I used to have a t-shirt with the Rorschach inkblot thing on it. I loved Watchmen, but esp. Rorschach.

"He liked pain..." "So Rorschach threw him down an elevator shaft."

Ah, read the latest travestyCivil War issue today. Add Namor and the Watcher to the list of characters Millar has butchered, completely not getting their basic personalities and behavior(or not caring, and having them act however the nonsensical plot requires...). .

OH, my GOD. Check out this post from scans_daily. (Civil War: Frontline spoiler)

[link]

Emo! EEEEMOOOOOOO!

I saw "Civil War: Frontline" and thought there was some Frontline episode on the War Between the States. I was already waxing rhapsodical about how no where but b.org, would I read 'emo' in reaction to a Civil War news-show episode.

Of course I also thought I was in Minearverse.

The next new comics sensation, I swear.

Re: Watchmen's ending:

I think the problem isn't so much that we're in a post 9/11 environment that makes it unworkable today, but that we're in a post-Cold War environment. The "disaster in NY" could only effect the "unification of the world" when you're dealing with larger political/military entities in opposition. Introducing the "third party" opposition unites the two big boys vs. the new guy.

Now that there's only one superpower, a "third party", whether it's an interdimensional alien invader, or al-Qaeda only provokes the kind of response we see today...everything depends on how the lone superpower reacts to the attack, there's no "predictable dynamic".

If that makes any sense.

You know MM, I get the feeling that our lone superpower status days are in their twilight. China already owns us at the bank. India's coming on strong. And Russia is murdering people with impunity because they've got so much oil.

In short, if the entire world changed to bio-oil starting tomorrow how much would the political picture change?

Well, you may have a point...actually, I'm starting to develop a theory that the "superpower" political paradigm is over entirely...we need to start thinking in terms of technological/informational/economical influences, rather than the technological/military/brute force economical we were used to.

we need to start thinking in terms of technological/informational/economical influences, rather than the technological/military/brute force economical

So more of a Rollerball world?

Reading MM's post, I was just about to counter the sole-superpower claim as well. People are already saying that Russia is back or almost back to superpower status. And as far as the cold war, people tend to forget that nobody ever stood down from the Cold War -- the missles are still there, still pointed at each other, and still functional. The only reason the Cold War was ever over was because the two sides agreed to it. No other actions toward that end were ever really undertaken. And as Hec points out, China and India are doing just fine, and I bet most Americans would be surprised at the reaction if they were to say the US was the only superpower to a Chinese or Indian person.