This morning my Sweet Thing was perusing Daryl Cagel's political cartoon site, as she does every morning. There were a lot of anti-Obama cartoons, which annoyed her; a lot of Bill Clinton jabs, which I suspect were drawn in anticipation of Clinton's speech because the cartoonist didn't care what Clinton actually said; and several which criticized Obama for being some kind of egocentric narcissist, as if his popularity is a character flaw because the only reason a man like him could possibly be admired is if he were courting and demanding that admiration.
Which made me think of Spider-Man.
It makes sense. Let me explain.
As we all know, Spider-Man's arch enemy isn't the Green Goblin, it isn't Doc Ock, it isn't even Paste-Pot Pete (and a cookie to you if you get that reference). It's the Triple J himself, J. Jonah Jameson.
Jameson is the editor and publisher of The Daily Bugle, and his hatred of Spider-Man is a thing of legend. He hates Spider-Man more than Rush hates Feminazis. He regularly publishes front-page editorials with headlines like: "SPIDER-MAN: THREAT OR MENACE?" He once hired a mad scientist to create a super-villain specifically for the purpose of killing Spider-Man.
Why does he hate Spider-Man so? The wall-crawler catches crooks, doesn't he?
In Jonah's view, Spidey is a glory hound; a reckless show-off only out to gratify his own ego with no sense of responsibility whatsoever.
Which is something of a pot/kettle situation. I mean, few people in the Marvel Universe are as selfish and as obsessed with self-promotion as Jolly Jonah, and that's even including Ego the Living Planet.
But there was one story in which Jameson confides in his friend, the Bugle's City Editor, Robby Robeson. Robbie points out all the good things that Spidey does, and asks why Jameson is so sure the Wall-Crawler is no hero. Jameson admits that he has believe that Spider-Man is basicly selfish; because he wouldn't do those kinds of things without an ulterior motive. If Spider-Man really was a hero, Jonah would have to recognize that Spidey was a better man than him.
And that Jameson refuses to do.
Which wouldn't bother Spidey so much except that his Aunt reads the Daily Bugle and believes all those vitrolic editorials.
Kind of like some conservatives.