Comics-related rant
Feb. 18th, 2011 11:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightPlease skip if not interested, however I'm still in a grumpy mood, and it's easier to rant about stuff that doesn't matter than about stuff that does, and which I can't do anything about - well, I can't do anything about this either, but you know what I mean. Plus, it's my LJ and I'll rant if I wanna).
I thought of doing a serious in-depth post about Angel's character in the comics (IDW and their Saint!Angel would have come in for a bit of stick too), but then I decided I didn't have the time or the energy. Then I thought of doing a poll. Everyone loves ticky boxes. However, in the end, I've just done what a lot of other people have done: gone to Aikobot's Wonderful Tumblr site and snagged a lot of gifs.
So, it's no secret that there were some things about the Buffy comic I did not like (no, really!). Mostly these days, I try to keep this to myself as much as possible, except for the occasional remark in passing. But, while trying not to think about other (much more important) horrid stuff during my period of LJ silence, I have been having a good old brood about Angel, and I've decided that if Michelle of Buffyfest, who I don't think anyone could accuse of bias against Angel for 'shipper reasons, can openly declare that what's happened with him in the comics has made her feel meh! about the character, then so can I.
I used to really like him. He was one of my favourite characters in the 'verse. I 'shipped him with Spike big time. Probably, if I ever find the time to rewatch AtS again, I might even get over my mehness.
He could be heroic:
he could be petty:
he had a sense of humour (sorta, kinda):
I could go on, but Aikobot, to whom goes all credit, hasn't yet got around to making the right gifs.
Anyway, Angel in the comics is none of these things. When he's not hiding behind a ridiculous mask, he's stupid, callous and patronising, and what's more he's a crashing bore, and it pisses me off no end, firstly that Joss has done this to him (it's like he took all of Angel's bad characteristics and turned them up to 11 while erasing all his good ones, and I'm sure if I think a minute I'll remember what those were) and secondly that I know that none of the bad stuff he's done will ultimately stick due to good old protagonist's privilege.
No, Comics!Angel won't get off scot free. There'll be a certain amount of hand-wringing and explanatory/desperate scrabbling to make excuses for him in his upcoming comics title, but to be honest, I'm paralysed with not caring. How could anyone care about such an idiot? And it's not like we don't know that in the end Buffy will forgive him and they'll be back to making googly eyes at each other, even though he spent the whole series terrorising and manipulating her for her own good, for which she is, apparently, blaming herself. And yes, it makes me quite cross to see the Buffy of Get It Done and Chosen reduced to this. I wish she would just do this again:
and stake the idiot for good. Then we could all move on to something more interesting.
:end rant:
NB: I'm going to bed now, so if you do feel moved to comment, please keep it polite. Thanks.
I thought of doing a serious in-depth post about Angel's character in the comics (IDW and their Saint!Angel would have come in for a bit of stick too), but then I decided I didn't have the time or the energy. Then I thought of doing a poll. Everyone loves ticky boxes. However, in the end, I've just done what a lot of other people have done: gone to Aikobot's Wonderful Tumblr site and snagged a lot of gifs.
So, it's no secret that there were some things about the Buffy comic I did not like (no, really!). Mostly these days, I try to keep this to myself as much as possible, except for the occasional remark in passing. But, while trying not to think about other (much more important) horrid stuff during my period of LJ silence, I have been having a good old brood about Angel, and I've decided that if Michelle of Buffyfest, who I don't think anyone could accuse of bias against Angel for 'shipper reasons, can openly declare that what's happened with him in the comics has made her feel meh! about the character, then so can I.
I used to really like him. He was one of my favourite characters in the 'verse. I 'shipped him with Spike big time. Probably, if I ever find the time to rewatch AtS again, I might even get over my mehness.
He could be heroic:
he could be petty:
he had a sense of humour (sorta, kinda):
I could go on, but Aikobot, to whom goes all credit, hasn't yet got around to making the right gifs.
Anyway, Angel in the comics is none of these things. When he's not hiding behind a ridiculous mask, he's stupid, callous and patronising, and what's more he's a crashing bore, and it pisses me off no end, firstly that Joss has done this to him (it's like he took all of Angel's bad characteristics and turned them up to 11 while erasing all his good ones, and I'm sure if I think a minute I'll remember what those were) and secondly that I know that none of the bad stuff he's done will ultimately stick due to good old protagonist's privilege.
No, Comics!Angel won't get off scot free. There'll be a certain amount of hand-wringing and explanatory/desperate scrabbling to make excuses for him in his upcoming comics title, but to be honest, I'm paralysed with not caring. How could anyone care about such an idiot? And it's not like we don't know that in the end Buffy will forgive him and they'll be back to making googly eyes at each other, even though he spent the whole series terrorising and manipulating her for her own good, for which she is, apparently, blaming herself. And yes, it makes me quite cross to see the Buffy of Get It Done and Chosen reduced to this. I wish she would just do this again:
and stake the idiot for good. Then we could all move on to something more interesting.
