Or so hints Marvel in this latest promo bit.
Stephen Schleicher
Stephen Schleicher began his career writing for the Digital Media Online community of sites, including Digital Producer and Creative Mac covering all aspects of the digital content creation industry. He then moved on to consumer technology, and began the Coolness Roundup podcast. A writing fool, Stephen has freelanced for Sci-Fi Channel's Technology Blog, and Gizmodo. Still longing for the good ol' days, Stephen launched Major Spoilers in July 2006, because he is a glutton for punishment. You can follow him on Twitter @MajorSpoilers and tell him your darkest secrets...
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WENDELL!
ELVIS!!
VAUGHN!!!
Can I get a “HELL, YEAH!”
With a look that says, I’m back, and I’m gonna mess you up.
I like the armor. It looks like something I would design.
When Wendell got the quantum bands back from Phyla-Vell in the Guardians of the Galaxy comic, it only stood to reason he was going to see some action. He is the Protector of the Universe after all.
Meanwhile, Phyla (a character I love) has slipped into the cuckoo-loony category. Because of her new role though, a conflict between her and Quasar is inevitable.
*sigh* another male saviour for the universe. Because we don’t have enough of those already.
I’d rather have seen a strong female character again. But I agree. It makes sense.
I preferred Phyla-Vell myself. But I don’t think the choice was gender motivated.
I think Phylla was already tied up with the Guardians and it left Wendell free for a more spotlit role.
I too would like to see some stronger and more prominent female characters in lead roles.
Some would claim that making Phyla a lesbian also worked against her, using her preference to indicate strength and to provide titillation instead of simply having her be a capable heterosexual character. Personally, I don’t think it was planned that way.
“But I don’t think the choice was gender motivated.”
and
“Some would claim that making Phyla a lesbian also worked against her, using her preference to indicate strength and to provide titillation instead of simply having her be a capable heterosexual character. Personally, I don’t think it was planned that way.”
I get that you, Navarre, are not personally an advocate of the mindset Rollenspiel pointed out. But, as with real life, there is no sitting on the fence, we are all part of the problem or part of the solution, even when we try our hardest to do (or see) nothing.
Your comments remind me how hard we all work to justify “the way things have always been” (in comics and in real life). It’s not like any one person is to blame for entertainment mediums reverting to the same old, narrow archetypes. But isn’t the pattern evident? You honestly think it is a coincidence that once again, a capable female character is a (lipstick) lesbian (because Heaven forbid any other kind of lesbian be shown in a heroic light)? You don’t wonder when the got rid of her so the Saviour of the Universe is again an Earthling…of European descent and male gender, to be exact? (Kudos to the GL Corps for addressing such a preposterous premise).
I’m not jumping on Navarre personally, I promise. But I truly believe most of what’s wrong with society (and entertainment) in this regard is not the purposeful machinations of “evil doers”. The problem,to paraphraase Edmund Burke, is that “good men do nothing”. Refusing to see or acknowledge that something is amiss is not the same as “nothing is amiss”.
I’m off my now soapbox, prepared for flames.
Oh yeah, the new costume rocks, especially if tied to the Nova Corp mythos.
Well, yes, I honestly think it’s a coincidence. Most characters in comics are Caucasian males so there is a greater chance for any new Quasar to fit that mold.
I have many times made comments that there isn’t enough diversity in characters. This would include gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
There are gay and lesbians in the universe so it stands to reason that some of the heroes would be as well. Phyla just happened to be one of them.
But I didn’t take it that she was chosen to be “the capable one” because of it. That doesn’t apply to Jean Grey or Sue Storm or Ororo or Carole Danvers or any others from a long list of capable female heroes.
Some characters are gay, some are not. I don’t believe it has anything to do with whether they are capable.
I have several times made comments about the problem of female characters being dressed like hookers. I don’t think it represents women for the way they would be as heroes and only panders to the male’s desire to see illustrations of large-breasted, scantily-clad women.
