Superhero Media: Big Trouble In Little China

Yo, this James Wright on the Lead Capes Express, talking to anyone who's listening on this dark and stormy night. It's a pretty darn amazing planet we're living on here and you have to be crazy or a communist to think that Big Trouble In Little China was anything short of a masterpiece. As I told my last wife, I never paint faster than I can see, and other than that, it's all in the reflexes. So let me tell you about David Lo Pan and his quest to please an ancient daemon, he started out as a basket case on wheels and he ended up an eight feet tall maniac; like nothing you can understand... Mister Burton. 

I love this film, but who wouldn't? John Carpenter does Wuxia, with a big Western vibe and Kurt Russel channeling the Duke to a comedic extent, great action and classic practical effects that still look great. Lo Pan would make a great villain for any Magic or Martial Arts hero and the whole adventure would translate well to a street-level hero campaign like Gotham City or Heroes for Hire. On the other hand, crank up Lo Pan and the three Storms and have Doctor Strange and John Constantine battle up a Pagoda to face off in a battle of mystic might! 

If you're one of the few wargamers/roleplayers who hasn't enjoyed Big Trouble In Little China yet, check it out. The Carpenter/Russel team is always worth a look and it's one of the few American films that manage to get Chinese cultural tropes more or less right and the representations of Race are pretty tasteful. 

Also, there's this: 

Until next time!