Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

[Lightray]

Diana is, AFAIK, still tied to the "brought to life from a statue made by Hippolyta out of clay" origin, so talking about Amazonian genes or chromosomes is kind of moot.

 

And since the Amazons don't ever really have any contact with men -- unless one of the Olympian gods show up, I guess -- that, too, is kind of a moot point.

 

However, given WW's history with Steve Trevor and her old Golden Age problems with being tied up, I'd guess she doesn't have many sex hang-ups.

 

 

Anyway, no one has mentioned Smallville and some of its more inventive takes on Superman's (Superboy's?) powers. Specifically, Clark discovers his heat vision in the episode "Heat" 'cause he's under the influence of a sex-phermone Kryptofreak. His heat vision spurts out in class while he's daydreaming about her.

 

Making the later scene where Pa Kent is getting him to "practice" out in the cornfield just kind of creepy. Since Clark apparently has to "get in the mood" to have his eye-spurts.

 

I kinda kept hoping he'd actually do it with Lana and, *zorch*, we'd only be left with a very pink, charcoal briquette. Alas, it never happened.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

Anyway' date=' no one has mentioned [i']Smallville[/i] and some of its more inventive takes on Superman's (Superboy's?) powers. Specifically, Clark discovers his heat vision in the episode "Heat" 'cause he's under the influence of a sex-phermone Kryptofreak. His heat vision spurts out in class while he's daydreaming about her.

 

Making the later scene where Pa Kent is getting him to "practice" out in the cornfield just kind of creepy. Since Clark apparently has to "get in the mood" to have his eye-spurts.

 

I kinda kept hoping he'd actually do it with Lana and, *zorch*, we'd only be left with a very pink, charcoal briquette. Alas, it never happened.

I haven't seen Smallville. Evidently this is an alternate version of the Superman universe. the msot notable thing about the series is that ti has generated more "slash" fanfiction than any english-langauge series since Blakes 7 (which was notoriosu for it). A lot of fans see homoerotic tension in the Clark/Lex dyanmic, and intensely dislike Lana because they feel she's a third wheel.

[Lightray]

A lot of fans see homoerotic tension in the Clark/Lex dyanmic' date=' and intensely dislike Lana because they feel she's a third wheel.[/quote']

I usually never see the homoerotic subtext in shows which everyone claims is present (Mulder and anyone? not so much). But with Smallville even I was saying "Holy Crap!" every time Clark and Lex were making with the bedroom eyes at each other. Of course, Clark had relatively no chemistry with anyone else...

 

And most fans I've talked to mislike Lana because she was turned into the focus of the show. Every Kryptofreak had a crush on Lana. Other characters -- forgotten Pete, Chloe -- were given minimal screen time so there was more time for Lana. For a show supposidly about Clark and Lex, they spent an awful amount of time on Lana.

 

 

Anyway, back on-topic. I once had a character, Steele, who was permanently metallic. He was a typical brick character -- except that he was a millionaire businessman, who'd taken up superheroics to promote his business: his company sold devices to accomodate super-powers. Things like toilets that could handle, ahem, hazardous waste. Reinforced vehicles (and buildings) for heavy or dense superhumans. Life-support systems for only-breathe-water creatures. We played it up for some humor, especially when we kept finding Steele Products stuff in supervillain bases...

 

Alas, the game didn't last long enough for romance to ever enter the picture.

[James Gillen]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

I usually never see the homoerotic subtext in shows which everyone claims is present (Mulder and anyone? not so much). But with Smallville even I was saying "Holy Crap!" every time Clark and Lex were making with the bedroom eyes at each other. Of course' date=' Clark had relatively no chemistry with anyone else...[/quote']

 

I figure that show is the male equivalent of Xena.

 

JG

[input.jack]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

Am I just horribly naive? I watch "Smallville" and I dont see -any- of the stuff you guys are talking about.

 

Clark and Lex are just friends, man. And Lana is hard to like not because shes "in the way", but because no matter how many times its proven to her, again and again, that Clark just has her best interests at heart and is her friend, the next time something happens that she doesnt like she immediately reacts by cutting off her friendship with Clark.

 

Shes not an impediment to a Clark/Lex relationship....shes just a b*tch.

[Guest darthvegita666]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

Am I just horribly naive? I watch "Smallville" and I dont see -any- of the stuff you guys are talking about.

 

Clark and Lex are just friends, man. And Lana is hard to like not because shes "in the way", but because no matter how many times its proven to her, again and again, that Clark just has her best interests at heart and is her friend, the next time something happens that she doesnt like she immediately reacts by cutting off her friendship with Clark.

