So November 5th passed once again, and once again, the British Parliament is still standing. So Guy Fawkes failed yet again. And speaking of Guy Fawkes (well, sort of) I have decided to take today's diatribe, and dedicate it to the man who taught me about Guy Fawkes, and the Gunpowder Treason....
That Man, is Alan Moore.
Moore is a comic-book innovator. That goes without saying. He has written some of the most influential stories in comic book history. Most notibly: Watchmen and V For Vendetta. Many a comic book writer has cited Moore as one of their biggest influences in their career choices.
So, you'd think that Moore would be gracious and kind toward his brethren?
Not a chance.
Alan Moore is a Bitter Old Crank!
There. I said it.
I love Moore's work, but my respect for the man has been dwindling for a number of years, but more so in the last year. It started with the Theatrical release of the movie "Watchmen" (Forch Rating: 8.5/10). Moore stated that he would have no part in seeing the film at all, mainly because adaptations of his work (Most notibly: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) being terribly translated to the Big Screen. Now I understand this. When you invest so much of yourself into something, and see someone's personal adaptation of it, you may not get the same feelings, because people interpret things differently. I get that. But to go public and bash the people who are basically paying tribute to you, is disrespectful and just plain rude!
When Watchmen was released, it was praised by fans of the book as being the closest thing to a near-literal adaptation of a book ever. Because it was. With the exception of a few main items (Which actually made things a little more believable... Giant Squid??? Come on, Alan.) Watchmen was a visual masterpiece, and if I had created that world, and saw it on the big screen, I'd be moved. Zack Snyder paid tribute to Moore better than anyone could, and Moore will never know... Dave Gibbons knows.
So getting to the point, and reason of my rantings today. This is something that I read long ago, and was going to do a "Forch'N Telling" on it for my former Radio show, but that never came to be. Moore was quoted as saying the following, on "Blackest Night" Which is a DC Comics mega-event, which the genesis of it came from a short story Moore did about 30 years ago in a Green Lantern Annual (I believe).
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"I was noticing that DC seems to have based one of its latest crossovers in Green Lantern based on a couple of eight-page stories that I did 25 or 30 years ago. I would have thought that would seem kind of desperate and humiliating, When I have said in interviews that it doesn’t look like the American comic book industry has had an idea of its own in the past 20 or 30 years, I was just being mean. I didn’t expect the companies concerned to more or less say, “Yeah, he’s right. Let’s see if we can find another one of his stories from 30 years ago to turn into some spectacular saga.”
What an arrogant asshole!
Mr. Moore, honestly? I think that you're the only one keeping yourself in the public eye. It's not like you're coming out with anything at this time that is ground-breaking or original. All people hear from you is your excessive whining and palaver about how people are ripping off your books, and I imagine that you're not even reading them, because you're too proud!
Geoff Johns (Writer of virtually ever DC Comics book) has done a top-notch job of taking a short story that you wrote, taking the premise (And nothing LITERAL from it, other than the IDEA) and went with it! He grabbed the ball and made a tremendous storyline from it, that has been ongoing for 5 years now! That's what I call a writer. He took a small, piddly little idea that you had, and expanded it at least 100x over! Yeah. He stole that idea. He ripped you off. Come on, are you that arrogant that you can't give credit where credit is due?
Did you actually coin the term "Blackest Night"??? I honestly don't think so. If I recall correctly (Ahem, Sarcasm, Ahem), isn't the term "Blackest Night" used in the Green Lantern Oath??? Let me Check!
No evil shall escape my sight
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power... Green Lantern's light! "
Wow. Did you write that?
You complain about how people are sell-outs and stealing your ideas, which is funny, because what about this picture? Wasn't that you on the Simpsons??? That's probably the biggest sell out for anyone in the geek world? Not bashing you for it, honestly. I don't blame you, but where do you get off criticizing other people in the industry? You're going to lose that respect and admiration eventually if you keep it up...
Look at Stan Lee. People worship him. And why? Because not only is he the creator of some of the most pivotal characters in comics, but he respects the business, and gives credit, where it is due! Stan Lee will be immortalized forever because of that. He's a genuinely nice guy, where you come off as a pompous ass!
Remember, remember what I had to say on the Sixth of November, Alan...
By Forch F. Fortier. (Who reminds you that while Dr. Manhattan can turn anything into anything else, Forch has the power to turn anything into awesome! And Watchmen is an awesome movie, I just wish that Alan Moore wasn't too proud to realize that!!!)
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