In an effort to avoid the constant pestering by the online press, Warren Ellis today agreed to field four questions from each comics news site. Here is the Silver Bullet Comics effort:
Silver Bullet Comics: In Katherine Hayles' book "How We Became Posthuman" she sets out four criteria for defining posthumanity. To paraphrase one of the central tenets, "[The posthuman] thinks of the body as the original prosthesis we all learn to manipulate, so that extending or replacing the body with other prostheses becomes a continuation of a process that began before we were born." Is that the vicarious process we undertake when reading the science-fantasy of superheroes? Are fans online, likewise, turning their computers into prostheses? Is there a difference?
Warren Ellis: That seems to me more indicative of transhumanity, as posthumanity by definition would not begin with the baseline human body. What Hayles says certainly seems to fit more closely to the approach of transhumans like Stelarc or Orlan.
One theory has it that we are already transhuman, since the computer is becoming/has become a communications prosthesis. I personally think that's stretching it a bit in order to flatter some geeks -- I've seen people call themselves cyborgs because they carry a lot of gear on their belts -- but I've been wrong before.
Does this map across to superhero fiction? Perhaps to a few specific examples that directly address the posthuman process. But most superhero comics come from the Shadow/Doc Savage route of crimefighting thrillers, which are essentially conservative works concerning the battle to return to status quo.
SBC: As a creator who's always testing the limitations of media, would you ever consider taking your book Available Light a step further and creating a sequential art tale through digital photography?
WE: Photo-comics are kind of old, aren't they?
SBC: Cerebus #300. March 2004. A testament to one man's vision? A landmark for comics? Just another book?
WE: A testament to utter determination and vision. I mean, it pretty clearly drove the guy insane, but it's an astonishing achievement.
Everyone should be having a drink for the guy that day.
SBC: How much longer before you think you'll just get sick of it all (and by "all" I mean the whole depraved sick and demented entity that the comics industry has become), say 'FUCK IT' and rush off and start writing greeting cards for Hallmark?
