The Darkness of DC: We Can Dig It

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As a writer of fiction, I can tell you that sometimes there is a need for darkness. Your tone is directly dependent upon the world that you’ve created. I think that’s why the contrast between the Marvel and DC Cinematic universes tends to get audiences buzzing.

It’s no secret that I’m a big DC fan, even though I also enjoy Marvel. Personally, I feel that the market has left DC understated until recently. I’ve been excited to see official DC theatrical releases in the pipeline. The thing that troubles me, however, is this constant comparison between Marvel and DC and the tendency to devalue DC films for being “too dark.”

Who wasn’t super-flipped-out to see the full Justice League trailer? I know I popped some popcorn and watched the thing dozens of times. So, imagine how surprised I was to see the headline on Wired.com that read “The New Justice League Trailer Is Everything Wrong with DC’s Dark Movie Universe.”

As I’ve said, just because I favor DC doesn’t mean that I don’t love Marvel. Spiderman is one of my absolute favs, and I’m super-excited to see Homecoming! However, I can’t help but feel that a lot of the negativity surrounding DC cinema is because it’s not a carbon copy of the Marvel style.

DBVSNow, writing and execution aside, let’s explore this idea using a general subset of critical responses for Dawn of Justice as an example.

  • From the Boston Globe: “‘Batman v Superman’ is dark and chaotic”
  • From CinemaBlend: “Batman V Superman Trailer: Is This Too Dark For Superman?”
  • From Rotten Tomatoes:
  • A movie that beats you into submission and makes you wonder if the sun will ever come out
  • Remember when comic book movies were fun? Well, you’ll have to use your memory because there’s not much fun to be found in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
  • The superhero world needed better storytelling, a comic touch and more than a few rays of sunshine.

This general disdain for “darkness” distresses me. It seems like the current expectation is that all movies in the superhero genre be overflowing with slapstick moments and rainbows. If I were to rate Dawn of Justice on a literal scale of 0-100%, I would place it at a firm 77%. Even with me being a die-hard DC fan, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the movie was a perfect balance in execution and style. There were indeed moments I would have done differently were I to have been in the Director’s seat, and certainly, if I would have been writing the script. I wasn’t overly excited with Jesse Eisenberg as Luthor, and his portrayal of the character tended to have a more “Joker-esque” quality. I was also thrown a bit by the scene where Flash appears in Bruce’s “dream.”

DARK KNIGHTI guess what I am saying is, my love for DC doesn’t lead me to plug the movie as a work of cinematic art. However, I do greatly appreciate the film and its overall presentation. I found it a solid start for the new universe. To me, it was a very formidable flick, especially for those who were familiar with Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller. Now, some may argue that point, and I appreciate your view completely. Nevertheless, I feel that audiences may need to step away from the expectation that every superhero film needs to include gallons of vibrant color and loads of laughs.

With the forthcoming release of Justice League, I am confident that we will see more humor. Those who seek a more fun-loving premise should find enough comedy to wet their whistle. I just hope that moviegoers pause and understand that in the world of superheroes, sometimes there is gloom, and this should be expected in some films, at least to some degree.

Hope cannot always shine through the darkness if not occasionally buried in the shadows.

FFI’s Graphic History of Graphic Novels

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You know you love them. Sure…you may act like you don’t. You probably have an entire collection of them tucked away in a remote corner of your house somewhere. Comic books have entertained the minds of the young and old alike for generations. They have been an invaluable asset to our imagination and our passageway into the fantastic. Conversely, many of us take comics for granted, not seeing the vast amount of time, effort, and endless talent that is poured into the history of each and every story.

Telling tales with pictures existed long before language and prose. Evidence of prehistoric Stan Lees is sketched all over ancient cave walls around the world. Even tapestries of the Middle Ages were designed to tell intricate stories and serve as history lessons for future generations.

These things have led society to present day comics and graphic novels.

So, what is the difference between a comic book and a graphic novel? Simply, it is length of the overall work that separates one form from the other. Both mediums are presented in the familiar sequential art design, combining text, panels, and images. However, a comic book is around twenty – thirty pages where a graphic novel can span hundreds of pages. I compare the two to television broadcasts versus theatrical motion pictures. An episode of RAISING HOPE will run about twenty minutes, whereas the movie HOPE FLOATS runs nearly two hours.

Though there have been some slight debate, the first recognized comic/graphic novel that debuted in the United States is considered to be The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck published in 1842. As historians examined the evolution of comics in the U.S., they established several historical phases, or ages:

Proto-comic books and the Platinum Age

The earliest of comics, these were assortments of comic strips that were gathered and compiled into hardcover collections. The Yellow Kid in McFadden’s Flats (G. W. Dillingham Company, 1897), and The Funnies and Funnies on Parade (Dell Publishing/George T. Delacorte Jr., 1929) are proto-comic books that came to life in the Platinum Age.

