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"Criminals are a cowardly lot." Notice no DC PR announcement on this part: "DC Comics' Next Batman, Tim Fox, cowardly murders Hispanic man as part of Next Batman origin, with origin story written by award-winning author John Ridley!" Because, you know, some lives are cheap. Such thinking is entire REASON for the creation of The Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger- that all lives actually matter.
"Criminals are a cowardly lot." And this case, it is the criminal Tim (Jace) Fox, who DC Comics and John Ridley is writing as the "Next Batman." The victim murdered by the "Next Batman," Tim (Jace) Fox was Enrique Acevedo. Jace ran him over and left him to die, in the last issue. (Like last issue, it was reviewed by very FEW "professional reviewers.") Of course, Mr. Ridley didn't want to tell us the "Next Batman" origin as we were paying $8/issue, because, you know that murdering and slandering a Hispanic man, might have been bad for DC Comics business. Sounds like the mobsters of Bob Kane's era, doesn't it?
"Criminals are a cowardly lot." Mr. Ridley wants Jace's "origin" story as "Batman," to leave us believe "the family isn't pressing charges." Let's be clear about New York's State law on Hit-and-Run Resulting in Death: It is a Class D felony; fine of $1,000-$2,500 AND imprisonment for not more than 7 years. Not just when we feel like it. Not just based on how rich you are. And yes, not just based on your race, either, despite Mr. Ridley explicitly trying to use that as a "rationale" in the story.
"Criminals are a cowardly lot." Speaking of cowards, notably we see reviwers of this "DC Comics" "The Next Batman," who claim to review this and just gingerly ignore Jace's murder of this innocent man. Let's talk about "the art," "the relationships," "different direction" of plot, anything OTHER than the basic values of "a hero." Because, you know, after all, murder of innocents is OK now. That is the value set that DC Comics brings for the future.
"Criminals are a cowardly lot." Jace's father (Lucius Fox) sought to slander the victim that Jace left dying in the street, including using race to justify his death. Quoting from this "chapter" in Mr. Ridley's story: "There was a road rage incident in that neighborhood last week. White driver assaulted a black man. Tim didn't run--he was afraid to stop." (And of course he got out of the car, and they know.) This corruption is the "Future State" of DC Comics. This is not because his father "worked hard" or was "rich," but because both of them lacked values respecting human life. You know, the same values we saw Lucius Fox respect for 42 years - not the character created by Len Wein, Before John Ridley (BJR), but the "Future State" Lucius Fox. And that is John Ridley's (and more importantly DC Comics) "Next Batman."
This is NO surprise to those who have actually READ John Ridley's comics. He started out in Wildstorm (then bought by DC) in "The American Way," with his first character, "The New American," Jason Fisher, becoming a murderer. But like other John Ridley books, "it's OK." And murder has NO consequences for Jason Fisher. So we should we expect murder to have consequences for Jace Fox's "The Next Batman"?
To those determined to make this value clash about race, Baloney. There are plenty of talented comic writers, and there are untold millions and millions of black Americans who in REAL LIFE are heroes. They don't run people over and leave them to die. They work tirelessly, selflessly, and give THEIR LIVES to protect others. This is the height of contempt to the real heroes that do exist. Those real heroes truly DO know that "criminals are a cowardly lot." Despite DC Comics and Mr. Ridley's "relativism."
One of the very FEW "professional" reviewers on this comic, Timala Elliott, simply writes: "the line between hero and villain depends on intent and perspective." No outrage. No sense of being troubled by this attack on our SHARED value system of respecting human life. And then focus on the art. As if that was all there was. (And at Bleeding Cool "We Meet Vol For The First Time In The Next Batman: Second Son." Because it is about minor character, Vol, who matters. After all, you know, who cares about that whole "murdering an innocent person thing"? So 20th century.)
But is it? Is leaving an innocent person to die in the street, after you run them over, simply a matter of "intent and perspective"? Or do we respect life and one another, and we share values and mores which are essential for our functioning as a cohesive society and credibility for any shared law? Because if crime and criminal violence is only a matter of intent and perspective, who can say any criminal act or actions are "wrong"? I question whether such level of relativism can work in a diverse democracy, and whether it actually leads to rationalization for police state thinking.
"Criminals are a cowardly lot." But the worst are those who look the other way and shrug as criminals attack our fellow human beings and society, because it simply too much trouble to stand up to them. Especially those who KNOW BETTER, right?
In 81 years of Batman comics, if readers learned nothing else, the only point was it is ALL of our responsiblity to stand up to criminal attacks on our fellow human beings. You don't have to be Bruce Wayne. You just need a conscience.
"Criminals are a cowardly lot."
(Note: while rated "1," this is only because there is not "negative 1000" rating available.)
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