So,I thought it would be fun to see if there were any superhero and/or villains with Irish lineage and yes, there are quite a few,it turns out. What was surprising to me is that between the Big Two comic book companies, Marvel has way more Irish men and women(including a gal called The Shamrock) on it's roster than DC. Perhaps this is due to the Marvel universe being more centered in real world settings than it's rival but with so many DC characters who proudly display green in their outfits,you would think they'd have more of the Irish on hand.
Since we do have a tradition of making just about anyone in green an honorary Irish citizen today, let's check out a few of the emerald clad DC heroes and foes to see if they have any suitable traits that make them worthy of such a honor:
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While broody Oliver Queen does not have any direct ties to Ireland, his rebellious nature and desire to fight against tyranny from any quarter is befitting of a native from those emerald shores.
His live action appearances in Smallville established Green Arrow in the media mainstream culture as a Robin Hood type(who,granted, is an English archetype but still a man of the people warrior figure) and in his present incarnation as Arrow, a defender of the poor and downtrodden who does not hesitate to fight back even against those nearest and dearest to him to defend Starling City, a true worthy goal that definitely makes him a true son of Ireland at heart:
Pamela Isley's preference for the color green is more about her obsessive love of plant life,which she values over human life each and every time,than any allegiance to a nationality altho her red hair does invoke many a fetching Irish lass who uses her allurements for good or ill.
While her deadly intentions are never welcome, she can be quite the party girl who livens things up by getting the menfolk drunk on her home brew of titillating toxins,plus she loves a good fight as part of the evening's entertainment:
To be fair,there has been at least one member of the Green Lantern Corps who did have a few drops of Irish blood in him(Kyle Rayner, on his mother's side).
However,whether it's Hal Jordan,John Stewart or even the contentious Guy Gardner, the GL Corps are made up of those willing to protect and serve all communities in their area,which makes them very much like the typical Irish cop on the beat. That alone,plus their loyalty to the cause of justice and code of honor, earns each and every one of the Green Lanterns of Earth an Erin go bragh badge:
Why demented wordsmith Edward Nigma chooses to wear green in his get-up is one of the many puzzling things about him. Again ,like Poison Ivy,not the most honorable person to include amongst the Irish but it's difficult to deny his way with words and gift of gab, two very well known traits of our folk.
The Riddler also possesses the power of persuasion, another notable Irish trait and does know how to use his charms to make alliances even with the most anti-social of contemporaries,which really makes him more of an Irish man that many of us would like to admit:
So,let's enjoy Saint Patrick's Day together in a spirit of fun and hopefully sober celebration that embraces the best of Irish contributions to the world. Yes, that includes pop culture and even amongst the cape and cowl set, we Irish can hold up our masked heads high:
1 comment:
I love the fact that on top of everything else, you can take a few minutes out to be a comic book geek. I hope you had a great St. Pat's Day
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