Rising Stars #24
© Image/Top Cow/Joe's Comics
Politics in Comics or The Follies of Didacticism
By: Kurt AmackerDate: Wednesday, November 29, 2006
For anyone still unaware, veteran comic book artist Dave Cockrum passed away this past Sunday, November 26th. Mr. Cockrum was best known for his work on The Uncanny X-Men where, along with Len Wein, he created the definitive version of the team after five years of reprints of earlier issues. In 2004, Mr. Cockrum announced that he was ill from diabetes and pneumonia. He passed away from those illnesses on Sunday, leaving behind a son and his wife, Paty. Anyone that wishes to express their condolences to his family can send an e-mail to magnetorampant@yahoo.com. We can’t overstate the importance of Mr. Cockrum’s contribution to American comic books. He will be deeply missed.
Now, the column: politics rarely fail to enflame anyone, least of all comic readers. This week in Comicscape, I’ll expound upon the ever-contentious presence of political discourse and messages in comic books. Far from the two extremes that usually dominate the debate, I intend offer my uniquely reasoned and occasionally snide take on the subject without delving into my personal politics. If anyone must know what I believe about a given issue, feel free to e-mail me and ask. For next week, I’ll run your e-mails on the appropriateness of politics in comics with my comments. You can reach me at kurtamacker@yahoo.com or comicscape@mania.com. I hope everyone realizes by now that the column will continue to run on Wednesdays. I’ve received very little mail the last couple of times I tried to run a letters column. Last week’s Comicscape only garnered two e-mails – not nearly enough to build a new column.
The subject of political discourse and messages in popular entertainment remains a touchy subject. Most popular art – including comics – that “takes a stand” or tries to “raise awareness” about a given issue or political persuasion tends to swing to the left – George W. Bush bad, Iraq War bad, gay marriage good, legalized pot good, and what have you. Politically-themed entertainment – comic books in particular – rarely traffics in nuanced, moderate positions. Usually, it feels more like the writer grabbing the reader by the shoulders and jerking him back and forth. Most comic writers that traffic in politics use their work to push left-wing issues or sling sh-t at the Bush administration with varying degrees of intensity. All well and good – believe whatever you want. But, if a group of conservative comic writers lurk somewhere in the halls of DC or Marvel, they haven’t revealed themselves very well. Other than ACC Studios’ Liberality for All, conservative or right-wing comics seem scarce. Mainstream entertainment rarely turns a kind eye towards conservativism, and eventually, so many Republicans that just like reading X-Men throw up their hands and say “Enough with the politics!” But, while conservative readers often complain of the mere presence of political content in comics, I believe they simply feel underrepresented.
Before you madly click the Outlook icon, know that I truly don’t care about the mere presence of politics – left or right – in comics. Far from demanding equal time for disparate ideologies, I encourage everyone to write about whatever they want. If you feel the industry needs more conservative titles, write one of your own. And, far from wanting simplistic action stories that avoid anything controversial or current, I believe that a writer can’t simply avoid politics. The common understanding of politics as an idea encompasses a range of issue from cultural debates to the law. One can’t simply write a bunch of sh-t blowing up to avoid offending anyone. The delivery of said politics in comics bothers me more often than the idea. Most comic writers simply lack the finesse and artistic skill to rise above mere didacticism and, ultimately, they create stories that rant and condescend far more than they teach. In Rising Stars and Supreme Power, J. Michael Straczynski actually depicted George W. Bush speaking the writer’s words – in both cases, having him stumble through the reasons for revoking civil liberties and engaging in other presidential misdeeds. I get it – Straczynski doesn’t like Bush. Most people don’t, these days. Conversely, I clearly understand that Mike Mackey – writer of Liberality for All – doesn’t care for liberals. Consider me inspired by their collective browbeating didacticism, along with that of any other writer that can’t impart a lesson without climbing atop a soapbox. Thank God someone’s looking out for me. Really, I don’t care what political ideology a writer chooses to impart. But, if I feel like I’ve picked up a political manifesto or a religious tract, I feel preached to and disinterested. Don’t make Batman or Wolverine tell me what you believe – make the story inspire me to understand the broader principles that drive you to believe those things in the first place.
