CHARACTER ASSASSINATION
Have you heard the BIG news?
Marvel’s Civil War # 2 hit the direct market today and it’s ending is one EIC Quesada has been pumping for weeks now. Normally, about this time, would do a “SPOILER WARNING!” But, I’m not that big an asshole.
For those who don’t know, Civil War is another attempt by Mark Millar to exterminate American comics. In this attempt, the US Government passes a registration act forcing heroes to make their identities known to them, receive training and funding if needed, and become answerable to the law if something horrible happens as a direct result of their actions. In the first issue the “superhero team” The New Warriors attacked recently escaped villains living in a small town. One of them was the man who called himself Nitro, with the power of detonating himself at will. Nitro’s big claim to fame is he indirectly killed Captain Marvel. This time, he directly kills a shitload of civilians, including a school full of kids.
“The lines are drawn” as Marvel’s been saying, and there are those heroes who side with the government, agreeing to sign the act. And, those who are against it, becoming federal criminals. In # 2, Spider-Man, who’s sided with the government, reveals his identity to the world in a press conference; and just like that, forty-four years of comic and character history goes to shit.
When I first read the news, I wasn’t floored. I simply asked my why Marvel was doing this? Why would they allow anyone to do this? Not that the comic fan in me was questioning this; it was the writer. In my gut, which is still twenty-five percent a writer, I knew something was wrong, but couldn’t put my finger on it. The whole thing just felt empty and without meaning. I didn't care, and that alone made me curious. The question of why just kept repeating in my head. Not until I spoke to Alex, did it become clear.
Anyone who knows the character, knows how important keeping his identity a secret is. In the character’s history, anyone who’s ever learned his identity has either killed or been killed because of it. He’s made the question of his identity more than just a gimmick, it’s part of the character’s choices that define him. Stripping him of his secret identity doesn't destroy four decades of history, but it does remove a lot of the value and emotional investment. More, devalues of Peter Parker as a hero, a man who's suffered for so much, only to get so little in return, just because it's the right thing to do, and he's one of the few who can do something. It robs the supporting characters, alive and dead, of their sacrifices. It mocks the efforts of his wife, Mary Jane, who's sacrificed her life in the name of Peter's morality, and the concern of his Aunt May, including what it meant for her to find out his secret life after years of secrets, and her choice to support him despite her objections.
The point has been made that now, more than ever, Peter and his family are the most protected they've ever been. And, with the Registration Act requiring him to reveal himself, now is the time. You know what I say? Bullshit. There comes a time for every person who lives a lie when they reach the point of no return. When keeping the lie alive is actually the right thing to do, because revealing the truth would be too destructive. Peter Parker had reached that point, and gone beyond it. Safety is an illusion, 9-11 taught us this. It's when you think everything is okay that everything goes to shit. No one knows this more than Peter Parker. After forty-four years, he's become a walking banner for such twists of fate. He finally finds his one true love, only for her to die at the hands of his best friend's insane father. His Uncle Ben was killed after he received his powers - a nerd's dream comes true. Just when his star is on the rise, J.J. Jameson launches a smear campaign against him. And, every time it looks like Spidey is going from vigilante to bonafide super hero, someone in a copycat suit frames him for a crime he didn't commit.
I keep writing about this form the character's point of view because it proves that this is completely not in character. It's so much outside of character; it's not even in the same universe. You almost wonder if it's another fucking clone, or if Iron Man has brainwashed Peter somehow because Spider-Man, a counterculture icon, joining "The Man" is too out there. If Superman represented the "Might Makes Right" ideas of conservatism in the 1960's and even today, then Spider-Man is definitely the "hippie" superhero. This is the guy who now joins the gov'ment, not to mention Tony Stark.
Again, I ask the question "Why?" What's the point? Juice? Media? Attention? Is this what its come down to, people - fans of the comic medium, my brothas and sistas? Is this what we're left with now, characters and books that are nothing more than tools for media hype. All this to draw in new readers who only care about dollar signs and future investments. The same people who nearly broke the industry ten years ago.
My people, my family in mythology, I'm preaching to you again about the industry taking us for granted and treating us like crack whores and junkies, a guaranteed sale. We keep this industry alive. We put asses in the seat of those comic based movies. You know we make up over 50% of those ticket sales. We're the reason there were three X-Men movies, and the third Spidey on the way. Hollywood knows what publishers have forgotten - loyalty.
This is coming from the guy who writes about making Batman gay, I know. But, while I'm all for character change and growth, I'm a big believer in continuity and a disbeliever in many ideas that following a character's history is limiting and damaging. It's the history of these characters that make them exciting. The main reason I'm reading DC right now is because of the history. The reason I'm dropping Marvel books, one after the other, is their disrespect of history.
Maybe Marvel is doing better financially, but its stuff like this that make it seem as if they're still struggling to rebuild after the bankruptcy. And DC needs to stop trying to play their game and stick to what they do best, well-written stories that have substance.
