“Great, the screen door must have a rip again.”
Thunderbolts #3
Marvel Comics (June, 1997)
“Too Many Masters!”
WRITER: Kurt Busiek
PENCILER: Mark Bagley
INKER: Vince Russell
COLORIST: Joe Rosas
LETTERER: Dave Lamphear
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
I wish I had more time to devote to this topic, but I’ve been preoccupied with another topic this summer. Anyway, Marvel has announced its New 53 (because reminding us of DC’s New 52 isn’t recognized as a dumb idea), a return of classic numbering and classic characters alongside the new ones, which is all classic fans actually asked for. Imagine seeing Iron Man mentor Ironheart and how that changes Tony for the better. Of course, if you have to sell your new direction as “heroes fighting villains again”, you get an idea as to how badly Marvel has taken one of their tropes lately.
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Declaration-of-independence-broadside-cropped (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Every year BW Media Spotlight takes the Fourth Of July to showcase a reading of the Declaration Of Independence, to remind my readers that Independence Day isn’t just some lame but enjoyable movie with space aliens blowing up the White House. This is the day when the United States Of America decided to throw off the yoke of a tyrannical king so removed from the needs of the 12 colonies that Great Britain might as well be a foreign power. This is where the line was drawn and a long war would follow for America to gain the right to govern itself by the will of the people rather than unelected officials. (Although some would claim we just gave the power to elected officials who don’t always serve our will or best interest but that’s another discussion.)
This year’s reading comes from the History Channel series Sons Of Liberty and is read by Jason O’Mara playing George Washington, the general who led the US through the War Of Independence. I like this one because you can read along and you get to see some nice visuals related to what happened…and what was to come. Since my nighttime posts are right now taken over by a special review series, I present this bonus posting hoping everyone gets to see it. Happy Independence Day to Americans and I hope the rest of you get to have a happy July 4th as well.
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Normally, Chapter By Chapter is me reading a fictional book one chapter at a time to study each part of the story. In this special review series however we are looking at Seduction Of The Innocent, a non-fiction book as the writer, Dr. Fredric Wertham, tries to make the case that comics were a bad thing for kids in the 1950s. The book had a huge impact on the comic industry and fans. We will examine what he is saying not exclusively by today’s standards, but the time in which the book was made to see where Wertham was right, and where he was horribly wrong.
The Effects of Comic Books on Children
“A man who gives a wrong twist to your mind, meddles with you just as truly as if he hit you in the eye; the mark may be less painful, but it’s more lasting.
– Santayana
And lately “horribly wrong” has been the order of the day. Even when he gets something right, it’s followed by something wrong. In this week’s examination we have treatment of women, Wertham continuing to misunderstand Superman, the treatment of other races, notably blacks and Asians, and nightmares because I do not understand what convinces Wertham to group things together in a chapter. I will say this, though. There is something in that list that I almost entirely agree with him on, and it’s one that’s still debated to this day with good reason even though comics in the 2010s are better at it than they were in the 1950s. Meanwhile there is something that he is clearly a product of his time about as well.
This should be fun, but it won’t be.
Chapter 4: The Wrong Twist
Unlike Wertham I believe in context so read the chapter first.
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I usually make a joke here, but you’ll see why that’s a problem for me in the review.
The Demon #0
DC Comics (October, 1994)
“Zero Hour”
WRITER: Garth Ennis
ARTIST: John McCrea
COLORIST: Stu Chaifetz
LETTERER: Willie Schubert
EDITOR: Peter Tomasi
CONCEPT CREATOR: Jack Kirby
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I see the live-action theatrical status symbol is rearing its ugly head yet again. I don’t understand this insistence that every cartoon has to have a live-action version made of it. Peabody & Sherman from what I hear was good and that was animated. But ICv2 reports that they’re shopping around a live-action television series based on The Jetsons. Why?
Chapter By Chapter Special: Seduction Of The Innocent ch. 4 part 2
Yesterday we looked at more of Dr. Fredric Wertham trying to blame comics that kids shouldn’t be reading for the actions of kids. Not kids being kids, mind you, but kids doing questionable things. Today we learn that comics are the enemy of a good education, even comics created to be educational. Prepare for more “books are better than comics” snobbery. Read along with us, folks.
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Posted by ShadowWing Tronix on July 4, 2017 in Comic Spotlight, Seduction Of The Innocent and tagged book review, Chapter By Chapter, commentary, Dr. Fredric Wertham, Seduction Of The Innocent.
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