Dec 06
23
Quesada on DC Becoming Marvel
From NEW JOE FRIDAYS WEEK 27:
“There’s a reason Batman is the greatest DC hero, he’s the closest to the Marvel formula, but the rest of the DC universe I feel suffers from the same flaws as Superman. In his time, Superman spoke of the immigrant experience which was very important in America at the time, but he’s also a paternal figure where as Spider-Man is us. At his core, Superman is also actually a dishonest character in his make up. He has to create a persona in order to be accepted by the people around him, the same for Batman. That’s also an intrinsic difference between the Marvel and DC characters. Spider-Man is the facade, he’s the mask, Peter Parker is the real deal and if we could actually be superheroes, that’s exactly how it would happen and by virtue of that, makes Spider-Man truer.
By the way, if you disagree with this, that’s cool, but then you would have to argue as to why DC, since the inception of the Marvel Universe, has been trying to Marvelize their characters.”
From GOODBYE TO COMICS #7: “WE NEED A RAPE”:
“My theoretical comic company, which, for the theoretical purposes of my theoretical memoir, I’ll call Gilgongo! Comix, was tired of being ‘pushed around’ in the sales wars and in the court of fanboy opinion (such as it was). So with all the red-nosed gumption and determination of Ralphie from ‘A Christmas Story’ Gilgongo! Comix decided to go badass…
So our books changed. There was rape, and murder, torture, death, and mutiliation. Superheroes did amoral or outright evil things and the line between good and bad was blurred. And you know what? Our sales improved. And this is a fact. But it all started with Vicki Victim, and she has to be given credit.”
From Batman Begins:
Jim Gordon: And what about escalation?
Batman: Escalation?
Jim Gordon: We get semi-automatic weapons, they get automatics. We get kevlar body armor, they get armor-piercing rounds. And you’re wearing a mask and jumping off rooftops. Take this guy… armed robbery, double homicide… has a taste for theatrics, like you… he leaves a calling card.
Nuff said?
