Paladin Respect

[Monty_Cristo]

bio(s):
http://www.comicvine.com/paladin/29-10584/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paladin_(comics)

http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=fullsize&issue=34928052456%2053
http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=fullsize&issue=40146787124%2011
http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=enlarge&issue=21267019774%20150


This super-powered soldier-of-fortune has been around since the 70s, rubbed elbows with Captain America, knocked boots with the Wasp, taken down Daredevil, roughed up Elektra, Three's-Companied the B.A.D Girls, got on Silver Sable's speed dial, and kept himself in caviar by being good at his profession.

so my question is, "Why so little recognition?" Why is this guy always stuck in the background? he should be getting the good one-liners. we should have gotten his reaction to Janet Van Dyne's death. he should have at least been offered Avengers membership; only to turn it down because they can't meet his price. I, personally, feel that Paladin has been shortchanged. Dominic Fortune was drug out of obscurity and given his own mini. what's he got that Paladin doesn't?

whether you like him, hate him, or feign indifference, i want to hear your opinions on ol' purple britches. is he a contender? what's he missing?

[gorosaurus]

I have always liked the character. I was glad to see him in the latest issue of Cap as a Thunderbolt. Is he a regular in the Thunderbolts book?

[Puunk]

Was this the same Paladin who fought with Diamondback in the Hellions mini? 'cus I really liked him.

[Monty_Cristo]

I have always liked the character. I was glad to see him in the latest issue of Cap as a Thunderbolt. Is he a regular in the Thunderbolts book?

yeah, he's a regular. he snuck into a HAMMER science facility to assassinate Elektra, failed, and ended up getting caught. they gave him the options of joining the Thunderbolts or 'disappearing.' i'd definately recommend the Dark Reign Elektra issue that he appears in (it was the 2nd of the run). he hasn't done much in Thunderbolts but i'm hopeful. he's kind of the moral compass of the team; speaking up when they are doing something that is clearly evil.

[Monty_Cristo]

Was this the same Paladin who fought with Diamondback in the Hellions mini? 'cus I really liked him.

yeah, i seem to remember him being in that. he and Diamondback are old bed buddies. he's actually been in a number of X-books (Cable, for instance). did you catch his adventure with Generation X? he was working for Emma Frost's now-dead sister Adrienne. he had a wolverine-ish bond with Jubilee.
http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=fullsize&issue=34928052456%2053

[Puunk]

yeah, i seem to remember him being in that. he and Diamondback are old bed buddies. he's actually been in a number of X-books (Cable, for instance). did you catch his adventure with Generation X? he was working for Emma Frost's now-dead sister Adrienne. he had a wolverine-ish bond with Jubilee.
http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=fullsize&issue=34928052456%2053

Really?!

I loved Adrienne. I'm checking that out.

[Monty_Cristo]

Really?!

I loved Adrienne. I'm checking that out.

they both appear in the issue after it, as well.

[MTL76]

I always liked Paladin too. I'm glad they never made him a "good guy", but also that they never made him a full-fledged villain. His moral line is set quite a bit lower than someone like Cap's, but it's as solid. (Well... almost as solid.:redface: )

[Monty_Cristo]

I always liked Paladin too. I'm glad they never made him a "good guy", but also that they never made him a full-fledged villain. His moral line is set quite a bit lower than someone like Cap's, but it's as solid. (Well... almost as solid.:redface: )

i see him as being a lot like Luke Cage but without the family/friends to keep him grounded. his flaw is that he's money minded/has expensive tastes. i kind of wonder about his background. maybe he grew up dirt poor and that's why wealth means so much to him.

[explicit]

You mean the guy that got both his legs broken in that Punisher one-shot? Eh... I think he really sucks. The only other memory I have of him is from Heroes For Hire when he got duped and arrested.

