An Open Letter to Will Pfeiffer

Dear Mr. Pfeiffer (I don't feel I know you well enough to call you Will),

First, I want to thank you for your hard work in comics, and especially your blog. Thanks to you, I have checked out numerous books and movies, and although I have rarely picked up your comics on a regular basis, I am going to start doing so on a regular basis.

Part of it is due to your opening up the blog to comments about Amazons Attack # 6. It takes guts for any creator to hold himself accountable for his work, especially in a public forum - and I respect that.

But more importantly, I want to express how I empathize with you, especially since the comments indicate how you are responsible for 1) destroying Wonder Woman, 2) ruining various other characters by proxy, and 3) getting According to Jim back on the air.

OK, I'm kidding about number 3, but I have to commend you on your restraint. When I started to type this out, I was going to take those who accuse you of "destroying" Wonder Woman to task...actually, I was going to point out that, by using their money to buy a book that they found fault with, that they were responsible for "destroying" the character. No writer or creator sets out to do a deliberately poor piece of work...and you did the best you could. I haven't read Amazons Attack (I'm not a Wonder Woman fan...sorry), but I'm not going to chide you for making a book other people hated.

And quite frankly, their behavior is atrocious. I understand - it's easier to flame and criticize someone behind a keyboard than it is face to face. It would be easy for me to, say, make fun of those who are making homophobic comments, suggesting that several aspects of their character (including IQ) are smaller than normal...but that would be wrong. It just adds to the whole "comic reader = loser" stereotype, and I will not engage in that behavior. I may want to at times, but will strive to do better.

Besides, you're doing what very few creators do - hold back and wait until the firestorm is over, but take creative responsibility for your work. One of your esteemed colleagues, a Mr. Mark Millar, seems to be unwilling to do so (at least, that's how I read the item in Crocodile Caucus). It takes courage to put your work out in the marketplace; it takes even more to humbly accept reasonable criticism. The fact that you're handling all this seemingly well speaks volumes about your character.

Tell you what - from now on, I'll check out Catwoman on a more regular basis. And any other books you may be writing. (Quarter bins, here I come). And if you ever want to get together for a beverage of your choice, please let me know - I'm just two trains and a bus ride away).

Thanks again,
Gordon