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Due to Seth's love of comic books and his work on Atomic County, there are numerous references to comic books throughout the series.

Comic Book Characters[]

Picture Name Creator Episode(s)
Superman Superman Joe Shuster & Jerry Siegel The Shower, The Way We Were, The Showdown
There are several references to Superman throughout the series. Seth asks Dr. Roberts if he likes Superman during his lunch with him. Seth references Superman during his conversations about the comic-book club. Julie says Caleb has erected a "Fortress of Solitude" around himself. This spins back into the references to Cavalier and Clay, as both creators are Jewish. Superman's origin has often been compared to the tales of many immigrants who came to North America, often because their lives at home were in jeopardy (mirroring Krypton's danger and destruction).
Batman Batman Bob Kane The Shower
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. The novel depicts a 1980s America with a different time line to our own reality, where costumed adventurers are real. However, the U.S. is close to a nuclear war with Russia and public opinion towards the notion of vigilantism is sour; there are public demonstrations in protest, a key demand being that the police be reinstated as the de facto marshalls of law. As this plot is unravelled, the notion of the traditional superhero is explored, along with the motivations of those who decide to become costumed adventurers. Watchmen is the only graphic novel to have won a Hugo Award and is also the only graphic novel to appear on Time magazine's list of "100 best novels from 1923 to present."
Spiderman Spider-Man Stan Lee The Truth
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.
Hulk The Hulk Stan Lee The Way We Were
Seth references the Hulk while passing out flyers for the comic-book club. (The club's first debate: How come the purple pants never come off?)
Mrfreeze Mr. Freeze Bob Kane The SnO.C.
Seth tells Marissa her SnO.C. decor reminds him of when "Mr. Freeze attacked the Gotham Society Ball — which is a compliment." This is also a reference to the movie "Batman and Robin". Like most Batman villains, Mr. Freeze plans his crimes about a specific theme; in his case, ice and cold. In darker incarnations of the Batman mythos, Mr. Freeze's obsession with ice stems from personal tragedy, and his crimes are inspired by his desire to make the rest of the world as cold and miserable as he is.
Wolverine Wolverine Len Wein & John Romita The Undertow
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.
Ironman Iron Man Stan Lee The Rager
Seth is amazed Reed can carry on comic-book debates, such as which Iron Man armor was best. This includes the differences between his old armor and why it was better than his Ultimate armor. This is very vague, considering Iron Man continually updates his technology and armor. Writers often portray Iron Man as a symbol of humanity's creativity as well as its frailties. He is often placed in contrast with his close friends Captain America and Thor, the former as a comparison between interventionist and cooperative attitudes, and the latter comparing science and the supernatural. Throughout most of his career, Iron Man has been a member of the superhero team the Avengers, and has been featured in several incarnations of his own various comic-book series.
Greenlantern Green Lantern Martin Nodell & Bill Finger The Way We Were
After the innaugural meeting of Seth's comic-book club, Zach says he'll "hit you with those Green lantern jpegs." Several characters have taken the mantle of Green Lantern throughout the years. Each possessed a “power ring” that gives the user great control over the physical world as long as the wielder has sufficient willpower. While the ring of the Golden Age Green Lantern (Alan Scott) was magically powered, the rings worn by all subsequent Lanterns were the creations of the Guardians of the Universe who granted such rings to worthy candidates across the universe. These individuals made up the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps.
Plasticman Plastic Man Jack Cole The Way We Were
While organizing his comic-book collection, Seth tells Ryan he'll need to explain the difference between Plastic Man and Elongated Man. Plastic Man possesses the ability to stretch his body into any imaginable form. His adventures were known for their quirky, offbeat structure and surreal, slapstick humor. When Quality Comics shutdown in 1956, DC Comics acquired much of their stable of characters, including Plastic Man. He has been integrated into the mainstream “DC universe” and starred in several short-lived DC series, as well as a Saturday morning cartoon series in the early 1980s. Although never a commercial giant, Plastic Man has been a favorite character of many modern comic book creators.
Elongatedman Elongated Man Julius Schwartz The Way We Were
While organizing his comic-book collection, Seth tells Ryan he'll need to explain the difference between Plastic Man and Elongated Man. As his name suggests, the Elongated Man can stretch his limbs and body to super-human lengths and sizes. He is a reserve member of the Justice League. His first appearance was The Flash (vol. 2) #112 (May 12, 1960). He was partially created by Julius Schwartz, who noted he only created the character because he didn't realize DC Comics had acquired Plastic Man in 1956.
Fantasticfour Fantastic Four Stan Lee The Mallpisode
At the end of the episode, Seth says The fantastic four is becoming fantastic again, a reference to The Fantastic Four.
Cyclops Cyclops Stan Lee The Rager
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.
Bizarro Bizarro Otto Binder The Power of Love
Sandy tells his son he doesn't recognize this new "Bizarro Seth." Seth shoots back, "Nice comic-book reference."
Wonderwoman Wonder Woman William Moulton Marston The Undertow
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.

