Marvelous Characters

I have multiple issues when I read solicits, watch a commercial, listen to someone talk... Generally when someone would want to convince me of something. Which is whenever words are involved. All of the issues stem from terminology. In this case it's the "strong ____ character" line. It doesn't matter what the blank is --woman, black, gay -- that blank is a problem. Y'see, you're segregating the character, marketing it as the character as being a big deal because of blank. A lot of the time I expect it to be a moderate story trying to ride on the fact that their character is blank. The marketing scheme instantly turns me cynical.

Now, don't get me wrong. We need more strong ___ characters. The issue is making them strong blanks takes away from making them strong characters. A lot of the time I'll hear strong female character and I'll get a female character who's in charge and sassy while all the male characters are idiotic.

Why I bring this up today is Captain Marvel #1 came out today, by Kelly Sue DeConnick. I already love her work from Osborn: Evil Incarcerated, but Captain Marvel, a series that will hopefully be going on for quite some time, is a great book. The reason for this is Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, is a strong character. I'm one of those people who can forgive a flaw or two in the story so long as the characters are consistent and entertaining. Interesting characters make me buy books, movies, etc. Carol is an interesting character. She's flawed, she has dreams, both possible and impossible, and she has a trait that I love in all characters. She's tough. There's a theory that everyone has a favourite ninja turtle, and it signifies one of four different mindsets. Mine's Raphael. Carol Danvers, as Kelly Sue DeConnick writes her, reminds of of Raphael. Of Toph.

What I'm saying is I may have my new favourite book, and a new third favourite super hero. (Hulk, my first favourite super hero. X-23, because she got me into comics and by extension pushed me down my path in life. Ms. Marvel, general badass and entertaining read.)