C4

by Darcey McLaughlin - Geek World

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Comic book publishers are just like everyone else in the entertainment. If something is popular or in the news, they try to capitalize on it by bringing it into their fictional worlds.

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As a result whenever the environment is a hot (no global warming pun intended I can assure you) topic of discussion in the real world, it becomes one the comic book world.

At times the environment has been a goal for both heroes and villains alike in the comics so today we take a look at the top five Earth-friendly characters in comics.

5. Sarah Rainmaker — This original member of Gen13 falls to the bottom of the list due to the cliché of have a Native American character named Rainmaker who controls the weather.

Sarah is the resident PC police of the super-hero team. The environment is a primary concern for her and it has often gotten her into trouble. She was often seen lecturing her teammates about one cause or another. As a person whose powers are tied into nature, she particularly concerned about the health of the planet.

4. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind — This Japanese manga first appeared in 1982 and continued for 12 years. The main character, Nausicaä, a princess, lives 1000 years after the world was almost destroyed by industrialization and the activities of humans. Most of the world is covered by a toxic sea and the humans fight for survival in what little land is left. It was turned into an anime film in 1984.

3. Animal Man — Animal Man was a almost forgotten character until he appeared in Who's Who in the DC Universe back in the mid-80s. Originally just a guy with the ability to mimic animal powers, Grant Morrison turned the character upside down in the late 80s breaking the fourth wall and having Animal Man become aware of he's a comic book character.

As a character with links to the animal world, Morrison made the character a vegetarian, environmentalist and animal rights activist, traits the character maintains to this day.

2. Poison Ivy — Originally a fairly two-dimensional character with plant powers, Ivy in later years would be turned into an environmental terrorist of sorts. She would become obsessed with protecting the plant world from destruction by man, often seeing plant life as more valuable than human.

In recent years, as people have become more concerned about the well being of the planet, writers have often shown Ivy as a sympathetic and misguided soul. Still her love of the environment places her on this list.

1. Swamp Thing — There was really no other choice for the top spot. Once just a human turned into a plant monster, it was Alan Moore who would transform Swamp Thing into one of the greatest characters in comics.

The character is a living plant, a part of the Earth itself, connected to and able to transport from one place to another by transferring to another part of the planet and growing. Swamp Thing discovered he was a defender of the Parliament of Trees a group of living plants know as "The Green," that represented all plant life on the planet.

Think green

And there you have it five environmentally friendly/themed comic characters you can feel good about reading (well, maybe not Poison Ivy). You will notice I did not include Captain Planet and the Planeteers. Somethings are best left buried in the compost heap. As always send the eco-friendly, paper free email to mclaughlin.darcey@gmail.com.