Post by Elliot Kane on Feb 9, 2007 12:46:49 GMT
Ever since I first heard about the idea of CW, I thought two things: that it could be a great idea if done right, and that it would be an absolute disaster if done wrong.
Putting it mildly it got done wrong - and badly so. The pro-reg side come across as complete bastards if not outright fascists, Iron Man is now a villain and Doctor Strange looks like a complete imbecile for saying there is no right or wrong when there clearly is.
Worse yet, almost every character has been out of character for most of the series, and sides have been drawn to further the plot rather than because they make sense.
And worst of all, it's almost impossible for the readers to really understand why the heroes are fighting, what the issues at stake are, and why on Earth any of the heroes are going along with a piece of legislation that would make Stalin look like a liberal.
***
In order to make CW work as I story, I think the following approach would be needed:
The setup: The New Warriors may be young, but they are a highly experienced hero group. If you are going to use a new group with no experience, you are pretty much stuck with the Young Avengers. Failing that, you need to create a new hero just to take the fall in part one. As new heroes are popping up all the time, this is obvious artifice but not half so bad as having a hero group suddenly leave their brains at home because it's convenient.
Next up, you need Nitro cornered in the school by a serious amount of SHIELD units. He managed to get in there while pursued, and is holding the kids hostage. Negotiators are talking him down and images are being beamed across the US, as he's been surrounded in there for a few hours.
Our new superhero turns up, rushes in with stars in his eyes to save the day, and gets blown up along with the school.
You have the emotive dead kids, plus the neophyte hero blundering into a situation that was already under control by the authorities - a clear and transparent case of a 'hero' rushing in half-cocked and causing massive death and destruction. No ambiguity, no-one out of character.
First results
Public horror leads the govt to conclude that something must be done - and we need to see this being discussed for it to make sense. The superheroes have saved the world many times, and should have a lot of sympathy and support in the govt because of this, but it's clear that kids with no training cannot be allowed to just put on a costume and go out there - it's too dangerous for everyone.
So the govt decides they need to make sure superheroes are properly regulated, and decide that all people who intend to actively pursue a career as a superhero will have to be registered so that they can be properly trained and are fully accountable to the govt. Only those who pass through extensive training courses successfully will be allowed to operate as superheroes, and unsanctioned superhero activity will be made a criminal offence.
Thus we have a reasonable piece of legislation aimed at creating a more responsible and capable superhero community rather than a draconian attempt to force anyone and everyone with any kind of power to register, whether they intend to use their powers or not.
Drawing the lines
The act I have outlined above can be viewed in two ways:
1. A responsible act by a trustworthy body of politicians to minimise harm to the public.
2. An attempt to gain total control of the greatest weapons of mass destruction on the planet.
What is worse, even those who are inclined to see #1 might well look to the future and ask themselves if all future govts will act in an honourable fashion even if the current one does.
The leaders of the two sides make sense, even if little else in CW does. Iron Man has always been close to the govt, and has actually worked for and within it. He is a system man from tip to toe, and he would naturally support an attempt to bring govt and superheroes into closer alignment. Tony is very much a pragmatist, and has no problem with following the path of expediency if it gets the job done. If it helps prevent any more tragedies from happening, losing some measure of freedom is a small price to pay.
Cap, by contrast, has had a far more fractious relatonship with his govt, having been stripped of the suit, banished and generally ill treated whenever his principles conflict with the party line. Given that Cap runs entirely on principle, this happens a lot. Moreover, Cap will likely see any attempt to register certain members of the community as an echo of Nazi Germany, an infringement of civil liberty, and a way to prevent any superhero putting a stop to governmental corruption - a thing he would absolutely oppose. Cap is an idealist, and believes that any restraint on freedom in the name of expediency is a bad thing, and probably the thin end of a very nasty wedge.
The necessary ideologies are thus already inherent in both characters, and the battle lines are drawn.
The second step
A great number of superheroes get together to talk about the planned legislation, probably at the behest of Reed Richards who feels the superhero community will need a united front.
It quickly becomes obvious that there will be no such thing. Cap and IM have come to the meeting with very different ideas of what the community needs to do, and their views, publically stated in front of the others, lead to a schism with the heroes dividing roughly in half. There's no fighting yet because there's no law yet, but they all know it's only a matter of time.
Reed declares the FF neutral (Being almost totally apolitical and with their identities publically known anyway the FF have no real interest in whether the law is passed or not), and says he hopes both sides will reach an accomodation without fighting. Certainly the FF will not fight their friends on either side.
Dr Strange can declare himself neutral with both sides being right without looking like an imbecile, so he's sorted, too.
The law is passed
Cap and his group are now officially criminals, but they continue doing what they do anyway. IM and his group reluctantly seek them out, and battle is joined, with the ultimate fate of the registration act hanging in the balance...
The end
Could simply go either way. A law that cannot be enforced can be repealed with Cap making a big speech to the public about heroes only being human, but that America is the land of freedom and justice for all, etc.
Or IM could win, and the dissenting heroes be given the choice of conforming to the law or exile, as they choose.