Golden Age

Ah…the birth of the superhero. Action Comics #1 emerged in June 1938 and with it came the birth of the dude known to all as Superman. This started it all, even down to the superhero tights. Action became the print with the second-largest number of issues trailing Dell Comics’ Four Color. World War II delivered mass-market appeal for superhero comics, which not only provided cost-effective entertainment, but gave citizens a sense of invulnerability and power at a time where many were afraid. This era spawned heroes such as Captain Marvel and Captain America. After the war, the need for the superhero declined dramatically making room for more comical plots, like those in Archie Comics and Walt Disney. With the exception of whom I refer to as the “big three” (Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman), superheroes were mostly extinct by 1952.

Silver Age

BUT—you can’t keep a good hero down and the mid-50’s into the early 60’s saw a reprieve for the wonderful superhero. The two publishing titans—Marvel and DC—hatched a plethora of incredibles: Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Fantastic Four, and who could ever forget Spiderman (Amazing Fantasy#15 – 1962)? Radioactive accidents were everywhere!

Bronze Age

A more mature comic began to show its face during the 70’s through the mid-80’s. Social issues were the hot topics and comics weren’t going to turn a blind eye to our collective challenges. It’s said there is no distinct line that heralded the beginning of the Bronze Age but rather a soup of occurrences that brought about its existence. The onset of the Bronze Age overlapped with multiple career changes in the comics industry of the time ranging from promotions to departures to all-out beheadings. This allowed a newer, younger group into the mix. Additionally, marketing changes erupted, moving comics away from the cheaper newsstands to the newer specialty/comic book stores, which I still believe are some of the coolest places on earth.

Copper Age/Modern Age – Then and Today

Change is exciting! Since the late 80’s, comics and graphic novels have evolved into a species adored by many. It is now a lifestyle that is fed by the coolness of knowing what The Watchmen is about, or knowing why Scott Pilgrim is fighting the world. We’ve seen an ample rise in the independent publisher who has and will continue to deliver the freshest in entertainment. Superheroes are all over the movies today and the stories of graphic novels and comics dominate the box office. Massive events like WonderCon and Comi-Con are the places to be, not only for us “nerds” who rule the world, but the celebrities who want to be cool enough to be invited with us. Consoles like Playstation 3/4, Xbox 360/One, and Wii have granted even deeper wishes providing all of the role playing adventure we can tolerate. We’ve seen the rise of the conflicted anti-hero, like The Dark Knight, who has challenged the blissful humanitarian heroes of the past.

And it continues to change; it continues to grow.

Yes, the world of comics, video games, action figures, and collectibles is no longer for the goofy guy living in his parent’s basement. It is a domain where those who don’t get it…don’t get it. In the immortal words of Sheldon Cooper…

Sheldon Cooper: [Holding the latest issue of The Flash] Hello, Fastest Man Alive. Wanna see me read your entire comic book? [Flips quickly through comic] Wanna see it again??

References and Reads

Royal Quiet DeLuxe

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No author is perfect; however, some have come very close to it. Take Ernest Hemingway for example. Hemingway once said, “There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it’s like drilling rock, and then blasting it out with charges.” He cherished Royal typewriters and used the Royal Quiet DeLuxe line. Well, let me tell you, these bulky machines were anything but quiet. Still, Hemingway loved them. He would stand as he wrote, which makes perfect sense seeing that it took an act of Congress to press the keys.

I don’t think authors begin their career feeling like an author. I believe true authors are born, not created. They enter this world with the unique ability to blend grammar and style with storytelling to weave worlds of imagination. It’s a talent I don’t think can be mimicked or replicated. A writer may spend many years writing, but not feeling like a true author. Some consider publication the point where authors are born.

I can tell you this is not true.

Some published writers are only writers who were lucky enough to receive a buck. I’ve read enough books to know that publication doth not an author make. I think that being an author is a 50/25/25 split.

25% is the ability to create, to imagine. You have to be able to visualize worlds that don’t exist and then bring them to life.

Another 25% is the ability to learn. A true author is never perfect, even though some are terribly close. There is always room to learn and grow. Expanding grammar, composition, and style is essential.

50% of the entire equation is the ability to believe, to envision your success, your ability, and, most importantly, your talent. If you don’t believe that you are an author, you’ll never be one (also you won’t ever fly with Peter Pan).

A few years ago, a very special friend of mine presented me with a gift, one of those out of the blue things. I came in from work to find a huge box with a large bow sitting on the table in the middle of my kitchen along with an accompanying letter. The letter was a heartfelt testament to my determination to become a successful author, the faith they had in me, and how they believed I would find my dream.

I opened the gift to find that I now possessed a genuine 1941 Royal Quiet DeLuxe typewriter, which was nearly in mint condition. I sat there holding the bulky thing in awe, feeling its weight, pressing its keys, and typing my name over and over again. I wondered how many of the great authors from history sat in front of a machine just like it, typing away with no spell check or track editing, and I longed to be them, to know what they knew/know.

When I recognized this desire, along with how excited I was at holding the Royal, I realized something. I understood, without a doubt, that I was an author—maybe a “far-from-perfect” author—but an author still.

Yes, I am an author…

Thank you, my special someone, for showing me how to believe in me. Much love…