• ABOUT US
    ABOUT US
  • OUR WORK
    OUR WORK
  • Project VIOLACEA
    Project VIOLACEA
  • ABOUT KEISHA
    ABOUT KEISHA
  • THE TEAM
    THE TEAM
  • LIVE CGI
    LIVE CGI
  • NEWS & COMMUNITY
    NEWS & COMMUNITY
  • CONTACT
    CONTACT
  • SHOP
    SHOP
  • ABOUT US
    ABOUT US
  • OUR WORK
    OUR WORK
  • Project VIOLACEA
    Project VIOLACEA
  • ABOUT KEISHA
    ABOUT KEISHA
  • THE TEAM
    THE TEAM
  • LIVE CGI
    LIVE CGI
  • NEWS & COMMUNITY
    NEWS & COMMUNITY
  • CONTACT
    CONTACT
  • SHOP
    SHOP
To Blog

What Comic Book Fans Can Learn From Bill Maher’s Ignorance

No comments

Last November, quickly after Stan Lee’s death, Bill Maher decided is was time to shit on comic book fans. This week, he decided he was still right.

I really didn’t want to acknowledge Bill Maher and his ignorant rant on comic book fans. He proclaimed that he was not happy that Stan Lee died, instead he was dismayed that we, adult comic book fans, are alive. Some people will say his doubling down on his rant against us fans isn’t worth looking at. I believe there is a lot of interesting data to be collected here.

Bill has been a TV influence for a long time. I used to watch Politically Incorrect with my dad when I was young. My dad thought there was value in me seeing different points of view collide. I do think there was value in what he was doing. However, Maher is long past his expatriation date. Maher has allowed himself to stop being relevant by making younger generations and their interests targets. He doesn’t understand us, and instead of attempting to learn, he’d rather lash out. Not very original, but here we are.

Bill’s rant was received well by his audience and his guests all hardily laughing. Everyone in that room thinks they are “edgy” and “with it.” I would know, I have actually attended a taping of Real Time. They feel justified in shaming a demographic of people who have done nothing to them except confuse them. Comic book movies have rocketed comic books to the mainstream, but that doesn’t mean we’re at the cool table just yet.

Maher declares that comic books are for children, this is a willfully false statement. I can say from a personal perspective that NONE of the comics I write are for children. Even with the massive success of Deadpool, people still don’t understand that comics have grown up to serve all age groups. Maher calls comics “books with pictures” suggesting that the medium itself is childish. That only a child should be stimulated by visual narratives.

This is not the first time comics have received the ire of grumpy old men shaking their fist at youngsters. However I am astounded at the longevity of this instinct to shame comic book fans. The lesson to be learned here is, while comic books are more visible than ever, the medium and the fans themselves are still grossly misunderstood. So what can we do?

When it comes to people not knowing anything about comics, I often shy away from talking them up or recommending anything. I see now that when I do this, I am doing my career and passion a disservice. What I have personally taken away from Maher’s hissy fit is that more comics need to get in the hands of people who have never read one. There has been such an explosion of comic book titles and genres that there is something for everyone. I know not everyone will become a fan, but they can all be exposed to the fact that comics have so much more range than anyone could imagine.

Written by Rebecca Rothschild @rbonksr

Featured photo credit: Miika Laaksonen 

Tags
comics
PREVIOUS POST
Evening With Manga Rockstar Naoki Urasawa
NEXT POST
Synth Riders is a Totally Rad Musical VR Experience
Recent Posts
  • To Comicsgate I say: Make Comics, Not War
  • How Indie Games Can Take On AAA
  • Reaction to Apex Legends Diversity Is Encouraging
  • Nintendo Switch Welcomes Warframe’s Fortuna
  • Fan Art Is Invading Fine Art
Recent Comments
  • Sugar Gamers - How Indie Games Can Take On AAA on 1047 Games CEO Ian Proulx Talks Splitgate
  • Seven S. on Skrillex & Hikaru Utada Face their fears for Kingdom Hearts 3
  • Sugar Gamers - The Sugar Gamers visit Level Eater 9.99! on Project VIOLACEA
  • Rebecca Rothschild on Chatting With Stream Queen Starski Wars
  • Johnston on Chatting With Stream Queen Starski Wars
Archives
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • October 2017
Categories
  • Comic Books/Graphic Novels
  • Culture
  • esports
  • Event Coverage
  • Fashion
  • Games
  • Gaming
  • Interviews
  • Lifestyle
  • Member Blogs
  • Movies/Film
  • News
  • News & Community
  • Tech
  • Thoughts
  • Uncategorized
Meta
  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org
LATEST WORK
No content was found!
TEXT WIDGET
Whilst I was thus closely scanning him, half-pretending meanwhile to be looking out at the storm from the casement, he never thought.
ARCHIVES
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • October 2017

Leave a Comment

Your feedback is valuable for us. Your email will not be published.
Cancel Reply

Please wait...
Submit Comment →

Related News

Other posts that you should not miss

To Comicsgate I say: Make Comics, Not War

Comicsgate has once again made its way to my front door, not by way of harassment, which was my first encounter …

Read More →
4 MIN READ

HCS Finals at Dreamhack ATL: A Proper Halo 5 Send Off

Halo 5 is hanging up its hat in terms of official esports tournaments and Dreamhack Atlanta housed the goodbye party with the …

Read More →
3 MIN READ

First Impressions of Red Dead Online Beta

There are certain art forms that are distinctly American. In the literary sense the genre of the western is a central …

Read More →
2 MIN READ
Sugar Gamers - What Comic Book Fans Can Learn From Bill Maher's Ignorance