Fri Feb 8, 2008 6:46AM22 comments ›
Fri Feb 8, 2008 — by Michael Davis
Pow! Zap! Dim! Thick! Asinine! by Michael Davis
Straight, No Chaser #52
Have you noticed that whenever there is an article which feature comics, it almost always features a Pow, Zap, or some such idiotic way to describe comic books in the title? If not fight effects then it will begin with Holy, as in Holy Crack Whore! Comics find their way into Rehab!
As a comic book reader you no doubt want to scream your disapproval, but alas you cannot, as any action you take in defense of comic books would get you branded a geek at best or immature at worst.
I am a grown man and love comic books and the industry that produces them, but I, like you am a wee bit…
PATRIOTS SUCK!
Sorry. Just had a subliminal moment and flashed back to the NY Giant’s impossible Super Bowl win. Forgive me, it won’t happen agai…
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR PERFECT SEASON, SUCKERS??
I am so sorry that keeps happening. However, in my defense I was so sick of hearing how my beloved Giants were just a gnat on the ass of the Patriots. I was also sick of hearing about the perfect season of the Patriots, so much so, I have developed subliminalitis.
Sub*lim*in*al*itis:
The abrupt screaming out of phrases such as The Patriots got their cocky asses kicked, during unrelated conversations or writings. See: Dynasty…not.
To the fans in New England, hold your head up high! You won EVERY SINGLE GAME…almost!
You only lost one game.
Only one.
One loss.
The Super Bowl.
I’m sure that people will forget that you lost the Super Bowl but won 18 games.
Sure, they will!
Yep, So hold your head up high!
That way you can see the sign that says LOSERS!!
As I was saying, I am a grown man and love comic books and the industry that produces them, but I like you am a wee bit tired of the comic book industry being look at as “kid stuff.” Just the other day I was reading the February 4th issue of The National Law Journal…
What?
I can’t read The National Law Journal? Doesn’t everyone read The National Law Journal? I will have you know that I read quite a few respected magazines outside the scope of my profession. Magazines such as Fortune, Architectural Digest, Scientific American and of course, Jugs.
A true professional takes every opportunity to learn and you never know where the next great idea will come from. So in the Feb.4th issue of The National Law Journal there is an article entitled (what else): “Pow! Zap! Comic Book Suits Abound.”
The subtitle is: Courts sort through key issues of ownership rights and licensing.
The article is about the pending massive amount of litigation coming down the pipe that involves comic book publishers and creators. One of the biggest involves Superman and the idea of the ownership returning to the creators’ families.
That may be a fight that even the powerhouse lawyers at Time Warner may not be able to win. Superman may have just met the real Doomsday: the legal system.
As many of you may know, I have a love/hate relationship with DC Comics.
I think that DC does the best books in the business and I have said that for years. That said, I’m not crazy about how certain properties of mine were handled and I think some of their editors think they own the DCU. However, DC Comics is not in the business of making Michael Davis happy, so what I think about how they do business is irrelevant.
Although…a happy Michael Davis is a kinder gentler Michael Davis. So don’t make me mad. You won’t like me mad. Why? I know Al Sharpton.
But enough about me, this article is not about the aforementioned court cases or even the fight I don’t think that Superman can win. This article is about perception.
The perception that even in 2008 where comics and its related media gross BILLIONS of dollars we are still looked at as kid stuff. Quoting the Law Journal article, “That misdemeanor case, Brownstein said, has been going on for three years "because of some of the stupidest prosecution tactics in the history of the law.”
“Because of some of the stupidest prosecution tactics in the history of the law.”
Even the lawyers involved with comic books are perceived as idiots.
The industry is about to get a huge wake up call and we can’t even get respect from the legal system. The legal system where they say that justice is blind. Really? Not when it comes to comics it seems. Stevie Wonder can see that comics are still entertainment’s afterthought.
Sad. So sad.
I wonder how many of us grown up comic book geeks really think about how the rest of the planet perceives us? No matter how much money we generate we are still thought of as the ugly little retarded stepchild in this country. This cracks me up especially when you consider that these grown ups who consider comics kids stuff flock to the tabloids to hear the latest gossip about Britney Spears, and revel at the latest celebrity train wreck.
DC Comics may lose control of Superman. That is as big a deal as any in this industry. I can’t think of anything bigger. But will anyone out side of us care?
Nope.
