The Pedestal

Frank Miller is Awful

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 06:32:00 -0800

It’s no big secret that my favorite superhero is Daredevil. Frank Miller is almost inarguably the biggest influence on the character. I recently reread his entire run, and I just started “Elektra: Assassin,” and I can’t stop this nagging feeling that Frank Miller has always been just awful.

At first you could overlook it. The stories were operatic, so maybe the misogyny and noir excess were tongue-in-cheek… but no. Elektra’s death had the same effect on Daredevil’s relationships with women that “The Killing Joke” had on Batman’s rogues gallery: all of a sudden, everything is locked into a doomed repetition of over-the-top “gritty” bullshit. Getting into a romantic relationship with Daredevil is now pretty much the same thing as jumping off of a cliff. Sure, it’s exciting at first, a new experience, but we all know where it ends up. Women in refrigerators time.

Elektra got murdered by Bullseye within a year or two of being introduced. Spoiler alert. Naturally, they brought her back to life, because if comics creators have any superpower it’s the ability to endlessly beat dead horses/superheroes.

Karen Page was a lovely girl in the first few issues of “Daredevil,” albeit suffering from the “gee golly gosh, I’m just a dizzy dame” sensibilities of the era, but she ended up a recovering drug addict and former porn star who was killed by Bullseye (just like Elektra… sigh…) after Mysterio tricked her into thinking that she had AIDS. What the fuck is that?

Every time Daredevil meets a new woman, he falls in love, and then she turns out to be evil, dead, or both. Or Black Widow, but that’s not the point.

It all started with Frank Miller introducing Elektra and then killing her off, primarily for shock value, because that’s what Frank Miller does.

I loved “Sin City” as a kid, because I thought it was a hilarious, over-the-top parody of noir movies and books. Nope. It’s just hilariously over-the-top. There’s nothing satirical about it.

Ditto “300.” I thought the homophobia was tongue-in-cheek, but now I think it was just a mean-spirited jab by a bitter and increasingly conservative aging artist.

“Holy Terror.” ’Nuff said.

Also, did anyone else notice that he called the protagonist from “Holy Terror” “The Fixer,” when that’s the name of the mob boss who had Daredevil’s father killed? He just ripped off Stan Lee, and a sandbox he’d played in. What the hell, Frank? I read an interview with him (in “Dark Horse Presents” Vol. 2, Issue 1, I believe), where he said he’d just had the name for the character floating around in his head for a while. Yeah, jackass, that’s because you read it in old “Daredevil” comics.

His more recent work has had the “Star Wars Prequel Effect” of making me realize that everything that came before it was nowhere near as good as I’d previously thought. The flaws in his current work are so glaring that they’re easier to see in his older work, back when they had been less obvious.

So far, “Elektra: Assassin” is full of casual misogyny and Miller’s weird fetishism of women, channeled through Bill Sienkewicz, who at least makes the boring/borderline incomprehensible story fun to look at. You’re awful, Frank Miller. Just awful. And I used to love you.

Misogyny, homophobia, racism… I just don’t have time for that shit. Not in the real world, and especially not in my fantasy world. I honestly think Daredevil would be better off without you, Frank. Even if he’d languished a while longer, someone like Bendis or Brubaker would have come along and given him a noir treatment without all of your weird hangups (which they eventually did).

Now I’m off to finish reading “Elektra: Assassin,” just so that I’ve read it. If it’s anything like Miller’s execrable “Man Without Fear,” I’ll finish it, set it aside, and let it gather dust until kingdom come.

You let me down, Lanky Frank.

PS “Dark Knight Returns” is still fucking awesome.

thoughtpeach: How civilization didn’t implode in the 1970s is...

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 23:17:00 -0800

thoughtpeach:

How civilization didn’t implode in the 1970s is baffling.

“When I’m not yelling at people in my old-timey Western town or being the dad in ‘Hot Rod,’ I like to… well… fuck dogs, mostly.”

“Two bantha milks?”“That’s...

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 22:58:43 -0800

“Two bantha milks?”

“That’s mee-ee!”

“Oh hai, Luke. I didn’t recognize you. You’re my favorite Jedi.”

“Bye, wookiee!”

50sand60smusic: Dee Dee Sharp - Mashed Potato Time

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 11:22:05 -0800

50sand60smusic:

Dee Dee Sharp - Mashed Potato Time

The “DC vs. Marvel” that we all secretly wanted.

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:01:51 -0800

The “DC vs. Marvel” that we all secretly wanted.

"A friend of mine was hired by MGM to do a script and he inherited the office where Faulkner had been..."

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:29:43 -0800

“A friend of mine was hired by MGM to do a script and he inherited the office where Faulkner had been working. In the desk he found a yellow legal pad with three words on it: Boy. Girl. Policeman.”

- Billy Wilder (via mattfractionblog)

mattfractionblog: From the script for HAWKGUY #3, because i...

