Orthodoxy & Comics: Is Paganism and the Old Ways being brought back via Comics?

[gurneyhalleck1]

Bottom line....

Iron Man, kicks butt, the greatest, period

Captain America....grew up reading comics with him kickin' Red Skull butt, go cap'n!

Black Widow....Scarlett J. nuff said....phewww (wipes forehead)

Thor....hammer of the gods, dude

The Hulk....the green rage monster, oh yeah!

I can hardly WAIT for the Avengers flick!!

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Bottom line....

Iron Man, kicks butt, the greatest, period

!

The man's arrogant. Cool armor...but way too cocky..

Captain America....grew up reading comics with him kickin' Red Skull butt, go cap'n!

Would love to see what would have happened if they had him as "Captain Russia" instead of America....although they did try to do that with his friend, Bucky, who was made into a Soviet agent called Winter Soldier

Red Skull rocked and I hope they will bring him back in the movies since I think he was teleported in the movie when he used the Cube and it showed Asgard.

Black Widow....Scarlett J. nuff said....phewww (wipes forehead)

Aren't you married, dude? Yo wife should be the only one you wipe your forehead at...

Thor....hammer of the gods, dude

Pretty cool dude and love the way that he speaks and how he dresses. I would SO dress like he and his father, Odin (with that gold robe he had) if I could. Turns out folks have made ways one could dress like them..

The Hulk....the green rage monster, oh yeah!

Heaven help us, as the man destroys alot. Wish he was intelligent when he was green like in the Comics..

I can hardly WAIT for the Avengers flick

And for all the people that say that Marvel will corrupt the mind of others watching the films, I do wonder at times....

Looking forward to the film--especially Loki...

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

The man's awesome! Being a fan of Invincible Iron Man and the Iron Man from Tales of Suspense, Tony Stark was never as arrogant as he is portrayed in the films. But I think Downey Jr. is PERFECT for the role and a kick! Love him! Next to the X-Men at the beginning of the New Millenium, Iron Man is the greatest comic to big screen character, period.

The man's arrogant. Cool armor...but way too cocky..

Captain Russia? Oh brother LOL
Would love to see what would have happened if they had him as "Captain Russia" instead of America....although they did try to do that with his friend, Bucky, who was made into a Soviet agent called Winter Soldier
Yes
Red Skull rocked and I hope they will bring him back in the movies since I think he was teleported in the movie when he used the Cube and it showed Asgard.

Oh brother. My wife and I always joke about stuff like that. She jokes that she wipes her head at Leonardo de Caprio and I wipe my forehead at Scarlett and Rebecca Romijn who played Mystique. We joke about it. I have been married almost 13 years, 100% faithful. Easy, bro.
Aren't you married, dude? Yo wife should be the only one you wipe your forehead at...
Pretty cool dude and love the way that he speaks and how he dresses. I would SO dress like he and his father, Odin (with that gold robe he had) if I could. Turns out folks have made ways one could dress like them..

My four year old son is the spittin' image of his pops. When I was four, the HULK was my main man!
Heaven help us, as the man destroys alot. Wish he was intelligent when he was green like in the Comics..


And for all the people that say that Marvel will corrupt the mind of others watching the films, I do wonder at times....

Looking forward to the film--especially Loki...

 

[Gxg (G²)]

The man's awesome! Being a fan of Invincible Iron Man and the Iron Man from Tales of Suspense, Tony Stark was never as arrogant as he is portrayed in the films. But I think Downey Jr. is PERFECT for the role and a kick.

Agreed with ya that Downet was good for the role. Going through the comics, he seemed to be a bit more...gracious, even though he was pretty confident in what it was that he knew and knowing he was a genius. I thought they did a better portrayal of the man in cinema with the cartoon series "Avengers"

Iron Man is Born! - The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! -
Avengers-Earth's Mightiest Heroes Season 1 Episode 17 - The ​

The man does kick butt....

Captain Russia? Oh brother LOL

They actually did that in the comics with other iconic heros, as they did recently with Superman being reimagined to have landed in Russia..

Trippy series...but it was cool seeing how they brought out the issue of perspectives and how those patriotic to their countries see things. Thus, if they did the same with Captain America, it'd be a trip as well (IMHO)..

