself a criminal. Ten-Eyed Man is next to him, looking with his hands as usual. Seriously that guy is weird, after he lost his eyes in an explosion he had his optical nerves tied to his fingertips. Because an eye transplant was out of the question, apparently. I don't know how to feel about Comet there either, he's a pegasus and an angel and a transvestite. Honestly, if DC was trying to make people of all genders love horses they should've given us a Bat-Steed or something. Now we have the token minority, Black Vulcan. I wasn't being racially comedic, Black Vulcan was literally created so The Super Friends cartoon didn't have just white people. Finally we have The Panel Biter's first Z-Lister, Thunderbird. Coincidently he was the first X-Men to die, too. Another minority for the 70's X-Men team, Thunderbird bit off more than his beak could chew when he fought a helicopter and lost. Yes, this New Years party sure has it's share of weirdos. At least Detective Chimp isn't here.
I started The Z-Lister segment to highlight the oddest and obscurest characters in comics and introduce them to you readers hoping you'd get a good laugh. By doing this, I gained a better understanding of how the comic book industry works and how characters can be retold and designed. Sure, these guys aren't as popular as A-Listers like Batman or even C-Listers like Blue Beetle, but they still have meaning to them. Good or bad, complex or simple, Z-Listers represent something more than one-off stories. They represent just smaller threads in what is a millennium of fictional history. Thanks for reading!
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