And Captain America is secretly an Islamofascist
by Ted Grant
The Canadian commentator Mark Steyn recently wrote a review of Mark Evanier’s new biography of Jack Kirby. It’s notable for being one of the only times you’re likely to come across a “conservative” taking the side of labor in a dispute with management, but what really elevates it to level of sheer nuttiness is this passage:
Stan was Marvel’s head writer and presiding genius and, to a couple of generations of readers, Mister Comics. (I met him briefly at the Democratic convention in Los Angeles in 2000: yes, he’s a Democrat — why do you think comic-book heroes gave up truth, justice and the American way to sit around on rooftops like Spidey riddled with self-doubt about whether their awesome powers are a blessing or a curse?)
Yes, that’s right, Stan’s political affiliations are the reason Spidey is mopey. I suppose if Spider-Man was created by a conservative, he’d be out there beating up hippies and commies and abortionists and the gays like a good American.
Oh, wait, Steve Ditko created Spider-Man, and he’s a Randian Libertarian.
Guess Steyn’s just an idiot, then.
1 Comment
You jest about commie-beating Spidey, but I remember seeing something to exactly that effect in “In Search of Steve Ditko”. According to that, Ditko would often draw in sequences of things like Spidey shaking his fist at lazy hippies, only to have Lee put in dialogue to the opposite effect, like “Right on! I’m on your side, guys!”
If you can track it down, I recommend giving it a look.