Oh brother. My wife and I always joke about stuff like that. She jokes that she wipes her head at Leonardo de Caprio and I wipe my forehead at Scarlett and Rebecca Romijn who played Mystique. We joke about it. I have been married almost 13 years, 100% faithful. Easy, bro.

Dude, I was messing Wishing that can come out more clearly--although I'll use an LOL next time...for I have friends doing the same when they note to each other's spouse that someone else is attractive...just not as attractive as they are

My four year old son is the spittin' image of his pops. When I was four, the HULK was my main man!

Hulk had it going on. He always seemed like an Anti-Hero since he was always on the run..and destroying as much as he saved others

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Personally, I'm a huge X-Men, Avengers, and Daredevil fan. I hope there will be a reboot of Daredevil as has been speculated. I heard Marvel is considering it. I like that about Marvel studios. They're not afraid to reboot just like DC isn't afraid to reboot their Batman stuff. They rebooted X Men and Spiderman, so I hope Daredevil will get the same opportunity. Matt Murdock is different from the other superheroes. He has a depth, a complicated sense of guilt and duty, his Catholic side versus his justice side that conflict. I like the depth. Plus, Daredevil is just plain COOL!

Honestly, X-Men should NOT have ended so abruptly with X3. While I thought it was awesome (I'm in an ultra minority! Most people I know HATE the third X Men flick), killing off everyone so soon, dumb....That cast was superb.

I think Ian McKellan, though I TOTALLY disagree with his gay lifestyle, is the GREATEST actor of our time and just for Gandalf and Magneto, the man deserves a lifetime medal of achievement from sci-fi and comic fans!

Agreed with ya that Downet was good for the role. Going through the comics, he seemed to be a bit more...gracious, even though he was pretty confident in what it was that he knew and knowing he was a genius. I thought they did a better portrayal of the man in cinema with the cartoon series "Avengers"

Iron Man is Born! - The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! -
Avengers-Earth's Mightiest Heroes Season 1 Episode 17 - The ​

The man does kick butt....

They actually did that in the comics with other iconic heros, as they did recently with Superman being reimagined to have landed in Russia..

Trippy series...but it was cool seeing how they brought out the issue of perspectives and how those patriotic to their countries see things. Thus, if they did the same with Captain America, it'd be a trip as well (IMHO)..

Dude, I was messing Wishing that can come out more clearly--although I'll use an LOL next time...for I have friends doing the same when they note to each other's spouse that someone else is attractive...just not as attractive as they are




Hulk had it going on. He always seemed like an Anti-Hero since he was always on the run..and destroying as much as he saved others

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Personally, I'm a huge X-Men, Avengers, and Daredevil fan.

Cool to know...although I'm personally for X-Men above all others. I just recently came to have a love for the Avengers, but that's due to seeing them in their later incarnations...and IMHO, they can never compare with the sheer level of depth as with X-Men.

Both are cool...and as it concerns Daredevil, he was pretty slammin. ANyone who can kick butt as a BLIND man and stays fighting crime in the hood is radical, IMHO

I hope there will be a reboot of Daredevil as has been speculated. I heard Marvel is considering it. I like that about Marvel studios. They're not afraid to reboot just like DC isn't afraid to reboot their Batman stuff. They rebooted X Men and Spiderman, so I hope Daredevil will get the same opportunity.

It often depends on how many fans are demanding such...and although Daredevil is considered amazing by many, he's simply not as popular as the other groups combined.

If they did a Daredevil reboot, they'd probably have to stick closer to the script of the comics--as many felt Ben Affleck wasn't the best actor for the part--and some were really upset that a black man (Michael Clarke Duncan) played Kingpin ..even though I thought he was good. SOme are sticklers.......

The Batman reboot has been rather excellent, on the same level (if not better in some respects) as the one by Burton with his version with Michael Keaton (Catwoman being one of the greatest representations I've ever seen in that version)---but with the one with Christian Bale, if the same director over that were to direct DareDevil, it could do well I think.

Matt Murdock is different from the other superheroes. He has a depth, a complicated sense of guilt and duty, his Catholic side versus his justice side that conflict. I like the depth. Plus, Daredevil is just plain COOL!

