comics links

1. The NYT is getting rid of its graphic novels bestseller list
Well folks, I looked deep into my heart and I definitely don't give a fuck about this at all. But I do have a take, and I'm pretty sure it's correct: it's ludicrous that anyone thinks that the NYT is obligated to promote the comics industry.

Comics artists and publishers are pushing back against the NYT getting rid of some of its bestseller lists because they're worried about losing a marketing tool. But the purpose of the NYT bestseller list is not to be a marketing tool, even if that's how publishers and artists have used it. The NYT is not an extension of Drawn & Quarterly's marketing department. (Well...sometimes it is, but you know what I mean.)

This is from the email where the NYT announced the change:

“The discontinued lists did not reach or resonate with many readers. This change allows us to expand our coverage of these books in ways that we think will better serve readers and attract new audiences to the genres.”

As a reader, I can confirm that the list didn't resonate with me. Every time I looked at it it was old Batman and Raina Telegmeir. It never occurred to me that those lists were the result of real human labor. (I guess I thought they magically aggregated themselves?) I think the argument that it frees up resources to use for other better, more substantive, forms of coverage is a compelling one. Plus, it sounds like they're expanding their comics coverage:

More reviews and news and features? Gosh, that sounds great to me, a reader who subscribes to the NYT!

Counterpoint, Bendis: No one fucking cares. Only artists and publishers have a stake in whether or not comics is considered legitimate.

Listen, there are more and less compelling versions of the legitimacy argument; I'm more inclined to be sympathetic to women artists who say that it helps them get contracts, for instance, than the likes of Brian Michael Bendis. My own feeling is that comics' obsession with legitimacy has been a mixed bag at best. But wherever you stand on that question doesn't really matter: the mandate of the NYT is not to serve the comics industry; it's to serve readers. That comics types are stuck so far up their own asses that they fail to see this obvious point, and prefer to imagine that it's some grand conspiracy to delegitimize comics, is amusing to me.

2. R. Crumb thinks that Trump grabbing pussies is none of your beeswax
Diehard liberal R Crumb has found common ground with our new president, and surprise surprise, it's the one thing that even the most reprehensible piece of shit Republicans found it in their hearts to publicly denounce: the pussy-grabbing incident. "I thought it was rather lame that they made such a big issue out of Trump's crude sexual remarks," he said. And it only gets worse from there:

It's like Clinton, who cares about Monica Lewinsky? I couldn't give a shit about any of that sexual behavior unless he's raping women, which he's not doing. ... I've been inappropriate, and I'm sure you have at times in your life, you know? ... People's sex life, unless they're committing rape or doing something like that, should be nobody's business as far as I'm concerned. To make that an issue, and not talk about what a fucking crook he's been in his business transactions? What's that about? 

... I don't know if he really grabbed women's pussies. I don't know. 

Yes, truly, who can say? Verily, this is one of life's great mysteries.

PS: Celebrating sexual predators isn't just a Big Two/Big Two fan problem. I found this link via TCJ, which excerpted the portion of the interview where Crumb denounced Trump.

3. Jughead fucks now
"Some people have started using the official Riverdale hashtag to bring awareness to the fact that Jughead is asexual in the comics, even though he will supposedly have a heterosexual love interest on the show."

I'm sorry, this is just very funny to me for some reason.

4. Scott McCloud: "We must not let Nick Spencer's bad opinion die"

Q: What's worse than Nick Spencer's dumb opinions?
A: Regurgitating Nick Spencer's dumb opinion after everyone's finally finally moved past how dumb it was.

Man, if I were in charge, we'd be punching all the Spencers. At 400k followers, Scott McCloud has one of the loudest voices in comics, and this is what he chooses to talk about? Any other dumb causes he's taking up?

Figures.

5. Why isn't anyone making fun of Alan Moore's rap music??
This is not normal.



6. Zainab Akhtar is doing a Comics & Cola newsletter
You probably know this already, but let's end on a positive note. Zainab's doing a comics newsletter.