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While I was going through the most current Previews catalog I saw that a new Challengers of the Unknown series was coming out. Now, I've never read any of the original stories of the group, and the few things I do know about them come from their entry in DC's Who's Who (boy do I miss those). Anyway, this isn't about that team, it's about how the unknown is sometimes dealt with in comics. Seeing the ad for the new Challenger's series just got my train of thought going down that track.
For me, looking at the unknown in comics is similar to how some people accept it in the real world. There are those that have to have everything defined for them, and those that are able to just accept things as they are (for better or worse). Comics have a bit of a unique advantage beyond our world though, and that is the fact that things don't necessarily exist there until they are "created." Sure, we assume that some things will be constant in some comics (night, day, gravity, etc.) but we all know that whenever a writer wishes to they can play with those constants. So, the question becomes how much do YOU need to know?
I don't mind some information, but at times I think it's better to be left in the dark. I guess it's really a matter of the purpose of the information. Is it being done to move things forward or is it being done just for the sake of someone (a writer or editor) to get their rocks off by being "inventive?" Here are a few things that immediately sprang to mind on the subject of dealing with the unknown in some way:
The Speed Force
For those of you not familiar with the Speed Force, it's the thing that gives the speedsters of the Flash family (the Flashes, Jessie Quick, and Kid Flash to name the most familiar) their speed powers. I've read of the Speed Force being described as energy, a heaven for speedsters, and even perhaps a bit sentient. For me, that's all I need to know. I really have no desire to have the Speed Force explained to me in some kind of pseudo-science because that would remove much of the mystery surrounding it. The Speed Force is a relatively new concept in my opinion, but it didn't do anything to disrupt the way the speedsters of the DCU operate, it just added a little more to their mythos. Personally I hope the Speed Force stays as it is now, a mysterious power source.
JSA
As a title JSA has done great things with using the unknown as a vehicle for its stories. A perfect example of this is the most recent issue of the title, #59. In this issue Geoff Johns does an excellent job of giving us a glimpse into the team's future. However, we have a large amount of unknown in-between the few things we have learned and where the title currently is. In a case such as this the unknown is the fuel for the title. Personally, the things that were alluded to in this issue have turned up my anticipation of upcoming storylines, and that is even with the knowledge that Johns could just be teasing all of us. Some of these things may not come to pass for a long time…or maybe never. No matter what the unknown is definitely being used very well in this title.
Uncanny X-Men: The Draco
What can I say? Sometimes it's just better to be left in the dark. Now, while I seem to be the only person who will publicly admit to liking Chuck Austen's writing I will also say that "The Draco" storyline in Uncanny X-Men sucked . . . hard. Sometimes finding out the history of a mysterious character can be thrilling, but in this case it was just convoluted and pointless (at least for now). I really don't care if Nightcrawler's father is "Satan" or the milkman. For me Nightcrawler has always been more defined by his actions and who he is rather than what he is. Perhaps time will give some meaning to this removal of the unknown from Nightcrawler's character, but for now I'm just doing my best to block the storyline out of my head.
Superman: Secret Identity
The concept of someone with Superman's powers (similar at least) living in our world is turning out to be quite the read. I'll tell you right now that if you're not reading it, you're missing out. The unknowns in this title are mostly of background and only slightly nodded to, which is perfect for this title. We don't know how the person got their powers, we don't know how they work, and we don't know why certain variations in powers exist. Now, maybe someone out there is beating their heads against the wall trying to figure this stuff out, but not me. I'm caught up in the concept of someone who also doesn't care about figuring this stuff out. This "real life" Superman doesn't seem to care where his powers came from because he's too busy using them to help people.
If you really think about it how many characters really take the time to figure out where they came from? We, as readers, may be given this information but when you sit down and think about it, how many characters really do ask, "Why am I here?" They lived their lives to become who they are, so why should this "real life" Superman be any different? Of course when I talk about characters not asking, "Why am I here?" I'm not counting those titles where the story revolves around the idea of finding a character's origin.
The unknown can be a great thing and a frightening thing. Finding answers to make the unknown known is also a mixed bag. Unfortunately when dealing with comics sometimes we don't get what we want, but then again that's how things work. For me the unknown in comics is definitely interesting, and I prefer to have things revealed that have meaning. I guess the question is how much do you want to know?
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