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From: datanguay@watdaisy.UUCP (David Tanguay)
Newsgroups: net.comics
Subject: Miracleman
Message-ID: <7509@watdaisy.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 29-Nov-85 20:13:59 EST
Article-I.D.: watdaisy.7509
Posted: Fri Nov 29 20:13:59 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Nov-85 01:12:20 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 51

> 
> I'm not sure myself that MM deserves it's own class due to realism; is it
> more realistic than other SH stories?  Or is it due to Moore's skill as a
> writer?  Can a super-hero comics EVER be done with much realism? -- they are
> inherintly unrealistic (unless there's guys running around in their
> underwear somewhere).  Are there other SH comics/characters which deserve a
> class III setting (the aforementioned Graphic Novel "God Loves, Man Kills"
> comes to mind).
> 
> What do you think?
>                                         Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer

	I just finished #3. This is, by far, the best super-hero comic 
I've read. I am not convinced, however, that it has done anything 
"new". The problem with all the other SH comics is, as Moriarty 
suggests, is realism. 
	I don't think scientific realism can ever be attained, but 
Miracleman (with #3) seems to have kept it to a minimum. It always 
irks me to see Kitty Pryde walk out of the danger room, with its 
computer controlled simulations, and into her room to do her assignment 
on what looks like an IBM PC or Apple II: such a disparity in
technology is hard to swallow (better example: how can they consider 
the shuttle to be high tech when the government is constantly spewing 
out Sentinels?).
	More important is the human realism. Moran, when he finds out he is
Miracleman, does rush out and try to save the world, nor does he break
down emotionally thinking he's some kind of monster. Instead, he tries
to find out exactly what he is. He is presented as a real, consistent
person, unlike any other SH. All other SHs are weirdos at best, and
usually end up behaving inconsistently to cover up some scripting flaw
(Cyclops and X-Factor jumps to mind (Jean too) - if its capable of
generating an argument about consistency like that on the net, something
must be wrong). The same realism extends to the other characters.
The only real weirdo (Big Ben) is recognised as being a head-case.
Note that the arch-villain (Kid-Miracleman) was existing peacefully in
the world even while he was taking control.
	I don't think Miracleman deserves to be called class III (I'm not
sure that such a class can exist for SH comics). There is nothing novel
about Miracleman: Moore is simply doing what everybody else claims to
be doing. This is just a class II SH comic done right. I think we should
also remember that Moore has an advantage over the other SH comics:
there is only one comic in this universe and Moore has no idiot editor
over him trying to impose impossible continuity leaps on him. Also, it
may be too early in the storyline for realism flaws to be exposed. I
have enough confidence in Moore's ability to doubt that such flaws will
appear.

Would you look at all those words? I didn't know I could write that much
about *anything* (just look at my poor thesis!).

David Tanguay @ University of Waterloo, Ontario