Sunday, December 16, 2007

Marvel Zombies

Remember this bizarre episode in U.S. military fantasy? Graphic evidence of the total disconnect of the Bush administration from the reality of war.

Rumsfeld and other comic book heroes.

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2005 - Message to U.S. troops: Spiderman and Captain America Support You. And the two Marvel Comics superheroes came to the Pentagon today to prove it.

  American Supports You

[April 2005] The Army and Air Force Exchange Service joined forces with Marvel Comics to distribute their free comic book, the fifth installment of a military-only series that began in April 2005 with “The New Avengers,” a partnership between Marvel Comics, America Supports You and AAFES.

You can grab one of the comic books at your nearest AAFES store on Army and Air Force bases, while supplies last. Any customer authorized to shop at military exchanges — including active-duty service members, National Guard and reserve troops, retirees and their families from all branches of service — can get a free copy.

[...]

"Today we are launching the first of what we hope will be a series of books to provide entertainment to our troops here and abroad," said Rob Steffens, Marvel's senior vice president for operations, in announcing that the company is donating 1 million comic books to the military. The comics will be distributed in military exchanges throughout the world.

[...]

Army Col. Joe Mudd, who works on the Joint Staff, said he believes comics are a good method to get out a message of support for the military.

[...]

"We like the good guys to win, and we think we're the good guys too." Mudd said the storylines in many popular comics "speak to what we strive for as individuals and as a nation."

  Army Times

[October 2007] As though admitted an arrested development to their own fighting force, in 2005 the Department of Defense partnered with Marvel to launch a custom imprint for troops deployed to the Middle East.

[...]

The fifth issue, released last month to soldiers serving with Centcom, depicts Captain America striking an iconic pose with Avengers assembling behind him, overshadowed by an armed and masked enemy. And at a glance, through the menacing figure's eye slits, he's obviously depicted with a complexion by which Centcom identifies the enemy.


Marvel's privileged relationship with the Pentagon, as tacit incubator and explicit feedlot for its slaughterhouse, makes its latest phenomenal success of particular grim interest.

  Rigorous Intuition

Marvel Zombies is a set of comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics beginning in 2005. The various series are set in an alternate version of the Marvel Universe where almost all superheroes and supervillains have become flesh-eating zombies.

[...]

The series title derives from the nickname "Marvel zombies", used in the fan press to describe very dedicated Marvel Comics fans.

  Wikipedia

There are a lot of monstrous metaphors available to describe America's descent from pulp fiction superhero to real world arch-villain, but perhaps the most apt is the zombie. There's the relentless and insatiable consumption of goods, fuel and lives which devours entire nations without thought or apology - Iraq's genetic future may be "for the most part destroyed" - and threatens even the viability of life on the planet. It even eats brains. Consider the occupation's targeted slaughter of Iraqi intellectuals.

A vampire would be preferable. I could see trying to talk things out with one. Probably not successfully, but there's at least the vain hope. A zombie? First of all, it's already dead. And last, I'm only food. Do you explain yourself to your breakfast?

There's no coming back from Iraq. There's no homecoming for Captain America. And don't wait for a hero, because he's only going to eat you.

  Rigorous Intuition


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