assault Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 This is just a silly idea that has been floating around my head: villains based on various "perils" feared by 50s era paranoids, and coded according to the colours of the spectrum. So we have: Red Peril - obvious. Orange Peril - ?? Yellow Peril - OMG the Chinese are coming! Green Peril - The Evil Weed, drawing inspiration from films like Reefer Madness. Blue Peril - ?? Indigo Peril - ?? Violet Peril - actually Lavender. 'Cos Gay people are scary, if you're a McCarthyite paranoid. Orange (as Saffron) can have an association with Hinduism, and eastern religion in general, particularly mediated through the hippies. Of course, for a 50s flavour, hippies would be replaced by Beatniks. It's a bit of a stretch though. Blue could be associated with Cherenkov radiation, and thus Radioactive Monsters. In other words, the Hulk would be blue, not green. Indigo?? Well, if you ignore that space is actually black, I suppose it could be associated with aliens. Very weak, though. Does anyone have any better suggestions? Note that the only Political Correctness that belongs here is that of McCarthyism. "Un-Americans" are Eeevil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils Orange Peril - ?? I'd probably adapt something from this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted February 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils I'd probably adapt something from this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Order I thought of that, but it's not really a McCarthyite peril. More the opposite, unfortunately. (McCarthy himself was a Catholic of mostly Irish descent though). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils I thought of that' date=' but it's not really a McCarthyite peril. More the opposite, unfortunately. (McCarthy himself was a Catholic of mostly Irish descent though).[/quote'] Sure, but not every '50s peril would have to be McCarthyite in nature. Ramp up the anti-Catholism, freemasonry, and potential KKK comparisons, and you might have something. It's not '50s related, really, but the whole '70s "indigo children" movement might provide some ideas as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils Water fluoridation Da Jooz (always) Black radicalism And of course comic books themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattingly Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils The research program that led to the discover of Agent Orange began in the 50s, so the Orange Peril could be chemical warfare. Blue peril could come from the ocean. The kingdom of Atlantis is at hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ockham's Spoon Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils I can think of a number of targets of paranoia (several mentioned above) but associating them with colors is hard to do. Some other targets would be: Space Aliens Atheists Negroes Feminists Entertainers (rock musicians, actors, writers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt the Bruins Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils When I hear indigo I think of "Mood Indigo." Jazz music-playing subversives! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils When I hear indigo I think of "Mood Indigo." Jazz music-playing subversives! Jazz was more of a 1920s menace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted February 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils The beatniks were into jazz, so that mightn't be a bad option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigereye Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils The fears of McCarthyites also included rock-and-roll, of course. This could be the Blue Peril (or rather, the "Blues Peril") in reference to rhythm and blues, from which rock was a direct descendant. The indigo peril may refer to the fears of racists - I've heard of people (in Wisconsin) referring to especially dark skin as "indigo black". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted February 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils The fears of McCarthyites also included rock-and-roll' date=' of course. This could be the Blue Peril (or rather, the "Blues Peril")[/quote'] Ooh. The Blues Peril. I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balabanto Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils You guys realize this is potentially extremely racist, right? There's no way to get around that "Yellow Peril." Just. None. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted February 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils You guys realize this is potentially extremely racist' date=' right? There's no way to get around that "Yellow Peril." Just. None.[/quote'] Also homophobic. The perils are the fears of American fascists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassandra Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 Re: Silver Age villain concepts: The Seven Perils Blue Peril - Water or Cold Yellow Peril - Heat from the Sun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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