Comic Book Resources

No one said she had to have good taste in comics, or films in which to star, or men, or turkey sandwiches.

I agree that it's good that she intentionally name comics appropriate for her ouvere, even her ouvere involves being in films where a small RC truck robot humps her leg.

Okay, Megan Fox doesn't get Free Parking when it comes to this stuff simply because she looks good. I mean, she is very attractive, but some fanboys talk about her like she is beauty incarnate simply because she claims to read comics. Even if she does like comics... she's just an actress -- one that no comics message board person will ever meet. There's enough unnecessary celebrity worship in the world already, methinks, and it's pretty clear if she does read comics, it's not like that means she is automatically someone we need to bow down to.

Really, Megan Fox could come to my house, rip up all of my X-Men comics, and stab me, and I’d still cut her some slack

This is the attitude the internet comics fans need to get over: she's not coming to your house ever. Accept it like the G4 nerds who won't accept that Olivia Munn (who is also very attractive, but not the end-of-the-world beautiful) is NOT coming to their house for an orgy any more than Megan Fox either. You're lame enough, Brad (although I can tell it's just a joke).

NOTE: Obviously Brad isn't advocating Free Parking for Megan Fox. However, most of us could name 3-4 comics media website writes who would gladly pretend she is Zeus' gift to comics readers just to remain "hip" enough to stay relevant. After all, she did say on TEEVEE that she LIKES COMICS!

HINT: Most celebrities who like comics only read the graphic novels that they might (key word *might*) star in film adaptions of. Otherwise... most wouldn't bother. And those that do, so what? Celebrities that read comics aren't anymore important than us regular joes who read 'em! If Brad Pitt read comics it doesn't make them anymore better or important ... yet a lot of readers think "if only the mainstream accepted us!"

No one could cut up my x-men comics and get away with it, she wouldn't even get the chance to stab me. Plus she has toe thumbs.

The more words that come out of her mouth, the ranker her pussy gets. Megan Fox is not just like us. Megan Fox = hot-looking, stuck-up bitch from every other quote I've heard from her. It will take more than an opinion on shitty comics to make me think otherwise.

Megan Fox makes up for having "terrible taste in comics" by being extremely attractive, wealthy and successful then most of the people who spend their time on comic book websites could even hope to fathom.

This is sort of the equivalent of a high school nerd holding a copy of "Acme Novelty Library" calling a cheerleader a loser because she reads Cable: Sad on an incredibly stupid amount of levels.

Mck - Chillax.

I think you're taking life, and not caring about Megan Fox, a little too seriously there.

(I don't even know who she is, let alone what she's done to generate a backlash from people liking her to much).

Michael "McK" Xavier
June 30, 2009 at 8:59 pm

This is the attitude the internet comics fans need to get over: she’s not coming to your house ever. Accept it like the G4 nerds who won’t accept that Olivia Munn (who is also very attractive, but not the end-of-the-world beautiful) is NOT coming to their house for an orgy any more than Megan Fox either. You’re lame enough, Brad (although I can tell it’s just a joke).

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I think the attitude that Internet comic fans really need to get over is the one where they give a rat's ass one way or another about actors who appear in comic book movies and what they think of comics.They're actors. It's a job. They're appearing in the movies because they get paid. Nowhere is it said they have ti have a love for the stuff, or even care at all. There's just as little reason to slobber over them as there is to slaf them. Really, who cares? What difference does it make. Not worth getting wroked up over on either side of the fence.

Would she settle for some Alpha Flights?

I think that because of the "Nerd" stigma that is generally applied to people that read comics, finding out that a "hot" celebrity is a comic fan is noteworthy. It helps dispel the perception that all comic fans are basement dwelling virgins, and shows that comics can appeal to anyone. I think most of us would love it if the general population had a higher opinion of comic books. Hell, from a practical standpoint, if enough people decided to start reading comics, the comic companies would probably end up dropping their prices. That's good for everyone. A famous person admitting they're into comics gives the hope that that might happen, even though it seems pretty clear at this point that it won't.

Granted, none of this means you can't mock said celebrity's choice of comics. We're comic fans. It's kind of what we do.

First of all, the point wasn't just that she liked comics that starred "strong women of vision," as my dad is apt to say, but that she is able to walk the walk, as it were, with her own ARTISTIC TALENT. The most impressive part of that clip, to me, is how well she draws. Seriously, that caricature of Jimmy is impressive. And her preference of talented dudes like Turner and Campbell...how can anyone argue with that?

