Q: Who Was the Inspiration for RORSCHACH in DC Comics' WATCHMEN? A: This FACELESS Urban Vigilante!

Comics Rot Your Brain!

Steven and Chris take a roadtrip back in time, eventually arriving on the pothole-riddled streets of Hub City, and man do they have a lot to say -- almost 4 hours' worth of comic book chatter! Steve Ditko's urban vigilante, The Question, is boldly re-imagined by Denny O'Neil and Denys Cowan as a Zen crimefighter for the ages. Check it out; here we cover issues #1-#8 of THE QUESTION (DC Comics, 1987).
COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comic books (plus a few notable exceptions) in a weekly podcast format. Screenwriters Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) and Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) & discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.
SHOW NOTES:

00:30 - Intro to Vic Sage a.k.a. The Question (covering SteveDitko and Ayn Rand, Denny O’Neil and Denys Cowan)
02:57 - THE QUESTION & SWAMP THING as “Proof of Concept” for Vertigo Comics
24:14 - Vic Sage’s relationship with “Tot” a.k.a. Aristotle Rodor
35:53 - Denys Cowan’s smart, efficient page compositions
1:27:30 - An urban vigilante story written by... a metaphysically minded, left-leaning zenned-out hippie?!
1:34:17 - Drawing Black characters in comic books
1:47:24 - Cowan’s skill at conjuring real-looking people who don’t all fit into cookie cutter, visual molds
2:08:18 - Giving Denny O’Neil his flowers as a writer and noticing his evolution on THE QUESTION vs. GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW; an exsmination of his intricate, multi-character storylines
2:40:05 - Cowan’s lively, kinetic, uniquely gestural linework
2:55:55 - The “generosity of content” of ‘80s comic books -- more story pages, denser stories, letter columns, editorials, etc.
…

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Luvut

1. Q: Who Was the Inspiration for RORSCHACH in DC Comics' WATCHMEN? A: This FACELESS Urban Vigilante! (00:00:00)

2. Quick history of THE QUESTION (00:00:47)

3. Main Discussion of the first eight issues (00:02:41)

4. Cowan and Sienkiewicz’s cover collaboration and the extent of their friendship (00:03:35)

5. The Vertigo/cerebral nature of THE QUESTION, pre-Vertigo (00:06:25)

6. Cowan & O’Neil’s take differs so radically from Steve Ditto’s original vision for the character (00:08:00)

7. Ditko’s Ayn Rand influence/objectivism versus O’Neil & Cowan’s reimagining (00:08:48)

8. Denny O’Neil’s “Recommended Readings” in the Lettercol; notably “The Uses of Enchantment” by Bruno Bethelheim. (00:19:13)

9. Steve’s theory that THE QUESTION and Alan Moore’s SWAMP THING were proof of concepts for more literary comics and the need Vertigo eventually fulfilled (00:23:38)

10. Steve and Chris FINALLY talk about the plot of THE QUESTION run (00:38:19)

11. In Issue One, Vic Sage’s ass beating is savage (00:41:15)

12. Moving on to Issue Two (00:45:17)

13. Moving on the Issue Three (01:04:28)

14. Moving on to Issue Four (01:36:00)

15. Issue Four’s Recommended Reading: “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” (01:48:00)

16. Moving on to Issue Five (01:53:00)

17. Moving on to Issue Six (02:23:07)

18. Moving on to Issue Seven; the character Volk some sort of Wolverine rip-off (02:47:00)

19. Moving on to Issue Eight (03:05:00)

20. Steve’s recap of the entire series (03:21:00)

21. An odd negative letter in the lettercol! (03:25:00)