Saturday, October 29, 2005

Mite or Right?

The internet is torn in half between Bat-Mite and the Riddler!

A bitter battle is raging between the Dark Mite and the Prince of Puzzlers right here at the Absorbascon. They are neck and neck in the current quote of the week poll; have YOU voted yet?

Bat-Mite, using his extrauniversal viewpoint as a fifth dimensional being, comments wryly and metafictionally on his banishment from current continuity. He could fix whatever dissatifactions we have with the grim and gritty DCU, but we the readers banished him for exactly that reason. His omniscience has rendered him powerless. Dude; deep! A simple paradox or an ironic condemnation of the post-modern era of cynical disbelief? Is he laughing at us because he is the mastermind between Infinite Crisis, heckbent on returning Batman to his kid-friendly '60s self?

In fact, the Riddler himself would probably vote for Bat-Mite's quote, since it's exactly the kind of multilevel puzzle he enjoys. But the Riddler's quote is metafictional as well. The Riddler personifies the Comic Book Plot as Intellectual Challenge rather than splattery slugfest. If Bat-Mite condemns the loss of whismy, the Riddler condemns the death of Bloodless Battle. Those of you who say you miss Batman The World's Greatest Detective (tm), shouldn't you vote for the Riddler? Do you think the Riddler is taking a jab at the Joker (and the entire modern theme of Psychokiller Who Commits Murder As Art)?

Which do you miss more in comics, whimsy or intellect?

Remember, regardless of who you vote for, Michael Allred is the winner, since both of those quotes come from his recent issue of "Solo".

6 comments:

  1. And don't forget Aqualad, gamely tagging behind in third place! You can't count him out yet, because once he takes his hourly bath...

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  2. I've been mentioning to people that it's true Michael Allred did a lot of work on Solo and deserves all the credit in the world, but many of the quotes should actually be attributed to his brother, Lee Allred, who scripted a couple of the stories. I'm pretty sure a bunch of the quotes nominated are Lee Allred's work, and he deserves credit for his fine work.

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  3. Where did that Bat-Mite quote come from?

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  4. The current issue of "Solo" from the Allred brothers.

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  5. I'm laughing my fishsticks off at your quote contest summaries, Scipio!

    (I'd vote for Bat-Mite, but I think I'm disqualified.)

    -- Lee

    Lee Allred
    leeallred.com

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  6. Very worthwhile piece of writing, thank you for the post.
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    ReplyDelete