Supreme Serpent Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 J.Jonah Jameson. Perry White. Lois Lane. Jimmy Olsen. Aunt May. Alfred Pennyworth. Edwin Jarvis. Rick Jones (sometimes disqualified). Foggy Nelson. Mrs. Arbrogast. Pepper Potts. The list goes on and on. Way too many interesting choices to make a 10-option poll. Inspired a bit from the JJJ thread - who's the best/your favorite supporting character from supers comics? Those who don't put on the tights, don't beat up the villains, aren't true villains themselves, but still help make the stories more interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenAge Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Lois Lane Alfred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Despite the fact I've switched my Subscription from ASM to Thing, one of the things I HAVE enjoyed (and may continue to enjoy in trades) is how JMS is handling the relationship between Mary Jane and Peter Parker. Holy hell, a SUPPORTIVE wife who nevertheless has her own problems and concerns and life? and to his credit, JMS has made it work. I've always liked Mary Jane. When written correctly, and with depth, she has been an interesting person to contrast with Peter. Someone who is not afraid to disagree with him, or offer her own insights, yet still ends up by his side. Jarvis of the Avengers. Seriously, I don't care if he did start out as some sort of Alfred rip off, he's a sweet guy, a loyal friend, and has enough honor that most heroes should be admiring the hell out of him. Pardon me for getting biblical, but the phrase "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" could be his tagline. Hindsight lad, okay, he did put on a costume. He could be an obnoxious twit, and he blackmailed his way into the New Warriors... but I loved him, because in my less ethical moments when I was his age I would have been tempted to do the same thing just to be part of a world like that. And when push came to shove, he honestly DID try to do the work. JJJ... for reasons mentioned in another thread. Spider-Man once said something like "under neath that crusty greedy sensationalizing exterior beats a heart of gold... and under that is more crusty greed..." JJJ is best when portrayed as the foil with standards imo. My goodness, there are so many.. I'll post a few more later, or more likely go 'seconded' when someone mentions others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? I have yet to see an incarnation of Alfred Pennyworth that I didn't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Desmarais Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? My vote would go to the entire supporting cast of the Superman titles (Lois, Jimmy, Perry, et al). There are non-powered supporting characters who were interesting enough to make the books still worth readin during the time that Superman was "dead". That's a pretty good feat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? My favorite incarnation of Alfred has to be from Batman: The Animated Series. Batman: "You think you know me so well, don't you?" Alfred: "I diapered your bottom, I bloody well OUGHT to....sir." And yes, Alfred is great. Alas, I am not as up on my D.C. comics, so I can't wax as poetic about others I liked Maxwell Lord before they made him into a killer. *Sigh* It was great to see established super heroes see this guy in a suit with a 'deal' to offer, approaching and go "Oh no." or "Run!" in response Come to think of it, Blue Devil had a great cast of "DNPCs" and so on period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? JJ Is pretty entrtaining, but hardly supporting (I'm pretty sure you mean supporting the comic book) I like Foggy. Jarvis always felt like an Alfred knockoff. Never really liked Jimmy Olsen, Aunt May, and Rick Jones sometimes was pretty annoying. I'm farily indifferent to most. With all that said: 1)Alfred, 2)JJJ, 3) Lois Lane Something cool about a butler who can treat phosphorous burns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodstone Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Uncle Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marketeer Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Alfred, by far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Didn't Alfred recently shoot some punk who was trying to blackmail Bruce Wayne because he found out he was Batman? Anyway, my favorites: Jarvis Alfred Mary Jane Thunderbolt Ross (as a foil) Aunt May JJJ (see, Ross, Thunderbolt) Flash Thompson Lois Lane Ma & Pa Kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan D. Hurricanes Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? I guess we're forgiving the super identities of Lois, Lana, Jimmy and Rick for now. Those stories were all pretty much pre-crisis anyway, iirc. I think it would have to be JJJ. Few others got me so riled up or had me laughing out loud at different times. He is the very embodiment of you-love-to-hate-him. Perhaps it is because he is one of the most human characters out there. His portrayal in the movies was one of the greatest achievements of said movies. I do like Alfred, too. He's been a very interesting wise old man archetype that became much more prominent and necessary as Bats descended into obsession. Pre-Lyja, Alicia Masters was a favorite (natch). But when she got involved with the Surfer...well, the less said of that the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJackBrass Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Lois? Alfred? Jimmy? Mere hangers-on. No no, for a real example of the indispensable ally, the indefatigable Everyman, there is only one character worthy of notice: Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Woozy Winks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetle Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Jarvis! