Marauders #20: Windriders

[superboyprime]

Comments

[lencannon]

This is something I actually agree with, but maybe from a different angle.

The countries that don't acknowledge Krakoan nationhood are all American boogiemen nations. Russia, Venezuela, Iran, etc.

The idea that the United States or the UK would just instantly recognize a new nation for an oppressed group, even with the coercion of miracle drugs, is pretty absurd to me. Especially since they just got done trying to put them in camps like 18 months ago in the Marvel timeline or whatever.

I think Krakoa is a deeply moral venture even if it's messy and difficult. A radical liberation project is unique and a future where the fear and pain of constant violence is something that can be shrugged off and moved past really means something to me. But there's a certain disconnect between the reality of what's happened in the real world and the popular fiction of liberal democracies politics when it comes to Krakoa's international relations.

There's nuance here of course. The United States national security apparatus is still intent on undermining Krakoa, Gyrich is one of the leaders of the new movement to create a Sentinel genocide force while still working as a G-man, X-Force is an entire series about the folly of trying to create a functioning moral society while emulating the CIA and their nation building tactics, etc. However the choices about who recognizes Krakoan agency feels very myopic.

[tinygaylaura]

I would point out that the UK definitely isn't portrayed positively either. America and the UK have recognised that Krakoa has a right to exist in the comics but that's about as far as their "Acceptance" of mutantkind goes. Like you say America is still directly involved in all kinds of black ops operations aimed at comitting literal genocide against mutants and over in the UK there is a literal cult of racist murder wizards that make Nigel Farage look tolerant and open minded making pacts with insane witch queens out of a hatred for anyone with an X gene

I don't think any real country has been portrayed positively which again is realistic because there's not much positive to say about any real countries when it comes to our record on accepting those different and treating people with dignity and respect and giving them the freedom and basic human rights they are owed

[mastermahan]

It's a bit insane that English wizards in capes can walk into government buildings to demand justice for their patron Morgan le Fey, the woman who attacked Europe with a zombie army.

The UK is still getting a fairer depiction than some nations. It's not questioned why Betsy would even want to be Captain Britain.

[tinygaylaura]

I think its less that she wants the job and more that she knows that if she gives it up those psychopaths in red Klan robes from Coven Akkaba will find someone so bigoted they couldn't even get a job at the Daily Mail to be their pet magical fascist and call them the new Captain Britain

[donnblake]

I'll admit I haven't followed that storyline- is the Akkaba mob anti-mutant now? I thought their deal was they were largely The Mutant Formally Known as Apocalypse's followers and descendants, with a pretty healthy sprinkling of mutants among them.

[tinygaylaura]

That would be Clan Akkaba you are thinking of

Coven Akkaba is a splinter group made up of human supremacists and generally nasty pieces of work who resent mutants and want to make themselves feel as powerful as they are through mastering dark sorcery

They are what would happen if UKIP found the Necronomicon

[deh_tommy]

She *could* always give the role back to Brian, but despite acting like she doesn’t feel confident in her Captain Britain-ness every time her authority is questioned she suddenly doubles down on the role, to the point she destroyed the Amulet of Right and seeded herself as the baseline Captain Britain across the multiverse.

[tinygaylaura]

Brian very explicitly did not want the role though

[deh_tommy]

If only there was some sort of test to determine who is worthy of the moniker of Captain Britain. Like, a choice. A choice to determine where someone’s interests may align and see if they work out of right or out of might.

Too bad Betsy destroyed the amulet because she didn’t want anyone else to have the title. Our hero!

[icon_uk]

The same reason that Captain America wanted to be Captain America when America was not, shall we say, at it's most "beacon of liberty"-like?

[mastermahan]

Fair point. Captain Britain represents the UK ideal. And every possible UK, including the one where everyone is a dinosaur. Certainly America's gap between the ideal and reality is pretty large.

Captain America's never has dual citizenship with another nation where he places all his attention, though. Betsy has yet to protect the UK specifically from anything.

[tinygaylaura]

I mean she took down Morgan Le Fay and ended her rule of Avalon. Granted they put Jamie Braddock on the throne but at least they're able to force him to behave by threatening him with exile into the Dungeon Pit so even if he is pants on his head mad he's a madman that they can get to behave himself as opposed to Morgan Le Fay who is every bit as much of a loony and also had absolutely no checks or balances stopping her from doing whatever she wanted

[mastermahan]

Exactly. Avalon isn't Britain. There may be cultural links, but it's a separate nation with very limited contact.

[deh_tommy]

But she doesn’t do jack for Britain, just about everything Excalibur does is to further Krakoa and ICan’tBelieveIt’sNotApocalypse’s agenda and foreign policies.

[iamrman]

Is Britain's depiction in Excalibur really that bad? I haven't read it in a while. If that is the case, then I don't think I will be picking the series up again after the Hellfire Gala.

[tinygaylaura]

Having lived in the UK for a time I can safely say that Excalibur's depiction of just how much racism and xenophobia there is in that country is, if anything, tame compared to what the reality is like

There are good things about the country too but good god there are a LOT of bigoted morons who make Graydon Creed look like a progressive liberal

[iamrman]

In that case, I will stick to classic Excalibir. At least then it will actually be fun. If I wanted to read how much Britain sucks, I would read a newspaper.

[deh_tommy]

The problem is Britain’s depiction in Excalibur is largely nonexistent. After the first arc where they overthrow Morgan le Fay, that’s all been about Krakoa and Otherworld.