The staff of the Occasional Superheroine blog was saddened to hear that Danbizzle, a regular contributor to our comments section since the seminal Countdown To Change post about a year ago, has decided to call it quits from the OS community. Citing my negativity over Final Crisis and the general direction of the DCU, Danbizzle had to regretfully leave the blog -- destination unknown.
We at the OS feel terrible about the loss of one of our own, and want to extend this teddy bear with flowers to Mr. Bizzle with our sincere apologies if we had offended him. Like Dan, we only want what's best for the DCU.
OH! Dan, we were always so hard on you! & we drove you away! Sad. It was nice to have someone who could vouch for those who liked Countdown.
ReplyDeleteHow could someone react to FINAL CRISIS and the direction of the DCU WITHOUT negativity???
ReplyDeleteI am a big DC fan and yet find myself enjoying SECRET INVASION a heck of a lot more than anything DC's coming out with lately. If you can't get a DC fan interested in and excited about your big comic of the year, then you've got BIG problems.
Sorry that Danbizzle doesn't want to hear bad things about DC but, considering what they've given us lately, I don't know where he can go to find GOOD things said about DC!
He might have physically left us, but he now has his own "tag", so will always be with us in spirit.
ReplyDeleteI know it comes across as negative, but I do like some books from DC. I'm also a big Grant Morrison fan and really want FC to be good....I'm hoping issue #1 was just getting a bunch of stuff out of the way. All Star Superman is so good it almost brings a tear to my eye. Manhunter is a great series that DC has kept alive for the fans.
ReplyDeleteAnd hey, it could be worse. The entire Justice League could've spent the last year split into two teams and paranoid about one or all of them being shape shifting aliens. :)
I'm a big DC fan, have no problems with Final Crisis, but also realize that a lot of the negativity towards DC has actually been pretty constructive.
ReplyDeleteIt is a bit of a drag to hear negative things about a company that you hope puts out good stuff though, but DC does seem to need a kick in the butt.
"He might have physically left us, but he now has his own "tag", so will always be with us in spirit."
ReplyDeleteexactly.
Come back, D-Bizz!
ReplyDeleteI see a lot of negativity on the Internet about DC. And I understand Dan reaching his saturation point -- I really do. DC comics are the comics I grew up reading, and I have a feeling of investment in the DCU that I don't have with Marvel. It's hard to read unflattering things about a publisher you like.
But at least here, those negative things generally have the virtue of being well thought-out. (And also, generally, well-intentioned.) Too many other places are dominated by whiny gasbags who shoot from the hip and have the accuracy to match.
So while I may not always agree on the problem (or agree on the degree), I'm always glad to read your thoughts here.
I hope Dan comes back.
How could someone react to FINAL CRISIS and the direction of the DCU WITHOUT negativity???
ReplyDeleteI certainly think the execution of Countdown was nearly disastrous. (They did release the weekly book on time. Gotta give them credit for that.) Asking us to buy all those comics and tie-ins, only to tell us to forget about them--with no one being held accountable...
Well, the phrase "not good" comes to mind.
But there was an interview some months back where Dan Didio all but admitted that "mistakes were made" with Countdown, and that they learned a lot from those mistakes (and successes like Sinestro Corp War) in terms of effective models for a DCU event.
Countdown was something unique, and no doubt extremely difficult to pull off. A weekly book that took place in the "present" DCU to the point where it tied in with things like Flash's death and Black Canary's/Green Arrow's wedding. That alone would be challenge enough, but then having to lead into Final Crisis? They'd need an entire team of radioactive super-editors to keep all the details straight and still make sure the story is actually good. In retrospect, they would have probably been better off abandoning the tie-ins and just focusing on making events work with Final Crisis.
I just think the project was too big to pull off. But, hey, kudos to them for trying. And it seems like they've learned their lesson with Trinity.
Still, I can understand why fans are finding Countdown a very difficult thing to forgive. I'd be pissed too, if I'd bought and read it. As with One More Day, it seems like no one is able to deal with the fallout other than saying, "Look, just keep reading. We've got good stuff coming up. Promise!"
But they always say that.
"Sorry that Danbizzle doesn't want to hear bad things about DC but, considering what they've given us lately, I don't know where he can go to find GOOD things said about DC!"
ReplyDeleteGiven from his previous comment it wasn't just about the DC negativity. It was the direction of the blog seemingly having an axe to grind against DC. Which personally I don't mind considering I agree with the changes needed for DC not to suck.
Hm. So he's not going to comment on the blog -- is he still cool with you? 'Cause this sounds like kind of a rash decision on his part.
ReplyDeleteGessshhh..... aren't there more pressing issues at hand to be offended about than a constructive criticism of DCU which can only better its position if it actually came to fruition? If Dan is like that about the DCU, what would the reaction be to say, an attack on Iran, or another genocidal attempt in Africa? Would they even care?
ReplyDeleteBut at least here, those negative things generally have the virtue of being well thought-out. (And also, generally, well-intentioned.) Too many other places are dominated by whiny gasbags who shoot from the hip and have the accuracy to match.
ReplyDeleteThere's only one way I can respond to something like this, which puts my own thoughts into words so precisely:
"Bendis sux and JMS is a hack."
I came here to get away from thoughtless, disrespectful comments like the one above, and so far I have no regrets.
Um, the scale?
ReplyDeleteJMS is at DC now. He rulezz! (for now)
Did he move to the Newsarama boards then? They bashed everything Marvel does. I always thought Val's point on DC were awlays fair and enjoyable. Hell even Warren Ellis is asking what the heck is going on at DC.
ReplyDeleteRob S., I like JMS and Bendis. The quoted opinion was just an example of the kind of stuff I was happy to get away from.
ReplyDeleteI thought so, scale. I was just playin' along.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most significant aspects about this blog is that when criticisms (of DC OR Marvel) are made, they are done out of a sincere desire to see better comics as a result. They're not slams or personal attacks. They're the viewpoint of both a FAN of comics and someone who has a unique perspective because of her time actually WORKING at DC. Never once have I felt that any of Val's comments were vicious or mean-spirited. She's pointed out things that are wrong with both the comics and the editorial direction with style and class which is very much unlike other blogs who seem to exist merely to spit venom at anyone (or anything) they don't like.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone can't see the difference then they have problems that go far beyond comic books.
I'm going to try and project myself, just for a moment, into the mind of someone whose life is so devoid of meaning that they actually get worked into a lather over--ew! Ok, that's enough!
ReplyDeleteI think that's part of the thing. It's easy to write off retarded attacks on a franchise of some sort you like by people who are little more than gibbering fools, but you cannot brush off intelligent, researched criticism as easily.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, people hate intelligent criticism of anything.
Well, yeah. Name calling and schoolyard taunting seems to be a lot more accepted.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you actually have valid reasons for not liking a specific artist or writer, you're told you're just being hateful.
What you guys said. Also I think it's a wee bit silly to quit a blog in a huff because the blogger doesn't espouse your viewpoint. Just quietly stop reading instead of attempting emotional blackmail.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't characterize it as "emotional blackmail." It's just communication. Communication is good.
ReplyDeleteIt's only communication if they're sharing ideas, arguing their case. If they quit and make a big show of it, they're sharing an idea, I guess... and that idea is that you should only do things their way or you will lose their invaluable input and you should feel bad about that.
ReplyDeleteTo me, that's emotional blackmail compared to just letting your readership lapse without the dramatic exit.
But silently stopping reading is no communication at all. In a sea of anonymous hits, it's valueless. He's not asking Val to change; he's just saying he's leaving, and why.
ReplyDelete