Don't Kill the Superhero: ROUND TWO

I also thought about titling this journal,
"Don't Kill the Superhero, anally rape him."
but I decided against it...dodged that bullet, right?

So I got some notes and emails and have decided to jump back in for a minute or two. Apologies for the length, I'll try to have this be the last one.



Okay, there seems to be some confusion that my "Don't Kill the Superhero" journal was some kinda message of hate aimed at Eric Powell and his video. I like Eric Powell, I think he's a unique voice in American comics, I like GOON too. Thinking I hate Powell is about as accurate as thinking I hate Superman because I didn't like the Malibu Comics' book Prime. Just because something you don't like is inspired by or taken from a source material, doesn't mean that that source material now shares the same status. My journal was inspired by the wave of responses to Powell's video.


So first, Yes I saw the video. I believe I understand it's intent. It's not my job to convince you that it was good or bad or anything else, make up your own mind. I have no problem with the comedic delivery of a good anal raping. Hell, butt-sex in general is fine between two consenting adults-- go for it! He said his peace, then he took it down. I didn't like that part of it. He explained the strangle-hold that Marvel and DC have on the industry (which is completely true) but we're also all well aware of it already. Maybe I was reading into it too much, but it also felt like he was describing the Big2 in such a way as to point a disapproving finger at anyone who supported them by reading a mainstream comic book. It's unfair to make people feel like they're not really a true comic book fan unless they buy independent books. I didn't like that there were no solutions given or proposed. But that's been said by a lot of people already. _{It reminded me of my favorite Keenan character on SNL "Oscar Rogers" www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo3uxq… his only real advice for everyone, in the current financial crisis, was to "Fix it!" To which he'd scream over and over.} It seems to be something we specialize in these days, bitching about a problem but putting forth no attainable goals or suggestions.

The problem with a "call-to-arms" video is that people on both sides will start inferring meaning on behalf of the video's creator and even start attacking the delivery method. If he would have done a "one man and a webcam" style video with the same wording, would it have been as effective or viral in nature? Who knows. He put some style into his message, I don't see a problem with that. I also don't see a problem with wording things in the actual way in which you think them- no filtration, no political correctness, just say it and deal with the consequences. Maybe it's hard to hear, but fuck it, at least there's no misunderstanding. The problem with that is you'll then be held accountable for that choice of wording. I'm a comic book geek, I like superheroes, I make creator owned books and for an outsider looking at that video, I may seem like an oxymoron...or at least just a moron. Maybe guys out there who DO "live with there mom and have never felt the inside of a vagina" will feel a little alienated now because of what he said. Eh, I don't really care so much about that, but it's something to consider, in the long run, in terms of getting your message across. I saw another video Powell did a short while back and it was similar in tone and message. It was funny and he was using some of the same parody tools, but it was also less committed than the more recent one.




If tomorrow, 5000 of us all decide that we're only going to drink Shasta or RC Cola, ultimately Coke and Pepsi will be just fine. If anyone is going into this fervor thinking that they'll be able to take down the evil monopoly of Marvel and DC, put it out of your minds...it won't happen. The real crappy part, is that if it does (by some small miracle) take down the Big2, then there goes the rest of our industry right down the shitter. You can't expect a big company to not ACT like a big company.



I was little upset a year or so ago after Kirkman's video manifesto, that he didn't really put his money where his mouth was. Here he was, a guy who had already seen the benefits of working for Marvel and his creator owned books continued to do well, telling creators that they should also dive in and share the joys of creator owned work. There were a ton of comments at the time about Kirkman breathing rarefied air in the creator owned arena (which is true). The guy has created his own universe (multiple books) within the independent publishing world. (Hell, Millar is trying to do that and it's not really working- what does THAT tell you?) Anyway, he puts up this video and stood behind it, but he didn't (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong) really jump out of the gate and make anything other than noise, by using his station in the industry to put indy books under people's noses. He formed Skybound, he announced that Witchdoctor book, but unless he's been underwriting or promoting other books behind the scenes, that I'm not aware of, that was pretty much it.

The ONLY thing Powell has to do (in my opinion) to stand behind his words and to make up for the lack of specific ways to fix the problem, (and the act of taking it down) is to put one, JUST ONE, indy book in the back pages of GOON for a few issues. If he makes that happen, then he's doing his part and everything he said would be vindicated.




I call for a challenge, that ALL of the big name guys who's book come out on a regular basis and who have also spoken out about supporting creator owned books STEP UP and use their station to feature an indy book that they found out there. Not something who's sales are low or an established buddy who's book needs more buzz, but a truly independent book. A book with no publisher, a book that's just a free webcomic, or a book that not enough people are looking at. If all of those guys feature a few pages of these books in the back pages of their own issues (with the title's website and information on ordering) THEN and only then will they be TRULY supporting creator owned comics. It's like a charity says, "Give what you can." If you're just a regular comic book fan, then spending money on indy books is really your only option for contributing to creator owned books. Send a message with your dollars (but no one should tell you to buy shit that you don't want). But if you're a comic book creator who has some pull, use that pull. You might not have it forever and if the comic book industry topples before you help out your fellow creator, then you'll only have your self to blame.



-mattcrap



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