The History Of The Question

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An overview of the history of the original Question, Victor Sage, a character that began at Charlton Comics in the 60’s and was subsequently published by DC in the 80’s.

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

“Rorshack is alot like the Question, only Rorshack is insane” - Steve Ditko

[@benhadlock]

The quote was Mr. A , not the Queston. it was Steve Ditko being quoted by Alan Moore, I remember it pretty well.

[@JohnSmith-ox3gy]

@@benhadlock The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer.

[@davidscott3820]

@John Smith the question is based on the mysterious mr m. Google it on youtube.

[@TheAsocialArtist]

Almost like one is inspired by the other

[@KalleVilenius]

Denny O'Neil's run really should be brought back in print somehow. Seems amazing.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

I wholeheartedly agree. It's not flawless, but it is a very solid run.

[@osiancoleman8447]

Breezewontspeak there r some trades of it still available I’ve got some

[@tooglianprimus15]

Osian Coleman would you be willing to sell them?

[@anthonylockheart358]

DC needs to release a Question omnibus , the trades are kinda tough to get

[@akwilson1676]

It is awesome. O'Neil was given freedom to do anything he wanted so he was experimenting heavily with this run.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

The DC Formula as follows - Adaptation Impressed Masses: Question is awesome on JLU! DC: Our comic version will be nothing like that and not only alienate you but also comic readers! Oh, and that is if we even bother to publish anything about the character as their adaptation continues to wow new fans!

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

Years ago, a friend of mine was watching both the JLU episodes and Harry's Law. He awoke to write down an idea. What if the Question was a PI who hung out at his small office in faceless gear accepting cases on the most eccentric reason that the seemingly random jobs are connected to a kooky conspiracy that turns out to be true. I thought that is perfect and we need a new system of pitching to Hollywood to make it happen.

[@HotFuss-gd9qr]

Not a bad idea. I like it!

[@viodarkfilms823]

With respect you left out his final non DC appearance. In 1983 just before the DC purchase the Charlton characters were licensed/used with permission by AC Comics and took over the Charlton Bullseye material and other stuff. The question was part of a team with his fellow action heroes Nightshade, Blue Beetle, And Captain Atom. The Sentinels Of Justice one shot and on the last page the editor comments on the storyline not containing due to the sale of these characters.

[@bsabruzzo]

I know this is an older video and that comic books are your thing, but the question had a very large part in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon and many people know him more from there. It might be interesting to take a look how his character works or doesn't with the versions in the comic books.

[@laserwolf65]

I was just about to type that.

[@castironchaos]

A reference to the character of The Question in the DC animated universe may have been worth mentioning, even though that character is radically different from morally ambiguous and...ahem...questioning character we see here. The animated character is a paranoid conspiracy theorist -- which, amusingly, is certainly a reference to Rorschach from "Watchmen." And Rorschach, of course, was based on... And then there was the wonderful issue of The Question in which Victor Sage picked up "Watchmen" and read the book as he was taking a plane trip. He was blown away by Rorschach and briefly tried emulating Rorschach. This resulted in his getting his arse thoroughly kicked by the bad guys. As they had a gun pointed at Q's face, they asked, "Any last words?" His reply: "Yeah. Rorschach sucks." At which point a deus ex machina saved our hero -- the arrival of Green Arrow. This was a three-part story that was delightful in itself, and one of the best moments of Dennis O'Neil's monthly series.

[@Inquiring]

Cast Iron Chaos Perfect comment.

[@sirmount2636]

In Miller’s The Dark Knight Strikes Again, he gets into a t.v. debate with liberal Green Arrow. Lol

[@yokothespacewhale]

interrogator: "tell me what you know." JL Unlimited The Question: "The plastic tips at the ends of shoelaces are called aglets. Their true purpose is sinister."

[@SubZero-hs9xc]

I mean is kinda right how he is in his golden age

[@shoresean1237]

@@yokothespacewhale Phineas & Ferb think aglets are awesome.

[@viodarkfilms823]

Respectfully the Question also appeared in The Sentinels Of Justice published by AC Comics who got permission from Charlton to publish the remainder of the Bullseye material. This was the last Issue as on the last page announced the characters had been purchased by another publisher. DC. Also DC had purchased them in part because Dick Giordano liked these characters and like you said the price was right. Great channel no offense I’m just a completist.

[@carloscrecelius9597]

My favorite version of the character was from Justice League Unlimited, l loved the loner conspiracy theorist angle, and he had a lot more depth than I expected from what was basically a virtually unknown hero.

