It must be Wednesday, seeing as Watchmen co-creator Alan Moore is making headlines again for his latest complaints about the state of superheroes, and their increasingly negative impact on pop culture. Moore's latest tirade comes courtesy of the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo, in which the comic book creative and first runner-up in the Homeless Gandalf look-a-like competition said that he thinks "the impact of superheroes on popular culture is both tremendously embarrassing and not a little worrying." To clarify, the outlet's interview with Moore was conducted in 2017, with the full details of the report only having just been released.
As Moore continues to unload, the Watchmen creative suggests that the popularity of the genre among adult fans suggests a "kind of deliberate, self-imposed state of emotional arrest." Furthermore, the dime store Rubeus Hagrid also claims that superheroes are being written and drawn by individuals who've failed to gain a firm grip on their rights against the companies that share their stories – saying that comic book creators appear "to be largely employed as cowardice compensators." As Moore continues add fuel to the flames, he also proposes that the lack of diversity in comics is a direct result of characters being very much "white supremacist dreams of the master race."
Wow! This is some pretty inflammatory stuff, yeah? I happen to be good friends with many comic book creators who're working at top-tier publishers today, and not a single one of them is pushing a white supremacist agenda. Do I think that there could be more diversity in comics? Absolutely. I would also add that over the past few years, diversity in comics has grown considerable traction. In fact, comic book creator Mariko Tamaki was recently appointed the curator of a new graphic novel imprint for LGBTQIA writers, and companies the likes of First: Second and Boom! Studios have done wonders for non-white characters and creators over the past several years. I'm not sure if Moore is viewing the industry through a pinhole, but we are making strides in a positive direction, albeit slowly.
What do you think of Moore's comments about superheroes and their place in pop culture? Are characters the likes of Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman and Aquaman "perfectly suited" to the imaginations of a younger audience, or can they be enjoyed by fans of all ages? Are we living in a constant state of regression due to our love of the fantastic? Is it wrong to want to escape the day and embark on an adventure with some of Earth's Mightiest Heroes? Does this make us children? I've my own thoughts on the matter, but I'll leave an impassioned response up to you. Feel free to use our comments section to sound off about this nonsense. Excelsior!