CBR: Brad Meltzer Leaps Into the Buffyverse

[CBR News]

After nearly four years in the making, the best selling author can't wait for his first issue of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8" to hit stores. CBR spoke with Meltzer about the arc, which will reveal who the title's "Big Bad" really is.


Full article here.

[Z-man]

Brad Meltzer writing Buffy is a bad, bad, bad move. Buffy is very much a girl power, pro-feminist property. Brad Meltzer wrote Identity Crisis, the most misogynistic piece of crap that I have ever read. This is a complete mismatch.

[JimmyDee]

Brad Meltzer writing Buffy is a bad, bad, bad move. Buffy is very much a girl power, pro-feminist property. Brad Meltzer wrote Identity Crisis, the most misogynistic piece of crap that I have ever read. This is a complete mismatch.

Dude, look up the meaning of misogynistic -- because if you think IC is that, you're just wrong. You may not like what happened to the character, but misogynistic is not it. And how would you know if Meltzer isn't pro-feminist? Ridiculous.

Also, a top notch, NY Times best selling author, hand picked by Joss to write an arc of Buffy is absolutely a FANTASTIC move. I do think Joss would know what's best for his universe.

[Z-man]

Dude, look up the meaning of misogynistic -- because if you think IC is that, you're just wrong. You may not like what happened to the character, but misogynistic is not it.

Okay, so you obviously think it's not misogynistic, so you need to read some articles on misogyny and feminism.

Let's see, Firehawk (girl talking to Ralph at the beginning) was the only female in the book that was not treated solely as a victim. Even Jean Lorean, the killer, was treated as a victim both when she faked her own attack AND when we find out she did it 'cause she was crazy, making her a victim of her brain chemistry.

Wonder Woman shows up twice. The first time, she isn't allowed to speak. The second time, her face is specifically not shown. She is used solely as a device by both the author and the characters within.

Similarly, when voting on the mindwipes, we are given everyone's perspective except for the females. Dinah is shown as mindlessly following her male lover, Ollie, whose opinion is presented as only one that matters in that dynamic. Zatanna is also presented as voiceless, as a tool solely for the largely patriarchal Justice League to do their business.

And that brings us to Sue Dibny. Killed, raped, and ignored. So, the rape was inserted into the past so as to assure that there was no healing, no reaction whatsoever. She is treated as a victim and yet even her victimhood is stripped from her. When the Justice League votes, they don't even think to ask Sue or even her husband Ralph for their opinion. Her opinion doesn't matter to anyone in the story. She could be replaced with a vacuum cleaner and it would not change the story one bit. She is an object, and the Justice League's treatment of Dr. Light is treated no differently than if he had stolen their wallets. As far as the story is concerned, Sue Dibny is a thing. He was in their house, using their things without permission, that's all.

Voiceless, faceless victims, every single female in the story (with the aforementioned exception of Firehawk, who did nothing).

And how would you know if Meltzer isn't pro-feminist? Ridiculous.

I never called Meltzer a misogynist, I just said he wrote a misogynistic work. I wholly believe that it was an accident. Which calls his judgment into serious question. Even if he tried, I do not believe he could write a feminist story.

Also, a top notch, NY Times best selling author, hand picked by Joss to write an arc of Buffy is absolutely a FANTASTIC move. I do think Joss would know what's best for his universe.

Twilight was on the best sellers list, so I'll go ahead and ignore it's potential as a barometer of writing quality.

[Forth World]

Dear Buffy,



Sincerement,

Brad Meltzer

[JimmyDee]

Have you read anything else from Meltzer -- anything you may have liked or have you let your reaction to one story color your entire opinion of his work?

[Z-man]

Have you read anything else from Meltzer -- anything you may have liked or have you let your reaction to one story color your entire opinion of his work?

I don't see why I should. Identity Crisis wasn't early enough in his career for me to think he's improved since then. And it was just so ugly a book that I don't have the slightest desire to look at anything else he's written.

Since you're obviously not challenging the misogyny argument, I can only assume you agree. So tell me, what have you read by him to convince you that the extreme misogyny of Identity Crisis was an exception?

Or are you saying that I should ignore the misogyny because it's well-written misogyny? I can't think of any good reason to do that.