Hey I can forgive Blair Butler for liking Geoff Johns.

I think she probably mentioned Fathom because that's her next film role after Hex...

Umm, I'm with kalorama. Comics will make it out of the pop culture ghetto when people who are fans just start stating that without qualifiers, one of which would be "...but, but...Us Magazine coverperson X likes them, too".

Also, if I could just be a lad for a second, I don't get the deal with Ms Fox. She's genericly attractive and looks like she stepped out of a Greg Land pinup, with all the posed, plasticy-ness that that implies. I'll take (by which I mean, crush on from afar) Olivia Munn any day...

So now we're ragging on Gen 13 and J. Scott Campbell? Fuck that shit. You liked his stuff in the 90's, you like his Spider-Man covers today. Don't front.

I don't know, jazzbo ... the way comics sites go overboard every time a celebrity mentions reading a comic kind of reinforces the idea that we're all social outcasts. So many people -- not just in the comics community, of course -- just seem desperate for any sort of validation from the culture at large. How about just liking what we like and not worrying about what anyone else thinks?

(In that spirit, I'm going to go ahead and infuriate all the smart people here and say that I'm sick to death of "Acme Novelty Library" being trotted out as the greatest piece of sequential art ever. I tried it and hated it, and have hated everything else of Ware's that I've read. Nothing against him personally, but "depressing" doesn't equal "great". So go ahead and revoke my nerd license.)

See? Not caring what others think is fun!

Stop worrying about the "ghetto". There is no single popular culture; it's just a collection of ghettos. Comics are a ghetto. Sitcoms are a ghetto. Jane Austen books are a ghetto, and hip-hop is a ghetto on a couple of levels. The fact that "Transformers" is seen as mainstream from within our little village is pretty funny when you think about it.

There is no universal entertainment. My daughters love "Dora the Explorer", but they don't twist themselves up worrying about how to get the word out so that Dora can be brought out of the NickJr ghetto and into the mainstream. As I said before: just like what you like.

As I seem to have completely lost my original train of thought, I'll end it here: she's pretty, but I'm married, so who cares what she thinks of me and my hobbies?

I don’t know, jazzbo … the way comics sites go overboard every time a celebrity mentions reading a comic kind of reinforces the idea that we’re all social outcasts. So many people — not just in the comics community, of course — just seem desperate for any sort of validation from the culture at large. How about just liking what we like and not worrying about what anyone else thinks?

Totally agree here. I think there's something in the "nerd" psychological make-up that desperately wants acceptance of fringe interests(i.e. comics) to be "normal". I even read an article about how exciting it was that the new Star Trek movie "makes Trekkies mainstream," only to complain "if only Doctor Who could have the same treatment!" Why does being a part of the "mainstream" even matter, especially since much of mainstream culture is often shallow anyway? Furthermore, when the top two highest grossing movies last year were comic book superhero movies, how more mainstream can you get? Do you want your local newscaster to report on the awesomeness of Astro City weekly?

Very sad. Of course, fanboys will go on anticipating the next time Megan Fox talks comics like the Israelites waiting for Moses to come down the mountain.

[...] Original post: Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources » Megan Fox Is Just … [...]

OK, let's get real. Several people have alluded to this, but the reality is that she probably got turned onto Fathom, Witchblade, and Gen 13 through her upcoming role in Fathom. These are comics that she probably got as comps. I don't think she is some lifelong comic fan, rather just someone who is just discovering the world of comics for real.

On top of that, these comics aren't that bad. True, I've never read Fathom, but once upon a time a lot of people did and thought it was great. Witchblade has been around long enough to have both good and bad runs on it, like any long lived title, and Gen 13 (the original mini) is not that bad, nor is Danger Girl. Are they intellectually stimulating...no...but they are fun, cheesecake-y, breezy reads. Seems like perfect material for Fox, who, admittedly, seems fun, cheesecake-y, and breezy and not the least bit intellectually stimulating.

First of all, obsessing over celebrities reading comics only undermines the legitimacy of the medium. Can you imagine someone trying to defend books in general, or movies, by pointing to the fact that some random celebrity likes them?

Secondly, even if the general premise wasn't so flawed, this particular example also is bad for comics in that anyone who actually checks these out on her recommendation will have their worst prejudices and stereotypes about comics in general reaffirmed. But then again, if anyone is really dumb enough to go out and buy a book because it was recommended by Megan Fox, those piece of crap books might be right up their alley.

