[En Sabah Nerd]

^^^
Super heroes and villains have always had guns. Not everyone uses them but going all the way back to the Shadow some heroes have used guns. Batman had a gun to begin with. Punisher has always used guns and he's one of the most popular vigilantes for 40 years.

[snake5289]

Technically Batman still uses a gun if you count his grapnel gun.

[En Sabah Nerd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snake5289

Technically Batman still uses a gun if you count his grapnel gun.

Truth

[TheBlueMarvel]

^Yes, some superheroes did have guns in the 30's, 40's, and beyond. My example of Black Widow (and gun toting heroes/villains) was intended to be provocative and borderline absurd as an example that strict interpretations of how Boba Fett or Storm Troopers should look are equally absurd...my comment had little to do with heroes and guns, but it seems that my larger point was missed as a result of its inflammatory (??? go figure...) nature.

If we all stuck to some arbitrary rubric that was subjective to our own personal interpretation (or era of fandom) of what was "pure"/"classic" about Star Wars, or Star Trek, or Black Widow...then there would be little room for any modern expression of the very properties we claim to love. In that context, we may as well simply watch reruns of our favorite movies/shows/whatever discouraging any attempt to expand or continue the cherished franchise.

While I have no intention of buying one, I view these re-imagined Star Wars figs (these and the other samurai versions) as a cool "Elseworlds"-like rendition of popular characters from our collective childhood experience.

Many of the properties enjoyed by comic/sci-fi/fantasy/manga/anime buffs span decades, often cycling in and out of pop-culture. I've given up considering the particular era in which I (personally) came to enjoy BLANK (insert whatever here) as the definitive representation of the genre. And surprisingly, I can actually enjoy things now that I formerly thumbed my nose at without compromising some limited notion of purity.

meh...I doubt this clarifies anything, but it can never be said that I didn't try.

[En Sabah Nerd]

I got your point to begin with, but guns and heroes wasn't a great comparison to use. I don't have a problem with people making their own takes on a license, but I can be totally displeased with the results. There is technically a set "this is what Boba Fett and a Stormtrooper looks like" because we saw in the movies what they are meant to look like. There is then an opening which allows everyone to now spin their own interpretation, but there will always be the one original which all others are compared to and based upon. In my opinion there shouldn't need to be any room for modern interpretation of some things that fans love because we loved them as they were. I'll use Robocop as an example now, the original 1987 film is frikkin' awesome and great whereas the new 2014 remake stunk (in my opinion), so I can be like "thank god these new guys didn't make Robocop first" based on there already being an original and I can choose to just re-watch the original instead of ever watching the remake again. If there was no original whatever then the new one wouldn't have a comparison to draw on and might look better for it. Comics aren't a totally great thing to compare to movies since they have to constantly refresh and update their images and appeals based on changing opinions whereas a movie can never do that without a remake or sequel which will really have no impact on the original itself. I mean to say that a comic is fluid and always changing, never really solidified, as opposed to a film which may never get any sequels or remakes and thereby becomes stuck within its original period. I would rather watch the reruns and original movies again than be subjected to another bad entry into the franchise, others are more experimental with the idea of new entries. Either way, regardless of these Japanized versions there is still the original version for those who don't care for this and this new interpretation doesn't actually change the original at all. You're right that there's no definitive representation of a genre since no one thing can sum up all angles of a genre, but for something like Star Wars there is the definitive original representation and then there's these interpretations.

I feel like I just said rather little in a lot of words. Oh and TheBlueMarvel, you didn't try. See I just said it, it isn't true, but I said it.

[TheBlueMarvel]

If you started reading Marvel Comics off the stands in the late seventies and early eighties, heroes were "powers" (or martial mastery) heavy. Not many characters featured guns at all and the Punisher was a villain at the time (there was DC's Vigilante a little later, but still not many gunmen - big picture). From that perspective, feigning at some hardline over guns and heroes makes sense when compared to some of the comments of the thread. Allegories aren't always straight forward...not my fault if you interpreted my Widow rant as "heartfelt"...this may be more of a Wernicke's area thing... teasing you...don't take that personally.

You do realize that in spite of your take on canon or "sets" (whatever nomenclature you want to use for the way things should look), these properties WILL change in how they are presented. They already have changed in many respects. I said this on the 'Ark before: we as fans believe that we have ownership of these things we like. That's largely an illusion. We own the memories, that much is certain. Memories that are influenced by where and when we were introduced to a genre. I like classic Trek and recently celebrated the memories of Leonard Nimoy with his passing. I watched Trek in syndication as a kid, but I actually grew up with Generations. Initially, I used to lament to friends that Generations sucked. It couldn't compare to old Trek in my jaded stilted eyes. Then something strange happened, I started liking the episodes with "Q" and the "Borg". They were reminiscent of what I was consuming in comics at the time. It dawned on me that I could still be a hardcore fan of the original Star Trek and also make space for Generations and Deep Space Nine fans...even become one myself (perish the thought). They were just expanded pleasures. Did they reach the level of hallowed ground that the original series represented? No, but they did add to the mystique of the franchise. There will be young people whose formalized relationship with Star Wars (good or bad) will be this upcoming set of movies (there are already a slew of fans more orientated to that Clone Wars shit on Cartoon Network or whatever than they are to any Star Wars flick). I'm not saying join the masses of neophyte fans that spring up with these new flicks (or renditions of popular properties you like), but at least afford them the space to like what they like.

As far as your comparison of the fluidity of comics vs movies, it got a bit muddled for me, so we'll agree to disagree. I believe that with the larger amount of canon to be found in comics (sheer # of issues) vs one or two films, it's much easier to create a tabula rasa - or clean the slate - with flicks. Of course, you can feel as you will...

Anyways...you wanna hate on anything that doesn't meet your high-water mark? Go right ahead, that's your prerogative. I'll gladly donate my "retired" cranky-old-man card to you now!

Don't worry about typing alot and saying little...I've got that market cornered also...

[En Sabah Nerd]

We should all heed the immortal wisdom of The Dude

Nobody gets to be wrong on opinion.

[TheBlueMarvel]

You actually have me rollin' over here! well played sir, well played...

Edit: no one beats The Dude...

[BoNKerS]

WHOOO these look fantastic!!

I understand the "classic" look of the Stormtrooper, I also believe it's boring and plain as hell now. How many toys need to be released of the same blah white armour.

PAK thank you for the refreshing look of all these characters. THANK YOU for releasing something out of the box, something creative, something not everyone will like because it's the same boring toon I'm used to seeing.

Just my thoughts!
Oh I'll be purchasing them all

[Joe Moore]

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