| Posted: 21 April 2014 at 10:22am | IP Logged | 10
|
|
|
Speaking of the classic Golden Avenger armor, it never ceases to amuse me that this armor would have to be more sophisticated than the modern, bulkier designs, given the trend of technology getting miniaturized, sleeker and more powerful. Looking back, I think the Silver Centurion armor set a bad precedent for later designs.•• This is a common problem with portraying technology. As I have often noted, back in the days of the original STAR TREK, Sulu and Chekov could drive the boat with just a small array of buttons. Which made perfect sense, given that the series was supposed to be set 200 years in the future. Yet, when TREK came back as movies, my instant impression was that some kind of huge technological reversal had beset the Galaxy, as Starfleet (and other alien species) suddenly needed all kinds of buttons and screens and switches to do the same job. I postulated at one time that this was the reason for the "refit" of the Enterprise, and the reason the new technology was a bit dodgy at first. They were having to invent everything from the ground up. The reality, tho, is that consumers demand what toy manufacturers call "perceived value." If they have to spend money on something, they want it to LOOK like it's worth it. Which, since this is America, means MORE, not less. Same is true in comics. Howard Mackie and I, years ago, discussed how impractical comicbook tech really was. The walls of Avengers Mansion or the FF's headquarters covered with all kinds of panels and lights and screens and wotnot. "Realistically" all the tech they'd ever need would be in Iron Man's left boot. But that wouldn't LOOK very impressive.
|
Topic Closed)
