V for Vague (Understanding of the Source Material)

Today in Florida, Clay Duke took a couple very poorly aimed shots at school board officials, but not before spray painting the iconic image from Alan Moore's "V for Vendetta" comic book mini series (also a movie). So, the reference to the comic means that there are similarities, right? Yes and no.

- The comic takes place in Britain in a post apocalyptic "Blade Runner" style future. Duke lived in Florida in the present day...fill in your own joke here.

- In the comic, a revolutionary anarchist named "V" planned to systematically kill the leaders of a fascist dictatorship. Duke's motivation was confusing, but I'm sure he thought he was doing the same thing.

- V respected women and fought to keep them safe.  Duke asked the women at the hearing to leave before he whipped out his gun. After they left, a woman snuck up behind him and tried to knock his gun out of his hand by hitting him with her purse (a move straight out of comic books, usually reserved for old ladies).

- V wore a cool mask. Duke wore a shitty mustache.

At this point you're probably saying to yourself "This guy was just fighting for what he believed in" or "the government is oppressive" etc., and in a different situation you might be right, until you realize what Duke was fighting for. V fought for the right of his people to govern themselves...Duke was there because his wife got fired from the district.  Laaaaaame.

Moral of the story : understand the source material before you go act it out  don't act out comic books.

I wonder if Alan Moore is mad at this "take" on his book.  He typically doesn't like to see his work recreated.

Then again, he's insane.

(posted by Douger)