Great Quotes
More great ones from comic books
and elsewhere, on this followup page right here.
The late comic book
writer/editor Mark Gruenwald, who produced some memorable runs on Captain America and The Avengers had some very good
thoughts on many comic books characters in famous books of all
sorts:
"Every character is somebody’s
favorite. You shouldn’t kill them off lightly, or worse, ruin
their old appearances in retrospect." -- Mark Gruenwald
During 2004, I've been thinking about that one a lot too. And
believe me, it certainly does have something to it, which is why
this weird disease for killing off characters in both the DC and
Marvel universes must be stopped somehow.
Two great lines spoken by
two great Outsiders in Adventures
of the Outsiders #36, August 1986:
"True honor comes from within.
Still, the gesture is appreciated." -- Katana
"Medals are fine, but the lives
saved -- that's what counts!" -- Black Lightning
Now that's saying something there, folks! Right on! And whom do we
have to thank mainly for those fine lines of honor? Mike W. Barr,
one of the greatest comics writers and editors of our times, who
also worked wonder with Batman's own solo books years ago, and one
of the few true liberals who can write with a heart of gold. Three
cheers for Barr, I say!
Now, here's a very good observation from someone who knows a lot
about history, because he's lived it:
"The past and present must work
together, not independently. One learns from the other --
rejecting the bad, accepting the good." -- Hawkman, Flash Comics # 67 Volume 1.
Well said, Winged Warrior! To build our future, we must learn from
the past.
"Bigots always have the same modus operandi. First, they
declare you inferior; then they systematically make it illegal for
you to prove you're not. In their hearts, they know you're not
inferior - they just want a huge slice of the pie." -- Mavis Leno, chairwoman of the Afgan
Women's Rights Movement
I once knew a very obnoxious, arrogant teenager like that, who
constantly acted like a know-it-all, was anti-American, anti-Israel,
against the war in Iraq, a FOXophobe, and even a terrorist
supporter. He tended to waste his time on Hero Realm, which sunk to
a low level in late 2003, and he was really, really stupid.
People like that give a whole new meaning to the term "children
should be seen and not heard."
"We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their
children more than they hate us" -- Golda Meir
Israel's first female prime minister was absolutely correct. Only
when the Arab world truly begins to teach its children about
friendship and democratic values will any good relations be achieved
between Israel/western society and the Arab world.
"History teaches that wars begin when governments believe
the price of aggression is cheap." -- Ronald Reagan
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only
because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
-- George Orwell
"America is often portrayed as an ignorant,
unsophisticated sort of place, full of bible bashers and ruled to
a dangerous extent by trashy television, superstition and
religious bigotry, a place lacking in respect for evidence based
knowledge. I know that is how it is portrayed because I have done
my bit to paint that picture..." -- BBC's Washington correspondent Justin Webb, in a
remarkably frank admission of his role in misinforming the British
public about America and Americans
Well now, isn't that amazing! A member of Britain's worst TV and
radio network actually admits to what they typically tend to do:
spread misinfo and lead to incitement, against both the US and
Israel!
But the road to stopping this nonsense is far from over, that's for
sure.
"Not the Justice League of America. The Justice League.
Period." -- Maxwell Lord,
Justice League No. 1
From a great humor series by
Bob Rozakis:
Denton:
"Maze, I don't want to hurt your feelings! But -- I worry ... I
care ... Don't you know they all laugh at you? ... Don't you know
they don't like you?"
Maze:
"Oh, Denton ... I know they laugh. I know I must look silly. And
if they don't like me, well, that's okay. I like them! I do what I
do because ... it's my job ... I have to do it!" -- 'Mazing Man No. 1.
Man, isn't this some of the most wonderful stuff available from DC?
"Music is the universal language of mankind." -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
"There's nobody around ... which is odd when you consider
no one knew we were coming!" -- Mark Evanier, Sergio Aragones Massacres Marvel
What's funny about the above is that it reminds me of that old movie
from 1970, "Suppose they gave a
war and nobody came?" Man, that Evanier can sure be clever!
Two great ones by Orwell:
"Some ideas are so stupid only an intellectual could believe
them." -- George Orwell
"You cannot reason a man
out of a position that he has not been reasoned into in the first
place." -- Orwell
"People are entitled to their own opinions, they are not
entitled to their own facts." -- Vincent Bugliosi
Three great ones from Sir
Winston Churchill:
"Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or
that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the
tides and hurricanes he will encounter." -- Sir Winston Churchill
"A fanatic is one who can't
change his mind and won't change the subject." -- Sir Winston Churchill
"We have our own dream and
our own task. We are with Europe, but not of it. We are linked but
not combined. We are interested and associated but not absorbed" -- Winston Churchill
"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one
big thing." --Archilochus
Now here's a little something
to think about, that, most disturbingly enough, many of the people
who fawned over DC Comics' Identity Crisis did not. It's written by
Chris Claremont, and after reading it, I'm beginning to wonder to
myself if the real reason anyone would dislike his work today is out
of pure moonbattery:
"There I was, pregnant by an
unknown source, running through a nine-month term literlly
overnight -- confused, terrified, shaken to the core of my being
as a hero, a person, a woman.
