Frank Miller has announced a new Batman project, where Batman takes on Al Qaida, after an attack on Gotham City. The book, called Holy Terror, Batman!, is, in Miller’s words, “a piece of propaganda,” where “Batman kicks al Qaeda’s ass.” I must admit, this is a bit odd, because I think I learned the word jingoism from Frank Miller, but he obviously feels strongly about this project.
I’m going to try not to comment on what these companies should or should not do with their properties, or what stands they want to make on what issues, but I will say that I find this very interesting, for all sorts of reasons. I’m really curious what the media will say about this. And I can’t imagine the greater mass media won’t pick up on this. I definitely didn’t see this coming from Frank Miller though.
Your thoughts?
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He says it’s in the vein of the 40s comics where the superheroes often kicked Hitler and Tojo’s asses. Seems cool in a retro way.
Plus, someone needs to kick their ass, because we sure as hell aren’t.
I’m looking forward to this.
Batman VS Al-qaeda? Seems a little in the vein of ‘A Death In The Family’, eh?
I think this will gain so much media attention, from critics and people who think that it’s offensive. But I think my biggest concern is WHY Batman is fighting them?? Unless they strike at Gotham or something….Hmm…this may be interesting…
Batman VS Al-qaeda? Seems a little in the vein of ‘A Death In The Family’, eh?
Good point.
But I think my biggest concern is WHY Batman is fighting them?? Unless they strike at Gotham or something….
Didn’t read the article, didja? 😉
Didn’t read the first sentence! The sentence I wrote!
Okay, retro only works if you pick the coolness of the past time. Those comics where the superhero is beating up a “Jap” or Nazi are really quite embarrassing.
You know, we cannot be the simple-minded, propaganda-munching people we once were – mostly because of the WWII. The planet is small and growing smaller every day. We’ve all got to learn to get along and thing stupid “Us vs. Them” mentality doesn’t help.
PLUS, come on. Batman works because Batman lives in Batman World. We like Batman partially because Batman Lives in Batman World. Don’t bring him into our world. Please. I don’t care who you are – you could be the best writer in the world. Just don’t.
And, I also don’t trust Miller to represent what Al Queda really is because I’ve never seen the man do any type of research for his stories. Gah. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Those comics where the superhero is beating up a “Jap” or Nazi are really quite embarrassing.
Hindsight is 20/20. Sure it’s embarrassing now. Back then it wasn’t. If Frank Miller goes that route again it will be disgraceful, but I doubt he will.
And, I also don’t trust Miller to represent what Al Queda really is because I’ve never seen the man do any type of research for his stories.
Did you not read 300?
After reading the article, I am at least really interested.
He points out that superheroes are our new folk heroes. I kinda like that idea, especially since the stories are told (first run), retold (reprints and trades), continued (arcs) and embellished (retcon). Very folk-taley.
Batman vs. Al-Qaeda. Hmmmm. I mean, are they going to involve Ra’s Al Ghul? The League of Assasins/Shadows seems like a more organized version of Al-Qaeda. I could see it being a nice comics yarn. And, just because he will be fighting Al-Qaeda doesn’t mean he’s fighting OUR Al-Qaeda.
How the mighty have fallen. We’ve seen Frank go from making the best comic of his career (300) to pretty much allowing the Sin City franchise fall apart with the horrendously banile Hell & Back, and continuing his legacy with a mediocre revist to the Dark Knight universe.
And now this. If he can make it work, I’ll be tremendously impressed.
That said, this is not a good idea. Not only is this going to be percieved by a non-comics reading audience as a farce on a real-life threat(no thanks to the ridiculous title), but it’s a lame-brained concept. Think about it, this is something two fans would joke about over coffee at a brainstorming session of Batman versus…, then immediately move on. I just don’t think there’s much you can do with the concept.
A small part of me hopes this is a spoof, although I realize the likelihood of that is very low.
What I can’t imagine is how he has time to ink 200 pages while directing Sin City 2. Inking is an extremely time-consuming process even with the signficantly looser style he’s working with these days.
I very much agree with what Thom said.
However, I can’t speak to the inking thing.
Also, I have to specifically second that 300 is utterly magnificient. If it was the only thing he ever did, that would be OK with me. I never really loved Sin City that much, but I can see the appeal. Dark Knight Returns is magnificent, and the Daredevil stuff is pretty good. It’s one of those things that’s extremely important to the history of the comics industry, but reading in hindsight, I didn’t think it was a shining diamond, like I do reading 300 and DKR.
Sort of like how people say All in the Family, or MASH are great TV shows, and they may well be, but I don’t really think they are as funny to my generation, because sometimes, when you start the cliche, by the time you get back into the history of things, you only see the cliche.
Does that make any sense?
The snickering has already started:
http://comicbookresources.com/news/preview.php?image=litg/obl.jpg
That is funny for so many reasons. I totally forgot those fruit pie ads, also, the fruit pies were nasty, excepting the TMNT ones with unknown green pudding inside.
But the colors are the best part. That’s hilarious. Why in the name of all that is holy would Lyn Varley switch to computer color if A) she can’t do it, and B) she’s a fucking genius with the old way of doing it?
I assume this is where you saw that cartoon?
http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=13
About halfway down are some notes and links of the strange re-emergence of Frank Miller:
Frank Miller has hit the papers this week, promoting “Holy Terror Batman,” originally LITG-scooped back in August 2004.
He’s written a few diatribes of late, going all Anne Coulter on Middle East terrorists, while condemning anyone who might suggest that torture is not the ideal way to deal with suspects.
You’ll have your own, but my favourite is probably, “Almost half my country equates flushing a Koran down a toilet with sawing the head off an innocent contractor.” Somehow I don’t quite believe that’s quite true.
One wonders if he was quite so forthright with Mickey Rourke, star of the “Sin City” movie Miller directed, who over ten years ago donated a share of his fee for “Frasncisco” to the IRA, and who openly admitted to Frank that he modelled his Marv walk on IRA terrorists – something Frank was more than pleased to share.
Maybe that will be on the Special Edition DVD. Possibly an Easter Egg.
And my favourite take on the current media furore that puts to shame even my appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Programme yesterday to shame, (the afore-linked cartoon appears here)
That cartoon art can’t be real, right? If it is then Miller has lost his marbles. If it’s a parody then it’s brilliant.
I think it’s a parody. And I think it’s brilliant.
If it’s not a parody, that means this whole thing is a joke, and that would be the best thing ever.