[Monty_Cristo]

You mean the guy that got both his legs broken in that Punisher one-shot? Eh... I think he really sucks. The only other memory I have of him is from Heroes For Hire when he got duped and arrested.

he certainly sucked in the Punisher one-shot. but are you really going to judge a character who has been around since the 70s by a one-shot? the Wasp definately didn't think he was a loser. neither did Captain America when they were fighting alongside one another. he took a heel turn in the late 90s. that's why he's often on the losing end or shown doing questionable things. still i have to give him his props for being the one to take down Daredevil. the FBI, knowing how acute Daredevil's senses are, hired Paladin to take him down with a sniper rifle from a helluva long distance away. Paladin successfully collected on that bounty. and he's actually a decent hand-to-hand fighter too. but, anyways, you don't like him. that's cool. i'm asking for all points of view.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/5586/475779-p3_super.jpg
http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/5344/952220-paladin_01_super.jpg

[Zembo]

I like him in that he's the "everyday" superhuman hitman. He's not flashy or has a crazy rep like Bullseye or draws Avengers like Taskmaster. He's just a guy who does a job. I'm sure if it were up to him he'd never cross paths with Cap or anyone, since it just causes complications. Not that he doesn't like him or he's amoral, just avoids situations.

I do have to ask though. Purple body armor? Really? That was the tough-guy image you wanted to project?

[mgs]

I want to like him, but I never really understood what he was, or what he did, or what his 'powers', 'training', 'abilities' or 'tech gadgets' were?

:confused:

Edit: I think last I saw him (I think( was in the Heroes for Hire or Daughters of the Dragon series' where he betrayed everyone....I think that was him?!

[StoneGold]

I want to like him, but I never really understood what he was, or what he did, or what his 'powers', 'training', 'abilities' or 'tech gadgets' were?


Hell, no one even knows his real name. He's a Man of Mystery. But he's one of my favorites. He's got a cool costume that is actually useful (dark purple is actually better night camo than black, look it up). He made a great Cap sidekick in the early 90s, was a lot of fun as Silver Sable's top freelance agent... if sales were up, him, Fin, Man-Eater, Lightbright and Sandman were supposedly going to get their own separate Intruders book.


And just as a feat thing, Paladin's the one that (while being forced by the FBI) actually put Daredevil down to get him sent to prison, taking an impossible sniper shot from a couple miles up in a helicopter so Matt couldn't hear the shot until it was too late.

[ThisMortalSoil]

I like his mercenary status. Love him in Thunderbolts. I hope they keep him on that title for a while.

[Syrant]

I've been enjoying him in Thunderbolts. I like all the Thunderbolts, actually (well, besides Mr. X.)

The only other place I seen him was in DR: Elektra #1 (http://i29.tinypic.com/28sa48y.png), disguised. He was cool until he was defeated.

[Nightstar1441]

Paladin has always been a favorite of mine.

He is a lot more realistic than a lot of other characters as he is just really out to make a buck - which is what most of us would do if we have super-powers.

And sometimes that means walking a thin line.

We've all done it at the job where we had to do something we did not think was right but we wanted the paycheck so we did it.

In that sense - he's more down to earth than a lot of the Marvel U characters and definietly more identifiable

[rogerio]

I am a big fan of Paladin and Crossfire.:smile:

[Nyssane]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v231/ursula_boi/Serpent%20Society/badgirlsbadboys.jpg

Hot.

[Webslinger86]

I always liked Paladin. The way he's portrayed in Thunderbolts is spot on, and that he's Ant-Man's drinking-buddy. However, I've always wanted to know his actual name, and his background.

Heck, they fleshed out Headsman's character, revealing that he used to be part of a biker gang, obviously protective of his family (Mr. X dissing on his brother as an example), he's an okay guy when not on the job, and his real name is Cleavon Twain.

[Monty_Cristo]

Paladin has always been a favorite of mine.

He is a lot more realistic than a lot of other characters as he is just really out to make a buck - which is what most of us would do if we have super-powers.

And sometimes that means walking a thin line.

that reminds me. they've never revealed where Paladin got his powers from. and they've also never identified him as a mutant. i wonder when it happened. was it during his time in the military? that might make for an interesting story. it could explain why he's so jaded about the superhero thing; literally only being in it for the cash and, sometimes, women. but like you said, i do see him as being really down-to-earth. he's like Luke Cage was originally.

