CBR: Where The Hell Am I - Jan 5, 2011

[cicerobuck]

I would be sooooo disappointed in Mr Aaron, if I had any expectations anymore. Sure Scalped is still entertaining me, even if most of it is actually based on a "True Story", I also kinda enjoy the goofyness of Asto Spidey/Wolvie, but seriously, why would he think we should care about HIS "Fuck you". Most of us know what Moore has said, most of us are able to elaborate a personnal opinion on that, so seriously, what's the need for that column appart from diving further down into foolishness?... And yeah, the people he works for are far less authentic and stand up people than Mr Moore always seems to have been, so, I guess, I could also think/write/say "Fuck You Jason Aaron, won't buy your comics again, because your a narcistic fool!", but I won't, I will just continue to buy the stuff I like from him, and dismiss the average/crap/redundant (most of his current marvel output, sadly). The only thing I can do is pity him and wait for the next Alan Moore piece of genius or clusterfuck (which could be as entertaining as the former!)...

[Neutrino]

I am mixing in realism. It's Jason that's taken the idealist route.

People are flawed. If you cannot enjoy work with the knowledge that the creator, the editor, the publisher is a flawed person, and may have opinions and beliefs different to you and act according to them, then you cannot enjoy any work.

What you do is called 'libel'. Let's not confuse that with having unique opinions and beliefs. I can accept those. Nobody, but nobody, wants to be associated with any of the things you just said. I highly doubt you can prove any of those statements. Why would you want to make such a vague, but vile, attack against the staff of Marvel and Vertigo? Is it just for the attention? Well, congrats, you have a following. Nice work I guess.

[Scientist]

I feel like Moore has said all this before and more but for some reason Jason Aaron read way too much into this particular interview. I really had a hard time, after reading the whole quote and not even the entire interview, of finding just how Moore insulted anybody or their abilities. Perhaps Moore is a bit ignorant for not understanding that there is a demand for his early work to be printed again for those who wish to read it or read it again without tracking down old, difficult-to-find copies. I for one, would love to read his older works that I haven't read and would buy reprints. Jason Aaron probably would of as well if he sat back and closely read what Moore said a few times.

I do have to agree that when it comes to what Moore is reported to have said and what he actually said, reading the words and hearing the words can provide to different understandings to his meaning and intent. While his words may seem to say that there are no talented people in the comics business, they could also be interpreted as such: "Marvel and DC just want to make some money but all they do is bother with old material that was published decades ago. One would think that by their business practices, that these writers they have are worthless and incapable of producing great work. They must have one creator, surely, in the entire American industry that could do equivalent work to something I did 25 years ago. It would be insulting to think that there weren't and it is insulting that they aren't putting these writers up on a pedestal like they are doing with me."

Moore is opinionated and may not understand how companies need to make money to stay in business and please shareholders but it is my understanding of this that Aaron really read into his words, something that Moore did not intend to say.

[jdviant]

I think Moore has brilliant books but hasn't been worth listening to in years. However reading the quote I didn't see anything that should be taken personally; like many others think it reads like a man questioning why publishers aren't supporting current talent the way they should.

[RichJohnston]

What you do is called 'libel'. Let's not confuse that with having unique opinions and beliefs. I can accept those. Nobody, but nobody, wants to be associated with any of the things you just said. I highly doubt you can prove any of those statements. Why would you want to make such a vague, but vile, attack against the staff of Marvel and Vertigo? Is it just for the attention? Well, congrats, you have a following. Nice work I guess.

No, it's to make the point that people are flawed and that "boycotting" someone's work for their expressed opinions is idealistic when you put up with other people's far worse behaviour elsewhere.

And I would expect Jason Aaron to have full knowledge of soem of these - and far worse that I have no idea about. Because people are people.

[DavidLeVack]

Wow. Jason Aaron's a namby pampby. He got all butt hurt and apparently didn't actually read or think critically about what Alan Moore said. Maybe that's why he's not top-flight?

man up. Seriously.

Raker616. What comics did Alan Moore do that were hardly original? If you mean weren't his characters from scratch, there were some and he certainly made them his own in the process of writing them.

For a guy who believes in a serpent God, he's amazingly lucid and makes sense when he finally gets to the end of what he's saying. Such as the opening line "We are all steam" in THE MINDSCAPE OF ALAN MOORE.

