Hearing about All-Star #10 being recalled for it’s foul language, I tracked down this series I have not been reading and just read #9 which has an appearance by Green Lantern Hal Jordan.

Frank Miller really writes Batman as jerk, a-hole and quite frankly abusive towards Robin. Check out when he throws, punches and calls him a snot to Robin.

This whole Batman thinks he’s the only one right, and is an arrogant jerk, was something I first got a vibe on at the end of Dark Knight Returns. But on Miller’s sequel a few years ago Batman really was an a-hole.

With the All-Star series Miller’s vision of Batman is clear. He makes Batman arrogant, and most of all a jerk. And not someone a reader would like to get to know. Plus hubris is usually followed by a downfall, but Miller would never do that. Bottom line is his portrayal of Batman as a smug S.O.B. is not one I’m feeling, or interpret Batman to be.

Far as I’m concerned Frank Miller was great in the Dark Knight Returns series and Year One, but ever since then he has not portrayed a good Batman.

The first hint of this was his Batman portrayal in the teamup of Batman/Spawn in the McFarlane book in the 90’s published by the Image side. Great art, but study Miler’s Batman characterization, what you see now started then.

Sometimes you got to go with your gut. But as I was forum reading. A guy had a name, and had to change it cause DC Comics had a 3rd string character. Nothing alike yet the same name. So the first guy changed it.

The whole copy and trademark issue is crazy, and I think to a large degree unfair.

Cause how can a company like Marvel have a generic name like: Destroyer. For more then 1 character. And DC or others can share a generic name. Yet some independent guy uses a generic name and he gets a lawsuit?

I can understand unique word names like Batman.

But to use a name for a word in a dictionary, and then someone tries to sue you if you don’t change it. That makes no sense to me. It should be up for grabs.

That’s why combined names are probably safer. Such as instead of Orb. You say Black Orb.

And I know Marvel had a character called Solarr. With 2 r’s. And Dell owns Solar the character. But it seems the independent guy can’t get away with adding an extra letter usually cause it’s too similar. But I don’t know.

The really bad thing is having a great name you feel for, and knowing one day you got to alter it or add a word, as above said because of legal reasons. I got a bunch of solo word heroes.

Anyway I think that’s why the names of the old gods of myth, and zodiac symbols are safe.

For example if you call a character: Gemini, or Thor, Hercules and others. It’s safe. They can’t sue. How could they?

That’s why Leifeld had his own guy named Thor in his books.

The only thing is the visual, powers, history must not be based on established hero of that name. You got to go with your own idea of it, and whatever the legend of the character is. Stick with that and any creator should be safe.

I know Liefeld Thor had red hair, and Marvel had another Thor with red hair. But if for example you made a Thor with red hair. How could anyone sue? You can point to the PROOF of old texts that describe Thor with red hair.

They can’t argue with that. And if they did, they would lose. But then again, just make sure the haircut doesn’t look the same as the others.

But that’s just an example.

I finally read the Watchmen trade paperback, and to be honest: It was a good book. But I would not call it the best comic book I ever read. Or even in my top 10 favorites of all time.

Spoilers here in my review, so be warned.

What I really hated was the last two pages. I thought it totally undermined the book. I’ll get into more detail in a bit.

I thought Dr. Manhattan, and Nite Owl were just filler characters who did not add much to the story.

The Comedian also embodied nothing more then the sterotype of a Vietnam soldier who is crazy, racist, and a patriot.

The only interesting main character who moved the plot and was like a detective was Rorschach.

I thought only he proved to be a main character focus and who moved the story and all that happened. The other two, the Doctor and Nite Owl did not add much.

Rorschach who I recall John Byrne saying he was disappointed when he learned he was crazy. I actually was not disappointed. I also wouldn’t even call the character crazy. He’s extreme to one degree on his principles and is clearly Moore’s attempt at defining Steve Ditko’s view on things. And the Rorschach character seems like Mr. A, and the Question. (And the Question was the original story character to use because Watchmen was supposed to star the Charlton heroes. When it was decided not to use them. Moore basically made the Watchmen characters carbon copies of what he planned for the Charlton heroes.)

Also the unmasked Rorschach, I think Marvel Comics Carnage, in the form of his human identity Cletus Kasady looks similar. I wonder if Erik Larsen used good old Rorsch as a template?

Back to Watchmen, I know the journal part as a plot point made sense to show up in the end.
BUT I thought it undermined the whole story, and made the whole series meaningless.

Basically at the end, the “Smartest Man in The World” who plotted everything to perfection. Has his plot undone by a factor of: Random Chance, and a stumbling idiot who fluke chances his way into the journalistic story of the century.

If the true story was not exposed, the bad guy might have won. But the cost would have been World Peace, and it would have made the sacrifice of millions in New York blown up mean something. Ozymandias should have won.

Instead the Ozymandias plot will be exposed, and the millions sacrificed mean nothing. And the world will still stay at war.

The bad guy loses again, and the good guys win. And in the end, there is no big change to the world. Other then the millions killed by the bad guy.

The story to me, would have had much more of an impact without those final two pages undoing the whole story of Watchmen and Ozymandias.

Overall to me: It’s a good story, but not one I’d call the greatest comic series of all time. Or even in my time 10. I also rank the original Dark Knight Returns as better. Probably because I know and like the Batman character more.

It’s also clear to see that the TV show HEROES series 1 plot of blowing up New York was heavily influenced by Watchmen.

As well as the current Heroes season of Costa Verde blowing up was influenced by Marvel Comics Civil War of Stamford blowing up.

Perhaps that’s a topic for another post in that the Heroes TV show is just ripping off comic characters and stories left and right. But the shows ratings are now down this season and I think the shows gimmick has worn off with the public.