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Negaduck9 — The Golden Age Red Tornado
Published: 2008-05-30 16:00:36 +0000 UTC; Views: 1724; Favourites: 19; Downloads: 26
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Description
Normally superheroes bore me. I just can't get into comics full of spandex-clad, idealized people with unexplainable powers. So, I don't read superhero comics.However, for the Golden Age Red Tornado I make an exception. The original Red Tornado - or, as sometimes called, "Red Tomato" - was not a super-perfect, sexy young thing with superheroism handed to her on a silver platter in the form of some strange ability. She was Abigail Hunkel, a big, middle-aged housewife whose town was being squeezed by organized crime. The police did nothing about it, so what did she do? She put on long johns and a blanket for a cape, cut eye holes in a stew pot, and went out and kicked ass! She had no powers but her own strength and moxie, and that was enough. Ya gotta respect a woman like that.
The Red Tornado first appeared in Sheldon Mayer's "Scribbly" comics back in late 1940. This makes her one of the first superheroines, and the very first female superhero to crossdress as a male.
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Comments: 37
No.. NO way! Another obscure character I like that you're also into! Will wonders never cease?!
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I cosplayed the character at Dragon*Con some years ago. However, people kept calling me "Forbush Man." It didn't help that I'm a size 6.
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Way cool! Sorry to hear that no one got it right, LOL! I just love the concept of this big burly housewife from the "Golden Age funny cartoony kids" genre who dresses in long underwear and a cooking pot helmet and fights crime. I actually hold her in high esteem along with the other classic heroines.
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Her granddaughter's pretty cool too. Maxine Hunkel followed in Granny's footsteps after she gained the power to generate tornadoes. She joined the Justice Society under the codename "Cyclone". She's a cheerful, exuberant character, which is a welcome change of pace from most of comics these days. Oh, and she's also an Oz fangirl; the books, the movies, Wicked, she just eats it all up. Even wore a witch hat for her costume for a while.
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Cool I didn't know about that character. I have a few relatively recent comics in which they show Ma Hunkel--including one in which she's a Rosie the Riveter and shows Wonder Woman up--and I'm pleased that people remember the tough old broad.
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She's a surprisingly groundbreaking character.
And if you wanna see more of Maxine, you oughtta check out Justice Society of America; it's a book about the ORIGINAL super-hero team, the guys Ma ran with as Red Tornado in the 40's. The premise is the Golden Age heroes reunited to get the most out of their lives by fighting crime once more and training the new generation of heroes. That appeals to me a bit more than the paragons of the League.
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Thanks! She was. A pity she doesn't get much recognition these days. I costumed as her a few years ago at Dragon*Con, and hardly anyone recognized the character. But it made up for it when George Perez recognized the costume and lobed it. He's drawn a comic with her not too long ago!
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As far as superhero costumes go, this one is actually pretty decent. No exposed skin and more comfortable than many things.
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Yep. That's something I like about the character. She's not about the costume, and she has no super powers. She's just a big housewife who, inspired by a kid's tales of comic heroes, puts together a goofy outfit out of what she has on hand and goes out and kicks butt when the police are too scared to.
There was one problem with my costume, however. Ma Hunkel is a big woman. I am 5'5" and weigh 115 pounds. I didn't even try to pad it out; I just went as a skinny version of the character. (Hey, why not? At any convention you'll see supersized versions of thin characters walking around, so body type is not a limiting factor.)
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Hehe, as long as you had fun dressing up as her, I can see no harm done.
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Oh, it was fun, even though I had to take the bucket off my head any time I wanted to speak. The acoustics can not be described.
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Oh, it was fun, even though I had to take the bucket off my head any time I wanted to speak. The acoustics can not be described.
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I've always had love for these more "Average Joe" (or Jane in this case) superheroes. Red Tornado I, Ben Grimm, even Spider-Man when he's written properly.
I also find it funny that comics writers were spoofing the super-heroes even as early as 1940.
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Yep. It's a pity few remember her. I cosplayed as her a few years back, and hardly anyone recognized me as Ma Hunkel. Most often I was called Forbush Man or Mr. Buckethead. However, one guy recognized me and was thrilled--and it was George Perez, who had drawn a comic with her!
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Oh, my. Now here's a character that doesn't get enough love! Great drawing, and it's good to see Ma Hunkel being given some respect. No superpowers but guts and a big cooking pot on her head.
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Thanks! Glad to see Ma Hunkel still has some fans out there.
A while back I saw a two-pack of DC Mini-Mates (Lego-like figures) with the current Red Tornado and Ma Hunkel. You better believe I snapped one up.
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Ah good ol' Ma. Beating up bad guys and finding enough time to put dinner on the table.
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She didn't serve stew for a while, though, until she got a new pot.
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You think that might have tipped her family off to who the Red Tornado really was?
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It would be perfect cartoon logic for her loved ones not to recognize her voice, but to know her cookware.
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I have respect for her! 
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When I cosplayed the Red Tornado people kept calling me Forbush Man. Eesh, can't they tell a tornado logo from a big F? But it doesn't help that my build is closer to Forbush Man's...
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I cosplayed as Forbush-man, and everyone's like, "So what are you supposed to be!" and I'm all optimistic, "I'm Forbush-man!" followed by a "Riiiight." response. XD
ONE guy yelled, "Oh my God! You're Forbush-man!" and I just stopped for a second and said, "Oh my God! You know who I am!"
So I guess all long-johned supers are unappreciated.
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A few people recognized me. One yelled out "Ma Hunkel!" and jumped forward with a camera. Turns out he was Ed Garcia, a comic artist who had drawn a story with her in it.
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Sweet! ^^ About seven people took my picture, but only three knew who I was. A several people giggled at my presence.
Um, here's the pic if ya wanna see it: [link]
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Here's my Red Tornado . Pity the photo - which is from the hall costume contest - is so bad.
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You look awesome!
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I actually considered doing Forbush Man this year. I decided not to because of the space the "helmet" would have taken up. When you're taking public transportation to the con hotel, you can't carry a load of extra stuff.
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Yeah. We went in my boyfriend's truck, so I could carry my junk with me. I'd like a better pot, and my cape wasn't nearly blue enough. It took forever to drill the holes in that pot though. We broke two drill bits. XD
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I like. Kim was this in the DC universe? I know there is a modern age which is a robot.
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Yes, DC Universe. She was one of the original members of the Justice Society... sort of, anyway. There are references to her in some JSA comics, including one Christmas issue in which they gave her a history and reason for dropping out of the picture (witness protection plan; she testified against the Yellow Mask Gang, which had been threatening her family) and brought her back as the JSA museum curator. If you read the comic, she's the little grandmotherly lady keeping the "kids" in line.
I've seen the new Red Tornado. No relation to the original, although the android doesn't seem to understand that. (Starman, you're a jerk.)
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