TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Marvel Comics General

Go To

This thread's for talking about the Marvel Comics line, whether the comics are decades old or brand new.

As well as the superhero tales of the Marvel Universe, that also includes all the other things Marvel's done (Epic Comics, Icon Comics, Star Comics and all the rest), as well as the older stories by Atlas and Timely, the companies that later became Marvel.

Acquisitions like Malibu Comics and Miracleman are also on-topic, as are the licensed 20th Century Studios titles, the Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Zoids and Transformers comics, and all of the comics created locally by regional imprints like Marvel UK and Marvel Italia.

  • We have dedicated threads for some groups of titles (such as Spider-Man and the X-Men). You can still discuss them here, but you might want to use the more specific threads.
  • We also have threads for Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Predator and some of the other franchises. Sometimes it may be more useful to discuss the comics there rather than here — but they're still on-topic and there's no hard rule.

Technically, Marvel's Infinity Comics (and their predecessors, Infinite Comics) are webcomics, not comic books, but it's fine to talk about them here.

Discussions that are only about Marvel adaptations in other media (films, video games etc.) are off-topic, but discussing the differences between the adaptations and the original comics is fine - as long as spoilers for the adaptations are tagged.

Please follow the spoiler policy rules - tag spoilers for the latest issues, for any previews or content leaks, and for off-topic comics (e.g. if comparing Marvel to a DC story). When including spoiler tags, try to write so that tropers can make an informed decision before viewing them (e.g. which series and issue will they spoil?).

    Original text of OP 
A thread for all the miscellaneous Marvel discussion that doesn't have its own thread.

So apparently, they're making a Black Panther movie. Let's hope Hudlin is kept as far away as possible. On a related note, anyone think that the whole 'Super Hero that is also a King/Ruler' is kind of ridiculous? I mean where do heroes like Aquaman and T'Challa find the time to both lead a nation and go gallavanting on the other side of the globe?

Edited by Mrph1 on Sep 1st 2024 at 8:36:28 PM

TomWithoutJerry Tyranny Bad, Democracy Good. from Where Might Makes Right and I have no Might. Since: Dec, 2023
Tyranny Bad, Democracy Good.
#73476: Sep 26th 2025 at 4:43:59 AM

Wait until they bring him back and he becomes a punching bag.

Please remember that, ultimately, fictional works of entertainment are just that.
IndirectActiveTransport plays capoeira from Chicago (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Every rose has its thorn
plays capoeira
#73477: Sep 26th 2025 at 5:01:05 AM

Isn't Mephisto supposed to be cosmic too? Isn't Odin? Aren't the elder gods in general? Cyttorac? Because if they are I don't see how being affected by the penance stare is Badass Decay.

Like, there are ants that sting. There are ants whose mandibles are as sharp as the sharpest edges ever forged by human civilization, obsidian blade level stuff, out of chitin. These insects cannot kill me, not if I'm alert, healthy and don't develop an allergy to their venom or saliva. A single one of definitely cannot kill me without the rest of its colony, but I still wouldn't want to deal with one of them if I can help it because they can still hurt me. They're annoying. The effort to deal with them is rarely worth the reward. Yet there are creatures who could die if one of these ants bit or stung them once. Creatures who nonetheless hunt and kill them by the dozens on a daily basis because it's worth it to them. Jumping spiders, flies, assassin bugs, mites, centipedes, velvet worms. Many of these creatures can't hurt me as much as a bulldog ant, or a leaf cutter ant, or a driver ant, and many that can aren't going to try, because it's not in their nature to be annoying. The penance stare working on Galactus but a breathing gun working on Ghost Rider and not Galactus isn't a contradiction or "badass decay".

