Since Miller takes his inspiration from "patriotic" WWII era comic books, it might be instructive to re-examine those books. The cover of one classic Superman comic from that period exhorted America’s youth to "Slap a Jap," and a quick survey of popular comics from those days reveal a venomous racism aimed at the Japanese. One must remember that while the Man of Steel was urging young Americans to "Slap a Jap," Japanese Americans were being spat upon, rounded up, deprived of their rights and properties, and thrown into "internment camps."And meanwhile, those innocent Japs weren't forcing long "death marches" on their POWs, now, were they?
This is, of course, the classic of liberal hand-wringing: sure the Japanese Navy was trying to push across the globe, but somewhere in California George Takei had to be a pillow biter behind iron gates. And sure there were confirmed Japanese spy networks in both Canada and the U.S., but our modern sensibilities were offended!
Art for a Change also complains about his suspicions that Holy Terror, Batman!...
...will be filled with cruel and nasty looking "towel heads" bent on destroying Western Civilization, however, demonizing and dehumanizing Arabs in a popular comic book will do nothing to destroy the al-Qaida network - although it will do much to shore up the anti-Arab bigotry now rampant in the US.He also quotes a faggy San Francisco review which states:
A standard-issue treatment would show them as another crew of generic swarthy bad guys, and there will, of course have to be a ‘good Arab’ or two to prove the comic isn’t prejudiced. I’m guessing an Iraqi commando on our side. But if Miller gives them the real characteristics of al-Qaida, that is, really depicts the details of their religiosity, he could get into trouble.Did anybody catch that? Miller's comic is horribly offensive and dangerous because it will resort to crude stereotypes rather than providing an accurate portrayal of our peaceful Islamic brothers. On the other hand, he'd better not talk about all the sick loopy things done by actual followers of Islam, the dirty false religion of Mohammed, agent of Satan, or else some right-thinking jihadist will slice his neck open.
He quotes this review all willy-nilly, and gets worried about "Slap a Jap"?
