InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "President of my fan club."

queenursula (queenursula) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-07-16 23:22:00

Entry tags:

char: barack obama, char: nick fury, creator: brian michael bendis, creator: jonathan hickman, creator: stefano caselli, publisher: marvel comics, title: secret warriors

Fury and Obama

This is from Secret Warriors #1

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	cmdr_zoom 2009-07-17 03:29 am UTC (link)
	Fish lips! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	long_silence 2009-07-17 03:35 am UTC (link)
	Have you not seen any of Stefano Caselli's work before? (Reply to this) (Parent)

	ashtoreth 2009-07-18 01:57 am UTC (link)
	I'd never noticed it before...now I shall never not see it again. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	benicio127 2009-07-17 03:30 am UTC (link)
	Love part one: that Obama is a regular in comics Love part two: that he's such a regular that S_D has a tag for him. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	kamino_neko 2009-07-17 04:06 am UTC (link)
	Reagan made a LOT of appearances during his tenure. Clinton made more than a few, too. GW Bush appeared quite a bit in Marvel during his reign. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	omgwtflolbbqbye 2009-07-17 03:56 am UTC (link)
	Oooh Obama just got told off... Also, I don't know why they had to do the shadowy face thing with him. It's not like we haven't seen him as President in Marvel Uni before, walking around in the daylight and stuff. Not like DC where they are sorta semi-ambiguous. (Reply to this) (Thread)

(Anonymous)
2009-07-17 06:08 am UTC (link)

Purely by speculation, I would guess that DC probably didn't want to pay the White House liaison agency, or whatever group Marvel paid money to in order to use the President's likeness, the fee they would need to. And probably wouldn't feel they would get it as they would put the office of the President in a less than flattering light (i.e. the White House being penetrated by a single rogue agent who can tell off the President and then walk away).

So, backlighting to show no definite features, and also note they never actually refer to Obama by name here. That way if the legal agencies call them out on it, DC can say "Hey, this isn't meant to be the President of the United States, this is the President of the U.S. in the DC Universe. He just happens to look a lot like the current President." And thus are shielded by parody/free speech/various legal grounds.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bruinsfan 2009-07-17 07:02 pm UTC (link)
	The scans are from a Marvel comic book, not DC. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	salad_barbarian 2009-07-17 06:55 am UTC (link)
	It reminds me of when Jesus was portrayed in movies a long time ago and the people making the films didn't show his face. If I thought this was a critique of people who idolize Obama as some sort of savior I wight be ok with it. But I don't think it's meant to be a critique. And that makes me a sad panda. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	jedd_the_jedi 2009-07-17 05:34 am UTC (link)
	Two words: Backlit Obama!!!! (Reply to this)

	iambickilometer 2009-07-17 06:56 am UTC (link)
	Possibly entirely irrelevant, but those backgrounds are fucking gorgeous. Anyway. Nick Fury, please never change. (Reply to this)

	greenmask 2009-07-17 08:22 am UTC (link)
	Is he blond? I don't think I am comfortable with blond Fury. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	yaseen101 2009-07-17 09:12 am UTC (link)
	He has fully gray hair in this one. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	greenmask 2009-07-17 11:25 am UTC (link)
	Nah, there's a definite tonal change between the usually-grey sides and the majority. The majority is golden. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	yaseen101 2009-07-17 05:57 pm UTC (link)
	I've seen the comic, his hair is fully gray in this one. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	stolisomancer 2009-07-17 10:11 pm UTC (link)
	The entire room has a distinct golden hue because of the quality of the light coming through the window. Since Fury's hair is light gray under ordinary circumstances, it looks gold in these pages. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	greenmask 2009-07-17 10:11 pm UTC (link)
	But the grey side-bits are still grey! ..Colouring wobble? :/ (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stolisomancer 2009-07-17 10:37 pm UTC (link)
	His distinguished-looking grayed hair on the sides does seem to come and go throughout, doesn't it. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	mullon 2009-07-17 10:13 am UTC (link)
	I don't like the dye job or how it is cut. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	greenmask 2009-07-17 11:29 am UTC (link)
	He looks like the star of a modern action movie, rather than an awesome sixties spy movie. And that's terrible! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	mullon 2009-07-17 10:12 am UTC (link)
	But I thought S.H.I.E.L.D. was an international organization and wasn't answerable to the U.S. They're in no position to decide whether it should be easier for them to control. (Reply to this) (Thread)

readeriif
2009-07-17 12:03 pm UTC (link)

Blame Civil War and its lead-up.

