Thinking Out Loud: The Foreman Paradox

Here's a little Doctor Who fan-theory that I posted on my personal Facebook a couple of years ago.

The character of Susan Foreman causes a lot of friction with fans, as the First Doctor claimed that she was his granddaughter, so is she a Time Lady, human or something else?

If we take the novel Lungbarrow as true (which of course we do), then we know that the Time Lord Houses do not reproduce sexually, they are "woven on genetic looms", rendering every member of that House a 'cousin', eschewing what humans would consider a familial structure of parents and offspring. We also know that not every Gallifreyian is a Time Lord/Lady, as it is a rank attained through the Time Lord Academy, however, most members of the Time Lord Houses are assumed to be put through this education and eventual transformation. The Doctor famously only graduated by a slim margin on his fourth attempt. It is only after their first regeneration that a Time Lord attains the physical state of that rank, as the First Doctor only had one heart, but the Second Doctor had two.

Given her apparent age, and deference to the Doctor, we can assume that Susan has not regenerated, and given that the Doctor placed her in an educational institution, she has either not yet entered the Academy, or was in the process of studying and had not yet graduated. It is possible that Susan is a human the Doctor has "borrowed" and is educating, as he would later attempt again with Ace, but Susan's grasp of 4th dimensional mathematics does imply that she is from Gallifrey.

So where does the grand-parental relationship come into it? Well, for that one, let's turn to the Translation circuits that can be found in the TARDIS and other TTCs (Time Travel Capsules). We know from the Timewyrm series of novels and the Marvel comics (and the new show, I guess, but who cares?) that particularly obscure, ancient or alien languages don't translate well. This may also by why the Doctor, especially the 3rd and 4th, tend to write in English, rather than High or Low Gallifreyian. Here on Earth, we can struggle to translate languages with different constructions; Japanese is particularly difficult to translate into English, for example, because it is so subjective, with the same word having vastly different meanings in different contexts.

Where am I going with this? Well, let's look at Japanese again for a moment; there are more than a few terms of endearment for non-family that use familial terms, aren't there? "Big Brother", "Big Sister" and so on, is how we translate them, but it is the context that matters in the mouths of the Japanese speaker. Well, we know that even Low Gallifreyian is a very complex language (Ace struggles to learn to read it in the New Adventures), and it deals with a malleable 4th dimension, so it is not unreasonable to assume that context, especially for nouns, is important.

I put it to you that "Grandfather" is a mis-translation of Gallifreyian into English, likely of a term of familial endearment made from a younger "cousin" to an elder one in a family structure totally alien to our own. A better translation would likely be "Respected and Learned elder member of this House" (possibly used ironically in the case of the Doctor), which doesn't have an equivalent in English, as our familial language is based on groups assembled for the generation of children. Oh, yeah, children don't exist on Gallifrey, the inhabitants are loomed as young adults. So when Susan calls the Doctor "grandfather", that is the TARDIS translation circuits doing their best to put her actual words into something the humans around her can understand.

Team Ideas: More Victorian Avengers

I find it weird that these "Victorian Superhero" articles tend to some of my better performing posts, despite the fact that the first one began with a dismissal of the entire concept. I'm actually coming around on it a bit now that I've had so many ideas, but until I find regular opponents, I won't be starting on putting any miniatures together. This one's going to be a little different, in that I won't be doing so much "in-universe" writing, but more discussing the concept and inspiration. Also, I won't be suggesting too many miniatures or sticking to a rigid number this time.

For those not familiar with the concept, rather than just so "Steampunk Batman" for the millionth time, I try to combine existing superheroes with fictional, historical and folk characters associated with the Victorian era, or close to (such as "Captain America" being from the Napoleonic era as Richard Sharpe). The rules aren't strict, but I try and stick close to Victorian Science Fiction, Pulp and "Boys Own" stories as best I can. When considering a character, I look beyond the powers and image and into what they represent in their own era, meaning there's always more than just a costume change to be had. 