Finally, though, I truly believe the time to obsess over comics "legitimacy" is past. Because you know what? Comics as a medium are now totally acceptable. Graphic novels and collections get reviewed in the New York Times and taken seriously in literary circles. That doesn't mean that continuity-based stuff featuring exclusively super-heroes will ever have that level of success - sorry, but those books, good as they may be on occasion, are and will remain a niche market. But the medium of graphic storytelling in and of itself has arrived as a form on equal footing with traditional novels, movies, and other forms of entertainment.

I don't think anything I said translates into "desperately wanting acceptance." I agree that anyone that's falling over themselves because a celebrity mentioned comic books is going too far. I'm just saying that it IS noteworthy when someone famous says they are a comic reader, and it makes sense that comic sites would report it.

And just because the top grossing movies were comic movies, doesn't mean comics are mainstream. The top selling titles every month rarely sell over 100,000 copies. 10s of millions of people go to see the top movies. 30 years ago a title that sold that many copies would be on the verge of cancellation. I would like comics to become more mainstream so that they're more widely read, which will help ensure that comics stay around in the future. As it is now, the market for them keeps shrinking.

Oh, and since S1rude mentioned qualifiers, one of the ones I hate is people that insist they read "Graphic Novels," not comics. You read comics, there's nothing wrong with that. Stop trying to dress it up.

" This is sort of the equivalent of a high school nerd holding a copy of “Acme Novelty Library” calling a cheerleader a loser because she reads Cable: Sad on an incredibly stupid amount of levels. "

Not necessarily, since reading truly great works requires intellectual dedication by the reader, and it's frustrating for people to put that effort in and see others wallowing in banality with no intention of improving their taste and/or thought. It's no excuse to be pointlessly rude to others, but even sadder are the people who wear their intellectual ignorance as a badge. And there are way, way more people who do that than engage in intellectual snobbery.

And as for the merits of Megan Fox vs. Olivia Munn....I find it unfortunate that comic fans, who are almost perpetually in the outsider position, tend to gravitate to the stereotypically hot. Fox may read comics ( albeit bad ones ), but she looks like the traditional model for the pin-up girl; Olivia Munn isn't nearly as egregious, but she's still in a position of " hot celebrity chick happens to like games ". Meanwhile, there are plenty of fandom-associated actresses who don't cultivate the pin-up girl look and have genuine talent to back up their beauty ( Felicia Day comes to mind ).

I wasn't referring specifically to you desperately seeing validation, jazzbo, but just to the idea that a celebrity endorsing something makes it somehow acceptable. I know that's a common belief in our culture, but that don't make it so, y'know?

The way we as a community latch onto every shred of hope that cool people might accept us just reminds me too much of every nerdy teenagers dream that the head cheerleader will suddenly think tell you how much she loves RED DWARF so you won't seem like such a loser for staying home on Saturday nights to watch it on PBS ... or maybe that was just me.

And NealK, I'd suggest that worrying too much about the legitimacy of the medium might also be undermining the legitimacy of the medium. We shouldn't have to prove that our interests are as valid as anyone else's. Why are comics less legitimate than, say, professional football? They're not, but we cn sure make it seem that way by constantly harping on the subject. We've all groaned at those "Comics aren't for kids anymore" headlines, but how many of us have said those exact words while trying to evangelize for our hobby?

I'll reiterate my earlier statement that there is no monolithic popular culture, only a bunch of ghettos. Some are more popular than others, some have higher profiles, but the important thing is to enjoy what you enjoy whether anyone else does or not. It would be great for the comics companies to sell half a million copies of everything, but let's face facts: anyone who reads comics because Megan Fox does isn't a fan of comics, but just a fan of Megan Fox. We went through the glory days of huge sales and popular acceptance back in the early 90s. Remember what happened next?

-- Chris Bloom (had to change my handle to accommodate Gravatar, dang it!)

I think the real problem here is that you invoked Cliffy B... I'm not sure that he's someone you want to turn to as an example. Not really helping make your point.

In fact, I'm a little weirded out that there's enough mention of him in the media that there's a quote to reference...

I'm with Aqualad on this one; Campbell is a greatly fun artist who does a mean action scene, dynamic layouts, great characterizations, hot women, and is no slouch on the backgrounds, weaponry, or vehicles. What more do you want?

