Stan Lee and Paul Cornell's Soldier Zero

[arbre_rieur]

SOLDIER ZERO #1 came out this month. It's the first comic of the new superhero line that Stan Lee is doing in conjunction with Boom! Studios. I know that Stan Lee's name gets attached to a half dozen new projects every day of the week that ends in Y, but by all indications he's genuinely hands-on involved with this one, overseeing the books every step of the way.

He's paired with a different writer for each of the titles in the line, but in SZ's case, he's working with Paul Cornell. Judging by the first issue, the two of them have managed to create a superhero very much in the classic Stan Lee mode.



The protagonist of SOLDIER ZERO, is Steward Trautmann, a soldier who lost the use of his legs in Afghanistan.













It's at this point that the Superhero Origin happens, as an alien person/suit/weapon/SOMETHING called Soldier Zero falls on them. He's the guy falling to Earth in that one panel earlier. He bonds with Stewart, forcing him into being an arms-bearer once more.

There are superhero happenings in the first issue, outer space dogfights and what not, but I found it less distinctive than the stuff going on with the main character's personal life, which is why I chose the pages I chose here. Thinking about it, it shouldn't be a surprise that the characterization stuff would be more interesting than the sci-fi stuff for a Stan Lee character.

Comments

[pyrotwilight]

I'm looking forward to the Traveler myself which seems like more of an interesting idea, a time traveler willing to actually alter history despite any consequences.

As much as I'd like to read Soldier Zero it always seems weird to me when the hero has a disability, such as Trautmann being a paraplegic only for them to get a power or ability that negates it. Like Dr. Mid-Nite and Daredevil seeing using tech or sonar which essentially means they're not really blind.

[psychopathicus_rex]

Well, but the thing is that they only have this in their superhero identity, which leads to conflict. I mean, your secret identity is your REAL identity, but it starts to feel a little paltry compared to your superhero one, where you can't just walk, you can FLY. And then, inevitably, things start going wrong in THAT identity...

[shadowpsykie]

Well technically they are blind.

Daredevil has a typo of sonar, but scientifically speaking, he is not seeing, even people who have a limited degree of vision can be conscidered legally blind.

as for doctor midnight? can't he only see in the dark? or through his owl? (to be honest i never paid too much attention to that.)

but yeah, if he can only see through his owl, still blind. if he can see in teh dark, in normal situations, yeah blind.

[glprime]

Mid-Nite is actually worse off than Ol' Hornhead, because Matt has superhuman spatial awareness that gives him a very detailed sense of things around him.

Mid-Nite can only see a sort of infra-red version of the world in complete darkness (or through special lenses that filter out all visible light), and he has above-average spatial awareness. He actually is working around a disability whenever adventuring, rather than his powers completely compensating.

[pallas_athena]

This is good dialogue, as one would expect of Cornell. I quite like the art too, especially the faces.

[geoffsebesta]

There is dialogue? Stan Lee wrote it and there is actual back-and-forth conversation?

Oh, wait. He CO-wrote it.

[jarodrussell]

"I'm paralyzed from the waist down...my cock don't work too good...but I've spent years re-telling my original story people who ask, and so I have mouth muscles like you wouldn't believe. My question is...how about we get something to eat?"

[nezchan]

Are we grittifying Matter Eater Lad now?

[jarodrussell]

I'm just saying, I'd like to see a pattern of paralyzed super-heroes who were also cunning linguists emerge, that's all.

[protogarrett]

I read this, and all I can say is Stan Lee really did create something I think could have lasting power here. If they continue with the great characterization this'll be one great book.

[likeaminx]

Is Traveler the one that takes place in Richmond? If this is the sort of writing I can expect I'm even more excited for it. I think I'll pick this up now too.