...okay, let me back this up a bit.
On November 12, 2018 - five days ago at the time that I'm typing this - Stan Lee passed away. The former Editor in Chief of Marvel Comics, he is - along with the likes of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko - responsible for the groundwork that led to Marvel succeeding as the powerhouse that it is today, both in comics and in cinema as we've seen over the last decade with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was quite old, ninety-five years of age, but it was a sad thing to have to see the passing of someone who inspired so much wonder, joy, and courage in the world through his work. He created literally hundreds of characters and an entire universe for them to live in, which is still being built upon to this very day in the form of comic books.
I have (and will always regret) never met him in person, but anyone that I've spoken to who has met him has said that he had an infectious enthusiasm, a sharp wit, and a deep love and appreciation for his fans. He wanted to entertain people and, in the process, gave us characters that we could love and cherish and even relate to and learn from.
I, personally, took several lessons from the man's work.
Captain America teaches us to do our best to be brave, and that right is right regardless of its futility.
The X-Men teach us that just because someone is different doesn't mean you should hate or fear them and we can, in fact, all get along in spite of our differences.
The story of Doctor Strange teaches humility and self-sacrifice, and imparts the wisdom that sometimes all you need to solve your problems is to put your mind to the task.
And Spider-Man, well...that one really does go without saying.
The point is, Stan Lee with just those four examples (and I'm sure that others could come up with many, many more), imparted lessons through his work that remain in our minds long after we've set down the comic. He was a force of good, no matter what some might say. His passing is a sad event, and he will be sorely missed by many.
So, naturally, Bill Maher decides to come along and belittle him and his work, and void his bowels all over the man's grave.
Now, I'll go ahead and say that I actually liked Bill Maher quite a bit before this. I didn't really think of him as much more than a rather pretentious jackass, but he did occasionally have some rather cutting remarks and seemed to be slightly more insightful than your average pundit. And now, five days after the passing of Stan Lee...he writes this on his blog, which I have linked for you to read in full detail.
Basically put, Bill is immediately dismissive of comic books. Period. His writing likens comic book fans to children (which is proof he probably hasn't picked up a comic since the 1980s, at least) and basically devolves from that into being the typical Baby Boomer stereotype. Because clearly comic book fans are to blame for Trump getting elected.
"I don't think it's a huge stretch to suggest Donald Trump could only get elected in a country that thinks comic books are important." - Bill Maher, "Adulting"
Yes, that is a direct quote from the very blog post he wrote. And yes, Bill, I think that is a gigantic stretch. Some people have said he's trolling, but it honestly wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't. This is some of the same insane ranting I've seen some several public figures, just another causation without a correlation. Comic book fans come from all across the political spectrum - I've seen it myself. Generalizations are actually a bad thing, and this is really no exception. It shows a great deal of ignorance about the subject matter, and is the same reason why I review video games, movies, and comic books instead of, say, paintings.
I know things about the world of video games, movies, and comic books that I've gained by being a patron of them and from my own personal experiences with each. I wouldn't know a Monet from a Thomas Kinkade unless you told me, so I don't feel qualified to speak on those subjects. Perhaps Bill should take a note here.
But it's really more than just him shooting his mouth off, it is the fact that Bill Maher - a man who has contributed little more than snide commentary, satire, and filling one of the seats on PETA's board of directors with his ass (And yes, I was actually willing to give him a pass on that before this) feels the need to not only demean comic book fans as a whole, but to personally dismiss the entire body of work of a man who only wanted to entertain people and ended up inspiring millions of people with the characters and world he created.
A world which, by the way, Mr. Maher, you actually made a cameo in.
That's right, Bill Maher was in the worst Iron Man movie. Iron Man 3.
I guess it isn't "for kids" when you can collect a paycheck, is it, you hypocrite?
I could go on about how his attack on young people dealing with the rigors of adult life is rather heartless and ill-informed as well (particularly from a Baby Boomer, which helps no stereotypes), but I'll just say this to wrap everything up. Life is a terrible thing. It is hard and rough for everyone in some way, even if in different degrees, regardless of who you are and where you come from. There is something about life that is always, always going to suck. That can't be avoided.
It's rather nice to just have something that you can enjoy that can let you escape from how sucky life can be, if only for a few minutes a day given the length of your average comic book.
If you can't enjoy that, Bill, maybe don't go out of your way to take a dump on people who do? Maybe don't try to belittle the legacy of a man who sought only to entertain? Maybe do some research into the medium before you try to go kick up a hornet's nest? Because, to give Bill credit, he's done the impossible. As many people around the internet have put it, he's actually done the impossible - he's united comic book fans.
Stan Lee is one of the most beloved people in comics. As I said before, his passing was tragic even if it was inevitable given his age. In a way, though, he lives on. Stan Lee continues to amaze, continues to bring joy, and continues to inspire hope and courage through his work. Work that is, by the way, still being read even to this day. In a hundred years, people will most likely still be reading those works.
But Bill Maher? A comedian turned pundit with his head so firmly up his ass that his fecal matter apparently made the decision to hit "post" for that blog entry?
Yeah, I don't think so many people will be sad when his time comes.
For the latest from the MadCapMunchkin, be sure to follow him on Twitter @MadCapMunchkin.
No comments:
Post a Comment