Seeing Characters for What We Want, Instead of Who They Are

 

“After much soul searching in his fortress of Basement Apartment, our defender of characters emerges pouring forth a topic he really wanted to talk about. It may be a while until our hero picks up the quill and parchment again, so enjoy what he has to say now!”

 

Hello fellow explorers,

It’s been a while. I didn’t know if I wanted to keep this blog up or not, but decided to give it another go. I think posting weekly will be a bit too hard to do so instead I am going to just do this when I feel like it as a way to relax. After all, thinking about this stuff is a lot of fun for me.

You know what else is fun? My roommate, Andrew. He has a blog all about manga (Japanese comics) that you can check out by just clicking this sentence! Andrew and I spend a lot of time together as we’re not only roommates but really good friends. We read each others comic books, we talk about a lot of cool (and sometimes rather pointless things) and we also watch anime together.

Here’s a fun fact: the term roommate has in its implication that the two people share a room, but usually for two heterosexual guys in their twenties, this is not the case as both of them would need a lot of privacy for all the sex they are having.

IN FACT, if two guys DID share a bedroom, people would consider them a bit more than friends and instead assume they are gay lovers. Case and point, this recent New Yorker cover portraying quite possibly the most recognizable roommates in western culture, Bert and Ernie, as a couple.

I want to put a joke in here, but I think anything I say will be tasteless and offensive. Sorry.

Unfortunately for the New Yorker, Bert and Ernie are, in fact, NOT GAY (those are two separate links, by the way)! They have never been gay, and hopefully never will be. Do I say that because I despise homosexual people and don’t want to see them on a show I haven’t watched since I was five? Nope. I do not harbor any ill-will to gay people.

“I’m holding out for someone who likes bubble baths and rubber duckies.”

I say that I never want to see them turned into gay characters because it takes away from who they are as characters. That is that they are two people who are very different, but manage to be the best of friends despite their differences. which, if you think about it, is a much stronger message for gay rights than making them into a couple. Because if those two can get along despite their differences, can’t we all do the same?

But this is a weird thing, right? In our culture, if two people are close, they are a couple. This is why when growing up if you’re a guy and you had a female best friend, you might get teased relentlessly for having a girlfriend, or why in high school if you don’t have a girlfriend (and especially if you have female friends) then again, you’re the object of ridicule as that means you’re gay.

But that’s just normal, right? I mean, no matter where you go in the world, if two people are always hanging out with one another, they are totally together even if they are guys. Like for real. There will never be a show anywhere in the world where two guys hang out, basically live together, love each other immensely, and are not homosexu…

I think they’re laughing at how narrow-minded some people are…

This is Gon (on the right) and Killua (on the left). They are the two main characters of the Japanese cartoon, Hunter X Hunter and guess what… there is absolutely no indication within the show that these two are lovers! They love each other, that part is fairly obvious by how they treat one another, but the way they treat one another also suggests that they are NOT a homosexual couple.

Before I continue, here’s a disclaimer. The comic book these two originate from (and as the cartoon follows the comic, the cartoon as well) is not done. It could be that older Gon looks to his white haired friend and professes his undying romantic affection for him. But I doubt it.

The funny thing is, this is NOT the only japanese cartoon that does NOT involve a romantic relationship. In fact, a lot of the Japanese cartoons that I have watched that do include a romantic subplot do not have it as its central theme. Some, like my favorite Japanese cartoon which is called One Piece, only has romance as a comedy bit. The creator has stated in the past that he does not plan for any of the characters to hook up. That’s weird, Japan… where’s your obsession with sex?

Here’s the thing. Japan is NOT as crazed about sex as people may think. According to this study, the average Japanese person will have sex 45 times a year which is a lot less than everyone else around the world. this study talks about Japan’s plummeting birthrate due to all the sex they are not having.

