Friday, February 24, 2006

Superhero teenage angst and their success

Superman has Smallville, and now they are putting together a teenage Aquaman show. Now, I write this without watching a single episode of Smallville, so try not to get too angry at me if I slip and bash it accidently. I've never watched it becuase it has no draw for me. I like Superman as a character, but angsty teenage drama doesn't appeal to me - I experienced enough in high school and college.

Aquaman, as random as it sounds, makes a bit of sense to be used as a basis for another show of this type. The big three - Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are the prime choices. Superman is taken already and has been a hit, and there's no rational reason to try to repeat the success of it by copying it with other people.

Wonder Woman is too focused of a story on her island as a kid. As far as I know, she didn't enounter any men until at least after her teenage years. There wouldn't be much potential for emotional stress of pains of heartbreak. Sure, a few episodes may be good at the start, but it would never last past a season.

Personally, I would have liked a show about Bruce Wayne. There is much potential there. Bruce is mortal, and we know he traveled around the world in his later teenage years. There is also a lot of angst and anger managment issues to play with, multiplied by his growing reputation as a ladies man. I know that a pilot was written and submitted, but eventually not produced - WB wanted to focus on Batman Begins, and I likes that they put so much work into that movie. However, I don't really agree that they should have chosen one in place of the other, becuase Batman Begins still didn't show his teenage years.

With Batman and Wonder Woman out of the picture, its up to the next popular ones on the slate - Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Flash. There are others with lesser over all popularity, but from what I know those three are basically the next set in popularity.

Green Lantern isn't a single hero, and the Green Lanterns didn't get their powers until they got the rings - meaning they can't have internal power struggles until they are older, so no teenage angst. That's not to say they don't have issues, just that they didn't get really important until they had their rings to bring them into important plot issues.

Originally the Flash didn't come into his powers until a science experament messed up and gave Barry Allen his super speed, as far as I know (forgive me if I have it wrong, I don't follow flash very well). Being an adult at that point, there is once again no teenage drama. Wally West is in the same boat I think. Kid Flash doesn't really have a reason to exist if the others are not already established, pretty much eliminating his chances. Besides, the Flash already had his shining moment as the short lived TV series (with Mark Hamill as the Trickster).

Leaving Aquaman, who aside from being the center of so many jokes, has the best chances. He's always had his powers, and more than likely felt ackward as a teenager becuase of them.

Now, I don't really have a feeling either way about the Aquaman show, just as I don't have an opinion about Smallville. I just felt like working through an observation. If the show is a success, more power to the execs at WB, but they shouldn't screw with continuity should they run into the chance to hit important plot points - or at least make sure its known it isn't canon.

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2 Comments:

At 12:29 PM, Blogger Centurion said...

It's not just me wanting another Batman show, it's about the reasons behind WB having another Batman show. They dropped the ball in the kiddy pool with 'The Batman' instead of giving Justice League Unlimited more life.

The Bruce Wayne show, don't remember the title they gave it, wouldn't have even shown Batman. It was written from the perspective of a memoir of Alfred, recalling Bruce as a kid and his troubles. Tell me that isn't the least bit interesting in concept...

The point of what I wrote was more or less explain why Aquaman was chosen for the new show in the vein of Smallville, as opposed to other big hitters.

I don't know a whole lot about Hawkgirl either, but I'm assuming she started like Hawkman (and actually I think Hawkgirl in JLU is actually Hawkwoman now in the comics, and dead if I remember right - correct me otherwise). Hawkman came into his powers after he was a teenager, and I figure the others did as well.

One really interesting idea would be Martian Manhunter, but I think he arrived on Earth, again, as an adult.

 
At 4:58 AM, Blogger Diamondrock said...

I think you're right and I think the Aquaman show has the potential to be good.

Plus, they got Ving Rhames. As a lighthouse keeper. You can't say that won't rock.

 

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