Maher makes fun of Bpat, I mean comic book fans

[*michaelsean*]

Quote:  Bill Maher has upset a slew of comic book fans by trashing the legacy of late Marvel giant Stan Lee less than a week after his death.

The “Real Time With Bill Maher” host took to his blog to pen a cutting rebuke of those mourning the death of Lee, the co-founder of Marvel Comics responsible for creating characters such as Spider-Man, The X-Men, The Avengers and countless more.


“The guy who created Spider-Man and the Hulk has died, and America is in mourning. Deep, deep mourning for a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess,” he wrote. “Someone on Reddit posted, “I'm so incredibly grateful I lived in a world that included Stan Lee.” Personally, I’m grateful I lived in a world that included oxygen and trees, but to each his own.”

Maher went on to chide comic book fans noting that, when he was young, it was understood that they were just for children and that people were supposed to grow up and move on to “big-boy books without the pictures.”





“But then twenty years or so ago, something happened – adults decided they didn’t have to give up kid stuff. And so they pretended comic books were actually sophisticated literature. And because America has over 4,500 colleges – which means we need more professors than we have smart people – some dumb people got to be professors by writing theses with titles like Otherness and Heterodoxy in the Silver Surfer,” Maher wrote. “And now when adults are forced to do grown-up things like buy auto insurance, they call it 'adulting,' and act like it’s some giant struggle.”

The 62-year-old comedian concluded his blog post with a bit of a stretch, noting that the proliferation of comic book fans in America, in his view, led to the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

“I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to suggest that Donald Trump could only get elected in a country that thinks comic books are important,” Maher said.

Fans were quick to speak out against Maher’s comments, including those who work in comic book writing.

“Bill Maher dismissed an entire storytelling medium? Wow. He's so highbrow. His brow is so high, there's probably less room for a mind,” wrote Tom Taylor, bestselling writer of “Injustice: Gods Among Us” and “X-Men: Red.”

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bill-maher-trashed-by-comic-book-fans-for-criticizing-those-mourning-stan-lees-death

More at the link, but this is as much as I could cleanly get.  

It kind of made me chuckle.

[fredtoast]

The same could be said about fans of professional sports.

While I agree with Mahre that too many adults are too into comic books I would never take the time to intentionally insult them. Bickering over matters of taste is a waste of time. I am sure a lot of great chefs would find fault with the meals I eat, but I eat what I like and it is really nobody else's business what I find enjoyable.

[*michaelsean*]

(11-19-2018, 04:25 PM)fredtoast Wrote: The same could be said about fans of professional sports.

While I agree with Mahre that too many adults are too into comic books I would never take the time to intentionally insult them.  Bickering over matters of taste is a waste of time.  I am sure a lot of great chefs would find fault with the meals I eat, but I eat what I like and it is really nobody else's business what I find enjoyable.

I think someone tweeted that he's a part owner of the Mets.  And although I'm a fan of sports I often question why.  If you think hard it's really a bit nonsensical, so I try not to think hard.  

[treee]

You're right, people who consume comic books are so unintelligent. Now excuse me while I go watch tv/netflix/scroll facebook for 3 hours.

[Millhouse]

I wonder if Maher realizes that Stan Lee had black & women comic book heroes long, long before it became the progressive modern thing to do, as in creating characters like the Black Panther in the mid-60s.

[GMDino]

(11-19-2018, 04:16 PM)michaelsean Wrote: https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bill-maher-trashed-by-comic-book-fans-for-criticizing-those-mourning-stan-lees-death

More at the link, but this is as much as I could cleanly get.  

It kind of made me chuckle.

I get torn about these kinds of things.

I enjoy a good "too soon" joke probably more than I should because I think people mourning celebrities they never met is odd/funny.

Also, full disclosure, completely comic book geek here.  My collection is probably around 1000, all bought between 1976-1986.

And then I get how someone can be inspired by a celebrity, or that a certain pop-culture thing/event helped an individual.

But overall I stand by what I said about everyone tells you you should have a sense of humor...just don't make fun of anything THEY think is very serious.