She's not terribly bright, she's not that good of an actress, but I'd do her.

I more or less agree with you, Chris. It can be sad when comic fans (or any niche media fans) latch onto a celebrity "endorsement" as if it gives legitimacy to the hobby. My main point was that I do think it's noteworthy enough when it does happen for a comic blog to point it out. Because as you mentioned, as much as we might not want it to be so, a lot of people do believe that a celebrity endorsement means something. Although I suppose by commenting on it it just then further lends weight to the celebrity endorsement. Kind of a vicious circle, I guess.

It's funny, I live in Minneapolis, MN, and I feel like the local news media has the same sort of mindset as this. Whenever a celebrity mentions the town or has ever even driven through it, they make a huge deal out of it. It seems like they're trying to prove how hip and cool Minneapolis is by pointing to the "cool" celebrities who have been here. but it just comes across as a low self-esteem issue, if you ask me. I love Minneapolis. I don't need a movie star to prove to anyone else it's a cool place to live.

Hey, jazzbo, I live in Birmingham, AL. We go nuts whenever anyone mentions something about us that doesn't have to do with turning the hoses on black people.

In fact, to prove your point, I'm a little stoked to learn that I actually went to school with Jason Aaron of SCALPED and GHOST RIDER. He graduated a year before me, but dang if I can even remember his face. Still, all of B'ham is sooooo proud ...

"Why does being a part of the “mainstream” even matter..."

To the BBC, it matters lots - lots as in 10 million Saturday evening viewers for Doctor Who, and HEAPS of mechandising. To me, it means a favourite is back on TV, and it still works.

Of course, for Torchwood, it means a prime time slot and eight less episodes, starting Monday.

Hey, I just realized we're all getting along in this thread! Shouldn't someone be saying horrible things about Jeph Loeb by this point?

Please, I kid, I kid ...

Obama loves comics and he's president, so comics are cool.

Comic book reading ("The hobby that dare not speak its name!") is not cool. I don't think we'll ever come to a point in which people are holding water cooler discussions about X-Men or whatever the same way they do about "American Idol." Adults reading comics, especially super-hero comics, are (mostly) looked at as nerds. Even if Megan Fox, Barack Obama, et al, like comics. Sucks, but it's true.

On the other hand, so what? I don't need validation from the outside world. I wish I knew enough comic book readers in real life to hold a decent discussion about the medium outside of the comic book store, but that's what the Internet is for. (Insert obligatory porn joke) It's nice to see a celebrity endorsement, but I like comics regardless of their popularity or status. That's enough for me.

You clearly dont know what you are saying. Fathom, Witchblade, Gen13, Soulfire, Darkness, etc. are all the best, most imaginative comics of the past decade! Mike Turner was one of the greatest comic creators and sketchists/artists the graphic novel & comic industry has seen.
Just makes her even hotter that she knows her shit. She clearly has an eye for great stylized, anatomically exaggerated, modern art. Which is what makes comics! How can you deny that? Its so rad shes even into comic books. Honestly ask your lonely selves, who dont agree with me, what girl do you know, let alone heard of, likes comics? hunh? they are normally for surpressed, imaginative kids who dont have the best social skills. OR, in most cases, verbally abused, late bloomers 'if ever', who still live in either the basement or left wing of their parents house. Again, comics were not made to target the female demographic. Just like Ken & Barbie arent for boys.
So stop giving her a hard time and just know shes fucking awesome for even knowing what a comic is.

To the BBC, it matters lots – lots as in 10 million Saturday evening viewers for Doctor Who, and HEAPS of mechandising. To me, it means a favourite is back on TV, and it still works.

Oh, of course it works for the BBC, just like how more fans = more sales for DC and Marvel. It also works for fans, because they get more product to choose from on the shelves. But that isn't really what's being discussed here, because it's hard to argue against the financial benefits of a product that gets more exposure/acceptance, especially for a company that has a goal to make as much money as possible.

The issue is that comics aren't any "cooler" because a Currently Hot Actress mentions she reads them on television, yet some fans get an odd type of validation happiness whenever comics are mentioned in mainstream culture, as if that somehow makes them less of social outcasts.

Stephen King likes the Ramones and AC/DC. I also like the Ramones and AC/DC. But I don't get some kind of rush of validation because a world-famous author likes some of the same music I do. Some comics websites are posting this Megan Fox news like a great victory has been won in mainstream culture acceptance -- all because an attractive young woman says she likes Fathom.

