CBR: Alan Moore Elaborates on "Before Watchmen"

[Darrell D.]

It's like saying that Jesse Custer from Preacher is a super-hero, since he has a costume (the collar), and powers (The Word).

[passer-by]

It's like saying that Jesse Custer from Preacher is a super-hero, since he has a costume (the collar), and powers (The Word).

If someone decides to say that out loud, they'd better reconsider if Garth Ennis is within hearing distance. ;)

[king mob]

Wow. I wonder how you actually thought that was a zinger considering I have actually discussed what happened in Sandman and you.....well who knows what you are trying to do. :D Something I guess.

And it still doesn't make it a superhero comic. It used tropes and Gaiman was happy to use mainstream DC characters but it wasn't a superhero comic by any stretch of the imagination.

Did it change that Fables and Unwritten aren't creator owned titles anymore?

No, but you're missing the point.

I guess not, and Vertigo titles being published by DC still completely goes against your opinion that "originality, creativity and imagination are not what DC and Marvel are about, rather than ensuring their IP gets published and they maintain a hold on a shrinking market".

Again, you miss the point, not to mention the signal sacking Karen Berger sent out to creators.

Because he has superpowers, fights supervillains, is based on the Golden Age hero and is part of the DCU. Don't try to use arguments for your opinion though, you're apparantly not really good at it.

Oh bollocks to you.

You think Sandman is a superhero comic then fine, but that also makes you a large pink elephant typing with their tail. It's what I think so it must be true!!

[king mob]

It's like saying that Jesse Custer from Preacher is a super-hero, since he has a costume (the collar), and powers (The Word).

There was an argument back in the day that American Flagg! and Jon Sable were superhero comics because they kind of looked like superheroes. Both Chaykin and Grell did for that particular argument.

[Darrell D.]

There was an argument back in the day that American Flagg! and Jon Sable were superhero comics because they kind of looked like superheroes. Both Chaykin and Grell did for that particular argument.

I think I remember the case for Jon Sable; the early stories had the character wear a mask/makeup after all. But, that was just a hook, the book was so far away from super-heroes in terms of content.
I guess I could see Flagg! in the bright, primary colors of the Plexus Ranger uniform, but again, once you read an issue, you realize it's a book that doesn't have an easy classification. It's satire, it's futurist fiction, it's an examination of society now and then....it was a great book, (the first 12 issues were just perfect.)

[king mob]

I think I remember the case for Jon Sable; the early stories had the character wear a mask/makeup after all. But, that was just a hook, the book was so far away from super-heroes in terms of content.

That was Grell's point exactly; the mask was a hook, and once he'd hooked people in he quickly got shot of it.

I guess I could see Flagg! in the bright, primary colors of the Plexus Ranger uniform, but again, once you read an issue, you realize it's a book that doesn't have an easy classification. It's satire, it's futurist fiction, it's an examination of society now and then....it was a great book, (the first 12 issues were just perfect.)

The first 12 issues are among the best comics of any genre, they're superb but sadly unknown to a generation of fans, but yes, there were arguments about Flagg being some sort of superhero however Chaykin made it clear this wasn't the case but First were quite happy to blur the lines and let superhero fans pick up the comic. There was a similar argument over Nexus as well though that uses some obvious tropes, it became clear it really wasn't a superhero title at all.