Behold the book that makes the political commentary in
Amazons Attack seem nuanced!
Originally uploaded
December 7th, 2009.
NOTE: The original ending song (and the stinger that references it), "
Holding Out for a Hero" has been removed due to a copyright claim.
RUMINATIONS: Now here's where the fun begins.
All-Star Batman and Robin was pretty much the nail in the coffin as far as people's faith in
Frank Miller being able to write good
Batman stories, but this is where people started to tilt their heads and wonder what the hell was going on.
The Dark Knight Returns one of the most important comic stories of the 80s, especially leading into
the creation of the Dark Age of
Comics and, for better or for worse, a fascinating time in comics history.
The idea of a sequel to that story was pretty exciting.
Hell, even my brother, who wasn't a big comic reader outside of
Nightwing at the time, was excited about it. Aaaand then it actually came out. Since I wasn't actually following comic news and forums at the time outside of
Teen Titans stuff at that
point, I can't say what people were actually thinking at the time, but I know it MUST have had defenders. Why?
Because of the reaction this episode had.
ASBAR had some minor defenses in regards to Batman being inexperienced or that the book was just so-bad-it's-good, but hoo boy, were people pissed off that I had dared to attack this "fine" work.
The one that always sticks in my mind was a commenter going by the name Vic
Sage (obviously named after the
Question) saying that Frank Miller was above any and all criticism because of his contributions to comics, that his name should be spoken of with the same revelry and awe ascribed to
Stan Lee,
Jack Kirby, and etc.
And yet they apparently didn't give a crap when I reviewed Nightcat and made fun of Stan Lee a bit there.
NO ONE is above criticism.
Myself, either. In fact, there are a few good commenters in the original posting who rightfully pointed out legitimate criticisms of this very review - a lack of humorous jokes or missed opportunities, the actual existence of "
Naked News," or just that I came across more politically-charged in this than critiquing the comic on its own merits. It was something I tried to improve upon in the later
Dark Knight Strikes Again reviews. But for this one? Man-oh-man did this one get dedicated fans of Frank Miller upset. The good Mr. Sage also tried to insult me over how many things
Frankie boy had accomplished over the years vs. me, as if that somehow undid all the crap present in Dark Knight Strikes Again - that unless I had won several
Eisners and published many comics, I was unqualified to offer criticism.
It is a bizarre little world sometimes.
If you like the book, more power to you. I don't expect anyone to agree with me on reviews -- they're out there to present my view of the matter. That's what a review is.
It's an opinion. You can disagree with that opinion or at least acknowledge the different viewpoint, but I hold no one to the obligation that they HAVE to agree with me on anything. Hell, the fact that I let all those comments through at all should be a
sign that I'm willing to let people have their own voices heard (comments are moderated on my blog to ensure I read every post and that I can keep out spam). You can go back right now and read some of those comments, if you're so inclined:
http://atopfourthwall.blogspot.com/2009/12/dark-knight-strikes-again-part-1
.html
- published: 31 Mar 2014
- views: 80699