Comic Book Journal

Ah comics and politics. I don’t think any other genre or medium, with the exception of television of course, has commented more on the state of the world in political terms. Today is Guy Fawkes day and anarchism reigned in the UK. This brings me to the subject of election day and politics in comics in general. Stephen Colbert, and therefore Tek Jansen is trying to run for president with a sponsorship from Doritos. In the DC realms, Lex Luthor was already president. Apparently his win was based solely on a platform for technological progress. Is technology dangerous? I suppose it depends if you’re a glass half-empty or half-full kind of person. Yes, technology is inpersonal, but is is well, efficient. If I had to take this article, say to a printing press, then distribute it manually, do you think it would have as much readership? Doubtful. See. I’m a glass half-full person. On the other hand, the danger of technology is we will eventually, despite having (hopefully) billions of readers, be isolated from those readers, becoming nothing more than a link on a search bar, instead of having a truly interactive experience, which I hope you all are having here on comic book journal. Lex Luthor is but one example of politics in comics, however. How can we forget the fifth of November with V for Vendetta. This powerful politically charged comic book, was colored with shades of 1984 and Moore’s detest of totalarianism. Does change have to be violent to make a difference? Does a comic book series have to be shocking to make a point? I believe the latter is true, but not the first. Violence begets violence, so if that is the case, what is the point of violence to begin with. In terms of change, comics have often showed a welcome of change and reflected new policies. Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg and American Century both reflect America in a climate of change. The latter has a pre cold-war feel to it, and at the same time is a nostalgic glance back to the early and mid fifties. 451 Press has a number of columns devoted to politics, but if you want just an average person’s opinion of the recent democratic debates rather than talk of right wing and left wing, see
http://www.lezkeepitreal.com/i-might-as-well-run-for-office/
For more on election day and genre comics in general continue reading my blog– showcasing the benefits of technology and the pinnacle of communication almost every single day.