"A Marvel Comics Takeover Of American Politics"
Hulk smash?
The day after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump a few months ago, Simon Schama, British historian and professor at Columbia University in New York, gave the PM news magazine programme on BBC Radio 4 quite the simile when discussing the events. In light of the presidential election in the USA today, they may be worth revisiting.
Schama told the nation and, indeed, the world, "It particularly is unfortunate for Democrats because the bloody ear and fist in the air could not be in stronger theatrical contrast, just how Trump likes it, with the fragility of the American President." Joe Biden was still the Democrat nomination at the time.
Schama continued, “It's an issue of weakness versus strength. It's a kind of Marvel Comics takeover of American politics, really. The American voting public, not just Republicans, is drawn to gestures of strength and animal vigour. You know, why Franklin Roosevelt kept his polio condition from the American public all those years. Then there is this very important religious instinct in American public waiting for a kind of redeemer figure, it seems weird we're talking about a convicted felon, someone who gives hush money to a hooker."
Possibly, but I was never going to let the Marvel Comics comparison go without comment. And while Marvel Comics does indeed love their Hulk and Wolverine, the connection may go deeper. Donald Trump's biggest donor in both his 2016 and 2020 election campaign was Ike Perlmutter, then Chair of Marvel Comics, and the billionaire who rescued Marvel from bankruptcy, kicked off the Marvel Studios boom with the Iron Man movie and then sold Marvel to Disney for four billion, putting himself on the board. And Trump put Perlmutter into the administration, controversially in Veteran Affairs. But that was some time ago. If re-elected, will Trump put another billionaire investor with a link to Iron Man into his administration in a controversial role? If I had a nickel every time that I happened, I may be about to get two nickels, but it’s weird that it happened twice, right?
It may all be for nought; Donald Trump prefers DC Comics anyway, or at least the films. He posted a very flattering video review of The Dark Knight Rises. Subsequently, he quoted Bane from that film in his 2016 acceptance speech, which, even now, remains quite the choice. Good luck out there today, folks, and stay safe, everyone.