The Four Color Media Monitor

In a jaw-dropping embarrassment, the director of the Avengers movie attacked the system that's made him and many other people loads of money at the San Diego Comic-Con (via Big Hollywood):

Joss Whedon launched into a fervent political rant at Comic-Con on Friday in which he savaged modern capitalism and said America was turning into Tsarist Russia.

Whedon began the panel, “Dark Horse Comics,” by noting he had nothing prepared because he had been speaking all day, so he opened it up to questions from the start.

Toward the end of the session, one woman noted the anti-corporate themes in many of his movies and asked him to give his economic philosophy in 30 seconds or less.

Whedon’s response?

“We are watching capitalism destroy itself right now,” he told the audience.

He added that America is “turning into Tsarist Russia” and that “we’re creating a country of serfs.”

Whedon was raised on the Upper Westside neighborhood of Manhattan in the 1970s, an area associated with left-leaning intellectuals. He said he was raised by people who thought socialism was a ''beautiful concept."

And I suppose he also detests Stan Lee for making all the money he did over the very famous creations he directed in the movie? Does he also have a low opinion of Tony Stark/Iron Man for being a big businessman as well as a superhero? Oh my god, is this absolutely embarrassing now. Of course, this was the same man who almost injected a scene into the movie with Capt. America descending into a pointless political soapbox. If Whedon really buys into this, why is he taking paychecks for the work he did as director? Come to think of it, if he really feels that way, why doesn't he give some of his money to Jim Starlin and Chuck Dixon to compensate for the poor treatment they've suffered?

And is he saying the capitalists are the ones turning American into a commie state and not leftists like Obama with his healthcare plan? This is a real head-shaker.

If he keeps on with these tirades, I think the studio will be best advised to look for someone else to direct any sequel they have planned for the Avengers. Whedon's behavior is practically a show of disrespect for many of the people responsible for creating the cast of the superteam he's directed in the movie, not to mention many other comics creators big and small, some of whom never even got their fair share years before while he makes big bucks without thanking the people who've helped him get there. And not only did he have nothing prepared for his Dark Horse panel, he wasn't even prepared for thinking things through.

Update: Indie Wire reports that Whedon hasn't decided if he wants to direct a sequel. Maybe it's best if he doesn't. If he doesn't like the company of rich guys like Tony Stark or even creator Stan Lee, then it's best that he take off and not cause them all the trouble he's going to cause them if he resorts to more of these anti-capitalist rants of his. It's certainly alarming how a guy who directs an enjoyable movie goes along and tries to dampen the impact by stooping to socialist outbursts.

Labels: Avengers, conventions, marvel comics, politics