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By Lantern’s Light: No Money Shall Escape Our Sight!

// November 26th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Comics, Humor

Prepare to be fisted.

When they announced Blackest Night two years ago in the finale of Sinestro Corps War, I was practically pissing myself with excitement. Sinestro CW was the perfect example for how to handle an event comic.  Blackest Night stood poised to usurp that throne, simultaneously becoming the greatest thing since the invention of painted-on bikinis.

Then DC Editorial got involved.

The money people knew that BK was going to be HUGE.  Therefore they had to rape the cash cow until she could “MOO” no more.    Unfortunately, money based decisions have rarely led to flourishing creative decisions.   Sinestro Corps War’s biggest strength is that is was almost totally self contained.  It ran in both Green Lantern and GL Corps, yet both books could be read on their own without really needing to read the other if the reader so wished.  And the various one-shots managed to be self-contained one-offs.

By contrast, the Blackest Night mini-series can’t even be read on it’s own.

DC’s last Final Crisis failed for a bunch of reasons, but chief among those reasosn (aside from being totally unintelligible) is the fact that the ending makes no sense unless you read Superman Beyond and Legion of Three Worlds.  Both books introduced characters or concepts that were absolutely essential to knowing how Final Crisis ended.  Fuck being a fan.  As a WRITER, I have to say that is complete bullshit.

You would assume DC learned it’s lesson with FC, but instead, made Blackest Night even worse in this regard.   Major portions of the central story are taking place in both Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps and even the seemingly useless BK: Titans.  Meanwhile the main mini-series seems focused on bullshit for half of it’s run.  The second issue was centered on the Aquaman family.   The first issue was all about Heroes Day and the return of Barry Allen.   Things like this are best served in ancillary titles. And perhaps worst of all is that you can’t even tell what order to read them in.   If you read BK# 5 before checking out GL#48, you are going to be severely confused. I can’t imagine writer Geoff Johns planned things this way.   It’s a mess; a hurricane of junk circling the crapper.

And though my metaphor is strong, none of this is to suggest that I’m not digging the story.  I’m just pissed that now I have to go back to my local comic shop and pick up Blackest Night: Titans #3 just to find out what is going on with Dove.   If you were to trim the fat and tell the story in some sort of logical order, I have no doubt Blackest Night would have been every bit as amazing as the Sinestro arc.

In fact, if anyone from DC is reading this, here’s how you should have ordered the material in Blackest Night:

issue 1:    Black Hand murders himself and his family.  The Black Lantern rings descend on the Universe.

issue 2:   The dead rise and kill a lot of people, launching an assault on DC’s heroes.

issue 3:   The indigo tribe shows up and tells Hal “Dude, we need the rainbow coalition.”   Hawk is killed and Dove manifests her whiteness.

Issue 4:   Hal gathers the different Lanterns.  Nekron shows up.

Issue 5 — well, pretty much exactly what happened in issue 5.

See, I’m not telling you how to write the story.  This is just an organized recap of the central story that doesn’t FUCK your audience.  You could easily have put all that other bullshit in the regular Green Lantern title.  Dude, it’s Johns and Doug Mahnke– we’ll read it anyway!

Thanks for reading.  And check out my positive review of Blackest Knight #5 coming very soon!

In Darkest Knight…

// November 14th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Comics, Review, Scifi

There are a certain number of comics that are considered required reading for the comic elite.   Alan Moore’s Watchmen is among them, as is anything from the Lee/ Kirby era and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman.   But one of the most often mentioned among these titans has to be Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns.

I admit, it’s been so long since I’ve read it that it should be considered a crime.  Of course, the archetype of the aging, unrelenting Dark Knight is still vibrant.  But the depth of character, the nuances of the story were long since erased.

The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of an aged Bruce Wayne who has retired the Batman ten years previous.  Unlike other iterations, Batman is not portrayed as the true face of Bruce Wayne, but more like a split personality; ironically making him a more visually appealing flipside of Harvey Dent. Before long, Bruce’s addiction to this alter-ego becomes too tempting, his will too weak.   And soon the Batman re-emerges with a renewed hunger for both justice and violence.

It is important to note that the Dark Knight represents more of an aspect of the Batman mythos than a pure representation.   In creating his vision, Frank Miller embraced the idea that Bruce Wayne is completely removed from any sense of reality; a disturbed man who believes himself a General in a War as real as any fought by the military.   And in this world soldiers deaths may be tragic, but acceptable in the name of justice.

