A comic book made me throw up today.
I was going to share with you all the happy happy things in the many comics I bought this week, which bought me hours and hours of joy today.
But it's more important that a comic book made me throw up today.
Not because it was bad. It wasn't. But rather, because it affected me so much emotionally, like watching someone you've known for over 30 years and care about, who is standing on railroad tracks staring at an oncoming train and realizing that you cannot possibly save him. Because that's where he wants to be.
Surprise had no part to play in my reaction. It was no surprise at all. In fact, I'd been waiting for it to happen for two years or so. But that didn't make it any better when it happened. It just made it that much worse.
Comics can be a powerful and passionate medium, and deserve to be. Like any good literature they can be fun and entertaining. But the flip side of the coin is that they can disturb and upset us as well. Someone once said that all people have the capacity to do good or evil; it's in their capacity for greatness of any kind that they differ. The same applies, I think, to literature.
So I'm very happy that most of my comics overjoyed me today. But I'm much happier that one of them made me throw up.
Great post, Scipio. But which book?
ReplyDeleteI know which one... there was a hint in the post...
ReplyDeleteSeveral hints...
ReplyDeleteI just started reading again and only buy a few books. But I don't think it was any of the books I bought today...I'll have to reread.
ReplyDelete"flip side of the coin", "two years or so"
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I wonder who?
Aah... Close reading is a good thing. (Although that wasn't a book I bought.)
ReplyDeleteJeez, Scip, you got that worked up just because Colonel John Jameson proposed to the She-Hulk? Really, I -- oh, now I get it. Never mind.
ReplyDeleteSo the latest Batman eh? hmm I won't be getting my copy til monday :(
ReplyDeleteWell, that'll teach ya to read those Gold Key Star Trek collections.
ReplyDelete(Assuming it was Batman.)
ReplyDeleteI didn't have as violent a reaction, but it was a particularly powerful issue--and a nicely written turning point for the series.
Also interesting how the rest of the run, up until now, Robinson has kept the issues at an even keel of A and B plots, but this one was soley devoted to the one event.
Which is, you know, a prime example of when to expand the writing, and when to contract the writing.
I felt rather similarily, Scipio, (if we ARE talking about Batman...) The redemption of Harvey is something that's really been making me happy. I'd been cheering so hard for him, and this issue made me react quite violently. Part of me is still hoping that Harvey's playing Two-Face somehow, that this is a scam, a trick, something that Harvey is doing to get rid of Two-Face once and for all... but... I doubt it...
ReplyDeleteOh, Ben, I think after pouring acid on his face, that's not really an option...
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it have been funny if he poured acid on the wrong side since he was looking in a mirror. Then the good side would be scarred and the bad unscarred. Ha! Ok, maybe not so funny.
ReplyDeleteSo, are you going to also share with us the many happy things of joy?
ReplyDeleteAnd for us recovering Marvel zombies, could you do a piece on Two-Face similar to The Myth of the Mad Hatter? I really enjoyed that, and would like to see how Two-Face evolved.
Right on.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing to make you shout out for the medium like a good gut punch.
Shane: I kind of wish the same thing. I think it would have worked even better that way.
ReplyDelete