Here is a list of the top controversial posts on my blog. Actually, I've used no grading system to come up with which are most controversial; I suppose you could use number of comments as a way to determine that.No, here are just the posts that just come to mind. Cuz I'm lazy.
But what I find interesting about these posts and the responses to them, is that in some cases there are participants who so singlemindedly pursue the comment thread that follows that I really have to question if they truly cared about the topic at hand, or were they really angry about something else. I mean, having some people who disagree with your position is normal. But I'm talking about a select few persons who wouldn't let an argument go, or who were exceptionally and inappropriately nasty.
In some cases, I don't think it's about the topic at all, but that fact that a woman has strong opinions. "Defeating" the woman's argument symbolically feels as if one has asserted one's masculine power. This is a point I have discussed with some other female bloggers. These are the debates that get most nasty, and most off-topic.
In some cases, gender really has nothing to do with it, but the commenter is just treating the blog's comment section as they would the peanut gallery at Newsarama or the Howard Stern Show. I suppose to a certain extent that sort of trolling gives a bit of texture to a forum, a bit of spice. Things really don't get nasty -- they just get juvenile. Depending on the skill of the troll, it might even be a little fun.
I suppose the strangest and saddest cases are when women get into nasty flame wars with each other. In the case of my blog, it has been either because I'm not "feminist" enough, or "too feminist" (as in the case of The Killing Joke). These debates don't go on as long as in the other cases, but the comments can contain extremely nasty stuff. It's too early in the morning to even attempt to psychoanalyze it.
But, in the end, despite all the drama, I'm proud of my work on my blog and the posts that inspired such heated debate. The irritable bowel syndrome was completely worth it.
Sexy, Not Sexist -- A matter of taste
Black Snake Moan: A Sensitive Portrayal Of Sexual Abuse -- Apparently, I wasn't allowed to have an opinion here because I was just a stupid wimmins
Mary Jane Statue Fight Now On The Level Of Civil Rights Movement -- I gets teh slammed
Dirk Deppey Vs. The Mary Jane Brigade -- more slamming all around, slam party
Ugly Fat Girls, A Retraction -- I think I get teh slammed again for defending teh Misty Lee
Countdown's Jump The Shark Moment -- The first of many appearances of Countdown on teh countdown. I'm Casey Kasem
She's Satan's Daughter: She's Supposed To Be Bad -- Is this cover gratuitous?
Sinestro Corps Required Reading List -- The Green Lantern Fan Brigade come out of the woodwork on this one
Barbara The Potty-Mouth -- More Frank Miller "realism"
The "Final" Crisis? -- "Really? Sure you wouldn't want to squeeze in one more year-long weekly series?" Well actually...
Archie Sez: "Downloading Is Evil" -- "It's my right to have all teh comic book for teh free! This is America!"
Black Adam: Tall, Dark, and Evil -- Stereotype based on xenophobic fears that have spanned pop-culture since the days of Dracula? Or...awesome?
Supergirl: Fat -- The fans lament loss of Nicole Richie Supergirl, point out "cankles"
You Bought The Killing Joke For Only A Dollar? -- In which I'm told I'm an ingrate not to rejoice in such a bargain
"There Is Another Hellmouth In Cleveland" -- I quit my campaign against sexism. I think it lasted about two weeks.
Oh You Like Woman? Here's Cookie! -- On accepting the crumbs
Batman's Kryptonite = Homophobia -- It is 8/21/07 and still no Batwoman series
Katie Holmes As Wonder Woman? -- Tomkat is teh sux
Gwen Stacy: Whore Or Not? -- The Newsarama folks have an elegant debate
Weddingus Interruptus -- More of my disgust on one of the dumbest "events" of all time
Why I Hate The Kyle Rayner Crab Mask -- Apparently, this was a faux pas
Converting People To The Religion Of Crime Through The Lesson Of Lust -- No, not pandering to Lipstick Lesbian-loving male readers AT ALL
The Goddamn Batman's Guide To Being A Better Lover -- Miller! Genius!
It's Funny Because He's Teh Gay: Get It? -- From The Jack Tripper school of homosexual comedy
The Case For Reboots -- I'm stickin' to teh theory
From Taboo To Mainstream -- Have the old taboos in comics been washed away over time?
Thoughts About New Avengers And Tigra -- The Tigra s**tstorm
"Men In Refrigerators" -- Optimus Prime: Dead. Molested. Twisted Into A Ceiling Fan And Left To Fend For Himself.
Why I Don't Take Witchblade Seriously -- Butt-webbing certainly a factor
The Happiness Never Ends For The Green Arrow Family -- Of course we all know what happened to Connor, but still pound-for-pound the b**ching is a great value
Comic Snobs! -- Real Comics Versus Real Comix
Be The Change You Want To Be In The World -- With a special appearance by Tamora Pierce!
DC's Arena: "Fan-Fiction At It's Finest" -- Fan-Fiction at Real Fiction page rates!
Jason Todd New Batman? -- A s**tstorm and clusterf**k the likes as you will never see again (at least until Final Crisis)
Occasional Reviews: "Titans East Special" -- How did this one get to 53 comments, again?
Down With Marriage -- Mentioning the word "God" apparently is a no-no in polite conversation
New York Anime Festival: This is Youth Culture
Is Jennifer Love Hewitt Fat? -- This needed 22 comments
Reboots Vs. Generational Succession -- Sometimes it's time to just hang up the tights
"Thank You For Buying Countdown"
Spider-Man: Gay Metaphor? -- Or is it just the red-and-blue lycra?
Jackpot And A Brand New Butt
Tiffany Fallon's Scarlet Letter -- Playboy models apparently aren't good enough to play Amazons
Batman #673: Requiem For Stephanie Brown? -- Or just Bruce's drug-induced fever-dream?
Where Is DC's Matt Fraction? -- Huh?
Since I haven't gotten into any big wars in comments sections I must be a troll then...great, at least I don't qualify as a woman-hater, lol.
ReplyDelete"Down With Marriage -- Mentioning the word 'God' apparently is a no-no in polite conversation"
ReplyDeleteWas that really your takeaway from that discussion? If so, I'm kinda bummed. As one of the folks involved, I saw you raise some specific issues and ask a couple specific questions in your initial post that I wanted to address. The *last* thing I wanted to do was stifle you.
I dunno that it has as much to do with your gender as it does that people by and large have forgotten (or never learned) how to argue. A simple glance at the prime time "news" channels on cable will show you that the most popular commentators are not the most informed, but the loudest and most aggressive. Whether that's a masculine trait or just another example of how dumbed-down our culture has become is anyone's guess.
ReplyDeleteThe Gwen Stacy post: Why did I click that link??? Bad, BAD memories.
ReplyDeleteThe "one dollar for Killing Joke" posts: I really respect that you acknowledge the fan in you alongside the critic, because much as we love our comics, they're bound to do things we disagree with.
Case in point: MONKEY JOE'S DEATH.
I know I've commented in some of those threads. But I've never gone back to see the results. I'm not sure if I want people to have ignored me or ripped me to shreds.
ReplyDeleteSeeing a review for Titans East turn into a 53-comment madhouse... WOW! I'm too scared to look at it now, but these things are like someone preserved a mass pirhana attack under glass.
They are a tricky species indeed.