 

Shes not an impediment to a Clark/Lex relationship....shes just a b*tch.

 

yeah they are juts friends right

 

open your eyes and read between the lines man clark is hot for that chrome dome

[Red Knight]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

As far as the compatiblity of Kryptonian and Wonder Woman' s DNA.. I think you are forgetting one very important thing.

 

At last I knew... Wonder Woman was molded from clay and brought to life by her mother and Hades. (who were an item) That makes Wonder Woman a little less than Homo Sapien.... More like Homo Sapien Clayien. (Yeah.. I made it up)

 

Anyway.... The idea that a walking, talking lump of clay would follow the standards of "human" reproduction is unreasonable. After all... the comics never really discuss "all" the issues of the reproductive cycle. When was the last time you heard a female hero complain that he body-hugging suit was too tight due to PMS??

 

It has been mentioned before that the writers control the reality of the books. Each writer adds their own spin onto things. I am a huge Green Lantern fan (if you didn't already know) and even I have to admit the ending stages of Hal Jordan's first tenure were getting lame. The writers were doing things that were getting really questionable BUT that was their reality. In one issue, a comment is made that the ring wearer can do anything they want... (including making openings in walls and cielings... and then in another issue, a statement is made that the wearer can only make what they know. They could make what looks like an x-ray machine but unless they know how the x-ray amchine works... it will just be a good look-alike. Personally, I like the idea that the person must know what they are doing. But that is me. SOme of you might like the Hal Jordian approach... Personally, I liked the pre-Ion Kyle Rayner. To each their own.

[Red Knight]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

I usually never see the homoerotic subtext in shows which everyone claims is present (Mulder and anyone? not so much). But with Smallville even I was saying "Holy Crap!" every time Clark and Lex were making with the bedroom eyes at each other. Of course' date=' Clark had relatively no chemistry with anyone else...[/quote']

 

OK.. here I draw the line.... Clark and Lex in a hidden homosexual relationship? That is absurd.

If anything, both of them are powerful people... Clark with the Superman stuff and Lex with the Lots and Lots of cash thing. I have always seen it like two lions stalking each other, waiting to make a power play. Clark wants to protect his secret and stop Lex from finding out.. Lex knows Clark is hiding something and is trying to find out.

 

In my honest opinion... If people see the homosexual tendencies in the show it is becasue they WANT there to be some. The dirtiest show out there is the one that is shown behind your eyes. With Xena and Gabrielle, the producers actually came out and said that after the first few seasons and the massive lesbian fan base that was out there.... they started playing up to them.... specifically writing scenes that made it rather apparent that they had lesbian tendencies..

 

In Smallville, I think people are reading into it WAY TOO MUCH!!!!

 

The people seeing the homosexual aspect in the show are the same type that McCarthy used to fuel his own political agenda and the "Reds under the Beds" scare.

 

Sorry if I have offended or angered anybody but how about we step back and take a reality check?? Before you ask... Yes I have seen the show and have the first season on DVD. Honestly, I have started watching the show less, becasue I am getting tired of the "new villian of the week" concept that seems to draw no attention from any of the other heroes. I'd like to see cameos from other herees. I saw the episode where Wally West showed up. That was cool. How about some of the older charatcers? JSA anybody???

[lemming]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

As far as the compatiblity of Kryptonian and Wonder Woman' s DNA.. I think you are forgetting one very important thing.

 

At last I knew... Wonder Woman was molded from clay and brought to life by her mother and Hades. (who were an item) That makes Wonder Woman a little less than Homo Sapien.... More like Homo Sapien Clayien. (Yeah.. I made it up)

 

Anyway.... The idea that a walking, talking lump of clay would follow the standards of "human" reproduction is unreasonable. After all... the comics never really discuss "all" the issues of the reproductive cycle. When was the last time you heard a female hero complain that he body-hugging suit was too tight due to PMS??

That and Greek Myths showed that the pantheon was pretty hyper compatible with other species, etc... So I'm willing to extrapolate.

[Iuz the Evil]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

OK.. here I draw the line.... Clark and Lex in a hidden homosexual relationship? That is absurd.

If anything, both of them are powerful people... Clark with the Superman stuff and Lex with the Lots and Lots of cash thing. I have always seen it like two lions stalking each other, waiting to make a power play. Clark wants to protect his secret and stop Lex from finding out.. Lex knows Clark is hiding something and is trying to find out.

