Grant Morrison thinks Batman is gay!

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by stj, Apr 29, 2012.

  1. the G-man

    the G-man Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2010
    Location:
    to your immediate right
    And its also possible for an interpretation to be the wrong one, even if someone is a good writer.

    Again, to use Lorenzo Semple Jr as an example:

    In addition to the Batman TV show, the man wrote the screenplays for Papillon, The Drowning Pool , the Parallax View and Three Days of the Condor. Any one of those movies alone would seem to qualify him as a "great writer."

    But does that mean he "understood" Batman?

    For that matter he wrote the widely-reviled 70s "King Kong" remake. Since he's a "great writer," do we have to assume he "understood" King Kong?

    Of course not.
     
  2. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Morrison's a smart guy, and of course he's right.

    But man, talking about Batman being gay makes the fanboise nervous. :lol:
     
  3. Professor Zoom

    Professor Zoom Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2004
    Location:
    Idealistic
    Actually, I would say Semple understood Batman. He understood Batman for the time that he was writing him in. As did Kane... (lol, Kane writing Batman...) in the time he was writing Batman, as did Miller, Morrison, for the times they were writing Batman.

    There is no one singular "understanding" of Batman. That's why as a character he has been successful for so long. Because he can be reimagined and reinterperted for each present.

    So, yeah. Semple got Batman. As does Morrison. As will the next "successful" writer.
     
  4. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2004
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    ^Scott Snyder? Most people seem pretty happy with what he's been doing in "Batman".
     
  5. Professor Zoom

    Professor Zoom Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2004
    Location:
    Idealistic
    Sure, why not... I don't have a strong opinion about him specifically.

    I guess what I'm challenging is this idea of "getting Batman." What and who Batman is changes with time. There is no singular "getting Batman."
     
  6. Set Harth

    Set Harth Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2010
    Location:
    Annwn
    Drug dealers don't sell to kids.

    You know why?

    Because KIDS DON'T HAVE MONEY.

    "Mommy, mommy, on the way back from Toys-R-Us, can we stop and get some crack?"
     
  7. Aeolusdallas

    Aeolusdallas Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2008
    He is not saying the characters are gay. He is saying the whole concept is.
     
  8. the G-man

    the G-man Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2010
    Location:
    to your immediate right
    So financial success now equals creative quality here? I guess the writers of "the World According to Jim" "got" comedy and the writers of "Arrested Development" did not.
     
  9. iguana_tonante

    iguana_tonante Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2006
    Location:
    Italy, EU
    Well, it works only if you don't like "gay" and you think it's a bad thing. At least, this is what I get from G-man's comment.

    Yeah, but all this interpretation is based on people actually thinking about stuff, instead of just having a fit at the word "gay".
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2012
  10. Lonemagpie

    Lonemagpie Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2007
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    This *is* a character who used to dress a teenage boy in tights and occasionally spank him...
     
  11. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Exactly so.
     
  12. Professor Zoom

    Professor Zoom Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2004
    Location:
    Idealistic
    I didn't say anything about financial success. That's YOUR measure.

    His Batman, West's Batman STILL figures into the culture. People still talk about it, think about it, want to own it. Just as NO one talks about The World According to Jim, but EVERYONE still talks about Arrested Development.

    It CONNECTED and still does. Semple's Batman may not be YOUR Batman, but, AGAIN, that's what's great about the CHARACTER, he can BE reinvented for the time that he's being written in and it can still work.

    Don't like Semple's Batman, fine, there are other equally valid interpretations of the character. But his Batman, West's Batman was perfect for the TIME THAT IT WAS CREATED IN.

    Just as Miller's was right for the 80s, O'Neil's for the 70s.

    It's the same for Superman, for Spiderman. There is no one singular "getting the character." Great characters, great stories last because we can see new things in them. And then a new generation comes a long.

    Or would you prefer a fixed interpretation? Then which one? Miller's? Kane's? Synder's? Which fossilized version do you want to choose?

    The same for Superman. Which Superman do you want for all time? Byrne's? Swan's? Who?
     
  13. Admiral2

    Admiral2 Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2004
    Location:
    Langley
    Ya keep a little boy in a cave, people are gonna talk.
     
  14. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 1999
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Hey now, the boy is free to escape!
     
  15. Admiral2

    Admiral2 Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2004
    Location:
    Langley
    But he don't try to. What kind of deviltry is goin' on that makes him stay, hmmmmmm?
     
  16. Ultramann

    Ultramann Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2011
    Must we make everyone and everything gay?? What the heck is wrong with either liking women or just being not interested?
     
  17. iguana_tonante

    iguana_tonante Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2006
    Location:
    Italy, EU
    Did you actually read the thread, or you just dropped from orbit to grace us with your comment? Nobody is saying that Batman the character is gay. (Well, nobody who actually matters, that's it.)
     
  18. Silvercrest

    Silvercrest Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2003
    Bat Stockholm Syndrome.
     
  19. Aeolusdallas

    Aeolusdallas Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2008
    He never said the character was homosexual, just the concept.
     
  20. Set Harth

    Set Harth Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2010
    Location:
    Annwn
    Yes.