Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

[megaplayboy]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Whom do I have to kill/sex-up to get the Ultimates version of the Vision revived and into a series?

[Vorsch]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

The Ulimate vision probablly "owns" all computers in the world.

 

even the ones not connected, or military.

 

ie a plot device

[lemming]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Whom do I have to kill/sex-up to get the Ultimates version of the Vision revived and into a series?

They moved that out of that "What If?" did they?

[Mike W]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Well, Iron Man and Dr. Strange have always gotten shafted for writers(or almost always), but they've gotten so much air time that it is hard to call them underrated or underused.

 

I do think that Photon should have gotten more air time. They keep trying to push Shulkie as the lead Marvel Heroine and keep giving her books, but outside of Titania there is nothing to build around. I liked the most recent She Hulk book(too bad they killed it after a year) and I do like the character, but they just can't seem to figure out how to push her as a character.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Thundra. She's a bit character to be sure, but I always liked her and she could be turned into something cool.

[McCoy]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Has anyone mentioned Callisto yet? All the Morlocks are underused, but Callisto is the most agregeously overlooked. She's been around over 20 years, she's the leader of the Mutant Morlocks so she must be a mutant, but I don't have the slightest idea what her powers are. Does anyone? Including any writer who ever scripted her?

[nexus]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Has anyone mentioned Callisto yet? All the Morlocks are underused' date=' but Callisto is the most agregeously overlooked. She's been around over 20 years, she's the leader of the Mutant Morlocks so she must be a mutant, but I don't have the slightest idea what her powers are. Does anyone? Including any writer who ever scripted her?[/quote']

 

I vaguely recall enchanced senses and reflexes....vaguely.

[Lightray]

I vaguely recall enchanced senses and reflexes....vaguely.

That was pretty much it for a long while (plus some tracking scent thing I vaguely recall). Then, Clairemont got a hold of her.

 

Before he had Masque remake Callisto into a glam beauty model (sans eyepatch). Now, Masque has remade Callisto into her old self (incl. eyepatch) -- but with bunches of tentacles instead of arms.

 

And she likes it.

 

And she was all Clairemont-ish lezbionic toward the end of X-treme X-Men. It was kind of gay X-women tentacle porn, in a hot tub from what little memory is leaking through...

 

She's in eXcalibur now, or she was. For some reason having tentacles for arms had made her uber-1337, in some Clairemont-ish way. Uber-knife thrower, and knife-catcher. Uber-reflexes, probably the focused totality of her psionic power.

 

Whatever.

 

Besides which, although she was the leader of the mutant Morlocks, it's been years since that. All the Morlocks were dead, then not-dead, then Colossus' older brother took them away somewhere, then they were back, then killed again I think, then Marrow was their leader, then forgotten again, last I recall Masque was in charge of the remainder.

 

I don't think it's possible for me to underrate Callisto and the Morlocks; I rate them pretty much as low as is possible.

[McCoy]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

I vaguely recall enchanced senses and reflexes....vaguely.

One of the Handbooks said she had an energy blast from her covered eye, but later said that writeup was Erg's, not Callisto's. In my game world she's Sabertooth's grandaughter, with powers simular to Wolverine (high DEX, extra endurance STR beyond a normal Push, enhanced senses, healing factor), only less so.

[McCoy]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Now, Masque has remade Callisto into her old self (incl. eyepatch) -- but with bunches of tentacles instead of arms.

 

And she likes it.

 

And she was all Clairemont-ish lezbionic toward the end of X-treme X-Men. It was kind of gay X-women tentacle porn, in a hot tub from what little memory is leaking through...

 

She's in eXcalibur now, or she was. For some reason having tentacles for arms had made her uber-1337, in some Clairemont-ish way. Uber-knife thrower, and knife-catcher. Uber-reflexes, probably the focused totality of her psionic power.

The Clairemont-ish lezbionic element was part of the original character. She was based on a, let's be kind and say bisexual, character in Barbarella.

[Black Omega]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

I was collecting X-men when Callisto appeared first, and never caught this. but now that you mention it I can see the connection right away. Doh!

 

And though he's already been mentioned, Mon-El is up there for most powerful, least used.

 

And as a confirmed martial arts fan boy, Lady Shiva is also on my worst used list. A martial arts plot device brought in and to often used to make the main character look tough at her expense. Her appearances in The Question were probably her best.

[Vigil]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Didn't Shiva whup the Questions hiney on an alarmingly reguar basis?

