Defining terrorism in the comics world
0 Comments Published by Avi Green on Friday, August 04, 2006 at 4:16 AM.
Here's something to ponder that seems to be in a state of misuse in comics today: the definition of "terrorists." On the tenth week of DC's 52, we had an issue that involved Adrianna calling Black Adam a terrorist, and Clark Kent calling a bunch of Bahdnesian burglars who stole an ATV terrorists too.
It doesn't make sense the way they're doing it. In the case of Black Adam, when he raided Khandaq, it was to liberate it from the grip of a despot, and the way he's characterized today, he's far from being the kind of criminal that Abra Kadabra was when Mark Waid wrote a 2-part Flash story in 1992, in which it would seem as though Abra was considered the savior of the 64th century society he'd first lived in. But the truth is that, given how demented Abra is, if he were to really take over the rulership in the 64th century, he'd simply tune even the super-computer running the whole city to his favor, and become a dictator in his own way.
I guess you could more or less label Abra Kadabra as a terrorist - and a dictatorial hopeful.
And if there's any gangs you could certainly label terrorists in the DCU, it's Kobra and the H.I.V.E (Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination), while over in Marvel, there's HYDRA and possibly A.I.M (Advanced Idea Mechanics).
As for the Bahdnesians, well, that's certainly exaggerated to call them terrorists, certainly if they're not resorting to lethal force. Problem is that, if my estimates are correct, this could ring of a subtle insult to the people who'd given Johnny Thunder his Hex-bolt genie, T-bolt, back in the Golden Age. So instead of taking the time to focus on evil entities like Kobra and H.I.V.E, they'd rather smear the ones for whom it doesn't make any sense to call them that.
That aside, judging from what I've viewed of 52 so far, it does not sound like my forte, seeing how they seem more interested in depicting Ralph Dibny in "serious" mode, effectively draining him what made him work in the first place. That's the whole problem with the series, that it seems more like an excuse to publish what they're less likely to succeed at if all these story segments were published seperately. Hence, no sale for me.
It doesn't make sense the way they're doing it. In the case of Black Adam, when he raided Khandaq, it was to liberate it from the grip of a despot, and the way he's characterized today, he's far from being the kind of criminal that Abra Kadabra was when Mark Waid wrote a 2-part Flash story in 1992, in which it would seem as though Abra was considered the savior of the 64th century society he'd first lived in. But the truth is that, given how demented Abra is, if he were to really take over the rulership in the 64th century, he'd simply tune even the super-computer running the whole city to his favor, and become a dictator in his own way.
I guess you could more or less label Abra Kadabra as a terrorist - and a dictatorial hopeful.
And if there's any gangs you could certainly label terrorists in the DCU, it's Kobra and the H.I.V.E (Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination), while over in Marvel, there's HYDRA and possibly A.I.M (Advanced Idea Mechanics).
As for the Bahdnesians, well, that's certainly exaggerated to call them terrorists, certainly if they're not resorting to lethal force. Problem is that, if my estimates are correct, this could ring of a subtle insult to the people who'd given Johnny Thunder his Hex-bolt genie, T-bolt, back in the Golden Age. So instead of taking the time to focus on evil entities like Kobra and H.I.V.E, they'd rather smear the ones for whom it doesn't make any sense to call them that.
That aside, judging from what I've viewed of 52 so far, it does not sound like my forte, seeing how they seem more interested in depicting Ralph Dibny in "serious" mode, effectively draining him what made him work in the first place. That's the whole problem with the series, that it seems more like an excuse to publish what they're less likely to succeed at if all these story segments were published seperately. Hence, no sale for me.
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