Comic-Con 2011: Frank Miller Talks Politics, Gods and Demigods at Legendary Comics Panel

It doesn’t look like Frank Miller has any interest in seeing the animated adaptation of Batman: Year One, based on the classic story written by him and drawn by David Mazzucchelli.

More on that in a moment. First, Miller was fine form at the Legendary Comics panel Saturday, staking his ground as an angry artist and standing up for his upcoming graphic novel Holy Terror.

The inaugural book from Legendary was initially to have been a Batman story in which the Dark Knight takes on Al-Qaeda, but that was nixed by DC. Miller reworked it, creating a new hero (although from what has been previewed so far, you can easily see the shadow of the previous incarnation.)

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He stated that his book is political in nature, but no different than a Captain America comic.

“This is an artist responding to real political events that has happened in life,” Miller said. “I’m using superheroes to strike back on the paper. I am pissed. Is it a political work? Damn right.”

He also took to task the notion of superheroes becoming icons worthy of emulation, noting that somewhere in recent literary times, “fictional characters became role models for people’s lives.”

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“But people who dress up as monsters and throw people out of windows do not make good role models,” Miller said, referring to Batman, one of the heroes he is most associated with. “I want Dirty Harry in a blind alley with me but I don’t necessarily want to have diner with him. (Superheroes) are gods and demigods. They are petulant persons. If you think they are good persons they’ll be all the same and (be boring).”

Miller was asked if he had seen Warner Premiere’s adaptation of Year One and if he had any thoughts on it.

“I have not seen it,” he said matter of factly, accompanied by a stare. What followed was a long pause, a chasm filled with silence and plenty of meaning.

“And period,” said Bob Schreck, sitting next to Miller on stage.