The reason I bring this up is that here, we have a problem with Bert and Ernie not being a couple and the reason (probably) is that our culture views sex as kind of an end point. In romantic comedies, it seems the driving force for the couple is the libido. Teen dramas are all about people hooking up and other things that also happen (but mostly people hooking up). Heck, the Transformer movies seem to be more interested in Sam Witwicky and his quest to get laid than those cars that Transform and protect the earth and stuff. In fact, if you look on the IMDb cast list, you’ll notice that the actual transformers aren’t listed until 73 other characters (one of which is only listed as “Moustache Man”) are shown.

“I know that my ancient civil war against the decepticons is important, but not as important as Sam getting to “park his car” in Mikaela’s “garage”… if you know what I mean ;) … I mean sex.”

“Yes, Optimus, we know. We get it.”

Is there life outside of the bedroom? Can two guys in our culture really just be roommates without people lobbying for their right to be married?

This is a heavy-handed topic that I would normally reserve for my other blog, "Walking in the Garden" but I am using this topic for this blog because I hate what this turns characters into. They are no longer themselves, but a walking pile of hormones looking for their next lay. First off, that says something deeply disturbing about our society. It says that, above all, sex is more important than the people having the sex. Should an action be prized above a person? I don’t think so.

Second off, it will get in the way of the narrative. For whatever reason, Sam’s relationship with Mikaela in the Transformer movies took front seat while the ancient robot civil war was pushed into the trunk. It was there because the name of the movie was “Transformers” and that is not because the plot revolved around it.

So I say no more. No more do I want to watch something that HAS to have a romantic subplot. If it has one, it has one and there is nothing I can do about that, but I want people here to know that it doesn’t need one and we should not be too quick to put romantic labels on something that is clearly not romantic in nature.

If you’re looking for something that doesn’t have a heavy-hand in the bedroom, the Scarlet Spider comic out right now has a romance in it, but it’s secondary to the plot which is more focused on kind of a big brother, younger sister relationship between Kain (the Scarlet Spider) and a girl he rescued in the first comic.

By the way, just like Bert and Ernie share a bedroom that has two beds and are best of friends, Andrew and I ALSO share a bedroom with two beds. Neither of us have sex (with others or each other) so we don’t really need one bedroom each. I suppose when you boil everything down, the REAL reason the whole Bert and Ernie thing irks me is that it takes me friendship with Andrew and puts it in a box that it does not belong in.

- Joy-Rider

“There you have it, fellow explorers! The issues of putting everything into a romantic setting AND no mention of Spider-Man (Scarlet Spider is NOT Spider-Man… he’s Spider-Man’s clone… he doesn’t count!). Who knows the next time Joy-Rider will regail us with a defense of a character. Who knows if it will be related to Tim Sale’s portrayal of Batman villains. I mean, I don’t… I’m just an announcer character made up by Joy-Rider… ANYWAYS! TUNE IN NEXT TIME (whenever THAT is).”

Defense of the Young Folk

“Where the crap is our hero? Where did he go?! I DO NOT UNDERSTAND! Joy-Rider, COME BACK!”

Hello explorers,

Woah that was a loooooong hiatus. So, for a while there I was sick… and in school… and doing ministry stuff… and working… and trying to have a social life. Now I am no longer in school (but all that other stuff is still there). I suck at keeping promises when it comes to this blog and I am very sorry to its loyal followers (meaning my roommate and precisely no one else currently… though that may change at one point or another).

My roommate wouldn’t appreciate me posting his real picture, so this is what he looks like in his soul. Also, he wouldn’t like me using this to represent him, but what is he going to do, smother me in my sleep? It’s not like that guy knows where I… oh… oh no…

Well, I’m back now. I guess I shouldn’t have taken on so much. That was immature of me, eh? I mean, only someone who was in Junior High or High School would be so immature! Man, adolescents should not be trusted with anything… ESPECIALLY the responsibilities of being a super hero. Good thing THAT never happened because otherwise it would probably suck.

Sorry, wait a sec. I just saw a picture of Batman with some scrawny guy beside him.

 What is the deal with the speedo? Is it swimming weather already?

