Right now I only read Marvel titles. It's not that I particularly adore Marvel, it's just that they've given me good opportunities to jump in. I began reading ASM after BND, I've been reading UltSM since it's relatively new, I started reading New Avengers because it was a great opportunity to jump in when they first banded together (and I now consequently read all current Avenger titles). The thing is that I don't want to limit myself to just Marvel and all I'm looking for is an opportunity to jump in to a good series outside of Marvel but I need help. So please if you know of a title that has had a good spot to jump in recently or is going to have one soon let me know.
Aw, jeez, I don't know again. On first glance it's an easy choice, the use of my legs is a small price to pay for the abilities of possibly the most powerful tele-path of Marvel Earth. I mean, imagine the flow of information, I would be able to monitor the minds of everyone for miles, tell what they're thinking and over-all know everything that's going on, no piece of juicy knowledge would escape my grasp. There's also the ability to instantly communicate with people over large distances without fear of being overheard or simply communicate within a group of people. Of course there's also the mind control, with careful use and mind-wipes I would be able to get whatever I want from whoever I want it from. Maybe with powers like this I would use them like Frost and rise through the ranks of a powerful company and cement my power. No doubt I would be fairly successful in anything I chose to do (except athletics) with the myriad of uses of a mind like Xavier's.
However, on second glance I wouldn't even use most of Xavier's powers. A person's mind is their sanctuary, their soul and self, to breach the human mind would be the ultimate invasion of privacy and as such, my morals would not allow me to do so. The temptation alone would be too much to bear, imagine having the ability to easily peer into the minds of everyone to come across, to examine their memories, see what they like, their greatest fears, they're deepest secrets and their feelings about you, imagine if you could go even further and bend their mind to your will, to totally and completely dominate someone, shoving aside their consciousness and mind and substituting your own, imagine what base acts you could force them to commit, imagine being able to erase it all, anything from the time you abused them to their whole lives and then being able to completely remold them into someone different, someone who loves you like a master. This is the power Xavier has and if his manipulations are anything to judge even he couldn't completely resist the temptation. Not only that, but anyone who knew you had these powers would probably grow to mistrust you, to second guess their every action, debating whether it was their own choice or if you manipulated their mind, could you imagine the unease people would feel around you knowing that you could read their every thought? About the only use someone with a moral compass could have for telepathy is the ability to communicate mentally but really, we got phones and soft voices, is mental communication really that important? Not only that, but no use of my legs? On the show 30 Days (highly recommended) they had this former (american) football player go without the use of his legs for thirty days and it was horrible, unless you are rich and can afford many of the handy devices that help paraplegics you are almost completely dependent on other people, I would have to re-model my home so that my wheelchair could fit everywhere and not only that, I don't know if Xavier can even feel... you know... down there shudders. So basically, if I take my morals into account, the only power of Xavier's I would regularly use is mental communication and that is not worth the use of my legs. So, unless I'm missing something, I would have to say "NO", although it bugs the crap out of me.
This is basically a copy and paste of a post I made on Methos' thread of the same topic:
I would also like to point out two things, 1: the SHRA requires that supers register their identities with the government, not the public. Spider-Man took his mask off in support of the registration act, not because he had to. 2: Being paid to perform their services shouldn't really matter to super-heroes, I don't see why that is even in the debate (maybe because its the only thing that separates the SHRA from slavery).
Now... though personally I might be anti-registration, I am even moreso anti-civil war. The only part of the SHRA that I agreed with is the part about training young supers. However, I do not think that supers should be forced into a program that trains them to be super-cops, I think it should be more like Xavier's, teaching young supers how to use their powers while offering advanced instruction for those who want to fight crime. Another argument that I've heard for Pro is that it will hold them accountable for their actions. I disagree with this, previously (before SHRA) super-heroes held themselves accountable to the intangibles, "liberty and justice for all", this act forces super-heroes to hold themselves accountable to a lesser essence, the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government has shown that it's decrees are not always within keeping with "liberty and justice for all" and if super-heroes were forced to follow the will of the Gov't they will find that they are no longer fighting for what they believed in anymore, but rather merely fighting because the Gov't told them to, and they will be forced to commit acts which are not in keeping with liberty and justice for all. The last cohesive argument I heard for Pro was that super-heroes were no longer trusted by the public after Stanford. What the hell does it matter if the public likes what they do or not? This makes it seem like super-heroes are merely pining for approval like common teenagers. As Cap once said :
"Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole **Country** decides something **wrong** is something **right**. The Nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe. No matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole **world** tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree by the river of Truth and tell the whole **world** "No, **you** move.""
