Saturday, May 17, 2008

I've caught up on Brubaker's Captain America run.

(Seriously, that's what I've been up to all week. I've read everything Brubaker wrote about Cap or Bucky that I could get my hands on.)

And I have new favorite Marvel couple.

Bucky and Natasha, who the hell would have expected them to fit so well together?

It may help that Buck doesn't seem to smile at all in the entire run until that point she implies there might be a future for them.

And that even though Natasha is the ever-present ex-lover of half the Marvel Universe, this is the first time the romance backstory has actually seemed romantic. Normally it's more like she's been fooling around with a good friend she finds hot. (Not that I have anything against Natasha's healthy attitude towards sex, she just never seemed to be in love with a lover before Brubaker wrote her, so I've never been able to see her as part of a couple before.)

This must be explored.  And made into a normal thing.  With teamups.  And pillow banter.  And riding together on a motorcycle.  And staying in and whispering sweet nothings over takeout food.  And (once he gets back) the awkwardness of Steve accidentally walking in on them messing around.

19 comments:

  1. It's nice to see you got the taste of Millar out of your mouth.

    There is enough in Marvel's line that you can pick and choose comics that fit your taste. If you don't like MA or NA, there is still initiative and Marvel Adventures.

    Did you catch Captain Britain after the whole drama from last week? I really really love the new character.

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  2. Well, Silver Age Natasha was plenty romantic--so much so, in fact, that I'd still prefer to see her with Hawkeye over anybody else. (And therefore am not on board with your post here, sorry 'bout that. :))

    I imagine that the folks who first knew her in Daredevil have similar feelings.

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  3. Pedro -- Yeah, I caught it. She's cool, I can only expect she'll be getting powers soon. I can't wait to see what goes on next issue.

    Brainfreeze -- I'm against any woman (particularly someone as awesome as Natasha) being saddled with Hawkeye on the principle that he's... Hawkeye. :-P

    For the record, though. I first knew her in Daredevil. And her modern role in Daredevil is why I like her so much as a character, she can hang around a guy she used to sleep with and the writers won't turn her into a jealous caricature or the cliche with a crush. With Matt she works so much better as a supportive friend than a love interest.

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  4. Hey, what's wrong with Hawkeye! I like Hawkeye! :) He is sort of a jerk, but a good-hearted jerk. And I always figured that theirs was one of Natasha's most significant relationships.

    And I don't think I saw quite the same thing you did in the CA scene--I think Natasha is fond of Bucky, and their shared history is a warm memory for her, but I also think a lot of that scene had to do with her not wanting him to feel alone once she'd gone. Not saying it couldn't happen, just that I'm not seeing it at present.

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  5. I like cyber-Bucky because he beat up Tony. I like everyone who beats up on Tony...

    I do wonder if theres a scene anyway that explains why Natasha would pick the more repressive proReg/Initiative side rather than the group with the various people who were her friends, exes and what not. Hell, Wolverine and Cap SAVED HER LIFE as a kid and she works against them for Tony? Makes no sense to me...

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  6. Actually, that sums up the Black Widow's relationships up through now really well, in a way that suddenly gives me a handle on the character. She's obviously poly, thinks of most of her guy friends as "friends with benefits", and gets frustrated with them when they get hung up over her in a possessive sort of way. Which is why she got so mad when Daredevil and Hawkeye fought.

    This doesn't totally absolve her of responsibility, of course; honesty is an absolute must in any poly relationship, and since any talks she might have had with her male friends about it happened, by necessity, off-panel, we can't be sure of just how clear she made it that she was non-exclusive.

    If she wasn't honest about that, then she should have been; if she was, then Hawkeye and DD need to get over the jealousy thing. :)

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  7. The Black Widow was Pro-Reg because she's been an agent of one thing after another for very large chunks of her life and she has no real secret identity. She has no relatives, no family, no civilian life to put in danger. Rather, she sees the regulation as a way to ensure professionalism. It doesn't impact her life negatively at all; indeed, I'd say it guarantees her a good lifestyle and working with people she can trust.

