Invincible Iron Man 525 (one page)

[blackruzsa]

I am so happy right now. I'm not even gonna slice it any other way.


I really hope they'll all shine this time.

Also I have to wonder why Red Feather is suddenly a guy again. Anyways...

Comments

[lucky_gamble]

I have a bad feeling about this. Non-USA based superheroes are notoriously disposable when presented in stories by the Big Two.

[blackruzsa]

They already pretty much did the whole terribad end, what with the Triumph Division being blown up within 3 pages of appearance.

Still, that they're back may spell a different kind of fate. I've come to believe in Fraction at least that much.

[drmcninja]

Even so, I'd be genuinely surprised if at least a few of them didn't end up dead by the end of this.

[blackruzsa]

With the scale of Mandarin's big plot, so would I. A number of people have already died in relation to this arc, in any case.

[crinos]

Especially when they have a roster this big.

This whole thing screams "Meat Grinder" to me. Just like that new Arena event coming up which is introducing half a dozen all new teen characters alongside the established ones.

[fairestcat]

I was really glad to see Triumph Divison and The Dynasty both show up again in this issue. One of the things I liked early on in Fraction's run was the introduction of local heroic teams in other parts of the world -- because, of course China would have their own Avengersesque team, and of course there would be different superhero organizations and traditions all over the planet -- and I was sad to see that thread seemingly dropped.

[blackruzsa]

Same. I'm glad that they weren't just a one time appearance, to be dropped just like that. I guess it's good Fraction's run hasn't stopped yet, so he could bring back teams and characters.

[icon_uk]

China has been shown to a team or two like that in the past, China Force being the first one to spring to mind (twelve person team themed after the Chinese Zodiac). It does raise the question, which The Great Ten also raised, that in a basically totalitarian regime, would a team of individual personalities and clashing free thinkers like the Avengers be tolerated?

[theflames]

If they only looked like 'free thinkers' on the surface, then sure, why not.

[icon_uk]

Perhaps because to deal with the sort of situations that superheroes have to deal with they need actual free-thinkers to cope with the shifting parameters of their missions.

The Great 10 are shown to have some degree of autonomy, but mostly because their strategist is devoutly loyal to the Party (IIRC) so has some degree of trust.

[wizardru]

Great Ten was a really great take on such a team. Reconciling the nature of the Chinese government with a superhero team and making them an interesting group of characters. It made a little sad that so few people found them interesting. I thought their mini-series was really solid stuff.

[espanolbot]

So they're a Japanese and a Chinese superhero team? Can't see how this will go wrong.

Out of curiousity, are there any Korean superheroes, beyond the new version of the Ray (who is Korean American and I think retconned)? The only Vietnamese ones I can think off off the top of my head are the YJverse versions of Artemis and Cheshire, and their dad's from the US so they might not technically count.

Saying Asia is a big place and has a high population is a bit of an understatement, so you'd think that they'd have more superpeople per person than the US or UK would.

I know that the old chestnut was meant to be along the lines of "pollution from atomic weaponry caused mutations leading to superpowers", but considering how the increased industrialisation of China and India has messed up their environments to a degree, you'd think that you'd see more.

Kind of wondering what a North Korean superhero would be like though. Maybe they're overthrow the regime and take control of it for themselves, considering the framework set up there makes it vulnerable for internal coups. If a Dr Doom-ish person took it over and fixed things while keeping the framework in place though...

[valtyr]

Amadeus Cho?

[blackruzsa]

GAH
I LOVE AMADEUS. What's he up to now?


Also, I love how much of an awesome, fun, relatable character he was, very worldly without sacrificing his Korean-ness (for a bunch of issues, anyway).

[salinea]

They promised us he will be sidekicking to a major superhero in Marvel NOW.

[long_silence]

Karma is also Vietnamese. I can't really find many others aside from DC's Thunder and Lightning, but they were killed off to make room for Black Lightning's daughters and after the reboot I'm not sure either pair has ever even existed

[blackruzsa]

I feel as though a North Korean superhero would be super effective and very competent, but with ideals that might clash with your average liberal-minded hero.

Man, I'd love to see it, though.

Btw, it's a Philippine and Chinese superhero team, which is funny because we of the Philippines and China have been bitching over territories lately.

Mod Note

[salinea]

Please, be careful with the "bitch" word (and it derivative).

Re: Mod Note

[blackruzsa]

Sorry~ I'll keep that in mind next time.

Re: Mod Note

[salinea]

thanks!

[icon_uk]

Why do you think that of a North Korean hero in particular?

[blackruzsa]

TBH because of the totalitarian gov't, I immediately went with that idea. Plus I see a lot of (admittedly, they might be propaganda) vids of very orderly presentations and marches where everything is synchronized.

Of course, there might just as likely be a North Korean hero who'd rebel against that. Either way, first things that come to mind usually come out of generalizations or what I've observed.

[icon_uk]

Propaganda is putting it mildly, I'd say. The personality cult which is engendered around their leaders would perhaps bring it closer to brainwashing or conditioning.

You actually sort of make my point for me, a North Korean hero who rebelled against their totalitarian Government would not be allowed, and they certainly would not be allowed in a Government sponsored team like an Avengers analogue.

[blackruzsa]

I suppose what I meant to say was "A North Korean hero who represents the country and is government sponsored" for my first assessment of a NK hero.

Either one would be super interesting to read about :) There's so much potential in Asian heroes, especially with how huge an area Asia is, so I'm pretty stumped about the small number of popular Asian heroes.

[lieut_kettch]

A Chinese team and a Filipino team? Yup, that's gonna end well.

Here's hoping that those "international waters" don't include the Spratlys.

[blackruzsa]

I thought it kinda funny considering the atmosphere right now.

Still, in terms of blood more than politics, China and the Philippines have been buds and bros for centuries, so it fits that they'd fight together in a dire struggle.

[leoboiko]

this guy? and this one? and one of these?

[blackruzsa]

Heheh, it is an interesting similarity.

[his_spiffynesss]

And the Big Hero 6 is forgotten.

[long_silence]

I think these are just teams that Fraction himself created

[blackruzsa]

Yup yup.

Ugh, Larrocca is still on this?

[jazzypom]

Him and Land. I just... it's like choosing between bad and worse. Ugh.

Re: Ugh, Larrocca is still on this?

[blackruzsa]

I understand XD But you get used to it after a while. They could each be good on their own, but put together... eh, I've heard all the complaints, and while I don't say them myself, I do agree with them.

[halloweenjack]

Is there a law that Japanese superhero teams have to have at least one member with a Japanese flag-derived headband? I mean, sometimes I miss the eighties too, but come on.

[blackruzsa]

But they're Filipino and Chinese...
I was about to say he's not Japanese, but maybe he is, only he's part of a superteam that predominantly isn't. If I recall right, that's Fighter One, from the Filipino team.

[halloweenjack]

Whups! Uh, never mind.

[blackruzsa]

Of course I'm not entirely sure with the Dynasty being Chinese, I just assumed so because of the name and the fact that the Mandarin's basing in China. But yeah, the Triumph Division was an early creation in this series :)