It's Okay To Kill Skrulls, Cause They Don't Have Any Feelings
Well, I'm glad somebody's saying it. Over at the metabunker, Matthias Wivel remarks on a really weird aspect of Marvel's Secret Invasion summer crossover: That according to writer Brian Bendis's interpretation of superhero ethics, it's totally okay for the heroes to slaughter intelligent aliens, because the traditional "code against killing" only applies to Homo sapiens.
Bendis has never struck me as having much talent for, um, whaddayacallit, "characterization." But this goes beyond character voice and attitude to the fundamental premise of the characters and their world. It's like watching bloody-minded 12-year-olds running a role-playing game in which everyone has the costumes and powers of a Marvel superhero, but they act like they're playing Grand Theft Auto. I think this latest issue was the last straw for thedeadlyhook, who's now sworn off SI altogether. Between this and Grant Morrison's take on the Kirbyverse in Final Crisis, this seems to be the year for totally OOC comics.
EDIT: There's some good followup commentary about Wivel's post over on the Newsarama blog.
EDIT AGAIN: Just read the latest issue of Incredible Hercules, which wraps up its own version of the Secret Invasion crossover, and it was FREAKING AWESOME! Way to take away the bad aftertaste. And now, back to work...
Bendis has never struck me as having much talent for, um, whaddayacallit, "characterization." But this goes beyond character voice and attitude to the fundamental premise of the characters and their world. It's like watching bloody-minded 12-year-olds running a role-playing game in which everyone has the costumes and powers of a Marvel superhero, but they act like they're playing Grand Theft Auto. I think this latest issue was the last straw for thedeadlyhook, who's now sworn off SI altogether. Between this and Grant Morrison's take on the Kirbyverse in Final Crisis, this seems to be the year for totally OOC comics.
EDIT: There's some good followup commentary about Wivel's post over on the Newsarama blog.
EDIT AGAIN: Just read the latest issue of Incredible Hercules, which wraps up its own version of the Secret Invasion crossover, and it was FREAKING AWESOME! Way to take away the bad aftertaste. And now, back to work...