Or...An Interesting Failure Is Still A Failure, But At Least It's Interesting. (And Sorry For The Length). Part One: "Black is black and white is white" - Mr A. 1) Lateness. There is no excuse. Anyone who gave up due to late shipping is right. 22 pages a month, should be the bare minimum a professional comic artist can turn out in a month. If not they are not professional. In 1965 Steve Ditko produced nearly 500 pages,hang your sorry head Jim Lee. Pay Jim Lee the same rate as Steve Ditko in 1965 and watch him speed up real quick you betcha. No matter how much fun he's having on MySpace. 2) Sloppy writing. The milk carton. The g*ddamn milk carton. I don't care which universe it's set in a kidnapped child's forlorn visage cannot appear on a milk carton before he is kidnapped. Unless the milk company is in on it. Hmmm...Nah. Hang your head Frank Miller.
Part Two: "What we got here is a failure to communicate" - Strother Martin in Cool Hand Luke 1) Characterisation. It's Frank Miller. It's Batman. It's Frank Miller's Batman. Unless I've been reading different versions of DKR, B:YO and DKSA to the rest of the comic fraternity Frank Miller's Batman is a nutso, a derango, a basket case, gone Tonto and just generally mentally unwell. So no change there. Don't like Frank Miller's Batman? ASB&RTBW is gonna honk you off. 2) Mixed messages. Yes, it is awful. But why? Here's why (maybe). The writer is writing a gonzo, nutball comedy and the artist thinks he's drawing a gritty urban drama. Jim Lee is the wrong man for the job, damn straight. He's a good artist, but lacks versatility. This series, if it were to work, needs a cartoonist or an artist who is also a cartoonist. I'm talking Kyle Baker on Plastic Man, Bill Sienkiewicz on anything and,of course, Frank Miller on DKSA. Picture that,,it makes a hell of a lot more sense now doesn't it? Except for the milk carton.
Part Three: "I am big, it's the pictures that got small." - Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd. So why like it? 1) Because it's the G*ddamn Frank Miller! And you know what? Frank gives good funnybook. No matter how dumb he tries to appear there's always something interesting going on underneath the surface pyrotechnics. Example, baby? Look at his portrayal of the JLA. It's fantastic. He's not taking the easy way out that we're all used to (Heroes With Feet Of Clay..because God forbid we should look up to anyone) he's offroading in the Panzer of his imagination. They are Gods says Miller, those who were not born Gods have been made Gods by the nature of their abilities. To mortal eyes the Gods may well appear lunatics. It's like four colour Wagner with dialogue by Spillane. Look at Miller's Superman. Miller's the first(?) person to realise that a God raised by humans might have a few issues. Kal can split the world asunder with one blow but he still balks at playing his music loud after 9 pm. It's fascinating and I'm deranged with anticipation at how he'll flesh the others out. 2) Aw hell. It's just plain fun.
Part Four: "The Abyss Gazes Also" Of course I could just have finally slid from "fan" to "fanatic", and Frank Miller could write "Poo" on a Post-It note and I'd buy a copy. Two, if there's a variant. Anyway, go on, kick the hell out of me.
Did you just say "offroading in the Panzer of his imagination"? Hmm, thought so. Maybe the 12 month gap between issues was so readers'll forget what order things happened in. I think the only 'Milk Carton' (writing that reminds me of Alan Milk Carton Body, sorry), I think the only Milk Carton explaination is that Dick Grayson was kidnapped and brainwashed by the Flying Graysons a few days previous, that's why his visage is on the pint, Batman and Gothams finest are rescuing him... must be it.
Did you see that Scott Walker thing on tele last night? I want him to be the new Captain America.
I think I actually ruptured a blood vessel typing that lot. Someone needs to get out more. Damn but that's a good milk carton theory. Better than the one Frank Miller has, I bet. You get a big fat honking No-Prize.
Scott Walker blew my tiny mind last night, baby. I liked it when he mimed a curtain falling over his face with his hand, introduced a song on the 1960's teatime BBC with; "A song by Jaques Brel...about a sado-masochistic relationship." and of course when he had his pal punching meat. Sublime. Did you like it? Anyone? If not for one salient fact, Scott would be a great Captain America. The fact: Captain America is dead. I hope those Jeph Loeb grief counselling sessions are helping you through. Captain America UPDATE!: Still dead.
