Prolific Batman Writer Chuck Dixon Explains Why Politics Do Not Belong In Superhero Comics
John F. Trent
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Prolific Batman writer and the creator of the villain Bane, Chuck Dixon, recently explained why politics do not belong in superhero comics.
Source: Detective Comics #664
Dixon shared his thoughts in his most recent episode of Ask Chuck Dixon where he was asked by Chris Cueva, “Are you against politics in comics completely?”
Related: Vox Day And Arktoons Debut New Series From Chuck Dixon Titled Silenziosa
Dixon answered the question stating, “Absolutely not. I’ve written political books. I did The Forgotten Man, a history of the Great Depression, adapting Amity Shlaes epic, epic history of some of the darkest years in American history.”
He continued, “I don’t think it’s political, but it is because it’s seen to have a conservative viewpoint, it’s very down on the New Deal, which I don’t think history is going to judge well in the end. So I’ve done that.”
“Clinton Cash a far more political book. An adaptation of Peter Schweizer’s exposure of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s rather tawdry work with their foundation and how basically they used it to enrich themselves. It’s purely political. So I’m not against politics in comics. I’m not against anybody’s politics in comics,” he detailed.
Source: Clinton Cash: A Graphic Novel
Dixon then went on to discuss that he read Spain Rodriguez’s Trashman series. He said, “Back in the underground days I used to read Trashman by Spain Rodriguez. It basically calls for Marxist revolution in the United States, bloody Marxist revolution. It’s very anti-American. Very anti-white when you get right down to it.
He elaborated, “I dug the energy of it. I didn’t believe in any of it. I didn’t agree with any of it, but I certainly respected Spain Rodriguez’s right to make any comic book he wants.”
Source: Trashman Lives!
Dixon then transitioned to explain why he believes politics doesn’t belong in superhero comics.
He explained, “My problem with politics in comics is when you mix it with mainstream comics. When superheroes take a side, decide that they’re Democrat or Republican. And 99.99% of the time they are going to side with the Democrat. Where one president is seen as a hero and the other one is seen as an ogre or a coward or whatever depending on their party line.”
“Now, like the old Mad Magazine, if comics were to either elevate or mock each president with the same severity to the same level I’d be fine with it. But this is politics being put into a place it does not belong. Politics does not belong in superhero comics,” Dixon declared.
Source: Spider-Gwen Annual #1
He then asserted, “I’ve said it before, I’ve said it again. I’m a comics fan, you’re a comics fan, but let’s face it these characters were created to entertain children. They were never meant to be political. They were never meant to be literature. They were never meant to be meaningful. They were just meant to be good solid American red-blooded entertainment. And putting politics into it, ruins it. It ruins anything.”
“If you made a political Kung Fu movie, I would say the same thing. Get off it. Stop doing that,” he concluded.
Source: Detective Comics #664
What do you make of Dixon’s explanation about why politics do not belong in superhero comics?
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