Cool indeed....although I'd not say he is different from the others as it concerns depth. Nightcrawler had just as many conflicts as being both Mutant and Catholic---and others as well, like Wolverine or Xavier. But with Daredevil, he does have alot of struggles with villglante Justice. He's just not willing to use deadly force.....different from others that were vigilante and yet Catholics, such as the Punisher.

Honestly, X-Men should NOT have ended so abruptly with X3. While I thought it was awesome (I'm in an ultra minority! Most people I know HATE the third X Men flick), killing off everyone so soon, dumb....That cast was superb.

To my knowledge, the only ones killed off were Phoenix and Xavier--and I must admit, I was bothered by the fact that Xavier was killed. ALthough I was rooting for Jean to come back to the good side, when she killed him, I was like "Girl has to die...you just don't do that."

But in many ways, they needed to bring the series to an end and have some level of resolvement. I can't say that I really was saddened at the loss of Cyclopes, as I didn't care much for him in any incarnation.


Right there with ya, by the way, as it concerns actually enjoying the 3rd film and not really feeling that it was at any point that it was a HORRIBLE film. I think alot of people were upset that it ended as it did.....but the cast was wonderful. What they did with Phoenix was a good depiction as well...


I think where they messed up was going backward with the "Wolverine: Origins" movie...as to me, that was sheer GARBAGE!!!!! Good on some things...but overall, not remotely memorable.

I think Ian McKellan, though I TOTALLY disagree with his gay lifestyle, is the GREATEST actor of our time

and just for Gandalf and Magneto, the man deserves a lifetime medal of achievement from sci-fi and comic fans!

He's definately good..Gandalf being one of his greatest impressions...and the man is truly hilarious. Saw him once on something called "Extras" and was blown away:

Sir Ian McKellen, On Acting​

Nonetheless, if I had to pick, I'll take Patrick Stewart any day, however. But at least they're good friends and are hilarious together

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I hope there will be a reboot of Daredevil as has been speculated. I heard Marvel is considering it. I like that about Marvel studios. They're not afraid to reboot just like DC isn't afraid to reboot their Batman stuff. They rebooted X Men and Spiderman, so I hope Daredevil will get the same opportunity.

Would add others like Superman and Green Lantern onto the list of reboots in DCs...and looking forward to the day that they do the others just as Marvel has done (ahead of them thus far). But to be honest, if they do other characters in DC, I'm really awaiting the day that they'll take time to do justice to characters such as Aquaman, King of the Seas.

Talk about complicated when you see his character and the things he went through. What I've often heard is that others don't like the character since they felt that his powers were limited to doing silly things like living in the sea/talking to animals, although they did do an AMAZING job in helping him realize the full potential of his coolness by depicting him as having eventually gained the ability to control water itself---and even the ability to dehydrate people/kill them by simply touching them and absorbing all of the water in their system. ...and one can go here for more in regards to how the writers have portrayed his abilities in recent days with controlling water, an ESSENTIAL to all life on the planet...and something that can do a WORLD of trouble

To me, that's pretty hard-core---and something necesssary to complete a character who is pretty cool (IMHO) for being King of the Seas/able to communicate with life in the ocean....AND control sea life as well. His effectiveness as a superhero all depends on how he is portrayed--and in one recent series, they made him more akin to an Emperor who was ruthless at protecting his own people at all costs.....and chose to flood significant parts of the world in response to something done to his people. No joke. It can be found under the mini-series name of Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman. In that series, he and Wonder Woman were actually destined to be married, although her people attacked him and she/him fought to the death. Pretty epic...
I was saddened by the attempted T.V show that tried to work out, if you ever heard of it:

Aquaman Trailer - YouTube​

Thankfully, they'll working on a film about Aquaman which may be released in 2013 (more discussed here )

 

[Gxg (G²)]

They rebooted X Men and Spiderman, so I hope Daredevil will get the same opportunity. Matt Murdock is different from the other superheroes. He has a depth, a complicated sense of guilt and duty, his Catholic side versus his justice side that conflict. I like the depth. Plus, Daredevil is just plain COOL!