Here’s the trick: a number of comic writers miss the tantalizingly subversive opportunities offered by speculative fiction – science-fiction, fantasy, and horror. Within those genres, a writer can force readers to examine a situation in a new light. Rather than mocking Bush by putting words in his mouth or using your characters to unashamedly voice a position, you can, for instance, tell a story about an alien planet dealing with issues similar in principle to those you wish to address. Take the idea and place it in a new context. Maintain the spirit, but change the players and the setting. If someone who voted for Bush in the last election sees the president mocked in a comic book, I doubt he’ll exclaim, “My God, I was wrong in 2004! I’m so glad that this issue of X-Men and its condescending explanation of my beliefs showed me the error of my ways! I’m going to go join PETA, NARAL, and the ACLU!” Case in point: the Wachowski Brothers’ Doc Frankenstein easily qualifies as one of the most outright anti-evangelical comics I’ve ever read. While I enjoy the book well enough, it feels like an outright slap in the face to, ahem, enthusiastic Christians. I can’t help but wonder if the book would serve its purpose by reconfiguring the details while still examining the follies of fundamentalism. Right now, I doubt it will convert anyone overzealous in their faith. Marvel’s Civil War presents a more subtle political tale more allegorical than didactic. While Millar has somewhat clumsily presented the liberal-conservative divide in the United States with warring superheroes, he largely avoids shaming the reader into agreeing with him. Some readers have accused Millar of shilling for the left-wing by portraying the anti-registration side as the more sympathetic of the two. While I agree that he has, thus far, written the pro-registration side as more extreme, he’s also allotted some time for exploration of both sides. All the while, he’s kept the series largely confined to the Marvel Universe and its characters – no Bush bashing and no telling the reader what to think. You may disagree, but Millar a better grasp on political allegory than most other writers that decide to take a stand and tell us what they think of the War on Terror or gay marriage.
Most “message books” – those with that wear their politics with pride – massage the ego of anyone already in agreement with the writer and enrage the few targets that accidentally purchase the title. Writers shouldn’t rant at their readers. At best, that achieves a simplistic, didactic morality tale of little value above a cape-and-spandex edition of Aesop’s Fables. What’s the lesson, children? Yes, George Bush is a bad man. Haven’t we learned so much? When writing to dictate one’s position, those in agreement will cheer and those that disagree will dislike the creator and drop the series.
As a closing post-script, I should mention that a few web columnists – including some dealing with comics – also use their position to tell their readers the way things ought to be. I find this both deplorable and self-defeating. You don’t come to me to hear my positions on anything other than comics. If you find yourself uncontrollably curious for my opinion on any other issue, you can e-mail me. Though I certainly can’t avoid mentioning any and all contemporary issues, you will never read a tirade or rant from me about anything other than comics.
Now, what do you think?
The Spinner Rack
By Al Brown and Kurt Amacker
Al: This week: Grant Morrison goes on vacation, Iron Fist gets a relaunch and Rob Liefeld returns like Jason. Except scarier.
Kurt: Dude, people actually kind of like Jason.
DARK HORSE COMICS
Conan & The Songs Of The Dead #5 (of 5) $2.99
Kurt: Joe R. Landsdale wraps his incredibly graphic, take-no-prisoners Conan miniseries. This one’s probably worth a look.
Dark Horse Book Of Monsters HC $15.95
Emily The Strange Stamps Of Disapproval Set $24.99
Emily The Strange Vol 1 TP $19.95
Ghost In The Shell 1.5 Human Error Processor #2 (of 8) $2.99
Goon Wicked Inclinations Vol 5 Tpb (MR) $14.95
Oh My Goddess Vol 3 Rtl TP $10.95
Star Wars Legacy #6 $2.99
Vampire Hunter D Vol 6 Pilgrimage O/t Sacred & Profane Novel $8.95
DC COMICS
52 Week #30 $2.50
Al: Batman. Or Bruce Wayne, anyway.
Kurt: Dude, secret identity, remember?
American Virgin #9 (MR) $2.99
Aquaman Sword Of Atlantis #46 $2.99
Batman #659 $2.99
Al: Beginning a four-part murder mystery by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake. Where's Grant Morrison, you ask? Back in a couple of months.
Kurt: Probably being abducted by aliens again.
Batman The Spirit $4.99
Peter Murphy: Tonight I could be with you or waiting in the wings! Lift your heart with soaring songs, cut down the puppet strings!
Kurt: I don’t think it’s that spirit, Pete. Shouldn’t you be in the studio? All right, anyone that got that reference without looking it up gets a drink on me.
Crossing Midnight #1 (MR) $2.99
Al: Mike Carey and Jim Fern on a story that purports to combine Asian horror, Gaiman-esque mythology and Miyazaki. That's a mighty tall order, boys.
Kurt: Too many sub-genres…head spinning…gah!
Deathblow #2 (MR) $2.99
Al: I deeply disliked #1, which I found unnecessarily confusing.
Kurt: I remember telling someone the title of this book when it first launched like 15 years ago. He laughed and laughed and laughed.
Deathblow Var Edition #2 (MR) $2.99
Empty Empire Vol 2 $9.99
Ex Machina Vol 4 March To War TP (MR) $12.99
Al: New Ex Machina trade! Yeehaw!
Kurt: Yes, this book rules.
Flash The Fastest Man Alive #6 $2.99
Green Lantern #15 $2.99
Green Lantern Hal Jordan Battery Mini Prop Replica $89.99
Green Lantern Revenge Of The Green Lanterns HC $19.99
Guy Gardner Collateral Damage #1 (of 2) $5.99
Ion #8 (of 12) $2.99
Loveless #13 (MR) $2.99
Rush City #3 (of 6) $2.99
Al: Guest-starring Black Canary. Maybe I'll use that as an excuse to finally check this book out.
