I feel the same way about education that John feels about comics.

With this, Ted, I completely agree!

I have a Superman tattoo on my shoulder, which has always been a point of pride with me.  A few weeks ago, someone asked me why I had it -- did I read comics?  I replied, "I used to, but Superman isn't Superman anymore."

I hated that I had to say that.

A few weeks ago, someone asked me why I had it -- did I read comics?  I replied, "I used to, but Superman isn't Superman anymore."

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Oh don't get me started on an off-topic rant!

:)

And so by inference, JB is ungracious and classless when he defends the characters Stan (with Jack and Steve and others) created.  He's getting reamed for defending Stan's "kids" while Stan smiles and evades pointed, legitimate questions about the industry.  I know that's not how you meant it, Greg, but that's a wee bit of a slap there.

++++++++

No, that's not at all what I meant, and I'm sorry if it came off that way.

What I meant is that Stan may dislike what been done in recent times, but he's too positive and too diplomatic to let it all hang out. I think he understands that someone of his stature and fame needs to avoid full disclosure. Otherwise, it would look like he's biting the hand that feeds, and he'd come off as, well...a bitter old man!

As it stands, he comes off as someone who's grateful that he's had such success to begin with. Unlike we readers, who are passionate fans of these characters, Stan's own relationships with them are different--perhaps even ambivalent, in some cases. As a writer in the biz for almost 70 years, he's certainly used to the idea of others coming along and taking over the writing chores.

Stan's M.O. has always been to look forward. "It's on to the next project, and we'll try to make it even better next time!" He maintains a positive attitude, always. He's the ultimate good-natured pitchman.

Taking shots at those who have butchered his creations runs counter to that. As the public face of comics, and Chairman Emeritus of Marvel, Stan isn't allowed that luxury--and he probably wouldn't do it even if he could.

It's different for we outsiders, of course--even JB, who's also a professional, but started out as a fan, like the rest of us. He's allowed to be angry--perhaps as a fan first, and a professional second, when it comes to characters he didn't create.

I'm personally just as guilty of being "bitter" like JB is. Most of us here are, I think! I think he gets the brunt of it because he's a professional who doesn't even pretend to go along with the current state of things. The current fan (and professional?) mentality does seem to boil down to, "If you're not with us, you're our enemy!".

I don't see bitterness. I see guts. The guts to stand up and say what is, unfortunately, true. An artist/writer could take the easy path and be a whore to the new way of doing comics, the modern way of doing comics, which seems to involve doing whatever one wants with the properties whether or not it's true to what the originators of the characters did, but JB's not doing that. He's speaking out against the destruction of those characters that did indeed entertain and inspire generations of kids, and I give him great credit for that.

I loved those characters when I was growing up. They inspired me, and those who wrote and drew the stories of those characters inspired me, inspired me to create stories of my own. Every time I write something now and see it published, some of my gratitude has to go to those creators and those characters that inspired me.

What's out there now to inspire the current generation of kids to create stories of heroism, honor, grandeur, and wonder? Not much. Maybe nothing, at least nothing from what used to be the two great giants of that type of storytelling: Marvel and DC. Spider-Man is gone, Batman is gone, they're all gone. I miss them.

I don't feel bad about that for myself. I can read an occasional Essentials book or a back issue for sentiment's sake, but I don't need a monthly dose anymore. I have enough things to keep me busy. But I do feel sorry for the kids. They're missing it now. They're missing out on reading about the real Captain America and the real Superman and all the others. All they get now is some B-horror movie version of Spider-Man where the Lizard eats his own kid and a Cap costume that's filled by a character whose tragic death has been wiped away and so detracts from the entire history of the character. Today's kids get to watch a Sherlock Holmes who is nothing like the one that Conan Doyle wrote about and a James T. Kirk who acts like a pompous brat and gets command of a starship handed to him after one stupid mission as a cadet and a million reboots and crossovers and publicity stunts instead of solid stories that can be enjoyed and understood by anyone who happens to be attracted by an interesting cover (not that they do interesting covers anymore anyway).  

I'm glad we have a John Byrne who's willing to express his anger at what's been done to the things that dreams used to be inspired by. The world needs more people who are willing to do that.

••

Nothing in the wording of my original post indicates I am making a sweeping or general indictment. If I say this industry has been ruined by people who are in it only for the money, am I saying that EVERYONE is in it only for the money? If I say this industry has become infected with ennui engorged bungee jumpers, am I saying that describes EVERYONE? / am still a part of this industry, and I am neither in it solely for the money, nor an ennui engorged bungee jumper.

Anything I write here demands of the reader an ability to interpret. I am not about to pepper every post with qualifiers and little DICK TRACY style arrows pointing the way to my "true meaning". This business HAS been infected by ennui engorged bungee jumpers. An infection is, by definition, something which sickens the body. It is not the body as a whole.

If I say "The problem is people who wear red sweaters," and you and/or your kids have never worn red sweaters, then I am not talking about you, am I? I am not talking about ANYONE who has not worn a red sweater.