Quentin_Beck's forum posts
See, I want the Kingpin to play with him. I want him to make it last. I want The Hood's death to be nice and slow. And ever so painful. It's only epic for the Kingpin. The Hood wouldn't even have the chance to fight back, but just get thrown around like a rag doll. Hehehe. I want him to suffer, I want to see him broken and bloodied at Kingpin's feet, I want ... to find more excuses to use italics.
But, yes. I'll grant you that it might still be too epic for Hood to die in such a manner. What he deserves to get, and what Kingpin deserves to do are two different stories entirely. What The Hood deserves is to slip on a bannana peel and fall face-first into traffic. Still, Kingpin should have the chance for revenge.
I could certainly get into a game like this.
Perhaps pursuing dialogue and interacting with certain teachers increases certain abilities, allows access to different perks, etc. Like interacting with Emma Frost would boost your telepathic powers and may even grant you some interesting abilities only available through Emma. Through Beast you might access hacking, gadgetry, and other science related abilities. Of course, you would only have the time to access 2-3 of the teachers' level-up power sets.
I'd suggest that something happen fairly early on that moves the game out of the school itself. Probably an attack by the Sentinels or Anti-Mutant extremists. That sort of thing. On the run, you might try and join-up with a group of fugitives from the school (although you would probably be intercepted and have to make a run for it) or set off on your own (which might lead to your capture by the Sentinels or even recruitment by Magneto or Mystique). There would, of course, be safe havens. For example, the Morlocks might offer refuge from your attackers (perhaps deformity as the result of your mutation could give a significant boost when interacting with the Morlocks, but alienate human groups you could otherwise hide in?).
Eventually, you (the player character) and any companions you may have met along the way would fight back, save the day, etc. to finish the main storyline. Following this, the X-Mansion would be rebuilt, you could once again access its facilities, and might even be offered a place as an X-Man. However, that doesn't mean you have to accept, and it certainly doesn't mean the game is over. You can still wander, completing other quests and so on.
While Dr. Arkham going insane was inevitable, and I'm sort of happy that's over and done with now, I hate him as Black Mask. I hate Arkham sullying the true Black Mask's not-so-good name. I mean, I loved Roman. He was a great villain, one of those bad guys you just love to loathe. He was so much fun, in a creepy, cruel, sadistic way. What he did in War Games was brilliant, both the thing with Spoiler and the whole ... you know ... take-control-of-the-entire-city thing. It's sad though that, after War Games, he seemed to deteriorate and fade into the background. After becoming the undisputed king of Gotham's criminal underworld, he didn't really do much before he got killed by Catwoman. Still, the only Black Mask as far as I'm concerned is Roman Sionis.
Now, I'd love to see Mysterio in a movie ... just not this one. He (and Kraven the Hunter, too) don't really work until Spider-Man himself has been established. Now, at least with Kraven you can introduce him via Chameleon, but Mysterio ONLY works as a sequel villain. With Kraven, it would be a shame to use him without getting The Lizard involved too. He could hunt down The Lizard (even kill him?) despite Spidey's intervention, establishing himself as a threat, creating deep conflict with the hero, etc. The Kraven thing could roll into something like Kraven's Last Hunt, neatly wrapping up Kraven with one of the BEST Spidey stories of all time. But, again, in a sequel. Perhaps Chameleon can be introduced after Kraven has kicked the bucket, seeking revenge for his half-brother's death?
Anyways, back to the matter at hand. No Mysterio or Kraven (at least not yet). The Lizard could work, but I'll say again that it would be a shame not to play the Kraven angle with Big, Green, and Scaly. No Goblins. No Doc Ock. No Sandman. ABSOLUTELY NO VENOM, NOT NOW, NOT EVER. You can introduce certain characters (like Norman Osborn) in the first movie, even establish them as 'bad guys' as long as they don't become a super-villain yet. Maybe they can do Ock and Goblin later, but for now we need something NEW.
So, we need somebody who A) poses a credible threat, B) involves minimal explanation, and C) doesn't cause a 'ripple' effect (I'll explain that in a minute). Finally, the need to D) pace themselves.
So, obviously we all know what a 'credible threat' means, even if it isn't always that easy to put into words. To put it simply, before they can be a villain, they need to look like they can be a villain. The audience needs to see the bad guy and believe he is the bad guy as soon as they see him. Now, this doesn't mean you can't use otherwise 'goofy' looking characters. Vulture, Shocker, Rhino ... they can all look the part if treated properly (though it might be a little harder with some than with the others). This isn't even a purely 'visual' cocept either. Sure, they need to walk like a villain. They need to talk like a villain. But most of all, they need to think like a villain. Now, this may sound like some sort of hokey self-help seminar, but it's true. The really great villains aren't villains because they look like bad guys. They have a presence that can be felt. That's what is most important.