I think this also answers POHOCOM's statement that Cap would be pro-reg.
However, all this said, I would not side with Cap and fight with his secret avengers and fight a civil war. As I said, I am anti-civil war, I would never fight fellow heroes, no matter how misguided they may be. If you want to defend your freedom so bad, take it up in court, the SHRA was a law, you fight laws with lawyers and petitions, not laser beams and shields.
Also, while we're on the subject of the Civil War, I would like to state that I disagree with the ending. Anti-regs would have been perfectly fine with just going around fighting crime, it was the pro-regs that initiated the battle and the war. Thus, all of the damage that was caused by their war falls on the pro-reg heroes' heads because the anti-regs were just defending themselves, there would not have been a battle causing all that damage if the pro-regs didn't start it. Therefore, I believe that it should have been Iron Man to surrender, not Cap.
HAAAAAAAAAAYLLLL NO!!! The Punisher is, in my opinion one of the worst and most successful villains in comicdom. What's his death-toll up to now? He has probably killed more people than all the people he killed combined, he's a bigger murderer than anyone he's ever murdered and I'm surprised he hasn't shot himself, he has killed people who have done lesser crimes than himself. He's a hypocrite, does he ever stop to think that people he kills have lives? That there may be chance for them to live a legit life and maybe even contribute to the world? Did he ever stop to consider that his victims have families? Or that his victims might just be people that got stuck with the wrong crowd or were at the wrong place at the wrong time? Did he ever think that there was any hope ever for any of the people he mercilessly put to death? Did he even think of them as people at all? That's right, even criminals are people, people who have made bad decisions but people just like you and me nonetheless. Not even all of the people he killed were even murderers, he's killed freakin' thieves before, hell, he was about to kill the Runaways if Molly didn't stop him. They were f!@#ing children! And all they did was take something that, as it turns out, belonged to them in the first place! He's a monster, and you know what? He's not even that successful, for all his killing, for all his murdering, what has he even accomplished? Crime is still everywhere, he's done all of this killing for no purpose at all, it's just killing, taking lives and achieving nothing. He's not even in it for the right reasons. Fight crime to keep the streets clean and safe, fight crime to save lives, fight crime to make the world a better place, don't fight crime for revenge. Your family died because of crime? Boo-F!@#ing-Hoo! The same is true for half the comic world and you don't see them throwing temper tantrums. The Punisher is nothing more than a rotten, horrible child... with a gun.
Sorry if I made any gross misstatements, I don't read the Punisher... for obvious reasons.
1. Spider-Man: I know I know, I actually like how he fights and I like to play him in any fighter. Fatalities: His two fatalities would be spraying web down someone's throat (a la Kingpin) for one and beating the living sh!t out of them for the other using all of his strength for once, or maybe he could go all "Other" and disintegrate them with his stingers or something.
2. Wolverine: I know I know but I honestly feel he belongs in a MK game, he'd fit right in. Fatalities:His two fatalities would be ripping open his opponent's chest and eating their heart for one and... I don't know, eviscerate them into tiny pieces for the other (how creative can you be with claws?)
3. Hulk: Again, I think his personality (as the Hulk) matches the general MK feel, maybe we could use Red Hulk. Fatalities: two fatalities would be eating them for one and... ripping them in half for the other one, maybe he could just punch their head off. Again, how creative do you need to be with such a bland power?