Spring-heeled Jack (Spider-Man) 

Name a recurring theme with Spider-Man. Was it that he constantly is assumed to be a criminal? Spring-heeled Jack was an Urban Legend in Victorian London, a black-clad horror often seen fleeing the scene of a grisly murder through impossible physical feats. Now imagine that Peter Parquet, a talented but unlucky engineer, decides to build a costume filled with devices to enhance his natural abilities, thinking he can use it to protect the innocent people of his borough from criminals. The Parquet luck kicks in and soon people are running screaming from "Spring-heeled Jack", and laying blame for murders at his feet. Driven by guilt, Parquet still dons his costume and does his best to fight crime.


John Henry (Luke Cage) 

Many think the legendary John Henry died after his famous defeat of the steam engine he was racing, but the real truth is that the authorities dragged him away for disturbing the peace and usurping the rule of white men. Instead of being quietly hanged, the judge, a KKK member, "volunteered" Henry for medical experiments, just to make sure he suffered. Whether through fate or his own strength, Henry survived, becoming somehow stronger and tougher, using his newfound power to escape. Since then, Henry has wandered the world, righting wrongs and striking a blow against colonial powers wherever he can, often in exchange for some payment, so that he can keep ahead of the law.


T'Chaka Zulu (Black Panther) 

Descended from the great king Shaka, T'Chaka Zulu has seen his ancestor's land taken from him by the hated English since childhood. Seeking advice from the witch doctors and clever-women of his council, T'Chaka was led to follow ancient myths into the last uncharted regions of the African continent, seeking new weapons to use in the fight for freedom. When the king finally returned to his people, he held two priceless treasures, the Heart-Shaped Herb, which grants strength and power, and Vibranium, a rare and deadly metal. Armed with these new secrets, T'Chaka led the Zulu on a bloody and successful campaign to reclaim parts of the great Shaka's territory. Taken by surprise, British forces in South Africa were immediately on the back-foot, but now they have time to prepare a counter-attack, how will T'Chaka's forces fare?


Sandow (Hercules)

Eugen Sandow is famous the world-over for his strength, physique and attitudes on personal fitness, but he has a secret that no one knows; Sandow is immortal. After his death, Hercules, having atoned for his misdeeds through the famous Twelve Labours, made his way to the fields of Elysium, where he engaged in games and feasting with the other notables of history. As society advanced, so did the influence of Olympus wane, and even mighty Zeus lost interest in protecting the world. When word reached the Lion of Olympus of the terrible wars, martian invasions and smog choked cities, he petitioned Hades for a short-term release. Wandering the world, Hercules, in the guise of Sandow, does his best to lift humanity back to a state of enlightenment and slay the monsters of the modern world.


The Haunted Writer (Ghost Rider)

Practically none does not know the name of Charles Dickens, but only a few know the price he paid for his talent. Although Dickens would be famous in later life for debunking Spirit Mediums, in his youth, he himself was a dabbler in the occult. Hoping to escape from the horrors of life in a blacking factory, the young Dickens made a deal with a mysterious entity for fame and fortune, but little did he know what the true cost would be. Dickens was granted the ability to see and hear the spirits around him, which soon drove him near mad in their constant requests and chatter; writing down their stories was the only way he could maintain his sanity. The stories of ghosts such as Oliver Twist and Martin Chuzzlewit threw Dickens into the public eye and gave him the influence to solve the dark mysteries of a bleak house and lay some ghosts to rest. Dickens may be cursed, but he has, through his own intellect and talent, turned the curse into a force for good.

