Comic references increasing on TV?

Does it look like comics are getting more depiction in current TV shows, in particular as being read by adults and not just kids? CBS had Numb3rs do an entire episode centered around 'the rarist comic' complete with a comic book convention they dealt with throughout the episode, and on NCIS tonight one of the characters is reading Iron Fist (a character who while being ribbed constantly by the Ladies Man stereotype for being a geek has made millions as a published author and met a hot babe playing WoW). Anyone else remember seeing examples of comics being talked about by adults, particularly non-stereotypical comic book geeks, in movies or on TV?

Note that I don't mention Smallville because the series is comic book in origin and as such references to comic books in the series are in-jokes and nods to the industry that was popular enough to spawn such a popular TV show.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2007 06:09PM by Nightmask.

That Numbers episode was killer. The FBI guy even said "By the hoary hosts of Hoggath"... and then the talk about Galactus, Eternity and Death... I totally geeked out when I heard that stuff! :D

I loved that too, an FBI agent with a fond memory of Dr. Strange. Nice to see them giving more realistic backgrounds for these characters. Before you'd never see a character that even acknowledged knowing what a comic book was let alone read one and liked it or at least suffered extreme redicule from everyone around him (since apparently girls can't read so only guys get lambasted for it).

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

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[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

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[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

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Due to my work schedule, I don't watch much prime-time TV anymore. But "Reapers" is a good watch, and funny too. It's starting to coalesce its own continuity.

It doesn't so much making reference to comics as it's tongue-in-cheek premise ("Minimum wage slacker's parents sold his soul to the Devil, he recruits his friends to help him round up escaped souls for the Devil to get his own back") is something straight out of comic book.

Particularly since you can't sell someone else's soul, but being evil and a liar of course Satan would like you to believe you're already damned so you'll serve him anyway. I've watched it sporatically but I do like it, although I more favor Supernatural for the greater complexity even if it does annoy more more often than I care for with 'evil wins' moments.

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

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[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

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[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

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[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

It isn't so much Sam's parents sold Sam's soul as much as they promised the Devil their "firstborn son" and proceeded to try to cheat the Devil by not having kids. The Devil of course tricks their doctor into telling the parents that they're infertile and can't have kids and... so, they concieve Sam and the deal is sealed.

I just like that the evil souls come back with super powers similar to what made them evil in life (for example, an arsonist's soul had pyrokinesis). And the Devil, the character is hilariously sinister.

They do play Satan in a quite amusing yet fitting fashion, and great at being deceptive. You'd think he wouldn't want to recapture souls given the hell that they bring to earth, except that being one who loves torturing them he hates anyone getting away and having fun instead of suffering like they're supposed to.

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

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[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

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[www.furaffinity.net] Art by Marvel Comic's artist Rusty Haller!

[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Cornucopia Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmares of Futures Past Ongoing Story

[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

Add a recurring escaped soul as a perennial enemy and the comic book elements are complete.

Well considering there's a show on now called 'Heroes', one can safely assume comics are finally mainstream.

[Thank you Bill Jemas, Grant Morrison, Brian Michael Bendis, Brian K. Vaughn, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and all of you writers out there for making comics that are both entertaining and accessible to the masses]

Nothing's ever safely mainstream, but Heroes does (along with Smallville) provide good evidence that comics are cracking that facade of 'comics are only for little kids' that so many push. If they can keep it going with good stories and weather efforts to destroy it by know-nothing executives I think it could help bring comics all the way into mainstream reading venues. Past efforts, though good, had too much focus on the super-powers for the public, which was programmed to reject the fantastic, but now with greater stories and characters the audience can connect with they're finally crossing the appeal range and making the fantastic acceptable.

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Paragon Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Seraphim Character Sheet

[www.furaffinity.net] Art by Marvel Comic's artist Rusty Haller!

[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Cornucopia Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmares of Futures Past Ongoing Story

[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

Hmmmm, CBS seems to be sliding a lot of comic references into its line-up, even got a quote by Clive Barker regarding Superman into Criminal Minds, as a voice-over from the oddball character with the eidetic memory and a penchant for quoting all sorts of facts and figures whenever he's involved.

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Paragon Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Seraphim Character Sheet

[www.furaffinity.net] Art by Marvel Comic's artist Rusty Haller!

[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Cornucopia Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmares of Futures Past Ongoing Story

[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

Oh, can't believe I left out the part that the central character is a well-known (in the show) comic book artist/writer who has a psychotic break after his GF is raped and killed by thugs who made him watch and set about killing them in various brutal ways afterwards while drawing it up into his comics.

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Paragon Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Seraphim Character Sheet

[www.furaffinity.net] Art by Marvel Comic's artist Rusty Haller!

[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Cornucopia Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmares of Futures Past Ongoing Story

[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

he first time I was surprised to see a serious comics reference in a non-comics, serious flick was a Denzel Washington / Gene Hackman submarine flick, whose name temporarily escapes me... "The Gold Team?"
Anyway..... DW plays the exec on this missile sub and comes across two sailors having a heated argument. When he approaches, they clam up. In his Officer Voice, he demands they tell him what the argument was about. The sailors sheepishly admit that they were arguing about what artist depicted the better Silver Surfer. DW takes a deep breath and in his Office Voice declares that it is official US Navy policy that Jack Kirby's Silver Surfer is the definitive Silver Surfer.

The very first serious comics reference in an otherwise non-comics show was a TV pilot 37 years ago with Glenn Ford as a PI trying to solve some rare book thefts. Eventually he finds the thief is a comics collector who is amassing a trove of the rarest comics of all time. I think the thief ended up getting locked away in his massive, impenetrably timelocked vault with his collection.

Hey, anyone remember THE AVENGERS episode, "The Winged Avenger"?





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2007 01:42PM by DavidEMartin.

The Washington/Hackman movie was Crimson Tide, and the argument was about the Kirby Silver Surfer and the Moebius Silver Surfer.