Now, the first villain should involve minimal explanation. This is where I feel so many comic book film 'firsts' go wrong. With the first movie, you're introducing the hero, his supporting cast, his motivation, his life. You simply don't have time to spend on some complex, multi-layered villain right off the bat. In the end, every superhero movie is an action movie. The audience isn't here to see some character driven soap-opera. They are here to see larger-than-life figures with paranormal abilities FIGHT. Now, you can use this to your advantage. In the first film, you level the playing field. Villains that normally wouldn't work on their own (i.e. Shocker, Rhino, Vulture) have a chance to really shine here. You can't do a complex character justice in the first movie and still establish the comic book world you're trying to create. So don't. You can use a bad guy that couldn't possibly be used under normal circumstances. You can do that. So take advantage of the oppurtunity!
Now, the 'ripple' effect is sort of connected to the previous rule of simplicity. The 'ripple' effect is when you have a character whose actions have consequences that affect so many others. A charcater who is intimately involved in the hero's personal life inevitably creates a ripple and you DO NOT want that in the first movie. You spent all this time establishing your universe, you shouldn't do something that will change it drastically. When you use a character like Norman Osborn as the first villain, it changes the hero, the hero's supporting cast, etc. You just spent 2+ hours establishing your world, only to tear it down in mere moments and you have to start all over again the next time around.
Finally, the last major point I wish to make is that the film makers need to slow down and pace themselves. This may not directly affect the villain choice in any one movie, but somebody needs to look at the bigger picture. With each movie, you need a new villain. Each of these villains needs to be bigger, badder, scarier than the last, or it doesn't work. If the bad guy in Movie 2 doesn't measure up to the one in Movie 1, it ruins the plot. You can't expect action and drama from a fight between Spider-Man and, let's say, Stilt-Man or Paste Pot Pete (that's The Trapster, folks) after he's already face down somebody like Galactus. That's how we ended up with the mess that was Spider-Man 3 (well, that and the studio interefering with Sam Raimi). After Green Goblin, you needed somebody bigger and badder. Doc Ock worked, but then you need someoby even bigger and badder than Ock. Now you're in a predicament, because you don't have anyone who can fill the void. So you have to pit him up against 2-3 villains, then what? Just stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and PACE YOURSELF!!!
So, with that out of the way, I choose to nominate ...
{drum roll, please} ...
Electro as my villain for the Spider-Man reboot film. When done right, he looks cool and he makes for some pretty awesome fight scenes. Most importantly, he meets all my criteria for a 1st film villain. A) He makes for a credible threat (he's got some pretty cool abilities, there's no denying it). B) He's a simple and straightforward character. There's no big scheme or complicated origin with this guy. He got electric powers. Now, he uses them to get money. He doesn't want to take over the world, or act out repressed desires, or save humanity with some complicated new doohickey that goes wrong. He just wants money. Plus, let's face it. There's not much you can do with him while staying true to the charcater. He wouldn't work as a standalone villain. C) He's got a minimal impact on other characters. Max Dillon has no connections to Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, J Jonah Jameson, Aunt May ... he doesn't have a connection to anybody important in the hero's inner circle. He's just sorta there. And finally, D) However cool he can be, Electro is also easily outclassed. We (the audience) can believe that Green Goblin, or Kraven the Hunter, or Doc Ock, or Mysterio, or Lizard, or whoever can pose a greater threat to Spidey than Electro. But Max still works so well that it doesn't take away from the film.
As a side note, I still think it could be really interesting to see Mysterio combined with Mary-Jane Watson's stalker. With MJ in acting, it would be a perfect way to redirect the focus, change the tone. The threat suddenly isn't toward Spidey per se, but towards somebody he loves. Mysterio then targets Spidey after he connects the dots and sees that something is going on between him and her. Maybe he even figures out Spidey's identity and sets out to destroy his life piece by piece. Of course, this would have to be a ways away yet, but it's still fun to fantasize about it.
*Applauds*
I never liked The Hood. I mean, he's just some cheap thug, a two-bit ... well, hood. It's in the name. But when he tried/claimed to be Fisk's successor, I loathed every fiber of his being. It's one thing for someone to try and supplant Kingpin when their someone like, say, his son Richard. But when they are just some low level purse-snatcher with the powers of Jimmy Olsen and a costume he stole from a little girl trying to get to her grandma's ...
See, I'm hoping there isn't some big, climactic showdown. What do I want to see? I want to see Wilson Fisk, the one true Kingpin, walk up behind The Hood and crush his head like a grapefruit, or else break his apendages one-by-one and toss his broken carcass out of his penthouse window. I want some real sudden and gruesome end for that snot-nosed brat as the one and only king of crime comes back to take his mantle.
Let's see ...
Harley's a little too childish. I suppose she is funny in a Loony Tunes sorta way, but I have a problem with the concept. With Harley, I'd probably get into a protective brother-type mode, but I don't think I'd actually date her.
Catwoman may technically be the sanest member of the trio, but Michelle Pfeiffer still gives me nightmares (not really, but the Catwoman from Batman Returns did scare me a lot more than that seriously screwy version of Penguin). Besides, she's a cat-person. That's almost a deal-breaker right there.
