Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel #4

[lordultimus]

Comments

[balbanes]

Next issue: a teleporting squid wipes out NYC. :/

[erikred]

...two issues ago, apparently. ;-)

[thehood]

I get the reference, but nothing like that happens in the finale.

[starwolf_oakley]

Lots to discuss.

Hank's anger issue (singular) was that the rest of the Avengers were cooler than him.

Are Marvel characters *allowed* to wonder why everyone loves the Fantastic Four and hates the X-Men? Marvel doesn't even like it when the *fans* ask that question!

As I've said elsewhere on this board, a character should say, "I'm worried that the ordinary people who gain unearthly powers are unable to control them, potentially hurting or killing the people around them, and SOMEHOW I'M THE BAD GUY HERE?!?!"

Anti-Man's plan is similar to Nyssa's plan from the last BATGIRL arc: the world seeing their heroes die will get them out of their apathy.

[nyadnar17]

"As I've said elsewhere on this board, a character should say, "I'm worried that the ordinary people who gain unearthly powers are unable to control them, potentially hurting or killing the people around them, and SOMEHOW I'M THE BAD GUY HERE?!?!" "
Actually Hydra!Cap recently made that same point. He wasn't saying that groups like the Purifiers were justified. He was just saying that when you mock people are racist/xenophobic for rational concerns you are going to drive them right into the arms of irrational people.

"Anti-Man's plan is similar to Nyssa's plan from the last BATGIRL arc: the world seeing their heroes die will get them out of their apathy."
For about 5mins

[freezer]

"Anti-Man's plan is similar to Nyssa's plan from the last BATGIRL arc: the world seeing their heroes die will get them out of their apathy."
For about 5mins

Exhibit A: Onslaught.

[starwolf_oakley]

Hydra!Cap from CIVIL WAR II: THE OATH is how I got the idea.

Still, the X-Men comics were never good at separating "rational people with genuine concerns about mutants hurting people" from "genocidal nutters."

[freezer]

So was it intentional, storywise, that the three worst possible heroes to negotiate with someone like Blue Marvel are the ones that were sent?

[wizardru]

I like that this series doesn't make all of the other heroes ignorant of Adam's plight or make them uncaring/totally apathetic. There are actual conversations happening here with some degree of relevance to the topic at hand. I like that they reference the fact that Reed has a mutant son (Valeria is..I have no idea) and that he never thought about until then.

I remember more than a few comics referencing the idea that others get a free pass when mutants do not (and how that seems odd). In general, it's a combination of good press relations (such as the FF) combined with public perception. And its worth noting that many heroes are feared in equal or greater measure. Many people fear or mistrust Spidey (arguably one of the most liked heroes in the MU overall), the Hulks terrify people (with good reason) and there are plenty of heroes that get their share of public fear.

What REALLY makes no goddamn sense is how the Inhumans get a totally free pass while mutants are super-terrifying. Like that recent issue of (iirc) Uncanny Avengers, where people freak out that Jean Grey is a *GASP* mutant, and specifically NOT an Inhuman. As if Triton or Gorgon would be totes OK, but someone who can totally pass as human is okay (but if Nightcrawler showed up, OMFG). It's a weird arbitrary (and editorially mandated line).

[lordultimus]

Ironically, it's probably an attempt to remove the "Inhumans are the new mutants" thing. I remember back when Inhumanity was still a thing, people were freaking out at people getting wrapped up in cocoons and emerging as monsters. Hell, Steve Rogers directly told Medusa that countries are terrified at the prospect of a millennia old secretive nation is now just outside of New York, is already filled with superhumans, and is getting an influx of potentially millions more.