Boba Fett Sucked (But Was Still Important)

Let me be clear.

Boba Fett, the bounty hunter character from the original Star Wars trilogy, is awful as a character. I've never read about him in any novel, and I probably won't. In the films, he is basically just a cool suit of armor. He was originally created as part of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special for crying out loud. As a cartoon!

Still cooler than you, Luke.

Star Wars as a franchise has a history of making some really cool looking characters that don't actually do much of anything. There was a whole cantina full of aliens in the first film that spawned any number of action figures for characters that were on camera for literally two seconds. Boba Fett isn't the worst offender in this group by far.

What are you talking about, man?

But he is still a totally overrated character, and is inexplicably high on the list of favorite Star Wars characters when he doesn't actually have a character. Smarter, more observant nerds than me have pointed this out before now, so I don’t pretend that his is new information. All he manages to accomplish is tracking the Millenium Falcon to Bespin. After that, he calls the Empire to do his dirty work, collects an easy payday in Han Solo’s bounty, then fails to keep his trophy subdued even though Han Solo is blind and disoriented. He does nothing and goes down like a punk. A tracking device would have been more useful.

Call the Empire now, idiot.

The prequels give us a Boba Fett who is a little kid that sees his Dad? Clonedad? murdered in front of him, and what? Swears revenge against someone? Maybe? I think the Jedi. He is a big nothing in the prequels, and it was such an obvious nod to fans as to make it laughable. Even the clone helmets don’t stay looking like Fett’s for long. Poor little Boba never gets that sweet sweet revenge, unless you count the other clones of his Clonedad shooting all the Jedi in the back. I guess that kind of counts.

Seriously, he is not a character. Name one character trait about Boba Fett that has nothing to do with his profession or his clothes. Can't do it, can you?

But Boba Fett is important, and here’s why:

Without Boba Fett, there are no Mandalorians. Without the Mandalorians, big chunks of story in the Clone Wars animated series don’t happen. Without the Mandalorians, there are no Mandalorian Mercs, a Star Wars cosplay group second only to the 501st. And, my personal favorite, without Boba Fett there would be no Sabine Wren.

Same awesome helmet; now with actual character inside!

If you aren’t familiar, Sabine Wren is a character in the newish Star Wars Rebels animated series, and she’s pretty much my favorite main character in it. She is Mandalorian, with roots in the Mandalorian characters from Clone Wars (don’t want to spoil it). She is also a card-carrying badass. When they need something blown up, she’s the one they ask. But she’s also an artist, a pilot, and a loyal friend.

What I'm trying to say is that she's better than Boba Fett.

So Boba's legacy is bigger than him. Even though he is barely a character, and a sucky one at that, he is still important. He is important because his cool suit of armor inspired a whole race of people, among whom are some pretty awesome characters, like Sabine Wren.

To bring it back around to Boba for a sec, I wonder if he even knows he is a Mandalorian. He was Jango Fett’s “Son” but did he go back to Mandalore? Did he even know? I have to think no, because every other Mandalorian, Sabine Wren included, is a badass, and Boba Fett just sucked. The best thing he did for Star Wars was look cool enough that people didn't realize he sucked.

I can't wait for the Boba Fett solo movie because I have literally zero idea what the character will be like. I hope he's a total idiot who sucks at his job but is extremely lucky. Like, despite his screwups, he still manages to catch the bounty and foil his competitors completely by accident. Haha, what a jerk.

On Pandering and Why it's Stupid

My blog is once again back from the dead. It typically comes back when I have feelings, and today I bring some feelings. I wanted to talk a little bit about pandering, and why it’s bullshit, specifically in geeky media.

Now, there is a lot going on in geekdom lately. People who haven’t been represented well in the past are standing up and demanding to be noticed. Either as a result of creators listening to those voices, or alternatively but probably less frequently, underrepresented people becoming creators, we are seeing a boom in media that has more representation of race, orientation, sex, religion, whatever.

This is a good thing. I can’t imagine how anyone would think that this is not a good thing, or is specifically bad or hurtful to one’s favorite form of media. Maybe some of you don’t understand what I’m getting at. Let me use an example.

