Lurker > scarletspeed7

Edward Kenway from Assassin's Creed IV is voiced by the incomparable Matt Ryan. Darth Revan is not even voice acted in Knights of the Old Republic. For that reason alone, Edward Kenway is a much better choice for this contest. Revan has to use force powers in combat and in conversations in order to achieve his goals. Kenway is able to find Macguffin at the end of the game just like Revan without using Force abilities. Edward Kenway has already gotten laid at the beginning of his game and Revan might not even reach that point if you play the game wrong. Edward Kenway steals a much bigger ship than Revan steals near the beginning of their respective games. Revan requires Kaiden Alenko to pilot his ship, but Kenway is able to pilot his ship himself. Also, Revan is not able to utilize his ship to destroy capital ships, while Kenway is able to take down a host of legendary capital ships.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Would it help if I said yes?

No, the guy who plays John Constantine on TV.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Edward Kenway from Assassin's Creed IV. He's voiced by the incomparable Matt Ryan
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Did you know there were plans for X-Men 4 to be a Fantastic Four crossover? It was just going to be called X4.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Edward Kenway (Assassin's Creed IV). He's voiced by the incomparable Matt Ryan, a noted fan of the Fratellis.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Mr Lasastryke posted...

but being cynical/critical about things you don't love as much makes you appreciate the things you DO love even more. it makes life a far richer experience.

Critical, yes. Cynical, no. I'm critical always, and optimistic every time nonetheless.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Because life is so much more fun when you enjoy the things around you and share that overflowing, unbridled joy with others
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

FakeAccount3000 posted...

scarletspeed7 posted...

Yes because using one franchise's main character is equal to copying the 5 franchises on one network simultaneously.

Except shes not the main Superman franchise character

She's the main character of the CW show you were complaining about copying. That's why the show is called Black Canary - no wait, it's fucking Supergirl. Supergirl is a franchise for CW. Not Superman.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Then you're choosing to take the product that clearly isn't as good because higher quality products cost more.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

I think you should hold less cynical detachment about this sort of thing and maybe just focus on the positives of the franchises and find the products from said franchises that appeal to you. I don't necessarily enjoy DC movies right now, but I can read plenty of comics that I enjoy.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

AquaArcane posted...

scarletspeed7 posted...

And let's not forget Geoff Johns, a real comic writer, was the creative mind behind the last several DC movies.

Eh, how much involvement with the movies did Johns have? Doesn't seem like he had much of a presence in the DCEU. I feel like they just used him as a name to inspire hope, while not actually utilizing him in any meaningful way... like writing.

He was extremely involved in BvS and Justice League. He worked on the script and was in the room.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Wedge Antilles posted...

Would love to see Marvel pick up and use both Cavill and Affleck successfully.

Would love for Marvel to not pick up either and for the Astro City Cinematic Universe to start instead.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

AquaArcane posted...

I'd rather Shazam fail as well so they have to finally realize that they're the ones fucking up.

Hire real comic book writers, and pay closer attention to the source material. It shouldn't be that difficult.

Shazam is under an entirely different group of producers.

And let's not forget Geoff Johns, a real comic writer, was the creative mind behind the last several DC movies.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

I've always wondered who uses psaltery as an alt.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Yes because using one franchise's main character is equal to copying the 5 franchises on one network simultaneously.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Anagram posted...

abdou posted...

They're focusing on Supergirl instead apparently.

I don't see how you can reasonably focus on a character whose identity is defined by Superman without Superman, but I guess I've never ruined a billion dollar franchise before, either.

Or watched Supergirl.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

red13n posted...

wow kate this ranking makes me sad.