 

I absolutely agree with your inclusion of Mon El, also. I've alwaysfelt that he was the most underrated, overlooked, if not outright ignored Legionaire of all. Here he is, more powerful than Superboy or Supergirl (maybe evn put together) and he does nothing but bit parts or get aced to show how powerful the major threats are. Hell, most of the time, Ultra Boy is shown as being as, if not more, powerful. It makes no damn sense. I don't know whether the LSH scribes couldn't figure out what to do with him or whether it was editorial policy or personal preference but I always found it frustraing to see such a great character absolutely wasted. hell, if I were the lSH scribe I'd have him front and center in every book.

[McCoy]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

I absolutely agree with your inclusion of Mon El' date=' also. I've alwaysfelt that he was the most underrated, overlooked, if not outright ignored Legionaire of all. Here he is, more powerful than Superboy or Supergirl (maybe evn put together) and he does nothing but bit parts or get aced to show how powerful the major threats are. Hell, most of the time, Ultra Boy is shown as being as, if not more, powerful. It makes no damn sense. I don't know whether the LSH scribes couldn't figure out what to do with him or whether it was editorial policy or personal preference but I always found it frustraing to see such a great character absolutely wasted. hell, if I were the lSH scribe I'd have him front and center in every book.[/quote']

All of Superboy's powers, none of his weaknesses, and over a thousnad years spent observing humanity. I am amazed that that was never touched on. "This reminds me of something that I saw in the 26th, no, the 27th century. What we need to do is . . .."

[Vigil]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Right on, McCoy.

 

The only tiem mon cam anywhere near his potential was when he duked it out with The Tim Trapper is LSH 50, I believe it was. Great story, dealing with the secret conspiracy within the LSH to kill the TT. Of course the end results of Mon's efforts were for him to be rendered comatose for the rest of the run and die off panel. Great, just great. That's a real fitting end to the guy who almost singlehandedly stopped the TT.

 

His next appearance was issue 4 of the Giffen debalce...er, I mean, run. Here, old TT has taken up residence in Mon's invulnerable form as a way of staying safe until he can reconstitute his power. Mon realizes what he's up to and trashes him in the final showdown, sacrificing himself and the ehtire continuum to stop TT. A good story and maybe the truest depiction of mon's potential but again, to what end? He shows up and gets erased from history never to appear in that form again.

 

Drives me crazy.

 

From there it just got worse and worse and worse.

 

Vigil

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

I absolutely agree with your inclusion of Mon El' date=' also. I've alwaysfelt that he was the most underrated, overlooked, if not outright ignored Legionaire of all. Here he is, more powerful than Superboy or Supergirl (maybe evn put together) and he does nothing but bit parts or get aced to show how powerful the major threats are.[/quote']

 

This was the Martion Manhunter dilemma which eventually lead to him being written out in early-'70's (late '60's?) JLA. Here we have a guy who can do anything Superman can, and more. But we want Supes on the cover to sell books, which makes MM just redundant. So he appears less and less until he gets written out.

[Nucleon]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Of all the charcters you've read and enjoyed' date=' which one is it that you thought was underutilized or underrated? Which character did you feel never got their due? And why? Just curious.[/quote']

 

I've got a few.

 

In Marvel, where they seriously lack in stronf female types, there is Thundra, the chain-wielder and mate of Arkon. I would make an Avenger out of her.

 

Then there is these Buckys; the one we all know and love still isn't in any future Avengers Incarnations despite MC2's Avenger Next and the recent New Avengers. That's lame. But there is also the other one, Ricki Barnes from the "Heroes Reborn" debacle, who had some spunk. Speaking of Buckys, Nomad is also underused; his last incarnation was the tricky assassin in Thunderbolts -can't remember the name right now.

 

Finally, in Marvel, there are the whole Inhumans who are also underused.

 

In DC, I can't get enough of Cap Marvel (Shazam!). Here is a hero that got no chances in the Iron Age, but is now a marvelous concept with the recent Golden-Age fascination. And what a nice, classic costume he's got.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

 

...Nomad is also underused; his last incarnation was the tricky assassin in Thunderbolts -can't remember the name right now...

 

The Scourge

[Vigil]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

I first saw MM when I picked up JLA 200. I wasn't much of a DC reader at that time but the character instantly blew me away becoming my fave along with Dr. Fate and Mon El. I thought, "Who is this guy? He's like Superman, but way cooler." And he is. Sadlt, because of the need to keep Superman as the top dog, most powerful guy in DC MM's been relegated to cheerleader and spiritual advisor.

