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Marvel's "Civil War" brings real world politics to comics.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/20/arts/design/20marv.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin&oref=slogin ^

Posted on 02/26/2006 1:58:25 PM PST by Shade2

The Battle Outside Raging, Superheroes Dive In

By GEORGE GENE GUSTINES Published: February 20, 2006 Embedded reporters on the front lines of war. The search for weapons of mass destruction. An attack on civil liberties. Sounds like a job for ... Spider-Man?

America's current real-world political issues will wind themselves into the lives of the heroes of Marvel Comics in "Civil War," a seven-issue limited monthly series set to begin in May. In the series, the beliefs of many well-known Marvel characters, including Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Spider-Man, will be challenged.

Marvel will also publish a related series, beginning in June, that is to appear biweekly. Plans for that series, "Civil War: Front Line," are to be announced by the company on Saturday at the first New York Comic-Con, a consumer and business trade show.

Joe Quesada, editor in chief of the Marvel Comics division of Marvel Entertainment, said the idea for "Civil War" came out of one of the company's creative summits, which are used to assess the state of the heroes. "Stagnation means death," said Mr. Quesada, adding that Stan Lee, the creator of many of Marvel's characters, often advised piling problems onto heroes to keep them fresh.

"Civil War" provides problems in spades. The story opens with a reckless fight between a novice group of heroes (filming a reality television show) and a cadre of villains. The battle becomes quite literally explosive, killing some of the superheroes and many innocent bystanders. That crystallizes a government movement to register all super-powered beings as living weapons of mass destruction. The subsequent Registration Act will divide the heroes into two camps, one led by Captain America, the other by Iron Man.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: americanhistory; comics; marvel; superheroes
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To: Reily
In brightest day, in darkest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light.

I didn't even have to go look that one up.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

21 posted on 02/26/2006 3:24:45 PM PST by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: escapefromboston
Marvel the house of (stolen) ideas.

Blasphemy!!!
True Believers arise, burn all DC comics!

22 posted on 02/26/2006 3:33:49 PM PST by kanawa (It won't be PC and it won't be pretty but it can be done)
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To: SJSAMPLE

Beyonder was lame and is totally forgotten about (can you even buy a TPB of the Beyonder saga??) that being said back in the 80s DC was in the pits and Marvel was kicking their butt.

Marvel the house of whiney mutants.

:)


23 posted on 02/26/2006 3:35:41 PM PST by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: kanawa

Superman can beat up Thor and the Hulk at the same time!!!


24 posted on 02/26/2006 3:37:14 PM PST by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: Reily

The real Green Lantern is back and he's all man!

I think the Guardians of the Universe have a strict don't tell don't ask policy.


25 posted on 02/26/2006 3:39:09 PM PST by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: Shade2

The first 20-something posts on this thread (all the ones before this one) makes me realize, again, how much knowledge exists at Free Republic.


26 posted on 02/26/2006 3:42:52 PM PST by Crawdad (So the guy says to the doctor, "It hurts when I do this.")
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To: TheBigB

Wally West has fairly recently been shown as being a real middle class blue collar type of guy. He comes off fairly conservative but I would hazard to guess he votes for Dems.

His mentor Barry Allen was shown to be fairly rightwing (Though not as much as Hawkman). Though this is probably just a recon.


27 posted on 02/26/2006 3:43:02 PM PST by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: escapefromboston

Superman has issues!!


28 posted on 02/26/2006 3:43:46 PM PST by kanawa (It won't be PC and it won't be pretty but it can be done)
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To: Shade2

Stan Lee is Hitlery's lapdog and a flaming liberal. No need to stay tuned to see where this is going.


29 posted on 02/26/2006 3:44:11 PM PST by JoeSixPack1
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To: TheBigB

I never understood how Ollie could be a lib. He goes around shooting people with arrows!? Shouldn't he be pro-gun control?


30 posted on 02/26/2006 3:47:17 PM PST by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: kanawa
superman has issues, about 600 of them. (actually I am shocked that I don't know how many issues of Superman comics there are)
31 posted on 02/26/2006 3:49:27 PM PST by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: Shade2
1. After discussing with Peter Paul how he might best form a business arrangement with Bill Clinton, DNC Chair Ed Rendell persuaded Paul to commit $150,000 in Stan Lee Media stock to the DNC for Al Gore's presidential campaign. This contribution was made directly through Rendell, and was never reported to the FEC as a Memorandum Contribution as required by law.

Sorry, forgot to mention his Peter Paul connection too. :-)

32 posted on 02/26/2006 3:50:48 PM PST by JoeSixPack1
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To: Shade2
This is why I read Manga, that and buying a comic book that I used to buy for a dime for the price of a glitzy smooth page magazine is perverse.

Not that I am arguing against politics in comics, it's just that the subtleness is gone.
33 posted on 02/26/2006 3:56:50 PM PST by usmcobra (I always sing Karaoke the way it is meant to be sung, drunk, badly, and in Japanese)
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To: LonePalm

Blackest night, blackest night. Believe it or not, the oath was changed to "darkest" in an effort not to be racist. No lie. I'm sticking with blackest.


34 posted on 02/26/2006 3:57:06 PM PST by Melas (What!? Read or learn something? Why would anyone do that, when they can just go on being stupid)
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To: Shade2
The battle becomes quite literally explosive, killing some of the superheroes and many innocent bystanders. That crystallizes a government movement to register all super-powered beings as living weapons of mass destruction.

An interesting idea, but few superpowered beings are that powerful. Spiderman isn't exactly as dangerous as a artillery shell full of Sarin, the Punisher is basically 'Captain NRA', and Captain America's claim to superhero fame is that he used high end performance enhancers before it was trendy.

Many are simply the equivalent of normal citizens who are well armed, but who always carry their powers in a concealed way. I can't imagine why the government would find that threatening.

35 posted on 02/26/2006 3:57:24 PM PST by Steel Wolf (- Islam will never survive being laughed at. -)
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To: Shade2
"Ultimate Captain American is clearly a strong conservative."

Captain America got that way by taking drugs.

Comic book irony?

36 posted on 02/26/2006 4:02:34 PM PST by Radix (Stop domestic violence. Beat a broad.)
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To: Shade2
Superheroes fighting each other? Well, this is really new. : )
37 posted on 02/26/2006 4:05:16 PM PST by WestVirginiaRebel (Islamofascists don't need cartoons. They're already caricatures.)
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To: Shade2
Superheroes fighting each other? Well, this is really nothingnew. : )
38 posted on 02/26/2006 4:06:49 PM PST by WestVirginiaRebel (Islamofascists don't need cartoons. They're already caricatures.)
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To: Radix

There was actually a series where Cap addressed this (artificial enhancements) and went through a detoxification process to remove the serum from his blood. I can't remember how he changed back.


39 posted on 02/26/2006 4:12:15 PM PST by SJSAMPLE
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To: escapefromboston; SJSAMPLE
Can't we all just get along? ; )


40 posted on 02/26/2006 4:22:46 PM PST by TheBigB (Meanwhile, at the Hall of Justice...)
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