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Commissioner Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Another vote for JJJ and Aunt May. Really, all of Spidey's supporting cast were excellent. Never had much emotionally invested in Jarvis, but always thought Wong was the $%#@. OK, technically he was a master martial artist, but compared to most of the beings that attacked Dr. Strange's mansion, he was definitely DNPC, Incompetant. Never was much of a DC reader back when, but Max Lord was fun at one point. bigdamnhero [twack!] “Message for you, sir.†Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithcurtis Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Ma and Pa Kent were two of the best characters to come out of the crisis. They have done more to humanize and ground Superman into a character we can identify than an army of Lois Lanes. Though many people moan and cry over changes in the post-crisis Superman stable, keeping those two alive has been a stroke of genius. Keith "Oh, and Alfred, too" Curtis PS. It's a shame Alfred's WWII past has gotten further and further from the possible. PPS. An army of Lois (Teri Hatcher) Lanes. Mmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lollygagger Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Ben Urich from the Daredevil series was always one of my favorites. A guy who keeps a superhero's secret identity because he knows in the long run society is better off, but who isn't afraid of using the threat of outing the hero to blackmail the hero into doing the right thing when the right thing needs done. Oh... and go Alfred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? No love for Gordon? Does he not count because he's a cop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? No love for Gordon? Does he not count because he's a cop? Actually, if you'll allow me to switch the medium from Comics back to the Animated series... I'll give a big thumbs up for most of Gotham PD. Renee Montoya was my favorite. We get to see her rise up from honest blues cop to detective. Bullock was great as the cop you love to hate, and Gordan? In or out of Batman:tAS It's good to see an authority figure in the comics who isn't bumbling, arrogant, or bigotted and when he DOES get over his head, is man enough to admit it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caris Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Lois? Alfred? Jimmy? Mere hangers-on. No no, for a real example of the indispensable ally, the indefatigable Everyman, there is only one character worthy of notice: Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Woozy Winks. Except in Woozy's first appearance Police Comics #13, November 1942, Woozy did have Super Powers. Zambi the Soothsayer bestowed upon Woozy "protection from nature," which pretty much made him indistructable and impossible to capture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caris Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Sue Dibny, who has many of the same traits that Hermit praises in Mary Jane. I'm tempted to put Ma Hunkel, the golden age Red Tornado here, because she was a supporting character in Scribbly. Mindy Mayers was brilliant (as was most of Wonder Woman's supporting cast during the Perez run). Grant Morrison's version of the Baker Family in Animal Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Sue Dibny' date=' who has many of the same traits that Hermit praises in Mary Jane.[/quote'] And, to be fair, was doing so BEFORE Mary Jane and Peter were married. Good call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanguard00 Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Alfred ranks pretty near the top, if not numero uno. Aunt May is a close second, with Jarvis and Jameson tied for third. Honorable mention to Ben Urich, Robbie Robertson, Alicia Masters, Commish Gordon and Willie Lumpkin. Some of my favorite "non super" moments in comics have been with these characters. Does Sharon Carter (Agent of SHIELD) count? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kave99 Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Alfred,for all the right reasons Heather Hudson per powered armor[Alpha Flight],for having the life of peter parker till she becomes Vindicator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Re: Best supporting non-super character in comics? Ladies and gentlemen' date=' I give you... Woozy Winks.[/quote'] Did he lose his superpowers? Woozy was originally blessed by nature - nothing could harm him. I think you're right that this has been downplayed or written out in current continuity, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.