Vom's Theory of Art and Hatefest essay

[vom_marlowe]

As part of Hooded Utilitarian's blogiversary, Noah's running a Hatefest.  He invited us to write about the comic we thought was most overrated, that we hated the most, or that we found the worst in whatever way.

I chose Alex Ross and wrote four thousand words about why I think it's terrible art. 

(If you are uncomfortable with negative type reviews, this probably will not be something you'll enjoy.)

Comments

[heavenscalyx]

You know, there are many things it has taken me years to pick apart as things I didn't like about that book, but you've nailed one that I have not previously been able to analyze or articulate. Thank you!

[vom_marlowe]

My pleasure! I'm curious what you discovered you didn't like about it, if you're interested in sharing.

[heavenscalyx]

Well, there's the Wonder Woman as prize for the big man issue you mentioned. Also the fact that, other than WW, no women had any significant role in the story (Oh look! Black Canary's dead so Green Arrow can be Sad. Catwoman has brought the Riddler into the group, and they're both kind of funny. The junior Marvels -- even Mary, who has a TOTALLY DIFFERENT SET OF PATRON DEITIES -- still aren't nearly as powerful as Captain Marvel.). Also the maddening fact of Superman and his group using a term like Gulag, which totally isn't historically loaded at ALL, to do something STUPID that they TOTALLY KNOW BETTER THAN TO DO, just to further the rather idiotic idea of apocalypse. Also? Someone in the government thinking that, after a nuclear incident has already damaged the country, a nuclear bomb COULDN'T POSSIBLY MAKE IT ANY WORSE?

I like the callouts and references to old heroes. (Though I spent a lot of time wondering where the heck Starfire had got to, and also how Starfire and Dick had managed to reproduce.) But the storyline was one of the stupidest, most slapped together pieces of crap I think I've seen in a supposedly-awesome comic in my life, totally NOT offset by, as you point out, whimsy or cheese or even the vaguest hint of camp. AND insanely sexist. And, and, and.

Yeah.

[kore]

I loved that. You also helped me pinpoint why I really don't like some hyper-realist comics, and some live-action movies adapted from comics.

[vom_marlowe]

Aw, thank you! I find that my pleasure in live-action comics is heavily dependent on whether the movie goes for the 'realism' angle or whether it behaves more like Strictly Ballroom did (did you ever see that? one of my favorite movies of all time). I thought Iron Man was OK, despite the jingoism, because Downey Jr pulled off the charisma and added enough silliness that I could go along for the ride.

I tried to watch Hellboy with my mom one time (she has a secret fondness for comics), and she said, trying very hard to be kind (as she does), "Well, I'm sure it's hard to get animation to behave like a person, but they didn't do too badly with that demon guy". I laughed myself sick and pointed out that the demon guy was a human actor in a suit, but she didn't believe me until we looked it up online.

[sparkymonster]

YAY!! I fucking loathe Alex Ross' art and thought "Kingdom Come" was waaaay overrated. Perhaps when someone gave it to a friend as the "perfect" intro to superhero comics I lost my mind and gave her a pile of other stuff.

I've always hated the Bruce Wayne exoskelton and you've pinpointed exactly why. Thank you.

I also hate that the white guys all blur together. He doesn't do a good job of differentiating between faces or body types. Batman at any time shouldn't have the same body as Superman. Supes isn't strong due to big muscles but because of the whole red sun/yellow sun situation. URGH. Aquaman should also look different and have a swimmer's body. Also ARGHFJLJSDKLFDJKSL.

I hate how everyone is squinty. I hate that women often look vacant in the eyes. I hate the stiffness of his comic panels. It always looks like a freezeframe to me. No energy, tension or dynamism in the art. Just ugly blahness.

[heavenscalyx]

OMG YES.

I have to quote myself here. One of my characters in Wonder City, talking about the Ultimate, my Superman-equivalent:

"She's fat -- do you know how hard it is to build up a sweat, much less muscles, when you can natively bench-press a planet?"