bluewaterrider
There's a phenomenon called "The 4th Wall".
It is generally direct acknowledgement of the outside or real world, OUR world, by one of the characters in a book.
(Presumably, the name comes from someone comparing a scene in a comic book to a scene on a television sitcom where the action centers on a room with 3 walls depicted, but the 4th one is "missing" for the practical allowance of audience viewing.)
The John Byrne comic "Sensational She-Hulk" was relatively famous for using this trope, and actually had the title character speak directly to the reading audience in several issues. Similarly, DC relatively recently had a character named Superboy Prime (SBP) acknowledge the readers of HIS series directly, showing as an Easter Egg this character actively typing on a forum page from the then existing DC Comics Message Boards. A delight to anyone whose name appeared on that printed page, I'm sure.
This thread is concerned with a slightly different category. It is certainly different from the style John Byrne employed. It is a little less distinct from the SBP case. It is where real world phenomenon and/or influence is subtly acknowledged, but GIVEN A COMICBOOK EXPLANATION, sometimes seriously, sometimes in jest, sometimes both.
I noticed it most when perusing through some submissions of the relatively recent "Spider-Verse" series, often featuring a character called "Morlun", hence the title of my thread. There are probably more instances of this in abundance and I am simply unaware of it.
For instance, one common trope today is girls can (sometimes) do it better.
So they've largely gone from hapless damsels, to genuine heroes, occasionally outperforming their male counterparts.
I was struck by this when reading one submission of Spider-verse "Secret Wars" in particular. Longtime readers of Spider-Man for instance, know the saga of Gwen Stacy and Eddie Brock Venom and Norman Osborn Green Goblin, for instance. Non-powered Gwen was killed when Green Goblin tossed her off Brooklyn Bridge and Peter Parker Spider-Man tried in vain to catch her by halting her fall with a life-saving-intended webline. Instead, heavily implied by the artwork and sound effects, the saving attempt broke Gwen's neck.
Enter 2015/2016. Petet Parker is now the imperiled. Gwen is the spider-powered superhero. And Eddie Brock Venom, traditionally one of Spider-man's strongest , toughest, most durable foes ...
Well, take a look ...
http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213386_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213387_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213388_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213389_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213390_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213391_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213392_image.jpg
It is generally direct acknowledgement of the outside or real world, OUR world, by one of the characters in a book.
(Presumably, the name comes from someone comparing a scene in a comic book to a scene on a television sitcom where the action centers on a room with 3 walls depicted, but the 4th one is "missing" for the practical allowance of audience viewing.)
The John Byrne comic "Sensational She-Hulk" was relatively famous for using this trope, and actually had the title character speak directly to the reading audience in several issues. Similarly, DC relatively recently had a character named Superboy Prime (SBP) acknowledge the readers of HIS series directly, showing as an Easter Egg this character actively typing on a forum page from the then existing DC Comics Message Boards. A delight to anyone whose name appeared on that printed page, I'm sure.
This thread is concerned with a slightly different category. It is certainly different from the style John Byrne employed. It is a little less distinct from the SBP case. It is where real world phenomenon and/or influence is subtly acknowledged, but GIVEN A COMICBOOK EXPLANATION, sometimes seriously, sometimes in jest, sometimes both.
I noticed it most when perusing through some submissions of the relatively recent "Spider-Verse" series, often featuring a character called "Morlun", hence the title of my thread. There are probably more instances of this in abundance and I am simply unaware of it.
For instance, one common trope today is girls can (sometimes) do it better.
So they've largely gone from hapless damsels, to genuine heroes, occasionally outperforming their male counterparts.
I was struck by this when reading one submission of Spider-verse "Secret Wars" in particular. Longtime readers of Spider-Man for instance, know the saga of Gwen Stacy and Eddie Brock Venom and Norman Osborn Green Goblin, for instance. Non-powered Gwen was killed when Green Goblin tossed her off Brooklyn Bridge and Peter Parker Spider-Man tried in vain to catch her by halting her fall with a life-saving-intended webline. Instead, heavily implied by the artwork and sound effects, the saving attempt broke Gwen's neck.
Enter 2015/2016. Petet Parker is now the imperiled. Gwen is the spider-powered superhero. And Eddie Brock Venom, traditionally one of Spider-man's strongest , toughest, most durable foes ...
Well, take a look ...
http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213386_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213387_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213388_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213389_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213390_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213391_image.jpg http://s6d6.turboimg.net/t1/32213392_image.jpg