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Michael Netzer On Frank Miller And A Magazine Article You Probably Haven’t Seen Yet
posted August 25, 2014
Following up CR's commentary on recent Frank Miller profiles in the New York Times, Playboy and Wired, the German language magazine "Business Punk" has just published a 6 page article on Miller which might fly under the US comics community radar. I received the issue in the mail today only because the editor used my portrait of Frank (with permission) in the opening spread.
I haven't translated the article yet but scans are attached for posterity. [cover scan included above] The lead paragraph roughly web-translates to: "He is one of the best comics artists in the world, and a type you might meet only once: Frank Miller. In mid-September he brings "Sin City: A Dame To Kill for" into the cinemas, uncompromising and tough as nails. Just as he is."
It's good to see this embrace of Miller's legacy by major non-comics media institutes, especially after several years of turbulence on his home turf. Most impressive in the echos of the previous articles is that Frank's unapologetic silence in the face of criticism from within the comics community seems to have helped gain the artist/writer/director a healthy measure of stature outside of it.
I'd think there's something to learn from all this for many of the strongly opinionated pundits and fans who often rush to condemn (and ostracize) others for opinions on socio-political issues they may not always agree with. CR's take on such confrontations is often a little more comfortable to digest because the site takes great care not to offend in such circumstances, regardless of the public rampage that makes it relatively easy to do so - or perhaps chooses to give due respect to the likelihood that some merit may exist in an otherwise widely unpopular position or opinion.
What makes Frank Miller an interesting creator for me is the uncompromising humanity he exudes. Not at all of the lip service type, that's easy to strike a "humanitarian" pose with. But rather more of a genuine human sensitivity that reacts far beneath the postural facade to reveal another side or dimension of an issue that most of community buzz doesn't seem to be willing or able to hear. It's as an effervescent reflection of the rugged individualism many of his critics champion.