Just a totally random mini-thread on comic books, Hollywood, and cancel culture. Mute, dive in, or ignore accordingly. You have been warned.

1/

I know this may come as a shock, but I was never (and I mean, NEVER) considered one of the cool kids. As if my profile pic + constant barrage of LEGO, video games, Marvel movies & space travel Tweets weren't enough to tip you off, here's confirmation: I'm a total nerd.

2/

I was a decent baseball player, with awful knees. I had massive growth spurts as a teenager, which screwed up the inner-workings of said joints even more. I didn't get my driver's license until just before college because I spent a year in ankle to thigh casts or in PT. 

3/

I was in the "gifted and talented" program in grade school, got my first computer when I was 10 or 11, and spent more time than I should either playing or making games. I had (and still have) an amazing set of friends from that time, but I had "misfit" written all over me. 

4/

Do you know who else was considered misfits? The X-Men. Peter Parker. Fantastic Four. The list goes on. @Marvel in particular did an incredible job of capturing that "not one of us" vibe in its books & millions of kids like me nodded in recognition.

5/

I loved Spider Man not because of his superhuman strength, but because when the costume was off he was just another awkward kid trying to figure it out. He had a solid core of pals, yet his stories were often told through an "outside looking in" lens. Brilliant & relatable.

6/

The story arcs were fantastical, of course, but beneath the costumes and god-like abilities were people who wrestled with very familiar issues. They knew they were different. They were often violently misunderstood. Yet they still championed and protected humanity. 

7/

There was no such thing as "nerd chic" or "geek culture" back in the day. There was just "nerd" or "geek". Through all the awkwardness, however, a shared love of comics forged a diverse group of our own where we could feel @ home. It was great. Thank God for Marvel.
8/

Fast forward to today and the world of comics are in a whole other universe. Multi-billion dollar franchises, merch, pricey memorabilia... nerd culture has gone mainstream. I, for one, think it's pretty cool. Not quite a vindication, but something close to it. 

9/

For the past day or so, @prattprattpratt has been taking a raft of shit for...something. We're suddenly supposed to treat him as persona non grata. Maybe it's his faith or his church. Maybe he's a MAGA guy. I honestly don't know. I just know I'm supposed to cancel him.

10/

Earlier today, there was a Tweet highlighting Marvel costars who spoke out in his defense, as well as screen shots of comments - from racial epithets to death threats - they received for simply defending a friend. It's vile & reprehensible, but it's also thought-provoking. 

11/

These actors made a career out of playing characters who didn't quite fit in, yet those roles created unimaginable wealth and cemented their status as one of the cool kids. Unfortunately, some use that celebrity to belittle and ostracize those who don't share their views.

12/

Now that one of their own are in the mob's crosshairs, they're speaking out and defending the individual, as they should. Maybe Pratt's church has some exclusionary teachings. I don't know. But who subscribes to 100% of their own faith's tenets? 

13/

As a Catholic, I am not in alignment with everything my faith has done and, in some cases, is still doing. However, on the balance, a path of sacrifice, charity and humility is a pretty good path to walk, so I try to keep focused on the moral North Star it provides. 

14/

So here's my big concern: the pressure to make individuals into a one-dimensional caricature of their affiliations is pervasive & needs to stop. I'm guilty of doing it, largely as a reaction to being on the receiving end of it myself, but my voice is comparatively small. 

15/

When a celeb Tweets/reTweets something about "all Republicans" or "all Catholics", they're contributing to the bullshit they're dealing with right now. The fact that it happened to one of their own is a regrettable, but natural, progression of that mindset. 

16/

There's an awful lot of "hey, I know Chris and he's not like that at all" going on. Great. But every person who gets lumped into one of the categories you vilify has a "yeah, but" story as well. You can't decry the behaviors of a system you create and perpetuate. 

17/

As celebrities, you're members of an elite group that has some truly reprehensible creatures in its midst. So many actors and artists have walked a path and fallen, only to achieve redemption. What if we judged you by the lowest common denominator? Bye bye box office. 

18/

Unlike the "collection of outsiders" home the comic book world afforded me back in the day, we're carving ourselves (and others) into increasingly granular subdivisions, which leaves more people afraid to ask questions, make mistakes, explain their motives, etc. It sucks. 

19/

It's wonderful to see peers come to the defense of someone who doesn't deserve the ire of the mob mentality, but your sentiment rings hollow if you go right back to vilifying people who don't share your political affiliation or world view. The totality of a person matters. 

20/

Many of the responses to @zoesaldana, @MarkRuffalo, @RobertDowneyJr, et all are repugnant and I hope @jack takes quick action against those who are spewing hate and intolerance. There was never a more cut-and-dry case of targeted harassment.

21/

However, I really hope the exposure to how the mob & cancel culture operates will trigger a bit of introspection surrounding their place in the world, the privilege of platform, and how they might be contributing to the problem. I know I have to do WAY better in this area.

/END