In a , he minces no words in making clear what the problem is with today’s Hollywimps, and comics publishers too (Hat tip: ):

MUCH has been made of Miller’s politics in the wake of “300.” The deliriously violent and stylized sword film is based on a Spartan battle in 480 B.C., and although Miller wrote and drew the story for Dark Horse comics a decade ago, in film form it was received by many as a grotesque parody of the ancient Persians and a fetish piece for a war on Islam. Miller scoffs at those notions. “I think it’s ridiculous that we set aside certain groups and say that we can’t risk offending their ancestors. Please. I’d like to say, as an American, I was deeply offended by ‘The Last of the Mohicans.’”

Still, Miller gets stirred up about any criticism of the war in Iraq or the hunt for terrorists, which he views as the front in a war between the civilized Western world and bloodthirsty Islamic fundamentalists.

“What people are not dealing with is the fact that we’re going up against a culture that finds it acceptable to do things that the rest of the world left behind with the barbarians in the 6th century,” Miller said. “I’m a little tired of people worrying about being polite. We are fighting in the face of fascists.”

The director of “300,” Zack Snyder, chuckled about the portrayal of Miller as a conservative on the attack or a “proto-fascist” as one pundit called him. “I don’t think he really has politics, he just sees the world in moral terms. He’s a guy who says what he thinks and has a sense of right and wrong. He talks tough and, after Sept. 11, I think he’s mad.” Snyder said Miller is a throwback and that he approaches his art with a bar-fight temperament, like a Sam Peckinpah. “His political view is: Don’t mess with me.”

Not surprisingly, Miller’s Bat-project in which the Masked Manhunter takes on al Qaeda terrorists appears to have been stalled courtesy of “squeamishness by executives at DC Comics and its parent, Warner Bros. Entertainment, in sending a franchise character on a blood-quest after terrorists.” But even if it weren’t a “franchise character”, chances are that they’d still balk. I think they could sure use more than a bit of criticism for their predictable balking.

Miller offers a plot description and slams the lack of support for the war against jihad in the comics industry:

The book is still not out, and in the industry there is the general sense that the project has stalled a bit. At the W, though, Miller said about 120 pages of his Batman tale have been drawn and inked and he’s starting in on the “final 50 or so.” He said he plans to finish it even though he senses squeamishness by executives at DC Comics and its parent, Warner Bros. Entertainment, in sending a franchise character on a blood-quest after terrorists. The topic is clearly an uncomfortable one for him, and he gave the impression that the title, the distribution deal and the nature of the project are in flux. (Note: if DC just dares in any ways to stop him, that’s exactly why a backlash against any editorial interference would have to be a good idea!)

“Our hero’s key quote is, ‘Those clowns don’t know what terror is,’” Miller said. “Then he sets out to get the guys.”

With the hero as terrorism avenger, Miller is pointing to the days of comics in the 1940s, when Superman, Captain America and the Human Torch were drawn taking punches at Hitler or Hirohito.

“These terrorists are worse than any villain I can come up with, and I think it’s ridiculous that people in entertainment are not showing what we are up against here…. This is pure propaganda, a throwback, there’s no bones about it.”

Miller also said he relishes a backlash. “I’m ready,” he said, “for my fatwa.”

Well said! The word “jihad” has actually appeared here and there in some past comics, but I don’t think I’ve seen “fatwa” before, and while it’s only in a related interview where we’re seeing this now, I must say that that’s saying something. Ole!

In some stranger-than-fiction news, about how in Serbia, a mineral was discovered containing chemicals similar to the Kryptonite featured in one of the Superman movies. Isn’t that amazing? And yet, with the way it’s structured, something tells me it may not be as dangerous as the mineral in the comics!

about an exhibit on blacks in comics at the Jackson State University in Mississippi.

Marvel as a comics company has been doing some very disgustingly moonbatty things lately, but what about Marvel Studios over in Hollywood? If it’s under the same ownership, then they too should be ashamed of themselves (H/T: ):

DUBAI - Young Arab Leaders (YAL) and Marvel Studios have agreed to the first ever Hollywood academic internship alliance, according to Mohammed Khammas, the YAL UAE chapter Vice Chairman.

Marvel Studios, one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, has agreed to allow sponsored internship students interested in film studio production, directing, editing, script writing, publishing, animation, marketing and back lot associated careers to work directly under Marvel staff in the full range of industry careers.

Mohammed Khammas stated “The alliance between Young Arab Leaders and Marvel Studios marks the first of its kind in the world. From our end, this partnership is a great honor and testament to our standing in the international community. Through this agreement we will be opening great opportunities for young students and professionals in the Emirates”

“It is our objective to build capacities in a number of industries in the Arab world. The entertainment, movie, publishing and directing careers are the new wave of career interests in our region.”

