The word of the day: KNOCK-OFF

[HappyCanuck]

Just scanning the web, and I found this. Great just what we need - yet ANOTHER infusion of mass-produced drivel and knock-offs based of characters that no one cares about!

And look! Yet ANOTHER Wolverine book! (Okay, not technically, but it's worse - it's a cheap clone knock-off of him! Didn't these people read the Clone Saga in Spider-Man all those years ago?! There's a reason they killed Ben Riely's character off - HE WAS STUPID!!). Top that off with yet ANOTHER Avengers title that has no purpose (not to meantion a plagarised idea from DC of all ppl - think 'Teen Titans' and 'Young Justice' and then compare them to JLA, and you get 'Young Avengers'. At least TT and YJ PRETENDED they were anything but kiddie-emulations!), a VERY poor concieved villians book return, a Dr. Strange knock-off, and a return to the 'hayday' of the early nineties, when cyborgs and robots were supposedly cool (gag). And then, of course, what would our lovely knock-off crowd be without not one, but count them TWO cheap knock-offs of Spider-Man.

Christ, and these are supposedly geared towards the early to mid-teen ages. Add in the Jubilee mess to round out this load of bovine feces. If I was fourteen again, I'd be appalled at the Marvel thinking me stupid enough to fall for recycled garbage like this - POORLY recycled at that!

[cmdrkoenig67]

That's how I feel about the Ultimate line(knock offs)and too many Spidey or X books. Multiple versions(and books) of characters just eventually dilute/overexpose the characters(IMO)....To the point where nobody wants to read about them anymore....or get so confused as to who is who, that they drop the books all together. If I was a new reader, I think I'd find comics frustrating....heck...I find them frustrating, as an older reader...LOL.

Marvel should get rid of the multiple versions(and books) and just get back to basics....focusing on the original/older characters(that still have a lot of life and stories in them).....Exactly like they should do with Alpha flight.

Dana

[Mokole]

If we're lucky, the 7 dumb new titles (OK, six, Runaways isn't supposed to be that bad) will get Alpha Flight as #8! After all, they kept ANADAF in the shadows and denied it existed for months, this could be a repeat, though I'm only guessing.

Most of them look like bad ideas, marketing guys ideas of comic books. Two Spider books get retooled, another Wolverine knockoff, an Avengers bandwagon. Quesada talks about 'democracy' but I doubt he understands the term. If 'Democracy' was his guiding principle then Amazing Fantasy and the Fiona Avery book plus Runaways would not get second and third chances so soon. Why not ANADAF??

[Canucklehead]

Sure we'll see a new AF title in this Marvel Next line.... As soon as they create a female clone of James Hudson, but younger, hipper and with more attitude! A storyline so original, nothing like it has ever been attempted and will rock Canada's big frozen tundra to it's core! Move over Avril! Make way for Hailey Hoser! No doot aboot it, eh!?

Dave

[Ben]

Sure we'll see a new AF title in this Marvel Next line.... As soon as they create a female clone of James Hudson, but younger, hipper and with more attitude! A storyline so original, nothing like it has ever been attempted and will rock Canada's big frozen tundra to it's core! Move over Avril! Make way for Hailey Hoser! No doot aboot it, eh!?

Dave

ooooohhhh someone with artistic skills please draw this!

Ben

[cmdrkoenig67]

Sure we'll see a new AF title in this Marvel Next line.... As soon as they create a female clone of James Hudson, but younger, hipper and with more attitude! A storyline so original, nothing like it has ever been attempted and will rock Canada's big frozen tundra to it's core! Move over Avril! Make way for Hailey Hoser! No doot aboot it, eh!?

Dave

LOL!!!!! I love it....it's a fantastic idea....it'll sell millions! Millions, I tell you!

Dana

[HappyCanuck]

Sure we'll see a new AF title in this Marvel Next line.... As soon as they create a female clone of James Hudson, but younger, hipper and with more attitude! A storyline so original, nothing like it has ever been attempted and will rock Canada's big frozen tundra to it's core! Move over Avril! Make way for Hailey Hoser! No doot aboot it, eh!?

Dave

ooooohhhh someone with artistic skills please draw this!

Ben

*sigh* Ben, your evil... remember the last time you said something like that...?!!

[Mokole]

Well, if we're lucky, #8 will be Alpha Flight. After all, Runaways, She-Hulk, Amazing Fantasy, SpiderGirl,... all got reprieves after the axe because of editorial decisions, not democracy, not fan mail (Quesada said 'fan mail' saved SpiderGirl but that was a marketing ploy, Weapon X got twice the mail but got axed anyway). So why not Alpha Flight in 2005?