[@JW666]

Here's an update: Vic Sage has returned from the dead & is back as The Question. How? New timeline which is ReBirth. He first showed up in an issue of Superman Action Comics, then he was a part of the comic-event Event Leviathan & he then had a new miniseries called The Question: The Many Deaths of Vic Sage, which is more of a tribute to Denny O'Neil & the story takes place around what O'Neil created with the character. Maybe not perfect, but I still liked it. He also stars in a detective anthology comic which had every detective superhero starring in a short story & the one with The Question was honestly my favorite of all the stories. Two of them, especially the one with Green Arrow, where very cliché. He even meets Reneé Montoya & have a very touching reunion which was in either Superman Action Comics or Lois Lane's solo comic. She's still The Question also, so now there are two of them. I'm very happy that they brought back the original Question Vic Sage!

[@chilliciouspatrioticmeatlover]

Victor Sage's Question does come back in Blackest Night and he basically kicks the crap out of Renee Montoya, leaving her very injured.

[@Targisvear]

That sounds so spiteful and fanservicey to Renee haters XD.

[@cha5]

I really hated that Blackest Night take on the Question what with that lung cancer and such, I prefer the more recent Jeff Lemire Question comics run.

[@filipefhn]

O Neil's run made me a Question fan. And the 52 series is one of my favorites DC events. I also dig the Batwoman comics made after final crisis. Unfortunatelly Renee and The Question were ditched to be very rare guest characters after the New 52 reboot and I think this is still the case

[@cha5]

RIP Denny O’Neil, I’ve read a lot of his 1970’s Batman & Green Lantern & Green Arrow comics but for me his The Question comics are his best written works.

[@troycruikshank1027]

Every series you cover makes me want to rush out and read them. I really hope that with reprints and digital sales that the original teams get some well deserved royalties. It's really incredible the level of amazing work that came from the late 80s and 90s. Especially the stuff you point out. You must be really well read. A true scholar of the graphic tale medium. Bravo.

[@sandyhausler5290]

Actually, Richard Dragon appeared in a novel written by Denny O’Neill. (There might have been a sequel; I don’t remember.). Although I don’t know if the story was ever fully told, but DC likely bought the rights from Denny. I have no idea why they did that. Richard Dragon was not a hugely popular character before DC bought him. Unlike the Charleston characters, they did not have a real fan base. But that’s what happened.

[@92TheEdu]

There's a new Question Series by Jeff Lemire in DC's Black Labl Imprint. It seems interesting

[@themangoman9315]

I need to pick that up

[@mittinedkitten]

Thanks so much for this. Been waiting for you to make this video. It's nice to see a well thought out informative history of the Question.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Thank you. I'm glad I was able to do the character some justice.

[@jacob_ian_decoursey_the_author]

RIP Dennis O’Neil

[@Nomed38]

I'm a rather odd fella in that I investigate things for fun to increase my knowledge and give that information freely. Thanks for making a video about the history of The Question. I am glad to have found another channel that delves into comic characters though sadly with most such channels it is woefully under subscribed to. I'll be sharing your videos around to fans of the medium and it will hopefully gain you some much deserved new viewers.

[@zbaksh101]

I have a soft spot for the Urban Shaman angle in the 2005 miniseries. Thanks for the breakdown. I've been curious about checking out the O'neal and Cowan run. Vic was a favorite of mine since the JLU days. I wouldnt mind a crack at him if DC lets me write for the comics.

[@NerdettesNewsStand]

I'd be curious what you thought of the Jeff Lemire book

[@leavonfletcher4197]

Only 2 subscribers away from 1000. Congrats. Good video too. I really liked the question in Justice League Unlimited and think that he would be a natural for the "Arrrowverse". With all of the conspiracy theories going around now, the Question feels like a hero whose time has come.

[@prismspec]

I really enjoyed the 80s comic. Not flawless, but I enjoyed reading it.

[@darkworldinc]

Found this channel last night, and I have already watched over half of your videos. Great stuff man, love all the info.

[@TheMagnificentMongoSlade]

O'Neil's The Question is an excellent piece of business. A really fun read.

[@plasticweapon]

it's one of the most depressing things ever written. it's good (when it's good) but you'd have to be a masochist to think it's fun.

[@anibal5845]

Okay, wait, so O'Neal straight up rejected the central characteristics of the character in question (no pun intended)?

[@gabrielcanejo187]

Yeah but in my opinion ir was worth it because the character and the readers were Much Better Served for it.

[@theartistknownaszack9234]

I got the question omnibus coming in soon

[@ohmhasmeaning7292]

I want ace vane to remake this video word for word in his question voice

[@NerdettesNewsStand]

What do u think of the 2019 black label series?

[@Jomok0]

I never knew about the 3 issue crossover in the early Blue Beetle series. Just picked up the three issues lol, thanks

[@sharkdude7]

Vic Sage is back now in the new Leviathan event

[@patrickdeel4283]

Dick Dragon. Wow, just wow, what a name

[@daviderwin4705]

You didn't mention 'Tot in the O'niel incarnation. He was also a dig at the Diko version of the character. He was a foil and a mentor to Vic Sage-- and a reminder that Aristotle's philosophy was more than just moralism.

