The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by IMJ »

I'm with the TMNT vote. The Walking Dead thing, while fun, is a fad that peaked at the right time with the whole zombie thing. It'll burn out and we won't see "Walking Dead" across pop culture 20 years from now. It doesn't transcend the way TMNT does. You can't look through a current lens and say that Walking Dead is ultimately that important.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by Carson »

^ agreed. TMNT was awesome when I was a 10 year old in 89, and right now my 8 year old nephew thinks they're cool... that's some longevity across generations!
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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by ian_house »

I wish it was Booster Gold.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by maraxusofkeld »

I can't believe no one mentioned Doop! :hm:

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by grendeljd »

ian_house wrote:I wish it was Booster Gold.
Why, are you sitting on a [fools]gold-mine of Booster Gold comics?

:lol:
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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by krylox »

maraxusofkeld wrote:I can't believe no one mentioned Doop! :hm:
you just did!

i'd say the modern incarnation of sandman/morpheus is probably one of the most important characters of the last few decades.

notable mentions: hellboy/bprd, cerebus (#1 came out after wolvie, right?), preacher...

but i guess the best and intruiging (as in "future classics") ips came out of the non-comics media: harry potter, simpsons, south park etc

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by Cyberstrike »

obijuan wrote:
Carson wrote:
obijuan wrote:I guess, according to some of the post, important means popular.
But to me the most important characters are Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. GI Joe #21 totally blew my mind when both of these characters had the same tat! I had the figures, the comic books the dog tags, I was I the GI Joe club(that's right) lol. This property greatly influenced me when I decided to enlist. I actually lived the life that I had envisioned as a kid in the 80s.

If you think about it, this is the only comic book that let's you live out your fantasy. No radioactive bite, no alien landing in the fields, no parents getting shot in the back of a theatre. Pick up your ruck, your m16 load it on the tank and roll out!! Yo Joe!!!
Amen brother. Glad to have another Joe fan on here!!!

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I love GI Joe!!!!!
I would say that The Transformers.
While I like G.I. Joe it seems to have a harder time getting updated/rebooted/reiminagined successfully. While The Transformers gets updated/rebooted/reimingagined successfully all of the time.
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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by Carson »

Cyberstrike wrote:
obijuan wrote:
Carson wrote:
obijuan wrote:I guess, according to some of the post, important means popular.
But to me the most important characters are Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. GI Joe #21 totally blew my mind when both of these characters had the same tat! I had the figures, the comic books the dog tags, I was I the GI Joe club(that's right) lol. This property greatly influenced me when I decided to enlist. I actually lived the life that I had envisioned as a kid in the 80s.

If you think about it, this is the only comic book that let's you live out your fantasy. No radioactive bite, no alien landing in the fields, no parents getting shot in the back of a theatre. Pick up your ruck, your m16 load it on the tank and roll out!! Yo Joe!!!
Amen brother. Glad to have another Joe fan on here!!!

Check out my 3DJoes site when you get a minute!

http://www.3djoes.com/snake-eyes-v2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I love GI Joe!!!!!
I would say that The Transformers.
While I like G.I. Joe it seems to have a harder time getting updated/rebooted/reiminagined successfully. While The Transformers gets updated/rebooted/reimingagined successfully all of the time.
Have you read the IDW GI Joe stuff in the last few years? Cobra started as a four issue mini and has been running for years since because it's just that good. Please do check it out! The "Cobra: the last laugh" hardcover is the single best storyline I've read, and I've read em all.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by The Noto »

In my heart-of-hearts, it's ROM *SQUEE* SPACEKNIGHT, and no one will take that from me.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by grendeljd »

The Noto wrote:In my heart-of-hearts, it's ROM *SQUEE* SPACEKNIGHT, and no one will take that from me.
:lol:

It's okay man - don't be ashamed of yourself, you're not alone. The secret cult of ROM fans does exist, and does not need to remain hidden any longer!

I was seriously reading a couple issues of ROM last night, dude :thumb: :thumb:
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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by The Noto »

grendeljd wrote: I was seriously reading a couple issues of ROM last night, dude :thumb: :thumb:
The last 25 issues of that series (really the last 15 or so) are absolutely tremendous. Some of my favourite comics ever made. Very dear to my heart.

I really need to get my issues bound and re-read them. Been a few years and I really want to dive back in.

