Miles’ Book
Everything wrong with comics can be found within these pages.
All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #10
Written by Frank Miller
Art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
DC Comics, 2008
Every now and then, society is right. I don’t think I’m that much of a crank, but there’s a lot of things that people like or dislike where I’ll feel the exact opposite about it. I hate the writing of Alan Moore, I think The Matrix is garbage, and that Spider-man 3 wasn’t so bad as everyone says.
But everyone is right to hate this comic book. It’s more vile than a public execution on a pile of raw sewage.
This is a hateful book. It’s a hateful piece of junk that the publisher should not have committed to print. I’m actually thinking about taking DC Comics off the “Random Comics of the Week” rotation — this book offended me that much.
Basically, it boils down to this being one of the most misogynist things I have ever read, on par with Alan Moore (that would be why I hate his writing). Women fit into the roles that Miller is comfortable with: sex objects, things to be protected, fatales. The women in this book include a drunk, suicidal wife; Catwoman beaten to a bloody pulp, looking for Batman to save her; Black Canary as an under-dressed thief; and a pubescent heroine who is constantly swearing and doesn’t seem all that smart. Even Gotham City is “feminine” object to “Batman” and is something he needs to save. Seriously? The city is a woman too? Fuck you, Frank Miller.
And Jim Lee, you’re not helping here either. Did the female doctor need to be wearing that mini-skirt? Most doctors I’ve had don’t dress like they are about to go clubbing — they’re at work saving lives and dress accordingly. Also, that Batgirl you’re drawing is supposed to be 15, you perv.
Seriously, DC Comics employees, why the hell are you working for a company that produces this? It makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it.
MONDO wants Brian Wood's bald babies.
Isaac’s Book
Northlanders #10
Written by Brian Wood
Art by Dean Ormston
Vertigo Comics, 2008
Though it says this is part two of the story, the whole issue is beautifully self-contained. I think I’d almost be disappointed if I had read the first part, as it would probably explain too much, just plainly showing us why certain things happen in this comic.
As it stands, we open on 793 A.D. Northern England, in the town of Lindisfarne, a peaceful enough setting — until you notice the dead trees, circling birds of prey, and the sickly wave of dread the yellowed atmosphere inspires. Then you turn the page where the true, bloody chaos is revealed as the Saxons are slaughtered by the Northmen.
I’m not necessarily a history buff, so I’m not sure if this would be part of the Norman invasion of England, or if it’s about Vikings pillaging the land. Maybe those are one and the same. I don’t know. That’s why simply calling them Northmen (or “Northlanders” as in the title of today’s comic) is so appropriate. You don’t need to know any grand history to appreciate that these are strangers come to attack and take what the Saxons have.
The narrative is told to us from the perspective of a young Saxon boy who witnesses the carnage towards his people, yet roots for the Northmen. He feels estranged from his family, land, and religion, and held firmly to a vision of a warrior way of life. When a blond and bearded Northman with blood on his face winks at the boy, it’s as though Thor has cast his approval towards him.
The Saxons eventually make an incredibly stoic attack on the Northmen, with faith that whatever happens is what must happen. A young man, Cerdic, stands against the wall, unsure of himself. Cerdic is called to by the watching boy, who is his brother, and in that moment of distraction Cerdic is killed. This sends their father into a berserker attack, he shrugs off a dagger in the back in his rage, but ultimately he stops to reflect on his son. He allows one of the Northmen, bearing what may as well be Mjöllnir as his weapon, to silence him, so that he can be with his son.
Two days after the battle, the boy comes out hiding. This lone boy challenges the Northmen when they reappear, but not to fight them — for the right to go with them. He’s given his father’s sword to attack with, but when the Northman he fights swings at him it’s as though the boy rejects his family, dropping the sword and snatching the dagger from the towering man’s belt to stab him in the back.
The story shifts to years later, when this boy has grown to an adult in the company of the Northmen, still holding the silver cross he’d been tossed by the Thor-like warrior at the start. Is this a form of sentimentality towards his old people? Or a constant reminder of everything he doesn’t want any part of?
X-Men and angst are better than peanut butter and jam
James’ Books
Angel: Revelations #5 (of 5)
Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Art by Adam Pollina and Matt Hollingsworth
Marvel Comics, 2008
Avengers: The Initiative #17
Written by Dan Slott and Christos N. Gage
Art by Harvey Tolibao and Jay David Ramos
Marvel Comics, 2008
So, I was given a choice between two books to cover this week, since the first one I drew, Angel, was a bit pricey. But, instead of choosing one over another, I’ve decided to do both, in an attempt to make up for missing last week. So, let’s get to it.
In case there’s any confusion, Angel: Revelations is a mini-series about Warren Worthington the Third’s origin, not a spin-off of IDW’s Angel series. I took a look at it when the first issue came out, but decided against it. I’m a fan of the character, but the series just looked a little too teenage-goth for my tastes — a little too angsty. This issue has surprisingly little of that vibe, though. And you know what? It’s an X-Men origin book, I think I’d be disappointed if it was completely angst-free.
