Friday, July 06, 2007

Recommended Reading Before Work

More Stereotypes than Meets the Eye -- Okay, I'm a sucker for movies that involve explosions and aliens so I missed the vast majority of what she points out (Except for Jazz. I couldn't believe that one when I saw it). Nora (guest-blogging at ABW) has a much better rundown of the issues with Transformers than I would be able to offer.

Well, okay, I have a rant on the exclusion of Arcee in me, but that has to wait until I can find the interview and read the exact wording on why she was dropped.

Thank you, Judd Winick -- Kalinara lays out the most recent reasons why Judd Winick shouldn't be writing superheroes.

Seriously, I think Brad Meltzer could be saved with some pointers on the importance of action, but Winick seems to think his writing is relevant, trendy and revolutionary when its the same old sexist cliches dug up and used with an unhealthy mix of bad characterization.

12 comments:

  1. Brad Meltzer needs an iron editorial grip, like he has on his novels. In addition to gallons and gallons of therapy.

    I don't think he hates women per se, I think he's just terrified of communicating with them. IdC is all about keeping secrets from the girls, because they can't handle it.

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  2. IdC is all about keeping secrets from the girls, because they can't handle it.

    How do you figure? I mean, when it comes to the main secrets, the mind altering, Zatanna and Dinah were both in on the secret. Ollie specifically mentions not telling Diana and CLARK because they couldn't handle it, and Wally and Kyle were the kids to be protected by the knowledge until they were confronted with it.

    Ralph AND Sue weren't aware of the mind altering and sure Jean went crazy, but that wasn't really a "couldn't handle it" moment so much as a "crazy new villainess" moment.

    Honestly, aside from the gratuitous rape-as-mindwipe motive, I thought IDC was pretty even handed with the portrayals of the women.

    Now the fight with Deathstroke, THAT was problematic.

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  3. Yeah, ban Winnick forever more from DC so that he will have no choice but to toil writing more Barry Ween...

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  4. Kalinara: but Ray Palmer's decision to share his life with Jean, and Ralph's decision to be public with his identity, thus making Sue a target, are seen as Bad Things.

    Meltzer's justification of Jean knowing the identity of Tim Drake is because she was around the superhero community. Ray shared with her. Tim's father died because of it.

    And the main decision making women of the inner circle- they are on the sidelines for most of the thing. Zatanna did the mindwipes, she made the big decision, but she plays a relatively small part in the story.

    I could spend all day writing about what I thought was wrong with IdC. but it wouldn't really matter.

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  5. Dan -- I imagine it might help to get it off your chest.

    But not in my comment section. Its high time you got yourself a blog.

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  6. ...the same old sexist cliches dug up and used with an unhealthy mix of bad characterization."

    Well really, that just sums it all up rather neatly.

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  7. Ragnell: Thanks, but... I'm not sure a blog would be right for me.

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  8. Dan -- I'm sure it would. See, you like to get on your soapbox like the rest of us, you just tend to use other people's comment threads to do it.

    You need your own soapbox. Rant about women, I'll link it on WFA, you'll get a conversation going and it'll be your own little home place.

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  9. Well, if you would like me to tone down my comments, I'll surely do that. The thing about having a blog is... I'm already pretty angry. I've already probably said things that will come back to haunt me. I don't want to get so wrapped up in things that I wind up like James Meeley.

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  10. Dan -- Doesn't commenting get you into the same problem, and on another person's site at that?

    Do a search on your name and Brad Meltzer's together. Your comments still come up. You aren't protecting yourself any, you're just putting your rage under someone else's control, because its not on your site, its on their site and they can moderate the comments as they see fit.

    Honestly, your strategy there is pointless. I mean, you're already in the same boat as Meeley because if you remember he kept his ranting off his blog and did it on other people's comment sections. It still came back to haunt him.

    I could tell you to tone it down here, but I don't want to, I just find some of your comments a bit impromptu. I don't feel every mention of Brad Meltzer needs an IDC rant attached to it, but you seem to have a lot of pent-up rage because everytime you see Meltzer's name you treat us to an IDC mini-comment. You are probably better off getting it out of your system in your own territory.

    If you're worried about your anger coming back to haunt you, pre-write your post and edit out the particularly egregious parts before you publish.

    But seriously, your real name is attached to all of your comments, and they are on other people's sites, still searchable. You are not protecting yourself in any way this way. At least with your own blog you can mark it private or take it off the search engines.

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  11. Yeah, Dan, get a blog! Not to gang up on you or anything. ;)

    Have I not said this before? I have indeed. Just get a little ol' blogspot thingy and post whenever you feel like it - I'd imagine you have a lot more to say beyond what we read in comment sections.

    Dan Coyle Blog: I'd read it.

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  12. Ragnell: Understood. I think it's best if I just shut up about Meltzer, period.

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