The online behavior of Comic Book Professionals

[Ben Smith]

New Avengers was great, I think. As for Mighty, it was mostly a case of me not liking the characters. I read them all, but I could never get into it.

And as for you, Ben, just because you've succombed to your wife's Pym fetish doesn't mean I have to!

Everyone will succumb

[Ben Smith]

I didn't enjoy New Avengers at all; that eventually got me to drop The Avengers after collecting every issue put out about them up until that point. It was only this most recent relaunch that has me trying the books out again.

Hickman's book? I was wavering on that one until the last issue with the new Smasher, which was great.

[Jim Thompson]

Hickman's book? I was wavering on that one until the last issue with the new Smasher, which was great.

I really liked that issue as well (and Kubert art is generally a very enjoyable thing for me as well). I'm also reading Uncanny Avengers, which has been pretty entertaining so far, too, I think.

[Mister Mets]

Secret Invasion annoyed me because it had sooooo much potential! It was such a great idea! I thought they really should have pushed the envelope hard on that one. How sick would it have been if Cap had really died in WWII? The Cap they found in the ice was really a Skrull plant just waiting for the invasion! Or if J. Jonah Jameson had never existed? He was a Skrull plant sent in to hurt super heroes' public image! That kind of stuff.

That would have broken two of Marvel's best characters.

But it would have been fun if anyone had raised the possibility.

[Mister Mets]

I never understood why the internet seemed to say that Norman Osborn became the "Lex Luthor" of the Marvel Universe. Lex, for decades, was a mad scientist who used his genius to try to kill Superman. Norman was an amoral businessman who dressed up in a weird purple and green costume and flew around on a glider who wanted to take over the mob (why he wanted this, I could not say, given that he was already really rich. I hate to sum it up as "Norman is crazy" but Norman is crazy) and killing Spider-Man was a quick way to earn some respect. And then he wanted to kill Spider-Man because Spidey stopped him from killing him. (Norman is crazy.)

It was only after Crisis on Infinite Earths that Lex became an amoral businessman who thought he was above the law. He wanted to get rid of Superman for showing him up (taking away his previous motivation of wanting to kill Superman because he blamed Supes for his being bald).

Maybe it's because Norman became more of a schemer after he was brought back. Norman never really planned his actions out. (He seriously thought Spidey wouldn't fight him after he kidnapped Gwen.) But after Norman was brought back, he became a master schemer who was responsible for every bad thing that ever happened to Peter Parker (especially that time Peter stubbed his toe when he was in 5th grade!).

But lots of villains are schemers. Some are even pretty decent at it, too. (They're not too good at it or they would have taken over the world and/or killed our heroes by now.) Doctor Doom. The Joker.

But somehow, the internet has declared Norman turned into Lex.

(I don't really get it.)

The majority of comic fans on the internet grew up with that Lex Luthor. They see the Lex Luthor in the post-Crisis comics, Dini/ Timi cartoon and Smallville as the default version of the character.

So that's where the mistake comes from. But it's an example of an error that shapes the relationship between fans and pros.

[Lars C]

The majority of comic fans on the internet grew up with that Lex Luthor. They see the Lex Luthor in the post-Crisis comics, Dini/ Timi cartoon and Smallville as the default version of the character.

So that's where the mistake comes from. But it's an example of an error that shapes the relationship between fans and pros.

Well, that kinda IS the default version of Lex, so I wouldn't say it's a mistake.

[Jim Thompson]

Well, that kinda IS the default version of Lex, so I wouldn't say it's a mistake.

Mets can sort of be a black or white fellow.

[Mister Mets]

Well, that kinda IS the default version of Lex, so I wouldn't say it's a mistake.

It isn't though. Lex Luthor was around for 45 years before Man of Steel.

The Norman Osborn of Amazing Spider-Man #37-40 predated that version of Lex Luthor by decades.

[Jim Thompson]

It isn't though. Lex Luthor was around for 45 years before Man of Steel.

I think most people who aren't into comics, if they know who Lex Luthor is, think of him as being a mad scientist sort.

[Lars C]

I would think most people think of Lex as a business man, schemer and scientist. Look at how he was in Smallville, for instance. And the recent version of Norman Osborn is about 20 years after Man of Steel, after all.

[Jim Thompson]

I would think most people think of Lex as a business man, schemer and scientist. Look at how he was in Smallville, for instance. And the recent version of Norman Osborn is about 20 years after Man of Steel, after all.

The businessman bit may have crept in a bit. Smallville notwithstanding, though, I still would bet people with only a passing familiarity with the character would associate him with a mad scientist.

[Jim Thompson]

Seemed appropriate for this thread:

[The Batman]

I would think most people think of Lex as a business man, schemer and scientist. Look at how he was in Smallville, for instance. And the recent version of Norman Osborn is about 20 years after Man of Steel, after all.

Fair enough, but those impressions shouldn't outweigh the actual history that Mets is talking about.

[Spider-Frog]

I think of Lex as a Mad Scientist. I remember when I saw the first Superman movie as a child and I thought it was weird that Lex was a Real Estate Agent. I still think its weird.

[Kevin Nichols]

I think of Lex as a Mad Scientist. I remember when I saw the first Superman movie as a child and I thought it was weird that Lex was a Real Estate Agent. I still think its weird.

Real estate mogul, not an agent.