Kurt: Maybe you should check it out for the new Pontiac Solstice, available at your nearest General Motors dealership. This book is an advertisement.
Superman Batman #30 $2.99
Teen Titans #41 $2.99
Teen Titans Go #37 $2.25
Warlord #10 $2.99
Wetworks #3 $2.99
Wetworks Var ED #3 $2.99
IMAGE COMICS
Art Of Brian Bolland HC $49.99
Al: Bolland's great, of course, as this image - FIST OF DREDD! - proves. I can't find any information on precisely what's included in this collection, though. Will Judge Dredd be represented? What about Killing Joke? Is it just gonna be a bunch of covers?
Art Of Brian Bolland HC Sgn $79.99
Emissary #6 (MR) $3.50
Negative Burn #6 (MR) $5.99
Noble Causes Vol 6 Hidden Agendas TP $15.99
Savage Dragon #130 $2.99
Sea Of Red #13 (MR) $3.50
Kurt: Conclusion of Rick Remender and Kieron Dwyer’s groovy vampires-and-pirates series.
Spawn #162 $2.95
True Story Swear To God Image ED #2 $2.99
You're Not The DM Of Me T/s Lg $16.99
Al: I know this is the nerdiest t-shirt ever made, but it's pretty funny anyway.
MARVEL COMICS
Avengers Galactic Storm Vol 2 TP $29.99
Avengers Next #2 (of 5) $2.99
Al: Katie Power from Power Pack joins up, in case you're interested.
Kurt: Must…not…make…same…tired…joke
Black Panther #22 Cw $2.99
Al: The World Tour concludes in – where else? – Tony Stark's office.
Black Panther 2nd Ptg Var #21 Cw $2.99
Captain America #24 Cw $2.99
Al: Concluding "Drums of War," one of the best Civil War tie-ins so far.
Essential Man-thing Vol 1 TP $16.99
Kurt: For his name alone, Man-Thing just begs to be mocked.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #14 $2.99
Immortal Iron Fist #1 $2.99
Al: I'm crapping my pants over this, and for once I have proof: I already read it. It's great, man.
Kurt: You have proof you crapped your pants? Dude, I believe you. I don’t want to see the proof.
Marvel Adventures Ff Vol 4 Cosmic Threats Digest TP $6.99
Marvel Adventures Flip Magazine #19 $4.99
Marvel Heroes Flip Magazine #19 $4.99
Marvel Masterworks Mighty Thor Vol 5 HC Var ED 69 $54.99
Al: Remember when this dude wasn't a clonebot?
Kurt: Yay and verily, say I.
Marvel Masterworks Mighty Thor Vol 5 New ED HC $49.99
Marvel Milestones Onslaught $3.99
Kurt: Apparently, someone set the bar pretty low for milestones.
New Avengers Illuminati Poster $6.99
Nextwave Agents Of Hate #10 $2.99
Onslaught Reborn #1 (of 5) $2.99
Al: I don't know what's more exciting: More friggin' Onslaught stories or the return of Rob Liefeld. As soon as I stop throwing up I'm gonna make a pie chart about this.
Kurt: Dude, “throwing up” and “pie” don’t need to be in the same sentence. It was just Thanksgiving!
Onslaught Reborn Liefield Sketch Var Limit 5 #1 (of 5) $2.99
Kurt: If you buy this, I will hate you forever.
Powers #21 (MR) $2.95
Punisher #41 (MR) $2.99
Punisher Max Vol 6 Barracuda TP (MR) $15.99
Kurt: Featuring one of the most contemptible characters ever depicted in fiction.
Punisher Xmas Special $3.99
Al: Ah, ye old traditional Punisher Christmas special.
Kurt: Not that I don’t buy, like, everything with Frank Castle in it, but the whole juxtaposition between the Punisher and Christmas stopped being funny a couple of years ago.
Sensational Spider-Man #32 $2.99
Al: The first of three self-contained stories about the impact Spidey's unmasking has had on his friends, this issue focuses on Mary Jane.
Spider-Man Family Featuring Spider Clan $4.99
Stan Lee Meets Dr Doom $3.99
Ultimate Power #2 (of 9) $2.99
Al: I kinda liked #1, but no one else seemed to.
Ultimate Vision #0 $2.99
Al: You know what's cooler than a robot? A robot with boobs!
Kurt: Thank you, Fritz Lang.
What If Wolverine Enemy Of The State $2.99
X-Men #193 $2.99
Al: "Supernovas" conclusion.
Young Guns Reloaded Sketchbook $3.99
Zombie #3 (of 4) (MR) $3.99
Kurt: Not terribly original, but still pretty entertaining.
Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@mania.com.
