Kyle Baker posts a couple of pages from his now-canceled Plastic Man series where Mary Marvel eulogizes a dead Billy Batson. Baker writes:
Here’s some classic material I found online. From PLASTIC MAN #20. The series was cancelled after this issue because DC felt I was taking their properties in too dark and depressing a direction. “Where’s the fun?” sobbed Dan Didio.
(Hat tip).
June 13th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Is she talking about the same kids who play GTA?
June 13th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Look at those bare midriffs!:o And right below the words “worthy examples”!
Juxta-something for sure!!
June 13th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
I think the word you’re looking for is “ironical.”
Nothing but love for Baker’s PLASTIC MAN here.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
She’s talking about being a role model, but she’s drawn in a classic cheesecake pose. Sometimes I think the writers have a different vision of the characters than the artists.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Codeguy – I think the juxtaposition of those two things are entirely intentional. Check out Baker’s page to see the full page scans. It’s smart.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
I love Kyle Baker and think he has a valid point going, but I don’t know why a hoochie costume is automatically a bad role model. Sure, the current Supergirl sucks, but Huntress has always been cool, regardless of her costume or last name. I mean, the Earth-2 Huntress trade has cheesecake all over the place, and yet, I still thought she was the bees knees when I was a wee lassie.
I don’t think hoochie costumes help any, of course, but they’re just not the only culprits in lowering the role model value for kids either.
June 13th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
“She’s talking about being a role model, but she’s drawn in a classic cheesecake pose. Sometimes I think the writers have a different vision of the characters than the artists.”
Kyle Baker the writer needs to communicate better with Kyle Baker the artist.
June 13th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
“Kyle Baker the writer needs to communicate better with Kyle Baker the artist.”
Ha! I didn’t realise that!
If it’s a deliberate juxtaposition, than it’s not a smart one. Mary’s talking about being a role model, but she’s standing like she’s posing for a model shoot.
It reminds me of a reporter talking about an expose of a politician she did many years ago. She said a lot of bad things about a popular figure, so she thought she’d get in trouble. However, her network had no problem with her report at all because every time she said something bad about the guy, it was against video of him waving to the crowds with American flags waving in the background. The images were so nice and patriotic, they completely overwhelmed her negative comments.
Same thing here. Mary is talking about the responsibility of looking like a good role model, but the image has a pose and a camera angle that screams cheesecake.
June 13th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Somebody’s missing the point of the juxtaposition here, all right, but I don’t think it’s Kyle Baker…
June 13th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
CAPTAIN OBVIOUS TO THE RESCUE:
The juxtaposition of cheesecake and the dialogue about being a good role model is intentional.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
I can’t believe people actually have to point that out.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:39 am
Christ on a crutch, instead of Kurt Busiek, this time around Dirk Deppey wins.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
“I can’t believe people actually have to point that out.”
Sometimes something is so awful you think, “Lord, that’s got to be a parody, right?” and it isn’t. Sometimes it’s the other way around.
June 18th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
You know, I only linked to those pages on my blog last week because I had an instinct my web hits would increase. So far, it’s one of the most linked and most discussed item I’ve had on my blog EVER, with at least three separate discussion threads online. A book that was cancelled two years ago. I’ve told my wife that from now on, everything I do for DC and Marvel is going to be strictly T ‘n’ A. Check out my upcoming SPIRIT story if you think I’m kidding. It’s nothing but chickfights. The fans win!
No more multiple-award winning critically-acclaimed series for me! “Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet.” I’m gonna make Cho and Hughes look like Dora by comparison.
June 19th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
This may be my horrible perception of sarcasm, but you won’t really do that until the inevitable Fan Revolution, will you Mr. Baker?
June 19th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
You can’t eat awards!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:43 am
Yes, you can, but gold leaf is notoriously non-nutritious.
October 25th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Valuable info. Fortunate me I found your web site unintentionally, and I’m surprised why this accident didn’t came about earlier! I bookmarked it.