One of the problems I've been having w/comics over the past couple decades is what I call the "Mopey Matt Syndrome", after how EVERYTHING always seems to turn to crap for Matt Murdock in DAREDEVIL, every time without fail. (Yeah - the irony that Tammy and I are now writing a character who originated in DAREDEVIL hasn't escaped me, either.) Somewhere comic book writers and editors got the idea that they could make their comics "deep" (and therefore closer to, you know, "real literature"!) by piling bad things on top of their angst-ridden heroes so they'd be even MORE angst-ridden, and could carry on about it for pages and pages without end.
Thing is, I'm old enough to remember that it began in reaction to the "perfect" superheroes of DC who only dealt with external conflicts and always got along fine with the authorities and each other. When Stan Lee, Jack Kirty, Steve Ditko et al first introduced Peter Parker aka The Amazing Spider-Man whose life was a sort of dark mirror of Superman's (i.e., instead of crusty-but-benign DAILY PLANET Editor Perry White as a boss, Peter got bullying, bigoted, exploitative tabloid BUGLE Publisher J. Jonah Jameson who gleefully whipped up public sentiment against his Spider-man alter ego!), it genuinely WAS fresh and innovative - but that was 45 years ago. By now, I've lived through Aunt May's and Mary Jane Watson-Parker's deaths (and rebirths!), Tony Stark's alcoholism, three (or is it four?) Robins, two Batgirls, Superman's and Green Arrow's deaths and rebirths, Batman recovering from a career-ending spinal injury, an Infinite Crisis, a Crisis on Infinite Earths and a Marvel Civil War...and both Green Lantern AND DareDevil staggering off, weeping crocodile tears behind a trail of dead wives and/or girlfriends (and yes, I include Foggy Nelson in the "dead wife" category). At this point, "I'm a superhero and my life is Hell" is an even bigger cliche than "I'm a superhero, and my powers solve all life's little problems" - and a LOT less satisfying to read about.
Honestly, I don't know how well WHITE TIGER is doing for Marvel - but from some of the feedback, it sounds like Tammy and I aren't the only ones who'd like to read a book about a superhero whose life doesn't constantly turn to crap, and who uses her gifts to triumph over adversity rather than be buried under it. It isn't and shouldn't be ALL good - but a balance between the bad and the good seems like a fun comic to write, at least to me.
Best, Tim Liebe Dreaded Spouse-Creature (http://spousecreature.blogspot.com/) of Tamora Pierce (http://www.tamorapierce.com/) - and co-writer of Marvel's White Tiger (http://www.tamorapierce.com/marvel.htm) comic
PS: We pay off the Emma Frost running gag in WT#4! ;)
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-02-06 05:03 pm (UTC)One of the problems I've been having w/comics over the past couple decades is what I call the "Mopey Matt Syndrome", after how EVERYTHING always seems to turn to crap for Matt Murdock in DAREDEVIL, every time without fail. (Yeah - the irony that Tammy and I are now writing a character who originated in DAREDEVIL hasn't escaped me, either.) Somewhere comic book writers and editors got the idea that they could make their comics "deep" (and therefore closer to, you know, "real literature"!) by piling bad things on top of their angst-ridden heroes so they'd be even MORE angst-ridden, and could carry on about it for pages and pages without end.
Thing is, I'm old enough to remember that it began in reaction to the "perfect" superheroes of DC who only dealt with external conflicts and always got along fine with the authorities and each other. When Stan Lee, Jack Kirty, Steve Ditko et al first introduced Peter Parker aka The Amazing Spider-Man whose life was a sort of dark mirror of Superman's (i.e., instead of crusty-but-benign DAILY PLANET Editor Perry White as a boss, Peter got bullying, bigoted, exploitative tabloid BUGLE Publisher J. Jonah Jameson who gleefully whipped up public sentiment against his Spider-man alter ego!), it genuinely WAS fresh and innovative - but that was 45 years ago. By now, I've lived through Aunt May's and Mary Jane Watson-Parker's deaths (and rebirths!), Tony Stark's alcoholism, three (or is it four?) Robins, two Batgirls, Superman's and Green Arrow's deaths and rebirths, Batman recovering from a career-ending spinal injury, an Infinite Crisis, a Crisis on Infinite Earths and a Marvel Civil War...and both Green Lantern AND DareDevil staggering off, weeping crocodile tears behind a trail of dead wives and/or girlfriends (and yes, I include Foggy Nelson in the "dead wife" category). At this point, "I'm a superhero and my life is Hell" is an even bigger cliche than "I'm a superhero, and my powers solve all life's little problems" - and a LOT less satisfying to read about.
Honestly, I don't know how well WHITE TIGER is doing for Marvel - but from some of the feedback, it sounds like Tammy and I aren't the only ones who'd like to read a book about a superhero whose life doesn't constantly turn to crap, and who uses her gifts to triumph over adversity rather than be buried under it. It isn't and shouldn't be ALL good - but a balance between the bad and the good seems like a fun comic to write, at least to me.
Best,
Tim Liebe
Dreaded Spouse-Creature (http://spousecreature.blogspot.com/) of Tamora Pierce (http://www.tamorapierce.com/)
- and co-writer of Marvel's White Tiger (http://www.tamorapierce.com/marvel.htm) comic
PS: We pay off the Emma Frost running gag in WT#4! ;)