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:45:30 -0800

mattfractionblog:

From the script for HAWKGUY #3, because i was just asked about it on Twitter:

So what if during this fight sequence, where CLINT kicks a little ass but gets his ass kicked FAR WORSE, he does so NAKED only over his bits is a little purple smiling piece of HAWKEYE clip art — like his face in the old 80’s costume — to cover his junk?

http://www.papermovies.com/Marvel%20Team-Up%2092%20Spider-Man%20and%20Hawkeye.jpg

like in the little box there on the left.

Is that… is that the worst idea in the entire universe? If this is in fact a TERRIBLE IDEA, then just crop and frame appropriately. But… but little Hawkeye face. Think about it.

One of my favorite bits in recent comics.

It’s like that scene that’s one of the only...

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 23:03:12 -0800

It’s like that scene that’s one of the only memorable things in “The Cell,” except with godless killing machines.

brianchurilla: Phantasm commission Fuck yes.

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:59:18 -0800

brianchurilla:

Phantasm commission

Fuck yes.

100,000,000% on Rotten Tomatoes

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:48:56 -0800

100,000,000% on Rotten Tomatoes

mattfractionblog: seanhowe: In 1974, Stan Lee inquired about...

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:11:16 -0800

mattfractionblog:

seanhowe:

In 1974, Stan Lee inquired about the American rights to Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima’s gekiga LONE WOLF AND CUB.

The series would not be published in America until 1987.

…!!!

I honestly can’t see Stan Lee publishing “Lone Wolf and Cub,” but I have to admit, that’s an awesome combination of things.

The War on Christmas

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:27:00 -0800

It all basically boils down to the phrase “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

The thing is, it’s entirely personal. You’re free to exercise your religious beliefs however you want. I’m a Christian, but my rights begin and end there: I have the right to practice my Christian beliefs.

I DON’T have the right to enforce my beliefs upon others. Therefore, if I say “Merry Christmas” to you, you can say whatever you want.

Examples:

Mr. Div: “Merry Christmas!”

Hypothetical person: “Happy holidays!”

TOTALLY OKAY.

Mr. Div: “Merry Christmas!”

Hypothetical person: “Happy Hanukkah!”

TOTALLY OKAY.

Mr. Div: “Merry Christmas!”

Hypothetical person: “Hitler had some pretty good ideas. Want to watch me fuck this goat?”

TOTALLY TECHNICALLY OKAY.

Your rights are infringed upon when you aren’t allowed to do something yourself, not when you aren’t allowed to force others to do it. That’s what freedom is about. It’s for everyone, not just you. A big part of freedom is respect. Respect the beliefs of others, and they’ll respect yours. ”Do unto others,” if you will. There’s no “War on Christmas.” If we all respect each other’s religious beliefs, within reason, it’ll all work out.

And no, I’d really rather not watch you fuck that goat.

KILL IT WITH FIRE

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:04:12 -0800

KILL IT WITH FIRE

beautifulhorsemeat: German rosary, ivory and silver with...

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:04:42 -0800

beautifulhorsemeat:

German rosary, ivory and silver with partially gilded mounts, ca.1500–1525

My girlfriend likes this, while all of the women in my family like Pandora bracelets. Guess which one I understand.

drivenbyboredom: Count Cobula. Update: we have new information...

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:01:45 -0800

drivenbyboredom:

Count Cobula.

Update: we have new information that Count Cobula is in the Fuck Basket. Waiting.

theoddmentemporium: Krampus is a mythical creature recognized...

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 15:58:39 -0800

theoddmentemporium:

Krampus is a mythical creature recognized in Alpine countries. According to legend, Krampus accompanies Saint Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children. When the Krampus finds a particularly naughty child, it stuffs the child in its sack and carries the frightened child away to its lair, presumably to devour for its Christmas dinner.

One hoof foot, one claw foot!

Be nice during the year, kids, or the Krampus will put you in his Fuck Basket!

uglyrenaissancebabies: Giuliano Bugiardini, Scenes from the...

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 23:59:10 -0800

uglyrenaissancebabies:

Giuliano Bugiardini, Scenes from the Story of Tobias (2)

Public intox isn’t cool, baby. Get your shit together.

(submitted by artofjoe)

This baby doesn’t give a fuck. New role model.

I want to do this to my girlfriend. For realsies.

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 23:48:49 -0800

I want to do this to my girlfriend. For realsies.

mikeeaglestinks: killer bob lives. GET you with my DEVIL KNIFE

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 23:44:48 -0800

mikeeaglestinks:

killer bob lives.

GET you with my DEVIL KNIFE

vintagegal: Debbie Harry c. 1977 I would go straight-up...

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 23:10:54 -0800

vintagegal:

Debbie Harry c. 1977

I would go straight-up “Videodrome” on that shit.