JPG.
Marvel’s Civil War # 2 hit the direct market today and it’s ending is one EIC Quesada has been pumping for weeks now. Normally, about this time, would do a “SPOILER WARNING!” But, I’m not that big an asshole.
For those who don’t know, Civil War is another attempt by Mark Millar to exterminate American comics. In this attempt, the US Government passes a registration act forcing heroes to make their identities known to them, receive training and funding if needed, and become answerable to the law if something horrible happens as a direct result of their actions. In the first issue the “superhero team” The New Warriors attacked recently escaped villains living in a small town. One of them was the man who called himself Nitro, with the power of detonating himself at will. Nitro’s big claim to fame is he indirectly killed Captain Marvel. This time, he directly kills a shitload of civilians, including a school full of kids.
“The lines are drawn” as Marvel’s been saying, and there are those heroes who side with the government, agreeing to sign the act. And, those who are against it, becoming federal criminals. In # 2, Spider-Man, who’s sided with the government, reveals his identity to the world in a press conference; and just like that, forty-four years of comic and character history goes to shit.
When I first read the news, I wasn’t floored. I simply asked my why Marvel was doing this? Why would they allow anyone to do this? Not that the comic fan in me was questioning this; it was the writer. In my gut, which is still twenty-five percent a writer, I knew something was wrong, but couldn’t put my finger on it. The whole thing just felt empty and without meaning. I didn't care, and that alone made me curious. The question of why just kept repeating in my head. Not until I spoke to Alex, did it become clear.
Anyone who knows the character, knows how important keeping his identity a secret is. In the character’s history, anyone who’s ever learned his identity has either killed or been killed because of it. He’s made the question of his identity more than just a gimmick, it’s part of the character’s choices that define him. Stripping him of his secret identity doesn't destroy four decades of history, but it does remove a lot of the value and emotional investment. More, devalues of Peter Parker as a hero, a man who's suffered for so much, only to get so little in return, just because it's the right thing to do, and he's one of the few who can do something. It robs the supporting characters, alive and dead, of their sacrifices. It mocks the efforts of his wife, Mary Jane, who's sacrificed her life in the name of Peter's morality, and the concern of his Aunt May, including what it meant for her to find out his secret life after years of secrets, and her choice to support him despite her objections.
The point has been made that now, more than ever, Peter and his family are the most protected they've ever been. And, with the Registration Act requiring him to reveal himself, now is the time. You know what I say? Bullshit. There comes a time for every person who lives a lie when they reach the point of no return. When keeping the lie alive is actually the right thing to do, because revealing the truth would be too destructive. Peter Parker had reached that point, and gone beyond it. Safety is an illusion, 9-11 taught us this. It's when you think everything is okay that everything goes to shit. No one knows this more than Peter Parker. After forty-four years, he's become a walking banner for such twists of fate. He finally finds his one true love, only for her to die at the hands of his best friend's insane father. His Uncle Ben was killed after he received his powers - a nerd's dream comes true. Just when his star is on the rise, J.J. Jameson launches a smear campaign against him. And, every time it looks like Spidey is going from vigilante to bonafide super hero, someone in a copycat suit frames him for a crime he didn't commit.
I keep writing about this form the character's point of view because it proves that this is completely not in character. It's so much outside of character; it's not even in the same universe. You almost wonder if it's another fucking clone, or if Iron Man has brainwashed Peter somehow because Spider-Man, a counterculture icon, joining "The Man" is too out there. If Superman represented the "Might Makes Right" ideas of conservatism in the 1960's and even today, then Spider-Man is definitely the "hippie" superhero. This is the guy who now joins the gov'ment, not to mention Tony Stark.
Again, I ask the question "Why?" What's the point? Juice? Media? Attention? Is this what its come down to, people - fans of the comic medium, my brothas and sistas? Is this what we're left with now, characters and books that are nothing more than tools for media hype. All this to draw in new readers who only care about dollar signs and future investments. The same people who nearly broke the industry ten years ago.
My people, my family in mythology, I'm preaching to you again about the industry taking us for granted and treating us like crack whores and junkies, a guaranteed sale. We keep this industry alive. We put asses in the seat of those comic based movies. You know we make up over 50% of those ticket sales. We're the reason there were three X-Men movies, and the third Spidey on the way. Hollywood knows what publishers have forgotten - loyalty.
This is coming from the guy who writes about making Batman gay, I know. But, while I'm all for character change and growth, I'm a big believer in continuity and a disbeliever in many ideas that following a character's history is limiting and damaging. It's the history of these characters that make them exciting. The main reason I'm reading DC right now is because of the history. The reason I'm dropping Marvel books, one after the other, is their disrespect of history.
Maybe Marvel is doing better financially, but its stuff like this that make it seem as if they're still struggling to rebuild after the bankruptcy. And DC needs to stop trying to play their game and stick to what they do best, well-written stories that have substance.
JPG.
posted by QABBAL at 2:36 AM
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