Meet Marvel's latest supervillain - Donald Trump, sort of

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Meet Marvel's latest supervillain - Donald Trump, sort of

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-07/l ... de/7576170

Click on the link to see the comic art
Comic relief: Marvel's lampoon of Trump has a serious side
OPINION
By Naja Later
Posted Thu at 8:54am

A new Marvel comic book has depicted Donald Trump as a grotesque supervillain that poses a threat to the free world. Is this just a bit of fun, or can comics offer a serious critique of contemporary politics? Naja Later writes.

You've probably seen the news: Donald Trump is now a threat to the multiverse.

Confused? Allow me to explain: A new Marvel comic book includes a grotesque supervillain that bears a striking resemblance to the presumptive Republican presidential candidate. Not just in looks, but in deeds too.

This Trump-like character appeared last week in Spider-Gwen Annual #1, a comic book that takes place in an alternate world where Gwen Stacy (usually Spider-Man's late girlfriend) becomes a spider-powered superhero herself. In this universe, Captain America is an African American woman called Samantha Wilson, and Gwen's friend.

Samantha recounts how she fought against the Trump-monster as he and his goons interrogate Americans at the Mexican border. In this world, Trump's likeness is named only MODAAK: Mental Organism Designed As America's King (a variation of Marvel's recurring Mental Organisms Designed Only for Killing).

Sure, the grossly unflattering design of MODAAK is a good laugh, but there is more going on here. The caricature illustrates how superhero stories can comment on real cultural and political issues.

Firstly, Trump isn't parodied in the usual way as some abomination-run-amok in Spider-Gwen: he's an expertly engineered machine. This cameo lampoons Trump in a way that doesn't dismiss the highly strategic act of buffoonery that powers his campaign. Like Trump himself, this isn't just a mean jab and a catchy name: turning Trump into a MODAAK accurately depicts him as a ridiculous-looking but calculated threat to the free world.

Secondly, MODAAK isn't designed to be a president, but the kind of ruler America's right sets itself against: a King. "King" captures the authoritarian cult of personality that Trump commands in our universe, in a way that reveals Trump is the stark opposite of the values that made America a nation.

MODAAK starts to utter his directive, "Must make America..." before Samantha wallops him. But make America what? A monarchy? The Republican myth of American "greatness" contradicts its history as a monarchy. "King" Trump is against all America - any political vision of America - has stood for, and if the name didn't tell you that, Captain America bashing him with her shield will.

While this portrayal of Trump is far too brief to critique his flaws to the extent they deserve, it nonetheless effectively crystallises Trump as the hideous racist we're becoming unfortunately familiar with.

Readers familiar with Spider-Gwen's progressive storytelling will recognise how these kinds of representations - conservative politicians as villains, fighting African American women who are patriotic heroes - have been done before. Perhaps the best example was when Ronald Reagan was revealed to be a humanoid snake-creature in Captain America #344.

While these representations are tongue-in-cheek, they often have a deeper political point to make. In these stories there's no resolution for the reader that allows them to separate right-wing politicians from outright villainy. With Reagan and Trump in particular, the superhero story takes their larger-than-life personae of celebrities-turned-Republicans and exaggerates them into monstrosity. (Though with Trump, his enthusiasm for rounding up and threatening marginalised Americans in real life is no exaggeration at all.)

So for those that ask why we need superhero stories, this is the reason. The powers might be imaginary, but the heroes and villains are part of our cultural context.

If we believe that a reality television star can have something significant to say about America, why not superheroes? Spider-Gwen's universe is one in which Samantha Wilson has been Captain America since 1941: her role will inevitably be described as political by the book's detractors. If Samantha is political, then so too is the racist, fascist Trump-MODAAK she destroys.

This little story captures the Western world at a turning point between fascism and freedom. We must remember that Trump is no joke: Spider-Gwen is a cunning criticism of a man posing a serious threat to anyone who has believed in heroes.
Well to be fair, comics have lampooned leader's of foreign countries, whether baring a resemblance to the actual leaders or otherwise as villains, so why not American politicians. I need a comic with Herman Cain saying he will stop China developing metahumans, and then have a John Stewart pastiche saying, yes they had metahumans since the 1960s. :D
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Re: Meet Marvel's latest supervillain - Donald Trump, sort of

Post by Sidewinder »

When I read about political activism in comic books, I cringe, because comic book writers rarely use comic books as a vehicle for political activism in a COMPETENT MANNER. Too many rely on straw men when debating what should be serious topics, or use insulting stereotypes in their efforts to be "diverse".
Please do not make Americans fight giant monsters.

Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.

They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
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Re: Meet Marvel's latest supervillain - Donald Trump, sort of

Post by Sea Skimmer »

Don't we refer to certain things being comic book like for a reason? Certainly not for deep rooted thinking, and this is hardly the first or last comic cash in on current events as the article notes. If it sells it sells.
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Re: Meet Marvel's latest supervillain - Donald Trump, sort of

Post by Sidewinder »

This is Marvel Comics trying (and failing) to ENCOURAGE "deep-rooted thinking," in Sea Skimmer's own words. When comic book writers fail such an attempt, the results are as insulting as seeing a white man in blackface act in the most stereotypical manner. As I previously stated, I'd rather comic book writers not attempt this at all, then to see them attempt and then fail in so insulting a manner.
Please do not make Americans fight giant monsters.

Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.

They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
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