If Mephisto is only significant enough in the Marvel cosmos to make Galactus feel some pain for ignoring him, well Ghost Rider has beaten Mephisto. Chained him up and dragged him behind the motor cycle beaten. Nearly killed him in his own realm where he's at his strongest, taken over Mephisto's splinter, without the penance stare cause doesn't work on splinter realm lords. If elder gods have any significance in the Marvel cosmos, Agamoto is on their level, and demogorges eat them. The penance stare is a worse version of the Eye of Agamotto and has hurt a demogorge. If Odin is still of any cosmic significance, Mephisto has been compared to him. If Cyttorac is of any significance, Doctor Strange was one of five sorcerers who turned back four monsters from beyond the out planes that had Cyttorac fleeing from his own realm with his metaphorical tail between his legs. Strange affecting you with the Eye of Agamotto isn't badass decay. It's more consistent for the penance stare to be able to work on creatures like Galactus then than not, unless Mephisto, Cyttorac, Odin, Agamotto, demogorge and elder gods are all incapable of hurting Galactus too. And just because the penance stare can work on Galactus doesn't mean Galactus can't counter it and stomp on Ghost Rider, so much as I can flick off and stomp on a fire ant. But if I let a fire ant crawl on me and do what it wants? It is going to hurt. Immunity is baloney unless it actually falls under an established reason for immunity. Those days when Ghost Rider struggled with sharks, couldn't properly kill a vampire and was physically weaker than Jessica Drew are long gone. Those days when Ghost Rider was only as strong as Maddie Franklin have left us too. I didn't say Ghost Rider had to be more powerful, Marvel did, and the penance stare was an early part of beefing him up. I'm just going to complain when I catch Marvel getting their own rules wrong. Not being immune to one of Ghost Rider's greatest weapons isn't Badass Decay. Even if it's as simple as Galactus taking his anti penance stare pills that morning, akin to myself applying bug spray before yard work, so I don't spend all my time swatting mosquitoes, something as banal as "Ghost Rider Spay Milky Way Standard 75, never try to eat a blue planet without it" makes more sense than "because Galactus".

I've got nothing against a comic book where Uatu tries to claim "because Galactus" and Blaze keeps telling him "that's bull", tying up Blaze too long to actually do anything though. That's actually in character, Johnny's often portrayed as kind of dumb.

Buldogue's lawyer
lalalei2001 Since: Oct, 2009
#73478: Sep 26th 2025 at 12:43:24 PM

There's been a press release for Death Of The Silver Surfer's new Surfer. I think it'll be a pretty hard sell, not only for how well-liked Norrin is but for Kelly Koh carrying the Jerkass Ball in this and previous issues, and it seems like her attitude will be a big part of her character.

The Protomen enhanced my life.
TomWithoutJerry Tyranny Bad, Democracy Good. from Where Might Makes Right and I have no Might. Since: Dec, 2023
Tyranny Bad, Democracy Good.
#73479: Sep 26th 2025 at 12:47:22 PM

It's Jerkass Ant-Man again!

Edited by TomWithoutJerry on Sep 26th 2025 at 3:47:32 PM

Please remember that, ultimately, fictional works of entertainment are just that.
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#73480: Sep 26th 2025 at 12:50:23 PM

Having read the series, she's not very endearing yeah.

Greg Pak, the writer of the series (and the co-creator of Kelly Koh), was quoted by Marvel in a press release about Kelly's debut, "The Silver Surfer has always been famously one of Marvel's most emotionally tormented characters, and Kelly with the Power Cosmic absolutely follows in that tradition, ha ha! But she's also got a no-nonsense, cocky, dangerous edge that makes her much less predictable than Norrin and a huge challenge to the villains—and heroes!

She's an anti-alien bigot who had absolutely no problem harming children and only turns face when he her mother was in danger meaning she only cared to change when she was personally affected by it.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#73481: Sep 26th 2025 at 12:53:58 PM

I get the idea of a protagonist that's a piece of garbage, but it might be a bit much for the readers to put up with them long enough for the story to get them anywhere out of the gutter.

