Obscurity of DC Presents: Obscure Book Club, Week 51 (February 26-March 4) — AZTEK THE ULTIMATE MAN!

Clubs & Events Fan Club Discussions
, ,
1

Why hello there, @ObscurityofDCClub and other members of the DC Community! Welcome to Week 51 of Obscurity of DC’s Obscure Book Club! This week, we’ll be starting a 2-week focus on…

image
image528×800 91.2 KB

AZTEK: THE ULTIMATE MAN!!!
AGE SUGGESTION: 12+

Number of Issues: 5 (Please only read issues 1-5)

Not-So-Brief description from comicvine.gamespot.com: “Aztek: The Ultimate Man was the brainchild of writers Mark Millar and Grant Morrison and artist N. Steven Harris. The ongoing series was designed to debut a new hero of the DC universe. The series followed the anti-hero Aztek; a hero whose big picture mission meant he took unusual solutions to solving the small problems. Aztek: The Ultimate Man featured an unusual city, unusual villains, and the supporting cast of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.”

Now that that’s over with, here are some discussion questions:

  1. Do you think Aztek did the right thing by stopping Bloodtype? Why or why not?
  2. Why do you think Aztek took up the identity of Curtis Falconer?
  3. Do you see Kyle Rayner more as Aztek’s friend or his mentor? Explain.
  4. Do you like the snippets of police files at the end of each issue? Why or why not?
  5. Do you think Aztek is more of a hero or an anti-hero? Why?

Do you have an interest in exploring the unknown? Do you like discussing comics? Do you like pineapple on pizza? If so, The Obscurity of DC Club is the club for you! Join HERE if you’re interested!

REAL Obscurity of DC
REAL Obscurity of DC1498×1500 56.4 KB

3 Likes
2

Cool – this was a run I’ve always been curious about, so it’s good to have this finally get me to try it. :slight_smile:

Overall I find it interesting – it seems to be trying to subvert some of the superhero tropes in ways that were at least unique at that time.

What’s funny is that I think this is one of the first times I’ve read a book with both Morrison and Millar writing together after reading a lot of them by themselves, and you can kind of feel the two voices clashing together at times. I get the feeling that Morrison wrote the weird but earnest Aztek and Millar wrote all the creepy and cynical citizens of Vanity. Like, I genuinely can’t tell if there’s something dark and twisted about this place, of it’s just…Mark Millar being Mark Millar. :rofl:

Also, I’m pretty sure this book holds the world record for the quickest introduction to fridging of a reoccurring woman character. :sweat_smile:

  1. Do you think Aztek did the right thing by stopping Bloodtype? Why or why not?

Yeah, I’d say so. Like, I get that Piper was threatening the lives of other people and needed to be stopped, but Bloodtype didn’t really seem to care about that and just wanted to beat someone half to death without any fallout.

  1. Why do you think Aztek took up the identity of Curtis Falconer?

Because he was desperate and just used the first names that came to mind, I guess? I mean, it’s hard to say since we don’t really get to see what Aztek was like before he came to the city of Vanity.

  1. Do you see Kyle Rayner more as Aztek’s friend or his mentor? Explain.

Eh…I don’t think the two really interacted enough to be either. It was sort of like the first conversation you have with a co-worker when you first start a job – friendly enough, potential to be a stronger bond, but more peer than anything.

  1. Do you like the snippets of police files at the end of each issue? Why or why not?

They were nice – definitely helped expand on ideas and aspects of what we’ve been seeing. I think my favorite was in issue #4 or so – the one where we see Aztek filling out a sort of superhero notice slip for the police. That is just hilarious to me, and it makes me wonder just how many heroes actually fill out forms like this. I mean, we all know good and well that Batman ain’t signing that ■■■■. :rofl:

  1. Do you think Aztek is more of a hero or an anti-hero? Why?

I’d say hero – his methods or priorities may be unorthodox at times, but his heart seems to be set on protecting the innocent and helping those who are in need, not just looking for bad people to punch. Though with what we see at the end of issue 5, I could see the circumstances pushing him closer to the anti-hero end…

2 Likes
3

He’s alright, but he’s no Thunderlips.

2 Likes
4

Is that a real guy?

1 Like
5

He’s a character from Rocky 4, and his nickname is the ultimate male.

2 Likes
6

Oh. A parody of Aztek, perhaps?

Or I guess the other way around?

1 Like
7

Rocky 3 came out in like the late 80s/early 90s, so definitely the other way around, if Morrison and Millar even thought about it. He was played by Hulk Hogan at the height of him being in movies that weren’t direct to video, if that gives you any perspective of time.

2 Likes
8

I was so shocked to see this posted and that DC actually digitized this that I had to read the first two issues just now even though I owned them for many many years. I think I had them because this fellow appeared in the JLA when Grant Morrison was writing it… I think.

  1. Do you think Aztek did the right thing by stopping Bloodtype? Why or why not I’m reasonably certain there’s no state in the country that would allow someone to walk around with that kind of armament legally without being part of a police force or an army. I believe both of those characters needed to be stopped if at all possible.

  2. Why do you think Aztek took up the identity of Curtis Falconer? I honestly can’t figure that out either. But it does add to the whole "he’s an alien or Beyond man " feel to this.

  3. Do you see Kyle Rayner more as Aztek’s friend or his mentor? Explain. I feel like it was more of a casual team up based on a situation and coincidence. They both learn from each other in that encounter, “bong.”

  4. Do you like the snippets of police files at the end of each issue? Why or why not? I’ll be honest, I totally skimmed right over those, they had no interest to me. Now you know something about me.

  5. Do you think Aztek is more of a hero or an anti-hero? Why? I guess he’s a hero in the end. However, as I recall, he’s part of some wacked out Aztec cult, like some mystical group that Grant Morrison himself would join LOL

3 Likes
9

I agree with everything you just said

2 Likes
10

i love Grant Morrison so i had to get in on this! i especially love that they co-wrote this so i can blame the things i don’t like on Mark Millar!

my favorite thing about the entire series is Death Doll, and i wish they’d bring her back! Synth was really cool, too.

  • Do you think Aztek did the right thing by stopping Bloodtype? Why or why not?

absolutely. that guy was a [Oliver Queen Voice] STONE COLD FASCIST. and a psychopath. way worse than what we saw of The Piper.

  • Why do you think Aztek took up the identity of Curtis Falconer?

yeah, you’d think he’d steal the identity of someone who isn’t at the center of the top story in the city.

  • Do you see Kyle Rayner more as Aztek’s friend or his mentor? Explain.

i could totally see him becoming Aztek’s mentor. he’s so naive, and Kyle’s young/new enough to be able to relate to that.

  • Do you like the snippets of police files at the end of each issue? Why or why not?

i could take 'em or leave 'em. they were done well here, but usually i just skip stuff like that. i learned it by watching my mentor, @Don-El

  • Do you think Aztek is more of a hero or an anti-hero? Why?

he’s absolutely a hero in these issues, but like my mentor, i am skeptical of benevolent cults.

3 Likes
11

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

1 Like
12

Okay, so I’m not the only one doing this. Good to know. :sweat_smile:

2 Likes