Marvel Comics to publish pacifist comic beginning in April

Feb. 7, 2003 | Houmatt

[Houmatt]

I caught this as part of an article from the February 14 issue of Comic Buyer's Guide:

The 411 mini-series will focus on non-violence as a solution to problems. Scheduled to be in stores on April 11 (4/11) for $3.50, the title is an anthology focused on that theme.

(Marvel President and COO Bill) Jemas said, " 411 will be the most serious of books that we produce in the next year or so. The word '411' is a buzzword that kids use for 'information now,' and the information we want to convey is about people like Martin Luther King, who dedicated their lives to peaceful solutions to violent problems. We think this is the kind of message that Marvel ought to be involved in. We have an opportunity --- without any expressed political agenda --- to provide a forum for people to express their views in a high-profile way."

(A note from me: Considering the timing of this book, I have trouble believing there is no "expressed political agenda.")

The title will feature work by, among others: Chuck Austen with illustrations by Phil Winslade; Mark Millar with pencils by Frank Quitely; and such non-comics creators as editorial cartoonist David Rees (Anyone have an example of his work?), Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Tony Kushner (red flag), and anti-nuclear activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Helen Caldicott ( BIG-time red flag). The first issue will also feature an introduction by Dr. Arun Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, co-founder of the MK Gandhi Institute for non-violence.

Writer Austen said, "The idea of the series was to show non-violent solutions in a violent world --- to come up with stories that reflected other possibilities and other options. The story was from an idea that Bill Jemas created."

It is obvious these people just don't get it.

You get peace through strength, not pacifism. The idea is to get the message across, "If you mess with me, I will hurt you. Bad."

Certainly, we have not made that clear to others in the latter part of the last century. From the Iran Hostage Crisis to the bombing of the USS Cole, it was our failure to retaliate that brought us to the events of September 11, 2001.

Pacifism has been tried. It does not work.

It is time we started pushing back.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I really gotta get back into drawing so that I could draw some really cool nuclear explosions to send to these people.

[Captainpaintball]

They can do a whole series on this? After MLK, Rosa Parks and Ghandi, who else are they going to "do"? The peace movement goes quite downhill after that. Imagine Caesar Chavez for issue 4, Malcom X for issue 5, jesse Jackson for issue 6, JimmyCarter issue 7, Bill Clinton for issue 8, andso on.

One name you won't see: Neville Chamberlain...

[Slip18]

What's going to happen to all of those anvils?

[Captainpaintball]

Two names you WILL see: Mohammed, Buddha

One name you WON'T see: Jesus

[glocker23]

I know when I was a kid, I read comic books for their lack of action and violence... Oh wait, no I didn't, I read it for the action and violence. This should sell real well.

[Gopher Broke]

Just recently, we heard about Marvel introducing a new homosexual action figure.....NOW THIS?

[Mike Darancette]

Ghandi vs The Brain Sucking Space Ghouls. Passively resist that!

[glocker23]

I think the lefts next idea, after removing all masculinity from comic books, will be to just start castrating baby boys and give them estrogen shots for life. Yeah, that should definitely end violence in the world and life would be one great happy playground (/sarcasm)

[Captainpaintball]

...editorial cartoonist David Rees (Anyone have an example of his work?)

You bet I do. It will make you very angry, or very sick. just go here:

http://www.mnftiu.cc/mnftiu.cc/war.html

If you will, excuse me, I have some angry letters to write to Marvel Comics and the local papers.

[Orangedog]

LOL!

There are plenty of examples of successful passive resistance in recent history.[sarcasm] Why, just look at the luck the French had with it in WWII. But they were just too smart to fight the Nazis ;). [/sarcasm]

[Freeper 007]

Damn.....you stole my exact post.......

...and you were the first reply. :- )



How can something be so obvious, and yet they will have to lose some money here to figure it out?

[Texas_Jarhead]

ah man, What the hell is going on over at Marvel? First rawhide the gay cowgirl and now this. Sad.

[Richard Kimball]

Yup, that's what made Marvel the top comics group, pacifism.

and no sexism, either.

[Fixit]

4-11?

Sounds more like 404.

[Thoro]

Heh. Comics are having a hard sell to the public as is. This certainly isn't going to make matters any better.

[pepsionice]

My guess is that it will go through 8 months and die off...sell less than 50,000 copies per month and never make a cent of profit. Its a sign though...that Marvel is in financial trouble and is looking into any possible corner to get new readership. Marvel is probably getting into position to be bought by someone else...maybe even Action comics.

[American Preservative]

Time for a FReeper comic book? : )

FReep On!