Thanks to Flickering Myth, we have a full preview of the third installment of Revolution. This issue sees the introduction the Micronauts, while Scarlet and Miles Mayhem’s M.A.S.K. continue to plan her revenge on the mechanical beings here on earth. You check out the full preview pages before the issue hits shelves on October 12th after the break.
primalxconvoy
Btw, here's an alternative take on the MASK theme tune. I like it, as I'm a fan of the DJ (STM), but I'm not sure if it would be fitting for an animated series reboot.
Anyway, enjoy!
primalxconvoy
Again, you seem confused. I wish for either a completely redesigned MASK, or one that contains both original looks and updated stories. The story can be changed, as for the roles, too. However, changing the looks, especially by mixing them with original looking ones, gives me an "uncanny valley" feeling.
I also believe changing something, such as the look, without really addressing why it was changed, is simply poor writing. It was a critique of the "female Ghostbusters" film, and also part of a great critique of male dominance in video games (where male characters were changed to female ones, effectively making the female act "male" and/or giving no room for a new female character to exist by her own merits).
GOOD writing simply doesn't replace or transplant one thing with another. In the new Captain America films, the writing deals with the nationalism and "dated" values linked to the original comic, while still keeping the major visual and historical aspects (the character's "heritage"). The writers simply didn't make him "Captiness United Nations" and call it a day.
Conversely, the recent " Duke Nukem" game didn't do enough to JUSTIFY the original characteristics, considering they were a homage/pastiche to juvenile, violent and misogynistic values in the 90s/80s (video game) culture. That's one reason why it flopped.
Matt_M
It's confusing because as I have reiterated, the way things were led to the franchise's death. Apparently all you want is for things to never change but have a different outcome.
primalxconvoy
And the lack of father/Scott Tracker in this is irksome, too. Even T-Bob, considering MASK tech is based on Transformers.
primalxconvoy
You do seem to be easily confused. Let me make it clear. If a black character in MASK was made non-black, or an Oriental one made white, I would be equally annoyed. I want the original characters as they were, more or less. It strange to see Miles Mayhem depicted as walking straight out of the cartoon in the comic, while Matt does not.
I can't see how that is confusing for you anymore.
Megastar
Since there's a ongoing series coming, I think Matt might learn he fathered a child and didn't know it or something like that.
Matt_M
If anything, I'm wondering why fans aren't in arms about a major aspect of his character (fatherhood) being entirely eliminated. Seems like the biggest change considering how big of a role Scott played on the series.
Megastar
He's more of a character in these comics than he was in the cartoon, just read his character bio.
Matt_M
I feel like I'm getting mixed messages. You say that you don't perceive white as inherently better, but your problem with him is that he's not white. You're literally judging him based on the color of his skin.
But… it's okay for you to do that because it's being faithful to an era of television where issues of diversity and representation were just barely beginning to be addressed?
We both agree that MASK is a concept with promise but is underdeveloped. Why not take some chances with that brand while retaining what is appealing about it? Why wait to take a "fresh" direction when it's obvious the old direction didn't have enough legs to carry it as far as its contemporaries?
primalxconvoy
One thing I'd like you ask is that people ignore some "strange" words or punctuation in my posts. It's almost impossible to write legibly and even worse to edit posts on my phone after the site was, ahem, "updated". I would honestly take a black Matt Tracker over the changes made to this site ANY day….
primalxconvoy
Yes, it would bother me. It would also bother me if they made a rebooted Rocky Horror Picture Show with a straight, blonde, blue-eyed heterosexuality main host/character wearing a pinstripe suit with "I love Jesus" on it.
Anyway, it's worth noting here that comic/cartoon changes may not be the same as ones in TV/Film. In a film, the acting abilities, casting time allocations it availability of actors dictate the choices (within reason) of who plays what. If, however, other reasons are used, then usually more criticism is given. Samuel L Jackson's version of Nick Fury is great, IMO, due to his ability to own the character via his great acting. However, in Japan, the westernisation of Godzilla in the one with Matthew Broderick, was too controversial, that in Japan, they officially labelled it NOT Godzilla and had the original Japanese one kill it.
Comics, by comparison, have no such excuse when choosing the appearance of characters, unless the writers have some challenges or skills writing certain character styles, or the artists otherwise so with drawing certain styles of characters.
