Rich Johnston over at Bleeding Cool writes about the owner of the Comics Conspiracy shop in Asheboro, NC being upset with Grant Morrison over a single panel in which Superman says “GD”. The Comics Conspiracy owner interpreted “GD” to mean “God damn” and decided his Christian sensibilities were offended. My first thought was that “GD” was a nod to the Hebraic practice of writing “God” and “G-d”. But he was offended only because the interpretation he gave to “GD” came from Superman. Johnston posts the following quote taken from the Comics Conspiracy Facebook page in which the owner states: “I could see Guy Gardner and maybe even Hal Jordan (Green Lanterns) saying it. I could see Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) saying it. I could easily see Damian Wayne (Robin) or MAYBE even Bruce Wayne saying it. But Superman was created to be the “perfect” super-hero. Unblemished. Superman is an American icon.”
So, the shop owner, whose name I can’t find on either the Facebook page or the shop’s website, wouldn’t be upset if a writer had any of these other characters say “God damn”. Just Superman. He’s decided to cancel all future store and customer pull orders for any book written by Grant Morrison. This is where he takes a stand. Never mind that he’ll continue to sell a book like The Boys which consistently pushes the envelope and contains far more language and imagery that could be deemed offensive according to individual reader’s tastes. Never mind that on the Comics Conspiracy website there are rotating images of female superheroes showing lots of tits and ass for the subscription service.
Of course it’s the owner’s right to decide to boycott books written by Morrison, and I don’t wish him to go out of business, but in my opinion the man is being hypocritical. My father decided that comics were a “thing of the Devil” and forbade me to read them when I was 14. That lasted all of two weeks after I took a black marker to his precious TV Guide and blacked out every listing that wasn’t either news or a religious program. I didn’t stand for an adult telling me what I could read as a teen and this shop would certainly lose my business over this if I lived in Asheboro.
Tags: DC
Religion is so crazy. I’m always amazed how people can be so certain of something so irrational. People like this make me so happy to be an atheist.
It’s interesting to read the comments over at Bleeding Cool. Everyone is mocking this guy!
Hi, Robert,
Yeah, I can imagine Bleeding Cool posters mocking the man. Now Morrison has clarified that “GD” was a grunt sound effect and the shop owner is all okay now. Still a hypocrite. Religion may be crazy in and of itself, or at least some interpretations. It bugs me to no end when people read passages and take them literally instead of metaphorically or poetically. My thought is it’s as often or more so that irrational people are attracted to religion as a means of either coping or denying certain aspects of themselves. This was certainly true of my father when what he really needed was some intensive psycho therapy and maybe some anti-depressants. But I digress.
I also first thought g-d as a nod to Superman’s Jewish roots, but after I figured out that this guy and perhaps Morrison meant “god damn,” I, ironically, thought this was Morrison’s way of saying that Superman wouldn’t say “god damn.” like those Midwesterners who say “gd” instead. I found it perfectly in character, like him saying “shoot” instead of “shit” or something. I think this store owner is stupid on multiple levels, like those you pointed out. And hey, the book will be online for less for all his customers to try and, who knows, maybe decide that want a comic source that doesn’t censor their reading. He can boycott this writer right into his own bankruptcy.
I’m with Scott on this. It would be perfectly in character for Supes to say “GD” as a way to curse without actually cursing. It’s very much a mid-western thing, and totally in keeping with the his boy scout image.
Or to say “gosh darn” which seems more common to me than “GD”. In the 12 years I’ve been back in east central Illinois I don’t recall hearing anyone say “GD” though I’ve heard it used long ago.Morrison has explained now that this was simply a grunt sound effect and the store owner has apologized and all seems well on the surface, but I still think the owner’s hypocrisy stands out. He has no issues selling The Boys (and one might presume Ennis’ Preacher years before The Boys) and he tolerated (my word) Archie Comics introducing Kevin Keller.
I miss the days when Superman said “Rao”.
But this whole affair is so stupid and hysterical that I despair of the USA just a little bit more.
Yes, it is stupid and hysterical, François. And senseless as Morrison clarified “GD” was nothing more than a grunting sound effect.
Sadly, the US has had its lunatic fringe elements involving religion for, well, maybe since its beginning. More extreme than this one man, but I remember learning of ministers and such trying to rally people around messages of Christ’s Second Coming and the Rapture starting sometime in the 19th century, and how much of our “culture war” today can be tied back to that. This belief of converting and controlling “non-believers” as part of the commandment to “witness” is ridiculous at best. God damn that Emperor Constantine!