Comic books. Comic books have long been dominated, in terms of creators and their creations, by straight white males. Superman, Batman, Spiderman, most of the X-Men, I could go on, but for the most part that’s what was out there. White dudes. Comics have gotten better over time, but for a long time there wasn’t much else. Just white dudes. Today, for whatever the reason, there are a lot of comics that follow female characters, black characters, gay characters, etc. Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Squirrel Girl, Midnighter, Captain America, Thor, Cyborg, Batgirl, Black Canary, Gotham Academy. There are more, but you get the picture.

I’ll choose the new Ms. Marvel as an example. The new Ms Marvel, Kamala Kahn, is the daughter of Pakistani immigrants. She is pretty far from the white male superhero readers are used to. Additionally, the book is written and edited by women, which is not unheard of but still somewhat rare.

Also, get this: It’s a really freaking great book.

And that’s it. That right there is all that should matter. It’s a really great book. It’s one of the best comics I read all of last year, and granted I didn’t read everything out there, but still, really great. It doesn’t matter that it features an immigrant female muslim protagonist (all things that I am not). It told a very human story that translates well to any experience, and it did it in a new and different way. (Variety is the spice of life, people).

Now, I told that story to tell this story.

I frequently go to comics websites to get news of what’s coming, or to get a feel for how a book I’m interested in is doing. I also, unfortunately scroll down to the comments sections. I wish I wouldn’t but I do. It makes me angry. Let me use another example.

There is a lesser-known comic hero by the name of Mockingbird. She is featured in the Agents of SHIELD TV show. She is, as of the writing of this, going to have her own solo series in a couple months, most likely as a result of the popularity of the show. I read a preview article on it that showed some panels and a few variant covers (which is a whole separate issue) and just a basic blurb of the upcoming comic. Then I came down to the comments section. Oh boy…

It wasn’t a torrent of vitriol, to be sure. There were a few comments that said, “hey this looks cool,” or “I don’t care for that art,” and other stuff like that, which is all well and good. Nothing is for everybody. But there were a couple of ranters. (I’m paraphrasing here)

“Enough, Marvel, quit ramming these characters down our throat because they are women or black or gay. I wish they would stop pandering to mindless liberalism.”

Oooo-kayy…

I have seen these sentiments again and again. And I stress, this isn’t everybody, but there is at least a vocal minority who are genuinely pissed off that there are Lady Thors and Black Captain Americas out there, and seem to feel like shaking things up a bit is “pandering” to some invisible Social Justice Warriors enclave that is sitting somewhere pulling the strings at Marvel. These are probably the same people that feel like “girls don’t read comics anyway” or that “This hero has always been white since the 60’s why change it”.

Are these people honestly thinking that a publishers are intentionally giving the middle finger to “true fans” (read: straight white male fans) in favor of these “token” minority characters? How would that be in any way good for their business? There may be SJWs pulling the strings, but they can’t make the fans buy the stuff. The assertion is that these characters and stories would be unworthy to publish if it weren’t for their minority status. And, if that were the case, these books wouldn’t sell at all. They would die a quick death. But, they are selling. People are buying them. If people didn’t buy them, the companies wouldn’t be making them.

Look at DC comics. DC has improved in its representation as well, but not quite as well as Marvel. Their flagship characters are still white dudes, and DC is getting trounced by Marvel in sales. (Again, that is direct market sales which is another thing for another time). So I don’t know guys. Maybe these are actually good stories? Maybe, just maybe, we are all tired of the same white muscly dudes in every story?

The idea that the industry would pander to a few knowing they would lose money in this capitalist society is ridiculous, especially given the current hunger in geekdom for new and different things. Comics as an industry are struggling, but it isn’t because of diversity. Quite the opposite. The fans are tired of the same old events and variants and moneygrabs, which is why independent creator owned books are doing so well. And again, those independant books, a lot of them feature diversity, and there is nobody up the corporate ladder telling people what to do. These books are creator-owned. So what does that tell you? Are they pandering too?

No. they are telling good stories. And good stories have good characters. Not white characters, not black characters, not straight characters, not gay characters, not male characters, not female characters, not trans characters. GOOD CHARACTERS. Period.

Pandering isn’t real. In fact, if straight white fanboys were the only ones reading comics, then pandering by definition would feature more straight white dude characters. Right? Huh?

I guess I’m done.

Writing update: Magician's Helper

I got another story out this month!
Bards and Sages Quarterly is featuring my short story "Magician's Helper". Check it out!

Story Time: Dragons!

So I posted my story from the Bards and Sages Anthology here. The story belongs to me, and I want as many people to see it as possible, so here it is! Enjoy.