Look again
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

#18 - Checkmateys Created by: Mega Mana

Dimension-hopping team investigating supernatural forces

John Constantine
Blade
Fire (Beatriz de Costa)
Cypher
Jessica Jones
Shazam (Billy Batson)
Widget

You had me at "This is essentially Exiles but with John Constantine and a group of character with whom John Constantine would have interesting interactions." Variety, versatility, evergreen concept, good potential interplay between characters... I feel like I don't have to say a hell of a lot here. The crossover appeal is great, and I can really visualize the relationships. You'll of course end up with Jessica Jones and John Constantine linking up at some point, but before then, you have Cypher and Billy Batson as the best of friends, a weird Widget-Fire chemistry that I think would work great. Blade, Constantine and Shazam all have different spins on the concept of magic, and the potential dichotomy between Constantine and Blade in particular would be quite interesting. I also think Blade might see Shazam as sort of this pristine representation of ideological principles he wishes he could emulate, but never can. There's a lot going on here that would work.

One thing I don't like is that we're dimension-hopping and yet none of these are alternate reality versions of characters. I couldn't get Earth-5 Billy Batson? Justice League 3000 Fire? Ultimate Blade? This is where the team loses a little bit of its charm. Otherwise, I wouldn't touch this. It's a really unique team, and I like it.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

No. That's why god gave us Flash Thompson.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Well let's just throw in Gwen Stacy Carnage too.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Venom has been teamed with the Sinister Six before.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

This doesn't feel any different from other Sinister Sixes, but sure yeah. It's a Sinister Six.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Pirate_Harris posted...

Oh how about live wire?

I don't see how Live Wire isn't duplicated in the membership already, and the only option would be to cut the token guy character to make it happen. I would consider Scream Queen before Live Wire anyways.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

LOL. It does make a difference!
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

I wouldn't. He doesn't play well with others, he's a character created for Broadway musical numbers and not a rock band, He doesn't play an instrument, and he doesn't have a power that particularly fits with the power concept going on. He's also a villain on a clearly heroic team.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Drummer would have been an EXCELLENT choice. He's also the comic relief of Planetary. Four is a better number though.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Lopen posted...

Hahaha.

Incredible. It was so natural they'd already done that.

You should also be aware that during DC vs. Marvel, the only people to make out with each other were Robin and Jubilee.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Lopen posted...

I also think Jubilee being Batman's Robin is potentially amusing. Yeah, just a lot of little things I liked in there. Probably the best possible use I can think of for Jubilee too (and I'm one of the weird people who kinda likes Jubilee)

You need to be aware of something:

http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/asparrow.htm

When DC merged with Marvel, Jubilee was mixed with Robin to be Sparrow, the partner of Dark Claw (Batman/Wolverine).

EDIT:
Lopen posted...

I mean I liked it in a weird way, and I can't honestly say it was an attempt at last place or anything like that (I would've ranked it 3/5 of the teams I made behind the unranked one and Tick) but yeah, unexpected!

It's a very simple sell. I'm honestly surprised no one has tried to sell some variation of this yet at either company.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

#19 - Wall of Sound Created by: Snake

A four-piece band who save the world through music (and maybe other means too).

- Black Canary
- Dazzler
- Spider-Gwen
- Pied Piper
- Booster Gold (manager)

You probably are wondering how Snake landed such a creative, excellent idea at slot #19. And, on the surface, this seems like such a terrible underranking on my part. There is a lot of starpower here, but not enough that these characters can really hold their own titles. Everyone functions pretty well in that their powers can jibe with each other while not overstepping each other's toes. The personalities are all very different. Hell, it hearkens to a superheroic version of Josie and the Pussycats. There's a definite tone to this concept, a different careful choice in membership that seems to reinforce a certain amount of carefree whimsy without turning this into a complete comedy title. It's light-hearted, it feels like it has some innate chemistry, and it's a concept you never see.

Snake also knows how to cater to me with the inclusion of Booster Gold as the manager.

Oh, wait. He doesn't - Booster is the reason this team dropped where it did.