4. Iron Man: I actually think he could have a decent move-set if they do it right. Also, I think this would be a golden opportunity to try out some damage effects (as in actually show pieces of his armor being destroyed and what-not when he gets hit), but the real reason I want him for to be my training dummy, poor Tony, other wise I think War Machine would maybe make a better pick, red and gold don't really fit in the MKverse. Fatalities: His two fatalities would be sticking his hand down their throat and unleashing a repulser for one and... calling down a nuke for the other. A "whoopsie" fatality of his could be having them arrested.
5. Deadpool: I don't know why, I just like him for an MK game, not just the gore but MK creators have been known to hide easter eggs and over-all have fun with the game, I thin DP would be good for that, he could have quite a few "Whoopsie" fatalities. Also, if they actually added in-fight banter instead of grunts and other bodily noises Deadpool could... enrich the game. Plus, he looks kind of like a ninja! Fatalities: His two fatalities would be tele-fragging them for one and beating them against the 4th wall until it breaks for the other one. (I would have had him shove a grenade down their throat but that's just kind of a variation of Iron Man's)
6. Dr. Doom: This one is mostly for popularity but I think his move-set could be even more diverse than Tony's, plus, he could actually be a significant part of the story (lol) if they even bother with it this time. Fatalities: His two fatalities would be that one spell where he sucks his opponents into darkness for one and switching bodies with his opponent, commit suicide and switch back for the other (because it will work in a video game). Two "whoopsie" fatalities could be removing his face-mask for one and monologuing them to death for the other.
7. Fantastic Four: Um, I really didn't think any of them would make a good enough character one their own but I really didn't want to make a game without them. They would all share on slot but it would be Ben who did most of the fighting, the others would mostly be for special attacks or blocking or maybe you could actually switch between them like they let you switch between styles now. Fatalities: Sue could make their head asplode for one fatality, Johnny could go supernova leaving only a skeleton, like an atom bomb for another one, Ben could squeeze them until they pop and Reed... Reed could make his fist really big and squish them or something. It would be cool if I could come up with a group fatality but I can't, for a "whoopsie" fatality Franklin could come along, turn him/her into a teddy bear and start playing with him/her.
8. Gambit: I like his style and he recently gained a new ability that would be great for a fatality and I think you know what I'm talking about. Fatalities: His first fatality could be charging his opponent so they asplode (what did you expect?). His other fatality could be unloading a deck of cards into someone and them have them explode all at once (I'm thinking of his one super-combo in Marvel vs. Capcom if you ever played it). Actually, I got one more for Gambit but it would only work on the ladies, he uses his super-power of seduction to steal a kiss that charges his opponent's head and makes it asplode.
9. Black Bolt: I think people who only know major Marvel characters will be pleasantly surprised by this one, they'll casually pick him one day and once they see how awesome he is they'll go "Holy crap! Who is this guy?!" And then they'll look him up on comicvine, see that we have blogs discussing the very game they were playing months before it came out, be awesomed by us, and then give us all billions of dollars because he was Bill Gates the whole time. Nah, but really Black Bolt would be an awesome character Fatalities: and his fatalities would be the "Master Blow" for one, tearing his opponent apart molecule by molecule for another and whispering in their ear "Die." for his third because he's that awesome.
10. Mystique: Noticed I didn't have that many villains or women for that matter, but that's not why I chose mystique, with her upgraded shape-shifting power imagine the possibilities. I also think she fits right in with the MK environment. Fatalities: Her fatalities could be turning into her opponent, unexplainably gaining their powers and use their own first fatality on them for lack of creativity. She could also stride up to them if they are a guy, embrace them but just before they kiss she extrudes spikes all over her body. Another one she could do is turn her hand into a drill and and start at the top of their head and drill them the whole way down until their is nothing left to drill, slinging guts everywhere. for a "whoopsie" fatality she could turn into a figure resembling their mom and give them a spanking.
