Some Comic Creators Don't Want Your Money

Gail Simone will go Red Sonja on the next
fool who says comics aren't for women.

Not if you're a woman, that is. A group of well-known comic creators made comments at a panel discussion about how women are neither the target audience nor the protagonists of superhero stories, and to the extent they're in the stories at all horrifying things that happen to them aren't that big a deal.

I'll give you a second to finish your epic eye roll.

Here's Gerry Conway, known for creating the Punisher and killing-off Gwen Stacy, among his accomplishments:

I think it’s a mistake to sort of, like, pigeonhole superheroes, or to add so much to superheroes that you’re missing the fact it’s a genre within itself. It’s like saying, ‘Why are there no medieval stories about female knights?’ Because there was only one, you know, Joan of Arc. … It’s an inherent limitation of that particular genre, superheroes.

How the guy who invented Punisher doesn't know that these stories are made up, and therefore can be whatever people want, is really beyond me.

We also have Mark Millar, who wrote one of my favorite comics, Superman Red Son:

The ultimate [act] that would be the taboo, to show how bad some villain is, was to have somebody being raped, you know? [...] I don’t really think it matters. It’s the same as, like, a decapitation. It’s just a horrible act to show that somebody’s a bad guy.

Wait, what? If it's the same as a decapitation, why not use decapitation? Just to mix it up, keep the frivolous violence from becoming stale? I think Laura Hudson (@laura_hudson) responded best: 

If you don't understand how a rape scene is different from non-sexual violence, psychologically and culturally, you shouldn't be writing one. That's not just going to affect your writing, it's going to contribute to a culture where rape is endemic, misunderstood and even tolerated.

Now, I like darker & edgier comics. I've been known to enjoy Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Mike Grell, and a host of others. But if you're not going to treat the darker subject matter with the seriousness the topics deserve, it's not edgy. It's tawdry.

Finally, there's this gem from Todd McFarlane, creator of Spawn (Image comics represent!):

[...] the odd character that is a minority that works is the one that is just a good strong character. They've tried to do minority characters and bring that label and that surrounding [debate] into it. You're aware that you're reading a minority comic book. I think it's wrong.

Crap, all this time they've been trying to make female and minority characters, and they forgot that they have to be good characters, too! It's a good thing we have McFarlane to clue us in. Seriously, though, the implication is that a straight white male character is inherently more likely to be a good character. It might be the case that it's easier for straight white male writers to do a good job with straight white male characters. But to suggest, even slightly, that this has anything to do with the limitations of minority characters and not the limitations of the straight white male writers is pretty ridiculous.

Sometimes I'm a little embarrassed to be a fan of superhero comics.

A Benediction for a New Year

From Neil Gaiman, no less:



I'm thinking we don't place enough value on spoken blessings. These things matter.

(Thanks to Jessie and Katie for drawing this to my attention.)

Materialism?

In anticipation of going on the job market late this fall, I'm planning to make a few upgrades. In particular, I need to get a computer that will allow me to work while traveling, an expansion of my professional wardrobe, and new shoes. I'm thinking of going a bit crazy on all counts.



Computer

I've been doing some looking around, and the main computers I'm considering right now are as follows:

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3

 












Toshiba Mini NB305-N410

ASUS Eee PC 1001P

HP Mini 5102

Any tips or comments on these or other models with similar specs & price range would be appreciated.


Wardrobe

I need to get a couple suits for my job market interviews at the AEA meetings in January. I want to really convey my competence, but let people know I'm still fun. Maybe I should get something like these:

This is The Doctor.

Doctor? Doctor who?

My wife favors the three-piece suit, though. We'll see where I end up on this. (As an aside, I'd take that overcoat if it comes in my length, too. I'm a fan of outerwear.)


Shoes

My current pair (yes, I usually own one pair of every-day shoes at a time) have gotten pretty worn in the sole.  For as long as I can remember I've either worn all-white shoes or all-black shoes (except for one pair of brown shoes my wife talked me into), and always with a (partially) leather upper.

I'm thinking of really changing it up and getting something like these:

I will probably not wear them to the job interviews. Probably.

The Sonnschein Pipe

So, at this point you may have noticed the new header image. I enjoy estate pipes (my collection is currently sitting at 15 pipes), and this particular one, the latest addition, has a fascinating story behind it.

The pipe has metal fittings and a hinged cap, and is quite large. There's no stem, which I might remedy at some point, but I don't really mind. I don't plan to smoke this one.

You see, this pipe is around 200 years old. Inside the bowl there is a note that reads as follows:

'this Pipe was given to my grandfather (born 1811) William Sonnschein, and he said it was given him by his grandfather so that would make this pipe at least 150 years old (in 1910)
     Frank Eckert  --- grandson of William Sonnschein
Note initials on silver lid "A.S"'

I received this pipe as a gift from my wife's grandmother, who had received it from her grandfather, Frank Eckert. According to the note, he received it from his grandfather William Sonnschein, who received it from his own grandfather (presumably the "A.S." of the initials). So while I don't quite follow the math that dates the pipe to the 1760s, it's still been in the family since Jessie's great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather. Which is pretty great.

So I'd seen this at Jessie's grandmother's house before, and I was an instant fan. She's been downsizing her possessions, and I jokingly told her that if no one had spoken for the pipe I'd throw my name in. I felt kinda bad when she actually decided to give it to me, as I had sort of thought she would want to keep it as decoration until she dies (I know I would). But at this point I'm just grateful. It might be the oldest thing we own (I have a couple of ill-repaired 19th century Bibles, and one of them was published in 1811), and is definitely the piece I would take with me to the Antiques Roadshow. It's similar in shape to the Hungarian meerschaum-style metal pile found here (3rd down), although the lid is simpler on the Sonnschein pipe. It's simply classy, which is how we role at Metadoxy.

By the way, all photos, including the header, were taken by the magnificent and ever-professional Jessie. For more examples of her handiwork, check out here Etsy shop.