Now, I could give a Membership Drive section here, but instead I won't do a Membership Drive. Let's talk about why Booster makes no sense as a manager. Booster is a star player. In fact, Booster has Skeets primarily because he can't handle administration or coordinate any sort of logistics. And it's not even a situation of "this would be funny because Booster is such a buffoon." Booster wouldn't even bother to try and manage a band because he wants to be IN the band. He would believe he's the singer of choice. Hell, he might even suggest a different manager in an effort to get into the band. And that manager would be... Max Lord. Snake, if you didn't think of Max Lord as the manager for this group, the snake oil salesman, the slick charming soulless corporate hack that would see nothing but dollar signs when he gazed upon this group, then I don't know what to tell you. Maybe I do need to run a Membership Drive here. Max Lord would visibly stand apart from the group, and yet fit so perfectly in that support role here. He also would fit naturally in the standard preconceived notions of what major music industry players are like. Unethical, kowtowing to the group whenever necessary, two-faced and jaded, Max Lord is the pitch perfect manager. Not Booster Gold, a gloryhound and self-obsessed narcissist. We need a self-obsessed narcissist who also believes he's playing 4D chess. An Ari Gold. Max Lord is that Ari Gold.

As a final side note, @v_charon hosted an entire tournament of best fictional musician, and the second place winner, John Constantine, didn't even get a nod. You know, Snake, John Constantine. One of your favorite comic characters. Very embarrassing.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Movie Cyclops is waaaaaay better than comics Cyclops. Think about that.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

I actually think the concept is best in its simplicity. X-Babies and Batman. Too much more and it starts to complicate the sitcom aspect of the team.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

#20 - Batty Day Care Created by: Lopen

Batman
Jubilee
Lil Gambit
Creepy Crawler
Cyke
Lil Bishop
Psychild
Shower
Sugah
Wolvie

Simple. Sweet. Sellable. Everything about this could be easily and quickly marketed. The dynamic is clear just from the membership and yet you can see the versatility in the concept. It's one - brilliant - man saddled with a slew of super-powered toddlers. And it will sell comics very easily if you get someone like Jill Thompson to or Dustin Nguyen to do the artwork. A host of writers could provide various story arcs; it's not complicated, but it opens the doors to a variety of more complicated takes on the premise. The name is cute and marketable, the characters would be quickly embraced by readers, and Batman remains still the clearest indicator of sales in comics.

There's not much to say about this, and that's a testament to how clean and simple it is. It works.

I would never buy this comic, probably, but it works. I would be out as soon as you said, "Toddlers". But my personal opinion matters only partially here. Objectively, this would sell t-shirts, comics, and coffee mugs. It's a franchise.

You know, it's crazy that no one ever thought to do this with Batman before:
http://www.previewsworld.com/SiteImage/CatalogImage/STL080889?type=1
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Cyclops also has to overcome being the biggest douchebag in the world.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Fixed
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

#21 - Legion Created by: Death Chicken

Jamie Madrox
Kang
Clayface
Jackal
Lobo
Barry Allen
The Swarm
Loki
Swamp Thing
Dr. Manhattan

This is a brilliant concept and a virtually brilliant execution. One of my favorite aspects of comics is exploring duality or multiplicity in characters. How the nature of superheroics is fractious at best. How those who take on the role of a hero or villain are oftentimes wrought with mental or emotional anguish that makes them a terrible person but an excellent hero. That morality is gray too often. This team accomplishes that; the use of a couple villains who could easily turn heroes only lends to the entire concept. What captures the eye of Barry Allen might be meaningless to Swamp Thing and Doctor Manhattan. And what would be considered a successful completion of goals to someone who measures life in nanoseconds or someone who measures their value in quarks and muons? Or someone that lives across the entire timestream and knows almost any outcome?

There are so many directions this title could go, but it always will at least spend part of the time looking inwards. Looking at the toll being different - being better - takes on the people cursed with greatness. And, so, I think I would love the armchair psychology of Legion. I'd love to see how Clayface manages to be his own person when he looks like any other one. I'd love to see what shreds of humanity exist still within Swamp Thing. I'd love to see Swarm interact with those around the team. And all of it could land in a narrative vehicle of a debriefing psychologist who retells every story through the lens of self-examination.

But here's the thing.