:end rant:
NB: I'm going to bed now, so if you do feel moved to comment, please keep it polite. Thanks.
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 12:32 am (UTC)I have the ability to separate characters from their comic!selves but yeah, I agree with you on comicAngel. He's just...stupid. And for me, at the end of the day, stupidity just isn't something you can redeem a character from because there's nothing to stop them from doing it again and again. There can be no tear-stained epiphanies where a character realizes and rejects their lack of common sense and vows to not be stupid anymore. Writing that, the same can be said for Joss. It's the same thing over and over again with him.
As sad as it may be, Willingham of all people said it best in that quote ubi4soft found. There comes a point where you have to wonder if this gullibility isn't exactly what evil is.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:23 am (UTC)Yeah, I hate to agree with Willingham about anything, but what he said applies to Comics!Angel to a tee. I've no interest whatsoever in seeing him 'redeemed,' partly because I don't believe he can be, and partly because I just don't care.
It's a pity, especially as, like Michelle of Buffyfest, I'm unable to separate show versions of the characters from comics versions, due to the Joss factor.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 01:12 pm (UTC)Joss is pretty much a non-factor to me. I'd have a lot more trouble separating them if SMG and DB were playing these idiots...but then I don't believe for a second Joss would attempt this storyline if actors were involved.
The only good part of the comics to me is they've proved that the actors are every bit a part of the characters as Joss.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 01:21 pm (UTC)Very true. I have obsessed over comics characters in the past, but there's no way I would have given this series the time of day if it hadn't been based on a TV show I loved so much.
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Date: 2011-02-19 12:38 am (UTC)I totally agree with you about comic!Angel.
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Date: 2011-02-21 11:26 am (UTC)It's good, isn't it? I'm not saying Comics!Buffy did nothing wrong. She was plenty stupid on her own account. But it miffs me no end to think she would blame herself for anything that Twangel did to her. Did she blame herself for the AR? I don't think so, and this is qualitatively way worse.
I totally agree with you about comic!Angel.
Angel was never the most interesting character even in his own show, but I liked him. Now...he just irritates the hell out of me.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 12:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 03:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:29 am (UTC)True, except for Spike. But I'm sure that'll come in season 9.
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Date: 2011-02-19 08:59 am (UTC)Yes. This. Exactly! I couldn't possibly agree with you more.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 09:18 am (UTC)Most of the S8's characters are just boring uninspired dumbed down versions of themselves, but Angel is just not him. Yeah, with lots of fanwank and squeezing eyes shut you can recognize some flaws of Angel's in there but the sum of the parts just doesn't add up.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:33 am (UTC)I wish I could divorce the two in my mind, but unfortunately for me, like Michelle from Buffyfest, the Joss factor makes that difficult. I don't think I should watch BtVS season 3 or IWRY for a good long time, because as it stands I'll either be laughing hysterically or throwing things at the telly, because I won't be able to put the hideous space-frak out of my mind.
Yeah, with lots of fanwank and squeezing eyes shut you can recognize some flaws of Angel's in there
That's exactly the problem. If the comics characters were nothing like their show versions at all it would be easier to ignore the whole thing. As it is, they're like dumbed down, stupid, unpleasant versions of their show characters and it poisons my memories of the real thing.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 09:52 am (UTC)(And I had no idea Aikobot was getting through everything so quickly - oh, Gunn in Blind Date, I love you...)
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Date: 2011-02-21 11:35 am (UTC)Yeah, evil should at least have the good manners to be interesting, or fun. Angelus was fun. Twanget is just a badly dressed crashing bore.
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Date: 2011-02-19 10:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:38 am (UTC)Not just Whedon. None of the comics writers have 'got' him. Lynch's version might as well be wearing a halo, for instance. That said, at least Lynch's version has a few of Show!Angel's nicer characteristics, even if Lynch does go OTT in that regard. Twangel is just an idiot, and I don't care what made him decide to do what he did, I just want him to bugger off.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 12:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 01:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:42 am (UTC)As I said to
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Date: 2011-02-21 02:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 03:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 03:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 04:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 01:43 pm (UTC)As for the comics, I read a few of the early ones but at this point I'm happily ignoring them.
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Date: 2011-02-21 11:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 04:36 pm (UTC)I think a rewatch is called for to erase all the damage the comics has wrought.
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Date: 2011-02-21 11:44 am (UTC)I definitely have it on my to do list. I may need to leave it for a bit, though. If I watch IWRY just now, I'm likely to die laughing.
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Date: 2011-02-19 05:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:46 am (UTC)But at least he felt like an actual character and not a chess piece that moves the plot to wherever the writer wants it to go, regardless of sense-making. IDEK.
Yeah, poor Angel. Show!Angel, that is. I just want Comics!Angel to f**k off.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 10:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:50 am (UTC)