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Eric Sofer
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Joined: 31 January 2014
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Posted: 22 July 2017 at 10:37am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Some speculate that Superman was exactly that; a man with all superior abilities. Nothing that a man couldn't do, but taken to a super human level; so super strong, super tough, leap an eighth of a mile, faster than a speeding bullet - but not flying, not superhuman sensory ability (e.g., he can see a half mile away, but not through substances), he can hold his breath a whale of a long time but not exist in a vacuum.

Mr. Byrne would have to verify this - I'm not sure I remember - but I recall that the idea of John Byrne's Next Men was the same idea. Human abilities, but taken past the human maximum. So Danny could outrun a car, Nathan could see into other spectra, Beth was almost completely tough, as invulnerability, etc.
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Brian O'Neill
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Posted: 22 July 2017 at 11:10am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

One 'Super' qustion, and then some observations about Schulz:
When was 'heat vision' first shown to be a distinctive super-power? I've seen stories from the '40s til some point in the '50s that show 'the heat of [Superman's] x-ray vision' with the distinctiv 'invisible red beams'.

As for Schulz's control over what was shown in the TV specials, he was known to dislike the characters being shown from angles Schulz did not use in the strip, and that he didn't care for (for example, showing Schroeder playing piano from behind).Thee were strips where he showed a side view of Lucy's psychiatric health booth, or a rear view of the kids looking over that stone wall they were always leaning on, but Schulz did not repeat those 'experiments' in the strip, even though the TV shows used them more often. As far as contents of the animated version, he was also on record criticizing one special that not only revealed the little-red-haired girl's face, but also her name('Heather'), both of which Schulz was adamant about keeping secret in his strips. Schulz also disliked one animated feature film, 'Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown', for depicting adults, and for showing the characters driving a car! (apparently, Schulz did not have the input into the Paramount-backed films that he had with the TV shows).

It is undeniable, though, that the strip was eclipsed, perhaps even before its 20th anniversary, by the onslaught of 'Peanuts' merchandise that became available during the mid-late 60s(initially, just the book collections of the strips, then special projects like the small-press publication of 'Happiness Is A Warm Puppy', and eventually the mountains of greeting cards, stuffed Snoopy toys, etc, even before he TV shows became 'iconic'.

By 1970, Snoopy and Woodstock were essentially the stars of the comic strip, and eventually, they were the subjects of more of the licensed merchandise. Peppermint Patty and Marcie took over a lot of the 'kid-driven' stories for a few years, and Charlie Brown became, at best, 'third billing', or even fourth, behind Sally. Some of the latter-day TV specials tried doing stories that emphasized other characters than just CB or Snoopy, but they had less success than the 'classic holiday shows'. For a few years in the '80s, CBS had a weekly 'Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show', and so during that time, production of new prime-time specials was not as much of a priority.

I wouldn't have minded seeing more TV specials that were more in line with the tone Schulz used in the final decade of the strip, when Snoopy was less of a daydreamer, and was more well, 'dog-like'(a couple of shows produced after Schulz's death did follow this approach, adapting stories that focused on Linus's brother, Rerun, who was featured much more prominently starting in the late '80s).



Edited by Brian O'Neill on 22 July 2017 at 11:19am
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Stephen Churay
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Joined: 25 March 2009
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Posted: 22 July 2017 at 11:26am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

JB:I've felt for a long time that x-ray vision makes more
sense than heat-vision. If we take Superman's powers as
human abilities extrapolated to the ultimate degree, it
figures that he can see the entire spectrum. But what
human ability equates to firing beams out of his eyes?
=====
Right or wrong, I've come up with my own internal logic
for his heat vision. Since he stores solar energy, heat
vision is simply expelling that energy through his eyes.

