Why the political rantin... I mean commentary?

[Arvandor]

Something I've long meant to ask.

Why does Steven Grant feel the need to dedicate half of every column to political commentary, ranting, and conspiracy theories? This is supposed to be a comics blog on a comics website. I do find his insights on the industry to be fairly interesting, and enjoy reading that part - but I usually skip right over the politics.

I try reading his political blogging every now and then, but my eyes invariably glaze over within two paragraphs. It's dull, and every bit as pointless as I'd expect from the political rantings of a comics blogger.

Why does he do it? When did it start? Did he always do this from the beginning, or did it come later? Is there any interest or demand for his political opinions? Why won't he focus more on what the column should be about - comics.

[NatGertler]

This is supposed to be a comics blog on a comics website.I love an argument that can be brought to its knees with a simple "sez who?" So here you go. Sez who?

I try reading his political blogging every now and then, but my eyes invariably glaze over within two paragraphs. It's dull, and every bit as pointless as I'd expect from the political rantings of a comics blogger.You may want to understand the word "blog" better. It does not mean what you think it means.

Did he always do this from the beginning, or did it come later?Given that the entire archives of the column are available on this website, this seems like a question which you could answer easily for yourself, rather than asking someone else to do the leg work for you. If you actually, y'know, cared.

Why won't he focus more on what the column should be about - comics.Everyone, say it with me now: Sez who?

[Paul McEnery]

Something I've long meant to ask.

Why does Steven Grant feel the need to dedicate half of every column to political commentary, ranting, and conspiracy theories? This is supposed to be a comics blog on a comics website. I do find his insights on the industry to be fairly interesting, and enjoy reading that part - but I usually skip right over the politics.

I try reading his political blogging every now and then, but my eyes invariably glaze over within two paragraphs. It's dull, and every bit as pointless as I'd expect from the political rantings of a comics blogger.

Why does he do it? When did it start? Did he always do this from the beginning, or did it come later? Is there any interest or demand for his political opinions? Why won't he focus more on what the column should be about - comics.

I rather imagine it's because people like you could stand to be better informed.

[Steven Grant]

What can I say? I gotta be me.

I've been writing politically themed comics for 30 years. That suits a comics column to politics as far as I'm concerned.

Besides, if you'd read the first column you'd know this isn't a comics column per se. Millions of those around. Who wants to be just another one? But I'm not going to waste time restating the ground rules every week.

- Grant

PS. If my informal polling is an accurate indicator, many more people now read the column for the politics than for the comics commentary. The political writing rarely exceeds more than 33% of the column anyway so... well, the phrase "piss off" came to mind, but I'll try to find a more pleasant way to express it... let me get back to you on that...

Oh, and this isn't a blog. It's a micro-magazine.

[badMike]

Is there any interest or demand for his political opinions?A lot. That's why CBR publishes the column. Duh.

[NatGertler]

the phrase "piss off" came to mind, but I'll try to find a more pleasant way to express it...Urinate off?

[bartl]

Why does he do it? When did it start? Did he always do this from the beginning, or did it come later? Is there any interest or demand for his political opinions? Why won't he focus more on what the column should be about - comics.
As far as when did it start, I've been chatting online with Grant for close to two decades, and he started before THAT.

[Brenz]

What can I say? I gotta be me.
Besides, if you'd read the first column you'd know this isn't a comics column per se. Millions of those around. Who wants to be just another one? But I'm not going to waste time restating the ground rules every week.


That's largely why I'm here reading each week. So 1/3 of his column brings in a majority (or plurality) of his readership. Not bad, eh?

[Lord Destiny]

Is there any interest or demand for his political opinions?

It's why I keep coming back every week.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

Why does he do it?

Because he like to.


When did it start?

When it changed from Master Of The Obvious to Permanent Damage.


Did he always do this from the beginning, or did it come later?

From the beginning.


Is there any interest or demand for his political opinions?

Yup.


Why won't he focus more on what the column should be about - comics.

Because he doesn't want to, and a lot of us like the political stuff - it's the part I most look forward to.


At the end of the day though, it's a column you read for free... if you don't like it, stop reading it!

[Steven Grant]

Frankly, I recommend that those who like the column the least should also read it...

- Grant

[spidarwin]

Something I've long meant to ask.

[Seated next to me, on loan from a major comics publishing company,
is a cigar-smoking troll. This guy's been lounging about lackadaisically
for awhile, and decided to respond to your inquiries.]


Why does Steven Grant feel the need to dedicate half of every column to political commentary, ranting, and conspiracy theories? This is supposed to be a comics blog on a comics website. I do find his insights on the industry to be fairly interesting, and enjoy reading that part - but I usually skip right over the politics.

