Spiderman, Superman, Zarqawi

In today's al-Quds al-Arabi:

I'm sure that some readers will opt for the obvious, surface commentary: that the US for all its power still can't catch Zarqawi.  But look closer.   

As the cartoonist obviously knows, Spiderman does not exist in the same universe as Superman and Batman.   This clearly is meant as a meta-commentary on the nature of Zarqawi:  he exists at the juncture of multiple universes, at that zone of media events and cross-overs where alternative realities can collide and in which anything is possible.  Is Zarqawi a creature of this shadow zone?  Is he as meaningless as a Marvel-DC "cross-over event", whose doings have no impact on "real" continuity. 

Or, perhaps, a sly wink at Mark Millar's Ultimates 2, those Persons of Mass Destruction otherwise known as the Avengers, who I understand are to be set loose on Iraq?

And why our heroes' despair?  Is Zarqawi really a greater menace than, say, the duo of Darkseid and Dark Phoenix which confronted the X-Men and Teen Titans two decades ago?

Or maybe it really is just the surface text.  Who knows?   

Comments

[SP]

Dude - I feel sorry for Baby Aardvark - will she be able to enjoy comics without deconstructing commentary?

[The Sandmonkey]

It is possible he is a creation of the amalgam universe created when the marvel and DC heros collided in order to save their respective universe. However, any dark Pheonix or Darkseid associations are doubtfull, because zaraqawi is too religious for either one's taste and we know that he is loosely affiliated with Magneto and Magneto doesn't like to share minions.

I can't help but wonder though: why is superman pointing a gun to his head in the picture? You know the bullet will just bounce off. Is he pretending to be sad about this? Could it be that his new secret identity is zarqawi? I mean, when u think about it, it makes perfect sense: He would never be suspected to be superman,he always manages to get away and disappear faster then a speeding bullet one might say, and he does have black hair. Hmmm... I smell me a conspiracy! Once i figure out how to incorporate the Bushes into it, it will become absolutely believable.

Ok, my geek rant is over!

[Tom Scudder]

It's possible the gun is loaded with (green) Kryptonite bullets.