[*michaelsean*]

(11-19-2018, 04:34 PM)GMDino Wrote: I get torn about these kinds of things.

I enjoy a good "too soon" joke probably more than I should because I think people mourning celebrities they never met is odd/funny.

Also, full disclosure, completely comic book geek here.  My collection is probably around 1000, all bought between 1976-1986.

And then I get how someone can be inspired by a celebrity, or that a certain pop-culture thing/event helped an individual.

But overall I stand by what I said about everyone tells you you should have a sense of humor...just don't make fun of anything THEY think is very serious.

I don't think it was the "too soon" thing because it really wasn't about Stan Lee.  

[Au165]

The guy is kind of a self indulgent douche in general. He's a comedian which in itself is kind of a pointless profession isn't it? I mean people go listen to someone tell jokes but what does it actually accomplish? To act like one activity for killing free time is any more childish than another is simply trying to be a gate keeper of free time. It's the old guy "back in my day" argument that will continue on as long as man does. Somewhere when Bill was growing up there was an adult saying that when he was a kid they quit telling jokes at 14 and went to plow fields like real grown ups not trying to make a career out of being funny.

Side note: I have never read a comic in my life. I just hate the whole gate keeper mentality of people sometimes.

[GMDino]

(11-19-2018, 04:37 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I don't think it was the "too soon" thing because it really wasn't about Stan Lee.  

Yeah, just throwing that in there to show where I am coming from.

[BmorePat87]

Stan Lee brought representation to numerous groups of people in a time when that was unheard of. I'm not so sure a TV comedian should be judging him.

[CKwi88]

Is there really a vocal portion of people raving about the literary value of comic books?

Their socio-political value is undeniable, but I don't think I've heard many people clamour about them being some type of high literature.

[fredtoast]

(11-19-2018, 06:07 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: Is there really a vocal portion of people raving about the literary value of comic books?

Their socio-political value is undeniable, but I don't think I've heard many people clamour about them being some type of high literature.

Some one seems to have decided that they are the only thing worth making movies about.  That is becoming a bit tiresome.

[*michaelsean*]

(11-19-2018, 06:07 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: Is there really a vocal portion of people raving about the literary value of comic books?

Their socio-political value is undeniable, but I don't think I've heard many people clamour about them being some type of high literature.

Yeah everyone knows that’s graphic novels.

[Au165]

(11-19-2018, 06:32 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Some one seems to have decided that they are the only thing worth making movies about.  That is becoming a bit tiresome.

It's because people go to see them, many of whom have never read a comic a day in their life like my 60 year old mother in law. 

[BmorePat87]

http://therealstanlee.com/open-letter-to-bill-maher.html

An Open Letter to Bill Maher from Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment
Mr. Maher: Comic books, like all literature, are storytelling devices. When written well by great creators such as Stan Lee, they make us feel, make us think and teach us lessons that hopefully make us better human beings. One lesson Stan taught so many of us was tolerance and respect, and thanks to that message, we are grateful that we can say you have a right to your opinion that comics are childish and unsophisticated. Many said the same about Dickens, Steinbeck, Melville and even Shakespeare.

But to say that Stan merely inspired people to “watch a movie” is in our opinion frankly disgusting. Countless people can attest to how Stan inspired them to read, taught them that the world is not made up of absolutes, that heroes can have flaws and even villains can show humanity within their souls. He gave us the X-Men, Black Panther, Spider-Man and many other heroes and stories that offered hope to those who felt different and bullied while inspiring countless to be creative and dream of great things to come.

These are but a few of the things we the fans of Stan Lee also consider “adulting,” because life both as a child and grown-up can indeed be a struggle. Stan is the author of millions of happy childhood memories and the provider of so many of the positive tools of adulthood.

Our shock at your comments makes us want to say “‘Nuff said, Bill,” but instead we will rely on another of Stan’s lessons to remind you that you have a powerful platform, so please remember: “With great power there must also come -- great responsibility!”

