Red Tornado has sported multiple looks over the years. At times he looks very robotic (as in Primal Force and his animated appearances), while other times he looks like a red skinned human (as in the Brad Meltzer/Ed Benes Justice League run), and somewhere in between at other points. What do you think is his best look? I'm partial to his appearance from his time in Young Justice - definitely robotic, but still with the ability to convey facial emotion.
Thank you to Marc Tyler Nobleman, comics' historian and Patron of this blog, for suggesting this team up!
Yesterday's cover, with anime/manga character Ultraman, inspired my e-mails(?) in yesterday's comments regarding "Ranma 1/2"'s" "card-carrying" pervert Happosai and the "Mickey Mouse" short "Flipperboobootosis".
ReplyDeleteMa Hunkel's Red Tornado from Little Lulu was best.
ReplyDeleteIn the Arrowverse, so far we've seen two versions of Reddy: one on Earth-38, and the other from Earth-X. Both were simply full-on robots without dialogue. I'd like to see that same basic look from another Earth -- probably Earth-1 or Earth-2 -- with an actor either in costume or using motion capture, giving the same "acting without a face" challenge that Pablo Pascal deals with on The Mandalorian.
ReplyDeleteThat said, "acting without a face" is even tougher in the comics medium than in live-action TV/movies, since the characters don't get voice inflections and subtle body-language movements. We only get their words and thoughts, and snapshot poses. Still, somehow, I recall that an artist in the 70s or 80s managed to nail those aspects of the character and make him feel real with little in the way of facial expressions. I no longer have my comics from that period, and all I remember is that he was a member of the Justice League at the time (and I think it was the look he had when he teamed up with Firestorm in the latter hero's titular comic in an insane plan to save New York City).
And moving on, speaking of Ma Hunkel (as Alec just was), I'd like to see her again on this blog. The best would have her coming to the rescue of some insanely powerful Marvel hero like Captain Marvel or the Scarlet Witch, but even just babysitting the Power Pack would be lots of fun.
(The top of my wish list, though, is still Irwin Schwab getting the Infinity Gauntlet in "Ambush Bug Ruins the Marvel Universe"!)
I started comics reading during the satellite era of the JLofA during the 70's, so I am very partial to the red/yellow/blue version with the John Smith secret identity.
ReplyDeleteI like the appearance he had when I first saw him in Silver Age issues of the Justice League. Particularly the centennial crossover with the JSA that reintroduced the 7 Soldiers of Victory!
ReplyDeleteWhat the very last anon said.
ReplyDelete@Bob G Then he'd be like the Impossible Man sssoooo howz bout: Ambush bugs the Marvel Universe. 😁
ReplyDeleteExcellent.
ReplyDeleteCan spider ham be far behind?
Dick Dillin's Reddy is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteDick Dillin's Reddy is my favorite as well although I liked the Brad Meltzer/Ed Benes Justice League run. The Construct/Star-Tsar/Mark Shaw Privateer had a lot of character development for him as well.
ReplyDeleteThe character had a lot of potential in groups and alone when writers did not use him as a plot device.
@ Bob Greenwade. Is the Earth-38 Red Tornado the one from Supergirl Season 1?
ReplyDeleteThis version of Red T. came after the Vision didn't it? T. O. Morrow built him to destroy the heroes but he turned on his creator. DC got better in handling him over the years, but he didn't seem to reach a big enough audience. I think he wasn't used much in the animated either. (not a robot seems a bit odd today.)
ReplyDelete@Scott: Yes, that's the one.
ReplyDelete@ Bob and det_Tobor: I think DC further ret-conned him just before COIE. As a glorified host body for the "Tornado Champion of Rann!"
ReplyDeleteCover of the month!
ReplyDeleteDick Dillin and Dick Giordano version of Red Tornado was the best.
ReplyDeletei wonder if body paint could be used on actor to get the right look?