Tag Archives: iraq

Secret Invasion a Parable on Iraq?

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We’ll explore this idea further in a more fleshed out post, but the parallels are something I noticed in the latest issue of Secret Invasion.  It seems I’m not the only one.  In a round up of Secret Invasion #6, Wizard Magazine has this exchange with it’s writer Brian Michael Bendis:

Despite the recent drawbacks the Skrull Queen still seems rather confident of their campaign.
BENDIS: They’re still on the winning side of the fight. Obviously, she’s not being stupid about it, but don’t start whining that it’s over because it’s not over. It’s hard. As they said, “We’ve done this before. This is what it feels like.” And I think we can all relate to invading a country taking a long time and having ups and down and debating of whether or not we should have been there in the first place.

That does sound familiar.
BENDIS: Huh? What?

Choice Quotes

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Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #1

Brainiac 6 – You still cling to the impossible: the eradication of xenophobia.

Saturn Girl – It’s not impossible. I have peered into the minds of those that hold onto hate and I have seen the potential to change that. We can bring out the best in them, just like Superman brought out the best in us.

X-Factor: Layla Miller

Future President – Understand these steps are being taken not out of hostility…but out of love for all of you. Do not let cruel hostile words from agitators frighten you. War is peace. Hatred is acceptance.

also

Layla Miller – On April 11, 2003, when Donald Rumsfeld was asked about rioting in Iraq, he said “Think what’s happened in our cities when we’ve had riots, and problems and looting. Stuff happens!”

DMZ #34

Even before the voting opened, the trouble started. The intimidation, the irregularities, the breakdown… the fear… and the violence.

Every vote counted probably meant three chucked in the garbage. Or worse. But they voted. And cried and bled and fell and died in the streets for that vote. But every vote, every intention to put a mark next to a name, well, that fucking counted even if the paper record was disappeared. It counted.

Captain America #41

Reporter –Since Ross Perot that an Independent Candidate has been invited to be a part of any Presidential debates. And yet there’s —

Reporter 2 — Senator Wright’s popularity in the polls, the committee had little choice. And as you can see turnout is massive. Already the hall is filled to —

Final Crisis: Revelations #1

Here’s the difference between vengeance and justice. Vengeance comes from the heart, it’s driven by emotion. Justice comes from the head, it’s driven by reason. This is why the victim of a crime isn’t allowed to be part of the jury.

The Invincible Iron Man #5

Ezekiel Stane – It’s not terror if civilians don’t get killed dummy. It’s tragic and unjust and inexplicable. That’s why they call it terror. You got a lot to learn about the way the world works these days, Tony.

DMZ = Iraq?

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DMZ is a brilliant series written by Brian Wood and published by DC as part of it’s adult Vertigo comics series. The story takes place in the aftermath of a new civil war in the United States. The country is divided in two with the “Free States” made up of militias, etc. holding a large portion of the country and the traditional United States government holed up in New England. New York City is cut off as a DMZ patrolled by the United Nation’s forces and a Haliburton like force called Trustwell.

What started off as a study of journalism in a war zone shifted recently with a story arc involving the election of leadership in the DMZ. Both forces vied for office with a third option called the Delgado Nation entering the fray. Having just finished the sixth and final part of the arc I can’t help but wonder if this was a metaphor or the elections that have taken place in Iraq.

While sides tried to prop up a puppet government another option, not popular with those involved but popular with the people, decided to throw it’s hat in the ring. Could Delgado Nation be a metaphor for Muqtada Al-Sadr’s Iraqi political forces in comic book form? A parallel exists of people giving their lives to vote, violence preventing them, and corruption in the counting all around.

The series has take a definite shift from it’s early issues and is moving from surviving a war zone towards how you govern a nation. If nothing else DMZ is THE must read political comic book.

Choice Quotes

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Welcome to the second posting of “Choice Quotes”.  This week has some excellent political commentary and one of the best from a most unexpected comic.  We’re going to expand the offering here and provide some context for some of these.  Hope you enjoy!

Captain America: White #0

On the subject of inspiring American’s to enlist for World War II:

Turned out the President of the United States liked the idea of Captain America having a teenage sidekick.  He felt it would help inspire young men to join the draft right out of high school.

There’s also an excellent interview with the series creators.  They answer some very politically charged questions including:

America is at war again, does CAP WHITE have a message about the human cost of war?  Should it?  Shouldn’t it?

Secret Invastion: Fantastic Four #3

During the Civil War a prison was designed to hold the non-registered super humans.  A comic reflection of the real world Gitmo:

The Tinkerer – When I was arrested for not being registered, I was committing the unforgivable crime of taking my grandchildren out for ice cream.  When I tried telling the Gestapo that I had retired from tinkering after the so-called “Secret War,” they accused me of rabble-rousing and dragged me to this hellhole without due process.

X-Men: Odd Men Out

On the creation of the Bureau’s Investigation on Mutant Activities

Fred – Admittedly, when certain people – through some accident of birth – develop strange powers there’s a potential for alarm.  But how much of that stems from our own unreasoning fear?  Are we going to start suspecting our children, reporting our friends?  How long before we start seeing mutants under our beds?

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