I completely support gay rights.
But, no, I just don’t see that Phyla being gay had any effect on her being the former Quasar.
By the way, Brent or anyone else who is interested, I have opened up this topic for further discussion on the Major Spoilers Forum. The link is here:
http://www.majorspoilers.com/smf/index.php/topic,1126.0.html
It would be a better place to continue such a thought-provoking discussion in a respectful manner. If you haven’t joined the forum, now would be a great time.
But, either there or here, I welcome comments.
Navarre, Thanks for creating an alternate place to discuss this topic, but don’t you think the people that actually run the site, should make the determination as to which is the better place to discuss such thing?
If people wish to continue the discussion here, then they may. If I (as the Major Domo of Major Spoilers) wish to close commenting, then I will do that too.
Navarre -You misunderstood one thing; I don’t think Phylla Vell was demoted because she is gay. I think she was written gay because the writer didn’t think her being a straight female without her goodies hanging out was “edgy†enough. My point was that comic book lesbianism, much like female costuming, tends be fan-service/business decisions rather than justifiable, character driven attributes.
All – Navarre had me at:”Most characters in comics are Caucasian males so there is a greater chance for any new Quasar to fit that mold”. That pretty much sums it up. Evidently, not enough people in the comic book community see anything wrong with that sentence. So I need to either accept the mindset or give up comics, a pastime I’ve enjoyed for DECADES.
Stephen – I will take any further comments to YOUR discussion forum. As a regular (and appreciative) visitor, I really should engage the forum more often
I understood your point, Brent. And I agree with you.
In fact, I think we are in agreement with perhaps all of this. I too feel that females characters are often over-sexed and lez’d out just to draw drooling fanboys. I am very much against that.
I didn’t think that Phyla was demoted because she was gay nor did I think you thought that. But I have thus far not come to the conclusion that she was chosen to be Quasar *because* she was gay either.
And, yes, this is Stephen’s forum. Am I somehow giving the impression otherwise? I’m truly confused. I was just welcoming discussion from other people. That’s what comment sections and message boards are for.
Stephen is the omnipotent master of all of this. I’m just a (hopefully) contributing member.
So are Quasar and the Nova corps cut from the same cloth ? or do they just go to the same tailor ?
Stephen,
Sure. It’s always your call.
It seemed that the comments section here would eventually be a column of singular words if people kept using the Reply feature. So I was thinking about formatting.
And I thought there was a goal to get more people interested in the forum because of all it has to offer. I made it clear I was glad to hear comments either here or there so long as people were talking.
But if I have somehow overstepped by bounds here then feel free to delete my forum thread or whatever you feel best. I was only trying to offer as many avenues as possible for people to make use of Major Spoilers.
Sorry.
Although now I see that the Reply button only works to a certain formatting level. So I was wrong about this feature’s functionality.
Gee, I don’t seem to be very good at contributing to the site today. :-(
It’s all in your wording. I’m all for people checking out and being a part of the forums. In your initial comment you suggestion implies that you are the person that makes decisions regarding where comments should be made, and I felt it needed to be pointed out. That is all. As always we value all our contributors to the Major Spoilers Experience.
Understood. My method of composing sentences may have me coming across as some sort of moderator or something of this site.
I’m not. I’m just trying to invite people to discuss whatever is on their mind.
But, anyway, t’is all good. That’s why we have people like you: To keep people like me in line. ;-)
So…yeah. That Quasar. What a guy…
This picture is of Dune-era Sting as Wendall Vaugn, right?
Bingo! Exactly what I thought when I first saw the picture. “I will kill him!”
I like the new costume. Especially the gauntlets.
The costume is absolutely awesome. One of the most impressive I have seen in a while.
If they are going to have a glow on the boots then maybe a small belt emblem that glows or a glow from the chest emblem. … But they probably wanted to stay away from anything that would remind people too much of DC’s “Protector of the Universe”, Green Lantern.
Great uniform.