Wake me up at your own risk.
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#73482: Sep 26th 2025 at 1:06:06 PM

It’s also a hard sell in the modern publishing environment

Not only do you have to trust that an unlikable protagonist is going to grow and change, you have to hope that’s something that can be satisfyingly achieved in like… five issues. Silver Surfer hasn’t had an ongoing in ages. What are the odds that a new legacy character with the name is going to hold a solo for long? Odds seem better that like new Quasar, she gets used as event fodder.

And even if you’re interested in the character, would you want to invest in her if the likeliest outcome is a five issue series that either leaves a bunch hanging or has a rushed conclusion and then a small role in Dormammu Incorporated, a forgettable summer event where Dorammmu has a corporate merger with Roxxon and tries to eat the rain forest?

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
lalalei2001 Since: Oct, 2009
#73483: Sep 26th 2025 at 1:08:58 PM

For half a second I thought that was a real event and thought 'At least that sounds interesting'.

The Protomen enhanced my life.
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#73484: Sep 26th 2025 at 1:09:42 PM

Sorry, I was just saying words

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#73485: Sep 26th 2025 at 1:43:25 PM

[up][up][up] There's also the issue that from a synergy perspective (the primary reason Kelly is a thing) there's nothing that appeals to movie viewers here.

Kelly is a completely different character from Shalla-Bal with entirely different reasons for becoming the Surfer.

I mean this was never going to bring in movie readers anyway but even then how is this conceptually supposed to appeal to them?

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Archsage Professional Simp from My House Since: Apr, 2022 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
Professional Simp
#73486: Sep 26th 2025 at 2:14:40 PM

I feel like another big issue is that people really don't care about the Heralds all that much aside from the OG Silver Surfer. Despite how many there have been its not really a legacy role most fans think about.

Best advice I ever got? Keep repeating the joke till everyone is forced to laugh.
lalalei2001 Since: Oct, 2009
#73487: Sep 26th 2025 at 2:28:24 PM

The only other Heralds I know about are Frankie Ray, Nova, and Firelord, and the latter two only for a time when Mephisto impersonated Nova and seduced the Surfer and when Spider-Man beat up Firelord.

EDIT: Lol, the Firelord incident happened cause he wanted pizza!

Edited by lalalei2001 on Sep 26th 2025 at 5:30:17 AM

The Protomen enhanced my life.
Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#73488: Sep 26th 2025 at 3:29:03 PM

There's also the issue that from a synergy perspective (the primary reason Kelly is a thing) there's nothing that appeals to movie viewers here.

That's what's confusing for me. Couldn't they just use Shalla-Bal if the point was synergy?

Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#73489: Sep 26th 2025 at 3:29:48 PM

Synergy pushes rarely feel well thought out.

Wake me up at your own risk.
Archsage Professional Simp from My House Since: Apr, 2022 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
Professional Simp
#73490: Sep 26th 2025 at 4:16:13 PM

They're just unnecessary shackles being placed on Marvel's writers. Instead of being able to tell the stories they want to, they have to figure out how to rewrite comic canon to fit what people saw in a 2 hour movie.

Best advice I ever got? Keep repeating the joke till everyone is forced to laugh.
lalalei2001 Since: Oct, 2009
#73491: Sep 26th 2025 at 4:18:30 PM

It doesn't really fit movie Shalla-Bal either, though.

The Protomen enhanced my life.
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#73492: Sep 26th 2025 at 4:44:15 PM

It feels like there is a mandate for synergy but with the allowance that the author is allowed to tell their own version.

So speculation, Pak was told to make a female Silver Surfer but he was allowed to execute the idea however he wanted with his own character.

Which is pretty a bad idea, even from someone who dislikes synergy. If the character isn't anything like the movie whats the point?

Superior Avengers recently introduced Ava Starr Ghost into comics but unlike the movie where she is a government assassin orphan with powers burning out her body, here she is a single mom from the future trying to avenge her kid. Not even remotely similar beyond having the same name and powers.

