ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #10

[TODD TAMANEND CLARK]

THE ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN CONTROVERSY:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17985

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/09/batman-and-robi.html#more

MY RESPONSE:

Frank Miller is one of the preeminent writers in the field,
and I enjoy reading All Star Batman And Robin The Boy
Wonder more than any other comic book currently on
the stands.

The prudish right-wing goal of trying to "shelter"
youngsters from arbitrarily transgressive language is an
impossible fool's errand. By the time they've finished
kindergarten at the latest, nearly every child in the
English-speaking world knows just about every so-called
swear word that is still in current usage.

Any word can be used intelligently, whether it's
transgressive or socially acceptable. It all depends on
the artistic skill of the author or the speaker to set it in
an advanced linguistic context. One of the most
advanced novelists of the twentieth century, William S.
Burroughs, was also one of the most transgressive. If
Frank Miller wished to have accurate dialogue for
criminals, then his usage of taboo language was
appropriate for his artistic intent. Likewise, Batgirl's
swearing is a common act among today's typical
teenagers, even the very bright ones. Honest language
occurs in the prose and poetry of Henry Miller, Norman
Mailer, Tuli Kupferberg, Allen Ginsberg, Lenny Bruce,
Frank Zappa, and Jim Morrison, among others. George
Carlin has built brilliant comedy rants around the
absurdity of trying to ban it from the media. In a truly
free society, artists should not be censored, and
children should not be used as scapegoats by the
conservative social forces that attempt to do so.
Censorship is far more damaging to a society in the
long run than any "naughty" words ever are.

- - - - - -
TODD TAMANEND CLARK
Poet/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist/Cultural Historian
The Monongahela River, Turtle Island

http://cdbaby.com/all/primalpulse
http://imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=2415118
http://myspace.com/primalpulse
http://myspace.com/toddtamanendclark
http://rateitall.com/TODD+TAMANEND+CLARK
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Todd_Clark

"You can't say fuck in radio free America."
- - Patti Smith

[Tom]

Post by TODD TAMANEND CLARK
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17985
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/09/batman-and-robi.h...
Frank Miller is one of the preeminent writers in the field,
and I enjoy reading All Star Batman And Robin The Boy
Wonder more than any other comic book currently on
the stands.
The prudish right-wing goal of trying to "shelter"
youngsters from arbitrarily transgressive language is an
impossible fool's errand. By the time they've finished
kindergarten at the latest, nearly every child in the
English-speaking world knows just about every so-called
swear word that is still in current usage.
Any word can be used intelligently, whether it's
transgressive or socially acceptable. It all depends on
the artistic skill of the author or the speaker to set it in
an advanced linguistic context. One of the most
advanced novelists of the twentieth century, William S.
Burroughs, was also one of the most transgressive. If
Frank Miller wished to have accurate dialogue for
criminals, then his usage of taboo language was
appropriate for his artistic intent. Likewise, Batgirl's
swearing is a common act among today's typical
teenagers, even the very bright ones. Honest language
occurs in the prose and poetry of Henry Miller, Norman
Mailer, Tuli Kupferberg, Allen Ginsberg, Lenny Bruce,
Frank Zappa, and Jim Morrison, among others. George
Carlin has built brilliant comedy rants around the
absurdity of trying to ban it from the media. In a truly
free society, artists should not be censored, and
children should not be used as scapegoats by the
conservative social forces that attempt to do so.
Censorship is far more damaging to a society in the
long run than any "naughty" words ever are.
- - - - - -
TODD TAMANEND CLARK
Poet/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist/Cultural Historian
The Monongahela River, Turtle Island
http://cdbaby.com/all/primalpulsehttp://imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=2415118http://myspace.com/primalpulsehttp://myspace.com/toddtamanendclarkhttp://rateitall.com/TODD+TAMANEND+CLARKhttp://rateyourmusic.com/~Todd_Clark
"You can't say fuck in radio free America."
- - Patti Smith

Frank Miller is an overrated hack.

Comparing the literary impact of Miller to Burroughs, Henry Miller,
Mailer, et. al., is laughable. Miller is all sizzle and no steak.

You have no clue as to what the goal was to pull these comics. I'd
like to think, based on the activities of the Comic Book Legal Defense
Fund, that they are heading off trouble with overzealous local
authorities.