 

In my honest opinion... If people see the homosexual tendencies in the show it is becasue they WANT there to be some. The dirtiest show out there is the one that is shown behind your eyes. With Xena and Gabrielle, the producers actually came out and said that after the first few seasons and the massive lesbian fan base that was out there.... they started playing up to them.... specifically writing scenes that made it rather apparent that they had lesbian tendencies..

 

In Smallville, I think people are reading into it WAY TOO MUCH!!!!

 

The people seeing the homosexual aspect in the show are the same type that McCarthy used to fuel his own political agenda and the "Reds under the Beds" scare.

 

Sorry if I have offended or angered anybody but how about we step back and take a reality check?? Before you ask... Yes I have seen the show and have the first season on DVD. Honestly, I have started watching the show less, becasue I am getting tired of the "new villian of the week" concept that seems to draw no attention from any of the other heroes. I'd like to see cameos from other herees. I saw the episode where Wally West showed up. That was cool. How about some of the older charatcers? JSA anybody???

 

This exactly sums up my opinion of the show... your latent telepathic abilities have come into their own!

[sinanju]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

I haven't seen Smallville. Evidently this is an alternate version of the Superman universe. the msot notable thing about the series is that ti has generated more "slash" fanfiction than any english-langauge series since Blakes 7 (which was notoriosu for it). A lot of fans see homoerotic tension in the Clark/Lex dyanmic' date=' and intensely dislike Lana because they feel she's a third wheel.[/quote']

 

Oh, yeah--there's plenty of slash subtext in SMALLVILLE. I've read lots of slash--I'm not a fan of the stuff, but a lot of good fanfic writers are, and that's what they like to write--and the slashy overtones are hard to miss. Not impossible, I suppose, or it wouldn't be SUBtext. But it's definitely there.

[sinanju]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

OK.. here I draw the line.... Clark and Lex in a hidden homosexual relationship? That is absurd.

 

Not a hidden homosexual relationship, a subtextual _attraction_. There's a difference. They don't have to act on the feelings; they don't even have to _recognize_ the feelings. (And, yes, for that matter, it can sometimes all be in the eye of the beholder.)

 

In my honest opinion... If people see the homosexual tendencies in the show it is becasue they WANT there to be some.

 

Some of them, yes. I see it and I'm not a fan of slashy stuff. But it wouldn't surprise me if the actor(s) and/or writers and/or producers (or some subset thereof) aren't putting some slashy-goodness "spin" on their efforts. Nor are they necessarily going to admit it if they are--Superman is an iconic character. Warner Brothers wouldn't like that.

 

It's definitely there; but by necessity it remains subtext. Thus, those who see it (whether they enjoy it or not) see it, and those who don't can watch a perfectly straight (no pun intended) relationship between Clark and Lex.

 

Sorry if I have offended or angered anybody but how about we step back and take a reality check??

 

No offense taken. But you might consider that you're _not_ seeing something, rather than everyone else seeing something that isn't there.

[Iuz the Evil]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Not everyone is seeing it, and if they're not stating it's intentional (and as you noted WB/DC won't go for that in any way, shape, or form) perhaps it is all 'in the eye of the beholder'.

 

It's turned into an ever more awful show in recent seasons anyway. I'd suspect it'll be pulled due to low ratings in 1-2 seasons. There's a limit they can manage with 'freak of the week' and the 'main storyline' has gotten just plain terrible.

[Lightray]

In Smallville, I think people are reading into it WAY TOO MUCH!!!!

 

The people seeing the homosexual aspect in the show are the same type that McCarthy used to fuel his own political agenda and the "Reds under the Beds" scare.

You are absurdly overreacting. Comparing people amused over supposed subtext on a TV show to McCarthyism? Please.

 

It is unfortunate that this is apparently a trigger subject for you. But that in no way changes how other people perceive what the show presents.

 

And, personally, I giggle when Clark and Lex brighten up when the other one enters the scene, and when they exchange long, meaningful glances. Doesn't mean that I think that Clark and Lex are getting it on in the Barn of Solitude, though.

 

I think it means that the actors get along well. And that Tom Welling has no chemistry whatsoever with his supposed "love interests" (i.e., Lana) on the show.

 

Sorry if I have offended or angered anybody but how about we step back and take a reality check?? Before you ask... Yes I have seen the show and have the first season on DVD. Honestly, I have started watching the show less, becasue I am getting tired of the "new villian of the week" concept that seems to draw no attention from any of the other heroes. I'd like to see cameos from other herees. I saw the episode where Wally West showed up. That was cool. How about some of the older charatcers? JSA anybody???

