My day job is directly across the street from DC Comics’ office in New York City. Whenever I go to lunch, I always wind up looking up at their building, because there’s Batman insignias, Superman neon signs, and other memorabilia proudly displayed by editors, accountants and whomever else is lucky enough (or left) to have an office with a window. There is a noticeable lack of Watchmen stuff though, which is odd; you’d figure that as the movie finally rolls out today, it would be DC’s moment of triumph, with the staffers proudly showing off Rorschach toilet paper or other junk created for the movie in their windows. Nope. Here’s my theory why:
Damn, we’re all sick of Watchmen already ’cause of all the hype.
If fans are sick of it, imagine the nausea it must induce in the hallowed DC halls. The only hype tidal wave I’m even more exhausted by is the one created for U2’s new album. The band camped out all week across the street at the Ed Sullivan Theatre where they shoot David Letterman, renamed the block between DC and my job “U2 Way” and held a press conference at the French bistro at the bottom of DC’s building Tuesday. The place was surrounded by a million cops, paparazzi, aging groupies who really oughta put that stuff away, and SWAT teams with assault rifles ready to blow you away—just the thing to whet one’s appetite while heading out for the slightly less haute cuisine of a Veggie Delight at Subway.
That they’d all wind up in the same building is only appropriate, though, because both U2 and Watchmen shook the world 20 years ago. Sure, I’ll see the Watchmen movie this weekend, and I’ll check out the U2 CD—I’m hoping I’ll love both of them. U2’s in an experimental phase again, which may or may not be a good thing, while Watchmen the comic was supposed to be unfilmable, and that may or may not be true. Both entertainment experiences will be different from the norm, but I suspect that most folks are already pre-sold on them anyway; the endless, choking river of hype just isn’t necessary.
Nonetheless, with so much emphasis this week on known quantities we’ve enjoyed for decades, it does make one wonder: What comes next? Who will the next entities be that shake the world? Maybe there is no “next.” Maybe it’s all just the same thing regurgitated over and over by other people; instead of U2, it’s Coldplay pretending to be U2, or instead of Watchmen, it’s…um, something.
Coming back from lunch the other day, I noticed something in the windows of my building. Up on the fourth floor, some wiseguy printed out a big Marvel Comics logo and hung it up just to give DC a friendly poke in the ribs. It’s a reminder for them that competition is never far away; for myself, however, it reminded me that I hadn’t checked out the ongoing—and extremely funny—fan film series, I’m A Marvel & I’m A DC, in a while. Wouldn’t you know it? Regurgitation of the same ol’, same ol’ is the topic of the latest edition, which features Rorschach versus Wolverine.
What are your thoughts on all this—U2, Watchmen, the fan film? Share ‘em in the comments below.
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