Big Damn Heroes

Big Damn Heroes

Nov 09

Here’s a very good article by Entertainment Weekly‘s Jeff Jensen about Heroes and the comic book industry. Many knotty issues and questions raised, but one thing that stands out to me — because I love to think about things as they relate to me and only me, of course — is a quote from Brian K. Vaughan (who is a fan of the series) that sort of sums up why I can’t seem to fully warm up to Heroes in the crazy, googly-eyed way that I usually get over television.

”A show like Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a closer approximation of a comic book than Heroes,” says Vaughan. ”Buffy is like a guy who loves comic books doing a TV show, and Heroes feels like a guy who loves television doing a comic book.”

I’ve been having a hard time putting into words why I’m not all obsessed over this show, but I think he just did it for me. I mean, I like Heroes. The cliffhangers are swell, Masi Oka is great, the powers are conveyed onscreen in an interesting and cool way, Save the Cheerleader!, etc etc etc. And yet…there’s just something about the show that feels sort of condescending. Like, “Look, I’m treating this pop superhero stuff oh-so-seriously. We are serious around here!” You’re not the first to do so, Tim.

Or you know…maybe I’m just irritated that it’s cool to say you like Heroes, but still decidedly NOT COOL to say you like Battlestar Galactica.