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Random Thought Bubbles #1

By | September 3rd, 2010
Posted in Columns | % Comments

Welcome to the very first installment of Random Thought Bubbles. This will be a column where I’ll present to you my random thoughts on comics. The beauty of this column will be that there is no set format. It’ll be a fun column where I can go in-depth on topics or just present you with some quick thoughts.

Why the hell is this thing called Random Thought Bubbles?

So what’s on my mind today? Well, dive into the rabbit hole to find out…

Essentially, these columns will be the random things I think about during any given day. “How random of thoughts?” you ask? Well my friends, this joint is going to be rather random. Expect topics like, “Who’d win in a triple threat match? Krang, Megatron or a Sentinel?!”, and “Why Joe Quesada is underappreciated” as an EIC. Yeah, I said it. Underappreciated. So this column could be about anything is my point, I suppose.

Aside from the random topics it’s also called Random Thought Bubbles because I’d like this to be an interactively enjoyable column where you’ll find links, if you haven’t noticed already, on words that will allow me to better communicate my thought bubbles with you. It’s like computer telepathy or some shit.

In the spirit of comics I’ll attempt to provide my words with pictures.

So what about for the first column? Well… here we go!

Today during a meeting I got to thinking about how three of the biggest loner characters in comics now have become parts of whole “families”. I’m talking about Wolverine, Bruce Wayne and Hulk. Yes, Bruce Wayne. Not Batman. They are two separate characters. Bruce Wayne is the family head in the bat titles. Not Batman. That’s right they are no longer the same character. Batman has become more than the man. He’s an ideal. Wait, isn’t that what Dark Knight warned against at the beginning of the movie?

As you’ll have noticed in the last month or so all of these characters are now essentially the patriarch’s of their own respective brands. Everyone’s got children and unstable children at that.

So what are the benefits of doing such a reversal of the characters personas? Well I’m not entirely sure what the benefits are outside of the ability to diversify the company’s ability to cash in on a successful character.

I actually feel like maybe it takes away the uniqueness of each character. When you have characters like these, why would you want to stretch a character so thin that you’re actually making it watered down?

I was also wondering if anyone else feels like maybe this family branding is one of those trends that people will look back on and think, “Wha Huh? “?

Does anyone else miss this guy? I know I do. He just feels neutered nowadays. Is that just me? Remember this?

And this guy! Really? A corporation? I hope this turns out awesome but I’m not sure if it’s something I’m digging too much conceptually. I mean hasn’t Morrison already done this with another big name franchise? Although, hasn’t Bruce always been trying to put together the family he never had? So maybe it’s not too crazy for Bruce to have a giant sized family.

Finally, you’ve got the guy who, arguably, has spawned one of the most panned characters in recent years. I do like some of these characters. Don’t get me wrong I really do. I pick(ed) up titles starring them so I could see what their deal was. They interested me.

But now that they’ve all become a conjoined RV traveling BBQ having family I’m kind of losing interest quick. I want less Bruce and the Bunch and more Hulk and the Punch!

In the long run though don’t you think it’s inevitable that some of these concepts and characters will go in the closet with other trends? If this trend keeps on expanding these characters like this who else should we expect to become entrenched in their own “family”? At this rate I’d say this guy is next. Actually, come to think of it. That might be awesome!


Brandon Burpee

Burpee loves Superheroes, Alaskan IPA, 90's X-Men and is often one more beer away from a quotable.

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