[Monty_Cristo]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v231/ursula_boi/Serpent%20Society/badgirlsbadboys.jpg

Hot.

it's starting to be a trend with this guy.

[The Batman]

Palladin's always been a fun character and I think it's too bad he doesn't get more exposure. I think the first time I really took a shine to him was in "Assassin Nation Plot!" way back when in the Spider-Man books

[lou-bert vs. q-bert]

Palladin's always been a fun character and I think it's too bad he doesn't get more exposure. I think the first time I really took a shine to him was in "Assassin Nation Plot!" way back when in the Spider-Man booksMy favorite scene in that story was where Paladin barely budged a rail car, and then Spider-Man tipped it over with his finger.

[mgs]

Hell, no one even knows his real name. He's a Man of Mystery. But he's one of my favorites. He's got a cool costume that is actually useful (dark purple is actually better night camo than black, look it up). He made a great Cap sidekick in the early 90s, was a lot of fun as Silver Sable's top freelance agent... if sales were up, him, Fin, Man-Eater, Lightbright and Sandman were supposedly going to get their own separate Intruders book.


And just as a feat thing, Paladin's the one that (while being forced by the FBI) actually put Daredevil down to get him sent to prison, taking an impossible sniper shot from a couple miles up in a helicopter so Matt couldn't hear the shot until it was too late.
thanks for the info, but for that DD thing, that just sounds too silly to me... :confused:

[Monty_Cristo]

I like him in that he's the "everyday" superhuman hitman. He's not flashy or has a crazy rep like Bullseye or draws Avengers like Taskmaster. He's just a guy who does a job. I'm sure if it were up to him he'd never cross paths with Cap or anyone, since it just causes complications. Not that he doesn't like him or he's amoral, just avoids situations.

I do have to ask though. Purple body armor? Really? That was the tough-guy image you wanted to project?

consider the era in which he was created. an consider that it's a comic book. his body armor isn't unique enough that he could get away with it also being drab. the purple makes him memorable, in a way. and he was more ladies man than tough guy. he ended most of his fights with that stun pistol. his costume wasn't as goofy as Luke Cage's original "tough guy" look, at least.

[Monty_Cristo]

I want to like him, but I never really understood what he was, or what he did, or what his 'powers', 'training', 'abilities' or 'tech gadgets' were?

that's because he's been used in a variety of stories; sometimes he's a good guy and sometimes he's the adversary. as for what he does? he's an enforcer, bodyguard, hitman, thief, mercenary, etc. his claim to fame is his price tag. unlike Powerman and Iron Fist, Paladin doesn't work for cheap. most of his clientelle would fit in nicely inside of the Hellfire Club (he's worked for them too). outside of his military training, he's proficient in judo, tae kwon do, boxing, firearms, piloting, acting, etc. his super-power is augmented strength, durability, stamina, reflexes, etc. he wears night-vision goggles and used to carry around a stun pistol (until he stopped being a humanitarian).

personality-wise, he's a lot like the Comedian from Watchmen. he has also been compared to Han Solo, Jack Burton (Big Trouble In Little China), and James Bond.

Edit: I think last I saw him (I think( was in the Heroes for Hire or Daughters of the Dragon series' where he betrayed everyone....I think that was him?!

yeah, Paladin can sometimes be a real snake. it's part of his charm.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/2/26948/699696-paladin_2_large.png

[Dermie]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v231/ursula_boi/Serpent%20Society/badgirlsbadboys.jpg

Hot.

I've always felt that scene was poorly done. From the in-story perspective of the guys trying to disguise themselves, it doesn't make any sense. The "super-human physique" excuse may justify their builds, but it doesn't hide their lack of breasts (especially since most super-women have super-breasts along with their muscles) and their crotch bulges. And their hair cuts completely give them away. Perhaps if they found/made some wigs for them, the scenario would be plausible, but as it stands those "disguises" wouldn't fool anyone into thinking they are women from a distance, let alone up close.

