Raypunk Comics and Animation
For me, raypunk is a very visually-grounded genre. I don't so much think about narrative tropes or classic storylines, but rather architecture and costumes. For that reason, it's difficult for me to put together a list of raypunk books. However, it does mean that comics, especially classic space-based comics, are a perfect medium for the genre. Not only are they are visually-based genre, they also were born from (and continue to thrive on) bright colors, spandex, and a complete disregard for physics. I'm also rolling western animation into this as well, because a lot of the comics I discuss here are also cartoons at some point in their history.
Fair warning: I know more DC titles, so a lot of the comics are going to be DC.
Adam Strange
You know, I've never been a huge Adam Strange fan, but it remains one of the very first things that comes to my mind when I think of the raypunk genre. He's got it all, the rayguns, the jetpack, the brightly colored spandex, the alien girlfriend. Plus, the science-babble behind his "zeta-beams" and other technology is almost completely ridiculous and incomprehensible, which I feel is in keeping with the raypunk tropes.
Space Ghost
Space Ghost has always seemed like an off-brand Adam Strange to me. However, because of the peculiar pop culture evolution of Space Ghost, I'm making him a separate entry here. Space Ghost originally hails from Hanna-Barbera animation in the 60's, and if you know anything about Hanna-Barbera superheroes, you know exactly how ridiculously campy that probably makes him. However, from there he was revived in a weird parody of a talk show, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, before DC decided to pretend that never happened and revived him as a normal superhero once more. It's a wild ride.
Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz)
Are you seeing a theme yet? Maybe it's too simplistic, but my favorite raypunk tends to be space-based superheroes originating in the Golden Age of comics. They just have that ridiculous, brightly colored glamor and galactic melodrama I crave. J'onn J'onzz, aside from being one of my favorite superheroes of all time, hits all of those marks. As the last survivor of his planet and a powerful telepath, he has all the brooding magnificence that I never found in Superman. Plus, he goes to space a lot.
Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol)
Hawkgirl is one of those characters that has such wildly different backgrounds depending on the era and universe that it's hard to pin down a particular style/characterization for her. In this case, I'm mostly drawing on her appearance as Shayera Hol in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated television shows. In these shows, she appears as an alien police officer who wields a mace with a take-no-prisoners kind of attitude. She's lean, she's mean, and she has a really ridiculous costume that reminds me a little of the Hawkmen in Flash Gordon.
The Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four definitely gets a mention on here because it really tries to sell that space-age 50s vibe, similar to The Jetsons or Lost in Space. However, although those are also worthy additions to a raypunk list, The Fantastic Four takes their place on this list because it's more action-oriented. Although raypunk doesn't have to be an action genre, I think the struggles of war and emotional trauma add a certain flavor to the campy costumes and stupid plotlines. I could just be a sadist. I would, however, like to add that I hate Reed Richards. I can't even really define why. He just annoys me on principle.
She-Ra
So I know there's a new television series out called Princesses of Power or some such, and I am definitely excited and looking forward to watching that series. But this particular entry is for the original She-Ra series, in all it's ridiculous, mini-skirted glory (and yes, I'm including He-Man in the mini-skirt category). Despite it's origins as a toy-selling vehicle, She-Ra was also a fun, kind-hearted series that helped bring the magical girl tradition into Western animation. It's an interesting combination of a science fiction setting with high fantasy elements, and well worth a binge (see my post on the raypunk genre for another example of this combination, the 1983 Hercules movie).
The New Gods
And at the end of this list I'm bringing it back to DC. Aside from all the other space-based characters I've mentioned (and all of those I haven't) from the DC pantheon, I still think the New Gods best encompass the free-wheeling, riotous enormity of raypunk. In part this is because they have such a vast mythology all to themselves, with the planets of New Genesis and Apokolips locked in immortal combat that occasionally spills outward into the rest of the DC realm. Grand tales of love and treachery, hostages and daring escapes, galactic domination and brave rebellion are all part of this space-fantasy corner of the universe. Plus a lot of tights. A whole rainbow of tights.
Fair warning: I know more DC titles, so a lot of the comics are going to be DC.
Adam Strange
You know, I've never been a huge Adam Strange fan, but it remains one of the very first things that comes to my mind when I think of the raypunk genre. He's got it all, the rayguns, the jetpack, the brightly colored spandex, the alien girlfriend. Plus, the science-babble behind his "zeta-beams" and other technology is almost completely ridiculous and incomprehensible, which I feel is in keeping with the raypunk tropes.
Space Ghost
Space Ghost has always seemed like an off-brand Adam Strange to me. However, because of the peculiar pop culture evolution of Space Ghost, I'm making him a separate entry here. Space Ghost originally hails from Hanna-Barbera animation in the 60's, and if you know anything about Hanna-Barbera superheroes, you know exactly how ridiculously campy that probably makes him. However, from there he was revived in a weird parody of a talk show, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, before DC decided to pretend that never happened and revived him as a normal superhero once more. It's a wild ride.
Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz)
Are you seeing a theme yet? Maybe it's too simplistic, but my favorite raypunk tends to be space-based superheroes originating in the Golden Age of comics. They just have that ridiculous, brightly colored glamor and galactic melodrama I crave. J'onn J'onzz, aside from being one of my favorite superheroes of all time, hits all of those marks. As the last survivor of his planet and a powerful telepath, he has all the brooding magnificence that I never found in Superman. Plus, he goes to space a lot.
Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol)
Hawkgirl is one of those characters that has such wildly different backgrounds depending on the era and universe that it's hard to pin down a particular style/characterization for her. In this case, I'm mostly drawing on her appearance as Shayera Hol in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated television shows. In these shows, she appears as an alien police officer who wields a mace with a take-no-prisoners kind of attitude. She's lean, she's mean, and she has a really ridiculous costume that reminds me a little of the Hawkmen in Flash Gordon.
The Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four definitely gets a mention on here because it really tries to sell that space-age 50s vibe, similar to The Jetsons or Lost in Space. However, although those are also worthy additions to a raypunk list, The Fantastic Four takes their place on this list because it's more action-oriented. Although raypunk doesn't have to be an action genre, I think the struggles of war and emotional trauma add a certain flavor to the campy costumes and stupid plotlines. I could just be a sadist. I would, however, like to add that I hate Reed Richards. I can't even really define why. He just annoys me on principle.
She-Ra
So I know there's a new television series out called Princesses of Power or some such, and I am definitely excited and looking forward to watching that series. But this particular entry is for the original She-Ra series, in all it's ridiculous, mini-skirted glory (and yes, I'm including He-Man in the mini-skirt category). Despite it's origins as a toy-selling vehicle, She-Ra was also a fun, kind-hearted series that helped bring the magical girl tradition into Western animation. It's an interesting combination of a science fiction setting with high fantasy elements, and well worth a binge (see my post on the raypunk genre for another example of this combination, the 1983 Hercules movie).
The New Gods
And at the end of this list I'm bringing it back to DC. Aside from all the other space-based characters I've mentioned (and all of those I haven't) from the DC pantheon, I still think the New Gods best encompass the free-wheeling, riotous enormity of raypunk. In part this is because they have such a vast mythology all to themselves, with the planets of New Genesis and Apokolips locked in immortal combat that occasionally spills outward into the rest of the DC realm. Grand tales of love and treachery, hostages and daring escapes, galactic domination and brave rebellion are all part of this space-fantasy corner of the universe. Plus a lot of tights. A whole rainbow of tights.
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