tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post5523995011430846209..comments2024-03-21T06:36:04.196-05:00Comments on The Idol-Head of Diabolu, a Martian Manhunter blog: Professor Arnold Hugo: The Ninth Most Important Martian Manhunter AdversaryDiabolu Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-33490669374920613442010-05-12T20:27:29.424-05:002010-05-12T20:27:29.424-05:00Hugo would make for a good head of VULTURE or some...Hugo would make for a good head of VULTURE or something similar (pun intended) assuming that VULTURE became a little more like AIM. He'd be able to leverage his brilliance and bring manpower against the Manhunter, so that his schemes might take a few issues to fail rather than a few pages.<br /><br />Prof. Hugo is like Dr. Psycho done right. I think that pretty much says it all.Lukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352646370918575626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-84342897656509842122010-05-11T12:23:04.960-05:002010-05-11T12:23:04.960-05:00I don't know...Human Flame is so one-dimension...I don't know...Human Flame is so one-dimensional, and his motivation for hating the Martian Manhunter is so hollow, IMHO. I rather like the scheming mastermind who takes everything personally and can never best his hero, rather than a regular guy who justs wants to say he killed a hero. I'm not saying there isn't room for both Hugo and The Human Flame, I'm just saying Hugo is a weightier adversary. I really love the interplay between an egotist and a selfless soul, which I never picked up on until I read your post. Add in the fact that Hugo's ego doesn't match his accomplishments and it makes things even better.<br /><br />"Look at that last panel with the gas gun. True psychos don't use sleeping gas. It's unmanly." Bwahaha. I suppose so.<br /><br />"You'll have to explain the libertarian comment. I don't follow." The more I work with teenagers, the more I'm trending towards the right/conservatism/you-kids-have-it-too-easy-back-in-my-day, etc. I took a political quiz recently and it came up "libertarian," which stunned me. I think in ten years I'll be a fascist. But I'll be a really FUN fascist. I'm already on the path to subversive educator. And if there were more people like me who were professors, I wouldn't have dropped out of grad school. Hope that explains it! :)LissBirdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-75355888747045024312010-05-11T06:50:24.091-05:002010-05-11T06:50:24.091-05:00Liss, I don't think Calender Man appeared agai...Liss, I don't think Calender Man appeared again until the fan-pros of the '70s went nostalgic and resurrected him. Wein? Englehart? Whoever it was, I figure Calender Man was a throwback even then, and isn't he a serial killer or something now?<br /><br />I'm kinda feeling M.C. on the Human Flame front. Play Mike Miller as more of a knee-jerk blue collar reactionary, give him some like-minded help (whom he could outfit.) You don't get Lex Luthor, but instead J. Jonah Jameson with his Scorpion/Spider-Slayer/etc. I respect Scipio's Vile Tarot, but DC's rogues model can be insular and repetative, so I'm inclined to reach out to Marvel parallels for J'Onn. Spider-Man's rogues are strong, and Miller can be tweaked into a solid fit.<br /><br />I think you're right that Hugo would grade himself an 11, but actions speaker louder than words. I actually reevaluated Hugo after revisiting his first appearance, because he initially only got a 2 based on his characterization in <i>JJ--TMfM</i>. I'd forgotten that he almost killed Batman, Robin, and most life on Earth. He still only manages a 7 because he went about it so very slowsly, somebody would have dealt with both problems eventually Look at that last panel with the gas gun. True psychos don't use sleeping gas. It's unmanly.<br /><br />You'll have to explain the libertarian comment. I don't follow.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-46146473261520911992010-05-11T01:06:24.118-05:002010-05-11T01:06:24.118-05:00Now that I finally have ten minutes to myself I ca...Now that I finally have ten minutes to myself I can take a break and read through this...oh, and I think Hugo would rank himself an 11 on the Scale of Evil, not a piddly 7.<br /><br />I didn't know Calendar Man was that old, but now that I think about it, he reeks Silver Age.<br /><br />"Where J'Onn J'Onzz is a selfless, dignified champion of a great society living in harmony, Hugo is an ironically small-minded egotist only interested in personal fame and fortune." See, now this is why I think J'onn needs a human foe to "attack" who he is at the core. That's why Hugo stands out to me as a good candidate for arch-nemesis, because Hugo takes it <i>personally</i>, even if he isn't evil enough. The intent is there even if the execution isn't. But the Martian Manhunter needs a human villain--the parallels to Superman be damned--to counter the "threat" of "Martianness" and what it stands for, even if it's a socio-political bent like you pointed out. And if not Hugo, then <i>somebody</i> not alien needs to come along and challenge him. And I don't mean the Human Flame because that's not a real challenge.