Ned Kelly (Iron Man)

Going to drop the narrative voice on this one as it requires some explaining. In Australia, Ned Kelly is so tied into a culture that romanticises the colonial era, that separating the reality from the myth is incredibly difficult. Everybody knows that Ned Kelly was a brutal murderer, but the fact that he was charismatic and the police were just as corrupt and brutal help weave an ideal version of the man that Australians identify with. Probably one of the best takes on the mythology of Ned Kelly is a book by Robert Drewe entitled Our Sunshine, which was adapted into the film Ned Kelly starring Heath Ledger. The book takes place the night before the siege of Glenrowan, with Kelly and his gang holed up in the local Hotel, preparing for the police attack and winning over the locals. Spurred on by drink and camaraderie, Kelly's mind wanders to plans for after the siege is won; he wants to begin a popular revolt and turn Victoria into an independent state for the Irish. In literary and academic circles, Drewe's take on Kelly is referred to as being "futurist", meaning the character is a drunk futurist in a set of homemade armour; get it? Of course, Kelly had a very personal agenda, centered around his own background and ideals, but that too isn't all that far from many presentations of Tony Stark. 

Hope that fires some ideas up in people, if this is popular, I'll do some more when the ideas occur to me.

Supehero Media: The Scarlet Pimpernel

Yes! I've been waiting for this one. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy is perhaps the most important literary work in the establishment of superheroes as a genre. A great many of the tropes that we associate with characters like Batman, the Phantom, Green Hornet and Blue Beetle, if they did not start with Orczy, certainly were first codified in this way with her seminal work. With close examination, tropes from The Scarlet Pimpernel can be seen in media as far-reaching as Dragonball Z and the inFamous video games. We'll get to all that shortly, but for now... It is the height of the Terror in 1792, Mob rule in Paris is leading to the execution of all French nobility and one brave hero heads a network to rescue the innocent; the Scarlet Pimpernel! Lady Marguerite is married to notorious fop and dandy, Sir Percy Blakeney but dreams of the heroic Pimpernel as well of a life full of adventure and excitement. 

Given the age of the book, you probably know the story, Sir Percy is the Pimpernel and he and Marguerite are embroiled in a plot by the French Committee. The novel is told from Marguerite's perspective and features a lot less "action" than any television or film adaptation. The important part here is not how the story is told, but the ways in which it is told. Marguerite is married to Sir Percy, but loves the Scarlet Pimpernel, sound familiar? Jane Foster wants to make time with Thor but ignores Donald Blake? Diane Meade is fascinated by The Martian Manhunter, but doesn't care for Detective John Jones? Videl is obsessed with uncovering the true identity of the Great Saiyaman but finds Gohan forgettable? Shove that in your pipe and smoke it misogynist idiots who say women have no place writing superheroes, a woman invented one of the major tropes that can be found in just about every comic, film or television programme in the genre! Also, No one suspects that Sir Percy could possibly be the brave, intelligent and resourceful Pimpernel, because he's clearly a useless dandy. I mean, there's no way the party-boy Bruce Wayne could be Batman right? 
 

So yeah, the book is a pretty fantastic meta-text. It's not a great read to be honest, the language is repetitive and the narrative is predictable, but that's not what makes it such a classic. The Pimpernel is the precursor of Zorro, the Spirit, Batman, Green Hornet, the Lone Ranger, Blue Beetle, the Great Saiyaman, Martain Manhunter, Superman and countless others. If you're serious about seeing where everything from Golden Age Batman to Captain America: Civil War evolved from, you need to start here. Perhaps not the best work in the genre, but certainly one of the most important. "They seek him here, they seek him there..." 

Superhero Media: Superfolks

In late 2014, I was working full time in retail and was pretty miserable. The hours ate up pretty much all my gaming time and the stress was aggravating my ulcer something fierce. It was clear that I needed a career change, but with a Literature/Film degree, my options were limited. About the same time, a good friend of mine told me that she was returning to study; her excitement over starting her Post-graduate course was somewhat infectious and I soon found myself considering a return to University myself. As I've mentioned before, I'm currently studying to be a Counsellor, but, for a time, I considered pursuing a Phd in literature. What is the point of all this background? Well, should I ever decide to take the plunge into academia full-time, Robert Mayer's Superfolks would suit me pretty well for a thesis. I scavenged a copy of Superfolks, quite by accident, from a friend giving away many boxes of books; I thought why not give it a go, it has a Superman analogue on the front, it may be good? I found that I finished the book in a few sittings, I was so drawn into it.

