Bent Corner

Blogging from Williamsport, Maryland so you don't have to.

Tag: Heidi MacDonald

Don’t look at a complimentary comic book in the mouth

Heidi MacDonald wrote a blog post over at The Beat that has got a lot of attention from some in the comic book online reviewer community.  It concerns something some of them evidently include with their online reviews. 

Heidi wrote:

What is it with the comic book reviewers who include this in their reviews?

This review was based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

I guess it’s supposed to be some kind of ethical high ground thing, but, ironically, it makes the reviewer look like a complete amateur.

Because the way the world works is that publicists are SUPPOSED to send out free product so it can get reviewed.

Evidently quite a few of these comic book online reviewers that include just such a phrase don’t appreciate the implication that they are in any sort of way amateur. At least that’s what I inferred from the lengthy comment section of Heidi’s blog post.

I think she’s got a valid point. I think it does look amateurish if and when someone posts just such a phrase, but not for the reason Heidi gave. When someone receives something complimentary, it’s not for them to read and then review. It’s for them to read and hopefully enjoy.

It’s a gift.

There’s an old saying, Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. I guess back in the olden times, people liked to give each other horses. It was considered rude to look at the teeth of a horse someone just gave you. The point is that if someone just gave you a horse, you should be grateful of your good fortune and don’t look for more by examining it to assess its value.

The same thing is true with complimentary comic books. Instead of looking at them with the critical eye of a reviewer, you should just enjoy your complimentary comic books. On the other hand, if instead the reviewer receives a promotional or review copy of a comic book from the publisher, all bets are off. A promotional or review copy is sent out by the publisher with the intention of having it reviewed. Not only is it not rude to look at such a comic in the mouth, it’s expected.

So yes, it does look somewhat amateurish when someone posts that they are reviewing a complimentary copy of a comic book provided by the publisher.

4 Comments by Rick  /  February 1, 2009  /  Posted in: Comic Books
Tagged: , , , , ,

Comics journalism: Carrots, sticks, threats, and spankings


If you are a fan of reading any of the various comic book news sites or blogs, you need to check out the podcast from one of the panels held at the recent Heroes Con in North Carolina. The panel was entitled, “Covering Comics: Criticism, Reportage, and Gossip“. It was moderated by Tom Spurgeon of the Comics Reporter. The panel was comprised of Johanna Draper Carlson (Comics Worth Reading), Matt Brady (Newsarama), Heidi MacDonald (The Beat), Tim Hodler (Comics Comics), and Carlton Hargro, editor of the local alt-weekly Creative Loafing.

After listening to the entire panel, I was the most impressed with Carlton Hargo and Johanna Draper Carlson.

By far the most interesting segment was when Matt Brady spoke about repercussions from comic publishers. It’s at around the 20:00 mark if you want to jump ahead. He pointed to two stories that he believed put Newsarama on the map. He mentioned the Siegel/Superman stuff and the DC Comics/Wildstorm deal. He stated there would be multiple hoops to jump through and there would be “repercussions” if those topics were covered today.

He then talked about “carrots and sticks” and “threats and spankings”. He went on to say that there have been many times where he has had to think about the long term picture before breaking a story. He admitted that he sometimes worries about repercussions from the publishers if he (Newsarama) is the first to break certain stories. He said that sometimes he has had to ask himself if it was more prudent to “hang back” and allow certain stories to break elsewhere — like a blog or a rumor column — and comment on the story then.

Wow.

I felt uncomfortable listening to it on my iPod. I cannot imagine sitting in the room and hearing it in person.

1 Comment by Rick  /  June 25, 2008  /  Posted in: Comic Books
Tagged: , , , , , ,

Joe Quesada weighs in on Marvel’s tentacle rape porn for 9-year olds

Heidi MacDonald from The Beat has been kind enough to post a portion of the weekly question and answer session between comic book website Newsarama and Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada.

She saved me from having to go and read the sickening love fest passing as comics journalism over at Newsarama.

Quesada weighs (no pun intended) in on the recent controversy over the creepy HEROES FOR HIRE #13 cover that I wrote about here.

When I refer to “controversy”, I am referring to why Marvel Comics would stoop to putting porn on the cover of a comic book intended for 9 year olds.

I don’t care all that much for Joe Quesada. This is a prime example of why:

This one I can answer to. First, I think people are reading way too much into that cover than was ever intended. I heard terms such as “tentacle rape” being thrown around when that in no way is what’s happening, nor does it happen in the book. Those tentacles are the arms of the Brood who appears in the issue and is a major story point, the Brood have tentacles, sorry about that.

Secondly, the concept for that cover, soup to nuts came from a female artist. Thirdly, not being a deep follower of manga, I have no idea what recurring theme people are referring to or concerned with. While I appreciate the sentiment and the feelings that some may have about this, I honestly feel that there is way too much being read into this cover.

Also, HFH is a book that features two strong, lead female protagonist who kick major ass; somehow folks have forgotten to focus on that.

Reading too much into it, huh Joe? Why is the tentacle — you call it an arm — secreting some kind of mystery white goo on the woman’s breasts? The woman with her hands chained above her head to a stone pillar. What is that white goo supposed to be?

Also, just how old is Joe Quesada? When was the last time you heard someone use the phrase, “Soup to Nuts”? Talk about old-man speak.

7 Comments by Rick  /  May 27, 2007  /  Posted in: Comic Books
Tagged: , , , ,