I turned you for help, and I got
jokes. The Wasp thought it was great, and the Beast offered to
play teddy bear. Your concerns were for the baby, not for how it
came to be, nor of the cost to me of that conception. You took
everything Marcus said at face value. You didn't question, you
didn't doubt. You simply let me go with a smile and a wave and a
bouncy bon voyage. That was your mistake, for which I paid the
price.
My mistake was in trusting you."
-- Carol Susan Jane Danvers, alias
Ms. Marvel 1/Binary/Warbird, to a whole bunch of other members of
the Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Avengers Annual #10, 1981.
Do you see an argument or a defense as sincere as the above so often
in comic books today? The best answer is...probably not. But it most
certainly provided something to think about at the time it was
written, as a followup to the storyline featured in Avengers #200 from October
1980, a few months earlier. The lady with one of the most adorable
names in the MCU, a figure who'd sometimes been appreciated by a lot
of female readers for the fact that she represented an independant
thinker in career working women, had been through the miserable
realization that the incarnation at the time of Marcus Immortus,
this being a time-limbo dwelling figure who couldn't stand being
stuck in the kind of existence he was, and who was hoping for a
chance to enable himself to live in the regular plane of existence
as well, went and brainwashed Carol Danvers into becoming his love
slave, not giving her a chance to even object, since he'd already
seen to that she'd be entirely his, courtesy of the technology at
his disposal. After having taken the time to enjoy using her as said
love slave, he transferred her back to earth, but, in a most creepy
story element, inserted himself inside her in a way resembling
pregnancy, in hopes of being able to put together the exact
techno-concepts that would enable him, upon his accelerated "birth"
to live in the regular earth plane as well.
Captain America for one had actually been wondering as to who the
father was (and was somewhat bothered when Marcus, when slowly
growing into his regular age again, said that he was the father, which was
true, but understandably baffling for the Star-Spangled Avenger to
have to hear), and it was thanks to Hawkeye, who'd become
suspicious, that Marcus' attempts to build a device that could
provide him with what he wanted got scuttled. Yet, even they bought
into what Immortus had to say at face value, and did not question
him at all when allowing him to depart with Carol, who was still
under his influence and ended up saying things that helped to back
his position, through no fault of her own. But after Thor had helped
transport them back to the limbo world Immortus dwelled in, that's
when, a few days later, thanks to some after-effects of his time in
the real world, he ended up aging faster...and perishing.
Carol was then freed from under his influence, and while it may have
been brainwashing she underwent, she was still quite understandably
angry and insulted at her being exploited by this other-worldly
jerk. She went and used some of his transporter technology to return
to the regular world, packed her bags and headed off for California
without letting the other Avengers know, because she felt they had
betrayed her in her time of need.
In a way, I've felt almost the same thing about people in real life,
who fawned over the artistic catastrophe of DC's own publicity stunt
miniseries, Identity Crisis. The moral questions surrounding the
story's structure never came into focus among a lot of the people
who were siding with it until the very end, and nobody questioned
why Sue Dibny disappeared from the proceedings for almost the entire
proceedings, and her personal viewpoint was never shown in genuine,
meat-and-potatoes perspective. Nor did they question why practically
all the female characters in the miniseries were written
one-dimensionally, or if it was in character for any of the
protagonists/antagonists involved.
Most chilling, however, was when I came upon more than a few threads
at the Captain Comics forum that seemed to indicate that the man the
site was named after was more interested/concerned in what the
heroes did to Dr. Light in retaliation for his crime against Sue by
brainwashing him than in Sue herself and what Dr. Light did to her.
Seeing that, I was forced to ask myself: what kind of man is this,
who considers the actions taken against a criminal who committed an
offensive crime against a defenseless woman more important than the
criminal's evil deed itself? The answer to that came when reading an
interesting
article
from
The
American
Spectator by P. David Hornik in which the following
explanation for why leftists won't condemn terrorism, a point that
can be valid not just in Israel, but even in United States, is
presented:
"Subconscious
identification with the aggressor. This is clearly the
most problematic category. Many leftists, especially more radical
ones, are known to be people who nurse anger at their parents, and
at their society as an extension of their parents. Leftists who
seem stuck on the idea that we would "do the same thing" if we
were Palestinians, or Muslims, are the most suspect of harboring
such feelings. The most virulent Israeli leftists have been known,
indeed, to express such feelings openly when the victims of
attacks are settlers, a group they hate. While not encountering
such sentiments firsthand, in a couple of cases -- the most
socially problematic -- I've sensed them lurking."
And in the world of comic book news, Capt. Comics and the Legion of
Superfluous Leftists may very well be, if not a first-hand
encounter, then certainly a sensing of such sentiments lurking
within the vicinity. Such sentiments are also sometimes known as
Stockholm Syndrome, more
on which can be read about here. Be it far from me to really
judge, what I can say for now is that, when I think of it, who
knows, there may be something to it.