The basic story seems to be that yes, under Nick Fury, it was an international organisation. However, the US provided enough resources to it that it felt it should have a say in what SHIELD did. When Nick left, Maria Hill was appointed over more-qualified candidates on this basis, to make sure that SHIELD toed the US line. Then we had Civil War, Director Stark, and presumably the US disbanded it, possibly by just saying something like "okay, no more funds for SHIELD. And all that stuff our money bought? We're taking it as well." Haven't seen any evidence of anyone besides the US making an official claim on SHIELD leftovers, at any rate.

And whether HAMMER is a-supposedly-internantional-but-really-US-entity like SHIELD was near the end, or a purely american entity, I'd guess the latter, from how it's been shown so far.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	ashtoreth 2009-07-18 02:02 am UTC (link)
	According to Mighty Avengers, there's some sort of international crime-fighting organization that invited Hank Pym to join so his Avengers would have authority to act anywhere (except in the US). It might be a preexisting thing, but also might be where the international elements migrated to. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	vignettelante 2009-07-17 11:36 am UTC (link)
	Who's number 1 on that list? Also, my new epileptic tree is that this Barack Obama is actually the Sentry somehow. (Reply to this)

	halloweenjack 2009-07-17 05:43 pm UTC (link)
	Is Nick monitoring Obama's blood pressure and heartbeat... or his own? Interesting implications if the latter. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	omgwtflolbbqbye 2009-07-18 02:01 am UTC (link)
	Well it's pretty clear he's monitoring Obama's to make sure he's not lying. Cause he does confirm in that panel "yea, you're telling the truth". (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	silverzeo 2009-07-18 03:52 am UTC (link)
	But how? Unless the Presidential watch, if they have those, gives out a medical-status signal like the captain at the start of the Star Trek movie, Nick would have might as well as checking his own blood pressure. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	omgwtflolbbqbye 2009-07-18 04:38 am UTC (link)
	Dude. It's SHIELD tech... (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	silverzeo 2009-07-18 06:07 am UTC (link)
	That we won't see again. Hate when the writers make a convenient plot device to cover minor work but than never use again. Like that foam that allows people to go through walls or whatever. Hey... they could be a new week theme. (Reply to this) (Parent)

box_in_the_box
2009-07-17 06:58 pm UTC (link)

I actually rather like the even-handedness with which Obama is portrayed in this - he's neither villain nor hero, but simply an unapologetic pragmatist, to the point that even Fury can't get pissed at him for it, as much as he'd like to. Even the line about respecting the office, "if not the man," is rather moderate - as president, Obama kind of expects a certain level of respect, especially from an old soldier, but it's not tied to his ego. I don't want to speak for any conservatives here, but I would think that this is a portrayal of Obama that both sides of the political aisle could get behind, because it essentially reduces his alignment to Lawful Neutral.

(Reply to this)

	team_leader 2009-07-18 02:52 am UTC (link)
	He got told! Of course this comic was nicer to him than Transformers 2 was. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	silverzeo 2009-07-18 03:45 am UTC (link)
	You mean being fled to a safety bunker and giving strict orders against giant space robots that have death matches with other space robots in populated cities? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	drsevarius 2009-07-18 04:30 pm UTC (link)
	http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1878289/transformers_2_villain_barack_obama.html (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

silverzeo
2009-07-18 07:16 pm UTC (link)

.... there are so many things to couter-argue that article.
1. Obama just gave the guy the authority over NEST. So he gave him authority to be the pencil pusher jerk. Kinda like that snooty guy who told the soldiers in Street Fighter that they will pay Bison his demands. Which is pretty standard in any war movie. I don't think a movie cliche counts as a real message against President Obama, unlike the last guy in charge.
2. When the whole world is given a ultimatum by a evil robot who wants to destroy the entire world, I think it falls under the UN jurisdiction, not just the president of one country.
3. They just mention Obama's name, it could have easily been McCain's name and the movie would be the same, except the for the author of the article would actually support of this "unflattering depiction" of McCain in it.
4. It's a movie about giant robots from space! I don't think people went to see it for the politcal factors.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	drsevarius 2009-07-18 07:22 pm UTC (link)
	. It's a movie about giant robots from space! I don't think people went to see it for the politcal factors. Doesn't mean there weren't any. Are you aware of the controversy over the Twins? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	team_leader 2009-07-18 10:38 pm UTC (link)
	That's half the actor's fault. The not being able to read (versus the reality of not being able to read ancient Autochonian) was a bit of a writer booboo, but the actors have to take some responsibility for their own stereotype. (Reply to this) (Parent)

silverzeo
2009-07-19 12:41 am UTC (link)

I am aware of the twins dude, don't drag them in to this, they have nothing to do with it.