Membership Drive: There's a perfect member for this group. Someone who has powers that fall in line with the name and also with the concept. Someone who also could explore that lurking duality in personality. Someone who clearly belongs in this group. Hell, you named the group LEGION and you didn't include LEGION. That's the singularly biggest whiff on this entire ranking. And it dropped this potential team from a top ten concept to here. This team is a winning pitch. Great variety in membership, instantly unique chemistry, the potential to go anywhere in storytelling, an easily visualized narrative throughline... and, with just one poorly forgotten member, you torpedoed it. Shame on you, sir. Shame on you.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

I didn't comment on Arseface for the same reason.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

#22 - Gorgeous Created by: Johnbobb

Swamp Thing
Lottie Person (Snotgirl)
Zeitgeist
Toad
Dead Girl
Maggott
Arseface

Anyone who throws a Peter Milligan X-character at me is going to do well. Anyone who throws TWO Peter Milligan X-characters at me is going to be in contention for the top 25.

What I like about the concept of Gorgeous is that it takes the concept of X-Men and actually gives it a fresh coat of paint. With the vast majority of this team, you look at the side of mutants that writers refuse to present - the ugly, less-charming mundane day-to-day mutants. But the thing is, these are the mutants that matter the most. Jean Greys - mutants who have been given every advantage in life from looks to powers to positions in society that allow them to succeed - are always the poster children for the franchise. But these mutants fritter away their potential and really do nothing to help enfranchise the less desirable mutants in the world. You look at a guy like Toad, with abilities and appearance combining into an unappealing final product, and you see that there is more to mutant hate than the fear of power. There's a dislike of difference, a disgust in the simple visual of many mutants. And I look that Gorgeous could serve a real-life purpose, serving as an example of how those who are victimized or bullied can rise above that sort of hate and become something stronger. That we as society are distancing ourselves from a community every time we make a snap judgment.

What I don't like about this team is that it's half mutants and half other things. But the visual I get, the message I get, trumps all of that. Still, it would to have a

Membership Drive: don't you think? First and foremost, I would ditch Maggott. We need to cut mutants if this isn't a purely mutant team, and Maggott is easily the one with the least narrative value. If We're going in the opposite way, however, we need to find MORE mutants. I'd rather have an X-team than try to rationalize why Swamp Thing, a being that for decades wasn't even a human, would experience any of the same obstacles as the rest of the team psychologically or emotionally. I actually like Arseface in the group, and I might still even include him in the group even if it goes purely mutant. Characters like Wolf Cub might fit in well with a mutant-version of this group, and the tighter you get on that theme, the better you're serving a franchise that's pretty lost, wandering far away from its original goals. Beak and his family would fit in well with this group and round out a membership sans Snotgirl and Swamp Thing, making this an X-Title with something to say, something dirtier and less sexy than your standard X-comic. But also something far more real.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

JorDunne
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

The logic there is, "LOOK AT THIS REST HOLD."
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

How come no one is pushing the entire cast of Saints Row for LGBT inclusion
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Preacher is the best of those if you are on season 3.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Jakyl25 posted...

Not sure if this counts as politics but this is some industry-shaking news for television

https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/09/media/les-moonves-cbs/index.html

Oh no, where will all of the procedural crime drama drivel catering to geriatrics go now for immediate greenlighting?

Right, Fox cancelled all of its shows for under 40.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

*high fives people who aren't pervasively negative and simply enjoy the hobby of video gaming without trying to get on a soapbox and demean those who play games that don't fit into the narrowly-defined pigeonhole that vlado thinks is acceptable*
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

No write-ups today
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Oh it's Zachnorn?
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Edward Kenway from Assassin's Creed IV, voiced by the incomparable Matt Ryan
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

Edward Kenway from Assassin's Creed IV, voiced by the incomparable Matt Ryan.
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful

It's even more than that because what it takes to convince Doom to flip sides morally is different than what it takes to flip Luthor morally. And even when they're on the same side, they aren't going to share the same position. "Reed is wrong... but that doesn't mean you're right."
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful