I found a charming post on a comic book message board, where, in response to someone noting Alan Moore’s appreciation for classic super heroes, said something along the lines of Moore crapping (well, actually, “shitting”) on the superhero genre at every opportunity.
Wha huh? This person must never have read any Alan Moore comics. Ever. I really don’t get this attitude…every time a comic writer tries something new, different, and/or interesting within the confines of the superhero genre, reactionary fans get all up in arms about the “horrors” being perpetrated on their favorite characters. Moore and Grant Morrison seem to be regular targets, even though it escapes me how someone can read any of their superhero works and not feel the love that permeates each script. Watchmen really seems to set people off, especially among those people who don’t realize that it’s a comic about superheroes, not a superhero comic. (Yes, there’s a difference.) Any critique, any change, any deconstruction…it’s an “attack” because they “hate” superheroes.
Anyway, I hereby sentence that person to reread Whatever Happened to The Man of Tomorrow until he finally gets it.
You wanna read a superhero comic by people who actually do hate superheroes? Try the always-excellent Marshal Law by Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill.
