You may fiddle, I may dance
July 16, 2008 4:58 AM Subscribe
Some lesser-known superheroes and their stories.
That was totally great. Favorite part: "They love gadgets, and they love to hang-out in the kitchen."
posted by Mach5 at 5:23 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by Mach5 at 5:23 AM on July 16, 2008
I like this, though in general I feel the superhero thing has been subverted and parodied so much it's a bit worn out. The imagination and execution here make it worthwhile. The style is a bit unexpected; the obvious alternatives would have been traditional comic style or some kind of ruthless realism - but actually I find this somewhat artier approach adds to the dreamlike quality.
I think gadget girl is hoping to spot gadget boy out of the window, BTW.
posted by Phanx at 5:42 AM on July 16, 2008
I think gadget girl is hoping to spot gadget boy out of the window, BTW.
posted by Phanx at 5:42 AM on July 16, 2008
I was saved from a burning building once by Thunder Bear.
He's actually a nice guy in person. All the roaring and lightning is just for show.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:01 AM on July 16, 2008
He's actually a nice guy in person. All the roaring and lightning is just for show.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:01 AM on July 16, 2008
Well, Miss Squirrel is already a Marvel character. Meet Squirrel Girl.
posted by Dr.Enormous at 6:07 AM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Dr.Enormous at 6:07 AM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
This is very The Tick. Miss Squirrel reminded me of The Flying Squirrel. Insomnia Man is not as good as Bi-Polar Bear. I was hoping to find a Baby Boom-Orangutan, but no luck. Nice pictures, though.
posted by snwod at 6:08 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by snwod at 6:08 AM on July 16, 2008
I'm not a super hero, but I play one on the internet.
posted by blue_beetle at 6:28 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 6:28 AM on July 16, 2008
After a long, sweaty summer day of heroics in the skin-tight stretch leotards, there must be a niche for The Dry Cleaner.
posted by longsleeves at 6:33 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by longsleeves at 6:33 AM on July 16, 2008
...and his (insert random ethnicity here) sidekick, No Smellum.
posted by Dizzy at 6:45 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by Dizzy at 6:45 AM on July 16, 2008
Great find. Solid, funny on every panel. Reminds me of a cutesy Daniel Clowes. Danny Zabbal's website looks promising as well. Thanks!
posted by not_on_display at 6:47 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by not_on_display at 6:47 AM on July 16, 2008
What, no MeFiman smiting evil with well aimed snarks?
posted by sien at 6:51 AM on July 16, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by sien at 6:51 AM on July 16, 2008 [2 favorites]
How about Cleaning Woman? She cleans tall buildings at a single swipe.
posted by nax at 7:03 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by nax at 7:03 AM on July 16, 2008
If it wasn't for this post, I never would have stumbled across Bi-Beast.
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 7:52 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 7:52 AM on July 16, 2008
You can be all these superheroes and more. Just play City of Heroes.
posted by Dave Faris at 7:58 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by Dave Faris at 7:58 AM on July 16, 2008
Well, Miss Squirrel is already a Marvel character. Meet Squirrel Girl.
And then there's Rainbow Girl's evil twin Roy G. Bivolo over at DC.
posted by ormondsacker at 8:18 AM on July 16, 2008
And then there's Rainbow Girl's evil twin Roy G. Bivolo over at DC.
posted by ormondsacker at 8:18 AM on July 16, 2008
d on a related subject - just to be clear - Batman is NOT a superhero.
Heh. You're funny when you're wrong.
posted by Artw at 8:18 AM on July 16, 2008
Heh. You're funny when you're wrong.
posted by Artw at 8:18 AM on July 16, 2008
Thunder Bear comics are awesome!!! However Rainbow girl is just gay....
posted by Mastercheddaar at 8:27 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by Mastercheddaar at 8:27 AM on July 16, 2008
READ A BOOK!
best. line from the tick. ever.
Agreed. I say this sometimes at what seems like an appropriate point in a conversation and all I get is weird looks. And then my wife gets those looks of pity for having married such a dork as me.
Meanwhile, back on topic, also check out: The Superest
posted by papercake at 9:15 AM on July 16, 2008
best. line from the tick. ever.
Agreed. I say this sometimes at what seems like an appropriate point in a conversation and all I get is weird looks. And then my wife gets those looks of pity for having married such a dork as me.
Meanwhile, back on topic, also check out: The Superest
posted by papercake at 9:15 AM on July 16, 2008
What we really need are more supervillains
I give you: The Procrastinator!
He'd be scary if any of his plans actually got done on time. He's currently working on a scheme to rob an IndyMac bank.
His costume is just a towel tied around his neck, as he hasn't gotten around to doing the whole spandex thing yet.
posted by JaredSeth at 10:11 AM on July 16, 2008
I give you: The Procrastinator!
He'd be scary if any of his plans actually got done on time. He's currently working on a scheme to rob an IndyMac bank.
His costume is just a towel tied around his neck, as he hasn't gotten around to doing the whole spandex thing yet.
posted by JaredSeth at 10:11 AM on July 16, 2008
Nice execution... concepts hit and miss. As others have pointed out, some of them aren't new. I'm a particular fan of Squirrel Girl myself: "Show of hands. Who here's taken out Doctor Doom? Huh? Anybody else? I thought so."
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:41 AM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:41 AM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
And on a related subject - just to be clear - Batman is NOT a superhero.
Heh. You're funny when you're wrong.
posted by Artw at 10:18 AM on July 16 [+] [!]
