Millar's world: Publicity-shy writer Mark Millar comes out of seclusion for Alan David Doane's "Five Questions" at Newsarama. Alan lobs a couple of compliment-covered softballs before winding up for a fast pitch. Sort of:

Doane: "There is a perception on many message boards that rape and jokes about rape are a frequent element of your comics. Is it true or false, and what is the reason for this perception?"

Millar: "Wanted, Chosen and The Authority all had rape references, sure, and The Unfunnies had child molestation so I think it's fair to say that it's cropped up a few times. But so what? Each and every one of those comics had fifty murders to every rape and nobody ever mentions them, despite the fact that rape and sexual assault is a far more common crime than murder. That really strikes me as odd. I think American audiences are quite interesting in that they can handle almost any amount of violence, but the moment the violence becomes sexual violence it immediately becomes an issue. Europeans don't really think about this stuff as much.

"Still, I've written plenty of, er, non-rape books too like Superman: Red Son, JLA, Superman Adventures, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Paradise Lost, The Ultimates, Ultimate X-Men and Sonic The Hedgehog. Actually, I did have Tails fuck Sonic up the arse in one issue of that, but it was definitely consensual."