The 2016 U.S. Election was an unmitigated disaster. That nation's two major political parties fielded two deeply
unpopular candidates, and ironically the
less popular of the two still
won due to a longstanding institution called the
Electoral College. It's the 2000 Election revisited, so signs don't point to the
system being rigged against his party. Donald Trump's ascension is concerning for people around the world who still believe in democratic values, as it only cements an ongoing
global trend of nominal democracies now controlled by
intolerant authoritarian figures like the
one I have to live with. So while the
outcome was shocking for half the electorate, his rise was a
very foreseeable event. But for the
planet's sake, America's hallowed democratic institutions had better be
more robust than they've so far proven to be this year.
On a note more pertinent to this blog, Trump's presidency will most probably have a chilling effect on
intellectual enquiry and creative expression, especially in the already fragile comics industry. Here's more commentary from
Sean Kleefeld,
Tom Spurgeon,
Heidi MacDonald,
Tim Holder,
Humberto Ramos,
ComicsAlliance,
Did you know that
Peter Kuper drew a comic predicting the Donald Trump Wall for
Heavy Metal Magazine in the July 1990 issue?
Seth T. Hahne lists the 75 Best Comics by Women.
J. Scott Campbell redraws Riri Williams, after dismissing the
negative reactions towards his original cover illustration for
Invincible Iron Man.
R.I.P.
Leonard Cohen (September 21, 1934 – November 7, 2016).