***
That's how I would have done it. All brickbats & bouquets are welcome
Putting it mildly it got done wrong - and badly so. The pro-reg side come across as complete bastards if not outright fascists, Iron Man is now a villain and Doctor Strange looks like a complete imbecile for saying there is no right or wrong when there clearly is.
Worse yet, almost every character has been out of character for most of the series, and sides have been drawn to further the plot rather than because they make sense.
And worst of all, it's almost impossible for the readers to really understand why the heroes are fighting, what the issues at stake are, and why on Earth any of the heroes are going along with a piece of legislation that would make Stalin look like a liberal.
***
In order to make CW work as I story, I think the following approach would be needed:
The setup: The New Warriors may be young, but they are a highly experienced hero group. If you are going to use a new group with no experience, you are pretty much stuck with the Young Avengers. Failing that, you need to create a new hero just to take the fall in part one. As new heroes are popping up all the time, this is obvious artifice but not half so bad as having a hero group suddenly leave their brains at home because it's convenient.
Next up, you need Nitro cornered in the school by a serious amount of SHIELD units. He managed to get in there while pursued, and is holding the kids hostage. Negotiators are talking him down and images are being beamed across the US, as he's been surrounded in there for a few hours.
Our new superhero turns up, rushes in with stars in his eyes to save the day, and gets blown up along with the school.
You have the emotive dead kids, plus the neophyte hero blundering into a situation that was already under control by the authorities - a clear and transparent case of a 'hero' rushing in half-cocked and causing massive death and destruction. No ambiguity, no-one out of character.
First results
Public horror leads the govt to conclude that something must be done - and we need to see this being discussed for it to make sense. The superheroes have saved the world many times, and should have a lot of sympathy and support in the govt because of this, but it's clear that kids with no training cannot be allowed to just put on a costume and go out there - it's too dangerous for everyone.
So the govt decides they need to make sure superheroes are properly regulated, and decide that all people who intend to actively pursue a career as a superhero will have to be registered so that they can be properly trained and are fully accountable to the govt. Only those who pass through extensive training courses successfully will be allowed to operate as superheroes, and unsanctioned superhero activity will be made a criminal offence.
Thus we have a reasonable piece of legislation aimed at creating a more responsible and capable superhero community rather than a draconian attempt to force anyone and everyone with any kind of power to register, whether they intend to use their powers or not.
Drawing the lines
The act I have outlined above can be viewed in two ways:
1. A responsible act by a trustworthy body of politicians to minimise harm to the public.
2. An attempt to gain total control of the greatest weapons of mass destruction on the planet.
What is worse, even those who are inclined to see #1 might well look to the future and ask themselves if all future govts will act in an honourable fashion even if the current one does.
The leaders of the two sides make sense, even if little else in CW does. Iron Man has always been close to the govt, and has actually worked for and within it. He is a system man from tip to toe, and he would naturally support an attempt to bring govt and superheroes into closer alignment. Tony is very much a pragmatist, and has no problem with following the path of expediency if it gets the job done. If it helps prevent any more tragedies from happening, losing some measure of freedom is a small price to pay.
Cap, by contrast, has had a far more fractious relatonship with his govt, having been stripped of the suit, banished and generally ill treated whenever his principles conflict with the party line. Given that Cap runs entirely on principle, this happens a lot. Moreover, Cap will likely see any attempt to register certain members of the community as an echo of Nazi Germany, an infringement of civil liberty, and a way to prevent any superhero putting a stop to governmental corruption - a thing he would absolutely oppose. Cap is an idealist, and believes that any restraint on freedom in the name of expediency is a bad thing, and probably the thin end of a very nasty wedge.
The necessary ideologies are thus already inherent in both characters, and the battle lines are drawn.
The second step
A great number of superheroes get together to talk about the planned legislation, probably at the behest of Reed Richards who feels the superhero community will need a united front.
It quickly becomes obvious that there will be no such thing. Cap and IM have come to the meeting with very different ideas of what the community needs to do, and their views, publically stated in front of the others, lead to a schism with the heroes dividing roughly in half. There's no fighting yet because there's no law yet, but they all know it's only a matter of time.
Reed declares the FF neutral (Being almost totally apolitical and with their identities publically known anyway the FF have no real interest in whether the law is passed or not), and says he hopes both sides will reach an accomodation without fighting. Certainly the FF will not fight their friends on either side.
Dr Strange can declare himself neutral with both sides being right without looking like an imbecile, so he's sorted, too.
The law is passed
Cap and his group are now officially criminals, but they continue doing what they do anyway. IM and his group reluctantly seek them out, and battle is joined, with the ultimate fate of the registration act hanging in the balance...
The end
Could simply go either way. A law that cannot be enforced can be repealed with Cap making a big speech to the public about heroes only being human, but that America is the land of freedom and justice for all, etc.
Or IM could win, and the dissenting heroes be given the choice of conforming to the law or exile, as they choose.
***
That's how I would have done it. All brickbats & bouquets are welcome