Lots of folks don't like seeing Catholic characters such as Daredevil due to him having conflict that they feel shouldn't be associated with anything in Catholicism....

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Personally I was VERY disappointed with the Christian Bale Batman reboots. I just plain did NOT like anything about them. Batman and Green Lantern were my favorite superheroes along with Superman where DC comics were concerned.

I was a touch disappointed with the GL movie last summer. My wife liked it. I just felt they made Hal Jordan into a screw-up and an immature dorm-room type dufus who had some kernel of goodness deep in his fraternity hazing-minded stupidity. Ryan Reynolds is a good LOOK for the part, but just didn't pull it off for me. The plot was decent but felt rushed. I felt Thor was a little rushed, too, this summer. The Captain America flick felt the best-paced.

I really, really, really wish they'd reboot Fantastic Four. I liked Michael Chicklis as Thing but the rest of 'em? Sheesh. Jessica Alba is a smokin' hot babe but TOTALLY didn't fit the part! And the guy playing the great Dr. Doom (one of my FAVORITE bad guys ever!) sucked royally! It came off as goofy imo.

I guess I expect too much. Iron Man 2 disappointed me, too.

 

[inconsequential]

I'd like to see a Black Panther movie. It could be used to draw attention to the plight of so many people who suffer because of warlords like Kony.

Besides, anyone who smacks kluckers around deserves a movie.

 

[Eastern Drifter]

I agree with Easy G and gurneyhallack both to some extent. Both interpretations of Batman have their strengths and weaknesses.

Tim Burton's two Batman films had a lot of gothic style and art deco going for it. When I see Burton's Gotham, I think "That's Batman's territory!" When I see Christopher Nolan's Gotham (which was shot mostly in Chicago), I don't see anything but a normal city. There's little sense that his version of Gotham City is a decidedly crime-ridden, run-down, first-stop-before-you-get-to-hell dystopia. Sure, there's crime, but Gotham City is supposed to be the worst of the worst.

As far as characterization, you have to give props to Bale for giving us a cocky playboy persona for the public Bruce Wayne. That's something that was missing from Burton's films (it wouldn't have belonged there anyway). I'd say that Michael Keaton plays the better Batman, hands down, while Christian Bale plays the better Bruce Wayne, hands down again. Christian Bale in the suit is hard to take seriously sometimes, mostly because of his voice and posture. Batman crouching like a gargoyle works in the comics, but Bale proved that it doesn't really look so cool on film (he rather reminds me of a squatting dog).

When Keaton is in the suit, his body language, calm voice, and overall presence make him more intimidating. You get the impression the guy has some psychological scars that you don't want to take part in.

Backstory: Nolan's version is better developed. This is inarguable. In Batman Begins we see numerous flash-backs to Bruce's childhood, where we learn why exactly he fears bats, what life was like for him prior to becoming a vigilante. You see a lost man find his way.

Burton chose to leave both Bruce Wayne and Batman relative mysteries. We hardly learn anything about him, rather than he's consumed by a sense of justice and revenge. He himself doesn't understand exactly what drives him to take such a strange road (he admits such to Vicki Vale in the Batcave). You want to see more into his psyche, you want to learn more about him, but we're only given the information necessary for the story. This was an interesting presentation, and I personally prefer it to Nolan's.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I'd like to see a Black Panther movie. It could be used to draw attention to the plight of so many people who suffer because of warlords like Kony.

Besides, anyone who smacks kluckers around deserves a movie.

Oh my goodness, that would be AMAZING!!!!!!

Sadly, it seems that many people in Marvel are very afraid of actually making a Black Panther movie---especially considering how much the series was very direct in discussing the corruptions of WESTERN culture. There was an excellent article on that as seen here in Marvel’s Fear of a Black Panther and Superheroes as Critiques.

When Black Panther came out, it was around the time when there were not many Black Superheros in existence who others felt they could look up to...and having one as Afro-centric as he was seemed very radical. The first black superhero in mainstream American comics NEEDS to have a movie....for T'Challa, who was long the leader of the African nation of Wakanda, is one of Marvel Comics' most significant black superhero characters. ..for in addition to his role as a superhero, a member of the Avengers, and the leader of his nation, T'Challa is also the leader of the Black Panther Cult, his ancestral religious group...The Black Panther is one of a very small number of mainstream superheroes who serves as a religious leader.

