Frank Miller's Holy Terror

[Frozenwolf150]

For his 300th episode, Linkara of That Guy With the Glasses reviewed Frank Miller's comic Holy Terror. It's in 3 parts:

http://blip.tv/at4w/at4w-300th-episode-part-1-6965791
http://blip.tv/at4w/at4w-300th-episode-part-2-6965846
http://blip.tv/at4w/at4w-300th-episode-part-3-6965874

The graphic novel follows a "superhero" (and I use the term loosely) named the Fixer, who is a badly rendered Batman expy, as he fights terrorists after an attack on Empire City. Frank Miller did intend this as a propaganda piece, and was aware that it would probably offend a lot of people. Keep in mind that this was written long after Frank Miller went certifiably insane, so you should have some idea of what to expect. It was published several months after the death of Osama bin Laden, although it was conceptualized 5 years earlier.

I know it's a long review to sit through, but it's entertaining enough that watching it shouldn't be a chore. I would ask that you watch the whole thing before commenting, although if you don't have the time, that's okay.

What are your thoughts on the comic? What do you think about Linkara's commentary?

 

[fuelair]

I read way faster than listen and pick up more. I prefer read. Sorry....

 

[Armitage72]

The graphic novel follows a "superhero" (and I use the term loosely) named the Fixer, who is a badly rendered Batman expy, as he fights terrorists after an attack on Empire City.

It was originally proposed as "Holy Terror, Batman!", but Miller "decided partway through it that it was not a Batman story".
Translation: DC wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole and hazmat gear.

 

[TheGoldcountry]

I read way faster than listen and pick up more. I prefer read. Sorry....

I agree. Frozenwolf gave us a nice concise synopsis, but in general I come across links that are nothing but videos and I turn them off. I can read an article full of information in the time it takes to watch a clip full of soundbites. This is a general characterization, not directed at Frozenwolf's post.

 

[marplots]

I read way faster than listen and pick up more. I prefer read. Sorry....

I agree. Frozenwolf gave us a nice concise synopsis, but in general I come across links that are nothing but videos and I turn them off. I can read an article full of information in the time it takes to watch a clip full of soundbites. This is a general characterization, not directed at Frozenwolf's post.

Seems like the intended audience should be more forgiving. They are, after all, discussing a graphic novel. You know, the kind with pictures?

 

[GDon]

What do you mean by "Frank Miller went certifiably insane"? Is that something that actually happened, even if not literally? It's been more than 20 years since I've been seriously into comics, so I've missed a lot.

 

[Beelzebuddy]

Seems like the intended audience should be more forgiving. They are, after all, discussing a graphic novel. You know, the kind with pictures?

The kind that are still read, even these days when entertainment can be seen far more easily on the teevee or the youtubes.

What do you mean by "Frank Miller went certifiably insane"? Is that something that actually happened, even if not literally? It's been more than 20 years since I've been seriously into comics, so I've missed a lot.

Imagine if the Punisher decided to work out his issues in comic book form. It's kinda like that.

 

[A'isha]

What do you mean by "Frank Miller went certifiably insane"? Is that something that actually happened, even if not literally? It's been more than 20 years since I've been seriously into comics, so I've missed a lot.

He didn't go insane insane, like Dave Sim, but he's generally considered to be a victim of the Brain Eater.

 

[Donn]

I just finished watching the vids (that took ages!) and what I saw of the comic was awful. I don't think I could get past the first few pages of distorted bodies with huge heads. The story would not even get a chance to happen the art's so terrible.

I agree with the video bloke, the comic is a shallow bigot-fest with zero redeeming quality. I suppose I should read it myself to be properly skeptical and all, but ... meh. I'm too far away from a big city and I need my money to buy electricity and food.

 

[Frozenwolf150]

Linkara doesn't do text reviews anymore, but there are a number of text reviews of Holy Terror on the net. Here's one of them, for those who didn't have time to watch the videos.

http://comicsalliance.com/frank-millers-holy-terror-review/

An overview of problems with the comic:

• Al-Qaeda is portrayed as representative of Islam as a whole.
• Islam is portrayed as a throwback to the Middle Ages.
• The conflict is presented as a war on Islam, with an US vs. THEM mentality.
• Torture is deemed justifiable in certain situations.
• The writing is awful, the story is awful, the artwork is painful to look at, the characters have no redeeming qualities, and the villains are stereotypes.
• The themes are regurgitations of patriotic propaganda from the early days of the War on Terror.

ETA: I was originally going to post this in the Islamophobia thread, but the mods said I could go ahead and start a separate topic for it, since that thread isn't going to be reopened.