And for the comedic perspective of having Cap and Paladin dress in drag, the scene fails on that score as well because there is nothing particularily feminine about those costumes. Sure, the guys look a bit silly in them, but only in a "bad costume" design way, not a "guys in drag" way. Putting the boys into Black Mamba and Asp's original costumes would have worked a lot better for this scene.
It was a funny idea, but the execution just fell flat.

Anyway, back to Paladin...
I have always been fond of the character. He was fun as Wasp's occassional playmate (and Diamondback's as well), as well as a 'hero for hire' with the Wild Pack, the Defenders, and the actual Heroes For Hire.
Its a shame he hasn't had much to do in T-BOLTS thus far, but in the action he mostly gets sidelined since he isn't as violent and bloodthirsty as the killers like Mister X and Headsman. And outside of the missions, he hasn't had much opportunity to demonstrate his other skills, since there haven't been any women around besides Black Widow, who was keeping him at a professional distance. But here's hoping he gets a chance to shine before this is all over.

[Frank]

In a way he's Deadpool before Deadpool was cool. Paladin is the quintessential merc and hired gun. I also like that his outfit and "abilities" are rather subtle. He's just a guy with a gun. And purple. What's not to like.

[Monty_Cristo]

In a way he's Deadpool before Deadpool was cool. Paladin is the quintessential merc and hired gun. I also like that his outfit and "abilities" are rather subtle. He's just a guy with a gun. And purple. What's not to like.

i know what you're saying but he isn't just a guy with a gun. most his physical abilties are enhanced. he took a grenade to the chest and is still walking around.

[Nyssane]

I've always felt that scene was poorly done. From the in-story perspective of the guys trying to disguise themselves, it doesn't make any sense. The "super-human physique" excuse may justify their builds, but it doesn't hide their lack of breasts (especially since most super-women have super-breasts along with their muscles) and their crotch bulges. And their hair cuts completely give them away. Perhaps if they found/made some wigs for them, the scenario would be plausible, but as it stands those "disguises" wouldn't fool anyone into thinking they are women from a distance, let alone up close.

And for the comedic perspective of having Cap and Paladin dress in drag, the scene fails on that score as well because there is nothing particularily feminine about those costumes. Sure, the guys look a bit silly in them, but only in a "bad costume" design way, not a "guys in drag" way. Putting the boys into Black Mamba and Asp's original costumes would have worked a lot better for this scene.
It was a funny idea, but the execution just fell flat.

I dunno, the arc itself was pretty ridiculous. The girls even comment that the only thing the guys are missing are breasts, plus there were some pretty effing mannish women on that ship, like Gladiatrix. They should've smeared some make-up on them to complete the outfit, but none of the women really paid much attention to She-Cap and Galadin anyway.

I would've loved Paladin in Asp's old dress.

[Dermie]

I dunno, the arc itself was pretty ridiculous.

It was campy and a bit silly--but it was fun, and most of it worked. But those "disguises" for Cap and Paladin just fell flat, imo. They weren't feminine enough for the Cap-in-drag they were going for, and they weren't plausible to fool anyone.

The girls even comment that the only thing the guys are missing are breasts, plus there were some pretty effing mannish women on that ship, like Gladiatrix.

And that might have worked if it wasn't for their hair. At a distance, the lack of breasts might have been excused by them being bulky, man-ish women...but their hair just completely gives it away.

I would've loved Paladin in Asp's old dress.

It certainly would have been worth seeing--and Cap in Black Mamba's regular costume would definately make for some good blackmail pictures! ;)

[Nightstar1441]

i know what you're saying but he isn't just a guy with a gun. most his physical abilties are enhanced. he took a grenade to the chest and is still walking around.

I think he has super-human reflexes and stamina

His strength level last I saw was about 1 ton so he is a lightweight in that department compared to a lot of other super-humans

I actually have a Paladin mini bust (Bowen scale) kit from France that I've yet to get painted - will post it in the thread when I eventually get it done