[HappyCanuck]

Well, if we're lucky, #8 will be Alpha Flight. After all, Runaways, She-Hulk, Amazing Fantasy, SpiderGirl,... all got reprieves after the axe because of editorial decisions, not democracy, not fan mail (Quesada said 'fan mail' saved SpiderGirl but that was a marketing ploy, Weapon X got twice the mail but got axed anyway). So why not Alpha Flight in 2005?

As much as I like your enthusiasm, and wish against all hope that you are right, Moloke, I have serious doubts that Alpha Flight is the mysterious eighth, only because, let's face it, Marvel just doesn't give a damn about it. I don't want to sound pessimistic, but Marvel has shown us time and again that, no matter what the fans say, no matter what the petitions demand, Marvel just doesn't give a rat's caboose, and if all out voices in it's various forms can't change that, then were stuck with our favourite characters either as limboed characters, under-used stereotype characters, or laughing-stocks of the comic genre. Which doesn't bode well for the nationial integrity of the country they are based in (which is the root of my problem with how Marvel handles these characters). If I sound pissy, it's because I am. I'm tired of Canada, her citizens, and her image besmirched by ignoble twits who dictate the media, telling us that Canada is a 'fake country', and a joke to the rest of the world (or the supposedly 'important' parts of it, anyways). You know who and what I am talking about - and to the citizens of those self-important countries, my apologies for any offence, but also understand where I am coming from. I'm truly proud of my country, I am proud to tell people 'I am Canadian', dispite her falacies, and to hell to those who think of her as the butt end of a global joke. I will NOT stand by and allow my country, my HOME, disgraced and dishonoured just so the media can get in a few laughs.

[Barnacle13]

Allan,
I don't think you're stating anything that anyone in this forum doesn't agree with. Canada is a great nation and you have much to be proud of as a citizen of such a country. As for media (and I'll read American media here, though I'm sure European is intended as well) I think we all agree that their spin on anything and everything is jaded. Media outlets are more and more becoming propaganda outlets for one govenrment, religion, group, etc. nowadays. Take it with a grain of salt. I for one am glad to have Canada as my northern neighbor and ally. Certainly beats the hell out of some of the other governments my country has thrown its hat in with. As for the comics end of things... Alpha should be right up there with the Avengers. They should stand side by side when facing global menaces. There's no question about it. Comics should reflect reality in this aspect. Aside from the UK, the US has no more dependable ally than Canada in my book. Sure there will be differences. That's to be expected. We're vastly different cultures. But when it boils down to it, we're happy to have friends like you. For the record I do have a feel for these prejudices in the media also. Living in the Southern US, and Louisiana in particular, it is often assumed education is lacking in these parts. It's written into comics with speech patterns, harped on in the press, etc. However, you'll find many highly intelligent individuals here, most of whom have never used the term "cher" to converse with another individual. Keep in mind that stereotypes are often wrong and based largely on the most extreme characters in a population. And if all of this coming from your southern neighbor doesn't brighten your day then "Take off, eh!"

Barancle

[Canucklehead]

Allan, we all know what ya mean bud. I used to be as frustrated as you are. I used to get so pissed off whenever I heard any pathetic attempts of humor against Canada. But I also get giddy whenever we're mentioned without a casual joke attached. I didn't sleep for 2 days after they mentioned Moncton at the end of "Taking Lives"! lol

But right now, I can say I don't give two ****s. I mean, yeah if someone on tv makes a crack about us, it feel insulted, but it fades cause I know it's coming from an ignorant person. Think of the popular press as the cool group of girls in high school. They say who and what's popular and whats not. It's impossible to go against them. Also the big joks who can beat the crap out of anybody that looks at them wrong. They get the respect. Much like the only popular countries on the planet right now are the ones that can turn any other into a parkinglot with a flick of a switch. So who are we on the play ground? The little quiet kid that keeps to himself/herself, hittin a peice of rubber with a stick. Are we considered "cool"? No way. Do the popular ones even care to ask us WHY we're hitting the little peice of rubber with a stick? No, in ignorence, they just point and laugh. Nothing really we can do about it accept not care about their opinions.

Do you know what I do when I hear a slant against me, my country or whatever? I go out and I help somebody out. I let someone move infront of me in line, I open the door for someone, I go volunteer somewhere. I gotta tell ya, nothing is more Canadian then the feeling of gratitude you get from helping someone less fortunate. So let them say what they want to say. They can point and laugh, but I tell you, their words mean nothing when you realize that they don't even understand what they are laughing at.

Dave

[Legerd]

Nicely said Dave, nicely said.

