Bill Maher may have a beef with grown-up comics fans, but the feeling doesn’t appear to be mutual, at least for “Deadpool” creator Rob Liefeld. After the host of HBO’s “Real Time” revisited his harsh criticisms of adult comic book readers on Friday, Liefeld responded with a few friendly comic book recommendations he hopes might change Maher’s mind.
“Hey Bill Maher appreciate your point of view,” tweeted Liefeld. “I’d like to suggest comics written by Alan Moore or Frank Miller. The writing and storytelling is outstanding. Watchmen, Swamp Thing, Dark Knight Returns and any Frank Miller Daredevil are gold standards of illustrated literature.”
Hey @billmaher appreciate your point of view, I’d like to suggest comics written by Alan Moore or Frank Miller. The writing and storytelling is outstanding.
Watchmen, Swamp Thing, Dark Knight Returns and any Frank Miller Daredevil are gold standards of illustrated literature.
— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) January 26, 2019
During Friday’s “Real Time With Bill Maher,” the comedian brought up a blog post he wrote last year after Stan Lee died that heavily criticized grown up comic book fans. “America is in mourning. Deep, deep mourning for a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess,” Maher wrote. “I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to suggest that Donald Trump could only get elected in a country that thinks comic books are important.”
Maher clarified on Friday that he wasn’t taking a shot at the comics legend himself, but rather at adults who should grow up and move “on to big-boy books without the pictures.”
“Again, my shot wasn’t at Stan Lee; my shot was at grown men who still dress like kids,” Maher said, as a photo of director Kevin Smith wearing jean shorts, a hockey jersey and a baseball cap appeared behind him.
Smith for his part said the next day that “No, I’m not mad at all. Bill may talk tough but he’s a stoner like me and a real pussycat when confronted.”