IIRC, the "Flash" kid wasn't Wally, it was Bart. Additionally, many of the characters are tied up in other properties (e.g., Bruce Wayne, who was long rumored to be making an eventual appearance). Smallville has an easier time with character rights than most other comic projects, but they've still got some issues.

 

And, AFAIK, there are no "other heroes" for the Kryptofreaks to draw the attention of.

[lemming]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

And now they're pushing a pro-smoking agenda! Ack! Unbelievable!

[Marketeer]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

The sex issue is often far less of a problem than the relationship/love issue.

 

LOTS of powers could mess with a prospective partner's comfort zone, depending on personal whims:

 

Telepathy and Mind Control could lead to questioning of the "honesty" or "truth" of the relationship

 

The incredibly high COM most characters (particularly most female characters) possess could cause both the partner to feel insecure (the hero could "have any partner he/she wants") as well as the hero to have doubts (does he/she honestly love me for me, or for my looks?)

 

Growth and Density Increase... yeah, pretty obvious.

 

Heck, Life Support: Hold Breath or Life Support: Does not Breathe would greatly change someone's definition of a "long kiss"

 

So while I certainly agree, certain powers would greatly inhibit sex, but in my campaigns, characters looking for a steady partner have far longer-term issues to grapple with...

 

 

[Lightray]

And now they're pushing a pro-smoking agenda! Ack! Unbelievable!

You really should have checked the smileys... Hero Games has been pushing a pro-smoking agenda for some time:

 

 

Not to mention a pro-alcohol agenda:

 

 

And then there's whatever this one is getting ready to do...

 

 

(how's that for some subtext, eh?)

[ross_winn]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

This one of those weird Nexus threads' date=' so if such things bother you stop reading now. I was wondering though, for those of you that do touch on issues of romantic relationships and sexuality in your supers games, do the power and related special effects ever become an issue; for example, the possible dangers of someone with superhuman strength injuring their partner during a moment of passion? Or do you just assume such things have been dealt with?[/quote']

 

Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex, an essay by Larry Niven

[nexus]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

Man of Steel' date=' Woman of Kleenex, an essay by Larry Niven[/quote']

 

Yes, that was what the thread title referred to in a tongue in cheek way.

[keithcurtis]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

Identical twins are usually of opposing genders.

 

Keith "huh?" Curtis

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

I think Zoot is referring to fraternal twins, which are two children concieved from two different ova at the same time. These can be of the oppsoite gender and can differ in other ways.

 

Identical twins come about when one ovum splits into two fetuses. They are, by definition, exact genetic duplictaes of each other, and therefore are always the same gender.

 

As a side note, I don't know how often it happens (and it would take some interesting circumstances to bring it about), but in theory it is possible for a pair of ova to be fertilized by sperm from two different fathers, resulting in a pair of twins that are, genetically, half-siblings. You would not be able to detect something like this without genetic testing of the offspring, of course.

[ZootSoot]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

No, I'm talking Marvel Universe where characters who clearly are identical twins are always (nearly) of opposing gender.

Jean-Paul and Marie Beauvier

Fenris

Charles Xavier and Cassandra Nova

etc

I know it don't happen in real life but I was talking about Marvel!!!

[Scifi_Toughguy]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

No' date=' I'm talking Marvel Universe where characters who clearly are identical twins are [i']always[/i] (nearly) of opposing gender.

Jean-Paul and Marie Beauvier

Fenris

Charles Xavier and Cassandra Nova

etc

I know it don't happen in real life but I was talking about Marvel!!!

Yeah, those a fraternal twins, not identical. In order to be an 'identical twin' ya kinda haff ta be you know... identical.

[ZootSoot]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

I know the real world matter but if you take a look at how all these characters are portrayed they are clearly not simply fraternal twins, I think Cassandra Nova in particular was even referred to as an identical twin and in the world of (what Marvel insists are) mutants where their powers are meant to be genetically determined how do you explained identical power sets except through identical gene sets. Maybe for Marvel mutants gendered is determined by temperature during gestation . . .

[James Gillen]

Re: Person of Steel, Significant Other of Tissue paper

 

No' date=' I'm talking Marvel Universe where characters who clearly are identical twins are [i']always[/i] (nearly) of opposing gender.

Jean-Paul and Marie Beauvier

Fenris

Charles Xavier and Cassandra Nova

etc

I know it don't happen in real life but I was talking about Marvel!!!

 

The odd thing is, my Mom's last husband (before my Dad) had a boy and a girl with her, about a year apart, and growing up they looked almost alike.

 

JG