The art is actually the gothiest part of the book, but, I have to say, I enjoyed it. It’s moody and impressionistic, and Hollingsworth nails the colours. Each page looks less like a comic and more like an illustration from a children’s book, which is a novel stylistic choice.
My only real complaint about the book is continuity-wise, I’m not sure it makes sense. If the characters are graduating from high school at the end of the book, wouldn’t that mean Warren joined the X-Men much later than was previously accepted? Also, if his powers only stared appearing seven months ago, as we’re told here, wouldn’t he have hit puberty fairly late? Maybe they’re actually graduating from middle school. That would solve pretty much everything.
na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Ant-Man!
As for Avengers, this is what I’ve been wanting from Secret Invasion. It seems like the main book can’t shove everything in, so it gives us the basics, while the tie-ins cover all the awesome specifics. Here, we get to see how the skrulls are dealing with Camp Hammond, the Initiative’s training camp, and we get to see how the neophyte heroes deal with them.
One thing I loved about this book — the amoral version of Ant-Man is the protagonist. I love that instead of just forgetting about him after the Robert Kirkman penned Irredeemable Ant-Man series, Slott and company are trying to make him a real hero. Plus, one of Slott’s main strengths has always been humor, and Ant-Man gives him a good, in-character outlet for it.
There’s a lot happening on every page of this book, and Tolibao shows just how crazy things have gotten at Camp Hammond by packing every single panel with as many characters and as much action as he can. It gives the book a good, frantic energy that serves it well, considering the chaotic subject mater. Tolibao also seems to have an almost caricature like style, which fits. Aliens have invaded a superhero training camp. That’s not supposed to be realistic. It’s supposed to be big and awesome and crazy, and it is.
This book just proves that the best part about “Secret Invasion” is not Secret Invasion. It’s even almost got me reconsidering my stance on registration.
Actually, I thought the integrity Barbara Gordon had in going back to save those lowlifes from the crowd she incited, was pretty impressive. Add to that her insistence that Captain Gordon not use his influence to make things easier for her. It’s not great by any means, but Miller has done FAR worse by women. Captain Gordon’s representation I thought was pretty good. They’ve started moving the All Star Batman book away from its heavy caricature beginning, of course that just makes a new problem in a lack of creative consistency…
I love the Irredeemable Ant-Man, I’ve got to pick up his trades. There’s a lot to love in the Initiative book- a guy named “3-D Man” is hanging out with the Skrull Kill Krew to attack various super teams throughout the Initiative. These are the guys that are going to win this Secret Invasion fight.
Them and Nova.
Not that that should be a surprise to me… the only Secret Invasion tie-ins I buy are Nova and Avengers: The Initiative, cause I’d buy them anyway.
Actually, I got the sense that most superhero comics/movies had that “damsel-in-distress” element. Is this a problem? I don’t know.
You could, potentially, argue that Batgirl is the only passable female character in this book. But that’s one character isn’t enough to save the rest of this book. Seriously, that speech about how Gotham is a beautiful, disgusting woman is worth 10 Batgirl characters.
And, Meg, you are right that many superhero stories feature a damsel in distress element from time to time. Heck, most adventure narratives will have a character-in-distress at some point — even Y: The Last Man, which is by no means a misogynist book. It’s certainly true of Daredevil, and other books I like. But it’s how it’s done, it’s the amount, it’s the fallout. There are tons of superhero comics out there with good female characters
It’s also that this book, when launched, was heavily marketed towards kids. And that’s just so wrong.
The damsel-in-distress thing is just an occassional remnant of the good ol’ days when society was all about women being homebodies and powerless and pregnant all the time. I don’t think it’s comics, it’s society. Keep in mind Superman’s been around for 60 years (ish?) and comics have traditionally been written by men who grew up in a misogynist and patriarchal society.
It’s my opinion that comics have broken a lot of ground when it comes to portraying strong women over the years, though. Sure, like Miles said, the damsel in distress thing still pops up from time to time, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate a sexist attitude…Lois Lane, for example, is a strong, independent woman, but she needs Superman to save her from time to time because she’s an ordinary woman with no superpowers who likes to report from war zones and piss off Lex Luthor.
In other news, Batman & Robin isn’t nearly as weird and ridiculous as it was the first few issues. And I’m enjoying it more than the mindwarping storytelling abortion that is Grant Morrison’s Batman: RIP.
As far as the damsel in distress thing… aren’t all super hero stories “something” in distress?
That lady is in trouble… I’ve got to save the city… the poor defenceless money is being taken away…
If there wasn’t something in distress, it wouldn’t be a superhero book. It would be one of the Archie comics. But not those rare Archies where a character has fallen in a river and someone has to save them. That rarely happens though. That’s a very special episode of Archie.