I'd probably pick Poison Ivy. She might be creepy sexual, but that's mostly a ploy. Her sense of humor is also more in tune with my own ... sarcastic insults and dry wit to contrast with Harley's inane banter. Besides, I tend to agree with her ideals (more the "Humanity needs to be wiped clean off the face of the earth!" than the "Go plants!"). I appreciate a brilliant mind, unimpaired by conscience, morals, and naive optimism, none of which have any place in reality.
Well, I can't speak for everyone else, but ...
I despise Sentry for several reasons. First and foremost, I hate any character who has essentially limitless power. Unstoppable characters are boring and make for awful stories. It doesn't matter if they're good or evil (or whatever the heck Sentry is ... I'm not really sure).
Secondly, he just ripped one of my favorite characters in two. Ares is/was perhaps the only super-powered super-hero (with the exception of a couple X-Men) that I actually like. Usually I only like heroes like Batman, Iron Man, or Black Widow, but Ares had a special place in my heart.
My third issue is that he appears way too often, especially for a deus ex machina. These kinds of characters should only EVER be used as a last ditch effort by hero or villain alike. Sentry's popping up almost as often as Wolverine.
Fourth problem is that the guy is an angst-ridden milksop. All he does is cry, fly off, beat sombody up, and cry some more. Seriously, if any sentient being (which, I suppose, rules out Sentry) got unimaginable power, they wouldn't curl up in the fetal position and cry themselves to sleep every night.
Fifth he's kind of a one (or two) trick pony. Big shiny guy flies in. Big shiny guy throws something into sun. Big shiny guy flies in. Big shiny guy rips something in half (crying the entire time, of course).
Finally, when he enters the picture, the story gets thrown out the window. He's a speeding freight train that just kinda smashes into a comic, breaks everything, screws everything up, and speeds off. There's no sense to anything that goes on when he appears, there's no rules, and there's no point. And don't you dare give me any excuse about him being "mentally unstable". Bor ain't the only psych. major on these boards, and the Sentry that I see doesn't resemble any mental illness I've heard of. It's not D.I.D. and it's not schizophrenia. Maybe a mood disorder with psychotic symptoms like schizoaffective disorder, but even that seems to be a stretch.
Quentin Beck was the first Mysterio and a longtime foe of Spider-Man. Eventually he killed himself after a plan to drive Daredevil insane failed (he was already dying from lung cancer AND a brain tumor). Folowing this, Daniel Berkhart took over. Danny was an old prison-buddy of Beck's who had previously taken over from Beck (briefly) when Beck faked his own death as part of one of his master-plans.
Together, Danny and Quentin's cousin Maguire/Mad Jack (who was a girl, not a guy) attempted to take revenge on Spider-Man and Daredevil.
Quentin, meanwhile, had been sent to Hell, where he fought Doctor Strange and Dead Girl as a member of a group of damned villains trying to escape.
Most recently, some numbskull named Francis Klum who bought a Mysterio costume from Kingpin attacked the school where Peter Parker worked (when the world still knew his secret identity). After Klum took the building hostage, Danny came in to defeat Klum, who he felt was unworthy of using the mantle of Mysterio. While the two Mysterio's were duking it out, a THIRD Mysterio popped up in front of Miss Arrow, claiming to now be the agent of some sort of cosmic deity-organization-thingy. This Mysterio knew Arrow's true nature and then revealed himself to be Quentin back from Hell, albeit with most of his head still missing.
Recently it has been revealed Quentin faked Harry Osborn's death (due to the Brand-New-Day reboot) before his own demise, and that he will be making some sort of return in Amazing Spider-Man soon.
Nighthunter said:
"Zoom said:"Nighthunter said:Freeze is supposed to be a genius though it's based on medics instead of engineeringCaptain Cold didn't invite all of his equipment though""I would say that Freeze is smarter, yet I think that Cold takes this"How so?
Cold invented his own weaponry which is far superior to Freeze's.
"
Please note: I won't pretend to know a lot about Captain Cold, so please forgive any misitaken assumptions I make (although I do think Mr. Freeze is a much more interesting character).
I would tend to agree with Nighthunter. Freeze is smarter, but his speciality has nothing to do with Cold's. It's like comparing apples to oranges. If you had a world-renowned surgeon and a copy-machine repairman in the same room, and you were asked which is smarter, you would probably say the doctor (no offense meant to copy-machine repaimen). However, if you needed a copy-machine repaired, you probably wouldn't ask the doctor, would you?
Does that make any sense?
No matter how smart someone is, asking them something outside their area of expertise will not yield results. If you asked Mr. Freeze to create a more powerful freezing-gun then Captain Cold, he would probably fail. At the same time, if you asked Captain Cold to use his engineering knowledge to save the life of a sick woman, he would also probably fail.
Captain Cold has far superior weaponry to Mr. Freeze, or so I'm told.
In a fight, comparing their weaponry and combat skills, Cold wins hands down. However, if the two villains compete to ... uh ... find a cure for cancer, I'd bet my money on Freeze.
Apparently AIM decided it would be a good idea to make ANOTHER Super-Adaptoid. They paid Chameleon to not join MODOK's 11 and the Super-Adaptoid joined instead.
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