quintessentialdefenestration asked:
jordandwhiteqna answered:
The culture across the board has been really divisive and angry at all levels in recent times. People are a lot less willing to agree to disagree, to live and let live, or to just relax and let things go. And that’s on all sides, even for my own part, I find myself with the desire to be able to make simple proclamations rather than nuance–”All people who think X are jerks!” But I know it’s not true, and I try to temper that part of myself as much as possible.
This is an uncharacteristically nuanced response from a Marvel employee. Marvel could use a lot more of this and a lot less of the Orwellian newspeak that fans are usually presented with when they express concerns at the direction of current Marvel.
That said, both the question and the answer misrepresent the concerns that are commonly expressed:
“Marvel was founded on left-leaning stories”
No, it wasn’t. First and foremost, Marvel was founded on good comic book story-telling. Good writing, good art and exciting characters that were relatable to their audiences even in the context of a super-hero story. The shared universe aspect that came slightly later only added to the readers sense of connection to the characters as it became apparent that what happened to one character in one book could have repercussions for another character in another book.
Any political messages or sub-text that appeared came a distant second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) in consideration to any of the above. And if it was done, it was done without demonising their readership. On the contrary, Marvel encouraged a sense of community among its readers. It highlighted what united them, not what divided them.
Contrast that to modern Marvel where the political message is often the only reason a particular book gets published, often with art and writing of the poorest quality, and always with utter disdain for the intelligence of their audience.
Marvel’s hatred of anyone who is not fully on-board with their progressive proselytising is obvious, naked and ugly.
“Modern Marvel was launched by the obviously progressive commentary of Civil War.”
We can argue about when the SJW-fication of Marvel began, but let’s assume this is right. Let’s also assume that Civil War was ‘obviously progressive’, even if the analagous real-life issues were of concern to people on both sides of the political divide, if, perhaps, for different reasons.
Even if all that is true, what is also true is that both sides of the issue were given a thorough hearing in Civil War. It was presented as an extremely complex issue with no easy answer. It was so difficult, in fact, that it figuratively set brother against brother in a credible manner. What’s telling, though, is neither side was presented as having absolute moral authority over the other, at least in the beginning. It was acknowledged that the conflict arose from the competing priorities of good men and a desire to follow an individual moral compass on both sides.
If Marvel were to write that story today, I shudder to think of the result. All strawmen and shallow caricatures, I’m sure.
“If they weren’t offended then, it’s because they were either 1) too young to understand, or 2) were better readers able to enjoy stories that weren’t 100% aligned with their own views.”
Or, 1) it was understood just fine and the story was better and more nuanced than the trash being published today, or 2) Marvel was a better company able to publish stories that weren’t 100% one-sided propaganda.
“The culture across the board has been really divisive and angry at all levels in recent times.”
Yes, it has been. Evidenced most noticeably in this context by Marvel writers and editors. They are actual custodians of an important piece of pop-culture and their use of it to express their anger and desire to divide along political and tribal lines is clear.
“People are a lot less willing to agree to disagree, to live and let live, or to just relax and let things go.”
Difficult to do that when you’re only being preached to or attacked. Marvel has been needlessly antagonistic to its audience for a long time now and for purely political reasons. It has done nothing to indicate it just wants to publish good comic books for people of all political stripes, indeed, it has signaled the exact opposite. Marvel only ever raises the stakes of the culture war and never concedes its own culpability in doing so.
“And that’s on all sides, even for my own part, I find myself with the desire to be able to make simple proclamations rather than nuance–”All people who think X are jerks!” But I know it’s not true, and I try to temper that part of myself as much as possible.”
I’m glad to hear it, really I am. As I said at the top, I wish more Marvel staff expressed a sentiment like this more often. I wish I could express something similar in return. But I can’t. I have loved Marvel comics for thirty years. To see what they have become is heart-breaking and anyone currently working for Marvel should feel ashamed for contributing to it. I’m through being quiet and tempering myself. Marvel needs to be swept clean and I’ll contribute whatever little extra pressure I can bring to bear to see that happen.