Comics creator Frank Miller can be, shall we say – a pip* – when commenting on stuff he knows about. But apparently, he’s also quite capable of being a pip about stuff he knows absolutely nothing about.
According to Screen Crush, while attending Brazil CCXP this weekend, Miller participated in a Q&A, and when asked about the character of Elektra, who he created, appearing on Season Two of Netflix’s Daredevil, he said:
“They can call it whatever you want, but it will not be the real Elektra.” He then added, “Yes, I’m her father.”
What’s interesting is that, according to Collider, Miller has yet to even watch the first season of Daredevil, let alone know how they’re handling Elektra in Season Two. All he has to go by is the same information we have to go by, press releases from Netflix and photos.
While I understand that, as a writer, it’s tough to let your babies go, the fact is that it’s up to the fans at the end of the day to decide whose rendition of Elektra resonates with them more. No one, not even the creator of a character has the ability to determine the “real” character, because no one can control what people will respond to and gravitate toward. Writing characters is about creating, but it’s also about interpreting characters. Just as the Doctor on Doctor Who is technically one guy, but as each season has passed and different writers have gotten a hold of the character, everyone has “their” Doctor, so it is for other long-running characters.
In other words, you can call it whatever you want, but there’s no such thing as the “real” anyone. There’s only the versions of characters that resonate with individuals the most.
And I certainly hope that his immediate cynicism about this version of the character doesn’t have to do with casting. Although, considering that all he has to go by to form an opinion are photos, the thought did cross my mind. Yes, Elodie Yung is French of Cambodian decent and Elektra is Greek. In this interconnected global community in 2015, it should not be difficult to imagine the jillion circumstances in which someone who looks like Yung could be of Greek decent.
Point being, this comment was cantankerous, even for Miller. The only reason why I bring it up, though, is that often fans look to their favorite creators to follow their lead when responding to things having to do with their stories – ie: we feel more comfortable about adaptations when a production has the “blessing” of the creator, or the creator is somehow involved. Miller having this blanket disdain for adaptations of characters he’s written/created isn’t helpful, and it could potentially color a fan’s experience with the show before they even watch it.
Not cool, Miller. Not cool.
*and by “a pip,” I mean someone who says and creates stuff that’s misogynistic, racist, classist, and homophobic.
(Image via Netflix)
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