When I was a kid, imagining I had superpowers, the power I dreamt about most often (aside from the proportional strength and agility of a spider) was super speed. For whatever reason, I was absorbed by the idea of being fast. (Ironically, I think my parents had the same preoccupation; I recall many evening hours spent scowling down a twice-baked cheese potato, with the rest of the dinner table long since cleared and vacated, while my mom begged me to please finish eating.)
The other bit of personal irony here is that my fascination with people going fast ultimately led me to join the high school track team, as a sprinter. The slowest sprinter on the squad. My buddy Mark and I had a fierce ongoing struggle in our first year of track to avoid that dreaded last place. He won–he quit.
There’s so much irony in the concept of super speed. The idea, for example, that a speedster might have the strength to withstand the massive G-forces of circling the globe in seconds, but his clothes don’t. (Anyone care to invent The Mighty Streaker? I guess not.) Or the concept of a hero with lightning fast leg muscles, but ordinary reflexes. (Face, meet wall.)
Or the idea that a speedster’s bones and ligaments might be so worn down by years of creating whirlwinds around villains that, in his old age, he can hardly walk at all. Where would all that energy go? In Swifty, it has fermented quite naturally into vinegar and vitriol.
Swifty is then, perhaps, the SuperFogey most deserving of sympathy, although–like the best of literary curmudgeons–he hides his palpitating heart beneath a crusty prickly shell. Some of my favorite SuperFogeys moments have involved Swifty: His race with Cami, his need/hate relationship with the Space Pig, and the whole Bubbles of Light storyline (which has yet to fully yield us all its secrets).
Altogether, I think it’s fair to say Swifty is my favorite Fogey (not factoring in all the lookers of the Fogeyverse, of course; Swifty does nothing for a catsuit the way Spy Gal does). Maybe it’s because he’s such a richly nuanced character, full of layers and inner turmoil.
Or maybe–a bit like Swifty–I’m just steamed that I can’t be as fast as those darn kids.
Happy 5th anniversary Brock and Swifty!
-Chris Watkins
“Almost thou persuadest me to be a [Swifty fan].” I have never cared much for the character of Swifty (please don’t hurt me, fans), but you have a better reason for liking him than I could ever conjure up for any of my favorites. Well done, Chris. A great salute!
Thanks! Wish I could have pulled together a chapter recap, but I knew anything to celebrate the occasion would be fun.
Swifty is by far my favorite. First off, he looks almost identical to my grandfather. His personality is the polar opposite of grampa, which makes it all the more fun! Secondly, I’m a big Flash fan. Seeing “my grampa” as a speedster makes me giggle beyond belief!
Super congrats on 5 years of SuperFogeys! Keep rockin’!
I always enjoy reading Swifty, he may never be a favourite person but always a favourite to read. And this? Was friggin’ terrific, Chris! Way to go.
I want to express my respect for your kindness giving support to individuals who really want help on this one matter. Your personal dedication to getting the solution around turned out to be surprisingly informative and have continuously permitted employees much like me to achieve their ambitions. Your own useful information signifies much a person like me and a whole lot more to my office colleagues. With thanks; from everyone of us.
I as well as my pals have already been looking through the great guides located on your web blog then quickly I got a horrible suspicion I never thanked the web site owner for those techniques. Those women are already for this reason warmed to see them and now have undoubtedly been tapping into them. Appreciate your indeed being simply accommodating and for choosing varieties of cool guides most people are really needing to be aware of. My very own sincere apologies for not saying thanks to you sooner.
I together with my buddies were actually looking through the excellent guidelines located on your web blog and then before long developed an awful suspicion I had not expressed respect to the site owner for those strategies. My people appeared to be for this reason very interested to learn all of them and already have seriously been having fun with them. Appreciate your turning out to be simply kind as well as for utilizing certain quality useful guides millions of individuals are really desirous to understand about. Our honest regret for not saying thanks to you earlier.
I wanted to make a brief word to appreciate you for all of the awesome recommendations you are posting at this website. My particularly long internet investigation has at the end of the day been recognized with reliable know-how to write about with my pals. I ‘d believe that most of us visitors actually are quite blessed to dwell in a magnificent network with very many brilliant people with beneficial things. I feel extremely fortunate to have come across your web page and look forward to some more enjoyable times reading here. Thank you once more for all the details.
My husband and i got fulfilled when Albert could complete his preliminary research through the entire precious recommendations he discovered while using the site. It’s not at all simplistic to simply be handing out steps some other people may have been trying to sell. And we already know we have got you to give thanks to for that. All of the illustrations you made, the easy site navigation, the relationships you will help to create – it’s got everything fantastic, and it’s leading our son and the family consider that that situation is cool, and that’s incredibly fundamental. Thank you for all!
Needed to create you one bit of note to finally thank you so much yet again for the breathtaking strategies you have contributed on this site. It has been so unbelievably open-handed with you giving without restraint exactly what some people would have sold for an electronic book in order to make some bucks for themselves, most importantly considering that you could possibly have done it if you ever wanted. The techniques as well worked like the easy way to understand that many people have similar zeal the same as my very own to realize much more on the topic of this condition. I know there are lots of more pleasurable instances in the future for many who discover your website.
I wish to express thanks to you just for bailing me out of this particular issue. Just after researching through the search engines and meeting solutions which were not productive, I was thinking my entire life was done. Being alive without the presence of answers to the difficulties you’ve resolved by way of this review is a crucial case, as well as those that could have in a negative way affected my entire career if I had not noticed your web site. Your good skills and kindness in touching everything was priceless. I’m not sure what I would have done if I had not come upon such a step like this. I can at this point look ahead to my future. Thanks a lot very much for this skilled and results-oriented guide. I will not hesitate to suggest your site to anybody who needs and wants assistance on this situation.