Action Heroes? We Got 'Em!!!

[Earth 2 Chris]

^I've never read that. I know it influenced Kingdom Come somewhat, and I understand Moore's aborted "Twilight" DC crossover event was very similar to this.

Chris

[samurainoir]

I found Super Folks in the library when I was in the 8th grade and found it kind of freaky! There was the oddly graphic incestuous stuff between the Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel analogues... that folks have noted seemed to pop up in Alan Moore's Twilight of the Superheroes proposal.

I'm not sure if Moore had ever read Super Folks, but I know Grant Morrison has admitted it was a huge influence on him.

[PNGwynne]

I have mixed feelings about both of them, although I'll admit to enjoying Moore's work quite a bit. Their self-aggrandizement at the expense of other creators puts me off. Neil Gaiman is both more gentlemanly and more talented IMO.

[samurainoir]

I have mixed feelings about both of them, although I'll admit to enjoying Moore's work quite a bit. Their self-aggrandizement at the expense of other creators puts me off. Neil Gaiman is both more gentlemanly and more talented IMO.

Gaiman's always been my favourite as well. He's doing incredible stuff with JH Williams right now in Sandman Overture.

[PNGwynne]

^He was interviewed recently on NPR promoting that, it sounds great.

[LadyZod]

^I've never read that. I know it influenced Kingdom Come somewhat, and I understand Moore's aborted "Twilight" DC crossover event was very similar to this.

Chris

If you've never read it, I do recommend it if for nothing else, it's place as an influence on modern writers deconstructing the Superhero genre.

(it's available on Amazon, snatch it using the Museum link if possible.) The latest printing has a Mike Allred cover.

Better folks than I have taken the time to connect Alan Moore's stories to the themes in this book, and I recommend reading those essays. But if you want to know in a nutshell:

The lead is a Superman analog/parody. Saved from the exploding planet "Cronk" by his parents sticking him in a spaceship and launched to earth. Raised as an earthling. Vulnerable to Cronkite. (You just can't make this up.)

His main villains include an imp from the 5th dimension, Pxyzsyzygy and a mad scientist named Logar.

Pretty much the book is around a middle aged overweight Superhero in retirement (Marvelman? Night Owl -Watchmen?) who gets brought back into action to solve a conspiracy involving multiple shell corporations (Watchmen) out to kill the Superhero (Whatever Happened to the Man of tomorrow?)

Themes can be similar... but why do people point at Alan Moore and say "j'accuse!" ?

Evil Capt Marvel Jr analog.
Imp from 5th dimension getting fed up with being comic relief turns killer at the end... and along kills all his pals.
A Capt Marvel analog who cannot remember his magic word to become a hero.
The conspiracy against the hero is similar to the one featured in Watchman, if one reads all the supplemental material.

(The incestuous relationship between the Marvels is taken almost beat by beat in the Twilight of the Superheroes proposal)

And of course Alan Moore finally fessing up in a way to say that yes, he did read in the book in the late 1970's and that yes, it was an influence when he started Marvelman.

There is really no major influence on Kingdom Come, other than the retired hero theme, which by the time KC came out it was a theme that was derivative of a derivative.

Now back to the regular thread, already in progress...

[samurainoir]

There is really no major influence on Kingdom Come, other than the retired hero theme, which by the time KC came out it was a theme that was derivative of a derivative.

[/COLOR]

Although it's something we can ask Mark Waid about when he shows up at Mego Meet! 8)

[Starroid Raiders Dagon]

Hey, that is cool Mark will be there. I read that he is renaming his store Aw Yeah Comics Muncie, and I wondered if he might be at Mego Meet. That would be really cool to talk to him.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=59019

[samurainoir]