tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post840765260372173298..comments2023-09-21T02:26:29.002-05:00Comments on Power of the Atom: Ryan Choi, 2006-2010Diabolu Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post-49887804795520512632010-05-20T18:19:25.981-05:002010-05-20T18:19:25.981-05:00Choi's book was a lot of fun, and funny withou...Choi's book was a lot of fun, and funny without being jokey. This sucks. Bah!Lukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352646370918575626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post-49030935163066639882010-05-18T01:44:05.217-05:002010-05-18T01:44:05.217-05:00What she said, including the part about Choi worki...What she said, including the part about Choi working by getting his own name/powers, which I mentioned on somebody else's blog when it probably needed to be said here.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post-32871815758692467392010-05-18T01:14:59.726-05:002010-05-18T01:14:59.726-05:00Shag makes a great point with the whole "what...Shag makes a great point with the whole "what happened to the promise of brighter days in BRIGHTEST day?" I can't help feeling a tad cheated with Blackest Night failing to deliver on my expectations.<br /><br />With that being said, though, Ryan Choi just didn't work for me. It's not because he's a minority, and it's certainly not because he's Asian. I just didn't find him all that fascinating as a character. However, the implication that those who yearn for the Silver Age condone racism and sexim bugs me just a little. If I believe the remake of The Manchurian Candidate fell flat and prefer the original 1960's version with a white British guy in the lead, does that mean I'm being racially insensitive because Denzel Washington starred in the remake?<br /><br />I have no problems with Ryan Choi as a person. I just don't like him as a copy of Ray Palmer. He's just another smart guy who can shrink. Except that Ryan's younger. If there really is a minority in comics, it's heroes who are older than 40. When Ryan Choi came along, all I could think was, "Oh, Ray Palmer's too boring because he's 'old,' and they need a young guy to make The Atom more exciting and edgy again for the younger audience."<br /><br />Not only that, I'm really tired of Superhero families. They're all over the place! GLs, Flashes, Bat-famililes, Super-families. Doesn't anyone get to make it on his own anymore? And originally, wasn't it only Ray Palmer who could shrink because he came in contact the white dwarf star? How'd Jean Loring go around shrinking by just borrowing his belt? (Obviously they retconned the white dwarf thing out of existence. But then what's the point? Then everyone can shrink.) Something about The Atom just screams single-hero-no-one-else-with-the-same-name. I really can't put into words why I feel that way, I just do.<br /><br />But...if Ryan Choi were to be a sidekick or partner to Ray, but with a <i>different superhero name</i>, that I wouldn't mind, or if his powers were slightly different, but still somehow "atomic" in nature and complimented Ray's powers, then that would work even better. It's just the mantle of The Atom that bugs me, but I take issue with every successor to any mantle, no matter what race, gender, or whatever is involved. (i.e. Dick Grayson.)<br /><br />Granted, I didn't read the Villains for Hire one shot, so I really can't comment with any authority on the subject matter, but I never really felt much for the character. I might change my mind if I read it, though, because seeing the poor guy in a matchbox might send me over the edge.LissBirdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post-39557512193610137132010-05-14T11:25:42.976-05:002010-05-14T11:25:42.976-05:00Wow. I'm really bummed about Ryan's death...Wow. I'm really bummed about Ryan's death. I enjoyed his series for the most part, but really enjoyed the character. Since we've got 47 guys named Flash, why couldn't we have two guys named Atom?<br /><br />I thought Blackest Night was supposed to slow down the numerous and callous killings in the DC Universe. <br /><br />This is a real shame. Ray could have been the primary Atom, with Ryan as a supporting character. There were tons of possibilities if only given to a writer that cared.<br /><br />Short-sighted decision by DC in my opinion.<br /><br />The Irredeemable Shag<br />http://onceuponageek.com<br />http://firestormfan.comThe Irredeemable Shaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01620741461584124844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post-77217974495645428192010-05-14T06:23:58.326-05:002010-05-14T06:23:58.326-05:00Preaching to the choir with me, sister!Preaching to the choir with me, sister!Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post-45075442911737129382010-05-14T01:23:36.944-05:002010-05-14T01:23:36.944-05:00I so want to get in on this debate but I can barel...I so want to get in on this debate but I can barely keep my eyes open. Tomorrow!LissBirdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post-91501695288178848912010-05-13T18:08:18.833-05:002010-05-13T18:08:18.833-05:00Damn M.C.! That touched a nerve! I'll tell you...Damn M.C.! That touched a nerve! I'll tell you what-- you ever want a place to lay down some Ryan Choi love on the internet, I'll authorize you to have authorial privileges right here on this blog.<br /><br />Anyway, back in the late '90s, I called out Goyer and Johns as racist-by-association for hewing so closely to lily white legacy characters on <i>JSA</i>. Specifically, I was pissed they took the lamest zero of the Golden Age and wrapped the name Mr. Terrific around the neck of their obvious token black, at least until he got killed off in some crossover. A decade on, Mr. Terrific is one of the best and most prominent mainstream heroes of color around. I wish I didn't have to add that qualifier at the end, but there's still a ways to go yet.<br /><br />The point is, while Johns ticks me off plenty, I have faith in the guy in general. I wish they'd let Jason Rusch remain the face of Firestorm, but he's still in there. John Stewart is <i>finally</i> getting at least half a book. It's far short of ideal, and royally sucks to be Asian/Latino/etc., but I'm not sure DC or Marvel are set up to build new characters of any color these days. They're nostalgia machines gleefully running less memorable heroes through the meat grinder and heaping adoration on their pre-70s Caucasian pantheon.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6399979678107201675.post-52522655414110860132010-05-13T09:57:42.188-05:002010-05-13T09:57:42.188-05:00BULLSHIT.
You have some good points about his sli...BULLSHIT.<br /><br />You have some good points about his slipping right into Ray's mileau, but in the series this felt more like homage and genuine succession than simple racial bait and switch. You know there is this English blogger "too much time thinking about my comics" who took serious issue recently with the Johns Action Comics Legion revamp, pointing out that by being so faithful to the silver age make up of these teams, we are also being faithful to the racist exclusion of non whites from our comics.<br />So, while Ryan Choi is redundant with Palmer's ascendance, and in reality, the hero game would have a lot more casualties than it does, I find the loss of one of the better realized Asian immigrant superheroes sad.<br /><br />Plus, he was a neat guy, and Simone did some quality superhero 101 on that series.<br /><br />Here's hoping Brightest day starts going nuts with that white ring stuff and brings him back toot sweet.mathematicscorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15439579069513071094noreply@blogger.com