Superheroes, Porn, and Charlie Brown: The 2007 Harvey Awards
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Posted by Anne Elizabeth Moore September 11th, 2007 |
What with all the talk of comics “saving” literature—which I wasn’t entirely aware needed saving at this moment, although the field could definitely do with a little less commercialism and a lot more talent, but I know critics have been saying that since at least the ’30s—you’d think this year’s Harvey Award winners list might have been a little more diverse.
But no, it’s mostly filled with the same old, same old: superheroes (Daredevil), porn (Lost Girls), and Charlie Brown.
Still, if we’re pinning our hopes on this art form, wouldn’t we prefer it be a bit more appreciative of new and/or diverse voices? We’re going to want to start paying attention to this, my fellow media critics.
September 12th, 2007 08:29
You’ve got a great point here, but I would also like to point out that it pretty much rocks that Keith Knight won for best continuing strip.
In the great tradition of The Oscars, I’m already hoping that Gail Simone’s run on Wonder Woman will be as good or better than her other terrific writing, and she’ll win a Harvey Award next year…
September 12th, 2007 13:28
Well, to be fair, Lost Girls is written by Alan Moore, a genius in the field, which I’d like to say raises a bit above mere trashy pornography. That being said, yes, I would love for comics to recognize more diverse voices and, as a fan of comics and graphic novels, it bothers me on a profound level that the vast majority of comics are written by and for heterosexual white men. Of course there’s talent there, but given the remarkable explosion in recent years of comic book genres that embrace everything from humor to the macabre, I think it’s high time we start hearing from some new voices.