Sort of a solar ocular flatulence that can be
concentrated thru the lense of his eyes. Much like
holding a magnifying glass out to the sun and creating a
pinpoint on the ground to burn a leaf.
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Brian O'Neill
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Posted: 22 July 2017 at 11:46am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

Super-heated eye boogers? There's an Alan Moore story in there somewhere...
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Warren Scott
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Joined: 09 July 2016
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Posted: 22 July 2017 at 2:32pm | IP Logged | 5 post reply

I agree with everyone who says Schulz understood that adaptations into other media or input from other creators inevitably alters the original creation. He did have control over the specials and movies, which drew upon many of the strips (especially the often forgotten Saturday morning series). And they are not the same thing as merchandise, of which there was an abundance of Peanuts items.
As for Supes' powers, I've heard flight explained as a time-saver (Instead of having him make multiple leaps to a destination, he could just fly there.). That makes sense, but it does make him more god-like. I like X-ray vision because it's such a unique ability (Does any other hero have it even today?). I think I'd be happy to see heat vision dropped. After all, even if he doesn't use it to kill someone, there are numerous ways he could use it to quickly stop a villain (melting the floor around their feet or making a weapon too hot to hold, for example).
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Michael Hogan
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Posted: 22 July 2017 at 7:19pm | IP Logged | 6 post reply

Brian O'Neill: In Superman #59 (July 1949) he melted a glacier with "The tremendous heat of his x-ray vision".
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John Byrne

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Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 23 July 2017 at 5:53am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

I like X-ray vision because it's such a unique ability (Does any other hero have it even today?).

••

Nathan, in NEXT MEN, could see the entire spectrum, including x-rays.

(This plays up an important misapprehension that I tried, with little success, to fix during my time with Superman. Most people, it seems, imagine that his x-ray vision involves him literally firing x-rays out of his eyes. But how would that work? X-Rays pass thru an object and leave a "shadow" on an exposed plate. For Superman to actually emit x-rays from his eyes, he would then have to fly around to the other side of what he was looking at, to intercept them. SO much easier if he can just SEE them, the same way he sees visible light.)

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Wallace Sellars
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Posted: 23 July 2017 at 6:48am | IP Logged | 8 post reply

It would be fun to read an "old school" DC series featuring team-ups between
Batman, Black Canary, Captain Marvel, Green Arrow, Flash (Jay Garrick), Green
Lantern (Alan Scott), Hawkman, Martian Manhunter, Superman and Wonder
Woman where the characters abilities were limited to those shown in saaay
their first 10 appearances.
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Eric Sofer
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Joined: 31 January 2014
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Posted: 23 July 2017 at 11:32am | IP Logged | 9 post reply

Wallace, that's an interesting idea. I'm curious how much different some of these heroes are from their first appearances, though; the "human" ones seem pretty similar (well, save that Black Canary now has a sonic scream - or have they changed that AGAIN???)

I think that Flash, Green Lantern, and Manhunter from Mars haven't changed all that much from their original appearances... but I may be forgetting something. In the House of Mystery appearances, I though J'onn J'onzz had a remarkable array of powers that has been expanded on, but not increased.

Let's consider that topic, with comic book characters in multiple venues, to the cast of Peanuts - who, notwithstanding minor artist changes, seemed to be the same in the last strip as they were in the first one. Do comic strips prevent the sort of evolution/transition that comic books (et. al.) do?
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Adam Schulman
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Joined: 22 July 2017
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Posted: 23 July 2017 at 4:27pm | IP Logged | 10 post reply

Hi.

For what it's worth I thought that the power level that Superman was at circa 1987 -- after THE MAN OF STEEL was published -- was just right. 

The problem with most superheroes these days is that they're overpowered. The Hulk can hold tectonic plates together. The Flash (Wally) can run fast enough to travel through time. Etc.  
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Robbie Parry
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Joined: 17 June 2007
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Posted: 23 July 2017 at 5:11pm | IP Logged | 11 post reply

Less strength is appealing. I gained much satisfaction from a 70s Hulk TV series episode where he really struggled to resist the pressure of a car crusher. Modern comic book Hulk would no doubt hold the car crusher up with one hand - and then smash it.
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Wallace Sellars
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Joined: 01 May 2004
Location: United States
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Posted: 23 July 2017 at 6:09pm | IP Logged | 12 post reply

I think the original X-Men started off with a good power level.
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