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We had a little survey of the Brothers (inspired by Brother Bill J) on who the
"Coolest" Fictional Characters are.
Brother Bill J
- 1. Conan - was there any doubt?
- 2. John Carter of Mars - a super powered confederate cowboy on Mars-SWEET!
- 3. Bruce Wayne - everyman's hero
- 4. Beowulf - a viking that tears the arms off demons-AWESOME!
- 5. Tarzan - finds lost cities, talks to animals, kicks ass etc.
- 6. Rooster Cogburn - Dude put his reins in his mouth so he could shoot with
two guns!
- 7. Soloman Kane - God fearing supernatural ass whupper.
- 8. Thor - Nordic God of Thunder, I own his Hammmer.
- 9. Richard Sharpe - Three shots a minute in any weather, this guy made
Napoleonics cool.
- 10. Travis Morgan - Warlord - pilot, lost world, hotties, etc...
Brother Bob A
- 1. Doc Savage - Pulpy goodness. Scientist, martial artist, pilot, MD, artist, inventor, etc...
- 2. Vlad Taltos - From the Steven Brust Jhereg Novels - A human assassin living in an Elven Empire.
- 3. Starman (Ted Knight and Jack Knight) - A "Cosmic Rod".
- 4. Sandman (Golden Age) - More pulpy goodness - Read the Matt Wagner "Sandman Mystery Theatre" series.
- 5. Grendel (Hunter Rose, not the monster from Beowulf) - Matt Wagner comic of a bad-assed crimelord.
- 6. The Musketeers (D'Ataragan, Porthos, Aramis, Athos) - The original Swashbucklers.
- 7. Donal Graeme - Hero of Gordon Dickson's Dorsai! books.
- 8. Harry Palmer - British spy in the coldest period of the cold war. Michael Caine plays him
in the movies (The Ipcress File, A Funeral in Berlin, and Billion Dollar Brain). The first two movies are awesome,
the third one is very good.
- 9. The Stainless Steel Rat (Slippery Jim DiGriz) - Harry Harrison's scifi super criminal, con-man and spy.
- 10. Ritchie Ryan - Punk Kid immortal from The Highlander TV series.
He leaves for a while and comes back as a bad-ass with a chip on his shoulder.
Brother Bill L.
In no particular order
Good Books
- Sherlock Holmes - (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) - Next to his brother Mycroft, Sherlock was the second
smartest man in England. Contrary to most portrayals, Sherlock was a superior pugilist and a crack shot with a pistol.
He was addicted to cocaine in an earlier episode, much to the chagrin of Dr. Watson. Sherlock also spent a great deal
of time in the opium dens "undercover".
- The Invisible Man - (H.G. Wells) - The IM was your typical mad scientist but with a violent twist.
He was interesting because he was very intelligent and physically strong, but afflicted with a lack of wisdom that
would become his downfall. For example, he admittedly did not think to make his clothes invisible and told an
acquaintance he wanted to unleash a reign of terror by murdering all who oppose him.
Bad Books
- Grey Seer Thanquol - (William King) - If you've ever read any of the Felix and Gotrek novels you'd get
a kick out of Grey Seer Thanquol's adventures. These novels were the first time "leading from the back" was mentioned
as a Skaven military strategy.
Good Movies
- Willy Wonka - (Gene Wilder) - I like this character because he was completely off the wall and showed
no remorse over the fate of those bratty kids. You had to dig his purple top hat and coat tails. Who wouldn't want
to own an oompa-loompa?
Bad Movies
- Snake Pliskin - (Kurt Russell) - A tattoo of a snake on his chest, an eye patch, and a bad attitude,
what more could you ask for in a anti-hero? Snake is the prototypical bad good guy. The first movie was a classic,
including a post-modern day gladiatorial combat involving spiked baseball bats and garbage can lids. The second had
a potentially fatal timed lay-up drill finishing with a half court shot by Snake. What can't he do?
Pro Wrestling
- Ric Flair - (Richard Fleuhr sp?) - Ric is not as much of a "fictional" character as the others, but he is
one of my favorite "characters" of all time. What's not to like about a man with tan skin, long bleached hair, crammed
into a speedo and wearing a feather and sequin robe with his name on the back? His interviews were funny, his wrestling
was great and his ego was out of this world. "All the ladies like to ride Space Mountain!" Indeed.