11. Ghost Rider: Do I really have to explain this one? How doesn't he belong in this game? Also, there are probably people out there that didn't realize Ghost Rider was from Marvel and come here check it out and we may end up with that Bill Gates scenario like with BB, who knows? Fatalities: His first fatality would be Penance Stare, obviously, for his second one he could wrap them in flaming chains and either let them burn until they die or squeeze them until they pop depending on player input. For a third one he could simply run them over with his bike, we can really get creative with this guy.
Bonus Character #1: Marvel Boy: I've really taken a liking to his series and he has some unique abilities that would separate him from the pack. For fatalities he could use his spit to make them hallucinate except pull off some Freddy Crueger sh!t because we can do that in a video game. He could also white run and murder his enemy in some inhumane way that I can't imagine.
BC #2: Psylocke: I'm not sure about her, I pick her because I like her and she would fit in with her ninja-ness. The trouble is I'm having trouble thinking of some original fatalities. She could execute them with her sword any number of ways, I suppose. TK also has uses, maybe she could tear them apart limb from limb. Over-all I don't see her being much different than Kenji if you know who Kenji is. However, if it is just 11 characters from each side plus bonus characters then maybe Kenji won't be in it and there would be room for Psylocke.
BC #3: Magneto: Can't have Doom without the other marvel-wide threat. I don't know if his regular attack set would be awesome but he would have some pretty cool special attacks. Maybe he could use his power in his regular attacks, that would be interesting. The first fatality that comes to mind is the whole iron in the blood thing, that would be gruesome. He could also impale his opponent on many different metal things and then pull them apart in many different directions. I'm sure there are more creative fatalities but that's what I got for now.
If you notice there aren't some popular characters here that you might think belong in any game with Marvel but that's because either there were already MK analogues or because I couldn't think up any good fatalities for them. For example, Captain America, 1 he doesn't really belong in the MKverse, 2. besides decapitation with his shield (which isn't that creative in the first place), what could he do for an interesting fatality? 3. He reminds me of Kung Lao with his shield. Other examples include Storm and Thor which remind me of Raiden and Fujin and won't really offer much originality. I think some good fights would be Deadpool vs. Scorpion, Mystique vs. Shang Tsung, Gambit vs. Sonya, Hulk vs. Goro, Ghost Rider vs. Scorpion
Well the only manga I read regularly is Naruto so I guess it wins by default. I find it hard to get into manga though. I don't know, call me crazy but the biggest barrier between me and manga is that there's no color. I neeeeeeed color to enjoy pictures.
Brian Michael Bendis. Sometime I feel like he cranks out more comics (and better) per week than all the titles of smaller publishers combined, lol. Seriously though, If I like BMB so much you can guess who my favorite publisher is. I try to branch out, I buy comics form DC, WS, and Image among others, I just find it hard to get into characters with freakishly long and convoluted back-stories (A major barrier between DC and myself and the reason why my favorite universe is the Ultimate U.) The most important criteria for me to consider when buying a comic book is: can I care about the characters and what happens to them in this book? If I don't care about something then I usually don't buy it.
No, but my eyes did water up when I realized that Ultimate Gwen Stacy wasn't coming back. Sounds stupid I know, but it was the first time a character I had gotten to know died... and so horribly. It made me do one of those things where you turn to the last few pages to see if she comes back, and still not believe it when you don't find her. However, there have been times when a comic has made me think about what could have happened or where I come up with my own little story arc about a character where I have shed tears. If that makes sense.
Has to be Bendis. I fear it may be because of my inexperience with other writers but after reading some of Bendis' work sometimes I literally can't bring myself to read a comic book by another writer because I know I could be reading Bendis. I love the conversations that make the characters feel real. I love the plots. I love how he can put in something in a story and bring it back years later as if he planned it. I love how he handles his characters. I understand, however, how many people can feel betrayed by some of the controversial twists he has done to people's favorite characters (Even me). But that's why my favorite comic book series is Ult. Spider-Man. Here he has his own personal character to work with and he doesn't have to worry about what might be controversial, he can just write and it's pure genius.
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