Jerry Ordway, one of the creators of Mary Marvel, doesn’t think too highly of what DC is doing with the character.
As to the dark Mary Marvel– it’s just playing into a few fans’ hands. Whether it turns out well or not will play out in Countdown. I have 3 kids who like different stuff, and variety makes the world go round, but I do steer them clear of most of the mainstream comics. They can read what they want when they are older, but I have introduced them to appropriate material first. But having every comic book feature dark, moody and self-centered teens or adults is shortchanging the marketplace of positive, heroic, self sacrificing HEROES. With dark, you must have some light. The Marvel Family and Superman were heroes to look up to, because they did the right thing, even when that choice meant sacrifice from them.
I’m no prude, but if you want to “violate” the intent of a character, create a new damn character, will you? Just my opinion.
Well said sir, well said.
I’ll have the usual review of Countdown this weekend, and I gotta tell you, it isn’t looking too good.
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Nice cover though.
Jerry Ordway is a wise man…
Dark Mary Marvel seems like a pretty bad idea… and the execution of the idea leaves me with little hope that I’m just missing some subtleties.
Also: Otto Binder created Mary Marvel in 1942. Mr. and Mrs. Ordway created Jerry in 1957.
While he is the modern creator with the most work on the character, he didn’t “create her,” per se. He is, however, responsible for most of what we consider to be her modern characterization.
Hmm…but, really, if there’s a Black Adam seires in august, I suspect this isn’t going to last.
And while I agree there should be a balance, I suspect that most of today’s “Dark” Atmosphere is partly due to the overexcessive “Light”-ness of the Past.
And while I agree there should be a balance, I suspect that most of today’s “Dark” Atmosphere is partly due to the overexcessive “Light”-ness of the Past
What, exactly, are you referring to? Mary’s past stories?
A young girl with super-strength, flying around in a cape isn’t going to lend itself well to the Frank Miller treatment. “I’m Mary Goddam Marvel!”
I cannot think of a single time in my comic-reading life when I’d have said there was an excess of “light” stories..
“I’m Mary Goddamn Marvel. I just ruptured your left testicle…with my BREATH.”
Matt: I did say ONE of the creators ;) :P
And as far as light stories go – what about the entirety of the Silver Age? Or is elastic Jimmy Olsen a gritty crime fighter that I didn’t know about ;)
Ah, but he said EXCESSSIVELY light. The comic book industry has been pretty much tooth gnashing darkness off and on for about twenty-five years now… And even in the Silver Age, there were stories that were dramatic and played straight-forward.
Comics were, after all, considered kids’ fare at that time. Now, there’s a strange misapprehension that darkening a character (an extension of the whole “Everything you know is WRONG!” school of writing) is the same as developing her. A dark Mary Marvel makes about as much sense as a Rainbow-colored Batman fabulously prancing through the city to fight the Joker. It just seems inappropriate for the characters… Besides that, Countdown has been pretty dismal so far, with every issue making me wonder what the holy heck is going on.
We’ll see how it all works out…
Well I am neither a fan of Countdown right now, nor am I a fan of Dark/Black Mary Marvel – although I did like Black Mary in that one Justice League story.
stephen
While I totally agree that making a character darker does not necessarily give her more depth, there’s nothing in the issue that yet presents her as “dark,” other than the costume. Speaking of the costume, what is up with this awful latex goth cheerleader outfit? It’s like alien symbiote meets Supergirl upskirt costume.
Jim: I feel that the costumes is some sort of SERVICE for FANs :p And if you feel that’s bad, you didn’t see the Earth-Three version of Mary Marvel.
Still, aren’t we jumping the gun a bit here? She just got the powers, you know? I know where the comic trend is, but it’s still to early to tell here. Mary’s story might actually be about her learning that power isn’t everything and going back to being de-powered or her old costume.
I’m all for bashing the overly, unnecessary dark tones and the people who keep telling us that this is the “cutting edge” of comics, but it has to see print first for it to be “real”. I know what the title for her story is, but until she become the “goddamn Marvel” or starts maiming people without remorse (like our former Black Adam) I can’t summon up my indignation toward the writer.
I’m all for bashing the overly, unnecessary dark tones and the people who keep telling us that this is the “cutting edge” of comics, but it has to see print first for it to be “real”. I know what the title for her story is, but until she become the “goddamn Marvel” or starts maiming people without remorse (like our former Black Adam) I can’t summon up my indignation toward the writer.
This is a completely valid point… Several characters came out of 52 after being tortured for a year in a much better place than they had been before. I think I’m just responding to the overall product of Countdown thus far, which has been a little less than subtle in it’s storytelling and character beats. But you’re right, it’s a little early to condemn them… I’ll wait and condemn them in a few months! Yeah!!
I like the previews of how Mary Marvel is going to be treated and I have to say I love the cover where she gets the sexy black outfit. The thing I wonder is where the darkness will come from? The Greek gods are as bloodthirsty as the Egyptian ones so the source of the power should make little difference. Maybe we’re going to see Mary face darkness from inside herself that she allows free reign because sge BELIEVES that Adam’s power is darker? Innocent Mary has become a charicature more often than not and what Countdown looks to be doing is putting an end to that. Plus, how many people would support an ongoing featuring Mary as she was? Can anyone blame DC for making her more commercially viable or at least attempting to?
True dat. Of the people in this world who distinctly recall Captain Marvel, I’d say 15% know who Captain Marvel Jr. is and probably 5% know about Mary Marvel. This is just well-deserved face time for the lil’ vixen.
Isn’t this change in direction for Mary adding variety to the Captain Marvel characters? For years there has never been drastic differences between the Marvel family characters, Mary had boobs and wore a skirt… that’s about it. So why is he complaining about the addition of the variety he claims to enjoy?
And, Dark is the way to do it. I daresay that the ‘Classic’, well-known comics are the ones which defy any sort of ‘Right-andWrong’ mentality, in both Superhero circles – Watchmen, Sandman, The Dark Knight Returns – and in general Graphic Novel circles – Maus, Persepolis, Fun Home.
And, Dark is the way to do it. I daresay that the ‘Classic’, well-known comics are the ones which defy any sort of ‘Right-andWrong’ mentality, in both Superhero circles – Watchmen, Sandman, The Dark Knight Returns – and in general Graphic Novel circles – Maus, Persepolis, Fun Home.
I disagree completely… Maus and Sandman aren’t inherently dark works, they actually have nearly as many moments of humor and absurdity as they do darkness. And not every work and character has to be so damned humorless. Defying a right and wrong mentality doesn’t necessarily mean embracing grim and heartless, or at least it doesn’t HAVE to.