 

[fuelair]

Good review there - I assume having not seen the book. Do not agree with all the assumption IF the book is as described. There are unfortunately many Muslims who do very primitive things for which, having the opportunity I could outdo what was described here. I admit I am a little overhyped tonight as I saw the story today (thank goodness the later parts after surgeries) of the girl who when younger had had her nose and ears cut off by a male family member...I would happily have entertained him for hours with my favorite pocket knife and medical tools. I guarantee he would have been screaming for Allah to take him. On the good side there is no Allah, just ....... This kind of thing - which I know most Muslims (make that hope )I know a number of Muslims would never do or wish to do. But like our fundies, their fundies steal and torture and kill their way into power. I guess Frank and I want all of that type out of our world. With extreme prejudice.

 

[fuelair]

P.S. If I am going to use a knife for fighting purpose it will not be one that can get hung up on jewelry/clothes/muscle/bone etc. like the one early on*. Double edge, thin (width) blade, solid build. Designed by Fairbairn/Sykes or someone else who actually used a knife in close combat. And was charactered in Foyle's War. - The guy training people in explosives and close combat, who had served on the police in Hong Kong in his younger days at the training planning secondary but dirty tricks school where a guy who was son of the head of the old school spy service had gone to do his bit and was killed by a land mine on a very badly planned and executed incursion into France. Good show! as were they all so far.........




* as pictured by Frank in the comic the one with a hook on one side and square cut serration on the other (great for rope, awful for fighting).

 

[Frozenwolf150]

I guess Frank and I want all of that type out of our world. With extreme prejudice.

The difference is that Frank Miller amounts to a coward hiding behind strong rhetoric. The superhero persona is his personal violent fantasy, only if he were to ever carry it out, you can bet he would lash out indiscriminately. Frank thinks all Muslims are a threat. Keep in mind that the Fixer is based on Frank Miller's take on Batman, the same Batman as in, "I'm the goddamn Batman." Just look at what he did in these examples, specifically #1:

http://www.cracked.com/article_20111_the-6-most-brutal-murders-committed-by-batman_p2.html

 

[catsmate]

The difference is that Frank Miller amounts to a coward hiding behind strong rhetoric. The superhero persona is his personal violent fantasy, only if he were to ever carry it out, you can bet he would lash out indiscriminately. Frank thinks all Muslims are a threat. Keep in mind that the Fixer is based on Frank Miller's take on Batman, the same Batman as in, "I'm the goddamn Batman." Just look at what he did in these examples, specifically #1:

http://www.cracked.com/article_20111_the-6-most-brutal-murders-committed-by-batman_p2.html

There's something of a trend for such material in recent years, just look at Tom Kratman.

 

[fuelair]

Seems like the intended audience should be more forgiving. They are, after all, discussing a graphic novel. You know, the kind with pictures?

I can and I suspect other high speed readers also can read pages of graphic faster than my computer likes to scroll - and when page scanning no weird jumps can occur........

 

[dudalb]

Not like Frank Miller has done anything decent for a long time.......

No wonder DC took a look at Miller's script and told him no way would he be using Batman for this........

 

[Crow T R0bot]

Come to think of it, has anyone here had to deal with conspiracy theories saying Al-Qaeda is a larger-than-life supervillain group akin to HYDRA in the latest Captain America movie? Most Conspiracy Theories about 9/11 tend to go in the opposite direction.

 

[JohnG]

Even back in the day, at the height of his Ronin/Elektra/Dark Knight fame, I found Miller's style kind of absurd, juvenile and ugly. What won me over though was the bracing, raw energy of his best work. These days it just feels like he's a bitter, emotionally retarded adult, still stuck in an angry young man phase, though unfortunately not an intelligent angry young man.

And don't get me started on how he treated The Spirit. There is now an entire generation for whom Will Eisner's creation is just the punchline to a bad joke, if they even are aware of the character at all.

 

[Crow T R0bot]

Even back in the day, at the height of his Ronin/Elektra/Dark Knight fame, I found Miller's style kind of absurd, juvenile and ugly. What won me over though was the bracing, raw energy of his best work. These days it just feels like he's a bitter, emotionally retarded adult, still stuck in an angry young man phase, though unfortunately not an intelligent angry young man.

And don't get me started on how he treated The Spirit. There is now an entire generation for whom Will Eisner's creation is just the punchline to a bad joke, if they even are aware of the character at all.

Yeah, I saw Linkara and FilmBrain's joint review of the film adaptation. They sound just as steamed about it as you do.