Oh sigh. Where to begin.
So Kevin Smith has a new series coming out called Comic Book Men, which is about a bunch of dudes LoLzing about comics and look what turbo-nerds we are! Great.
So, okay, I have two problems with this thing on my own, before I go off on other people’s problems with it that I totally agree with.
One: No women, one (token?) person of color (Asian), nobody who is visibly different other than being a nerd, which, let’s face it, is not really that exciting anymore. So, where we might have had a chance for people to see a representation of a broad set of voices, we get… the same old shit. Which, frankly, sounds really fucking boring to me. Do I want to watch the same old shit? Not really. If I want to watch a bunch of dudes discuss comics, I’ll just head over to Black Cat Comics. Which leads me to point…
Two: Who is this show for? I’m going to guess it’s for two groups of two people (either one of these groups or perhaps both). Group A consists of the type of people who are not nerds, who are looking to either laugh at nerds or to better understand the nerds in their life. Group B consists of male geeks will find themselves validated in this show (and begin to fantasize about being on the show, and being BFFs with Kevin Smith). Translation? This show is not for me, and by “me” I mean a female geek. At least, that’s what this show is telling me, in its name, presentation, and advertisements. Oh well.
Three: There’s nothing about this show that doesn’t make me eye-roll and/or frown with a little bit of dread. There’ll eventually be the “ZOMG GURLZ” episode — we all know there will be — and it will be offensive and it will suck, because so far that’s the kind of show it’s presenting itself as. Unless the producers listen to rants like this. Which they won’t.
It’s cool, I’m kind of used to it. This is why I write my own shit.
Now, the others. First: Newsarama.
That’s a commercial for Smith’s new comic book show on AMC. You know, the one he had open auditions for last year. The one I auditioned for. Turns out, that was a big waste of my time. This is a show about men.
Awesome.
I’m disappointed in Smith for taking the show in this direction but I’m also disappointed in him for wasting a huge opportunity to help change the way the world views geeks.
Yep.
Also, Zoe A Gullisken writes about how she was perfect for the show… before she was cut completely.
(Sidenote: Thanks Kevin Smith for referring to a twenty-something woman as a girl. Great job, everybody!)
And then Kevin Smith explains why it’s called Comic Book Men with such gems as “Then why is it called Comic Book MEN?” Because it’s about four grown males who work at the Stash, I’m guessing… #wtf and “Why No Women in COMIC BOOK MEN” Saving them for season 2, to have somewhere to go story-wise. Season 1, we meet the guys.
That’s cool, I’m already pretty busy watching Once Upon a Time and Revenge. Don’t need to add anything to the pile, and thankfully this doesn’t tempt me.