InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Niles gotta have it!"

queenursula (queenursula) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-05-04 15:09:00

Entry tags:

char: black alice/lori zechlin, char: blaze, char: satanus, creator: keith giffen, creator: tom derenick, publisher: dc comics, title: reign in hell

Reign in Hell #8: Black Alice

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jarodrussell
2009-05-04 09:05 pm UTC (link)

Yes, in later BOP issues, IIRC.

Then that would explain how I missed it. I stopped paying much attention to BOP between, like, #69 and #110. At most I'd skim pages to see what Oracle was up to, but not much else. So, okay, if they called it magic, then I'll accept that.

It's far worse than that since it doesn't actually have a true Mechanism to describe it.

But in the good stories anyway, there are usually enough rules that you can get a feel for the interface, if not the underlying system. With Black Alice it was just, "Oh, hai! Can beez Spektur naow!" which, in my opinion, seriously amped down the coolness factor of other mages, who actually have to work, scheme, and practice. Which is another reason I liken her to a Mary Sue, because while John Constantine might be able to trick devils, you know it's because he's smart and has a plan; Alice just gets upset and can be Captain Marvel.

*shrugs* Not that I ready any of DC's magical books on a regular basis, so I'm not their target demographic, it just struck me...it just bugged me that All-Powerful Alice the Specter is O.K. but Extremis Iron Man is boring and over-powered.

Whatever makes them able to access magic appears to be magic itself, which is circular and therefore worthless as an explination.

I like to think it's a genetic-level thing, where their nucleic acids are twisted into a shape that's a geometric key to accessing magic. Kind of like the Speed Force Equation was a shape that let speeders...do...something to access the Speedforce, the homo-magi's (sorry) genes connect them to all reality. That's my theory anyway, as unfounded and full of bad science as it is. :)

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majingojira
2009-05-05 07:58 am UTC (link)

It seems that you have a strawman image of her being "lolspectre" at every instance of her power activation. She's channeled, IIRC, a wide range from Captain Marvel to the Demon Etrigan to Misfit.

The fact that this fault hasn't been played with more is almost as annoying as her being put on a bus.

Also, Genetics is usueless unless it creates parts of the body to perform the function in question. Genes on their own just tell the body to BUILD PARTS.

So, again, Surgically Removable Magic Organ. If its an etheric organ (IE: Linker Core from Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha) then it wouldb't be genetic.

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Couple of edits later...

jarodrussell
2009-05-05 09:44 am UTC (link)

(This is an edit, because I realized I misspoke in a couple of places in a way that might make this post look like I was contradicting an earlier post.)

If I were arguing that I dislike Black Alice based on her being a Republican Senator, that would be a straw man, her turning into Spectre, afaik, actually happened. My "lolspectre" argument is just the most visible example of her seemingly limitless, unexplained powers. (At least unexplained up to that point, since I believe Shadow Pact happened before her second BOP showing.) I'll start using a "lolshazam" argument if it'll help any, because to me it's the same problem.

Now that you've told me her powers were explained as "magic" in BOP, I really can't complain that she has "limitless, unexplained powers." That said, I still really don't like the character. Also, I don't think this completely negates my original, now slightly modified, statement: "So, she went from being a [contrived plot device who can do anything because she's magic] who could become all powerful by stealing powers to [a slightly constrained plot device with a 'get out of needing reason' magic card] version of Rogue who can kiss boys."

Genes also function as blueprints on HOW to build body parts, so who's to say there's not a certain way to build a brain, an eye, hair, a gall bladder, or a vertebra in a way that will channel magic for someone. This isn't to say it's a good explanation for why there are no magic glands, just an attempt at one.

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Re: Couple of edits later...
(Anonymous)
2009-05-05 01:13 pm UTC (link)

If I may interject, said 'stealing' of the spectre's powers was a limited act in itself as mentioned in the very issues she referenced. If she was all-powerful, she wouldn't be having to focus on keeping the powers as the spectre tried to take them back. It also only remained in her hands for a few minutes at best before being torn back from her. So she's not quite as powerful as she's been described by you, as others can take back the powers with the proper focus and concentration.

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	Re: Couple of edits later... jarodrussell 2009-05-05 01:34 pm UTC (link)
	So she's not quite as powerful as she's been described by you, as others can take back the powers with the proper focus and concentration. Interesting. So, pre-the-mess-above, it's not that she steals powers so much as she globs onto another person's power source and takes priority, sort of...instead of a pirate broadcast, a pirate reception. Thank you. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Couple of edits later... (Anonymous) 2009-05-05 01:38 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah. ^_^ No problem amigo, just figured it was something to bring up. needs to get an account over here sometime soon... was megaspork at the old scans daily. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: Couple of edits later...

majingojira
2009-05-05 02:51 pm UTC (link)

(This is an edit, because I realized I misspoke in a couple of places in a way that might make this post look like I was contradicting an earlier post.)

Always a good reason to edit.

If I were arguing that I dislike Black Alice based on her being a Republican Senator, that would be a straw man, her turning into Spectre, afaik, actually happened

It is a strawman because it happened only once and you are exagerating its use to be the normative of her powers when bruiser-type mystical heroes such as Shazam, Wonder Woman and The Demon Etrigan are far more normative.

Either way, it is still something that can be surgically removed and at least constitutes an organ (Unless they have runes carved into their bones or something else like that...hey, Rune Bones would be kinda cool). It bugs me that they've had Homo Magii around for so long and no one's thought to..I dunno...--

Wait. I better stop myself before I screw up my own attempts at writting.

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