If anyone still wonders why comic book fans are up in arms over the desecration of their hobby by malicious SJW writers, artists, and editors, this Twitter exchange perfectly sums up the controversy:
Got that? comics industry SJWs push for more “diversity”, by which they mean ideological conformity. Fans note that Marvel’s sales collapsed after making Thor a woman, Iron Man a black teenage girl, Captain America a Nazi, and Ice Man gay; and they question the wisdom of imposing such diversity. SJW writers simultaneously argue that diversity
- Has inherent value
- Is a creative decision; therefore subjective; therefore of no inherent value.
Both of which non-arguments glibly ignore the fact that Marvel is in a death spiral because they keep intentionally pissing off their readers. Note to Nick and Marvel: if your sales are tanking and your readers tell you “This fake diversity crap is why we dropped you like assault charges against a rich girl in a British court,” you can lecture them on intersectionality all you want. You’ll still be struggling to keep the lights on.
Then again, I can see how basic economics might escape a guy who calls himself @StarvingAuthor.
This type of tone deaf finger-wagging in response to audience demand is how you get #ComicsGate. For those who are new to the party, it’s like a negative image of #GamerGate. Instead of corrupt journalists colluding against creators and consumers, you now have corrupt creators colluding against critics and fans.
For the full rundown on #ComicsGate, check out this episode of the JimFear138 podcast [NSFW language alert].
As Jim and others have pointed out, foreign comics like My Hero Academia are now roundly beating American comic book studios at the game they invented: telling fun stories about heroic heroes fighting villainous villains in a universe that takes objective morality for granted.
It’s telling that guys like Nick deny objective artistic standards, aka objective beauty. It goes hand-in-hand with their denial of objective right and wrong.
Writing epic tales of flawed but good good guys squaring off against bad bad guys is an endeavor I have some experience with. If you’re looking for novels with a real diversity and depth of character and zero political posturing, give my award-winning Soul Cycle a shot.
Nick doesn't get that you don't get lauded just because someone parked your butt in the Writer's Chair. Weak-sauce writers like Nick and rotoscoping artists are killing the 'mainstream' comic medium.
What a wonderful void these waifs, who are totally lacking in self-reflection, are leaving for real creators.
Warm up the writing and drawing tools, gang!
Good point. The hideous art might be even worse than the agitprop writing.
Drawing from photos looks flat and lifeless. Look at the post JCW did on an issue of — kak! — "Generations".
The characters are static with no intrinsic dynamism. This is one of the reasons that life drawing can help an artist. There is a thread of tension that comes from having the model hold a pose for a bit that an artist can capture that often doesn't show in photos.
This artist likely has a good many pose books or he has models he photographs. Little real world experience with non-static items is in evidence.
Poses are straight on and have no cinematic flavor or flair. Check out Stan Lee and John Buscema's "How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way." Or rather, this person should check it out. Feh. Lame.
The result is a series of characters that look like they are posed figures (dolls) who don't relate to one another, especially when in proximity to one another.
Don't get me started on the backwash that people claim is "art" in the first six or eight issues of Waid's Avengers. Clown Patrol.
My brother was a pretty big comics guy back in the day. He rarely reads them now, and, if he does, it's usually non-marval/DC comics because those tend to be freer of the sort of crap infesting Marvel and apparently DC to some extent. I told him about Alt-Hero and he was very excited. He was willing to spend decent money for good stuff.
Pains me to see that mainstream conservatives are too "proper" to tap into the opportunities afforded to us in the arts. There is huge demand for good stories, art, and music out there. Good thing there are still people out there trying to exploit this opportunity
It was conservatives who surrendered the arts without a fight in the first place.
And once again this raises some fascinating questions?
Why for example are the European,Least in American and Asian largely immune?
One reason is language. The Romance languages could tolerate neutralization without becoming gibberish. Also There's Esperanto.
For the Asian languages the ideograph also convey rather specific ideas that if you oversupply it becomes problematic( c.f. the Chicom reforms on contrast to Taiwan for the problems).
So as much as disagree with Orwell on his essay on the English language,he makes some useful reviews
of the purpose of language.
xavier
Is a creative decision a good idea? There's a simple barometer for that.
If fans approve, then yes.
If fans do not approve, then no.
I don't expect someone who makes art for 1% of the 1% to understand the concept of fans, though.
Very good point I keep forgetting. The role of entertainment is for the reader/watchers and listeners to enjoy it. If they don't the creators need to check what happened and make changes.
Insulting your fans is both disrespectful and bad business.
xavier
Re-introducing the old Spider-Clone plot and having a 'twist' that the Peter Parker readers knew for years was the clone was a creative decision. Having Iron Man turn out to be a villain in Avengers the crossing (and claiming he was always a villain) was a creative decision. Introducing a new Dr. Fate that had nothing in common with the old versions of the character (and didn't even have the iconic helmet) was a creative decision.
So tell us again how creative decisions can't be bad ideas.
Exactly
In addition to being 'not very creative'.
This is the story of SJWs and Current Year Marvel: untalented, uncreative people making horrible decisions.
Not horrible for the Narrative; just for the Company.
SJWs can't create. Not won't: CAN'T.
Not one of the SJWs in the comic world have created anything that isn't a play on an old storyline or a reference to a piece of their childhood.
This is why looking at portfolios before hiring at creative industries should be mandatory. No one with a brain would have hired a hack like Heather Antos whose only credit before Marvel was a failed kickstarter project that gave out a poorly edited final product.
The biggest comic company in the world hiring someone with no clue how to do her job? It's no mystery that they're currently failing.