The one thing Moore does that Morrison doesn't is that he comes out coherent at the end of a story.

[DavidLeVack]

Sorry, Jason Aaron, I realize kill yr idols is punk rock and all, but if you're going to aim a dis track at Jay-Z, you better have a better resume than MC Scat Kat.

perfectly put.

[jAWSH!]

No, Jason, fuck YOU.

You're a half-assed Garth Ennis wannabe on your best day. If being mediocre is something you can settle for, then continue writing the way you do. It took me 5 issues of Scalped before I realized my money would have been better spent elsewhere.

[DOLLARCOMICS]

Moore's bashing work he's never read. He's bashing people. He's saying these people aren't good creators, but he's not read the work they've created.

Yeah, fuck him is right.

Fuck you, Alan Moore.

Also, Scalped is amazing.

Yeah....Cause none of you wankers have EVER DONE THAT on the internets or in life....

All most of you people do is bash shit long before it comes out.......
And you know what makes Alan Moore great?
He honestly doesn't give a fuck in the slightest about any of you people.
He just does what he wants.

So actually, he wins.
Cause you can't "FUCK YOU" to somebody that won't even take the time to look at you, now can yah?

[keilthetarheel]

Jason Aaron pretty much proved Moore's point by writing this article/response

Jason, you're a professional writer, you make a living by being able to articulate thoughts and ideas. And the best you could come up with is "Fuck you. Don't insult my friends"

You proved Moore's point about "top-flight" talent

[Xero]

So a half assed Garth Ennis clone, with a third of the creativity possessed by 80's Warren Ellis is writing shit about Alan Moore. And this changes your life how? Does this diminish the enjoyment you got from reading Alan's work? It's a non story.

Sorry you got sand in your vagina Jason.

[pieopah777]

Jason, not saying you can't have your point of view, but Alan Moore is a human being. Can Alan still not be a sort of idol in your eyes, as far as talent and skill as a writer, and him still being able to have a flaw every once in awhile? So he made an asshole statement. So does my parents or wife, or my best friend, but I don't shun them with a proverbial "fuck you I am never going to have anything to do with you" statement. As Marak the Merciless' post "Jason Aaron goes nuclear!" suggests, maybe you took Moore's quote out of context? That maybe he was making a point that it is Marvel and DC's inability to properly utilize the talent that currently exists because they are thinking more in terms of exploiting currently-existing properties than innovative ideas? If you know Moore's work so well, then you would understand how he uses irony to make a point.

As well, just because someone we admire and respect makes an asshole statment every once in awhile (or often) doesn't diminish the fact that they are someone you still admire and respect. Nobody is perfect, even our idols. Banishing someone because they're human is a bit childish.

[jediracer]

I doubt Alan Moore is even qualified to make statements such as those, as I assume he's has not kept current with the latest and greatest in American comics, that is, he doesn't read comics so who the heck is he to make such bold statements?

Personally, I stopped caring about Alan Moore long, long ago. He's full of himself. He writes for himself, not us.

[pieopah777]

So your reputation is well deserved, I'm guessing? Best of luck on your 'hard hitting journalism'. Next time you should mix in a semblance of realism though, keep the game fun. To many more Richy reports!

Rich Johnston is "the oldest extant comics news reporter on the Internet." Look him up. I'd trust what he has to say over you or some half-ass comic writer whose paranoid retorts at veteran creators that have MADE this industry consists of a "Fuck you, I don't like you anymore" because he didn't get his own kudos.

[Jason Aaron]

People are flawed. If you cannot enjoy work with the knowledge that the creator, the editor, the publisher is a flawed person, and may have opinions and beliefs different to you and act according to them, then you cannot enjoy any work.

Very true. I completely agree.

But as a longtime fan and supporter of Alan Moore and as someone who was inspired in large part by him to become a comic writer, I just got tired of feeling like his whipping boy. I certainly appreciate that there wouldn't be a Scalped without Alan Moore, that there wouldn't be a Vertigo. And I remain in awe of his talent. But once he starts blaming those of us in the present-day industry at least in part for his continued misery with Watchmen, then I tune him out. Doesn't change my appreciation of his work. But as a fan it makes me not want to give him my money anymore.