Today at ComicsAlliance, we’re celebrating the release of Chew v.1
, one of my favorite new books of the year, with a look at some of the strangest super-powers in comics!
The usual suspects are in there, of course–as well as an explanation of “Superman’s New Power”
from Superman #125, one of the finest comic book stories ever produced–but as you might’ve guessed from the image above–I also put Gunfire in there.
Not so much for his powers themselves, but for what writer Garth Ennis did with them in the pages of Hitman
. I mention the panels in the CA article, but as DC’s only recently getting around to collecting Hitman in paperback, they’re always worth a look to see how Ennis and McCrea treats the potential hazards of being able to turn anything into a gun:
And of course:
Oh Garth Ennis. You rascal.
“The Gunfire Legacy.”
Man, and I thought Adventure Comics #4 would be the funniest thing I read all week.
I’ve only just recently got my hands on the series with the power of the Gorilanet. For a human, Garth Ennis is pretty funny when he isn’t focusing on shocking violence.
Judging from that first panel, Gunfire can also turn exposition into a gun.
I actually own two issues of Gunfire.
And every Annual in the Bloodlines event.
HELP ME
Luke . . . not as if you paid cover price for all of the annuals, right?
Right??
Man, those Bloodlines guys get a lot of mileage.
But not in a positive way.
He has crosshairs on his kneecaps.
He has CROSSHAIRS on his KNEECAPS.
There’s no way this can end well.
This guys got fairly odd (non-defined) powers:
http://marvel.com/universe/Straw_Man
I am hoping and a praying he turns up to be instrumental in returning Frank Castle to life sometime next year.
You know, as much as I love Morrison’s Doom Patrol and the two Brotherhood of Dada stories, there has always been something that nagged me about the Quiz. If her power is to have every superpower you have never thought of, wouldn’t telling people what her power is leave her immediately powerless?
Is it just one butt cheek that becomes a hand grenade? Or just a portion of one butt cheek? Or the whole ass? If it’s the whole ass, dude’s got one small ass.
Bueno . . .
Yawn. Really folks? We still think Garth Ennis one trick writing style is amusing?
I didn’t realize Gunfire existed outside of that issue.
Now it’s even funnier.
Wow, I think people really are hating just to get on the podcast! Lemme try…
“You forgot… umm… ”
Shit, that’s harder than it looks. Maybe I shoulda yawned.
Look at that sorry-ass pile of Kirby Dots that Gunfire is standing in…I’ve never seen them look so lifeless. It’s like being forced to stand next to Gunfire has broken their little Kirby Dot spirits! Get me 100cc’s of Jack and Stan’s Fantastic Four – STAT!!
So what does his Sex Pistol turn into when he touches it?
The Knack.
Gunfire, you n00b. Take the glasses OFF when attempting first aid!
Yawn. Really folks? We still think Garth Ennis one trick writing style is amusing?
Yawn. Really folks? We still think this style of comment is worth leaving?
Huh. The main article is somehow missing “The Mysterymen” from Bob Burden’s epic works. For shame!
Twenty comments and not a single “if everything he touches turns into a gun, what about masturbation” joke yet?
For shame, people. This is the internet! We have standards to uphold!
A first effort: “This guy’s nickname must be Mr. Fap Fap Bang Bang!”
Powderkeg (who appeared in the Monica Rambeau Captain Marvel one shot) beat The Anarchist to explosive sweat by a healthy margin.
I had no idea DC was reprinting the Hitman trades. Are they planning on doing the whole series this time or stopping halfway through again?
Garth Ennis can write all the Herogasms he wants, because Hitman and Preacher (but for me, specifically Hitman) are two of the best comics ever written.
I don’t care that he makes fun of superheroes half the time….so what?
Also, the Hitman two issue special with Superman…sadder than that episode of Futurama with Fry’s dog, man.
It takes a really great author to choke your audience up with a name written on a bathroom wall (on the moon).
Harvey – actually, Dr. Ink beat you to that joke, comment #16. The follow-up by Jamie at #17 is currently winning the thread.
Must have taken you too long to think of your joke.
I’ve always been partial to The Ten-Eyed Man, “the most dangerous man alive.”
Ken Shamrock is suing for copyright infringement as we speak.
The best part about the Ten-Eyed Man isn’t that he can see through his fingertips; it’s that he can only see through his fingertips.
AERose knuckles up to win the thread.
Isn’t the masturbation joke already there in the second Hitman panel above?
…I just finished reading the entire Bloodlines event and *yes it is as bad as you think.*
Stupid Bloodlines.
I assume his personal life involves anal sex with horrible results…
Especially if he’s being written by Garth Ennis.
I’m not trying to be That Guy – really – but I am totally flabbergasted that Ennis fans think of Hitman as his finest work. It’s funny, sure. It’s a decent read. But so heavy-handed and self-righteous most of the time, even more so than his juvenile work on the Punisher (where he has Wolverine run over by a steamroller – yes, it’s funny, but not exceptionally sharp commentary, is it?).
I’m honestly not trying to be a devil’s advocate here. I just find it hard to fathom that in a world where Ennis wrote Preacher, MAX Punisher, his work on Hellblazer for Pete’s sake!!!, heck, even Adventures in the Rifle Brigade or War is Hell… With that body of work extant, every example of which is more nuanced, dramatic and subtly funny (because more adult) than Hitman, people think Hitman is his finest work?
To me, Hitman is like a Ennis’ take on a Mad magazine parody. Funny, over the top, not saying much. Oh, well, except that Christmas issue with Superman. That was excellent.
So – yes. Not posting just to say “I’m different! I’m smarter!” I’d like to hear Ennis fans, who have read a great deal of his work, explain why they enjoy Hitman so much. Anyone?
I think that, largely, what makes Hitman work is the total lack of subtlety – I often find that Ennis’s subtle work is where his voice is the weakest, where I could easily just be reading another creator, while Hitman is Ennis going totally gonzo mad. It manages to evoke both character and place beyond his more nuanced work.