To say comic fans are opinionated is like saying the Pacific Ocean has a lot of water. It’s a healthy part of the comic industry—no matter whether they are praising whatever or just being pissed off fans. Sometimes, some of the back-and-forth can get amusing at times. And, sometimes, even the best-intended of fans can go overboard with their criticisms.
I often say I try my best not to dog creators, comics, or even companies—even when it’s really, really hard to bite my tongue. Yes, I’m talking to you, Marvel! I feel there are too many fantastic things out there to waste my time on negatives. Besides, enough talented people are calling out when something is right.
The other reason I try not to bash creators is that we don’t know what’s going on with them. Because they are public figures, they often act a certain way by default, no matter what. Their lives, for whatever reason, might be a big old dumpster fire. And yet, a fan would never know.
Last summer, I remember going around the San Diego Comic-Con, hawking for guests to come onto my podcast. More than once, something really personal was going on in their lives. Their answers would go something like, “Sure, I would love to appear, but my mom… daughter… whatever. Can we try to do it at whatever time they think would work?” And any idiot could see the concern on their face. I expressed whatever was appropriate—and meant those words—and went on about my business. They would go back to greeting guests, smile, and do all the things they were expected to do.
As fans know, Batman: Hush Two has been delayed and delayed. And, I get that fans were upset and making their voices heard. I’m old enough to remember the days when companies were penalized for missing a print date. Hence, in the 1970s, Marvel would insert a reprint in a comic to meet that deadline.
Delays and the pushing back of comics are old news for this fan. I long ago accepted that’s just part of being a fan. I still remember the 1980s Camelot 3000 series and all its delays! Overall, it took about 28 days for the 12-issue series to be released. And, there was Doomsday Clock, which took over two years for its 12 issues to come out.
As we know, Jim Lee came out over the past few days to talk about the delays. I remember an article starting with, “has three different titles at DC – President, Publisher, and Chief Creative Officer – is father to nine children, and still draws art and goes to conventions.”
Sometimes fans forget those things—I know I did! That alone, in my humble opinion, is enough to give Lee more than a little slack! But, he went on to talk about some of his health issues that no one really knew about that contributed to some of the delays. Again, I had no idea—no one did—and that’s one reason I don’t bash too much: Fans don’t often know what is going on in creators’ lives.
The other thing worth mentioning is how common overwork and health issues are, not only problematic for creators but for a lot of people. How many times over the years has someone come out with some health issue? Had they not been ignored for years, might it not have been a bigger issue if they had been a little more proactive about their health?
Two takeaways: First, it’s perfectly fine to be critical of comics and creators—but also keep in mind that fans don’t always know all the factors in a given situation. The other is to take better care of yourself! When was the last time you had a checkup with your doctor? Now is as good a time as any, and you never know what being proactive might result in in the long term.
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