Also, as has been said, MASK is a relatively underdeveloped franchise. There is more room for a black spiderman, or female doctor who, due to the scope of the universe (clones, alternate dimensions, etc) and the history being so long that these changes are considered "fresh" directions in the franchise.
primalxconvoy
There are two characters. One was from the UK, and one was white. Recently, they have been introduced to a new comic. One is still British, while the other is non-white.
I am not happy that the traits/history/aspects of the character's design) have been changed.
It's not that hard to grasp.
Also, your umbrage can be as taken or relinquished as you wish. I never stated all fans would agree with my statement; merely that "fans" would. As it is, at least two other posters here have voiced similar opinions regarding this change.
I think, you have confused political correctness and racial issues with simply fans, including myself, wanting a traditional/original-looking may tracker. The ethnicity is irrelevant, as almost any radical change would be the issue here.
I also think you have confused "heritage", which is merely a historical transportation of traits, with views on "purity" or "privilege" (of "better" or "correct" traits). You seem to be implying that I view "non-white" as "less" than "white", which is not true, not the issue. I, and other fans, have stated that ANY such change is not in keeping with a traditionally held image of the character and/or the change is too radical. It has already been stated that if the roles, or other such aspects were changed, then perhaps this would not be an issue to some, as they might be seen as tertiary traits (such as the model of the car, the mask design, etc).
Action Man and Miles Mayhem were used to show that IDW went to some lengths to include details, such as Action Man being British, Miles being old and still a General, when they didn't have to (Action Man could have been an American, as it could be considered simply a British version of the same brand; as " Walkers" is to "Lays"). Thus, why would IDW go to such lengths as to preserve the heritage/historical traits of one character, but not that of another?
The only effective counter argument to my post at this stage is that I have judged this solely on a preview. I don't know the context of the design change. Perhaps the name is a codename, like James Bond (although unlikely considering they had other codenames in the original show), a relative, or some other reason? However, if such a reason is given, or perhaps IDW should have hinted enough at it to placate fans such as myself, who might have been expecting the original Matt Tracker?
Matt_M
So… it would bother you, even though it looked identical to the toy? Even though you said he was a literal nothing character?
Bass X0
I don't see why characters need to be altered at all from their original appearance. Just keep everyone the way they were how everyone remembers them, just with new deeper and expanded personalities and backstories. If IDW then wants to focus on another character of the team instead of the original Matt Trakker, that's totally fine. M.A.S.K. was already had a very diverse cast of characters in the 80s, so IDW Matt Trakker wasn't changed to add fresh diversity.
edgs2099
If there ever was a call for an emoticon that was blowing his brains out, this is it.
Matt_M
Hypothetical question: if IDW's Matt was a transgendered male, but looked identical to his toy, would you care?
Bass X0
Matt Trakker isn't a character. He had no character aside from being the archetype heroic leader. His appearance in fiction is basically a toy commercial, even now long after the toy has stopped being sold in stores, for a toy that depicts a white blonde male. Cartoon accuracy is big around these parts, or does that only apply to Transformers?
Likewise, I ask you why Matt Trakker has to be black when there is already a black character from the 80s toyline and cartoon to use? If they wanted to reinvent M.A.S.K. with a main black character, have the 80s cartoon Matt Trakker be the mentor figure for Hondo Maclean the black guy they want to write about. IDW Matt Trakker would have made for a good redesign for Hondo Maclean. No need for a white character to masquerade as a black character. Just give Hondo his original suit, mask and vehicle. Matt can have his own back too.
Pictured: An ACTUAL BLACK GUY from the cartoon.
Megastar
I said this before in the MASK comic thread that the only traits to Matt's character is being a father (which he could become in the ongoing give time), being the leader of the MASK (which Revolution seems to be heading too), and having a membership with Miles Mayhem. So The character is almost all there and the only thing changed is his skin color which shouldn't be a problem.
Matt_M
That's only true if his heritage has any sort of bearing on his character at all. What, specifically, are character traits that Matt has because he is white and blond? Please be careful with your answer.
I also take umbrage to your comments to the effect that this is a big deal "for fans" as if you represent more than just yourself.