Cuz he wants ta, mebbe? Lemme ax ya... do YOU walk into a guy's room
and just ax why he's got underpants hangin from the ceiling lamp? Just be
thankful he's wearin underpants at least SOME of the time and mind yer
bizness.


I try reading his political blogging every now and then, but my eyes invariably glaze over within two paragraphs. It's dull, and every bit as pointless as I'd expect from the political rantings of a comics blogger.

Eyes glaze over? Does youse read comics cuz they're funny? Or cuz
there's fewer words than in Curious George da monkey books?


Why does he do it? When did it start? Did he always do this from the beginning, or did it come later? Is there any interest or demand for his political opinions? Why won't he focus more on what the column should be about - comics.
All art is politics, bub. Lemme buy youse a beer and impart some
kind wisdom on ya. Guys like Grant write about wot they know,
and guys around here read wot Grant writes cuz they wanna know
wot makes him tick. Dat includes his views on the whole world,
and why yer government is slacking and failing you is only part of that.

Hey, I only started coming 'round cuz he kept puttin pics of girlies in his
article [the Comics Cover Challenge - Spidarwin], but I read da guy
cuz he's smart. I know a guy who doesn't like da pics cuz they get
in the way of the words, but sometimes he figgers out the contest.

He don't write letters to everyone about it, tho.
[the troll went outside to smoke, now, because he's not allowed
to light the cigar in the apartment. Maybe you'll hear a pip out of
him, some other time.]

[Steven Grant]

I feel like I've stumbled into a BOY COMMANDOS revival...

- Grant

[Black Vespa]

Always look before you leap into a pool, whether you're diving, doing cannonballs, or jumping in feet-first. You should always check the water's depth and, make sure no hidden rocks or other hazards lie in wait at the bottom.
http://www.online-sign.com/signs/warning/thumbs/248.jpg

[Perry Holley]

I feel like I've stumbled into a BOY COMMANDOS revival...So how's that coming along for you, anyways?

[Charles RB]

A war-on-terror era Boy Commandos would be quite interesting...

[bartl]

I feel like I've stumbled into a BOY COMMANDOS revival...
I wonder if I should be pleased or embarrassed that I actually know the reference.

[bartl]

A war-on-terror era Boy Commandos would be quite interesting...
They all get slaughtered on their first mission.

Strangely enough, today's column reminded me of something that Grant once said (and I have mentioned here, before). He was discussing writers who had a "great idea for a character", and one really good story about that character. What he pointed out is that you can write one good story about virtually ANY character; building a series of good stories around the character is a far more difficult task.

Come to think of it, Grant's colunn today also made me realize why, when I mentioned a series idea to Steve Gerber based on that concept, he was much more keen on trying to sell the idea to the Malibu Ultraverse line than I was. I thought of it mainly as bringing back the practice of telling a full story in 8-12 pages, but it was also based on something which Grant also alluded to in his column: that most people, given super-powers, would not become heroes OR villains, but would treat them as the way most talented people treat their talents. There was somewhat more to it than that, but I learned from Grant a long time ago not to describe a potentially salable concept with too much detail, even if I have no intention of ever doing it (so if someone reading this gets the same idea, there are no potential legal entanglements; as all I have done is mentioned aspects that Grant already mentioned, I figure I'm clear).

In any case, not only would it provide content for a project Steve Gerber was working on, it was also an area which, at least at the time, had not really been covered in comics, and I realize that this is what got him excited; that it was actually something original.

[Steven Grant]

A war-on-terror era Boy Commandos would be quite interesting...

SPOOKS already did that. And it was hilarious.

But not by design.

- Grant

[king mob]

Spooks: Code 9 was bloody awful. A terrible, terrible waste of license fee.

[Steven Grant]

Spooks: Code 9 was bloody awful. A terrible, terrible waste of license fee.

It was blackest comedy.

- Grant

[Charles RB]

SPOOKS already did that. And it was hilarious.

But not by design.


Let me rephrase - a war-on-terror era Boy Commandos that doesn't suck like a black hole would be quite interesting.

(I want to watch some of Code 9 now, to see how bad it is. Without paying for it, of course.)

[king mob]

Youtube should have some of it, but it's really, really bad. It's worse than Bonekickers and that's saying something.

[Joe S. Walker]

When people complain about "politics" they usually mean politics they don't agree with.

[Lord Destiny]

When people complain about "politics" they usually mean politics they don't agree with.

Ain't that the truth.