What kind of self-respecting super-hero would carry guns? I mean, seriously? I saw this movie finally on HBO yesterday and this just struck me as absurb.
shareWhy on earth wouldn't he? It makes a lot of sense in every way that you'd be armed if you were going to fight crime.
shareWhy wouldn't he? The bad guys have guns. If you have super-powers, I can see not using guns, but--he has skill and stubbornness. That's it. He doesn't have the money for "toys" a la Batman, powers like Superman, or magical artifacts like the Green Lantern. He has his unwillingness to back down--that's it. I don't really see a problem with the guns.
And as a bad guy, a dude in a mask and outrageous (yet stylish!) outfit pointing a gun at you--I would imagine they would stop whatever nefarious deeds they were in the middle of. Without the guns, what, he's just going to ask them sternly to stop? They'd laugh at him.
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Sometimes You Plant Seeds For Trees You Never Sit Under
Actually, I think we should assume the Phantom is INSANELY wealthy, given all the invaluable treasures he has. He could buy all the gadgets in the world if he wanted to, but unlike Batman, he doesn't need them.
And yeah, the guns will contribute to him being in control of situations like you say. However, I always enjoy seeing him when he doesn't use them, sneaking around in the shadows and taking out villains one by one, scaring the crap out of them in the process. That is one aspect I missed from both the Zane movie and the recent SyFy mini (the old Tom Tyler serial actually has one brilliant scene where he stalks villains in the jungle, completely terrifying them).
Yeah, he's wealthy as hell in "reality". In the comics, he has all sorts of treasures--check out the list here: http://www.schapter.org/wiki/The_Major_Treasure_Room He just doesn't use it, partly to keep the mystique of the persona. The Phantom wouldn't be very terrifying in the sense of being a "ghost" if he uses too many toys. (As an aside, I thought that was a line the Phantom 2040 cartoon walked without really stepping over until the last few episodes, when he had numerous vehicles and whatever else.)
That aside, I agree that the stalking elements are really neat. I haven't seen much of the old serial, though with that scene I'm now tempted to dig our my copies again.
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Sometimes You Plant Seeds For Trees You Never Sit Under
I see what the OP is saying but the character is known for his revolvers. He was created in 1936. Back then there were loose conduct codes. Even Batman, early on, carried a gun.
I actually like the idea of a crimefighter like Batman being opposed to guns. Otherwise, why not just be a cop. But it is what it is and it makes Phantom look pretty cool, specially for a guy decked out in all purple.
"That's what a gym teacher once told me."
Why wouldn't he wear weapons?
After all, he is only human underneath the costume, and not some immortal super being despite the legend.
The villains all have weapons to protect them, so why shouldn't the Phantom?
I see what the OP is saying but the character is known for his revolvers.
He carried twin automatics, not revolvers (though earlier Phantom's had revolvers, flintlocks, and other firearms).
What kind of hero carries guns?
Lone Ranger
Green Hornet
The Shadow
The Spider
Doc Savage (firing mercy bullets, but still weapons)
G-8
Operator 5
The Avenger
Batman (in a few early stories)
Crimson Avenger
Sandman (gas gun, ala Green Hornet)
Tarantula
Blackhawk
Flash Gordon (rayguns)
Buck Rogers (same)
John Carter
All well before the urban vigilante fad of the 70s, which spawned the Punisher and his ilk (and the men's adventure predecessors, like the Executioner).
If you actually read the strips, he never uses them to kill, only to wound or knock a weapon out of an opponent's hand (same as the Lone Ranger).
"Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!"
I see what the OP is saying but the character is known for his revolvers.^ This. share
He carried twin automatics, not revolvers (though earlier Phantom's had revolvers, flintlocks, and other firearms).
What kind of hero carries guns?
Lone Ranger
Green Hornet
The Shadow
The Spider
Doc Savage (firing mercy bullets, but still weapons)
G-8
Operator 5
The Avenger
Batman (in a few early stories)
Crimson Avenger
Sandman (gas gun, ala Green Hornet)
Tarantula
Blackhawk
Flash Gordon (rayguns)
Buck Rogers (same)
John Carter
All well before the urban vigilante fad of the 70s, which spawned the Punisher and his ilk (and the men's adventure predecessors, like the Executioner).
If you actually read the strips, he never uses them to kill, only to wound or knock a weapon out of an opponent's hand (same as the Lone Ranger).
Not to nit-pick, but in the comic strip (yeah, I'm that old) he wore two Colt 1911's, just like in the movie. Those are "semi-automatic pistols", and not "revolvers". The ones in the movie must have been modified to make them more useful for sliding down elevator cables.
shareThe Shadow
shareYes, the Shadow - exactly the example that I was going to cite, though I think one would have to admit that he frequently used them in a much more ruthless way than someone like the Phantom, or, say, the Lone Ranger normally did. And I suspect that many other pulp and comic heroes of the '30s and '40s were packing more than just smoke bombs and batarangs, as well. Taking the guns out of the Phantom's hands would have been an unforgivable bit of revisionism.
shareyeah, the shadow you idiots! and Dkick Tracy. in fact, all the cool comic movie heroes of the 90's had guns, accept batman. shadow had the coolest guns though.
Realism, Remakes and Unnecessary Sequels are ruining movies!
The Phantom along with The Shadow and Doc Savage came before the existence of super hero comics. Thus under the circumstances it would even the odds.
share[deleted]
The Punisher
This is based on a 1940s comic strip, guns were all they had. And notice no Buffy karate either? In those days they used their fists in a fight. If you cant make that leap then you should not watch this kind of movie (eg, like the Shadow, etc). Transformers are a better bet for you -- now there's a true to life flick!!
share