Posted by Darth Dobbin at 208-58-251-191.s191.tnt2.nwhv.ct.dialup.rcn.com on June 21, 2001 at 19:32:52:
In Reply to: Re: Dobbin: regarding WATCHMEN and DARK KNIGHT RETURNS posted by Homerbert on June 21, 2001 at 18:05:53:
I'm admittedly a specific NON-booster of the "No spandex, lots of swearing, sex, blasphemy and violence" style, as you put it. I think that most of those titles are just relatively non-interesting stories, with relatively non-interesting pictures attached. If I want Andrew Vachss novel, I'll read an Andrew Vachss novel, without pictures. I personally feel (and this is just my opinion, mind you) that MOST comic books that aren't "comic books" i.e. the type you mention-are pretty worthless and will not stand any test of time. They are this generations "THE 'NAM." Big deal when released, destined for quarter-bins.
Much like Jazz or Blues, superhero comics are an American artform (now done much better by the British; curses!), and as such, DARK KNIGHT and WATCHMEN both are seminal works. The "no spandex/swearing" ones, to me, seem sort of like a pseudo-intellectual rejection of the convention, and have a sophomoric need to "shock" with language and content, to prove how "not comic-booky" they are. Feh.
But again, DARK KNIGHT and WATCHMEN both happened at the right time and place, and were milestones. The books you mention may have their merits and their supporters, but none of them has had the impact or industry-changing effects that Miller's and Moore's work has.
In any case, I'm glad Kevin is writing GREEN ARROW now, and hope that his runs on books will go into that "classic" status in years to come.