I can’t recall any Millar comic that I actually liked.

I don’t own a copy of Wanted but I read it and I remember the last page rant being aimed not at comic readers in general but instead at readers who had had come to see the main character as sympathetic( or heroic ) as I had. Since I never re-read the book it’s possible that I misinterpreted and supplied my own more effective meaning but it worked for me. The main character was pretty disgusting and I had slowly forgotten that by the last chapter so it was a shock to be reminded of it.

What would you want in a Superman comic that’s not too scary for the kiddies?

An alien robot genius, a bald crooked CEO, and a man who attacks you with murderous toys, of course.

Wasn’t this comic book suppose to be aimed at children? I don’t think I would want my 7 year old nieces and nephew read this comic because I think some of the issues in it aren’t approriate for children. Suicide? Terrorists? Someone about to be executed by electric chair? As far as I’m concerned, not stuff I would them exposed to at that age or anywhere up to maybe ten or twelve. I’d hate to have to explain suicide to them.

You’re either something of a hypocrite, or you had THE most protected childhood in the world.
Lots of kids books, films and comics deal with such issues (or at least they USED to)- actually hell, they may not ‘deal’ with them as such, but they are certainly there.
I mean Bambi’s mother got shot, and Scar killed Simba’s father and then set up an evil dictatorship (instead of a ‘good monarchy’ but still)… are these too much for kids to deal with?

What would you want in a Superman comic that’s not too scary for the kiddies?

This is, to get back on topic, one of my favorite Superman stories, and Superman is my favorite fictional character. It’s elegantly paced, plotted and executed. Whenever someone says that a hero is defined by their villains, I think back to this issue and how it proves that old maxim of writing: for every rule of writing, the opposite is true.

Seriously though- i’ve spent a lot of time at Millar’s messageboard, and it’s pretty obvious (to me) that he’s a big fanboy, especially when it comes to the DC characters. I don’t think it’s that far-out an idea that Deadshot Jr would hate comicbook fans (AND people with large DVD collections and boring desk jobs, not just comic fans). It’s totally in keeping with the way the character was presented at the beginning of the story- in essence the character is mocking people who were the way he used to be before he embraced his evil destiny.

I don’t think that Mark Millar, writer, is mocking the readers any more than I think Mark Millar is advocating rape and murder and the other 99 atrocities the character committed in the story.

I haven’t read Wanted, but based on the descriptions here I can see why some would find it offensive. However, I also think that it’s a fair bit of an overreaction to automatically assume the beliefs and actions of a fictional character he wrote accurately represent how Millar himself feels. For all you know, he was writing the character from a perspective the complete opposite of his own.

(Just playing “devil’s advocate” here. It’s been said before, but I think bears repeating.)

I also don’t disagree with your assesment of his personality. I’ve come to the same conclusion, really, it’s just that I HAVE enjoyed things he’s written. And no, they’re never perfect, or even the best, but sometimes they’re pretty good.

If the last issue of Ultimates Vol. 2 ever comes out, for example, I’ll be buying it.

And Knox, that’s very funny, but unless the clown in It (which I haven’t read) tells fans of horror that they’re complete dickheads for enjoying the genre, then it’s not really an apt comparison, is it? Again, my reasons may be stupid, but they’re mine.

I wept, Dan. No, I boycott Millar because he has no respect for the people who read his books. So why should I buy them?

You misunderstand, Greg. I’m not saying you should be buying Millar’s books, I’m saying that your reason for NOT is silly.

1. It’s fiction, and therefore, totally possible for the character to believe and represent something that is not congruous with the writer’s position. The ending is totally consistent with what was established of Wesley’s character previously in the series.

2. Even if it was a direct representation of MIllar’s P.O.V, it’s quite possible that it was a temporary fit, and not a manifesto for his life.

3. There are other, better reasons to dislike Wanted! The story was SOOOO predictable, the pacing was uneven, and the release schedule was slow and inconsistent. You can even criticize the sudden breaking of the fourth wall in the last issue.

But to me, being insulted by something that a stranger wrote to be seen by thousands of people across the world, seems like a colossal waste of time.

I have no clue where he stands on anything.

I boycott Stephen King for much the same reason. People say that Pennywise is just a character, but deep down I know that Stephen King is an evil clown who kills children, and “It” was just King’s way of rubbing it in our face.
I just can’t support anyone with that kind of contempt for his audience.

Yeah, I totally laughed at this. LOLed, even.

Sorry, Greg.

* No… wait. Here’s the deal: The main characters in the book are all DC Villain analouges. I remember the Toyman-variant got killed and I remember thinking “Wow. That was a REALLY well executed piece of writing.”

But that’s all I remember.