    I'm sure having to fight friends of hers hurt, but I expect she also thought they'd come around; heros fight each other in Marvel for no good reason all the time, so what really makes this any different?

    Mind you, I expect if Cap had had a chance to talk to her personally, he might have brought her around, but under the circumstances, it's not surprising she didn't support the side fighting for things which aren't issues in her life at all.

    John Biles

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  8. See and BECAUSE she had no stake in Pro vs. Anti reg it should have come down to personal loyalty...

    With Cap and Nick Fury and Daredevil on the Anti-side, her going along with Tony and Maria Hill doesn't make much sense at all...

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  9. I like to think the price of being pro-Reg was getting Sally from the minis into a good school and a stable home. That Natasha did the wrong thing for the right reasons.

    But I think she's a Skrull, given how Bendis is REALLY UNSUBTLE.

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  10. Quick question. Is When fangirls attack a manga site now? Thanks.

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  11. AWB: I'll mildly suggest you go visit WFA and see the most recent post (dated 5-24) and fuck off home. Bye! :-)

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  12. "and fuck off home. Bye! :-)"

    Best. Lawyer's. Closing. Arguement. EVER!

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  13. Dan, LW & Anon -- Hey, is there anything in Civil War explaining Natasha's choice? Because if I were Fury, I'd want someone in this mess I can trust attached to the Pro-reg side and making sure SHIELD didn't go to shit without me. Natasha's personal loyalties may lie on the anti-side, but her being pro-Reg is logical enough for her own purposes and could make her one hell of an asset for Nick.

    Is there anything from the crossover that specifically ruled the possibility Nick told her to stick with SHIELD out?

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  14. Not that I'm recalling. There WAS a dialogue heavy fight sequence between her and Black Panther and his body guards in his book, but I only skimmed that so don't remember anything of substance. But I'd hope in the umpteen millian tie-in books to CW (or to Cap's death) ONE of them showed WHY she'd stick with SHIELD/Hill/Tony over the side with Cap/Fury/Daredevil...

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  15. Best. Lawyer's. Closing. Arguement. EVER!

    That's why I get paid the big bucks. :-P

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  16. "Fuck off"? What the hell is that all about? That was an actual question. It looked like there was nothing but manga on the site so I asked. I just happened to be on this site at the time. And no, that is not a good lawyer sign-off. She would be kicked out of the "fucking" court room, her client would fire her and she might be sanctioned. Gotta work on them moot court skills. So I take it by your venomous, catty response that it is not a manga site. I only asked because that's all I saw new. Peace. No really, peace. And grow the "fuck" up...

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  17. Ooo. Now *that* is quite the tantrum. I really have to say what I think more often.

    And technically I said "fuck off home." Let's be accurate, shall we? :-)

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  18. Tantrum? Just bewilderment. Don't flatter yourself youngster. And again, you would not be paid the big bucks for that behaviour. I think that would be an "accurate" statement. Anyway I am trying to understand what was said to warrant your response. I see now that it seems that you have gathered from my question that I was demanding more content from Ragnell, but I can't see how that was construed from my question. Being a lawyer or a law student you should have an apprectiation for the language that was used.
    And I don't care if you guys start linking to german scheisse videos, it's your thang. Again, it was a question. I don't know who you cats are mad at but it ain't me. Grow up.

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  19. And now we've got posturing. And an attempt to use a clear contextual joke as a means of attack.

    And belittlement of age, too. You do seem quite desparate to "win" here for some reason. I suspect a truly mature person would have seen "fuck off home" thought "Hmph, whatever" and not even dignified that with a comment. But who knows.

    However, considering we're both quite off topic from Ragnell's original post, I think this will be my last post on this thread, regardless of anything you may or may not post subsequent.

    I would be happy to continue this discussion via email. Mine is kalinara@gmail.com. :-)

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