Does Not Illustrate (CROWNER): Superhero Packing Heat

Superhero Packing Heat uses an image of The Punisher shooting the viewer.

The problem with the image is that Punisher doesn't count for the trope, as he's not a superhero, in spite of the (now deleted) entry in the examples list.

I don't have a replacement in mind, offhand, but there are trope examples from other comics that could probably serve the purpose.

[edit]

Crowner is closed

edited 22nd Apr '13 4:09:07 AM by Willbyr

All your safe space are belong to Trump

Cable? These might not have enough "superhero" in them...

1◊, 2◊, 3◊, 4◊

edited 14th Apr '13 5:42:03 PM by Willbyr

1 and 3 look like possibilities. 2 just seems "big guy with big gun", though I suppose the glowy left (his) eye would work as well for the supernatural part as the cybernetic arm in the other two. 4, after I got the image to actually work (the host site doesn't allow hotlinking, you have to fiddle it a bit), seems a little less effective, given the gun isn't as obvious as in the other images.

All your safe space are belong to Trump

What about using "classic" superheroes like Captain America [1]◊? Their old school costume design (and popularity) would leave zero doubt what the trope is trying to get across.

I think that one works.

Check out my fanfiction!

Gets my vote.

Keep it breezy!

How about this Green Lantern art? Artist permission required though.

How is the Punisher not an example? The description doesn't say anything about needing to have powers.

The description does say that using guns has to be one of the character's primary schticks, so the Captain America and Green Lantern suggestions really aren't examples.

edited 14th Apr '13 8:17:25 PM by tbarrie

Captain America has my vote.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

GL's routinely materialize guns and rifles and generally More Dakka type constructs, and that's not counting the fact that their rings shoot energy blasts.

If the Punisher is disqualified for not being an example—which is sketchy, I think—then shouldn't Cap? Using guns is not his thing. The actual page for Superhero conflicts on Costumed Nonsuper Hero and whether that means they're not a Superhero. Batman is listed amongst them, and if him, then the Punisher counts as well. If the Punisher counts, my vote is for him—he's a much better example.

I disagree GL uses guns as his primary thing.

edited 14th Apr '13 8:47:03 PM by helterskelter

How is the Punisher not an example? The description doesn't say anything about needing to have powers.

Except it does. Toward the end of the description, it lists the two traits required for the trope to apply:

1. The character has to be a comic book-style superhero or supervillain.
2. The guns have to be one of the prominent "powers" of the character, not one of the character's lesser-used weapons.

The part I put in italics is where Punisher falls short. Captain America is kinda borderline really. He isn't superpowered in the traditional sense, but he did have the super solder serum to beef him up to "high-powered badass" instead of just Charles Atlas Superpower or Training from Hell boosting an otherwise normal human (pretty much all versions of Cap started out as 4F weakling pipsqueaks before the serum, IIRC).

The ambiguity (as I see it, anyway) of Cap's status and that he's more known as using the shield as his primary weapon (see the second qualifier, above) even though he started out with firearms is why I'm not that enthusiastic about the offered picture as a trope image.

edited 15th Apr '13 1:23:00 AM by Nohbody

All your safe space are belong to Trump

If having super powers is a requirement for being a Superhero, why does our article on Batman call him a Superhero (Or Wikipedia's)? Seems we are redefining the term here.

This should disallow Captain America then. He does use guns, but they are his least used weapons, far behind his fists and his shield. Case and point, most of the time guns aren't even a part of his uniform. Even in his debut comic he barely uses guns (And is picture punching Hitler while using his shield to deflect bullets, not shooting anyone or even carrying a gun).

---

Might I suggest spawn? He's known for resorting to guns as his first weapons despite having the literal powers of hell at his command, because of his training as an assassin/commando.

edited 15th Apr '13 6:04:07 AM by CobraPrime

How? The Punisher fights crime, has a codename, and wears a distinctive costume. He's a superhero. If you're trying to claim that being a "comic-book style superhero" requires powers, then you've excluded Batman from that definition, which is absurd.

edited 15th Apr '13 6:03:20 AM by tbarrie

And before anyone says "Batman has gadgets, so that makes him a superhero", so does the Punisher. Hell, the Punisher keeps stuff he's "acquired" from Supervillains.

Batman doesn't have superpowers; thus, he can't be a superhero.

Apparantly Wikipedia, TVTropes, AND DC Comics disagree with you there. So I am gonna say it: Back that claim up with some evidence that Batman isn't a superhero, coz apparantly everyone else considers him to be one, except Image Pickin'.

edited 15th Apr '13 6:32:51 AM by CobraPrime

Yeah... powers aren't a prerequisite for being considered a superhero.

As for the Punisher, I might get not calling him a superhero because he's... not very heroic. But because he doesn't have powers? That's just silly.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.

I'd agree. His anti-hero status and the fact several of his writers have gone out of their way to say he's not a traditional superhero (or really much of a hero) is at least a sensical reason.

With respect to Captain America: Unless I'm mistaken, the Cap did use firearms fairly frequently during the World War II era comics; to more closely associate him and to provide propaganda/support towards American soldiers. It's only now that he no longer favours them. In which case, WWII era Captain America makes him an example of the trope.

But if you choose not to go with Captain America as he is less associated with firearms, perhaps his sidekick, Bucky Barnes, might be a more straightforward example? The guy has had multiple identities and held various allegiances over the years. Yet, the one constant about him is his use of firearms. He even carried one while as Captain America, who - as others pointed out - isn't typically associated with guns.

As for a picture, perhaps this◊ might work. Between the Domino Mask and Underwear of Power, the character in the picture is clearly a superhero of the classic vein; even to those unfamiliar with him.

^ I like that. Even without a chest emblem, he definitely looks like a superhero.

Another reason the Punisher flounders is that, to anyone looking at him with no context, he looks villainous. Red and blue are much more heroic colors.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.

Alright, let's talk plain. Superhero used to meant the kind with superpowers, but it doesn't any more. It includes characters like Batman and The Punisher. This is both how huge comic geeks and layman define the term. This isn't something we need to hash out here, because it has a decades-old definition far beyond this Image Pickin' board.

The "hero" part really more or less means "protagonist". The Punisher is a superhero, however much of an Anti-Hero he is.

Cap uses guns very, very rarely. I would hesitate to say GL uses guns that often, even with his ring. Certainly he's not a better example than The Punisher.

If a compromise can't be reached, I'm okay with Spawn. He'll satisfy everyone. But the current is just as good, as well as being visually more appealing (in my opinion), and since the IP was started under the assumption he wasn't a superhero, I say stick with the current.

No, he looks like a '90s Anti-Hero, which he is.

edited 15th Apr '13 10:47:16 AM by helterskelter

Hrrrm. Did you even bother reading the page? Or the thread since the description was quoted already. That's not a point against the picture. See the description (Emphasis mine)

edited 15th Apr '13 10:53:16 AM by CobraPrime

Sorry about that, I just was sort of going off on a tangent because of the whole discussion of what a superhero is and isn't. Really had nothing to do with the page.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.

I agree that The Punisher is an example of the trope. However, a major downside of him - specifically in the current pic - is that he could easily be mistaken for your average thug in the eyes of the unfamiliar, rather than a super-anything. Hence, the current pic.

In contrast, the superhero aspect is much more clearly communicated in the Bucky Barnes pic I suggested in 20.

edited 15th Apr '13 11:43:02 AM by peasant