Shang-Chi vs. Will Smith

So, we all know that Will Smith appears to have bitch-slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, on stage, right in front of everybody. According to various Conservative sites, there is no shortage of Leftists out there blaming Republicans, Trump, racism and Western Civilization as a whole for that. None of them seem to be blaming Will Smith, which is what I'd expect. They never blame the guy who does the bad thing, they always blame somebody or something convenient for their narrative of the moment.

Well, I have a different perspective. Here's a related news story about another movie, Shang Chi.

According to an ACE announcement, Liu, Zhang and Munteanu will be available for celebrity photo ops and in-person autographs on June 4 at Awesome Con at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The announcement also noted, however, that the actors would not be signing any comic books deemed offensive, particularly Marvel Comics' original "Shang-Chi" run from 1974-83.

"Simu Liu will not sign any Master of Kung Fu comics or other comics deemed offensive," the note read. "All autographs from Simu will be signed in English only."

Shang-Chi first appeared in the 1973 comic book "Special Marvel Edition" issue No. 15, created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin. It went through a title change two issues later to become "The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu."

While it featured an East Asian protagonist, the series was ripe with "yellow peril" tropes, most notably in the form of the hero's father, Fu Manchu, a fictional cultural icon who has been deemed by many as "yellow peril incarnate."

I have quite a few of those comics. For a comic book convention to come out and claim a title with a run of ten years has been "deemed offensive" and then tell fans that an actor will not sign them at their con is two things.

First, it is a slap in the face to fans, some of whom might really have a copy of Master of Kung Fu they were willing to pay $150 to have autographed. Why is Shang Chi even a thing in the first place? Those comics. They were pretty good.

Second, it is utterly expected. Erasing the past is something the Left whines about constantly, and something they do themselves harder and faster every year. For some unnamed dickhead to "deem offensive" a title from the 1970s and 80s is what we've come to expect from academics and Leftists generally. We've also come to expect organizations, publishers, companies and conventions to bow to these unnamed dickheads and accede to their every wish. Because those orgs and companies don't want to get dragged through the media as racists. Which is what will happen.

In this environment of fear and hatred, things like the Academy Awards have lost all meaning and become nothing more than opportunities for Hollywood people to signal their virtue. The spectacle of one millionaire slapping another on the stage in front of the entire world on television is, I'm disgusted to say, utterly expected. I'd go so far as to say it's inevitable. Also expected, the standing ovation for Will Smith when he won an Oscar ten minutes after assaulting the jester. Also utterly expected, peace be unto Jim Carrey. Why expected? Because "don't be the first to stop applauding Stalin." That's why.