Seriously, please explain. How is Batman a superhero if he doesn't have any super powers? He's just a rich guy with an altruistic hobby, trying to make something good come out of the murder of his parents as far as I can tell. NOT BATMAN-IST!
posted by Daddy-O at 11:03 AM on July 16, 2008
Heh. You're funny when you're wrong.
posted by Artw at 10:18 AM on July 16 [+] [!]
Seriously, please explain. How is Batman a superhero if he doesn't have any super powers? He's just a rich guy with an altruistic hobby, trying to make something good come out of the murder of his parents as far as I can tell. NOT BATMAN-IST!
posted by Daddy-O at 11:03 AM on July 16, 2008
I'm not a super hero, but I play one on the internet.
posted by blue_beetle at 6:28 AM on July 16 [+] [!]
And here I thought you were Harry Dresden's car.
posted by Caduceus at 11:15 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 6:28 AM on July 16 [+] [!]
And here I thought you were Harry Dresden's car.
posted by Caduceus at 11:15 AM on July 16, 2008
Mystery Men was grossly underrated. It was marketed to the people who would most hate it. It was really a good flick.
I had a friend who was a total metal-head. I came home from college in 1984 on Christmas break, having seen "This is Spinal Tap", and asked him what he had thought of it.. I had literally fallen out of my seat laughing when I saw it. Really. My friend? He didn't think it was funny. At all.
We had so much in common. Now I think he is dead, but I am afraid to call the people who would know and find out...since I am supposed to be the one who had stayed close.
Oh, and Batman is more a superhero than any of the others. Nobody gave him a damn thing, he kicks ass cause he is an Ass-Kicker. He is the American Dream of Superheroes, a self-made superhero that rose from the gutters of mortality and became a superhero. He first conquered failure, the ultimate villain.
posted by Xoebe at 11:20 AM on July 16, 2008 [2 favorites]
I had a friend who was a total metal-head. I came home from college in 1984 on Christmas break, having seen "This is Spinal Tap", and asked him what he had thought of it.. I had literally fallen out of my seat laughing when I saw it. Really. My friend? He didn't think it was funny. At all.
We had so much in common. Now I think he is dead, but I am afraid to call the people who would know and find out...since I am supposed to be the one who had stayed close.
Oh, and Batman is more a superhero than any of the others. Nobody gave him a damn thing, he kicks ass cause he is an Ass-Kicker. He is the American Dream of Superheroes, a self-made superhero that rose from the gutters of mortality and became a superhero. He first conquered failure, the ultimate villain.
posted by Xoebe at 11:20 AM on July 16, 2008 [2 favorites]
Seriously, please explain. How is Batman a superhero if he doesn't have any super powers?
Roughly: Superheros are defined by a rough conglomeration of traits and symbols, only one of which is the possession of special abilities, and those abilities don’t necessarily have to be superpowers (See: shooting arrows real good, having a robot suit).
posted by Artw at 11:24 AM on July 16, 2008
Roughly: Superheros are defined by a rough conglomeration of traits and symbols, only one of which is the possession of special abilities, and those abilities don’t necessarily have to be superpowers (See: shooting arrows real good, having a robot suit).
posted by Artw at 11:24 AM on July 16, 2008
speaking of odd superheroes, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (discussed here) launched its first act the other day.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 11:29 AM on July 16, 2008
posted by Solon and Thanks at 11:29 AM on July 16, 2008
Superheroes must NOT be taken seriously. We need less Infinite Crises and Civil Wars and more Ticks, Incredibles, Mystery Men and Evil Incs.
That said, I used to work in the cubicle next to Sparkle Fists. She made department meetings interesting, but she never brought in doughnuts.
posted by wendell at 11:46 AM on July 16, 2008 [2 favorites]
That said, I used to work in the cubicle next to Sparkle Fists. She made department meetings interesting, but she never brought in doughnuts.
posted by wendell at 11:46 AM on July 16, 2008 [2 favorites]
I saw Hancock the other day, and I'd say we need one less of those.
posted by Artw at 12:19 PM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 12:19 PM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
Damn, I was going to point out that the wikipedia page for Swarm had an error in it that described the coolest supervillain ever. Unfortunately, someone fixed it. It now reads, "A former Nazi sympathizer, His most notable feature is that his entire body is composed of bees."
It used to say: "His most notable feature is that his entire body is composed of bees with Nazi sympathies."
posted by painquale at 1:22 PM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
It used to say: "His most notable feature is that his entire body is composed of bees with Nazi sympathies."
posted by painquale at 1:22 PM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
What, a nazi made out of bees isn't good enough for you kids?
posted by Artw at 1:38 PM on July 16, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 1:38 PM on July 16, 2008 [2 favorites]
It's pretty good, but not as good as a guy made out of Nazi bees. Although, I guess a Nazi made out of bees leaves open the possibility that the bees are Jewish, which would be wonderful irony.
I suppose it would be more appropriate for a Nazi sympathizer to be made out of wasps.
posted by painquale at 2:05 PM on July 16, 2008
I suppose it would be more appropriate for a Nazi sympathizer to be made out of wasps.
posted by painquale at 2:05 PM on July 16, 2008
Ants are communist. You've got red ants, army ants, weaver ants, leafcutter ants, carpenter ants. Descriptors don't get any more Bolshevist than that.
posted by painquale at 2:29 PM on July 16, 2008
posted by painquale at 2:29 PM on July 16, 2008
I can't believe you didn't say 'worker ants.'
posted by shakespeherian at 3:12 PM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by shakespeherian at 3:12 PM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
You're all superheros to me.
posted by blue_beetle at 10:49 AM on July 17, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 10:49 AM on July 17, 2008
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posted by Nick Verstayne at 5:12 AM on July 16, 2008