[@dawudyelton1392]

i really thought i was one of the few that really loved those 3 yrs especially the first half always thought the question would have been great for a tv spin; and grendel by matt wagner(christine spar issues)

[@jasonguinn6075]

I loved the J.L.U. animated version and the Renee Montoya version in the Countdown 52 event

[@tonyyoung3985]

What about the Crime Bible? Do you recommend that?

[@Ryan.R100]

What about the death of vic sage by lemire?

[@brunofranco4416]

Didnt expect this.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

I mean, that's good, right? Or not, possibly. What were you expecting, if I may ask?

[@brunofranco4416]

Well, it is good. I just thought you only reviewed underground comic titles and the like. But i really enjoy character histories too.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Oh, I see. Every now and again I like to touch base with the mainstream.

[@davestone3853]

Aww, I had a brain-glitch and thought it'd be about the Quiz from Doom Patrol. :(

[@themangoman9315]

How wasn't a vertigo title made for him

[@cruddddddddddddddd]

Morrison kind of set up a team of Questions working for a secret organization. I don’t think that concept was ever developed outside in Final Crisis. Unless Im forgetting something, which is possible. DC has been through so many reboots things get blurred. Wasn’t he Judas Iscariot in the new 52 lmao??

[@Filmation77]

9:17 then why in the hell did you make a short Documentary about him?

[@markditko4363]

Enjoyable analysis!

[@wk3820]

While the O'Neill run is amazing at times, it's not true to Ditko, and that hurts the overall character. It's like changing Spidey's slogan to something that rejects great responsibility. It's just not who the character is anymore.

[@mysteryman2261]

Yeah, it's not "true Ditko." But I think The Question lends himself to many interpretations much more easily than someone like Spider-Man for the very fact that Vic Sage's a character who questions everything... from moral conundrums to conspiracy theories to even the very meaning of life itself. Oh, and Vic Sage is very close to the word Visage which I find very interesting and his last name's Sage. LOL :) He's just not a very stable character... you never know who he's gonna be or what he's gonna do. Sure there are constants. But it's always a bit different, always shifting. Almost like like the binary gas that comes out of his belt or like the clouds in the sky. In all honesty I would find it very boring if he was just another black and white character, don't you? I think there's more than enough of those types of characters out there already.

[@bruhb7611]

Frank Castle most characters with “objectivism” has always turned into a mouth piece for it. See, the extremely terrible sex scenes and bemoaned self-congratulatory monologues in most of Rand’s book where her self insert Mary Sue make love to her own dream of an objectivist Übermensch. It’s has always been cringe.

[@CosmoShidan]

I have to disagree. Ditko's characterization of the Question is rather bland, boring and as shallow as his face mask. If he is an end-justifies-the-means character, he comes off as the Punisher in a mask. The lack of a back-story also makes him come off as a humorless Joker, which does not help. Not to mention that, showing no mercy to criminals would make him a dick.

[@dajokahbaby1506]

Yeah, but unlike Spider-Man, Ditko’s Question didn’t have much of a personality. He literally was just a generic insert character for Ditko to spew his political beliefs out of

[@doom177]

@@CosmoShidan I believe there are ways around this while maintaining Steve Ditkos idea see Justice League Unlimited for an objectivist and interesting question (probably the best version we have of him). See The Shadow and early Iron Man whos pretty much any Randian wet dream. Personally the mystery of the character is kinda why hes called the Question he's an enigma trying to comprehend other enigmas. Personally i really wanna see a Neo-Noir approach to the character, a hard boiled super hero detective story.

[@anibal5845]

How far left does it lean exactly?

[@dakotah7683]

Left wing heavy on O neal

[@anibal5845]

@@dakotah7683 thanks, I don't mind either right or left leaning within reason

[@Duck_Dodgers]

O'Neal is way left

[@RockandrollNegro]

The Question is Steve Ditko. No other writer has been able to do justice to the character.

[@therussiancomicbookgeek]

I've bought a few issues on comixolagy and I'm hooked! The Question kick's so much ass it's tits!

[@darthdorkus]

Echo echo

[@Tonydash23]

Excellent history

[@AceLM92]

I think Renee Montoya as the Question proves that's a gender swap replacement for an established character can be done, but it has have a good story and characterization to back it up, which was given in spades in her case.

[@plasticweapon]

if you have low standards.

[@AceLM92]

@plasticweapon this was done in the mid 2000s, so it wasn't a forced "diversity" move like today.

[@brunocavalcanti4949]

Who ends a video talking about how they can’t be bothered to inform themselves about the subject of the video?

[@HeroJournalism]

Wow... "woke" Question? Who knew...

[@jeremycline9542]

Read most of the O'neil series...and it's good, but overrated.

[@darnis6497]

O'Neil's Question was very disrespectful to Ditko and may as well not even be the same character.

[@SDGDAMOVEMENT]

@acevane😂