When your president, you have to make ass-ish decisions. Stark did this, Bush did this, Clinton did this, Carter did this, and even Lincoln did this. And when a giant evil robot threatens the world, I think Obama would do this; even if it was more of a UN thing; and even a fictional world.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	drsevarius 2009-07-19 01:13 pm UTC (link)
	You can rationalize it however you want; Obama wasn't portrayed in a positive light, which several people have commented on and which the OP was mentioning. http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Barack_Obama (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

silverzeo
2009-07-19 02:42 pm UTC (link)

Oh no! A US president not being portray well in movies? What a nightmare. Forget all the movies whose sole purpose was to criticize Bush on a public level, THIS movie whose plot is about a battling space robot franchise from the Regan years really crossed the line with their implied remarks that COULD sum up to Obama as an evil and stupid leader in a fictional. What's with you man?

Look, the movie itself has mix reviews. Some people hated it, some like it, and I don't think the people who like it had their opinions of Obama had changed. I mean, Marvel had Obama putting Osborn in charge, which seems to mirror his Bail Out plan for Big Business,and no one made a big hoot about it. Sure they made big deal when he teamed up with Spider-Man or Savage Dragon, but can you name any news shows that cover his meeting with Osborn and his policies?

And I am just glad they didn't USE Obama like the comics are. Marvel used his popularity to get Spider-Man sales back up after THAT day (any one recall the MAIN story to that issue?).

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

drsevarius
2009-07-20 12:32 am UTC (link)

Before you were trying to argue that the movie wasn't unfavorable to Obama (which is all the original poster was stating). Now you're admitting it is?

Forget all the movies whose sole purpose was to criticize Bush on a public level,
The movies started to get made several years into his administration, after he started to really fuck things up. Obama hasn't been in office for a full year yet.

I mean, Marvel had Obama putting Osborn in charge
No, that was Bush. Obama says as much on the second page.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

silverzeo
2009-07-22 09:46 pm UTC (link)

First of I all, I was being sarcastic as I trying to see things from your side to point out how big of a deal your doing. Even if the film DID purposely portray Obama as an ass, it was set in it own universe, (What would you do if you were the president and all that was happening? Would you give them a medal after all the damage they failed to prevent Demolisher to cause in Shanghai?) it was nothing compared to what Bush has gone through (who has been criticize since day one because of the Florida re-count). And they are others who got harsher treatment, but I don't want to risk of making this argument going further than it already has gone.

Heck, didn't South Park did an episode where Obama got all the thanks for fixing the economy when he did nothing. That seems to be a louder and clearer message than what The Transformers 2 "supposedly" tried to do. Besides, in the first movie, they had "Bush" laying back comfortable on his bed on air-force one after the army base got destroyed and asked for ding-dongs, which the stewardess found gross. It's safe to say, even with your opinion, Bay makes both presidents look like jerks in the TF Movie-Verse. But you can't accept an implied criticism from a cliche plot-line in a semi-decent fictional movie that's basically about giant robots, then that's your problem.

Second. I thought it was Obama's hand that shook with Osborn's. And didn't they actually meet and talk about Normie's polices with HAMMER? Either I am wrong or Marvel's editors have been slipping up.

Third: It was an action movie about giant robot aliens from space! One cares for the political messages in it. You shouldn't either. I just added in a snarky remark about it, because in Obama's defense in the movie, he did the logical thing. But then you went one step further, and I went one, and now I just want to end this. We're spaming and wasting each other time.

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	drsevarius 2009-07-23 12:17 am UTC (link)
	I don't care about Transformers 2; you argued that Obama wasn't treated poorly in the film. I said he was. Whether or not Bush got treated worse in the media is another topic. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	team_leader 2009-07-18 10:37 pm UTC (link)
	I was thinking the fact that Presidential orders were to dismantle weapons systems and explore diplomatic avenues with evil robots that wanted to destroy the sun. The movie drew a big nuclear disarmament parallel, the idea of dismantling your nukes in hopes that you wouldn't be left unarmed against someone who still wanted a fight. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	silverzeo 2009-07-18 03:41 am UTC (link)
	So he wanted Osborn to be in charge? And for what? SHIELD wasn't popular or couldn't take the blame? I could have swear everyone blamed anyone in tights after Nitro blew the big one. I don't get, much as like, PSA message in comics, I hated when Family Guy or Law and Order did it... so someone clear things up? (Reply to this)