-Team Stan

[*michaelsean*]

(11-20-2018, 09:49 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: http://therealstanlee.com/open-letter-to-bill-maher.html

An Open Letter to Bill Maher from Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment
Mr. Maher: Comic books, like all literature, are storytelling devices. When written well by great creators such as Stan Lee, they make us feel, make us think and teach us lessons that hopefully make us better human beings. One lesson Stan taught so many of us was tolerance and respect, and thanks to that message, we are grateful that we can say you have a right to your opinion that comics are childish and unsophisticated. Many said the same about Dickens, Steinbeck, Melville and even Shakespeare.

But to say that Stan merely inspired people to “watch a movie” is in our opinion frankly disgusting. Countless people can attest to how Stan inspired them to read, taught them that the world is not made up of absolutes, that heroes can have flaws and even villains can show humanity within their souls. He gave us the X-Men, Black Panther, Spider-Man and many other heroes and stories that offered hope to those who felt different and bullied while inspiring countless to be creative and dream of great things to come.

These are but a few of the things we the fans of Stan Lee also consider “adulting,” because life both as a child and grown-up can indeed be a struggle. Stan is the author of millions of happy childhood memories and the provider of so many of the positive tools of adulthood.

Our shock at your comments makes us want to say “‘Nuff said, Bill,” but instead we will rely on another of Stan’s lessons to remind you that you have a powerful platform, so please remember: “With great power there must also come -- great responsibility!”

-Team Stan

Why do I hate the term "open letter" so much?  I can't figure it out.  

I don't really think I would have bothered writing a letter to set a comedian straight.  He makes fun of people who believe in God, and I've yet to feel the urge to write him in an open or closed letter.  Who thought all the aforementioned authors were childish?

[BmorePat87]

(11-20-2018, 10:45 AM)michaelsean Wrote: Why do I hate the term "open letter" so much?  I can't figure it out.  

I don't really think I would have bothered writing a letter to set a comedian straight.  He makes fun of people who believe in God, and I've yet to feel the urge to write him in an open or closed letter.  Who thought all the aforementioned authors were childish?

Early Shakespeare criticism focused on his poor use of classical languages, his juvenile themes, and said he wrote for the masses not the educated. Dickens contemporaries dismissed his writing as without any real depth, relying on creating these fantasy stories with shallow characters that lacks intelligence. 

[hollodero]

(11-20-2018, 09:49 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: But to say that Stan merely inspired people to “watch a movie” is in our opinion frankly disgusting...

Our shock at your comments makes us want to say “‘Nuff said, Bill,”...

...this kind of proves his point, doesn't it. Someone said that comics aren't great! What a shock! How disgusting! How could anyone do that to the great Spiderman...

[BmorePat87]

(11-20-2018, 11:31 AM)hollodero Wrote: ...this kind of proves his point, doesn't it. Someone said that comics aren't great! What a shock! How disgusting! How could anyone do that to the great Spiderman...

Um... only if you're completely ignoring everything else that they said and try to take two blurbs out of context?

They're saying that dismissing what he did as only "inspiring people to 'watch a movie'" is "disgusting" because it reduces his influence to just making movies and ignores decades of work. 

They also said, it makes them WANT to say "nuff said" BUT instead they will leave him with a lesson about using powerful platforms responsibly. 


At no point do they complain about him not liking comics. I'm not sure how you even came close to that conclusion given the entirety of their statement. 

[hollodero]

(11-20-2018, 11:49 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Um... only if you're completely ignoring everything else that they said and try to take two blurbs out of context?

They're saying that dismissing what he did as only "inspiring people to 'watch a movie'" is "disgusting" because it reduces his influence to just making movies and ignores decades of work. 

They also said, it makes them WANT to say "nuff said" BUT instead they will leave him with a lesson about using powerful platforms responsibly. 


At no point do they complain about him not liking comics. I'm not sure how you even came close to that conclusion given the entirety of their statement. 

I just consider it childish to even react in that manner.
Me, I like football and the Bengals. I would never consider calling anyone's opinion that football is stupid "disgusting" or "shocking" though. I wouldn't accuse said person of ignoring decades of tradition and epic battles. And so on.