DKR is in many ways a war of  ideologies.  Batman represents an old, unwanted school of thought.  He believes in Justice, and more importantly, he believes in taking action.  Yet he represents an anachronism.  The world has moved past him.  Frank Miller’s Dark Knight universe feels almost prophetic in it’s representation of a Politically Correct, ultra-sensitive, media-coddled society.  As Batman ramps up his war on crime, the rest of society (represented by ordinary, ultra-liberal citizens, government stooges and media) blames him for creating an endless cycle of violence where he creates or inspires the criminals he faces.  To society, Batman is the villain, while the criminals he apprehends are victims of his blood-thirsty ego.  The contemporary relevance of these themes are almost painful.

In fact the more I read, the more I became convinced that Frank Miller has some kind of psychic clairvoyance.   The book is littered with events and themes that have imitated it’s art line for line.  A porn actress becomes accepted into the mainstream. (Jenna Jameson, Traci Lords, Stormy Daniels.) The president of a television network proclaims that a television writers strike won’t affect the continued production of shows.  (Perhaps he increased production of “Reality shows”?)   The same network President (Jimmy Olsen) is given an award for spinning the Economic Crisis in the US Government’s favor.  Even the unseen President of the United States could easily be mocking the public persona of George W Bush! (Though he is actually meant to be a mockery of Reagan.) But perhaps the most chillingly– nearly obscenely– prescient moments occurs when the mayor of Gotham attempts to negotiate with the leader of the terrorist gang The Mutants who have over-run the city, bathing it in crime.   As I watch the news and see Nidal Hasan and the September 11th planners being shown leniency and sympathy they would never reciprocate… as our Commander in Chief calls to negotiate with men like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong-Il… the chill that runs up my spine lingers in my mind.   The Mayor of Gotham displays the admirable desire to find redemption in the most contemptible of men.   He appeals to the humanity in the Mutant leader.  The problem is that sometimes when you look deeper in such men, all you find is the beast within.   Miller makes his feelings known as a news anchor gleefully announces that the Mutant leader ripped the Mayor’s throat out.  Later, they promise to air the exciting footage of the man’s gruesome death. Of course our own news media aren’t as literally blood-thirsty as Miller’s, but the metaphor doesn’t feel that far off.

The children who make up the mutant gang are essentially lost souls influenced by the strongest personality.  When the Mutant leader is defeated, some form the Sons of Batman, still engaging in violent behavior, though this time in the service of “Justice”.   When the Joker goes on a killing spree, a few other Mutants model themselves after the his visage.   Of course, this prediction is far less amazing.  When the Dark Knight Returns was written, gangs were on the rise.  But the subtext, the idea that as the old school and the new battle, the children are the ones left behind-  that never changes.

The climax of these ongoing battles is the famous fight between Batman and Superman.  To the casual viewer (and pop culture fanatic) Superman has always represented the American dream, and its no coincidence that his color scheme so closely resembles the Flag. In the Dark Knight Universe however, Superman is merely a puppet of government, a whipped cur.   If Superman represents the strength of the United States, Batman represents the spirit of it’s people.    The Man of Steel obediently follows the directives of the President, in fear of the consequences. He even gets involved in wars.   (Some would even argue the similarities to our police action in Iraq.)   The Dark Knight is a stark contrast. He separates the concepts of Justice and Government; finding them to be occasional allies (such as Jim Gordon), but never one and the same.   Batman never entrusts the machine to act on its own.

The difficulty is in judging the ending.  Does the allegory end with Superman triumphant?  With Batman being forced to change tactics to deal with the demands of this new world order?   Or does Bruce’s survival suggest that the the ideals he represents will endure no matter the circumstances?

That is, of course, the fun of great fiction.   Interpret it as you will.  The characters, the motivations… it is all in the eyes of the beholder.   But whether reading deeply or enjoying it as a great, old comic, there’s no denying the brilliance of The Dark Knight Returns.

Does V Go Too Far?App

// November 8th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Review, Scifi, Television

The history of Sci Fi is littered with allegory.  Some number among legends, others are quickly forgotten.  Earlier in the year I argued against the blatant political idolatry that had spread from mainstream media to the comics industry.

A great writer can persuade more minds through creative subtext than by blatant pandering to a pandering to a particular audience.   As writers, I believe it is necessary for us to rise above petty politics and our love or hatred of a particular politician when engaging our audience. The point is to expose people to different ideologies rather than the rhetoric of political parties.

As of this past week, ABC (a television arm of the Disney Corporation) aired the pilot for the re-imagined 80′s show V.