Because to the rest of the world we are simply a childhood memory only revisited when a new comic book movie hits the theaters. It’s our own fault. As an industry we do not promote ourselves as a serious art form. That’s evident by how shocked people are when you point out to them what has come from comics. Try telling someone that The Road To Perdition came from a comic and watch his or her eyes widen.
So if Superman flies away to an uncertain future and we wonder why no one gives a damn we know whom to blame.
US.
Pow! Zap!
Michael Davis is a comics creator and the founder of the Guardian Line series of comics as well as being a television producer and writer. He was a co-founder of Milestone Comics and his artwork has appeared in Wasteland, Green Arrow: Shado, Green Hornet and The Question, among others.
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Comments (22)
Tony Isabella (10:13 AM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
I plan to throw a party if DC loses Superman. Then I'll have my people look over the ruling to see what it might mean to me.
BTW, I also think DC publishes some of the best comics around. But many of their super-hero comics are out-and-out train wrecks.
The same is true for Marvel. On both counts.
Michael Davis (12:59 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
You are correct when it comes to...PATRIOTS SUCK!
Michael Davis (1:01 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
You have 'people' Tony? Cool! I was just thinking...PATRIOTS SUCK!
Vinnie Bartilucci (10:44 AM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
For the record, here's the article Michael speaks of:
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202136225176&rss=newswire
And funny, I thought there were double"g"s in that other magazine's title. I know there's a lot of other double-other things IN the magazine...
Vinnie Bartilucci (10:46 AM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
To follow up, I had been under the impression that only Superboy was under fire in the current case - is it possible they have the facts wrong?
Sandy Bratzel (8:15 AM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
The thought of some other company being given the rights (or rather, being sold the rights by the family) to publish Superman stories is sorta scary to any fan, I'm sure. I know DC (and Marvel too, I'm sure) have been fighting this sort of thing for years. (remember the fight about the original art being returned to families?) I'm not sure what to think of it, honestly. I'm an artist, so I want artists recognised...but as a fan, I don't want my fave characters taken away to be mangled by whoever pays the most money....
That being said...I love the guy in the Hello Kitty costume...:)
Anonymous (12:25 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
I would love to run into that guy in the Hello Kitty costume at a Comic Con! LOL
Michael Davis (12:59 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
I agree that...PATRIOTS SUCK!
Anonymous (1:31 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
I'm glad feel the same on this important...... Giants Rock!
Anonymous (12:33 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
"This cracks me up especially when you consider that these grown ups who consider comics kids stuff flock to the tabloids to hear the latest gossip about Britney Spears, and revel at the latest celebrity train wreck."
That is too true!
Michael Davis (1:02 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
You make a good point. In addition...PATRIOTS SUCK!
Tony Isabella (1:08 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
Lest I forget, Michael...GIANTS RULE!
And, of course, Bill Belichick and the Patriots suck.
Tony Isabella (1:10 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
I have people. I can't afford to pay them, but I have people. Someday, hopefully soon, they will smell blood in the water and attack.
Glenn Hauman (6:16 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
Contingency fees are wondrous things.
Anonymous (2:03 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
Since you know Al Sharpton, can he do something about there being no Static Shock action figures. What is up with that?
Mike Gold (4:03 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
Is there an Al Sharpton action figure?
Michael Davis (5:09 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
WHOEVER you are you MUST NOT know me. I'm not the guy to ask that question. That question should be addressed to Time Warner's BLACK CEO. Who by the way is a REAL nice and very smart guy. I have NO doubt he has NO idea why there are no toys from that highly African American successful show. Truth be told this is so far below what he does that that may be a moot point. However someone should ask that question to someone at Time Warner. I can't do it for many reasons. None of which I care to share. But thanks for pissing me off.
Michael Davis (5:12 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
Oh by the way...PATRIOTS SUCK! Now I feel a bit better. But just a bit.
Mike Gold (6:14 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
I pissed you off because Time Warner's black CEO didn't do an Al Sharpton action figure?
Cool.
By the way, Richard Parsons hasn't been CEO since the first of the year. He's still Chairman of the Board.
Michael Davis (7:11 PM on Fri Feb 8, 2008)
H E L L O ! I was responding to 'Anonymous' and the question about Static. Yeah I 4 got that Parsons moved on or up depending on how you look at it. Maybe he suggested a Static Shock toy and they decided it was time for him to end his running of the day to day operations.
Mike Gold (8:44 AM on Sat Feb 9, 2008)
Maybe he suggested an Al Sharpton toy!
Marilee J. Layman (3:31 PM on Sat Feb 9, 2008)
Complete with hair accessories!