The recent comics are often missing the heroes and villains who could change their sizes!
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?
I’m not sure if it is that comics characters who can size-shift are tough to draw in the various sizes they change to, but when it comes to many of the bigger companies, they just aren’t around in the pages of the comics much if at all these days!Is it that heroes and villains who can “go small” are in danger of being squashed by “regular” characters? That could be some gruesome artwork that some people just might like! Or could it be that “bigger” guys and gals just might crush or smash everything around them?
Whatever the reason, many of these denizens of the comics universes are just not making appearances in the books hitting the stands!
MARVEL
MARVEL
Even if you count the recent mini-series’ as well as whether Hank Pym was Ant-Man, Giant Man, or Yellowjacket, he suffered a mortal blow when he became a wife abuser. (Thanks, Jim Shooter!) He could run a superhero academy, regret his past deeds, or switch from ant-size to giant-size, he’s not showing up very much. Sadly, the same can be said for his replacements, whether they be criminals or heroes. I wonder if one could buy those alter-egos cheap these days?Also, Janet Van Dyne as the Wasp has had time as the leader of the Avengers as well as a member of that team. She was apparently very wealthy, too, and yet she can’t seem to buy a panel or two in the comics these days!
Maybe we need an Insect League of Marvel Heroes or something to give these folks something to do!
DC
DC
It doesn’t seem to matter who wears the Atom costume much at DC either! Ray Palmer went into a micro-verse as their Conan, and that didn’t help him sell copies of his title. Then a more diverse guy dons the suit and wears the belt, but even that didn’t pick up interest in that identity, either!On the other end of the spectrum, Giganta was an interesting female foe of DC heroes, but she hasn’t appeared for a while now!
Does DC need to create a group of size-shifters as well to make it acceptable or even interesting for stories about these people?
OTHERS
OTHERS
It has been a trope of horror storytelling to feature characters who were accidentally shrunk down or expanded in size to show how fragile human beings truly are. Big telephones and cars as well as house pets and insects become major threats that can easily end the lives of beings they encounter when those people have been “taken down a peg or two” by science. Yikes!However, many comics use smaller characters to create a felling of sympathy for them. David Petersen of Mouse Guard fame chose those rodents because almost everything around them could end their lives, and that helps readers feel for these “little guys and gals” in their daily struggles to exist. (I would love to see more of those books again, by the way!)
CAN THEY MAKE A COMEBACK?
CAN THEY MAKE A COMEBACK?
As it is with most comics characters, all it takes is a great creative team to change the tide for good guys or bad ones.I don’t think it is a theme that has been worn into the dust, especially in the last few years. I’d buy a book that explored these themes and characters! Anyone else with me?
What do you think? Are size-shifters passé today? Are they unbelievable? Or do we just need someone with the right take to bring them bank into the limelight? Whatever your opinions, be sure to share them in the space below!
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Wayne Hall
Wayne Hall creates the Wayne's Comics Podcast. He’s interviewed Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, John Layman, Kyle Higgins, Phil Hester, Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray, David Petersen, Christos Gage, Mike Grell, and Matt Kindt. On this site each week, he writes his "Comics Portal" column (general comics comments and previews) and reviews comics.