Edited by slimcoder on Sep 26th 2025 at 4:44:33 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
IndirectActiveTransport plays capoeira from Chicago (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Every rose has its thorn
plays capoeira
#73493: Sep 26th 2025 at 5:44:04 PM

Marvel Cinematic Universe synergy isn't always bad. While I wasn't in love with the Carol Danvers push, I didn't hate it either. Another consistent Captain Marvel after Genis is good, even if I wish it were Monica. My personal biases aside, Carol might have been the best choice anyway. She's not inherently overpowered like Monica and doesn't have abilities that require consulting an introduction to junior year physical science text book. She's got some stuff in her history that's best ignored by nothing like killing babies or destroying the universe, as Genis does. The actress doesn't have to die her hair like Phyla. No multivere silliness like with Noh-Varr. The comic books insisting on adopting the half-kree baggage over the perfectly serviceable "got powers from an alien" back story was weird, seeing Doctor Min-Erva's attitude towards Carol do a 180 while remaining destructive influence on her life, and becoming the object of scorn of a shell shocked ten year old girl with anti alien programming was morbidly amusing.

More MCU synergy would have likely done America Chavez some good. Marvel could have still made her a Puerto Rican without taking away things that made her inherently funny, and cool. Just have her move to the island, call 616 Puerto Rico the most wonderful place in the multiverse, and move in with a Puerto Rican family.

I think the X-Books were kind of hurt by a passive aggressive anti synergy. At first it was just the usual synergy wrinkles. Wolverine being drawn to look like Hugh Jackman. Rogue no longer having super strength. Professor X getting to be kindly again for awhile, that was welcome. Making the field suits more like the movie? I could take it or leave it, they've changed so often already, but then that corner of 616 just started getting dumped on for what seemed to be forever. I was welcoming the total erosion of the dream if at least we got more campfires and no more kicking down by other super teams. The Inhumans are getting a TV, gas the X-Men! Couldn't even make it a super villain so the Inhumans could save the X-Men, no the X-Men have to be stopped from trying to stop themselves from being gassed. It's not just promoting the cinematic projects, but like a passive aggressive the subjects of the new show are so much better than those in this comic book that isn't getting one.

Buldogue's lawyer
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#73494: Sep 28th 2025 at 2:25:19 PM

Guardians comics have not been the best since the movie.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/how_it_feels_being_a_star_lord_fan_but_he_doesnt_get_to_use_v0_ejlyjhah1yrf1.webp

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#73495: Sep 28th 2025 at 2:39:03 PM

Ewing’s Quill made an interesting attempt to bridge the two. But then Grootfall was just stinky and now the guardians haven’t had a book in a while

And for fairness, I imagine the two whole fans that Classic Quill had were a bit put off by dna Quill

Edited by Bocaj on Sep 28th 2025 at 2:39:54 AM

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#73496: Sep 28th 2025 at 3:45:21 PM

Ironically Quill was fairly serious in that run, it just wasn't very good.

You know your depressive when you're more Maudlin than when Cates wrote the Guardians.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Deadpoolrocks Since: Sep, 2010
#73497: Sep 28th 2025 at 4:23:42 PM

Over in daredevil we get to see fisk reveal his true endgame. After he was exorcised and felt that higher power he realized, he wanted to be that higher power. He trained himself since he left NYC and is now trying to become capital G god

lalalei2001 Since: Oct, 2009
#73498: Sep 28th 2025 at 4:30:35 PM

I kinda wanna see that succeed just for the audacity.

The Protomen enhanced my life.
Deadpoolrocks Since: Sep, 2010
#73499: Sep 28th 2025 at 4:41:30 PM

basically the power he felt when he got exorcised was beyond anything he ever felt before and decided he wants it. Presumably what he's doing with Frank is part of his plan

Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#73500: Sep 28th 2025 at 4:56:53 PM

Well, can't wait to see how the Kingpin gets reminded of why he decided to stay in his lane.

Wake me up at your own risk.

Total posts: 74,200
Top