Comic Book References[]

Picture Title Creator Episode(s)
Archie Archie Comics John L. Goldwater The Truth
Summer says that the characters Betty and Veronica had a profound influence on her. Anna and Summer both see how this could be true. Later, after Anna turns down the grittier comics, she suggests the Archies, and Seth responds with disgust. Veronica is the beautiful, stylish, and rich, similar to Summer. Betty is the quintessential girl-next-door, with her upbringing a world apart from that of her wealthy friend. They both compete for the affections of Archie, the main protagonist. This may also be a reference to the ongoing love triangle between Anna, Summer, and Seth during Season 1. The complete absence of established canon is a turn-off to fans from other comics who are accustomed to an established comic universe with strict canon, and the series has not evolved to the standards of Modern Age of Comic Books, which probably explains Seth's disgust. See also Betty and Veronica syndrome.
Dark knight returns Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Frank Miller The Truth
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. Upon its publication, The Dark Knight Returns turned the comic book industry on its ear. It helped to introduce an era of more adult-oriented storytelling to the mainstream world of superhero comic books, and it received media attention the likes of which had never seen before in a medium long believed to be little more than children's entertainment. Critics have accused this story of giving birth to the era of "grim and gritty" comic books that lasted from the late 1980s through the early 1990s, when comic books took many adult-oriented themes (especially explicit violence and sexual content) to "the limits of decency." Although the Batman has rarely been as obsessive and powerful a figure as Miller depicts him here, The Dark Knight Returns was tremendously influential; since the work was originally published, Miller's portrayal of the character as a dark and compulsive figure has dominated most Batman projects to at least some degree.
Watchmen Watchmen Alan Moore The Truth
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. The novel depicts a 1980s America with a different time line to our own reality, where costumed adventurers are real. However, the U.S. is close to a nuclear war with Russia and public opinion towards the notion of vigilantism is sour; there are public demonstrations in protest, a key demand being that the police be reinstated as the de facto marshalls of law. As this plot is unravelled, the notion of the traditional superhero is explored, along with the motivations of those who decide to become costumed adventurers. Watchmen is the only graphic novel to have won a Hugo Award and is also the only graphic novel to appear on Time magazine's list of "100 best novels from 1923 to present."
Thesandman The Sandman Neil Gaiman The Truth
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right. The protagonist of Sandman is Dream, the immortal anthropomorphic personification of dreams and storytelling. He is one of the Endless, each of whom personifies some aspect of reality, such as Death or Desire. "The king of dreams learns one must change or die and then makes his decision." The character's initially haughty, and often cruel, manner begins to soften after his years of imprisonment at the start of the series, but the challenge of undoing past sins and changing old ways is an enormous one for a being who has been set in his ways for billions of years
Sincity Sin City Frank Miller The Shower
Seth mentions this as one of his favorites in his extended terrified rant with Neil Roberts. Sin City is the title for a series of stories told in comic book form in a film noir-like style. All stories take place in Basin City, with frequent recurring characters and intertwining stories. The Hard Goodbye is the first comic book story that Frank Miller drew and wrote about Sin City. It was originally titled simply Sin City when it was released but it was given its own title in trade paperback form. The protagonist is Marv, a dangerous, possibly psychotic ex-convict. Marv wakes up after a one-night stand to discover Goldie, the woman he had just met and had sex with, has been killed in the night. The thirteen-part serial follows Marv on his brutal, single-minded quest to understand why Goldie was killed and bring revenge upon her murderers.
Powers Powers Brian Michael Bendis The Shower
Seth mentions this as one of his favorites in his extended terrified rant with Neil Roberts. Powers is set in a world where superpowers are relatively common, but not mundane. It follows two detectives devoted to cases that involve "Powers" (people with superpowers). Powers delves into the seediest aspects of the superpowered lifestyle: deranged stalkers, groupies, government conspiracies, drug abuse, sexual kinks, petty scams and genocidal delusions of grandeur. Gradually, it becomes evident that the relationship between Powers and regular people isn't wholly benign, and that opposition to the superbeings is approaching a critical point. When the most powerful of the Powers goes insane and wreaks global destruction, the President declares a ban on superpower activity. At this point the series jumped back to tell the story of how the Powers came to be, and the origin of Detective Walker, in an arc that raised as many questions as it answered.

Comic Book Writer References[]

Picture Writer Referenced Work Episode(s)
Brian Michael Bendis Brian Michael Bendis Powers The Shower, The Way We Were, The Rager
Bendis is the favorite writer of both Seth Cohen and Zach Stevens. Reed says that Seth was the next Bendis, and he takes it as a huge compliment. Bendis is primarily noted for two things: his skill in writing dialogue, and the carefully, slowly progressing plots of his story arcs. Bendis portrays Spiderman/Peter Parker in Ultimate Spider-Man as a slightly nerdy kid with a strong sarcastic streak, very similar to Seth Cohen.
StanLee Stan Lee Spider-Man The Shower
Stan Lee is the co-creator of the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the X-Men, and Spider-Man. He is perhaps the most widely known comic book writer ever, but has been harshly criticized by Alan Moore.
Alanmoore Alan Moore Watchmen The Shower
Seth comments that he likes the lyrical stylings of Alan Moore. Moore is renowned for bringing more mature, literary sensibilities to a medium often dismissed as juvenile and trivial. As well as including literary influences, adult themes and challenging subject matter, he also experiments with the form of comics, employing effects unique to the medium and creating different ways to combine text and image.

