The late great Otto Binder disrespected by Tom King 0

[HuddyBee]

I just was reading up on some of the Watchmen characters and saw some things surrounding Tom King's latest Rorschach comic. I don't usually read modern comics, but when I saw this page it made me pretty mad. It was from issue No. 1 published back in October, so I know that this must be old news, but I don't think many noticed as I didn't hear anything about it.

Otto Binder is one of my favorite writers of all time. I love collecting and reading early Captain Marvel stories, and was actually lucky enough to hunt down a book with his signature. Binder wrote thousands of stories for Fawcett and DC, but sadly he had a pretty tragic life and lost his daughter of 14 in 1967 when she was hit by a car, and later starting drinking heavily before passing away himself in 1974. This page from Tom King's Rorschach No. 1 uses that tragic factoid as an "Easter egg," and I personally find that pretty disgusting. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

I guess that I would have to read the whole thing to understand the context.

[Bird]

it does seem unnecessary, and using it in that real world context is strange at best and yes offensive at worst depending on intention. 

[steveinthecity]

According to the Bleeding Cool article linked below, the recording shown/played in the Rorschach comic was “real”.

One excerpt:
 

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/frank-miller-otto-binder-and-randy-cox-in-rorschach-1-spoilers/

 

Edited January 7, 2021 by steveinthecity

[JazzMan]

I am fortunate enough to own a book from his personal collection with his notes in the table of contents.

I read the page above but to me it didn't look offensive.  Watchmen has always taken dark, real events to highlight the twisted tales.  I read this as an homage to a mostly forgotten name and brought him and his family back to the current narrative - bringing him alive again with a voice reaching out to his daughter and brother.

 

[HuddyBee]

Otto Binder was one of the most prolific comic book writers ever, and this was one of the darkest periods of his life and it's what led to him quitting comics and eventually passing away. It just doesn't feel respectful of the man Binder was or what he accomplished to just throw this weighty subject in to make a point in Tom King's narrative. It really just doesn't seem respectful to me, and that's what bugs me.

[HuddyBee]

9 minutes ago, Satan Stole My Lunch Money said:

Sounds like a history lesson to me 

There're proper ways to tell a history lesson. Including the REAL seance like this in a comic book isn't handling these weighty events with proper respect. It's just poor taste.

[speedcake]

Tom King is insufferable, and I try to avoid him and anything he writes.

[Ares]

1 hour ago, speedcake said:

Tom King is insufferable, and I try to avoid him and anything he writes.

Want he the one who went after Jae Lee for some comicsgate thing?

[speedcake]

Just now, Ares said:

Want he the one who went after Jae Lee for some comicsgate thing?

Yeah. It was completely ridiculous and showed his true character.

[sagekilz]

Seems like an unnecessary low blow.

[D84]

Wait... are you saying Tom King is a douchbag? Say it isn't so.

[Bird]

It seems like he might be. But that is only really based on the Jae Lee thing and this? This just seems a flippant use of real world tragedy (the desperation to go to a medium to talk to your dead child!). 

[kav]

art on that book looks pretty cheap-manipulated photos.