Beau Smith

by Beau Smith

As a young comic book reader I used to daydream about what my favorite superheroes would be like in “real life”. By that I mean what went on in their heads when they weren’t smacking The Red Skull or The Black Mantis around.

I wanted to know how my four-color heroes got along outside of work. Did Hawkeye and Iron Man gather up some of the other Avengers and catch a ball game? Did Wonder Woman and The Black Canary grab lunch and then go shopping at Macy’s? Were there times when The Beast and Cyclops just hung out at the Mansion and watched TV?

I understand where readers today might find that a bit boring compared to page after page of a thousand Green Lanterns floating around in space with their mouths wide open screaming “Look out!”, but as a reader and a writer, I’ve always wanted to really know the characters that I read and write. I did my best as a writer on Guy Gardner to not only throw him into wild and exciting confrontations, but I also made it a point to give equal time to his personal life and that of his supporting cast AND villains.

One of my dream comics to read and to write has always been to have a modern day story where Nick Fury, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Bucky, and Namor – The Sub-Mariner have some knucklehead menace to fight, but at the same time actually talk about their history together from World War II through today. Not just a rest home revisit, but a chance to show the kind of bond that comes from fighting a war together as well as everything else that the universe can toss at you.

Captain America

Yeah, we’ve seen brief snippets of this through the decades, but nothing really special that seriously told us anything. The closest and best “reunion” to my knowledge was a couple of years ago in the regular Captain America book where writer, Ed Brubaker, had Namor and Bucky interacting in an adventure. It seriously left me wanting MORE! Ed really has a handle on the characters and I know that if given the chance, he could have a field day with this storyline.

Ed has really made Captain America the best written comic book out there for the last few years and I mean on a month to month basis. It never fails me. The story and the art are always A-List. I just want more. I’m not getting any younger. I want to see this story of Fury, Namor, Steve Rogers and Bucky happen. The action and bad guy aren’t hard to throw in there, but what’s needed is hearing old friends, respected friends, share their history of past battles during a new battle.

These are men that have seen the passing of time and also the road to the future. Their thoughts and actions need to be shared with all readers. It should be about loyalty, heroism, friendship, and most of all, respect. As readers, we sorely need this from our comic book heroes. As creators, we need to give this not only to the readers, but ourselves as well.

Consider this my open request letter to Joe Quesada, Ed Brubaker and Marvel Comics. I really enjoy what you’re doing, I respect what you’re doing, I just want more of it. I really believe that I’m not the only reader/creator out there who would love to read such an adventure and see it happen. I will not only speak with my words, but my wallet as well. You do it, I’ll buy it and ask others to buy it as well.

Like I said, I’m not getting any younger. If I have to write this story for my own pleasure and satisfaction, I will. I’d love to do so, but facts are facts. I’m not in power at Marvel. I’m not on contract, but I am a reader that pays for his comics. As that reader I would love to see this story happen.

As readers, please think about how fun this story would be. After 70 some years, you’d get to see true interaction between heroes that have been in the trenches together as young men and now face evil through more experienced eyes.

They are heroes, but most importantly, they’re friends.

YOUR friend,

Beau Smith

The Flying Fist Ranch

www.flyingfistranch.com

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