The Political Thread

[TordelBack]

McCain - one of the last of a dying breed of non-toadying, honourable Republicans.

Perhaps we could gloss that eulogy slightly with some reference to his strongly hawkish politics, and general tendency towards smiting brown folk.  Never mind all that firey death he rained down on Hanoi on behalf of LBJ.

Much as the very idea of Trump makes me sick to my stomach, there is also something a bit unsavoury about all the cross-party chumminess around McCain's death - while a humane and civil political atmosphere is to be commended, there's also more than a whiff of the kind of monolithic Washington establishment that Trump supposedly stands against, people for whom democratic politics is just the sideshow of a Duke and Duke-style $1 bet, rather than a matter of opposed policies that determine the fates of the actual people of the world.

[Professor Bear]

There's no such thing as an honorable Republican, or an honorable Democrat for that matter - once you're operating at that level of US politics, the donor money is king and if you have any remaining scruples, they'll soon weed you out and replace you with someone more open to how things are done.

The big problem though is that a lot of this 'free' product is failing to prove to be the gateway drug the comics industry was hoping for.

Online sales are up, digital sales are growing, as are trade sales.  New readers are buying comics, they're just not buying them from comic book stores - so an obvious question is "what are comic book stores doing wrong?"

Y'know... I am so old I can actually still remember when DC Comics fans were calling the company a bunch of jerks for making Batgirl/The Atom/Green Arrow white.  Comics fandom can be a trip.

[Tjm86]

Online sales are up, digital sales are growing, as are trade sales.  New readers are buying comics, they're just not buying them from comic book stores - so an obvious question is "what are comic book stores doing wrong?"

Well, if companies like Marvel are cutting out the middlemen or Comixology cornering the digital market its a little hard to see how shops can compete with that.  Thanks for the information on digital though.  Mind you, is it a case of additional readers or reader migration from physical to digital?

As for what the shops are doing wrong, I think most of us have experience of the rather dingy stores run by the 'only fan in the village' who look sneeringly at newbies who are looking for the tie in to the latest film to hit the stands or some other faux pas.  A certain comic shop in the capital of Wales is infamous among local fans for some of its owner's past antics.  Even FP has a better reputation (and that's saying something!)  The retail industry in general is struggling to cope with the impact of online shopping and the decline in disposable income.  Throwing in an image problem is unlikely to aid the situation is it?

As for the incipient nerdism that haunts comic fandom, fair point it's nothing new really.

[JayzusB.Christ]

McCain - one of the last of a dying breed of non-toadying, honourable Republicans.

Perhaps we could gloss that eulogy slightly with some reference to his strongly hawkish politics, and general tendency towards smiting brown folk.  Never mind all that firey death he rained down on Hanoi on behalf of LBJ.

Fair enough; I was very much in favour of Obama when that election came around.  But I admire McCain's refusal to kowtow to Trump's awfulness, right to the bitter end.

[TordelBack]

But I admire McCain's refusal to kowtow to Trump's awfulness, right to the bitter end.

That one I'll happily endorse!  The very sight of that pouting turd with his arms crossed like a 3 year old, I'd cheer for Le Pen, Farage or Bertie himself if they cocked a snook at that one.

And I don't like to speak ill of the recently dead, I've just found that a lot of the hubbub surrounding McCain has been a bit one-dimensional: he was still a right-wing militaristic anti-vaxxer. I'll concede his consistent opposition to torture (and he should know), rejection of religious nutters in his own party, his criticism of Putin, and his willingness to cross the floor to vote on matters he supported on principle.  And let's face it, I'd trade him for Trump in a heartbeat.

[JayzusB.Christ]

But I admire McCain's refusal to kowtow to Trump's awfulness, right to the bitter end.

That one I'll happily endorse!  The very sight of that pouting turd with his arms crossed like a 3 year old, I'd cheer for Le Pen, Farage or Bertie himself if they cocked a snook at that one.

Farage is more likely to snook a cock at him.

[maryanddavid]

I'll concede his consistent opposition to torture (and he should know), rejection of religious nutters in his own party, his criticism of Putin, and his willingness to cross the floor to vote on matters he supported on principle.  And let's face it, I'd trade him for Trump in a heartbeat.

In American politics this made him nearly a commie.

[sheridan]

I wasn't aware of the 'furore' over the Lakes but thanks for the link.  Certainly makes for some interesting reading.  As a former Lancaster resident, Kendal was an occasional visit.  Nice enough for a day out and IIRC the Chocolate Cafe was a real treat.  I can see where Akhtar was coming from in terms of her thoughts on the place.  There are definitely more diverse places to visit.

I've no idea what anybody's talking about - what page of this thread is the link to the Lakes Coca Cola thing?

[Eamonn Clarke]

This and the previous articles he links to explain last year's row.
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/10/11/director-lakes-comics-art-festival-offers-full-apology/

[TordelBack]

And now the Van Sciver shitnugget is claiming Dave Sim is working with him.  I know Sim might seem like a natural ally to the Comicsgate wankers,  but for all his doolally ideas the man has huge intelligence and ability,  not to mention a misguided integrity made entirely of layered graphene; how could he not realise the kind of human effluvia he's stepped in?  Really hope this is just more lies, despite ironically representing nett damage to CG's "credibility" if true.

[TordelBack]

Double posting on the Political Thread now.  Trumpism is catching. SAD!

But I do have to report some internal conflict: I have an overwhelming desire to cheer for an $80 billion sportswear company with a dubious history of sweatshop exploitation. That's some advertising video they have there, whatever the motivation behind it,  and their explicit rejection of the MAGA group is powerful stuff.

[Professor Bear]

If nothing else we've at least lived to see right wingers unironically denounce sweatshops, and endorse consumer boycotts.  What a time to be etc

[sheridan]

Double posting on the Political Thread now.  Trumpism is catching. SAD!

But I do have to report some internal conflict: I have an overwhelming desire to cheer for an $80 billion sportswear company with a dubious history of sweatshop exploitation. That's some advertising video they have there, whatever the motivation behind it,  and their explicit rejection of the MAGA group is powerful stuff.

Had a quick look at today's news and can't figure out what advert and clothing company this relates to?

[Professor Bear]

Nike have sponsored ex-NFL player - and originator of the "take a knee" protest - Colin Kaepernick as the face of their brand.

[Tomwe]

Nike have sponsored ex-NFL player - and originator of the "take a knee" protest - Colin Kaepernick as the face of their brand.

Aaahhh now I get why the MAGA crowd are all threatening to boycott Nike. Thanks for the lowdown.