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How does a HackerNews user not like Tony Starks? ;)

cstross 16y ago
Tony Stark is Donald Rumsfeld's Mary-Sue. I am a British center-left -- liberal democrat voting -- Volvo-driving organic-eating media luvvie. (I'm also a self-employed businessman and a sometime dot-com veteran; let's not get too carried away with the socialism here.) Muscular two-fisted violent imperialism lacks appeal. I could have written Tony Stark as an anti-hero, but the risk for pushback from the fans would have been significant. When you're looking for a project to work on for possibly several years, you should pick something you love. As I was simultaneously looking at two multi-book contracts from major publishers for books that I would have complete creative control over (and retain copyright on -- don't forget, Marvel and DC insist on work-for-hire!) I went with the "do what you love" option. (The books in question, for what it's worth, were "Accelerando", "Glasshouse", and the last three Merchant Princes books.)
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- Lewisham 16y ago
  I think a lot of the HN crowd identify less with Tony Stark as an ass-kicker, but more because he's one of the few superheroes that you can truly say is a "self-made man" (pun unintended, but apt). He's amazing not because of some genetic accident, but because of his own intelligence. I don't remember the character being as much of a jerk as RDJ plays him, but admittedly I only ever watched the cartoons as a kid, not read the comic books.
  - ronnoch 16y ago
    The difference between "genetic accident" and "intelligence" is not big.
    - kiba 16y ago
      On the contrary, the environment play a strong role in intelligence. Few, if any, poor families taught their children to be an autodidact. Once people are autodidact, I would expect a rise in socioeconomic status. Let face it, it's going to be hard to rise up when you're stuck in a poor neighborhood with gangsters and bad influences.
  - ebiester 16y ago
    Wait... didn't he inherit a multi-billion dollar company? That's called being born on third and making it home.

Tony Stark is Donald Rumsfeld's Mary-Sue. I am a British center-left -- liberal democrat voting -- Volvo-driving organic-eating media luvvie. (I'm also a self-employed businessman and a sometime dot-com veteran; let's not get too carried away with the socialism here.) Muscular two-fisted violent imperialism lacks appeal. I could have written Tony Stark as an anti-hero, but the risk for pushback from the fans would have been significant. When you're looking for a project to work on for possibly several years, you should pick something you love. As I was simultaneously looking at two multi-book contracts from major publishers for books that I would have complete creative control over (and retain copyright on -- don't forget, Marvel and DC insist on work-for-hire!) I went with the "do what you love" option. (The books in question, for what it's worth, were "Accelerando", "Glasshouse", and the last three Merchant Princes books.)

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
Lewisham 16y ago
I think a lot of the HN crowd identify less with Tony Stark as an ass-kicker, but more because he's one of the few superheroes that you can truly say is a "self-made man" (pun unintended, but apt). He's amazing not because of some genetic accident, but because of his own intelligence. I don't remember the character being as much of a jerk as RDJ plays him, but admittedly I only ever watched the cartoons as a kid, not read the comic books.
- ronnoch 16y ago
  The difference between "genetic accident" and "intelligence" is not big.
  - kiba 16y ago
    On the contrary, the environment play a strong role in intelligence. Few, if any, poor families taught their children to be an autodidact. Once people are autodidact, I would expect a rise in socioeconomic status. Let face it, it's going to be hard to rise up when you're stuck in a poor neighborhood with gangsters and bad influences.
- ebiester 16y ago
  Wait... didn't he inherit a multi-billion dollar company? That's called being born on third and making it home.