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You can't tell me you hate, hate, hate everyone involved in the death of Stephanie Brown and then sit down and read Fables and tell me how you think it's one of the bestest comic books EVAH!!
LOGIC DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY.
Bill Willingham wrote the death arc of Stephanie Brown and he writes "Fables". In fact, "Fables" is his baby. He created it. That whole kickass universe of fairy tales and war is from his head. So you don't get to sit there and look at me and tell me "Fables" and everything related to it is awesome and neat-o and makes you all warm and fuzzy in the cockles of your heart, and then turn around and rip into how terrible everyone who worked on the Stephanie Brown death arc really is. Because here's the thing genius: WILLINGHAM WROTE BOTH OF THEM.
If you're going to shit yourself about hating someone, at least keep in consistent. I detest Chuck Austen with the intensity of a thousand suns because he's a hack and an idiot and completely incapable of taking criticism for his work. So I don't read any of his shit. In contrast, I detest the Stephanie Brown death arc, and not the writer. I detest the arc because the death of a Robin is turned into various sexual poses and the death is then later ignored by the mass majority of the DC universe. But Willingham's done great work on "Fables". His female characters are strong and tough and smart. His male characters are the same. Briar Rose occasionally comes off as a bit of a ditz, but then so does Prince Charming.
So why do I universally hate Austen while giving Willingham a break? It's simple: The decision to off Stephanie came from DC editors and Willingham followed the rules. But in "Fables", no one's died for no good reason. No one's gone completely out-of-character and refused to do what they've always done, what they're character is pretty much there for, ala Leslie Tompkins, when she refused medical service to Stephanie. Everyone in the "Fables" universe is consistent, and I think a good lot of this has to do with the control Willingham has over the book. He's said before that Vertigo editors just let him run with ideas, and he's produced, in his free state, a book with characters of both sexes who are complex and interesting and tough.
Austen, on the other hand, gave us World Watch, which was about a bunch of naked women having sex, and he ripped off Warren Ellis in the process. And when he was on book for other companies, he completely fucked up everything. Case in point, the "Annie Arc" from "Uncanny X-Men" where he Mary Sued a new character and had her eight-year-old son use his powers to convince Annie and Havok that they were in love by sending them dreams [one which included Annie and Havok naked in bed together]. Austen also made Polaris batshit insane. And then he blamed the fans for not liking him.
To bring it together in a couple of sentences: When not having to follow the orders of editors, Bill Willingham writes bitchin' female characters. When not having to follow the orders of editors, Chuck Austen is still a goddamned hack.
Any questions?
LOGIC DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY.
Bill Willingham wrote the death arc of Stephanie Brown and he writes "Fables". In fact, "Fables" is his baby. He created it. That whole kickass universe of fairy tales and war is from his head. So you don't get to sit there and look at me and tell me "Fables" and everything related to it is awesome and neat-o and makes you all warm and fuzzy in the cockles of your heart, and then turn around and rip into how terrible everyone who worked on the Stephanie Brown death arc really is. Because here's the thing genius: WILLINGHAM WROTE BOTH OF THEM.
If you're going to shit yourself about hating someone, at least keep in consistent. I detest Chuck Austen with the intensity of a thousand suns because he's a hack and an idiot and completely incapable of taking criticism for his work. So I don't read any of his shit. In contrast, I detest the Stephanie Brown death arc, and not the writer. I detest the arc because the death of a Robin is turned into various sexual poses and the death is then later ignored by the mass majority of the DC universe. But Willingham's done great work on "Fables". His female characters are strong and tough and smart. His male characters are the same. Briar Rose occasionally comes off as a bit of a ditz, but then so does Prince Charming.
So why do I universally hate Austen while giving Willingham a break? It's simple: The decision to off Stephanie came from DC editors and Willingham followed the rules. But in "Fables", no one's died for no good reason. No one's gone completely out-of-character and refused to do what they've always done, what they're character is pretty much there for, ala Leslie Tompkins, when she refused medical service to Stephanie. Everyone in the "Fables" universe is consistent, and I think a good lot of this has to do with the control Willingham has over the book. He's said before that Vertigo editors just let him run with ideas, and he's produced, in his free state, a book with characters of both sexes who are complex and interesting and tough.
Austen, on the other hand, gave us World Watch, which was about a bunch of naked women having sex, and he ripped off Warren Ellis in the process. And when he was on book for other companies, he completely fucked up everything. Case in point, the "Annie Arc" from "Uncanny X-Men" where he Mary Sued a new character and had her eight-year-old son use his powers to convince Annie and Havok that they were in love by sending them dreams [one which included Annie and Havok naked in bed together]. Austen also made Polaris batshit insane. And then he blamed the fans for not liking him.
To bring it together in a couple of sentences: When not having to follow the orders of editors, Bill Willingham writes bitchin' female characters. When not having to follow the orders of editors, Chuck Austen is still a goddamned hack.
Any questions?
