Why I love and hate Nightcrawler.

[Ncrawlr82]

I've been thinking of writeing this topic for quite some time but wasn't really sure what I wanted to say. I'm not even sure why I feel compelled to write it but as you are all fans I think this is as great a place to write it as anywhere. First, I'll give you a brief rundown of how I got to know and love the fuzzy elf.

When I was about eight, a decade ago (wow, time flies) I hung out with my next door nieghbor of the same age. He was really in to Sci fi, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and something called the X-Men. He didn't have a lot of comics but he did have the Marvel cards. For some reason I was drawn to Nightcrawler. It wasn't because he was seen as an outcastdealing with problems of fear and hatred, it wasn't because of his humor, heck, I hadn't even read a comic at all yet. I bought cards of my own and traded cards of higher worth for Nightcrawler cards. As I learned about Kurt I found he was a member of a team called Excalibur. Well, now I had to collect cards of other Excalibur members too. My friend gradually outgrew Marvel but I never did and persuaded other friends to be fans too. I bought my first Excalibur comic - 71 (I believe this was the hologram cover) and I loved it. I continued to collect and made my first Excalibur page when I got my first computer. I'm now on my third Excalibur page. I joined clubs devoted to Excalibur, IMed Ben Raab, and finished my set. I've read everyone several times and loved them all. I thought it was great that Nightcrawler could go as far as he did being an outcast. I'm sure some of us are seen as outcasts being as old as we are and still being able to proudly walk into a comic book store.

At the time I didn't know a lot about Nightcrawler, just rumors and false information I'd read on webpages. All I knew was what I read in Excalibur. I had no idea just how many fans there were of Nightcrawler. I always thought I was the biggest fan in the world who knew more than anyone else. Then I came here! Wow! There are dozens of fans who know a whole lot more than I do. There are fabulous webpages souly devoted to Kurt (BamfCentral, Rogue and a Gentleman, and Blue-Elf). I'm suddenly seeing people who know everything there is about him. Fan clubs and NC screenames (Though I was one of the first)popping up all over the place! This is great but it makes feel like I have to buy a million comics just to keep up. That's why you'll notice why I almost never post here.

Here I was thinking Nightcrawler wasn't popular, only to his few die-hard fans and what comes along? X-Men Evolution! I was so excited. Finally Kurt would be getting the respect he deserved. He becomes the most popular character on the show (and rightly so) and more and more websites about him are showing up but this doesn't make me happy at all. I really don't like what they did with him at all. Besides him being a teenager (which I can get over) they totally messed with his character. He's just not the same character, or maybe he is and he's not how I imagined him to be. Now, all the newcomers to comic books will have this impression of him. The pick up comics and see him as a priest! What will they think? I'm not really following the priest story but I just don't think I can be in favor of it. I believe that his character has suffered since Alan Davis left him in Excalibur but I haven't lost hope. I will continue to route for him.

Well, I appreciate you letting me vent. I think my thoughts had to be said outloud. You may not agree with me but this is what I think. I probably forgot a lot of what I wanted to say (it's 2:28 here right now and I'm real tire) but you get the gist of it. Thanks again!

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Across the Pond

[lotusson]

Oh yeah, we Nighty fans are hardcore and going strong Have you tried looking for some back issues with Kurt (either X-men or Excalibur)? Those were definitely some of his best days. Not like the priest stuff they're trying to pass on us now. We want our good ol' swashbuckler back, Marvel!

[Spatula Gal]

Hey Ncrawlr82, great post. I think almost everyone here has had the experience of thinking they were the only one who liked the elf. I first saw NC as a gueststar in a Spiderman comic, and Kurt totally upstaged Spidey for me. But I didn't know anyone else who liked him.


Although I really like Evo Nighty, I can understand what you mean. He is different in a lot of ways than the character in the comics. If you don't mind alternate realities, the different takes on the character are easier to swallow. As long as there's one or two traits in common, I can accept him as the same character. In Evo, he's a bit of an impulsive goof, but he has one quality in common with the comics Kurt: his loyalty to his teammates. He also has the joking light-heartedness that the comics one used to have. So for me, I don't have any trouble thinking of him as just a younger, less mature, Kurt Wagner. Besides, he's perfect for the age group the show is targeted for. I'm glad they love him.

I have had a very hard time accepting priest Kurt. If a writer comes along who can make it believable, and somehow keep the character's fun loving traits I could live with it. So far no writer has really done that for me, although Joe Casey came close in the Uncanny before last. I didn't like how Casey had him act in the last issue. But there's a lot of people who seem to like Kurt as a priest, so I guess there's some good in it.

Lastly there's Ultimate Kurt, who's still kinda a mystery. I really what to find out what he's like. Different but the same.

I'm just trying to say, don't let one take on the character get you down. There's a lot of room for different interpretations.

[nghtcrwlr]

Hey, I really like your discussion here. One question though:

**I really don't like what they did with him at all. Besides him being a teenager (which I can get over) they totally messed with his character. He's just not the same character**

How did you, personally, imagine him to be as a teenager?