Dragon's Folly

Review: Captain Marvel #9

Once in awhile a comic, or show, or movie comes along that gives me opinions; Sometimes really strong opinions. Good or bad, sometimes, just sometimes, these opinions are strong enough to write about. This is one of those times. 

Ziggy... er Carol played guitar...

I wanted to like this. I really, really did.

This series as a whole started really strong, and I loved the first arc. The last two issues with Rocket Raccoon have been OK, but despite some good humor and character work, there didn't seem to be any real stakes. I was looking forward to the next arc and a new set of problems for Carol to Punch her way out of. Instead, I get this one-off that is, while fun, yet another throwaway moment with no real stakes or suspense at all.

Taken on its own, the issue is light and fun. I'm not familiar with Lila Cheney, but she seems like an interesting character. The bulk of the dialogue is in rhyme, which you'd think would get old, but it works pretty well, although it did take me out of the story a bit. In a way, I'm glad it was a one-off because if I had to read another issue all in rhyme, I don't know how I'd feel about it.

The art, as always is great. I love David Lopez's style, and his use of facial expressions is fantastic. Nothing against Takara, but it is good to have Lopez back in the artist's chair.

I love Captain Marvel, and DeConnick and Lopez, but this issue was kind of disappointing. I'm really hoping the next arc that was teased on the very last page will be worth the wait.

Angela's Asses (Get it?)

So the cover for the new Marvel series Angela: Asgard's Assassin was revealed along with some teaser pages.

Let me begin by saying there have been some great leaps and bounds made by comics and by Marvel specifically in getting female-led superhero titles out there. The current runs of Ms Marvel, Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, Storm, and Black Widow, just to name a few, are by all accounts strong books with great stories. I haven't read all of them, but the ones I have read have been top-notch.

There are, on the horizon, a whole pile of titles coming next year that feature female leads as well. Spider-Gwen, Silk, and of course ANGELA: ASGARD'S ASSASIN.

I am happy that these books are out there and getting the attention they deserve. I've always had a tendency to like female heroes, and to see the direction that Marvel is going, well, I can't help but smile.

There was, of course the unfortunate alternate cover debacle for this month's Spiderwoman debut, but that doesn't mean the book won't be good. I feel like the fact that so many spoke out against it is a step in the right direction. The fans are not afraid to speak their mind, and it seems like the publishers are willing to take it to heart when they do.

That is why the new Angela title baffles me.

W--  Where are her pants?

Let's back up a bit.

I don't know Angela's origin as a character, except that she is an angel that was a foil for Image Comics's Spawn character. I do know that Image was founded in the 90's by a group of comics creators who thought comics were not EXTREME enough, and wanted to make the OMG MOST AWESUM COMICS EVAR, and that most of the original staple of SUPER EXTREME AWESUM X-men clones at Image are now gone. Image comics is now a place where creator-owned comics rule, and there are some fantastic titles in their current run. Back then, however, it was riddled with musclebound, foul-mouthed heroes and big chested, wasp-waisted spank-bank heroines. That is not to say that it was ALL bad, but there was a lot of bad. Even Marvel and DC were guilty of this at times.

Lobo doesn't count. He was satire.

Fast-forward to today, and the Angela character has somehow migrated over to Marvel. There is something to do with Neil Gaiman, who created Angela, taking his property from Image with him to Marvel, but I don't know, and I'm not going to find out because it's really not important. I guess someone somewhere liked Angela enough to want her integrated into Marvel continuity. I have no problem with that. I admittedly do not know the character at all, aside from her new Marvel persona's involvement with Thor (Spoiler: she's his long-lost sister or something).

The problem that I have is that it seems as though her costume has not changed since the OMG SO EXTREME 90s version.

Ok, she has fewer pouches.

I'm having a real problem with this decision. I mean, she came from another comics publisher altogether. Considering the way hero's costumes change over time within their own universes, I would think they could give Angela a little revamp. Look at what poor Psylocke used to look like:

I hope it's warm there...

And then look at Psylocke now:

How does she even move at all without her butt hanging out!?