[SIZE=+1]

[/SIZE]​

Although I'm no fan of his religion (i.e. African primal-indigenous religion, also known as African tribal religion or African traditional religion ), I so respect what he represents to so many others who often felt that the comic book industry didn't really have strong black superheros that other blacks could relate to...and feel connected with.

The man is simply amazing....and I was very excited to find out that he and Storm married in order to keep their respective nations in peace:

Truly, a STRONG black couple...and I think the imagery together does give something of inspiration for others who do suffer under the likes of others like Kony or other men of tyrrany.

Thankfully, they're going to be making more films/cartoons on the man soon (more discussed here and here), on top of the ones they already have:

Hero Worship: Black Panther
Black Panther Series - #1
Black Panther Series - #3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzmsoVrtV7M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV6dA2YpHe4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hprSs5YSZk
​

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I'd like to see a Black Panther movie. It could be used to draw attention to the plight of so many people who suffer because of warlords like Kony.

Besides, anyone who smacks kluckers around deserves a movie.

Most people, if they don't like to have things that seem too connected with Africa, will simply dismiss it...and thus, there's a reason why I think Black Panther has not been in focus as much as with others...most of whom seem to not be as Afro-Centric as his character is. It'd be like having a Superhero made that was from American Indian background/concerned for the needs of his people. Most folks in the U.S may not even concern themselves with him as much as with Hulk or others....even if the superhero is amazing and there are other superheros of that descent.


Culture makes a big difference in the level of acceptance--and for more:

Reginald Hudlin on the Black Panther
Doc Nama on Intentionality and Comic Book Heroes
Dwayne McDuffie on the realities of the Black writer in the comic book industry ​

If they do a movie on Black Panther, it'd be nice to see one on Black Lightning as well...as he was pretty wild and was one of the first major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics:

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I agree with Easy G and gurneyhallack both to some extent. Both interpretations of Batman have their strengths and weaknesses.

Tim Burton's two Batman films had a lot of gothic style and art deco going for it. When I see Burton's Gotham, I think "That's Batman's territory!" When I see Christopher Nolan's Gotham (which was shot mostly in Chicago), I don't see anything but a normal city. There's little sense that his version of Gotham City is a decidedly crime-ridden, run-down, first-stop-before-you-get-to-hell dystopia. Sure, there's crime, but Gotham City is supposed to be the worst of the worst.

As far as characterization, you have to give props to Bale for giving us a cocky playboy persona for the public Bruce Wayne. That's something that was missing from Burton's films (it wouldn't have belonged there anyway). I'd say that Michael Keaton plays the better Batman, hands down, while Christian Bale plays the better Bruce Wayne, hands down again. Christian Bale in the suit is hard to take seriously sometimes, mostly because of his voice and posture. Batman crouching like a gargoyle works in the comics, but Bale proved that it doesn't really look so cool on film (he rather reminds me of a squatting dog).

When Keaton is in the suit, his body language, calm voice, and overall presence make him more intimidating. You get the impression the guy has some psychological scars that you don't want to take part in.

Backstory: Nolan's version is better developed. This is inarguable. In Batman Begins we see numerous flash-backs to Bruce's childhood, where we learn why exactly he fears bats, what life was like for him prior to becoming a vigilante. You see a lost man find his way.

Burton chose to leave both Bruce Wayne and Batman relative mysteries. We hardly learn anything about him, rather than he's consumed by a sense of justice and revenge. He himself doesn't understand exactly what drives him to take such a strange road (he admits such to Vicki Vale in the Batcave). You want to see more into his psyche, you want to learn more about him, but we're only given the information necessary for the story. This was an interesting presentation, and I personally prefer it to Nolan's.

I think the voice for Batman and the fighting style of the man in Nolan's version wasn't really what I was digging in comparision with Burton's version...although I will say that it does seem that Nolan's version of Gotham seemed to be a bit more real in regards to crime and how it looks. I also liked his version of Joker, which was perhaps the best one to date.

Keaton's Batman had more going for him in general..and I felt I could somehow relate to the man more..

