Pretty, Fizzy Paradise

I'm back! And reading! And maybe even blogging! No promises!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Okay, Why?

Okay, someone please enlighten me. After reading some solicits I have but one question.

Who the heck really cares about Red Tornado?

And by Red Tornado, I mean the android, not the cool old lady with the frying pan.

I mean, okay, I'm sure someone likes him, but REALLY? WHY does he get a comic again?

And I'm generally a fan of angsty robots!

I get the Magog thing, as at least the good Lance Corporal is INTERESTING, but why the heck does Red Tornado get a comic book.

Mostly, of course, I'm resentful that MY favorite doesn't EVER get one, despite having respectable Golden Age origins, a meaningful legacy inheritance, cool powers and a nifty costume. (Even if I miss the skin-tight bondage-esque green.) Hmph. :-)

posted by kalinara @ 1:48 PM  

14 Comments:

  • At June 14, 2009 2:10 PM, Anonymous Michael Rawdon said…

    Back in the 70s, the Red Tornado was even a bit of a running joke: He kept getting killed and coming back, and had an existential crisis that no one really cared about him, until the JLA reassured him that they did. But really, he was a fifth-string character. As fifth-string characters go, he's not bad, but still. I grew up reading JLA when he was in it, and even I have no nostalgia for the character.

    He had a mini-series back in 1985, drawn by Carmine Infantino (written by Kurt Busiek, oddly enough). I know I bought it at the time, but I have no memory of it.

     

  • At June 14, 2009 3:03 PM, Blogger Diamondrock said…

    Well, I like a *version* of Red Tornado. I liked Red Tornado in Young Justice and that's it. He still had the existential crisis going on but he was also snarky and sarcastic and had a great dry wit.

    I miss *that* Red Tornado...

     

  • At June 14, 2009 3:21 PM, Anonymous rich said…

    Seconded. The Young Justice version of Red was the high point of his career for me. Outside of that, just not an interesting character.

    I'll be surprised if that one lasts three issues, but maybe there's a huge fanbase out there that I'm unaware of.

     

  • At June 14, 2009 4:03 PM, Blogger Saranga said…

    I like Red Tornado. But I've only read him in YJ..am I to assume he isn't normally like that? *sigh* I'm sure I'll pick it up anyway.

     

  • At June 14, 2009 4:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I liked him in The Tornado's Path, so I would read it...if it were in a trade. I'd get it at a library though.

     

  • At June 14, 2009 5:31 PM, Blogger ShellyS said…

    I don't get it, either. I tolerate Red Tornado in the JLA books, but would never buy a book that featured him.

     

  • At June 14, 2009 8:30 PM, Blogger StacyHD said…

    My cynical guess would be largely writer fiat, combined with my growing dread that modern superhero comics are little more than sanctioned fan fiction.

    Stac

     

  • At June 14, 2009 10:58 PM, Blogger notintheface said…

    I remember reading DC Comics Presents#7 as a kid, where Reddy faced off against the Weaponers of Qward singlehandedly. He was actually pretty badass in this comic. Unfortunately, it would be one of the few times outside of Young Justice where he was like this (another was during the Meltzer arc where he tore Solomon Grundy in half).

     

  • At June 14, 2009 10:58 PM, Blogger Diabolu Frank said…

    I never cared about that poor man's Vision as a kid. Then I became a Martian Manhunter fan, and realized his 13 years absence from publishing was at least partially due to the vaguely similar Red Tornado's having replaced him in the JLofA for that period. Now, I typically refer to him only as "The Usurper," and chuckle at the number of times he's referenced online with complete indifference. In eight years of retailing and nearly thirty years of collecting, I can't recall having met a single Red Tornado fan, even online. If no one loves you somewhere on a message board, you should just instantaneously cease to exist. My only explanation is that the very few people who care enough to be irritated by him keep him anchored in the collective consciousness.

    God-- I never read much Young Justice but as desribed here he sounds just like a lite version of J'Onn J'Onzz in JLI. I think Diehard from Youngblood and Spartan of the WildC.A.T.s have more fans (I personally love NoMan, since he's in on the joke.)

     

  • At June 15, 2009 12:23 AM, Blogger K. D. Bryan said…

    I also liked him in Young Justice and he's good to tolerable in the new Batman cartoon but on the whole? He elicits a resounding meh, if that.

     

  • At June 15, 2009 3:57 AM, Blogger kalinara said…

    Frank: I am totally a fan of Spartan from Wildcats actually.

    Mostly for the way he would blow up in almost every story. He was the WildCATS's Kenny, really. And also the Jack Marlowe stuff was pretty interesting.

     

  • At June 15, 2009 3:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I think the answer is, DC editorial likes Red Tornado. Outside of his Young Justice appearances, no one else. He is after all just a cheap Vision knock-off.

    -- Jack of Spades

     

  • At June 19, 2009 2:30 AM, Anonymous Ginrummyryan said…

    Well I had the superpowers action figure in the 80s and it was pretty cool....

     

  • At September 01, 2011 1:08 AM, Anonymous Clarence said…

    check this | there | this site | here | this page | there | check this

    check this | there | this site | here | this page | there | check this

    there | this page | check this | this site | here | this page | there | check this

     

Post a Comment

<< Home