You Don't Even Understand Us

That's your problem, mate. The whole bloody lot of you just wander about like a pack of wankers, seeing everything in black and white.
You were right that you'll never understand us, okay--and I'll tell you something else...
You're the sodding problem, not us! You're the ones that make the frigging rules for us, and you don't even understand us!
No wonder we're so screwed up!!

- Hellblazer #43

by Garth Ennis and Will Simpson

Pain And Death

The religion of these Christians teaches servitude...
...silence...
...utter obedience...
...torture as an honor...
...pain and death as a reward at the end of it all...

- Northlanders Vol Three, "Lindisfarne" Part 1

by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston

Laws And Joylessness

The rules and laws and joylessness of the white Christ, the punishments and deprivations--how is this a religion? How is this a life?
And we are to love a God who demands this of us?

- Northlanders Vol Three, "Lindisfarne" Part 2

by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston

Not The Same Save

Stan: You know those religiosos who think God will save them? They got it all wrong. I have found my "savior" with a capital "S"!
Ed: I may be agnostic, but I'm pretty sure that's not the same "save"...

 - Superman 80 Page Giant #1 (May 2010), "Superman Is My Co-pilot"

by Jason Hall and Julian Lopez

In Holy Defense

Yes, you fucking dimwit, with a sword. Like you got in your hands right this moment.
Assuming you were in a position to have to do so, in holy defense of our most blessed Lord Christ Jesus...
How. Hard. Do. You. Think, to kill a man?

- Northlanders Vol Three, "Lindisfarne" Part 1

by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston

Thirty Pieces of Silver

There was once a man who betrayed a friend for thirty pieces of silver.
He betrayed him with a kiss.
The friend was crucified.

- The Judas Coin

by Walter Simonson

Christianity, Counterculture, and Comics

The other week I made an impulse buy at my local comic book shop. Those of you who know me well may not think this is surprising, but actually I usually hold a pretty strict shopping list when it comes to physical, individual issues. This is both due to financial and time restraints. The cost of buying comics seems to grow in an inverse relationship with the amount of free time I have to read my purchases. To illustrate the seriousness of the situation, I don't even include any Batman titles on my regular reading list (unless, of course, it is written by Grant Morrison).

But that day I saw on the shelf an issue of Occupy Comics about the Occupy movement and the financial crisis and bailouts that spurred it. Now, you, dear reader, likely have your own opinions on this social/political occurrence. I don't really care about that. What I was really interested in was the fact that this issue contains an essay by Alan Moore (of Watchmen fame and self proclaimed wizard who is not to be trifled with) about the history of comics as counterculture and a medium of protest.