On the other hand, if there's anything I most certainly did see
there, not too surprisingly, was a lot of hostility, almost to the
point of bigotry, against what should've been the real headline of
2004, that being the return of Kara Zor-El, known to many as
Supergirl, to prominence in the DCU. Captain Comics, not too
surprisingly, had nothing to say in his newspaper column about the
beautiful young Kara's return to her well-deserved place in the
spotlight, and probably not in his Comics Buyer's Guide column either. And that's a
shame, since Kara is the one who really deserves the headlines, not
some filthy gutter-stemming story involving not just a rape done in
poor taste, but even a vomiting and a strangle-like act of violence
against two other women as well!
Perhaps just as importantly, I also noticed something far too many
people of the Captain's standing seem to have a problem with as well
these days: being so disliking of Chris Claremont that they show no
thanks for writing one of the most thoughtful stories from Marvel's
libraries during the Bronze Age of comics. Which is also quitely
simply a shame, since, for anyone familiar with some of, if not all
of, Claremont's stories over the years, isn't it obvious that he's
got some kind of affection for women? Avengers Annual #10 certainly showed it, and it's
a story to be lauded for its sincerity in human interest themes.
Yes, Claremont does have his downside, and even today, I'm really
angry at how the Phoenix story was repeatedly recycled ad nauseam
over the years, given how atrocious and nigh-stereotypical the whole
thing was to begin with, whether it's him or any other writer to
regurgitate it. But when it comes to real girl power, used in the name of goodness,
that's where he really shines.
And I'm certainly not going to be taking Captain Comics and the
Legion of Superfluous Moonbats for granted when it comes to things
like being a girl-phile.
An excellent one from an
Israeli politician:
"There have been many periods in
history when the nation did not identify the dangers in time. It's
not enough to be strong. We must see the danger and act sensibly."
-- Benjamin Netanyahu
Well said.
"Ethics are situational. What's a crime in peace is an
act of patriotism in war." -- The Question #7, August 1987
Another great observation from the great Denny O'Neil, who wrote one
of the best takes on the Charlton character when all of the now
defunct company's properties moved under DC's own umbrella. His take
will decidedly never be surpassed by anyone else.
"Darkness cannot drive out
darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only
love can do that." -- Martin Luther King Jr.
It's a pity modern superhero comic publishers won't consider any of
that.
"I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered
something he will die for, he isn't fit to live." -- Martin Luther King Jr.
Another excellent quote by a true master.
Now, here's something to
consider from the works of Winston Churchill, one of the few people
in England who truly understood Islam. The following he wrote in his
book The River War, based
on his experience in Sudan during the Kitchener campaign:
"How dreadful are the curses which
Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy,
which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is
this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many
countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture,
sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist
wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded
sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the
next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law
every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property -
either as a child, a wife, or a concubine - must delay the final
extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a
great power among men."
"Individual Moslems may show
splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers
of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the
religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.
No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being
moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It
has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless
warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is
sheltered in the strong arms of science - the science against
which it had vainly struggled - the civilisation of modern Europe
might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome." -- The River War, first edition, Vol.
II, pages 248-50, London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1899
Very, VERY perceptive!
"If your opponent is quick to anger, seek to irritate
him." -- Sun Tzu
Now, here's a great one from
Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion:
“No Jew is at liberty to surrender
the right of the Jewish Nation and the Land of Israel to exist. No
Jewish body is sanctioned to do so. No Jew alive today has the
authority to yield any piece of land whatsoever. This right is
preserved by the Jewish people throughout the generations and
cannot be forfeited under any circumstance. Even if at some given
time there will be those who declare that they are relinquishing
this right, they have neither the power nor the jurisdiction to
negate it for future generations to come. The Jewish Nation is
neither obligated by nor responsible for any waiver such as this.
Our right to this land, in its entirety, is steadfast inalienable
and eternal. And until the coming of the Great Redemption, we
shall never yield this historic right.” -- David Ben-Gurion
Well said, bravo!
"Zionism is nationalism whose aim is not power but
dignity and health." --
Albert Einstein
"There are no bad characters only bad writers" -- Neal Adams
It took a long time for me to figure out who might have said the
above, but now, I have been able to, and thankfully so, I'm telling
you! Good ol' Neal said something very correct, more so than you
think, when he pointed out the fact that many fictional characters
in comics are just that and nothing more. Why then won't some people
understand that if they find the way a character is written bad,
that it's not the character's fault? Adams' fine statement is one
that demands serious consideration.
"A bikini is not a bikini unless it can be pulled through
a wedding ring." -- Louis
Réard
"If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will
lose it's freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is money or
comfort that it values more, it will lose that, too." --W. Somerset Maugham
"To lose our country by a scrupulous
adherence to the written law, would be to lose the law itself,
with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them
with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the ends to the means." --
Thomas Jefferson, September 20, 1810
"The past and present must work
together, not independently. One learns from the other --
rejecting the bad, accepting the good." -- Hawkman, Flash
Comics #67 Volume 1.
"When you have strict censorship of the
internet, young students cannot receive a full education. Their
view of the world is imbalanced. There can be no true discussion
of the issues." - Ai Weiwei
"The last refuge of evil is the
attribution of its own worst qualities to its enemy!" - spoken by
Kry'ssma in The Green Lantern Corps #207, December 1986
Copyright Avi Green. All rights
reserved.