![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
starwolf_oakley posting in ![[community profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
scans_dailyI've said on this board I don't like it when superhero comics (and other forms of pop culture) make it look like mental illness is some sort of moral failing.
Three actual psychiatrists have taken issue (pun intended) with DC Comics and their description of the mentally ill, especially Batman's rogues gallery. It was originally in the New York Times.
Newsarama covered it as well.
More and four pages from THE KILLING JOKE after the cut.
"You're trying to explain a character's villainy or extreme violence by using a real-life illness, that people in the real world have, that are very common. That's when it's harmful to people in real life."
"The psychiatrists repeated several time that they don't want the beloved villains in comics to be changed, and they are fine with depictions that show bizarre behavior. But they want the references to mental illnesses to be handled more responsibly."
Most comic book villains like murdering people for their own amusement. It is hard to describe the behavior of in "genuine" psychiatry terms.
There was praise for how Geoff Johns wrote Starman, who had schizophrenia, in JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA.
Here are four pages from BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE. While the Joker wanted to prove a point about mental illness to Batman (one bad day will drive the sanest person mad) I don't think Alan Moore was trying to write an examination of mental illness. If Moore ever did examine mental illness in a graphic novel, it would be something. (WATCHMEN touched on mental illness, but it wasn't the theme of the story.)
I recall someone once saying THE KILLING JOKE would have worked better as a Two-Face story. Perhaps.
Three actual psychiatrists have taken issue (pun intended) with DC Comics and their description of the mentally ill, especially Batman's rogues gallery. It was originally in the New York Times.
Newsarama covered it as well.
More and four pages from THE KILLING JOKE after the cut.
"You're trying to explain a character's villainy or extreme violence by using a real-life illness, that people in the real world have, that are very common. That's when it's harmful to people in real life."
"The psychiatrists repeated several time that they don't want the beloved villains in comics to be changed, and they are fine with depictions that show bizarre behavior. But they want the references to mental illnesses to be handled more responsibly."
Most comic book villains like murdering people for their own amusement. It is hard to describe the behavior of in "genuine" psychiatry terms.
There was praise for how Geoff Johns wrote Starman, who had schizophrenia, in JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA.
Here are four pages from BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE. While the Joker wanted to prove a point about mental illness to Batman (one bad day will drive the sanest person mad) I don't think Alan Moore was trying to write an examination of mental illness. If Moore ever did examine mental illness in a graphic novel, it would be something. (WATCHMEN touched on mental illness, but it wasn't the theme of the story.)
I recall someone once saying THE KILLING JOKE would have worked better as a Two-Face story. Perhaps.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 08:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 11:21 am (UTC)Batvillains are presented as having mental illnesses. For most of them, it's actually shown as the reason why they're villains in the first place. That's the very definition of problematic portrayal of mental illness.
Which is a shame, as Bruce is shown to be struggling with psychological issues himself.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 12:03 pm (UTC)For the most part Bruce *knows* how screwed up he is, especially compared to other superheroes. But they've dropped the whole "Scary bat-god that lives in Bruce Wayne's head" idea, the biggest psychological issue.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 01:41 pm (UTC)yeah.... that was one of my problems with Dark Knight Returns...
no subject
Date: 2011-11-04 08:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 02:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 03:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-04 03:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 02:25 pm (UTC)More that, "some" Bat-villains are as good portrayals of mental ilness as Looney Tunes characters.
That's what I wanted to imply :P
no subject
Date: 2011-11-03 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-04 08:56 am (UTC)"Like some actors can snap from one day to another and truly become as dangerous as Clayface, which is only as possible for Mob and Company's CEO like the Great White Shark. But while some people lose their mind and play dangerous games they're unprepared for like the silly Killer Moth or the Condiment King, other can be quite unpredictable like the Terrible Trio. Ohters develop unhealthy habits like torture - Black Mask, or being one-time hero/one time villains occupation - Catwoman or strange choice of name/iD/clothing - KGBeast.."
'Just messing with ya :P
I always thought only some, and those amongst the more popular Bat-villains were truly crazies like the Joker, Harvey, Scarecrow... the rest, just colorful super-villains that the Flash's own Rogue could take any day.