Comic Books
- The Thing/Ben Grimm - (Stan Lee/Jack Kirby) - I guess I've had a thing for the Thing ever since I was kid.
Ben is basically Archie Bunker with orange, rocky skin, but somehow smacking around Dr. Doom and yelling "It's
Clobberin’ Time" was funnier than sitting in a chair bitching about the blacks and Mexicans.
Animation
- Homer Simpson - (Matt Groening) - Well, this one should be obvious, so I won't go into much detail about
Homer J. Simpson.
Brother "BlackJack" Kelly
- 1. Yojimbo (Toshiro Mifune) - Actually any of the Bushi this now departed actor played. He simply was
the best! Yojimbo series, Lightning swords of Death, The Seven Samurai,
Fortress of Doom (this last picture is what star wars was loosely based,
funny how good movies never die just get remade)
- 2. Tetsuo Shima - Test subject 41 who reawakens Akira. Just watch the damn movie Akira.
- 3. Wolverine - "We Aint done yet Bub", in my opinion the best comic hero ever.
- 4. Godzilla - Big green eats Japanese.
- 5. Snake Plissken - Just Snake, a bigger ass kicker you won't find (Escape from New york)
- 6. The Man with no Name or "Blondie" (Clint Eastwood) - spaghetti westerns at their best
(copying scripts from the Yojimbo series) A fist full of Dollars, A few Dollars More,
and the best of them The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
- 7. Raistlin Majere - a Man who fought monsters and willingly became one (Dragon Lance series).
- 8. Sgt. Rock and Easy Company - Killed more damn Nazis than you could shake a Potato Masher at, and
anybody wackin' Nazis is ok in my book.
- 9. Magneto - Master of Magnetism an old Super-Mutant thats faired well through the comic book ages
(X-men and spinoffs)
- 10. Hugh Fitzcairn - Old rocker turned old swashbuckler (Highlander TV series)
Brother Travis
- 1. Conan - Nuff said.
- 2. John Carter of Mars - Swords and hot chicks and Martians!
- 3. Honor Harrington - Best military Sci-fi books ever, bar none. Horatio Nelson in space!
- 4. Han Solo - A character like this is sadly lacking from the latest round of Star Wars movies.
- 5. Druss the Axeman - Ass kicker on the order of Conan, but with a romantic back-story.
- 6. Gandalf - Supreme ass kicker wizard of all time.
- 7. Anya - Former vengeance demon and hottie with the best lines in the show
(Buffy) and a bunny-phobia.
- 8. Yoda - Jedi ass kicker with a cane!
- 9. Lone Wolf and Cub - THE coolest long-running samurai character. Dozens
of comics AND 6 movies! Blood-splatter at 120 psi!
- 10. Aeryn Sun - Farscape's ass kicking hottie with a good actress and a
juicy charcter. Mmm, Claudia Black...
Brother Jeff
- 1. Felix/The Engine - From the John Steakley Novel Armor
- 2. Rorschach - From The Watchmen
- 3. Jack Burton - From the movie Big Trouble in Little China
- 4. Elric of Melnibone - From the Moorcock novels
- 5. Ghost Rider
- 6. Hans Solo
- 7. The Great and Powerful Turtle - From the Wild Cards novels/anthologies
- 8. Long John Silver - From Treasure Islans
- 9. John Henry - From many tall tales
- 10. The Mystic Hunter - From Brother Steve's Champions campaign
Brother Wayne
Books:
Doc Savage was already mentioned but I'll stick with the pulp hero
theme (without which, we would not have the wonderful world of comic books
that we all enjoy today):
- 1. Alan Quartermain - King Solomons Mines H. Rider Haggard
The original Indiana Jones! Action, adventure, and babes in Darkest
Africa! I read this when I was young and it stuck with me ever since.
- 2. Milo Morai - Coming of the Horseclans - Robert Adams
Unfortunately long out of print, I've got 6 of the 11 book series about
an immortal in a post apocolyptic adventure that's part Conan, part
Highlander, part Mad Max and all butt kicking from page 1!
TV:
- 3. Col. Jack O'Niell - Stargate SG-1
I didn't think anyone could play him better than Kurt Russel in the
movie, but Richard Dean Anderson rocks as the wise-cracking, tough as nails
leader of a team of Air Force specialists that use a Stargate to explore the
universe. Ancient Egyptian Gods that are really alien parasites? Thor was
really a little gray man? Way Cool!
