politics in comics

[Username taken]

People dislike politics in comics when it isn't their personal politics. That's all it is.

Exactly.

It’s the same reason why some people complain about something like “Star Trek” being too progressive...when it’s been explicitly progressive since day one. The difference now is that some people have made a living out of “complaining and whining” about progressiveness on the Internet.

Comics have, are and will always be political. From Captain America to Wonder Woman to X-men, it’s pretty much baked into certain characters. People have always complained about comics being progressive (Rich Johnston on Bleeding cool has done an excellent job of showing old comments from the letters pages), the difference now is that with the emergence of the alt-right, bigotry and hatred has been re-packaged into looking “attractive” and legitimate. It isn’t at all.That’s not to say that everyone that disagrees with the way politics is handled is a bigot or anything (seriously, the way Rosenberg and Aaron handle politics in their titles is pretty poor, not to mention absolute cringe like the new New Warriors) just that a lot of people complaining very loudly about politics in comics (and entertainment as a whole) are coming from a dark, dark place.

[Electricmastro]

People dislike politics in comics when it isn't their personal politics. That's all it is.

Of course there are certain people out there being immature and whiny in a way that’s unproductive, and are perhaps best ignored. That said, I think there’s something reasonable to had for those who complain about how politics are written in comics in a way that the complaint is intelligent and responsibly-made. For example, assuming that feminism can be closely related to politics, I recall quite a number of people complaining about how Jason Aaron approached feminism in his Thor run, in such a way that female comic book fans complained about it too. This is just one page, but can still possibly largely sum up Aaron’s approach nonetheless:

[Huntsman Spider]

Exactly.

It’s the same reason why some people complain about something like “Star Trek” being too progressive...when it’s been explicitly progressive since day one. The difference now is that some people have made a living out of “complaining and whining” about progressiveness on the Internet.

Comics have, are and will always be political. From Captain America to Wonder Woman to X-men, it’s pretty much baked into certain characters. People have always complained about comics being progressive (Rich Johnston on Bleeding cool has done an excellent job of showing old comments from the letters pages), the difference now is that with the emergence of the alt-right, bigotry and hatred has been re-packaged into looking “attractive” and legitimate. It isn’t at all.That’s not to say that everyone that disagrees with the way politics is handled is a bigot or anything (seriously, the way Rosenberg and Aaron handle politics in their titles is pretty poor, not to mention absolute cringe like the new New Warriors) just that a lot of people complaining very loudly about politics in comics (and entertainment as a whole) are coming from a dark, dark place.

This, exactly. Wolfsbane's murder in Rosenberg's Uncanny X-Men was a special low point for that, by the way.

Of course there are certain people out there being immature and whiny in a way that’s unproductive, and are perhaps best ignored. That said, I think there’s something reasonable to had for those who complain about how politics are written in comics in a way that the complaint is intelligent and responsibly-made. For example, assuming that feminism can be closely related to politics, I recall quite a number of people complaining about how Jason Aaron approached feminism in his Thor run, in such a way that female comic book fans complained about it too. This is just one page, but can still possibly largely sum up Aaron’s approach nonetheless:

Considering Titania had such an intense rivalry with She-Hulk for the title of "strongest woman in the Marvel Universe," so much so that it was basically "on sight," this would be at the very least uncharacteristic of her.

[Shadowcat]

Titania being a misandrist is pretty in character for her though.

[AmiMizuno]

politics in comics have always been a thing. The issue is how some writers have been doing political stories. Or how some characters for political stories have been changed. Like how some comics turn certain characters are turned gay. Or how in your face it is.

[Shadowcat]

Having a character come out, and expressing their sexuality is in your face, then we shouldn’t have anyone’s sexuality discussed. Break up Peter & MJ, Sue & Reed, and so on. Saying a character’s sexuality is in your face after decades of seeing heterosexual relationships as a constant is such a bullshit excuse.

[CentralPower]

Default
People dislike politics in comics when it isn't their personal politics. That's all it is.

Bullshit.

I am annoyed by polemicomics on principle. I actually agree with Spencer's politics, but think his run on "Captain America" was needlessly partisan, and would rathee it had not been published.

[Electricmastro]

politics in comics have always been a thing.

Indeed, such as J. M. DeMatteis’ writing for Captain America #275 (November, 1982).

[Holt]

Bullshit.

No, it isn't. Most works, save for the most vapid, will end up invariably having some sort of point of view, intentional or not. I'm sure there are a bunch of people who would insist there's no politics to a work like The Dark Knight Returns because it just so happens that the political bent of the book isn't one they find offensive to their personal beliefs.

And, not to go there, but I'm also noticing a consistent set of "political" things that seem to set off those people anyway.

[Kintor]

Having a character come out, and expressing their sexuality is in your face, then we shouldn’t have anyone’s sexuality discussed. Break up Peter & MJ, Sue & Reed, and so on. Saying a character’s sexuality is in your face after decades of seeing heterosexual relationships as a constant is such a bullshit excuse.

Being confident in one's own sexuality is one thing, the problems start when a character's apparent sexuality seems to dominate their entire personality. It's the difference between having a well-developed character who also happens to be gay and having a gay stereotype where all character development is secondary. The former is to be praised; the latter is a sign of bad writing.

[Shadowcat]

Being confident in one's own sexuality is one thing, the problems start when a character's apparent sexuality seems to dominate their entire personality. It's the difference between having a well-developed character who also happens to be gay and having a gay stereotype where all character development is secondary. The former is to be praised; the latter is a sign of bad writing.

Except there are people like that in the real world, and is being gay really the only thing that defines these characters who have come out? Or is it just the thing you focus on now?

[Kintor]

Except there are people like that in the real world, and is being gay really the only thing that defines these characters who have come out? Or is it just the thing you focus on now?

Whether in real life or in comic books I find insincere personas off-putting. Projecting a character as all gay, all the time, is tiresome to read about. There must be something more behind the mask.

[Electricmastro]

Whether in real life or in comic books I find insincere personas off-putting. Projecting a character as all gay, all the time, is tiresome to read about. That must be something more behind the mask.

I’m inclined to ask, how did you feel about Scott Lobdell‘s writing for Northstar in Alpha Flight #106 (March, 1992)?

[Kintor]

I’m inclined to ask, how did you feel about Scott Lobdell‘s writing for Northstar in Alpha Flight #106 (March, 1992)?

Well, I'd say there's good reason that the previously long-running Alpha Flight was cancelled within two years of this issue being published. And that no Alpha Flight reboot since has been able to find an audience for very long.

[Snoop Dogg]

I should've started a betting pool for how long it would take for LGBT characters to be conflated with politics.