Yorick is constantly in distress himself, too.
Lois Lane, for example, is a strong, independent woman, but she needs Superman to save her from time to time because she’s an ordinary woman with no superpowers who likes to report from war zones and piss off Lex Luthor.
Conversely you could argue that this is problematic, however, because even though Lois Lane appears to be strong and independent, she still ultimately depends on a man – the message being that despite women’s entrance into the professional realm, in essence nothing has changed in terms of men and women’s roles with respect to each other. If you take that a step farther, you could argue that this was done specifically with the intent of reassuring a largely male audience of this social fact. Hard to know for sure, but that seems a probable feminist reading of this.
I was going to argue that comics in general, and Superman in particular are very rarely deliberately misogynistic, but then I remembered these:
http://www.i-mockery.com/shorts/lois-lane/
So, it turns out Frank Miller is just continuing a proud DC tradition.
To Meg: you COULD argue that, but I think it would be trying too hard. If you want to find confirmation of your (i mean ‘your’ in the general sense, not specifically referring to you) ideas so badly, eventually you are going to find them whether they exist or not.
Jimmy Olsen is always getting saved by Superman too, for reasons similar to Lois. Maybe I could infer some kind of gay sexism stuff in there if I tried hard enough.
I think Isaac had it right; superhero comics are all about someone being in trouble — sometimes men, sometimes women, sometimes the hero him/herself, and disturbingly often, the entire world is in danger. There needs to be some action based conflict, otherwise it’s not really a superhero comic…it would be a soap opera like Strangers in Paradise (which is really good, mind you).
On an unrelated note, I think Bone is one of the best comic books ever.
Miles, I have to say, I think this is probably the best issue of All Star Batman to date. For one thing, he doesn’t refer to himself as “the goddamn Batman” forty times in a single issue. That’s a great improvement. Another thing; he doesn’t talk AS much like a retreaded Sin City character as in previous issues.
I find Miller is recycling a lot of his old material, lately. That whole ‘city is a woman’ thing was done in one of his Sin City comics, and better (though i rather liked it in batman as well). And the cadence of the dialogue, where everyone repeats what they say about three times…”They didn’t miss a thing. Not a thing. Not a goddamn thing.” It’s jarring to see such noir-esque Sin City trappings perforate a Batman comic.
And as for the misogynist thing; dude. Jim Lee draws hot chicks. That’s part of his deal. Yes, that doctor had to have a mini-skirt, because Jim Lee drew her. Frank Cho is another common offender of this act. These guys like drawing girls hot, and in sexy clothes/positions. I don’t think it’s meant as a slight against womankind. I think it’s more like, they enjoy drawing and looking at the female form.
As for the characterization in regards to misogyny, well, you complain that Catwoman is beaten up and needs Batman to save her, but then gloss over the fact that Black Canary beat the crap out of a ton of dudes and didn’t need anyone to save her. Similarly, you call Black Canary overdressed but don’t have anything to say about how Catwoman’s and Batgirl’s costumes are completely tasteful. Can’t have it both ways, man.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this book is sexism-free. But I highly doubt Frank Miller is attempting to put out a misogynist manifesto here.
Out of curiosity, have you ever read Miller’s Sin City stuff? I’m interested to see what you think about that. He draws a lot of naked chicks in that one, but they’re not weak characters — but then again, a lot of them do get in trouble and a man usually saves them. I’m not sure if that’s subconscious sexism, Miller’s preference for type of story, or just a function of writing crime noir comics.
And wow, man, Alan Moore, misogynist? The thought of that never once crossed my mind.
Fair enough. As I say, I am not that familiar with comics, and that is just one reading of it. I am not sure the fact that males are sometimes saved by superman necessarily contradicts that reading though. For example, wasn’t that Jimmy character fairly young?
Yes, Jimmy is young…probably in his mid teens back in the early days of Superman, but nowadays he’s about 23. I think he actually says that in an issue of Superman that’s about six months old; right before Superman saves him from the Toymaster.
Haha. Ok, you win. :P
Hey there, sorry to venture so far outside my section, I’ll go back in my box soon enough, but since it’s been raised, I too am somewhat curious about the Alan Moore as misogynist angle. Can you expand on that?
On a not derailing the thread note, I did read and enjoy Northlanders. I like the way it sets up the dynamic between Norse paganism and Christianity, and the title of the next installment, “The Cross and the Hammer”, has totally sold me on the continuation of this theme next issue. Here’s hoping.
Woohoo, sweet victory! What do I win??
The satisfaction derived from winning?
What? But I already HAVE that. I was thinking like, a new car or a lapdance or something. No? Regular dance? Jump up and down a little? How about fleeting eye contact?
C’MON! If YOU had won, I’d do a lapdance for YOU!*
caesar
* this is a lie.