‘That’s Just Icky’
Posted by Don MacPherson on November 11th, 2009
With The Dark Knight and Watchmen, the masses have become more familiar with an approach to super-hero storytelling with which those of us who read comics have been familiar for years. Darker, more mature and more violent plots and characterization has been in vogue for about a quarter century, pretty much since the publication of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s Watchmen in 1986. Many have argued — justifiably — that the trend has taken things much too far.
Even Dick Giordano, notable comic artist and editor for decades, says things have grown too dark in the genre. In a recent interview with The Toronto Star, Giordano admits as much, even taking some responsibility for the trend.
Many point to the unnecessary Dr. Light/Sue Dibny rape scene in Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales’s Identity Crisis in 2004 as a prime example of the excesses of the grim-n-gritty trend. This week, as I thumbed through the pages of a recently released super-hero comic, I happened upon another such “Eww” moment.
In the plot of Project Superpowers: Chapter Two #4 (written by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger, with art by Edgar Salazar), the various heroes are forced into battle with the malevolent Captain Future, and during the melee, Masquerade zaps/phases into him, possessing his body for a few moments, only to be released by a teammate seconds later. It’s fairly typical super-hero action; no big deal. Yeah, another hero is killed a couple of pages earlier, but it’s in such an over-the-top, cartoony manner that it doesn’t come off as disturbing as it really is.
No, scripter Jim Krueger saves the really disturbing stuff for the final page. In the first panel (at right), the villain offers up an ominous threat to the woman who overcome him: “And girl, you have been inside me. When next we meet, I will return the favor.”
My first thought: “Eww.” To ensure I wasn’t reading too much into it or overreacting, I showed the sequence to my non-comics-reading spouse.
“That’s just icky,” she said.
OK, Project Superpowers creators, here’s the thing: we get it — Captain Future’s a badass. He’s eeeeevil. We kinda picked up on that when he put that fist-sized hole in one of the good guys. Hey, I got it just when he destroyed the pretty oak tree in the middle of the Pentagon (that was a weird sentence).
Threatening someone with a sex crime at that point really wasn’t necessary, was it? What’s coming in the next issue? Puppies in a wood chipper?
Actually, that’d be kinda funny. Only with fictional puppies, of course. Or some of those yappy little Pomeranians.
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November 12th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Unfortunately, you’ve essentially just played into their hands with this very post. By pointing out this specific scene in this specific book, you’ve advertised it for them. Even if it’s a very negative point that you’re making (one that I fully agree with), it’s still advertising the book. After all, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
I think the problem with “adult” content — and I use the word “adult” loosely — is that the writers try and put this stuff in to shock the audience, but to also give it that “adult” feeling. Then, they can go on to say things like “These aren’t the comics your granddad grew up with!” or some nonsense.
Unfortunately, “adult” doesn’t necessarily mean “mature.” I look at Watchmen, for example, and there’s certainly “mature” content, but it’s not in your face and simply part of the story. There’s little to no tittulation and any violence is toned in dark red colours, much like an EC comic. I’ve always believed the industry learned the wrong lesson from Watchmen. Moore wasn’t trying to be dark and edgy; he was just telling a good story with mature elements. He was also using several literary techniques that had never been applied to comics before (and not used since, either). Instead, they thought “COOL! Let’s make our heroes dark, edge, do drugs and kill stuff!”
November 12th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Looks like you recovered from your virus/malware/whatever was flagging your site. Nice work! I’ve been keeping abreast of your posts on my mac, but it’ll be good to again have the flexibility to read your stuff on my windows machine.
To the post at hand, I think it’s good to call out ridiculous editorial/scripting decisions when they happen. I’m not sure that there actually is “no such thing as bad publicity.” I can’t imagine readers choosing to pick up this issue as a result of reading about their bizarre (and awkward) rape reference.
Thanks for the review, Don.
November 12th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I don’t think there’s any harm in pointing these things out; if the audience wants this to change, voicing displeasure publicly is one to do so.
By the way, Aaron, thanks for the kind words (I’m still having site problems, but the malware issue seems to be address and the tag on Google’s been lifted). I should point out, though, that the above post isn’t a review, just a commentary on one specific bit of dialogue in the comic book.
I had thought about writing a review (or capsule review), but it led to this post instead.
November 13th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Sorry, that first comment came across as much more abrasive than I’d planned. I apologize.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
No worries, Nick. You make some valid points; no feathers ruffled here.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
[...] When comic book writers try to be all dark and nasty with hoo hah and what not …the results are often…awkward and [...]
November 13th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I think it’s fine to call them out. But really, if you truly don’t like it, the way to make a statement is to not buy the book. Do you think it was bad enough to stop reading the series, or was it just a minor annoyance that you’ll let slide?
November 13th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
You’ve made an assumption, Corey, that I bought the comic book in question. But you’re right… the best way for a consumer to express dissatisfaction with a particular product is to stop buying it.
On the other hand, there may be a number of redeeming qualities that many find in a product that offset the distasteful bits. Should we throw the baby out with the bathwater? Complaints or protests are other methods to bring about positive change, obviously.
November 13th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Yes, agreed. I was actually going to write about weighing the pros and cons after my last question, but for some reason then I didn’t. And then you did, so you’re psychic.
Anyway, I was talking more to a broader “you”. I kind of figured as a prolific reviewer that you probably get complimentary copies or have other means of getting or borrowing copies. As I said, I think it’s fine to call them out. Really, I kind of think that’s one of your roles as a critic, to call creators/publishers out, in a sense.
November 15th, 2009 at 9:53 am
I agree with Don. Instead of good storytelling with dark elements, some of the current writers are trying too hard to be trendy and “push the envelope.” These stories are often derivative and nonsensical. Ultimates 3 comes to my mind…. Loeb attempting to be “edgy” and hip. I stopped reading after the first issue. I’m glad you ran the story!