Comic Book Movie References[]

Picture Title Director Episode(s)
Daredevil Daredevil Alan Moore The Telenovela
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. The novel depicts a 1980s America with a different time line to our own reality, where costumed adventurers are real. However, the U.S. is close to a nuclear war with Russia and public opinion towards the notion of vigilantism is sour; there are public demonstrations in protest, a key demand being that the police be reinstated as the de facto marshalls of law. As this plot is unravelled, the notion of the traditional superhero is explored, along with the motivations of those who decide to become costumed adventurers. Watchmen is the only graphic novel to have won a Hugo Award and is also the only graphic novel to appear on Time magazine's list of "100 best novels from 1923 to present."
Spidermanmovie Spider-Man Sam Raimi The Rainy Day Women
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.
Hellboy Hellboy Guillermo del Toro The Test
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.
Spiderman2 Spider-Man 2 Sam Raimi Unknown
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.
X2movie X2 Bryan Singer Unknown
Seth suggests this comic to Summer, before Ana and Sandy criticize it for being too gritty. It became the flagship of DC's Vertigo imprint, and is kept in print as a series of ten graphic novels. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time of the series's conclusion, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.
Ghostintheshell Ghost in the Shell Mamoru Oshii The Undertow
Seth reveals that his returned Brown interviewer was a fellow anime fan and had an Akira verses Ghost in the Shell debate, and both preferred Ghost in the Shell. As it happens, Ghost In The Shell is actually set in a place called "Newport City". The setting of Ghost in the Shell is cyberpunk or postcyberpunk, similar to that of William Gibson's Sprawl trilogy and other post/cyberpunk works. However, Shirow's work is focused more tightly on the ethical and philosophical ramifications of the widespread merging of humanity and technology. The development of artificial intelligence and an omnipresent computer network set the stage for a reevaluation of human identity and uniqueness. More so than the films, the manga tackles these questions head on: Kusanagi and her colleagues face external threats and also suffer internal conflict over their own natures.
Akira Akira Katsuhiro Otomo The Undertow
Seth reveals that his returned Brown interviewer was a fellow anime fan and had an Akira verses Ghost in the Shell debate, and both preferred Ghost in the Shell. Akira is set in Neo-Tokyo, a Tokyo rebuilt after World War III destroyed it. World War III was started by the uncontrolled growth of the superhuman powers of a child named Akira, who was enrolled in a secret government research program. A gang of young bikers led by the Shotaro Kaneda is involved in a fight with a rival gang when Kaneda's gang's youngest member, Tetsuo Shima, collides with a mysterious child on the highway. This child has escaped from the government psychic research program. Tetsuo is then taken to the government psychic research base with the child and subjected to various experiments. The incident with the mysterious child as well as the tests awaken Tetsuo's own latent powers, with disastrous consequences as Neo-Tokyo is threatened by another Akira incident.

Seth tells Marissa her SnO.C. decor reminds him of when "Mr. Freeze attacked the Gotham Society Ball — which is a compliment."

The Way We Were While organizing his comic-book collection, Seth tells Ryan he'll need to explain the difference between Plastic Man and Elongated Man.

Seth references the Hulk while passing out flyers for the comic-book club. (The club's first debate: How come the purple pants never come off?) Seth: "Bruce Banner gets mad, he turns into the Hulk. I try it and turn into a 70-year-old yenta." The Family Ties Seth says his Summer superhero has the Hulk-like superpower of rage blackouts. The Second Chance

Seth references Superman during his conversations about the comic-book club

Summer refers to Best Chrismukkah ever, when she surprised Seth by wearing a Wonder Woman costume.

"Have you seen the new Whedon X-Men?" Zach asks Seth. "Whedon" refers to Buffy creator Joss Whedon. Among other projects, he now writes the Astonishing X-Men comic-book series.

The title of this week's episode: "The Ex-Factor." Comic-book series continuing the adventures of Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, and The Beast (the original X-Men characters). Seth fires a member of his comic-book club for wanting to discuss New Avengers not Seth's love life.

Zach pitches the comic book to a publisher called WildStorm. The Second Chance

Seth and Zach auction some of their beloved comics.As we've learned this season, Seth and Zach are big Marvel fans. The first meeting they had about the comic book, however, was with WildStorm, an offshoot of DC Comics. The Risky Business

Jack Kirby eric white, the accomplice

The Rager, zach comments on how he likes how reed touched off on the cyclops vs storm debate.

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