Huh… apparently that guy’s name is Robin? Hold on… I’m going to go read a bunch of current comics that feature him and maybe watch a t.v. show or two that has him in it.

___

HOW DID I NOT SEE HOW COOL A TEENAGE SUPER-HERO COULD BE?!

Alright, so I didn’t actually need to read anything. My first exposure to Robin was two-fold. First, the Batman t.v. series from the sixties and second, the animated Batman series from the nineties. I liked both when I was a kid but had more of a heart for the cartoon version. He was like a kid (ok, a college student, but still)! I was a kid! Why shouldn’t I like him?

However, as I grew older I grew away from the teenage super-hero for the most part because I listened to people badmouth Robin a lot. I’m sure you have all heard the jokes. There have been jokes about Robin being Batman’s partner in bed more than his partner in crime, or how it’s stupid that Robin wears bright colors, or that he always gets kidnapped which makes him more of a plot device so Batman can have a story to tell.

“Correct, Dick… And by ‘repair’ I mean make-out with, and by ‘the batmobile’ I mean you ;) “

Yeah, if Robin was a template for what the teenage super-hero was, then man, the teenage super-hero is a stupid and awful thing… except… I mean… Robin wasn’t the only teenage super-hero. There was also this other guy who came a few decades later. He was also a teenage super-hero, and he wasn’t all that bad… in fact, well… it was this guy:

If I ever get sent to a hospital for broken legs and my arm ripped out of my socket, you can blame it on Stan Lee for helping to make such an awesome character!

Yes, Spider-Man! My favorite super-hero of all time is Spider-Man and he got his start when he was just a teenager! In fact, currently there are a few Spider-Man related comics out and one of them is set in an alternate universe where Peter Parker is dead. There, there is a new Spider-Man and he is only thirteen years old and to be honest, I LOVE THAT GUY!

Okay, so Spider-Man was a teenager once and there’s another Spider-Man who is a tween. Fine. Maybe some teenagers can be super-heroes. Maybe the whole problem with Robin (and a lot of other teenage super-heroes in the D.C. universe) is that he is a side-kick and therefore he’s a throwaway. Sure, he’s still in the comic, but really the comic is about Batman, so who really cares about Robin?

Here’s the thing. Up until a year or so ago, I really only thought of Robin in terms of the campy Batman t.v. show from the sixties and the animated series from the nineties that featured a college-age Robin who was not around all that often. That and also the Joel Schumacher Batman films.

Nanananananana, nanananananana BAT-NIPPLES!

And then I read the Batman and Robin comics done by Grant Morrison. Those comics star Dick Grayson (the original Robin) as Batman and Damien Wayne (the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul who was trained to be a very deadly assassin before he was old enough to read) as Robin. That, dear explorers, was a freaking awesome experience! Not only did the original Robin add a LOT when he took on the part of being Batman, Damien Wayne as Robin was pure awesome! I loved it!

The fact is, I have begun loving more and more teen super-heroes and I now love the idea of side-kicks to the point of wanting Miles Morales in the main-line Marvel Universe as a sidekick for Spider-Man. I think sidekicks and teen super-heroes in general have a lot more to offer character development than the adult super-heroes.

First off, being a teenager is a time of discovery no matter what. Are you defined by your music choice and therefore labeled a punk, metal-head, or gangster (or maybe even a ska-kid like I was/am) or are you going to choose a different identifier based on your interests (perhaps you’re in the school band or you’re a drama kid, or a book-worm)? Because people are discovering who they are, they’re usually not as comfortable with that yet and as such people go out of their way to hide who they are in an attempt to find out who they can and can’t be honest with.

This is displayed beautifully in the relationship between Hulkling and Wiccan. These two guys show up in a team called the Young Avengers. They seem to be rather close. After reading the comic for a while, you finally see why. They’re actually a couple! It wasn’t something that was put out right away but there were subtle hints (that got a lot more obvious as the series progressed) that pointed in that direction until you finally knew for sure that, yes, they are a gay couple. That is a teenage thing to do. You hide who you are and maybe only let out subtle hints until finally, it’s discovered.

