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

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 Comics24:14 - Vic Sage’s relationship with “Tot” a.k.a. Aristotle Rodor35:53 - Denys Cowan’s smart, efficient page compositions1:27:30 - An urban vigilante story written by... a metaphysically minded, left-leaning zenned-out hippie?!1:34:17 - Drawing Black characters in comic books1:47:24 - 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 linework2:55:55 - The “generosity of content” of ‘80s comic books -- more story pages, denser stories, letter columns, editorials, etc.…Drop us a line! Support the show+ Check out our YouTube channel to get a look at some of the fantastic art featured in our episodes. Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024  Comics Rot Your Brain!#comicbooks #comics #graphicnovel