- 4. Robert McCall - The Equalizer Edward Woodward plays a retired
'Company' agent who took out an ad in the paper to 'help the helpless' in this '85-'89 TV series.
This was one old man you did not want to piss off! He had this look that made 'evil doers'
crap their pants! A great, dark, brooding spy show.
- 5. Carl Kolchack -Kolchack the Night Stalker
This was originally 2 made-for-TV movies (the first in '72 and the
second in '73 that was used as the pilot for the show). It only lasted one season
but we got some great shows! Darren McGavin played a reporter investigating
weird, occult happenings. The best part is that he was not that smart or
tough, he mostly bumbled his way thru events that would drive other men
crazy (or dead).
Movies:
- 6. Matt Helm - The Silencers
There is only one super-spy on my list and it's not Bond! Dean Martin
made a series of Bond spoofs starting with the Silencers in '66. Dino oozed
cool even more than early Connery! Lots of references to the Rat Pack along
with his vocals on the soundtrack highlight the humor in one of the BEST SPY
MOVIES OF ALL TIME!
- 7. Rick Decker - Blade Runner
This is my all time favorite Sci-Fi movie! Harrison Ford plays Decker,
a tough as nails, retired cop, drug back into action to 'retire' some
rogue Replicants. Tons of action and great special effects let this movie
stand on it's own as a great adventure but the point of the movie was to ask
'what is human'? Ridley Scott laid plenty of clues that Decker himself, may have
been a Replicant. The Phillip K. Dick book 'Do Androids Dream of Electric
Sheep?' was good but Ford gives the character a whole new dimension in cool!
Comics:
- 8. Daredevil - Marvel
There are three incredible storylines in this series that are some of
the best I've ever read in any comic! Frank Miller wrote two (Death of
Elektra and Fall From Grace) and Kevin Smith revitalized the series with his
re-launch. All the stories have one thing in common - a 'regular' guy
overcoming horrendous odds and personal loss and not stray from his
chosen path. Some of the best crime drama/superhero stuff out there!
- 9. John Constantine - Hellblazer-DC
This guy has very little in the way of powers, yet he can make a bar
full of demons run like little girls on just his reputation alone! Another
great moment comes when a drunk, homeless Constantine survives an attack from
the King of the Vampires just long enough to drag him out into the sun and
set him on fire! He celebrates his victory by pissing on the flaming
corpse! Ahhh... classic.
- 10. Marv - Sin City
The last really good thing Frank Miller wrote tells the tale of a man
waking up next to a murdered woman with no idea how he got there or what
happened. He gets chased by cops and thugs while trying to piece together the
mystery. He also gets beat, shot and stabbed but keeps on coming! He's so tough,
even when he gets the electric chair for his crimes, they have to hit the
switch twice! He sits, smoldering in the chair and asks 'Is that all you got
Brother Don
- Remo Williams - Avatar of Shiva, The Destroyer; master of Sinanju.
- Elric - Pasty white guy with a big honking sword.
- Hiro Protagonist - Coolest pizza delivery guy ever.
- Harry Callahan - Do you feel lucky, punk?
- Felix - Ants! Ants everywhere!
- Judge Joe Dredd - I am the law.
- Ogami Itto - Lone Wolf.
- Kimball Kinnision - Third-stage lensman.
- T-800 Model 101 - Your clothes, give them to me.
- Travis McGee - Beach bum, knight-errant. His 'John Wayne day' in The Green Ripper kicks ass.
- Ash - Shop smart. Shop S-Mart!
- Harry Flashman - Lecher, liar, cowardly hero.
- Parker - Master thief, major hardass.
- Andrew Wiggin - They don't call him 'Ender' for nothing.
- Harry Keogh - Makes John Edwards look like a pussy.
Brother Steve
- 1. Bilbo or Frodo Baggins - Stupid whiny hobbits. They are number 1 for only
this. We would all be building model planes, collecting stamps, or fighting
in civil war table top games if not for these little bas#&rds.
- 2. Paul Atredies - First I bought all the damn books. I hate puttin' some
writers kids through college by buying all their books. But Paul was a
special case. Hero, ruler, outcast. Flawed and doomed I have always wanted
to carry a character to the logical extension of greatness and then woeful
obscurity because of his path.
- 3. Roger "Race" Bannon - A "Cleaner" for the government who was assigned to
protect a renowned Scientist, his son and a young Indian mystic from danger.