Be honest with yourself. If you saw this scene and did not already know about Hulkling and Wiccan, would you know they were together as a couple?

Another great way to see character development here is by the mistakes these teens make. When someone utterly fails, it is how they recover from that which determines what they do next. In an episode of Young Justice, the team of former sidekicks end up failing miserably in a simulation. The next episode you see the team each receive some one-on-one counseling. You find out that Robin doesn’t really want to be like Batman and Aqualad is so upset from the failure that he’s ready to resign. From this show of vulnerability, you also see what Kid Flash and Artemis truly think about one another, what truly drives Superboy, and how Miss Martian feels about her part in the previous episode (I don’t want to spoil it if you haven’t seen it, but she takes the whole thing worse than anyone else).

Superman is super. He is virtually impossible to beat. Batman is well trained and has been doing the superhero thing for years. When these guys make mistakes, it’s probably a lot easier for them to come back from the mistakes because they have the experience that will help them deal with the problem at large. The teenage counterparts? Well, Superboy has less of an intense power-set than Superman and Robin is just starting out on his own. While Batman and Superman are set in stone character-wise, Robin and Superboy are more like clay that is slowly taking shape before being put into the oven to harden.

Not only do these characters reveal a lot more about themselves, but they also add a lot more to their adult counterparts. For example, in an episode of Young Justice, you see the Justice League debating the merits of certain people being in the League. Captain Marvel is brought up because the League found out he was actually only ten years old and Batman is quick to come to his defense. Wonder Woman makes a snide comment about Batman bringing in Robin as a crime fighter “at the ripe old age of nine”. Batman mentions how Robin needed to bring his parents murderers to justice. Wonder Woman’s response is pointing out that Batman maybe wants Robin to become just like him, but Batman calmly explains that he invests in Robin so Robin doesn’t become like him. This brings up an interesting question… does Batman hate what he does? If so, why does he do it? Or maybe Batman hates himself which leads down a whole other path that is not good to get into right now.

This also allows for the adult super-hero to confront what they do or who they are. Captain America in the Ultimate Universe blames himself for the death of Peter Parker, so when he sees Miles Morales running around, his first thought and action is to stop him from being Spider-Man. This reveals more than Cap’s blame, though. It also shows how compassionate he is, that he learns from his mistakes, and that he can be sometimes be quite quick to make a decision. All of this from a very simple interaction.

Here’s the downside I have found with most teen superheroes. There comes a point when the writer just ditches subtle nuance or playing around with extravagant failures. These things happen sometimes in huge events and I think they happen because people don’t generally buy as many comics based off of younger heroes. As a result they go for the cheap reveal that doesn’t really make too much sense (like when Striker of Avengers Academy announced he was gay, it came out of nowhere with no real buildup at all). Or maybe they’ll kill someone off too quickly and not bring them back for unexplained reasons (like when Stature of the Young Avengers was killed a few pages after her dad was brought back to life via a time glitch that could have easily been used again but isn’t for kind of a dumb excuse).

Fellow explorers, I urge you to go to the stores and invest in some younger heroes so that maybe they can have the chance to give you some really good stories. After all, teen heroes have a lot to offer because they are teens. They are interesting because they have issues with growing up to go alongside their superpowers, they have to discover who they are while fighting evil, and Their failures are more harsh than an older heroes failures because they’re not used to failure yet and they may not know exactly what they want out of life.

I guess my overall point is this; if you truly want to have a story that will be loaded with character development or a story that will force you to pick up on subtle clues, then pick up a story about a teen superhero and be prepared to be surprised by how good it is!

Sincerely,

Joy-Rider

 

“Joy-Rider did it! He spoke very little about Spider-Man (though still perhaps a bit too much). He has made certain promises, however, about being more faithful to this blog! Can he do it? Will he bring up Spider-Man again? Will someone other than his roommate read this? Find out the answer to some of the questions next time on, “In Character”!”