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Personally I was VERY disappointed with the Christian Bale Batman reboots. I just plain did NOT like anything about them. .

Had to give it up for "Dark Knight"--if for no other reason, the Joker and some of the action scenes. But yeah, it wasn't the best demonstration of Batman ever...and I'm not looking forward to the next with Bane..

Batman and Green Lantern were my favorite superheroes along with Superman where DC comics were concerned.

Hands down, Batman was the best..although with Green Lantern, the best version I enjoyed was the Jon Stewart version

I was a touch disappointed with the GL movie last summer. My wife liked it. I just felt they made Hal Jordan into a screw-up and an immature dorm-room type dufus who had some kernel of goodness deep in his fraternity hazing-minded stupidity. Ryan Reynolds is a good LOOK for the part, but just didn't pull it off for me. The plot was decent but felt rushed.

Wondering why so many liked it, as it seemed WAY out there..

And generally, whenever I hear of the theology behind Green Lantern and the Guardians of the Universe (THE blue skinned people with big heads) having differing energies utilized to police the galaxy, I got a bit weirded out.

Felt almost like they were saying those guys were God essentially whenever they said they were immortal/responsible for creation of life in the universe. Always turned me off whenever I saw it....for it seemed to advance the view that all things simply occurred.

I felt Thor was a little rushed, too, this summer. The Captain America flick felt the best-paced.

Thor did seem a bit rushed on some parts, although Cap America did have a good feel to it overall..

I really, really, really wish they'd reboot Fantastic Four. I liked Michael Chicklis as Thing but the rest of 'em? Sheesh. Jessica Alba is a smokin' hot babe but TOTALLY didn't fit the part! And the guy playing the great Dr. Doom (one of my FAVORITE bad guys ever!) sucked royally! It came off as goofy imo.

I agree....and now that they have the same man playing Captain America who also played the Human Torch, they'll have to make it new for the sake of continuation.

Although I do think that Mr.Fantastic was played well.

I guess I expect too much.

If you're a fan, you have the right to expect alot...especially if you're paying money for it

Iron Man 2 disappointed me, too

Likewise

 

[Dorothea]

I think I liked the Superman original movie the best out of the super hero movies, since I'm not really into those. My husband actually loved the "Dark Knight." He thinks that is more the true character of Batman. I saw the first Batman with Keaton when it came out in theaters ages ago. It was pretty good.

 

[inconsequential]

Personally, I always thought Batman should have been a little more Rorschach-ish. I mean, talk about having duality issues...

"None of you seem to understand, I'm not locked in here with you...you're locked in here with ME!"

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Personally, I always thought Batman should have been a little more Rorschach-ish. I mean, talk about having duality issues...

"None of you seem to understand, I'm not locked in here with you...you're locked in here with ME!"

Batman has always been the more complicated out of the D.C superheros. Because he doesn't have powers, Batman faces more limitations, and limitations force decisions, many of which will be ethical, or more broadly philosophical, in nature. He can't always save everyone, so who to save? How far does he have to push himself for his mission? Superman rarely confronts these issues, because he is so strong and so fast. Batman is self-made hero, and because of his humanness, he easily becomes a vehicle for asking questions psychological, social, and, well, philosophical. In the new book "Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul," editors Robert Arp of the National Center for Biomedical Ontology and professor Mark D. White of the College of Staten Island (CUNY) have compiled 20 essays by philosophers of every field, from metaphysics to ethics to social-political philosophy. For many of the writers, Batman offers a window into profound real-world issues, particularly in the realm of ethics.

For a good book on the issue:

• Batman and philosophy: the dark knight of the soul

Ultimately, Batman's philosophy of vigilante justice and trying to be on the edge without falling over (even though he may not realize how troubled he is, just as much as the people he trys to catch) has led to others trying to do the same..

Comics are fiction, and a mode of freedom of speech and religion. One of the most powerful forms of speech/religion in existence, seeing how it has literally shaped the minds of entire generations....and echoed the mindset of a culture that loves to have heros.