ROM 4 LIFE!

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by grendeljd »

The Noto wrote:
grendeljd wrote: I was seriously reading a couple issues of ROM last night, dude :thumb: :thumb:
The last 25 issues of that series (really the last 15 or so) are absolutely tremendous. Some of my favourite comics ever made. Very dear to my heart.

I really need to get my issues bound and re-read them. Been a few years and I really want to dive back in.

ROM 4 LIFE!
:high-five:

I never had a complete run, and somehow I don't have all the issues I once did, but I still have most of the issues from 65-75. Fully agree with you on the end bit of the series.

They had a strong influence on me as a very young artist, I used to draw my own characters based heavily on the Spaceknights. I love the Jackson Guice covers, and it's hard to believe the legendary Steve Ditko drew ROM at the end!
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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by The Noto »

grendeljd wrote: I never had a complete run, and somehow I don't have all the issues I once did, but I still have most of the issues from 65-75. Fully agree with you on the end bit of the series.
75 issues, 4 annuals, and you never really need to go outside the series (although ROM appeared in 3 or 4 other individual books at the time he was being published).

You're looking at under 85 issues to have EVERYTHING ROM. I highly recommend it, sets can be completed pretty easily (even the later issues) and most can be found in dollar bins since none of the issues are particularly worth anything.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by Carson »

The Noto wrote:
grendeljd wrote: I never had a complete run, and somehow I don't have all the issues I once did, but I still have most of the issues from 65-75. Fully agree with you on the end bit of the series.
75 issues, 4 annuals, and you never really need to go outside the series (although ROM appeared in 3 or 4 other individual books at the time he was being published).

You're looking at under 85 issues to have EVERYTHING ROM. I highly recommend it, sets can be completed pretty easily (even the later issues) and most can be found in dollar bins since none of the issues are particularly worth anything.
Ok, I'm getting interested. What's it all about?
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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by Elveen »

Not sure when I posted my answer to the question in the title of th thread, but here are my thoughts based on back issue sales and interest at the last few cons.

1) Deadpool
2) Venom
3) Harely Quinn
4) Nightwing

And maybe Carnage.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by Bone-A-Fach-ee »

Baramos wrote:This is an interesting list, though it seems far from comprehensive:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_su ... mic_book_5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I have to go with TMNT and TWD. Deadpool and Harley Quinn as well. I also like that Hellboy was in there. I think we've left out a few contenders, depending on what the "important" means (yet to be clarified?)
Here are some notable mentions (thanks to the above list):
Power Girl
Black Cat
She Hulk
WATCHMEN- Rorschack (sp?), Dr. Manhattan, The Comedian
Gambit
The Authority
Runaways
Sentry
Kick *SQUEE*

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by kjjohanson »

Since the question is what the most important *character* is, I'm going to say that TWD and Watchmen are out. While they're very important books, there aren't any characters in particular that would be widely recognizable to someone who never read the series or saw the television show/movie. While I've never read TWD or seen the show, I get the sense that it's probably much closer to Watchmen than other comics in that it's the story that's important, and that the characters won't have much staying power outside that story.

That said, it all comes down to how you define important.

• If it's how much characters are in the public consciousness, the I'd have to agree with the suggestion of TMNT, if we're considering groups of characters. But if we're narrowing our qualifications to single characters, then it's a tough one using this criteria. Arguably it could be Harley Quinn, but as she first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series, I'm going to argue that she's a cartoon character, rather than a comic character, and doesn't qualify either.

• If we're identifying importance by the ubiquitousness of the character in comics, then I'd probably have to go with Deadpool. Cable and Venom would be honorable mentions. Depending on how you want to break down who qualifies, Nightwing or Tim Drake might be in the running as well.

• If we're defining importance in the context of the comics industry, then I'd probably have to go with Morpheus/Sandman, because that comic opened up the industry to a huge audience that wasn't reading comics, and showed that comics that weren't standard superhero comics could be successful (again). Without Sandman we probably wouldn't have seen Preacher, Transmetropolitan, Y: The Last Man, etc. Or at least, not as soon. (Could be we don't see TWD either.) Some will argue if we're using this definition of important, then Spawn might be more important, but let's face it, it's not the character of Spawn that was important. McFarlane could have put out a team book and it would have sold just as well and served the same purpose.
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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by 400yrs »

Hazel.