 

I also loved the Inhumans, esp. Gorgon and Black Bolt. I couldn't get enough of them and loved all of their appearances (until the mopey,self indulgent, navel gazing mini series they did a while ago). Not only are they great characters but they have some of the best designed costumes ever.

 

Which may be the basis for another poll...

[st barbara]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

For a long time I would have said that J'onn J'onzz (The Martian Manhunter) was least used, mainly because he seemed to be notheing more than a Superman copy with a couple of extra powers (shapeshift and stretching) but the moree reecent incarnations, making him more of a psionic, sem to have reinvented the character !

[McCoy]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

For a long time I would have said that J'onn J'onzz (The Martian Manhunter) was least used' date=' mainly because he seemed to be notheing more than a Superman copy with a couple of extra powers (shapeshift and stretching) but the moree reecent incarnations, making him more of a psionic, sem to have reinvented the character ![/quote']

Reinvented? Or returned to his roots?

 

IIRC J'onn was accidently teleported to Earth. He learned English in one panel by reading his accidental abductor's mind. His superior Martin brain (Martians, being an older race than humans, are "more evolved") could control light waves by force of will, alloing him to project the illusion of a normal Earthman's apperence or turn invisible. I don't recall flight or life support in the early stories, just an telepathic detective who could look like anyone, or turn invisible. Fire, a "substance" that did not exist on Mars, affected him the way kryptonite did Superman, weakening him from accross the room.

 

But writer to writer, decade to decade, the character morphed. He kept the invisibility, but the "light-wave control" illusions turned into shapeshifting, then added streching, then turned into enough control over his body to become desolid. Back before the yellow sun thing, Kryptonians' powers came from being more evolved than humans, so if both Kryptonians and Martians are more evolved than humans, should they not have simular powers? (Except, possibly, heat vision. I don't recall ever seeing J'onn use heat vision. Anyone?) At this point I begain wondering why he couldn't just fly back to Mars. This was later resolved with the White Martians / Green Martians plotline.

 

So I think what we have here is five decades of spending expierence points with no reguard to original character concept.

[Vigil]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Hey McCoy,

 

Nice run down of Jonn's evolution. I was under the impression that when he first showed up he had pretty much all of his current powers. A lot of silver age characters tended to be that way, just hodge podges of powers and visuals. You ask about heat vision...and I know the answer to this one, lol. Jonn used heat vision ("Martian vision") against Firestorm in JLA #200. Sometimes it seems to be defined as some form of force blast but I believe that here it was defined as heat (sound to me like someone's got Variable SFX).

 

Vigil

[Enforcer84]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Martian Vision.

[assault]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

In DC' date=' I can't get enough of Cap Marvel (Shazam!). Here is a hero that got no chances in the Iron Age, [/quote']

 

I think he would be just fine in the Iron Age with the right writer. He's completely incorruptable, and incredibly powerful. In short, he's the perfect watchdog for the Authority types.

 

Back in DC's old Action Comics Weekly series, there was an interesting Shazam story where he got involved with some Neo-Nazi types. It worked quite well. That version of the character could quite easily have coped with stuff like that more frequently.

 

On the Martian Manhunter: he originally seems to have been something like a Silver Age version of the Spectre, rather than a superhero. That is, he was a detective who secretly possessed powers, rather than someone overt like Superman.

 

His grab bag of powers makes more sense in that context, IMHO. Or at least he's no worse than the Spectre, who nobody complains about.

[CBikle]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Always thought that both Captain Comet and the Secret Society Of Super-Villains were underused.

[starblaze]

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

 

Vigil, you make good points but superhero comics are unlike the heroic myths of Hercules, Balder, etc in one important respect - they never end. Since the beginning, superheroes have been more like Sexton Blake, Doc Savage or other pulp heroes. For as long as they make money, their stories must go on and on and on with no end in sight. You can't kill off all the X-Men, no matter how grand their deaths are (and I'm not sure they ought to be, given that the X-Men are a little closer to real life than the likes of Superman or Thor) cause the X-Men are big money makers.

 

I've always felt the best Superman stories are the ones where he dies. This story has actually been told a bunch of times in the Silver Age, as well as the Doomsday thing, but the SA ones were all imaginary stories. Though, to quote Alan Moore, "Aren't they all?"

 

"Whatever happened to the Man of Tommorrow?" Was one of the best SuperMan stories I read.