A Comic Book Problem That Has Plagued My Entire Life

I struggle with a few things in life. Time, productivity, bad Comic Book adaptations, and a few others. Through work and concentration, I am able to deal and work through most of these. Yes, each can prove challenging and yes, each requires a specific action plan, but I can overcome them. I know this.

One thing has plagued me my entire life.

I hope it’s obvious but I love comics. I love everything about them. The stories, the action, the art, the cliffhanging endings…everything. Like most others, I give preference to certain characters over others. Does that mean I’m biased? Probably, but that’s the way it goes. Captain America, Bucky Barnes, Iron Fist, Gambit…yeah, those guys do it for me. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have fantasized about being one of these guys.

Imagine if you could become Captain America…Super Soldier, Captain America.

Just the sound of that is powerful. Here is a guy, no matter what the situation or circumstance, who stands up for what is right. He is the antithesis to all wrong-doing. He’s big, strong, smart, tactical, and has a haircut that any man should envy. He made the most spectacular debut in all of comics history. The inaugural cover page saw him punching Adolf Hitler right in the mouth. C’mon man! How can you not like this guy?

Bucky Barnes, the perfect metaphor for a midlife crisis.

Here is a guy who instead of buying a Ferrari or a Porshe, changed his whole persona around. From able sidekick to assassin to Star-Spangled, tights wearing, leader. When life has me down and I don’t feel I’m on the right track, I look to Bucky. I tell myself that if he can flip-flop his direction more than my sandals as I walk, so can I.

Above that, Bucky is the perfect reminder that there is always a person who is worse off than you.

Gambit was everything I desired to be as a child.

He was confident, suave, and calm. He didn’t panic when trouble arose, and more importantly, he knew how to talk to women (an area I definitively lacked in). I gleefully watched him lay his southern charm on every woman that passed his way. And as he did it, I took notes. I picked up the subtle nuances of his voice and body language and over time applied it to my own life. Of course, I quickly realized that this sort of thing doesn’t work in the real world, but that didn’t matter. He instilled an unseen confidence in me from a young age.

I suppose this is why I have him tattooed on my arm. That and, no matter what you say, throwing charged cards is pretty awesome.

And then there’s Iron Fist.

Not withstanding the poor portrayal of the character in the Netflix show, Danny Rand was the culmination of a life I didn’t know. He could fight, charge up his Chi into a Hell releasing ball of energy, beat up a mystical dragon named Shou-Lao, and did it all while being a Billionaire. Yes, Danny was the epitome of what I wanted at a very young age. Oh, and it didn’t hurt that his costume is my favorite color, green.

Which brings me full circle to my original statement…that one thing that has plagued me my entire life.

My brother is as big of a comics fan as I. Maybe and truthfully even more so. He lives and breathes the industry. Just like you and I, he too has his favorite characters. Without spoiling too much, Captain America and Daredevil fall into his list. But there has always been one that has troubled me and no matter how hard I try, I can’t think of a reason for it.

Cyclops…he likes Cyclops.

I’ve often thought that it’s because he is a high ranking member of his favorite group, the X-Men, or that it is because he loves a good blue and yellow combination. But I don’t think that’s the reason.

I guess that’s the point. I’m not meant to know his reason. We are different and maybe it’s our differences that separate our character choices. In thinking about it, I believe that’s what makes this website work. It is both our similarities and differences.

He likes Cyclops. I like Bucky.

He likes Daredevil, I like Iron Fist.

Either way, just happy he has latched onto someone who he enjoys (but I will still be plagued by it).

With saying that, who do you like? Why do you like them?

Cheers,

Joel

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