Rather than DC's actions being a nefarious right-wing plot, perhaps
it's a forward thinking left-wing plan to protect comics retailers

Tom

[Tom]

Post by TODD TAMANEND CLARK
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17985
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/09/batman-and-robi.h...
Frank Miller is one of the preeminent writers in the field,
and I enjoy reading All Star Batman And Robin The Boy
Wonder more than any other comic book currently on
the stands.
The prudish right-wing goal of trying to "shelter"
youngsters from arbitrarily transgressive language is an
impossible fool's errand. By the time they've finished
kindergarten at the latest, nearly every child in the
English-speaking world knows just about every so-called
swear word that is still in current usage.
Any word can be used intelligently, whether it's
transgressive or socially acceptable. It all depends on
the artistic skill of the author or the speaker to set it in
an advanced linguistic context. One of the most
advanced novelists of the twentieth century, William S.
Burroughs, was also one of the most transgressive. If
Frank Miller wished to have accurate dialogue for
criminals, then his usage of taboo language was
appropriate for his artistic intent. Likewise, Batgirl's
swearing is a common act among today's typical
teenagers, even the very bright ones. Honest language
occurs in the prose and poetry of Henry Miller, Norman
Mailer, Tuli Kupferberg, Allen Ginsberg, Lenny Bruce,
Frank Zappa, and Jim Morrison, among others. George
Carlin has built brilliant comedy rants around the
absurdity of trying to ban it from the media. In a truly
free society, artists should not be censored, and
children should not be used as scapegoats by the
conservative social forces that attempt to do so.
Censorship is far more damaging to a society in the
long run than any "naughty" words ever are.
- - - - - -
TODD TAMANEND CLARK
Poet/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist/Cultural Historian
The Monongahela River, Turtle Island
http://cdbaby.com/all/primalpulsehttp://imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=2415118http://myspace.com/primalpulsehttp://myspace.com/toddtamanendclarkhttp://rateitall.com/TODD+TAMANEND+CLARKhttp://rateyourmusic.com/~Todd_Clark
"You can't say fuck in radio free America."
- - Patti Smith

Also, know who your right-wingers are, Todd.

After 9/11, Miller conveniently became a Republican, as did former
high profile liberals Dennis Miller and Ron Silver.

Thankfully, DC *finally* nixed the godawful idea that was Miller's
"Holy Terror, Batman". I think if Miller is so hot for Osama Bin
Laden, he should look for him himself.

Tom

[Joe Sewell]

In article

Post by TODD TAMANEND CLARK
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17985
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/09/batman-and-robi.html#more
Frank Miller is one of the preeminent writers in the field,
and I enjoy reading All Star Batman And Robin The Boy
Wonder more than any other comic book currently on
the stands.
The prudish right-wing goal of trying to "shelter"
youngsters from arbitrarily transgressive language is an
impossible fool's errand. By the time they've finished
kindergarten at the latest, nearly every child in the
English-speaking world knows just about every so-called
swear word that is still in current usage.

Since you've immediately swept away anyone that disagrees with you as
"prudish right-wing," there's little to discuss here, is there? In your
mind, you're right and anyone who disagrees with you must be wrong.

When you're ready to attempt to see things from another's point of view,
*then* let's discuss.

Post by TODD TAMANEND CLARK
Any word can be used intelligently, whether it's
transgressive or socially acceptable. It all depends on
the artistic skill of the author or the speaker to set it in
an advanced linguistic context. One of the most
advanced novelists of the twentieth century, William S.
Burroughs, was also one of the most transgressive. If
Frank Miller wished to have accurate dialogue for
criminals, then his usage of taboo language was
appropriate for his artistic intent. Likewise, Batgirl's
swearing is a common act among today's typical
teenagers, even the very bright ones. Honest language
occurs in the prose and poetry of Henry Miller, Norman
Mailer, Tuli Kupferberg, Allen Ginsberg, Lenny Bruce,
Frank Zappa, and Jim Morrison, among others. George
Carlin has built brilliant comedy rants around the
absurdity of trying to ban it from the media. In a truly
free society, artists should not be censored, and
children should not be used as scapegoats by the
conservative social forces that attempt to do so.
Censorship is far more damaging to a society in the
long run than any "naughty" words ever are.
- - - - - -
TODD TAMANEND CLARK
Poet/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist/Cultural Historian
The Monongahela River, Turtle Island
http://cdbaby.com/all/primalpulse
http://imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=2415118
http://myspace.com/primalpulse
http://myspace.com/toddtamanendclark
http://rateitall.com/TODD+TAMANEND+CLARK
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Todd_Clark
"You can't say fuck in radio free America."
- - Patti Smith