Superfolks is about Indigo, a retired superhero whose only battle is with middle age. He retired after all the other heroes (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Snoopy and Captain Mantra) retired, died or disappeared and has slunk into fatherhood, the daily grind and "dad weight". His powers have slowly faded with the years and he debates returning to action to battle a crime wave that threatens to destroy New York City. As he straps on the cape for the first time in years, Indigo must find the confidence within himself to fight for justice once more. If this all sounds familiar, Superfolks is considered to have greatly influenced Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? and Watchmen, though Alan Moore denies this. I believe that Superfolks was written to be a pastiche, but time has rendered it more of a parody. I also get the feeling that Robert Mayer got a lot of his information about superheroes second-hand. The heroes mentioned are very Golden Age (explaining the lack of Marvel heroes), and there is a focus on sexuality that has never really been a big part of the genre, despite what The Seduction of the Innocent claimed and the many, many jokes about the relationship between Batman and Robin. I personally believe that David Mazzucchelli said it best, "It makes perfect sense that his best friend would be twelve years old, because Batman is still a little boy stuck in a man's body. If there's a "No Girls Allowed" sign on their Batcave/clubhouse, it' because girls are icky... ...Superheroes live best in their own world - A pre[-]adolescent world." The Golden and Silver ages of comics simply do not engage with sexuality with anything more than a "fade to black", but that will never stop people from speculating about something that's not actually there.
 

So is it worth a read? Certainly. Superfollks is around $25AUD on book depository, so why not give it a go? It's a fascinating mess of popular culture, psychology and Mad Magazine style humour, with some really interesting Superhero concepts that I'd like to see explored elsewhere. I'll certainly be re-reading it at some point, maybe even working it into my Watchmen essay I've been planning for years. Not much gaming fodder, but fascinating for providing a "moment in time" and an outsider's look at the Superhero Comic.

Superhero Media: The Society of Steam Trilogy

A friend and fellow wargamer gave me a trilogy of books by Andrew P. Mayer, The Falling Machine, Hearts of Smoke and Steam and Power Under Pressure which form The Society of Steam Trilogy. The novels tell the story of Sarah Stanton, daughter of New York Steampunk Superhero, The Industrialist and her battle against Lord Eschaton, a Villain powered by Fortified Smoke.

These books are terrible. They are poorly written, with extended passages that go nowhere and add little to the story, the trilogy could have easily been two or even a single novel with a decent editor behind it. Andrew P. Mayer is a designer of video games by trade, which shows in his lack of understanding of Victorian Society, literary syntax and even Superhero tropes. I'll point out that my education was in Literature, lest I seem to be too harsh, but I have little time for poorly edited books when there's so many good books out there I haven't read yet. 

The characters in The Society of Steam are mostly two-dimensional, the Victorian Woman wants to be treated the same as a man, the villain is an evolutionist, the black man has to hide his race to be taken seriously, however; every person seems to be in such a constant state of flux that there's no point getting attached to a character anyway. Any powers come from Fortified Steam and Fortified Smoke, magical substances that reek more of fantasy than Steampunk or VSF. 

Society of Steam is redeemed by one thing; the Heroes and Villains would make pretty cool VSF Super System Teams. The Industrialist, Anubis, The Sleuth and the Automaton have a legitimate Victorian "feel" to them and Jack Knife and his cronies would be a characterful team for Empire of the Dead.

As a Novel, even a Superhero Novel: 2 out of 10 worth a look for ideas if you're heading down the VSF supers path, but otherwise pretty dull.