V tells the story of an alien race referring to themselves as V’s, or Visitors.   The V’s promise the human race technology, improved life-quality and the potential for utopia.  While most of the human race embraces the Visitors, some believe that they have come to destroy humanity.

In essence, the new show is very similar to it’s predecessor.   But as the say, the devil is in the details.  Since the pilot’s airing, many have noticed certain similarities to the Conservative movement’s statements about the United States Government.  Some bloggers are arguing that the show is a blatant attack on the Obama administration and that the V’s leader Anna (played by Firefly/ Serenity alum Morena Baccarin) is meant to represent Barack Obama himself as charming but ultimately duplicitous leader. The staff deny these claims.

Still, it’s hard to ignore the similarities. And I have no intention of deny that it is clearly meant to echo the sentiment of a majority of the American populace.

While I agree that V is meant to be a political allegory, I disagree with the belief that is an attack on the President.  Instead, I would argue that it is more an attack on the strategies of Progressive Movement.   Granted, President Obama and his administration are at the center of the Progressive takeover, but one can hardly argue any particular personal similarities.This is a battle of ideologies and tactics.

The real questions that the media should be asking is whether V is (first and foremost) a good show and if it works as a persuasive allegory.

For a story’s subtext to reach an audience, first it needs to create that audience by way of good storytelling.   Second, the underlying message should never become distracting.  Standing on a soapbox isn’t going to change anyone’s mind, and no one wants to be preached to by a science fiction show.   George Orwell’s 1984 may be one of the greatest sci fi allegories of all time.  It demonstrates how a bloated government interested in “the greater good” can eventually smother the rights of the individual.  But what works for the story is the fact that it never mentions people or parties.  And in point of fact, I have no idea what political persuasion Mr Orwell was before his death.  It isn’t the point.

The author should never get in the way of his/ her story; either for ego or “the greater good”.

On the first part, V definitely succeeds.  While it wasn’t instantly addicting, it made me care about the characters and what was going on.  As to the second part….

V gets more right than it gets wrong. But it still gets a few things wrong.

If I were to start a perfect coup, I would follow the same methods as the Visitors.

• Appeal to their sensibilities.  Finding attractive, young people to spread your message is a good start.
• Tell them what the want to hear.  Promising people in turmoil that you are the answer to their prayers is easy to believe for most, because humans have a need to believe in something.
• Indoctrinate the young.  Children are great for the skillful manipulator.  They’re looking for something to believe in, and have a nearly oedipal desire to prove their elders wrong.  Convince them that you are the way of the future and their parents just don’t understand.  And once the future is yours to control, the present won’t be far behind.
• Keep them focused on your ideas rather than the details.  The point is to make the believe, to make them hope.  Because once they learn to rely on you for their salvation, you can convince them of anything.  Anything can be done for the greater good.
• Control the flow of information.  In the age of the signal, the man who can manipulate the media is king. If you control what information the people have access to, you can make them believe anything.

In the pilot of V, the Visitors promise the people of Earth a utopia where all are one under one government.  They promise Universal Healthcare.   All of the V’s appear to be young, attractive humanoids with a great sense of humor, making vague promises of hope and peace. They take children up to their amazing space ships and woo them into being ambassadors for the aliens in their respective communities.  When being interviewed by News Anchor Chad Decker (played by Party of Five’s Scott Wolf), the V’s leader Anna only agrees to be interviewed by him (and only him) so long as he follows her rules and never casts the Visitors in a bad light.

Those who argue that this is an attack on the administration need to take a step back.  The truth is that these actions work because they’re universal.  The cause and the people don’t matter.   It’s a process of manipulation.

While the show makes a few more specific references, they never commit the cardinal sin.  They never get specific.  Words like Socialism and Fascism never enter into it.   With the exception of the mention of Universal Healthcare which hits the  viewer with all the subtlety of a blunt axe, the story remains an ambiguous allegory.  It isn’t perfect, but objectively speaking, if you were to take a step back from the turmoil engulfing the American people, this story could work anywhere.

Anna is a charming, beautiful leader.  To sum her up as being Barack Obama ignores the fact that history is filled with such leaders doing the exact same thing, each with their own agenda.

The producers and writers of V have chosen to take risks by doing this story in the present societal atmosphere.   Did they go too far?  In my opinion, no. Before I started writing this article, I would have disagreed.  But as I reviewed what was truly there, I think it’s a fine line. While they may have alienated some fans, they tried something.   And for the time being it seems to work.

But at the end of the day, they’re telling a good story.  As a writer, I can respect that.