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Flogging a Dead Pedro: Judd Winick - Repost

With DC's Infinite Crisis coming to a multiverse shattering end and Marvel's Civil War heating up, your friendly neighborhood Geek thought this would be the perfect opportunity to seriously talk about "real-life" issues in comics...

Before it starts, I wanted to re-post the original article that first got me thinking about our world and the world of heroes and villains...

This one is going to have some folks annoyed with me, oh well, I haven’t ruffled any feathers in a good long while and it’s time that I do. Plus, any time I can talk about comics and hack writers in one sitting, I’m going to run with it. First, a little history lesson to those who don’t understand the title…

MTV’s staple reality show, "The Real World", was shooting in San Francisco. Cast members Pedro Zamora and Judd Winick became good friends. Pedro (correctly) saw "The Real World" as a huge opportunity to educate kids about the dangers of unsafe sex. It has been thought that that was the premise of him applying to the show. He knew he was sick; he knew that the pressures of being on camera 24/7 might end up doing physical damage to him (and it did). Winick, an aspiring cartoonist and writer, worked closely with Pedro and began drafting an autobiographical graphic novel about he and Pedro’s travels across the country. Published in September of 2000, Pedro and Me is truly an excellent book and is both informative and emotionally moving. Before I continue I must say that I recommend that everyone who reads this column to find that book. People of my generation did look at Pedro as someone to be applauded for his efforts and bravery, and his passing effected many of us. Winick is to be commended for Pedro and Me, his hard work in the book allowed for Pedro’s message to continue long beyond his years.

It's too bad Winick didn't stop there…

I understand that to get more work published you need to show what you’ve created in the past. I would never blame anyone for using their own work in that capacity. Maybe it’s not fair for me to blame Winick for this, however; every time his name was mentioned in a comic or graphic novel the memory of Pedro was dragged out for all to see. I don’t need to know that Judd’s old dead friend was gay and died of AIDS complications when Mr. Winick landed the task of writing for Green Lantern, Batman, or Green Arrow. I just didn’t see the point of using Pedro’s memory to boost sales of a superhero comic. To be fair, both DC and Winick are to blame. DC wants to sell more books and will do what it can to do so. Winick however, maybe should have tried to downplay DC’s angle.

He didn’t.

My real beef with Winick isn't that he writes about HIV/AIDS, or (in a sense) that he brings up Pedro Zamora like a convenient Marley's Ghost; it's that a long time ago, it stopped being about Pedro, and started being about Judd. How it affected HIM; how it changed HIS life. There were even moments when Winick would claim that he could honestly write about pain and loss because he saw it happen first hand. It just felt trashy and cheap. Well, bully for Judd but Pedro Zamora was the one who died for it, so go ‘f off and join PFLAG, raise awareness there.

Some folks might be wondering where this is all coming from and why I’ve waited till now to speak my mind. Well, for starters, people who know me know that I’ve been talking about Winick for a good long time now. However, it was Winick’s decision to make Green Arrow’s friend and new sidekick Mia (the new Speedy) HIV positive. I won’t go into the topic of "real world" issues making there way into mainstream comics today. However, to be fair, Green Arrow has always been a book that took social issues head-on. The main character is headstrong, opinionated, and very radical in his desire to make the world safe and fair. The legendary Denny O’Neil and Art Adams tackled racism, war, drug addiction, workers rights, political corruption, and the environment during their short run on Green Arrow in the 1970s. These issues were truly groundbreaking and should be read by anyone with an interest in comics and how the medium evolved. Thankfully, DC reprints the issues every few years, so they aren’t that hard to come by.

This also isn’t the first character in mainstream comics to live with HIV. The Hulk / Bruce Banner featured a primary character living with HIV. There was also Image’s excellent telling of the character Shadowhawk, the only character who was NOT a sidekick or friend of a hero to live (and die) from AIDS complications. Winick does make interesting and correct arguments about his decision. The character of Mia lived on the street prior to her meeting with Green Arrow and her past has in effect "caught up" with her. He is also right in saying that there is no reason NOT to use a "real" disease instead of some mutant / alien virus. So why am I so annoyed?

I am suspect of the source. Winick has used social issues before. His decision to make Green Lantern’s friend and assistant gay was a bold and commendable. Too bad his writing was preachy and turned off more readers then it did raise awareness. (Take a good look at Green Lantern’s sales after the story line). There was even a moment when a character turned to the reader (although meant to be looking at another character), and gave a longwinded speech about gay rights and equality that would make the most sugary PSA go into a diabetic coma.

I haven’t read Green Arrow in a good while. I love the character when he is written correctly. Winick’s run has felt poor and not well planned. I never came back to it. But, I think I will pay attention this time.

I hope he gets it right this time.

When you co-opt a legitimate personal tragedy and social pandemic to bolster your own career ambitions, that's when I start wondering who the pariah is. This is an overstatement, perhaps, but ask yourself what would be more effective: Bringing social issues like HIV/AIDS into popular media (like comics) in a meaningful and logical fashion, or using the ol' anvil to repeatedly bludgeon your readers? "Hi, I'm Judd Winick and when I can't think of other things to write about, I bring up AIDS or homosexuals." Well.... I just think there has to be a better way. I hope Winick does as well…this time.

I want to give a huge thanks to Chicken Scratch for her input in writing this installment. I promise to lighten up next time!