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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by MarkRoseHFX »

400yrs wrote:Hazel.





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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by Cully1286 »

I would have to go with TWD as well. Deadpool is also another one. How many variants are there with him on the cover now?

Runaways had a ton of potential but after Vaughn left the book it went downhill fast.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by IMJ »

Elveen wrote:Not sure when I posted my answer to the question in the title of th thread, but here are my thoughts based on back issue sales and interest at the last few cons.

1) Deadpool
2) Venom
3) Harely Quinn
4) Nightwing

And maybe Carnage.
I respect the hell out of the experiential input, but you can't look at this via comic sales. The scope of the question really implies a more holistic answer, and the only real one is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It's almost empirical fact, no opinion needed when taken in context of the question. Maybe the only ambiguity would be the use of the word "important" in the question.... what's "important"? But I'd still say TMNT.

Hellboy doesn't belong in the debate at all. Don't get me wrong, the character is fine, but it doesn't transcend and it's very nature alienates cross sections of people (whether that's right or wrong doesn't matter) that would otherwise bring the character into the forefront of a global pop-culture language. Two scrub movies and little fan-following does not a good character make. If that were the case, then Man-Thing should be on the list too.

A good argument could be made for Harley Quinn though - but not one that surpasses TMNT.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by MarkRoseHFX »

IMJ wrote: Hellboy doesn't belong in the debate at all. Don't get me wrong, the character is fine, but it doesn't transcend and it's very nature alienates cross sections of people (whether that's right or wrong doesn't matter) that would otherwise bring the character into the forefront of a global pop-culture language. Two scrub movies and little fan-following does not a good character make. If that were the case, then Man-Thing should be on the list too.
long running successful comic, 2 big budget films that turned a profit AND animated stuff. Hellboy is definitely not #1 but he deserves to be in the argument.

And Man-Thing came before Wolverine :)
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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by Elveen »

IMJ wrote:
Elveen wrote:Not sure when I posted my answer to the question in the title of th thread, but here are my thoughts based on back issue sales and interest at the last few cons.

1) Deadpool
2) Venom
3) Harely Quinn
4) Nightwing

And maybe Carnage.
I respect the hell out of the experiential input, but you can't look at this via comic sales.

I can when I state that....
Me wrote:but here are my thoughts based on back issue sales and interest at the last few cons.
I'm talking about back issue interest (which can most (or maybe a majority) of the time = current issue sales).

People DO occasionally ask for TMNT books, I have a small section of turtle books. I'm not talking about movies or TV or cartoons or merchandise, I'm talking about comic books. There are MUCH more Venom, Harley Q, Nightwing, and Deadpool fans than turtle fans. I don't think that can be argued. Again, I'm talking about physical comic books.

Another thing to consider is how much the above characters have female fan bases. TONS of girls read/ask for/are interested in the characters on my list. I would even say that a character like Harley Q has brought a bunch of girls into the medium, like tons.


I was not collecting comic books when the turtles burst on the scene, so maybe I don't have the history of experiencing (going through) the turtle phenomenon, I've never watched a turtle cartoon, never played with the toys, never read a turtle book. So maybe as the 1st independent popular character post wolvie they DO have big impact. That is undeniable, they are popular for sure.

My point is that they do not seem to move many books on the back issue market. If I was ranking comic book characters buy people: asking/looking for/thumbing through boxes/and (or) buying at the 12ish comic book shows I've done last year, the turtles are probably in the 50s-ish, maybe lower.

That's all Im saying.

Really to me the "current" answer to the question in the title is Deadpool.

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by iggy101us »

I personally don't get why Deadpool is popular but he is for sure.

Deadpool Valiant variant cover :sumo:

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Re: The Most Important Comic Character Since Wolverine

Post by kjjohanson »

Elveen wrote:I'm talking about back issue interest (which can most (or maybe a majority) of the time = current issue sales).

People DO occasionally ask for TMNT books, I have a small section of turtle books. I'm not talking about movies or TV or cartoons or merchandise, I'm talking about comic books. There are MUCH more Venom, Harley Q, Nightwing, and Deadpool fans than turtle fans. I don't think that can be argued. Again, I'm talking about physical comic books.
What kind of interest is there in Sandman? I imagine most people buy that in trades, but maybe that's just my perception.
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