[HappyCanuck]

Thank you both, Dave and Tom, you are right in most of what you say. However, there are only a few things I will defend to the death: my convictions (yes, I have a few - most of them are quite well documented), my family, and my country. you offend one of them, and I will be all over your ass like flies on a corpse. Many of you have been able to take it all in stride - I can congratulate that - , but, as my online moniker would indicate, my nationality is one of the few things I have left that I cherish, and to see it besmirched is akin - in context - to attacking my children. There are VERY few things I take pride in, and this is one of them. I don't mean to offend anyone in my defences, but at the same time, don't expect me to let down. When it comes to what little convictions I have, I am steadfast in them.

[cmdrkoenig67]

I think they should name 2004, the year of the Wolverine groupies....since he had two female versions of himself appear on the scene. First X-23....or whatever her stupid name is(lame!)....and the Native(supah lame!)...sorry, I'm a little tipsy.........Happy new year!

Dana

Edited for sloppiness...LOL

[syvalois]

I found amazing info on the Wikipédia encyclopedia, it's so huge, I'm just copying the text of interest about Canadian perseption.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...related_topics

But I would recommend every AF writer wannabe to look at Quebec french to know how to right a good accent.


Outsider perceptions
Despite Canada's ambivalent relationship with the United States, Canadians often remain very interested in how Canadians are portrayed in American pop culture and elsewhere. An episode of The Simpsons in which the family travelled to Toronto (for the last 10 minutes) was one of the most-watched TV programs in Canadian history.

Many Canadians are of the firmly held belief that outsiders—especially, but not exclusively, Americans—have an ignorant or dismissive view of Canadian reality. A very common expression of Canadian identity is to rail against the stereotypes that they believe non-Canadians hold of Canadian citizens. This ranges from Voltaire's purported assessment of Canada as a few acres of snow (which is, in fact, a misquote) to the often told story of the American tourists who come to Toronto in July with skis on the roof of their car.

Canadian media personalities sometimes also play with this phenomenon for comedic purposes. During his years with This Hour has 22 Minutes, comic Rick Mercer produced a popular recurring segment called Talking to Americans, in which he would pose as a journalist in an American city, asking passers-by for their opinions on a fabricated Canadian news story. (Some of the "stories" for which he solicited comment included the legalization of staplers, the coronation of King Svend, the border dispute between Québec and Chechnya, the campaign against the Toronto Polar Bear Hunt, and the reconstruction of the historic Peter Mans Bridge.)

There is also a widespread belief that Canadians are generally more liked than Americans, and are treated with more respect when travelling to foreign lands. Many Canadians in turn attach Canadian flags to their backpacks and clothing when travelling, in an attempt to encourage such better treatment and not be mistaken for Americans. There is some dispute over the prevalence of this assumed international hospitality, however. Will Ferguson has written falsely as a joke that Canadians confuse being less hated than Americans with being better liked.

Another very common expression of Canadian nationalism is to link a political course of action, such as the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, to the threat of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States. This tactic is intended to prey on raw emotion, but is very often effective nonetheless.

Historically there have always been a few minor, yet vocal Canadian commentators who argue that Canadian/American distinctions are ultimately meaningless, and that a union between the two countries is both imminent and desirable. Such advocates include author Goldwin Smith and more recently media magnate Conrad


or

Canadians are stereotyped by other nationalities as being nice, but rather dull: "decaffeinated Americans" being one description, "an American with healthcare and no gun" being another. One joke goes "How do you get Canadians out of a swimming pool? You ask them."

Many foreigners perceive Canadians as nearly identical to Americans, with only slight differences. However, most Canadians vigorously reject this notion, and perhaps as a result some Canadian culture directly involves disparaging Americans (see Rick Mercer's "Talking to Americans"). This is viewed as an inferiority complex by some.

Writer John Robert Colombo once remarked that Canada was supposed to have British government, French culture and American know-how, but instead ended up with French government, American culture and British know-how.

Part of Canadian culture is a self-deprecating awareness of these stereotypes and assorted cultural highlights, for example Canadian French, Canadian English, eh, the RCMP, joual, poutine, winter, the Canadian Arctic, First Nations people and Inuit (to the extent to which the cultures of these groups are mapped onto that of the country as a whole), maple syrup, ice hockey, and beer. Noted examples of stereotypical Canadian characters are Dudley Do-Right , SCTV's Bob & Doug McKenzie and Royal Canadian Air Farce.

In 2003, the country's official refusal to get involved in the US invasion of Iraq, the proposed decriminalization of the possession of small amounts of marijuana and the legalization of same sex marriages were noted internationally. As the UK magazine, The Economist, noted Canada has taken the image of a North American culture that is "cool" in that it is taking a socially progressive tone in contrast to the USA.