Could Be
Yesterday, Christopher Butcher made a snarky post about the annual farce of the comics world that is the Wizard Advertiser Fan Awards, which Graeme McMillan at Newsarama then linked.
Ben Morse, Sean T. Collins and Kiel Phegley from Wizard responded to these two posts in typical juvenile Wizard fashion, with a resounding, "Nuh-uh! I know you are but what am I?" They insist that their awards are legitimized because the nominations come from "the fans," which is true in its own way, I suppose. I don't know that we really need awards to know that the average Wizard reader thought Infinte Crisis and Marvel Zombies were great and likes Brian Michael Bendis, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday. If the Eisners are the Oscars and the Harveys are the Golden Globes, then the Wizard Fan Awards are the People's Choice Awards - baffling, absurd and entirely useless.
The best part is this gem from Ben Morse: "I know there are no shortage of people on this here Internet that are going to call Wizard evil and stick to their guns regardless of if we cure cancer."
I didn't realize Wizard was such a leader in the field of cancer research, first of all. Rest easy, American Cancer Society and Sloan-Kettering, there's a sophomoric comics magazine on the job!
That but of ludicrous hyperbole aside, it's the defensiveness that really amuses me. "There's people out there who are just going to hate us, no matter what, aren't we put upon?" Give me a break. Yeah, there's a pretty vocal segment of comics fans on the internet who despise Wizard. Wonder why.
Could it be because with a straight face they referred to Lost Girls as "Alan Moore's steamy new sex comic," perhaps?
Could it be because the cover image that Christopher Butcher used in his post promises to tell us about "30 of the summer's sexiest superbabes," maybe?
Could it be because the folks at Wizard seem to think it's their job to kiss Joe Quesada's ass and to tell Dan DiDio that his shit doesn't stink?
Could it be because the closest Wizard gets to insightful commentary or criticism is something along the lines of "The only thing that RAWKED more than DC's Infinite Crisis was Marvel's Civil War!"?
Could it be because Wizard drinks the Kool-Aid, buying without hesitation into the idea currently popular at Marvel and DC that comics exist primarily to create licensable material to turn into movies and TV shows and toys rather than a viable and independent medium?
Could it be because every issue of Wizard gives the impression that the magazine's staff probably believes that Aaron Welsh is the true hero of "The Rack," put upon and unfairly belittled by his snobby co-workers at Yavin IV?
Could it be because when a couple of bloggers have something negative to say about Wizard, rather than acting like adults and professionals, ignoring it and going about their business, three staffers react like eight-year-olds?
Could be.
Could be that people hate Wizard not randomly or senselessly, but because it's truly loathsome. What else do you expect from people with a modicum of intelligence and taste when you so gleefully and willingly carry the banner for the Lowest Common Denominator?