There's actually a movement of people that've chosen to become superheros/fight crime in light of what they witnessed in comics. If you look up a man by the name of Phoenix Jones, you'll see what I'm speaking of:

• "Real Life Superheroes Fight Crime
• "'Superhero' arrested, accused of assault
• "Seattle's self-styled superhero arrested -CNN
• "Despite arrest, Seattle superhero vows to fight on
• Story: Costumed crusaders taking it to the streets
• Real-life superhero movement rattled by arrest - TODAY News ...
  Seattle superhero Phoenix Jones loses day job after ... - msnbc.com
• DC's Guardian And Phoenix Jones: Real Life Superheroes Open Up — A BiT : The Two-Way : NPR
• "A night with Seattle's superheroes | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News

Phoenix Jones Interview

"Real-Life Superhero Stops Car Robbery"
ABC News Amazed By Real Life Superhero Phoenix ...
Real Life Super hero, Full Video - Phoenix Jones Stops Assault ​

First time I saw it, didn't believe it myself....and you couldn't help but think "For real, folks??!" ..but seeing it firsthand, I was dumbfounded folks literally have been so inspired by the comic book heros they've seen that they've decided to become villigantes

Definately gotta lift those guys up, as some may be playing around...but alot of them are dead serious with what they do. At least they're inspired to do something about what they see....
​

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I think I liked the Superman original movie the best out of the super hero movies, since I'm not really into those.

The Superman film did have alot of interesting aspects to it that will always make it a classic. What always seems to hit home for me with Superman is that the themes in it were often Biblical...and on purpose, I might add I find it interesting that Superman and his parents all had the title el in their names. Superman was Kal El. His father was Jor El and his mother was Lara Jor ElBut as it concerns Superman himself, there are indeed many ways he seems to represent Christ on different levels...and even the recent movie reboot from 2006 known as "Superman Returns" was done with explicit references to the role that the Son of God played in the world....as Kal-El was sent to save the Earth/be above those who were mortals for their own good, even though he was raised among them.

For more information, I'd recommended going to "Plugged In Online.com" and look up the movie review known as "Superman Returns" ( )​

As said there, for an excerpt:

Much has been made over the years about the links between the Superman mythology and the story of Jesus. Director Bryan Singer avoids any subtlety in creating those connections afresh. Early in the film, we hear Jor-El telling his son, "Even though you've been raised as a human being you're not one of them. They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all—their capacity for good—I have sent them you, my only son." ​

And Singer's story piles on obvious nods to Jesus' story throughout the film. Lois and Superman discuss at length whether she and the world need a savior. He tells her that with his god-like listening powers, he hears people crying out for one every day. The climactic battle with Lex Luthor escalates the connection. In an effort not to give too much away, let's just say Superman is attacked in a manner similar to the account of Jesus' death and then experiences a kind of resurrection. At one point, he even assumes the physical position of Christ on the cross as he sacrifices himself to save humanity. ​

Singer, who is Jewish, doesn't deny the connections between Superman and Jesus, but his statements make clear that he doesn't intend the film as any kind of explicitly Christian story. (And the story's hints at Superman's sexual indiscretions lend credence to his case.) Still, many Christians will make use of the similarities as a springboard to point people to the good news of Jesus. In his new book called The Gospel According to the World's Greatest Superhero, author Stephen Skelton goes to great lengths to reveal how writers for Superman comics, radio scripts, TV shows and movies have intentionally modeled the Man of Steel after the Man of Sorrows. He points out that the "El" in Jor-El and Kal-El can also be seen as the Hebrew name for God. He references the phenomenon of Superman's death and resurrection in the comic book series in the early '90s. In fact, he says in the intro to his book, "I know who Superman really is," explicitly referencing the greatest hero as a picture of Jesus Christ. ​

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One must be a comic buff to realize the basic reality that even with comic books, there's a reason why they portray things as they do many times. And there've been many discussions on the issue for ages. There's a theory that the reason people made comics was due to the reality of how many concepts/ideas they could not say publically and get serious consideration...so they decided to make a story about it/engage people in the realm of the imagination so that people would be more open to differing views. On the issue of Superman/Super-Heros, the other reality is that many of the things they bring up (i.e. differing worlds/planets, super-human beings of many kinds, etc) is due to the fact that there was indeed a good bit of truth in what occurs in reality when it comes to examining folklore/mythology and the origins of man....alongside the reality of the Spiritual realm. In a way, some were trying to prepare us for what may occur in the future...