This guy erased more warm blooded problems then anyone else and this was on
any average Saturday morning. So Un PC it makes me cringe. They show their
adventures on Cartoon Network on Saturday at 2 Am now. Uncut, uncensored, unbelievable!
- 4. Emma Peel - Ehhh gods. In my opinion most crime fighting adventuress
would be based on her. The chick from Alias, Buffy, pick any gal with a
karate chop and she owes it all to the slinky illustrious Mrs. Peel.
- 5. Bruce Wayne - Though already mentioned this guy was my hero growing up. I
bought Batman Comics before any others. And even though the adventures were
stupid I constantly made up my own Batman adventures much cooler then the
ones I read. But really they were equally stupid in their own way. As time
passed Batman grew more gritty and I found myself missing that dorky
costumed policeman of Gotham.
- 6. Lamont Cranston / Kent Allard / The Shadow - 2 .45's. the power to cloud
men's minds, a network of agents. Lots of dead bad guys. Most Comic book
heroes fall into either the "Doc Savage" camp or the "Shadow" camp.
- 7. Mr. Fantastic - He could stretch ANY part of his body! Next time you
are asked "What super power would you have?" Think ...... Mr. Fantastic! Yeah!
- 8. Space Ghost - This guy was King. In 10 minutes he could rid the galaxy of
any malevolent menace and all he needed where 2 teenagers and a monkey for
help (plus the power bands). And that ship of his was one bad ride!
- 9. Wolverine - Terribly overused now but in his initial stage a great
character who was rendered unconscious in most early fights. As his
popularity grew so did his "Healing Factor". A Homicidal Mutant
CanadianSuper Spy Ronin. Wha?
- 10. Atticus Finch - The lawyer from "To Kill A Mockingbird" upon which
I would base honor and equity for any character I imagined.
Brother Matt
- 1. Mad Max - Who doesn't want to cruise the wastelands duking it out with biker
gangs. Do I need to remind everyone how cool that car was? Nothing like a little
sadism mixed in with your sense of vengeance. "You can saw though these handcuffs
in ten minutes or your ankle in two".
- 2. Drizzt Do'Urden - I have always liked this character. He lives a thankless
life. There are few that accept him, but he doesn't allow people's views of him to
sway his moral dedication. Besides anyone that fights with two scimitars and kicks
that much ass has to be cool.
- 3. Artemis Enteri - Do'Urden's arch enemy. This guy is as amoral as Do'Urden is
moral. His only concern in life is himself and what he can do to further his own
power and standing. Once again another ass kicker with two weapons
- 4. Gambit - The Ragin Cajun of the X-men. His kinetic power is very cool.
While he's smacking one baddy with his staff, he takes out the next wave of baddies
with a handful of cards. You have to respect anyone that is willing to allow his soul
to be sucked out just to give Rogue a kiss. What a charmer.
- 5. Johannes Verne - . This is the main character from the L'Amour book "Lonesome
Gods". His own grandfather wanted him dead because his father wasn't good enough for
his mom. His father was a lowly cowboy and his mother was a Don's daughter.
Just a great read.
- 6. The Outlaw Josie Wales - Blondie was already mentioned. This guy was one bad
hombre. If he spit tobacco, then a bunch of people were going to die. "We have
something around here called the Missouri River boat ride."
- 7. John Carter of Mars - . I think this has been covered, but how can you argue
with scantily chicks, lots of ass kicking and 4 armed aliens
- 8. Flint - Another L'Amour character of the book with the same name.
This guy is just one bad dude. It's been a while since I read the book, so I will
have more specifics later.
- 9. Ash - . I know there isn't one of you that wouldn't want to take a chainsaw
and a gun back to medieval times and kick some major ass. This is just great.
- 10. The Sackett family - This is a family that L'Amour wrote about 15 books on.
If you messed with one of these guys, then the whole clan was on you.
Brother Allan
- 1) Samwise Gamgee (The Lord of the Rings)
- 2) Carl Kolchack (Nightstalker)
- 3) Narn Ambassador G'Kar (Babylon 5)
- 4) Alfred Bester, Psi Corps's (Babylon 5)
- 5) Commissar Ibram Gaunt (The Gaunts Ghost Series)
- 6) Batman
- 7) Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (Babylon 5)
- 8) Jack Burton (Big Trouble in Little China)
- 9) Will Graham (Red Dragon)
- 10) Chiun Master of Sinanju (Remo Williams and the Destroyer series)
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