[hiddencrawler]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spatula Gal:
...Lastly there's Ultimate Kurt, who's still kinda a mystery. I really what to find out what he's like. Different but the same. ...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, he seems like a fresh incarnation, IMHO. Think about it.... do you really see the Kurt we're used to popping off soldiers in a rage? I don't! The Ultimate Kurt has a lotta gusto.... but then I'm straying from the topic.

I think the coolest part about any of the incarnations is how they're each unique. Each one, to me, fascilitates a different part of my initial Nightcrawler's character. Ultimate Kurt shows us his power, Evo Kurt his easy-going personality, and the current Uncanny Kurt his unswaying team devotion. I focus on the coolest parts, to me, of each character. That's what makes me like having multiple Nightcrawlers.

[Slartibartfast]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spatula Gal:


Although I really like Evo Nighty, I can understand what you mean. He is different in a lot of ways than the character in the comics. If you don't mind alternate realities, the different takes on the character are easier to swallow. As long as there's one or two traits in common, I can accept him as the same character. In Evo, he's a bit of an impulsive goof, but he has one quality in common with the comics Kurt: his loyalty to his teammates. He also has the joking light-heartedness that the comics one used to have. So for me, I don't have any trouble thinking of him as just a younger, less mature, Kurt Wagner. Besides, he's perfect for the age group the show is targeted for. I'm glad they love him.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ditto, Spatch. I think it's a great updated take on a young Kurt. With his personality, he was often a goof. Up until priestville, he was still a goof sometimes. 616 Nighty was a circus performer and that show-off streak shows in Evolution. I can see our Kurt acting that way as a kid. I can see him being insecure about his looks as a teen too. I think Nightkiddo is great for the kiddy audience and us old fogies.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spatula Gal:

I have had a very hard time accepting priest Kurt. If a writer comes along who can make it believable, and somehow keep the character's fun loving traits I could live with it. So far no writer has really done that for me, although Joe Casey came close in the Uncanny before last. I didn't like how Casey had him act in the last issue. But there's a lot of people who seem to like Kurt as a priest, so I guess there's some good in it.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's not as horrible as I originally thought. I'll reserve judgement on it for now, and hope it ends tactfully. I can't wait to see how he's handled in the mini. Jay Leno chin aside, he seems more himself in that promo. More so than his rightous indignation streak in Uncanny right now.




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~Award-winning designer of Norway's lovely crinkly edges.~

[kurtlover]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spatula Gal:
I think almost everyone here has had the experience of thinking they were the only one who liked the elf. I first saw NC as a gueststar in a Spiderman comic, and Kurt totally upstaged Spidey for me. But I didn't know anyone else who liked him.

.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
that's right i thought i was the only one!(well i guess in my city i'm actually the only hehehe)
i first saw him on a video game, that arcade one with dazzler, wolverine, colossus, storm and cyclops, you had to rescue kitty from the evil magneto!!
i was 12 years old when i saw that game and i loved! i remenbered myself playing it for hours, my friends always let me alone playing (whit nighty of course) over and over again, and kurt was the best in that game, he was the one who moved faster, kicked better ann with the coolest mutant power.
later i started to heard more of the x-men for the fox series, and for my dissapoinment
nightcrawler wasn?t there, i started to buy the comics, and i realized that by the time he was in the excalibur team, and unfortunately, i could get that excalibur comics here! only x-men classic.
so i have to wait four years for my first tripping to USA and i get all the excalibur comics my money could buy!! plus the TPB dark phoenix saga, so i was happy! and i got happier when i 1998 i read in wizard magazine, that colossus, shadowcat and NIGHTCRAWLER were to return to the team!!!!

why i love him? because is the best of all, he has always been the heart of the team, and he cute and handsome, and i want to eat him with a spoon (hehehehe)
he always know what to said, his teamates love him, for storm and colossus is a brother, for wolverine is his best friend, and for us is THE BETTER X-MAN, no matter what other people said!
and the most important thing
HE MAKE ME HAPPY! and i guess all of you meind freunds, agree with me!




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give a kiss tall and dark bamfsome!!!

[nghtcrwlr]

**why i love him? because** ...

Kurtlover, you have brought me to tears!!! My feelings exactly! He's got soo much heart and so much value as a person and friend! ...The elf has got charisma!

[kurtlover]

i cried when i wrote it! [snif , snif] nahhh just kidding,
thank you so much for the support nhgtcrwlr!!!!

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give a kiss tall and dark bamfsome!!!

[BAMF!]

Just read through this thread and wanted to thank everyone who's posted in here for putting such a BIG on my face!

I also spent years thinking I was just about the only Nightcrawler maniac. It seemed like I was always either 1.) defending the character against other X-fans who felt the need to constantly belittle him or 2.) explaining to fellow fanboys (who just couldnt get WHY the "funny looking blue guy" was my favorite X-character) the things that made Nightcrawler such a great character.

One of the BIGGEST thrills to come out of my recent initiation to the internet? Finding out that there are indeed a TON of other Fuzzy Elf fans who "get it"!



BAMF!