Does Eva Mendes of 'The Spirit' look down on comic books?

I have not been blown away by every role played by actress Eva Mendes and despite that I am still a fan. But recently she has given me pause to rethink that.

I would put her fine dramatic turn in the barely-seen but oft-rented "Cleaner" way ahead of her work  in "Ghost Rider" or "Hitch." But after I peeped her comments in this video from MTV Splashpage  I called my wife and told her that I will no longer force her to see an Eva Mendes movie.

WIFE: Why?

ME: She dissed comic book readers.

WIFE: Ooooh... are you calling her out?

ME: Yes I am.

Ms. Mendes and actor Gabriel Macht were interviewed by MTV News movie editor Josh Horowitz about their roles in "The Spirit" and whether they read any comic books. Macht, who plays the title role in the flick, said he was looking forward to reading "Watchmen."

Horowitz got to Mendes, asked her the same thing and she said "no, no I haven't been reading." Horowitz jokingly responded "that Ghost Rider fans would be coming after" her harder than ever. To her credit, she honestly responded that she did not read comics and that "Ghost Rider" was the first one she ever read.

That's cool... an actor can prepare themselves for a role anyway they think works best. I have directed and worked with actors before and their various methods of preparation for a part is something I respect. I'm not the kind of  geek who needs an actor to be familiar with every aspect of a comic book character they're playing. They are, after all, making a motion picture and not a printed comic book.

However, I am the kind of geek who doesn't like to get kicked in the teeth.

Ms. Mendes continued her answer by saying she is attracted to stories that have a strong theme of good vs. evil and then told Horowitz she is surprised when someone lets her know stories like "The Spirit" are "derived from a comic book or comic book characters."

And she said "really?"

Really, Ms. Mendes?

I'm sorry that's a shock to her but MOST comics have a strong theme of good vs. evil.

But that's not the icing on the cake. The diss-dessert is served when she tells Macht that it's cool that he's into comics but when she's in the airport or something you don't see her with some LOWLY comic book -- it's with a copy of "The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand" or "Atlas Shrugged."

Watch the video because Horowitz and Macht's responses are priceless. Their retorts almost make me feel vindicated. ALMOST.

I don't want to pick on Eva Mendes anymore because she probably just had a bad interview day and is just another victim of the comic book industry's bad P.R. In the minds of many, comics are lesser reading. The kind of responses Mendes gave are similar to ones I've heard from some family and friends who don't know any better.

Even the increasing number of new films based on comic book material in the coming years and the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nominations for Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" are not enough to offset this perception.

The "Watchmen" graphic novel is one of Time magazine's 100 greatest novels and the themes in that tale are a bit more complicated than simply good vs. evil.

Maybe we just haven't crossed the threshold of "real book" respect to the general public. That or Eva Mendes just doesn't get it.

The studios are working to put together a screen adaptation of "Atlas Shrugged." So who's got more game -- Ayn Rand or Batman?

I guess we'll see.