And just because the top grossing movies were comic movies, doesn’t mean comics are mainstream. The top selling titles every month rarely sell over 100,000 copies. 10s of millions of people go to see the top movies. 30 years ago a title that sold that many copies would be on the verge of cancellation. I would like comics to become more mainstream so that they’re more widely read, which will help ensure that comics stay around in the future. As it is now, the market for them keeps shrinking.

We could talk about sales all day long, especially since it's clear that movies do not help sell monthly comics at all (though they obviously have a much stronger -- and welcome -- effect on collection sales). But the fact of the matter is people who had no clue who Tony Stark was two years ago are now anxiously awaiting Iron Man 2. So the idea that superheroes aren't just for kiddies is no doubt mainstream at this point -- geeze, Spider-Man is getting a BROADWAY SHOW, for instance -- even if those mainstream fans aren't reading the monthlies. Truthfully, a junior high schooler probably wouldn't get picked on for reading a Batman or Iron Man comic on the school bus these days, which is what likely would've happened in previous decades. Now they probably just make fun of him because he's fat. Or because his mom is fat.

"Obama loves comics and he’s president, so comics are cool."

So he says. He didn't know who was Krom when John Hodgman confronted him at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association Dinner. Conan fan my ass.

I bet he doesn't even know who Stegron the Dinosaur Man is either.

Xavier: I do advocate she gets free parking, actually. Wait, what? Where did that phrase come from? Also, do you think I'm lame or what? I'm not sure. Seems like you flip flopped.

Chris Jones: I should have known you were a bad egg when you said you didn't like Simonson's Thor. At least Xavier said I was lame outright instead of using an analogy of something that has never, ever happened (before he said I wasn't, I think). Also, it's more successful than, not then; your bad at grammar!

Finally, the fact that no one's talking about when it was that Jeph Loeb's writing became an abomination in the eyes of God and Will Eisner is another reason I regret writing this.

"So he says. He didn’t know who was Krom when John Hodgman confronted him at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association Dinner. Conan fan my ass.

I bet he doesn’t even know who Stegron the Dinosaur Man is either."

No I know why Glen Beck has been crying so much since he was elected.

Xavier: I do advocate she gets free parking, actually. Wait, what? Where did that phrase come from? Also, do you think I’m lame or what? I’m not sure. Seems like you flip flopped.

I intended it to be a joke, since I don't actually know you I can't really say that you're lame, can I? I mean, if the worst thing I can say about you is that you make way-too-many wrestling references, you're not so bad!

Now if Megan Fox said she liked Jeph Loeb, well... that's an entirely different story.

Once again, the people who post on message boards miss the point. READING comic books is fine, and totally mainstream. Becoming obsessed with comics, arguing about them on the Internet for hours a day, dressing up as your favorite character at conventions- these things make you a geek.

Doesn't matter what subject you're geeky for, D&D, Renaissance Fair, detective novels, NASCAR- once you take it to obsessive extremes, it becomes nerdy.

"Truthfully, a junior high schooler probably wouldn’t get picked on for reading a Batman or Iron Man comic on the school bus these days"

I'd doubt that.

That's funny, Chris, because I lived in Birmingham for a winter several years back. I had an apartment on the hill with a balcony that was just to the left of the Vulcan statue.

Geeze, now it seems like we've got some kind of bromance going on. Let's argue about comics some more.

Jeph Loeb is a better writer than Alan Moore ever was or will be. Discuss.

I just want to take a moment to apologize for using the word "bromance" in my last post, even though I meant it ironically. I am truly sorry.

Crap, jazzbo ... now I've got the "Guy Love" song from SCRUBS stuck in my head. Especially weird, since this whole thread is supposed to be about the Hottie of the Week.

Still, I suppose winter in B'ham has to be better than winter in Minneapolis. If you're ever back down this way we'll go do something manly and totally not gay. Like hunting. Or NASCAR. Or, y'know, shooting cars.

Naturally, if you spell the god's name Krom rather than Crom, it might confuse Obama.

I watched the video. It seems clear Obama collected comics as a kid but doesn't collect them now. His last exposure to Crom and Mitra may have been 30 years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW7OPByRGDY&feature=player_embedded

I don't know if that ruins his comics cred compared to Megan Fox. But at least he knew the Vulcan salute.

Also, there's this report from the Onion:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/obama_disappointed_cabinet_failed