Saturday, May 19, 2007
Comic Art
Perhaps the least developed of any character, anywhere in comics is The Phantom Stranger. And yet, is is an absolutely pivotal figure in the DC Universe and definitely one of the "Omnipotents" in our every-other-week series. As his Wikipedia entry puts it The most striking aspect of the Phantom Stranger is that his name, his true nature, and his origins have never been revealed.
As with most Omnipotents he is more plot device than character, although he has sustained several multi-year title runs. But most people know The Phantom Stranger as the guy that shows up to tranport the Justice League to some place that no one knows how to get to or to tell them of some danger that no one can possibly sense, or worst of all to pull their butts our of some colelctive jam that the writer has boxed himself into. Many is the time the JLA has been in a situation so dire even their vaunted power could not overcome it, so up pops The Stranger, he waves his hand and all is right with the world. Despite that there is something about The Stranger that has kept the character active for many many years. Is it the mystery?
He is actually quite good in the proper setting. In the hero world he really does come off as a lame device for bad writers, but in the far less read, but much beloved amongst the comic geeks of the world, horror comics, he is something to behold. The cover here at the right, featuring another character of the ghostly realms, Deadman, shows what can be done in the correct genre. The Stranger and Deadman (especially Deadman) have truly stunning looks. But you have to love how The Stranger's overcoat doubles visually as a cape - that along with his hat shading his eyes (far as I know he does not wear a mask, but he might as well) gives him very much a hero appearance without wearing anything that you cannot buy at the local department store. Cool huh?Related Tags: comics, comic books, comic art, Omnipotents, Phantom Stranger