<br /><br />"Wounding his enormous ego promises a severe reaction, potentially lethal if Hugo had any real follow through." He reminds me a bit of Sinestro in regards to ego. Kinda sorta. Only less successful.<br /><br />"If Manhunter is an idealized socialist, Hugo is the screwball libertarian." Ah-ha. I knew there was a reason I liked the guy. If academia had more Prof. Hugo's I'd have ten advanced degrees by now.LissBirdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-87952664708543263182010-05-10T01:14:15.392-05:002010-05-10T01:14:15.392-05:00Oh, I'm definitely interested. I very much pre...Oh, I'm definitely interested. I very much prefer a gestalt than getting stuck with plain Malefic, though you'd think "Blanx" would read better in a younger skewing book.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-59727741266475631232010-05-10T00:58:55.284-05:002010-05-10T00:58:55.284-05:00He's Blanx in complexion, too. He's prett...He's Blanx in complexion, too. He's pretty much Blanx with a name change. I rather liked seeing "Blanx" show up somewhere, and somewhat faithful to the original when it comes to motive. It'll be interesting to see what you think about him.LissBirdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-52388703129433646562010-05-10T00:44:38.944-05:002010-05-10T00:44:38.944-05:00Ugh. Well, I guess he'll be Blanx in all but n...Ugh. Well, I guess he'll be Blanx in all but name/complexion, so there's that. Malefic's trademarks (piercings, torture, rape) wouldn't fly at <i>Johnny DC</i>. Hopefully, the full length version I ordered will have some extras...Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-55170922923268861862010-05-10T00:00:54.225-05:002010-05-10T00:00:54.225-05:00He's serious. And emphasis on the "Comma...He's serious. And emphasis on the "Commander" part.<br /><br />And there's a little Samachson/Certa Easter Egg in there, too, if you squint. It made me very happy.LissBirdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-21661255729195544072010-05-09T22:34:33.823-05:002010-05-09T22:34:33.823-05:00Are you serious? I didn't pick that one up.Are you serious? I didn't pick that one up.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-7501489600577908232010-05-09T22:23:52.455-05:002010-05-09T22:23:52.455-05:00The Johnny DC free comic book day was a short vers...The Johnny DC free comic book day was a short version of what I assume the comic will be. I hope you're prepared for Commander Malefak.mathematicscorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15439579069513071094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-35507797598569968572010-05-09T20:11:17.632-05:002010-05-09T20:11:17.632-05:00I prefer my Hugo and tad meaner than Johnny DC wil...I prefer my Hugo and tad meaner than <i>Johnny DC</i> will allow. He's fairly straining against the Comic Code in those '60s stories, but it's all attitude. You don't have to be a sicko to be a bad ass. Little-to-no killing, certainly no women or children, but a Penguin level of menace would be perfectly acceptable. He's like Frank Sinatra with a mad-on. He's no Don Corleone or Tony Montana, but jack with him at your peril, because he'll come back vicious.<br /><br />I haven't heard anything about an animated Martian Manhunter appearance. B:TB&TB seems to focus on underrepresented characters, where Martian Manhunter is comparatively overexposed in animation thanks to his Justice League connection. You're totally right about Professor Arnold Hugo being a perfect candidate for the show, though. All the wackier Jack Schiff period stuff is right in their wheelhouse. Man, now you've got me anxious, because that could totally happen.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-37724801694548723622010-05-09T18:22:18.272-05:002010-05-09T18:22:18.272-05:00I agree that Hugo works best as a cornball. I don&...I agree that Hugo works best as a cornball. I don't need a more serious, modern comics version. The best place for him is in DC's cartoony kids comics. Has the Brave and the Bold animated series done a Batman/Martian Manhunter team-up yet? I know there's going to be one in the comic, but I don't know about the TV show. Hugo would be the perfect villain for such a team-up.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-74771196988595567202010-05-09T00:38:12.444-05:002010-05-09T00:38:12.444-05:00Exactly!Exactly!Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-34192304948420753572010-05-08T23:34:31.250-05:002010-05-08T23:34:31.250-05:00I think that Doctor Hugo could work well as a man ...I think that Doctor Hugo could work well as a man so self centered that he does not even think about the long range consequence of his actions. This would be another contrast to J'Onn, who as a Martian may try to think about events centuries into the future.<br /><br />A pairing between the Libertarian Hugo and the Democratic Socialist Martian Manhunter could be amusing -- especially when J'Onn points out how well Hugo's ideas have worked in the past.will_in_chicagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01468337654400802576noreply@blogger.com