Examiner.com has a quick blurb about what’s currently going on in Marvel Comics re: some pretty interesting political allegory. I read this comic a few weeks ago, but it didn’t even occur to me that it was noteworthy—I guess I’m used to subtextual/political stuff going on in comics. But apparently, people who don’t read them find it surprising that every once in a while, some goofy character in spandex will actually have something relevant to say.

It’s hard not to think of the Bush administration when thumbing through the latest The Amazing Spider-Man comic (#536).

First, some background (and you probably don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see the parallels): In Marvel Comics’—ahem—“Civil War”� story arc, the U.S. government passes the “Superhuman Registration Act”� after hundreds of innocent American men, women and children become collateral damage in a superhero-related tragedy (the president of the United States even swings by the disaster site to assess the damage). The act mandates registration of all superheroes with the government. Spider-Man initially supports the act but then grows suspicious after discovering that unregistered captives are being held without civil rights at an off-shore prison called “the Negative Zone”� (oh, and the prison was built with a no-bid contract). Detainees will remain there for life if they don’t register.

Now, to the present: In this latest Spider-Man comic, America’s favorite swinging web-slinger takes to New York City’s airwaves to publicly denounce the act.

“I’ve seen the very concept of justice destroyed,”� Spidey begins (as written by J. Michael Straczynski). “I’ve seen heroes and bad guys alike—dangerous guys, no mistake, but still born in this country for the most part, denied due process, and imprisoned, potentially for the rest of their lives…. But there’s a point where the ends don’t justify the means, if the means require us to give up not just our identities, but who and what we are as a country.”�

The coolest part of Marvel Comics’ “Civil War” event, so far, has been seeing Captain America—as simplistic and jingoistic of an American icon as they come—go underground (dare I say all terrorist style?), fighting against his own government because of their newfound embrace of what he perceives as very un-American ideals. So yes. I guess what I’m getting at here is that comic books are both relevant and rad. Just in case you didn’t know.