Sunday, August 8, 2021

Human Torch and The Unknown Soldier

 

DC's Unknown Soldier is a character so ripe for adaptation that I am surprised that I have never seen him show up in other media.  I think his exploits would be perfect for a straight up war movie without any other comic book trappings, or one that included other DC war stars like Sgt. Rock, The haunted Tank, Gravedigger, Mademoiselle Marie and so on.  He never even made an animated appearance in Batman: The Brave and the Bold or Justice League Unlimited.  Hopefully some use will be found for him, it's too good of a character and concept to leave on the shelf.

19 comments:

Carycomic said...

Evidently, Time-Warner is of the opposite opinion. But, maybe if they get flooded with hundreds of popular demands, similar to yours, they'll acquiesce.

As to the premise on the cover? I wonder if the child is an Inhuman. Maybe even Crystal, herself!

Wolfhammer said...

Another great one! What a story that would be.

R.J. Kelly said...

This Torch is probably Jim Hamond, the one from WWII

Carycomic said...

Granted. But, that doesn't automatically preclude her being Medusa's kid sister. Perhaps abducted by some outsider hired by Maximus the Mad?

Bob Greenwade said...

Plot hole: If the girl is Inhuman, then at her age this would be before her exposure to Terragen. I suppose she could be a very young Emma Frost....

Anonymous said...

Or, maybe even Medusa, herself, as a child!

det_Tobor said...

A different possibility - she's a diplomat's kidnapped daughter. The U. S. is involved in a Task Force X type of mission. Doesn't want to do it but it has to be done for a very important need. The Torch has no clue on what's going on.

Anonymous said...

So, the Unknown Soldier is defying TFX for the sake of the girl's emotional stability? Highly noble; but definitely treasonous (from Uncle Sam's pov).

Carycomic said...

@Bob Greenwade: Emma Frost would be even more out of the question, chronologically. If only because her telepathic mutation wouldn't have kicked in till adolescence! To say nothing of her birth date being evidently way post-WWII. She might be an accidental time traveler, though. In which case, the Allies might want her for her future knowledge.

Bob Greenwade said...

@Cary: In the current Marvel Universe, Emma would be too young to have been alive during World War II. That wasn't so much the case when she was first introduced, though, because timelines in comics are highly mutable. In the STFU, we've already seen the same pairs of characters share Silver Age adventures in the 60s and more contemporary adventures without the benefit of slowed aging, time travel, etc. And sometimes mutants do have their powers pre-adolescence; this could be when Emma's powers are just dawning. (I'm having a hard time coming up with any other blonde girl who could fit this scenario.)

Carycomic said...

@Bob: I'd opt for the future wife of Dr. Franklin Storm who (in the Ross-verse, anyway) could be the son of Capt. William Storm...of Losers fame!

Bob Greenwade said...

@Cary: That could do, especially if this Human Torch is a time-traveling Johnny Storm (but still even if it's Jim Hammond).

Anonymous said...

@Carycomic: he certainly wouldn't consider himself a loser if he knew how fantastic his grandchildren would turn out to be.

:-)

Carycomic said...

@Bob and Anon: too true!

Glenn said...

The reason why Unknown Soldier does not get much movie action is current actors are demanding face screen time. Look at the Avengers movies where they are constantly taking off their masks even though for some they provide protection and they are in a fight!

Carycomic said...

Also too true. They're primarily interested in dividends from all those stupid T-shirts that are nothing more than cotton-poly billboards!

Bob Greenwade said...

Sometimes it's the director's choice, and sometimes it's for reasons other than face-time (like the mask being really uncomfortable). But certainly we do need more actors with the pride of Brent Stait or Pedro Pascal.

Anonymous said...

As opposed to Toby Garfield and Andrew Maguire? ;-)

Carycomic said...

@Anonymous: *Groooooooooooooooooan!*

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