“H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid’s Al Maktoum vision is to explore all unchartered professional territories and excel in them, and with that vision we are preparing young Arabs to be professionally trained to manage these industries from all its aspects, with this great opportunity provided by Marvel Studios and its visionary chairman David Maisel.”

This Young Arab Leader’s initiative is fully supported by Marvel Studio Chairman, David Maisel and the board at Marvel Entertainment who lead both the studio and publishing empire.

So Marvel’s plans weren’t even half of the abominable news. Now, they’re even giving “scholarships” to people who could just as well be agents for a country that’s really an enemy? Absolutely disgusting.

And here’s a little something else from Debbie for people like me to think about:

Marvel Studios chief, David Maisel–is Jewish. Apparently, he forgot about the UAE’s Zayed Center–a state-run agency founded by the UAE’s late leader Sheikh Zayed–which sponsored speakers and published Nazi propaganda and literature, whose central theme was that Jews and America were behind 9/11.

Hath Maisel no shame? Apparently not.

I think Avi Arad, another one of their filmmaking supervisors, also said some moonbatty things in past years that turned me off. Put another way, Maisel and Arad don’t speak for me.

Already, I’m getting very angry at them, mainly because they seem to be doing this deliberately. And what happens next when this kind of corruption starts turning up in the pages of Marvel comics themselves, as could happen?

A commentor at Debbie’s blog asks:

I wonder What Stan Lee who helped create Marvel Comics would say?

You know what? I think that’s right. Why exactly is Stan the Man being so silent on the issue or selling out himself by not showing the guts to protest? And this was the very same company that tried to rob him, the very one who practically created much of Marvel, of his share of the profits for the first Spider-Man movie. How can he just stick to the shadows now?

Until that can be solved, I think that any true Marvellite is going to have to search for how to contact their business sources and give them a piece of their mind on this.

, the webmaster lets us all know that WW3 is not worth your time and money:

I got ‘em all, but was rather underwhelmed. The ‘gaps’ they were supposed to ‘explain’? Hardly!! The Supergirl stuff is still confusing… Donna Troy, Nightwing/Jason and Batgirl are not even explained, even though they have panel time. Terra is senselessly killed so Didio can do his ‘old mask-new face’ trick again. ONE YEAR LATER has been horribly, horribly executed. SECRET WARS did it better over 20 years ago.

That may be the “new” Terra, who turned up in 1991, but that still doesn’t justify slaying her. If I were in charge, I would’ve revealed that she was a clone and had her simply pass away when her lifeline energy gives out. But to actually slay her, if you ask me, was uncalled for.

I’m really not surprised if WW3 is as dreadful as it sounds here, as it seems more geared to hype than a well written story. Once again, another “event” comic that’s worth skipping.

I looked at some time ago, and I seem to remember them saying on the main page that they said they’d accept whatever was done with Vic Sage. And you know something? If that’s what they said, I’m appalled. DC may have offed a viable character in favor of one who isn’t very interesting (Renee Montoya), and who’s unlikely to receive any human interest stories like what Vic Sage had in the late 80s series, and they won’t even fight for him? To me, this sounds like weakness.

If they were smart, they’d voice their objections. That’s exactly what should be done, and not to just go along accepting what’s done in Emperor’s New Clothes style.

about a guy involved in setting up the first convention in the neighborhood of Port St. Lucie in Florida.

Denny O’Neil, Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich . The organizer, store manager Ken Murphy, had something to say that I agree with:

Murphy, a sports-loving family man, hates the stereotypes that often are attached to comic book and gaming hobbyists — people who Murphy says come from all walks of life. But Murphy also said the area has long supported comic books as a hobby and a creative pursuit, as evidenced by people like Thomas and Friedrich — respected comic book names from Southeast Missouri.

I completely concur with that. That’s why I find the word “geek” which originally referred to a circus performer who ate chicken heads or something in the mid-1950s, so appalling. I remember that several years ago, when the first X-Men movie was being produced, there were quite a few press sources who seemed to use the word geek, and while it’s always possible to wear it with staunch pride, that still doesn’t mean it’s justified. Sometimes I wonder if “fanboy” is also an unfair stereotype. A very good question.

I looked at the , and I see that Captain America #25 sold at least 290,000 copies. I will make clear, that issue did not deserve an audience, yet readers bought into the publicity and went for it anyway.

In fact, nothing written by Brian Bendis deserves an audience either. That he may dislike some of the characters in the Avengers like Hawkeye, for example, indicates a serious problem with some of today’s writers, that they allow their personal dislike of a character to get out of hand, and do bad things to them. (But also wrong is when the editors allow them to go too far with them.) So it’s not only the problem with “hot” writers that needs to be dealt with, but also the problem with writers who let their personal biases dictate what they do with someone else’s favorite characters.