Progress has been made, but why not for Angela? She's apparently supposed to be this angelic warrior with ribbon powers, I guess, but she's fighting people up close. With swords. She has this classic fantasy tropey armorkini along with big robust shoulder armor and gauntlets, and thigh-high armor boots. Then she has, like... a huge belt? That's all? Let's forget the possibility of accidentally cutting herself with her own sword, and imagine what area that her opponent would aim for in a fight. Probably the torso or face, right? I hope she doesn't have to fight any archers. At least her boobs will be safe.

It doesn't even bother me that she's as thin as a lingerie model. I prefer a little muscle on my warrior women, but that's not really the issue here. In a time when we're seeing less and less vacuum-sealed boob-women and bathing suit armor, how is Angela NOT getting some kind of revamped design?

They stare because she doesn't have any injuries at all.

Maybe she's nigh-invulnerable, and has no need for armor. I'm not sure. Still, being an angel, you would think she'd have some sense of practicality if not modesty.

She looks like a badass, and could even be a great character, but I can't get past that costume. It's ridiculous and outdated, and is basically the reason that I won't be reading Angela: Asgard's Assassin when it debuts this winter.

Bring on Spider-Gwen!

DC vs Marvel: More Things About Comics

I read comics.

Because I have a more than passing interest in comics, I am often led to websites that discuss comics and comic book characters, and, by extension, the TV and film adaptations of comics.

Not all of which have been that good.

Invariably, like the sound of screeching tires, my focus is drawn down to the comments section; that cesspool of trollery and fanboy bitching. I don't know why I even go down there except as a masochistic exercise. Maybe I have too much faith in humanity and need to take it down a peg. Of course it's not all bad. One can often find some interesting debates on there if one is willing to wade through all the one-sentence negativity that tends to pervade.

One thing that I feel like I see all the time, however, and it baffles me, is the "This is why I stopped reading *blank*." comment, where the *blank* is either DC or Marvel. There seems to be quite a bit of A is better than B, or I used to like A but now I like B discourse among fans. Maybe there has always been, but in the age of comment sections, it is more apparent now than ever.

In addition to that, there are more and more articles being written about how Marvel is beating DC in the cinematic universe, or how DC is outproducing Marvel on television. In the wake of the superhero mediasplosion that various films and TV shows have brought about, there seems to be a debate about who has the upper hand. Who is winning this battle? Who is winning in terms of prevalence? Who is winning in terms of quality? Who...  who cares!?

Is it Wolverine? I bet Wolverine cares.

I honestly don't understand why it matters who is winning. It really doesn't. If we are talking about video game consoles, there are endless places where one can find information (both factual and unsubstantiated opinions) about why Xbox is better than Playstation, or vice versa. And wasn't there a third one to choose? I thought there was...

No... maybe I was thinking of something else.

Anyway, this debate, as vitriolic as it can be, actually has some use to us as consumers because these things are major purchases. If you're considering buying a gaming system that costs $500 or more, you are probably going to want to do your research. What games are exclusive to each console? What bundles are available? What are the peripheral services and features? Which one sucks balls? These are important questions you want answered before dropping the better part of a week's salary on a TOY.

DC and Marvel are media companies that create and distribute entertainment. Watching the newest episode of The Flash does not automatically mean you can't watch Agents of SHIELD also and enjoy them both. You may like one over the other just as the next person likes them both equally. And then there's a third person who thinks Big Bang Theory is still funny and relevant. Let's all agree not to talk to that person anymore.

Bazooper.

Anyway, my point is that it doesn't matter. I like Ms Marvel. I like Batgirl. I like Daredevil. I like Dick Grayson. I don't see why it matters where these stories are coming from. Saying that DC is better than Marvel is like saying that Random House is better than Penguin Books. They are all just putting stuff out there. Both DC and Marvel have their flagship characters, and both have a stigma related to their past styles. DC is known for iconic, godlike characters, whereas Marvel has been known for telling the human stories behind the heroes. I feel like they have both diversified away from their core competency in interesting ways, and that both have some great things to offer.

There is no reason to choose one over the other. This isn't an all or nothing proposition. The debate makes no sense. "This is why I don't read Marvel anymore" is a very near-sighted opinion to have. If you don't like Avengers, read X men. If you don't like X men, read Captain Marvel. If you don't like Captain Marvel, then there is something seriously wrong with you.

I mean it, go read Captain Marvel.

These aren't $500 gaming systems, these are stories. Read them all. Watch them all. Love some of them. But don't get caught up in where they came from. When these two media companies are competing for our attention, we are the winners. If one of them loses, then we all do.