It's always interesting to see how many seem to find alot of Christian themes within comics..... Personally, I'm down with others who've often said that Christ Himself was the Original "Superman"---and in ultimately, Christ will ALWAYS be more POWERFUL than Superman will ever be...the only one whom the entire universe looks to for a Savior/Redeemption.

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Interestingly enough, within the comics, there've been ALOT of references in regards to Superman sharing thoughts in regards to Christ:​

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Concerning the above pictures, as said best here by those examining the religion Clarke Kent follows:

Although he comes from a Protestant background, Superman is apparently flexible in his Christianity. In the story arc "Superman: For Tomorrow," which appeared Superman issues 209 through 215, Superman spends considerable time visiting a Catholic priest for confessional and later returning to further counsel with the clergyman. The image on the left above, depicting Superman standing before a statue of Jesus Christ on the cross in a Catholic church, is from Superman issue #209, published by DC Comics: New York (2004), page 13. The issue was written by Brian Azzarello, with pencils by Jim Lee and inks by Scott Williams. The image on the right, depicting Superman with the priest he has come to confide in, is from page 28 of the same issue. From: Action Comics #591, DC Comics: New York City (August 1987), written and illustrated by John Byrne, page 20; reprinted in Superman: The Man of Steel, Vol. 4 trade paperback, DC Comics: New York City (2005), page 133.


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[Gxg (G²)]

I think I liked the Superman original movie the best out of the super hero movies, since I'm not really into those.\

If interested, I thought you'd like this. It's called "Up Up and Oy Vey! How Jewish History Culture and Values Shaped The Comicbook Superhero" ...and there have been alot of people who've greatly enjoyed it. The organization of AISH.com did a good review on it here..and other believers also shared some wonderful thoughts on the subject, as seen if going to the following:

• Book Review: Up, Up, and Oy Vey | Messianic Jewish Musings

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As said there (for a brief excerpt):

Up, Up, and Oy Vey by Simcha Weinstein is both theological and fun, and how often does that happen?

You might not think a book about the Jewish cultural connection to the comic book world could be theological, but think again. Didn’t you notice theological themes in Superman and Batman, for instance? Weinstein could possibly open your eyes to a depth you never expected to find in comic books.

The subtitle is How Jewish History, Culture, and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero. The opening paragraph is an ironic reflection on the Clark Kent existence of many Jews:

For most of my life, I lived a Clark Kent existence: that of a Jew living in Machester, England, intent on blending into the modern, secular world. I kept my Hebrew name a closely guarded secret. My desire to assimilate required no less.
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Weinstein describes the Jewish immigrant experience in America in the 1930′s. Jewish memory of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Bible, which Weinstein calls the first superheroes, led to imaginative escapes from the difficulties of the time. Weinstein’s analysis revealed a texture to comic book history I had been unaware of:

As Eastern European Jewish Immigrants poured into New York’s Lower East Side in the 1900′s, they too viewed the stories of the Bible through the prism of their hard lives in a sometimes baffling new land and passed them on to their children. And those children in turn retold those Jewish tales using dots of colored ink on pulp paper, beginning in the 1930′s. (Actually, Superman was first drawn on cheap brown wrapping paper, but more on that later.) In those days the shadow of persecution was descending upon European Jews once more, and no one seemed willing to come to their rescue. The world needed heroes.

..
Weinstein explains the personalities behind the comic book industry, including a host of Jewish names such as:

–Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, creators of Superman.
–Bob Kane (born Kahn) and Bill Finger, creators of Batman.
–Jerry Robinson, creator of the Joker.
–Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber), creator of Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.
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I particularly enjoyed a chart correlating comic books to Jewish values:

–Superman–integrity.
–Batman and the Spirit–justice.
–Captain America–patriotism.
–Justice League–teamwork.
–Fantastic Four–family values.
–Hulk–anger.
–Spider-man–responsibility and redemption.
–X-men–anti-Semitism and reconciliation.
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Brilliant material, IMHO--and definately makes see the virtue of comics in a different light when seeing the Jewish aspects to them