Letters

Send a woman to review a "guy's flick"? Lump Radiohead in with Coldplay? Readers are outraged over Stephanie Zacharek's "Batman Begins" review and Brendan O'Neill's "The Glimmering Twins."

Read more: Letters to the Editor

June 21, 2005 | [Read Stephanie Zacharek's review of "Batman Begins."]

In the first paragraph of her "Batman Begins" review, Stephanie Zacharek refers to the "original vision of Batman creator Bob Kane." In fact, most of the elements to which she refers have little or nothing to do with Bob Kane.

Batman's origin (parents gunned down, tearful vow to defeat crime) is credited to Gardner Fox, who wrote the two-page origin sequence in Batman No. 1.

The "cloud of bats" derives mostly from the work of Frank Miller in "The Dark Knight Returns" and again, with David Mazzucchelli, in "Batman: Year One" (from which also clearly derives Gary Oldman's appearance as Jim Gordon).

Bruce's training trip to the Far East was added to Batman lore by writer Christopher Priest in the late 1980s.

Even when invoking the initial creation of Batman, it's important to recognize the contribution of writer Bill Finger, who co-created the character with Kane. Other than appearance, Finger is responsible for many of the basics of the character, including his environment, secret identity, relationship with the police and methods of operating.

Of course, both Kane and Finger owe a great deal of inspiration to pulp heroes, particularly Zorro and the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Alas, despite ending this letter, I probably won't actually stop being nerdy.

-- Greg Morrow

Zacharek is mistaken in pretty much every aspect of her "Batman Begins" critique. I found the movie highly entertaining, most especially because of the subtle, nuanced performance by Christian Bale. I found myself crying during several scenes, and nearly chortling with joy in others. The latest Batman movie gets to the heart and soul of the Batman mythos in a way that no other Batman movie has ever managed to approach.

-- Grace Des Jardins

Such pissing and moaning. And coupled with phony intellectualism, to boot. I know it's gonna get me rapped, but that doesn't make it any less true: Never send a woman to review what is obviously a Guy's Flick. Especially when the flick in question is based on an adventure strip. We're not allowed to have our wish fulfillment fantasies anymore.

Oh, look ... Here comes "Bewitched." An acceptable fantasy. Where's my exploding batarang?

-- Lee Moder

[Read "The Glimmering Twins" by Brendan O'Neill.]

The late 20th century is over. It's fine to mourn that fact, but let's not be romantic in glossing over the way drugs, reckless behavior and political disengagement destroyed some of the best lives those generations had to offer.

I'm surprised that Salon would print such an incredibly shallow article. If there's something priggish about being politically involved, caring about the environment, going to good schools and having interest in alternative therapies, then how about an exposé on the prigs at Salon, and those taking over the rest of San Francisco as well?

-- Robert

I don't really give a s--- that Brendan O'Neill has a beef with Coldplay and Tony Blair, but his article is a mean-spirited waste of space. O'Neill displays his intolerance toward a currently popular genre of music (and, by extension, to its fans) and feels the need to equate the genre with conservative politics.

Noel Gallagher "took tea" with Tony Blair? It's the end of rock 'n' roll as we know it! Chris Martin grew up wealthy? May as well dismiss his art entirely (no street cred). I guess if O'Neill were American he'd be happy to dismiss the Strokes, since they come from money, too.

Now Chris wants to meet Tony? Shocking!

O'Neill's infantile take seems to be that only Assholes can be taken seriously as Artists. O'Neill actually cites the fact that some disgraced right-wing politician likes to listen to Radiohead as proof that they are conservative(!). And, if you need more evidence, how about the fact that Thom Yorke is a social progressive who decries the waste and pollution of modern industrial life? Now that's conservative!

This is a serious commentary? C'mon, Salon, show a little discrimination!

-- Jonathan Steigman

What a tragic article. If you don't like Coldplay's music, that's one thing; if you don't like their politics and private lives, another. I too get the sense of the watering down of their musical offering and am disappointed by it, but I refuse to say that I don't love some of their stuff. Chastise them for letting us down, but not for being who they are. Challenge them to continue to challenge themselves musically, not to define themselves by drug, alcohol and sex abuse. Someone with these kinds of reactions to the personal choices of the talented must be one confused rock-star wannabe. Why not raise your perspective to include their right to be human beings, and simultaneously fulfill your own human dream rather than spouting bitterness at their choice not to fulfill your rock fantasies. Why not pick up a guitar, stick a needle in your own arm and become the tragic, wracked, rebellious idol you crave to see?

-- Sherri

What are you saying, that good rock music can only come from poverty and misery? You've got to be kidding me. The angle of this article is that music isn't good unless its performers are fucked up on drugs and alcohol. I hate to tell you this, but many of us want to be uplifted by our listening experience, not degraded. I'm sure you can think of a better reason to hate a band than that they are vegans and don't want to hurt the environment. In case you haven't taken a look out your window lately, our world is full of nightmarish destruction. Wouldn't you prefer that our artists pointed a way clear of it, than remind us of how shitty it is? Give me Coldplay, Keane, Travis and Radiohead any day over the Sex Pistols. How can you blame a seminal band like Radiohead for conservatives liking them? Music is meant to unite. If people are learning from it, even people like Tony Blair, then all the better.

-- Adriana

Next page: "Must we listen only to artists that share our political views?"