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a by-product, an adjunct, really, to the actual production of the film, have found a life of their own.

The canvases Harris created were exhibited in a gallery showing called "Not Pollock Not Krasner" at Pollock House on Long Island, New York. At this point I will liberally quote from the always entertaining Leah Garchik, who writes The In Crowd for the San Francisco Chronicle: Elliot Cuker, who runs the Cooper Classics' Collection, which he says shows "contemporary art and photography mixed with classic cars," wanted to dis play the works as part of a "Celebration of Art in Cinema" show. He says he got permission "from everybody at Sony all the way down," but officials at the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in New York thought the false Pollocks were "getting too much attention." Cuker wasn't planning to sell the paint ings, but Cuker says the foundation was worried about their somehow dilut ing the value of the real paintings. Charles Bergman, chairman of the board of the foundation, told TIC (that’s The In Crowd –ed.) that "this matter has nothing to do with making money or producing fakes and everything to do with art." The reproductions were made "only and specifically" for use in the film, he said, and represent "neither particular examples of Pollock's painting nor his art in general." Showing the works "will chiefly serve to distort the public's understanding of Pollock's art." Now, say what you want about the relative appropriateness of such a stance, what with, at its core, it all just being a fancy version of "let’s throw it at the wall and see what sticks," this little bit of staying on-brand for the Pollock-Krasner Foundation reminded me of what seems to be the new thing that’s passing for innovation in comics…

…and that’s the reinterpretation of the archetypes.

Now, of course, there’s some historical precedent for these reimaginations. Doc Savage begat Superman begat Captain Marvel, and so on. I have it on good authority that DC sold 28,000 copies of Watchmen last year, thirteen years after the first trade came out, so that look at the main superhero archetypes has certainly worked out for someone.

But speaking of archetypes… and certainly no disrespect intended for the hard-working folks who are bringing us these adventures…

…wouldn’t comics as an industry, as an art-form... as a means to entertain and cajole and instruct…

…wouldn’t comics be better served if creators just let loose with their

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