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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

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#53951: Mar 28th 2022 at 6:57:50 PM

So what, he's still an Electric Black Guy?

Seriously, can't black superheroes have a powerset that doesn't involve electricity?

Disgusted, but not surprised
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#53952: Mar 28th 2022 at 7:00:26 PM

In fairness this comic is basically just Miles cosplaying as various superheroes.

First issue had him as Captain America

"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
#53953: Mar 28th 2022 at 7:01:11 PM

There's always Falcon and his ability to talk to birds.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#53954: Mar 29th 2022 at 1:00:26 AM

[up]I think one of the reasons so many black heroes have electric powers is because other options are either generic, used by more popular heroes or just seem unimpressive (on paper anyway).

I once saw a comment that said if Antman, Aquaman and Falcon teamed up, no criminal on Earth could hide from them.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#53955: Mar 29th 2022 at 1:01:59 AM

[up]Oddly fitting that your current avatar is Static.

Edited by M84 on Mar 29th 2022 at 4:02:16 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#53956: Mar 29th 2022 at 1:42:38 AM

He and Ace Lightning are the reasons electricity is one of my favorite super powers in fictionsmile.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#53957: Mar 29th 2022 at 2:09:44 AM

I think its also partly cause of visuals cause dark skin-tone combined with the bright electricity does make for some striking and cool imagery.

[up][up][up] Could prolly use other elemental powers, like metal or light.

Edited by slimcoder on Mar 29th 2022 at 2:15:17 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#53958: Mar 29th 2022 at 2:10:41 AM

Come to think of it, Amazing Spider-Man's take on Electro was also a black guy (he's a white guy in the comics).

Disgusted, but not surprised
HalfFaust Since: Jan, 2019
#53959: Mar 29th 2022 at 2:38:48 AM

More heroes should be able to talk to birds. Would be funny if that became a stock power somehow.

Electricity is a pretty cool power. Obvious combat uses, pretty impressive visuals, and depending on how exactly it works quite a few non-combat uses too. The trend is weird, but could do worse I guess.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#53960: Mar 29th 2022 at 2:43:23 AM

Oddly it is usually a “villain” power when it is not a black guy. Hence Psycho Electro.

Disgusted, but not surprised
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#53961: Mar 29th 2022 at 2:48:02 AM

Admitably we could use more creative costumes at least.

For instance Black Lightning and Static sorta use a similar blue/bold color scheme to the point at times the former looks like an adult version of the latter. Hell Batman Beyond had Adult-Static basically be a Black Lightning stand-in.

Hell the current Legion of Superheroes run which racelifted Lightning Lad into a black man also has him with a blue/gold color scheme. The fact a later scene with his sister Lighting Lass stating that she did a thesis on Black Lightning implies they may be trying to connect the characters.

Its a tad uncreative all things considered.

Edited by slimcoder on Mar 29th 2022 at 2:51:58 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#53962: Mar 29th 2022 at 3:05:53 AM

Could prolly use other elemental powers, like metal or light.

We have Monica Rambeau as a black woman who controls light at least. On the metal part, we have Vykin from DC's New Gods who controls magnetism.

You know, there aren't a lot of metal manipulators in superhero comics. They either control magnetism or have metal skin. I guess controlling metal as an element could be a niche a hypothetical black character could fill.

For instance Black Lightning and Static sorta use a similar blue/bold color scheme to the point at times the former looks like an adult version of the latter. Hell Batman Beyond had Adult-Static basically be a Black Lightning stand-in.

There was a comic by DC which jokingly lampshaded it by having someone mistake Static for Black Lightning's son, much to BL's annoyance.

I even saw a fan trailer for a Static movie back in the day that had Jeff related to Virgil as an uncle, iirc.

Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#53963: Mar 29th 2022 at 4:25:01 AM

Are there any characters in western comics that has electricity and super speed?

Edited by Cortez on Mar 29th 2022 at 7:25:18 AM

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#53964: Mar 29th 2022 at 5:47:08 AM

[up]New X-Men's Surge comes to mind.

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#53965: Mar 29th 2022 at 5:54:25 AM

There is also the Surge from the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comics and Lightning Lad from DC's Legion of Superheroes.

Edited by windleopard on Mar 29th 2022 at 1:54:46 PM

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#53966: Mar 29th 2022 at 5:54:32 AM

Not comics but Cole Mac Grath from the inFAMOUS games could grind on power lines and train tracks with Super-Speed using his powers.

Edited by M84 on Mar 29th 2022 at 8:54:58 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
FOFD Since: Apr, 2013
#53967: Mar 29th 2022 at 7:32:41 AM

Well, according to recent Flash media... the Flash has electricity and super speed.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#53968: Mar 29th 2022 at 7:45:16 AM

He is associated with lightning a lot

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
RedHunter543 Crimson Paladin Since: Jul, 2016 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Crimson Paladin
#53969: Mar 29th 2022 at 8:08:30 AM

@Windleopard.

Static Shock is one of the best DCAU shows and electricity is one of the coolest powers in fiction.

[up][up] Yeah the Flash is pretty electric based since speed and lightning are pretty related.

Edited by RedHunter543 on Mar 29th 2022 at 11:09:29 AM

"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#53970: Mar 29th 2022 at 8:14:28 AM

The Flash doesn't really have electricity as a power. It's just a visual effect to emphasize how fast he is. He's lightning fast.

There is a DC character who has super speed and electricity powers though — Captain Marvel. He's got the speed of Mercury and he can use the magical lightning bolt that transforms him back and forth as an attack.

There's also Marvel's own Thor. Can fly at super speeds and is the God of Thunder.

Edited by M84 on Mar 29th 2022 at 11:16:47 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
ClancyGardener life is a state of mind from 53 miles west of Venus Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
#53971: Mar 29th 2022 at 8:20:45 AM

[up] Yes, the Flash is primarily a super-speedster the original comics, but from at least the New 52 on, he also has electricity generation as a secondary power.

Also, Captain Marvel/Monica Rambeau is an interesting case in that her power is actually to turn into different forms of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum; usually light, but occasionally she transforms into electricity (which isn't actually a part of the EM spectrum IIRC, but comic-book science says otherwise).

Trope Editor (he/him)
Lionheart0 Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
#53972: Mar 30th 2022 at 10:16:30 AM

So Dark Ages was pretty disappointing, not going to lie.

Not even bad, but the finale felt like Taylor rushed everything to a conclusion. Guessing that mid-way through writing this was when he got that DC exclusivity deal lol.

shanejayell Since: Jun, 2011
#53973: Mar 30th 2022 at 12:47:05 PM

Well, Spider-man ended where I expected, Ben screwed over once more. Wheee.

Deadpoolrocks Since: Sep, 2010
#53974: Mar 30th 2022 at 12:53:17 PM

Meanwhile Kaine continues to win by not being used yay.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#53975: Mar 30th 2022 at 1:05:37 PM

To think he actually did have a pretty great solo series in the early 2010’s.

Man I miss that book.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."

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