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If Britain Votes To Remain In The European Union, Mark Millar May Move To Canada (UPDATE)

Today is the day Great Britain votes on whether or not to remain a member of the European Union or to leave.

I've been talking to comic book creators regarding their own opinions of the matter. And, aside from one individual, every single one is voting Remain. The outlier is Mark Millar, who has become a prominent Leave figure in the national debate.

Indeed, if Remain win, he is considering moving his family to Canada.

Here are a few examples of what comic book creators have been saying. Interspersed by other tweets from Millar.

The Guardian newspaper quoted Captain Britain co-creator and London born Chris Claremont as saying "He would definitely vote for the UK to stay in Europe. From his perspective, we don't move ahead by building a wall around our bit of the global village…. He would see it as the point being not to lock people out of the country, but finding a way to make everyone feel welcome whoever they are. From Captain Britain's point of view we live in a great, heavily populated omniverse and our reality is just one part of that. In each of the parallel worlds there is a lighthouse on every shore of every England where the champion has his base. His role is to see the bigger picture and to stand up as an exemplar of things worth fighting for, to foster a sense of commonwealth. Captain Britain is not about representing an empire, he's about standing up for everyone and fighting for the betterment of all. That's not such a bad ethos for a super-hero."

From Ilya

These days we are mostly encouraged to perceive everything as strictly surface – taking a thing for what it appears to represent, rather than considering what it reflects upon or embodies. The comic strip I have crafted for Reframe, in response to and concerning UK feelings towards EU membership, was primarily intended to be entertaining. It could easily be dismissed as little more than a few easy 'Allo 'Allo style jokes around broad perceptions of national identity. It IS that… but also, as you will hopefully appreciate, a little bit more.

As a UK citizen, I am troubled by Britain's hugely equivocal stance when it comes to the European Union and our place within it. Britain has been a member state since 1973 – nearly my whole life – but to hear most of its people talk, and the way our simplistic 'news' feeds continually carp about Brussels 'madness', you wouldn't think it.

To strain an obvious football analogy, we were invited to play the game, and joined in. Two years later, in 1975, we voted to stay in. Ever since then, we seem to forever sulkily hold onto the ball, or else question the referee's every decision.

We remain joined within 'the community', yet apart. We accept the benefits, whilst relegating anything we perceive as deficit to the status of someone else's problem. (Consider for a moment the shameful treatment of Greece this last summer…)

To swap to a second metaphor, it is behaviour as childish and ridiculous as riding together on the same train, whilst at the same time expecting to keep one of the carriages all to ourselves…

Are we in or are we out?

We cannot have it both ways – but that is ALL that we forever seem to try and do.

There are currently moves afoot to put Britain's continued EU membership back to the vote in a nationwide referendum, by 2017 or even sooner – a crucial, life-changing decision that an uninformed public is nowadays simply unqualified to make. With governmental bias and an entirely compromised media, what chances do we have?

One article's strapline that I saw more than once today read, "Britain's eurosceptics are not yet ready for a fight". I must confess that I wonder just how much of a fight they will get…

The strip itself risks being a tad over-busy, which can be put down to the present author's hard time ever being succinct. The Reframe project also allowed for a slight return to an old idea of mine, for what would have been an entire original graphic novel. My entry is based in small part on this – a tragicomic, transcontinental odyssey that explores and satirically skewers nationalistic fervour wherever it might be found – an unrealised concept that now seems more relevant and pressing than ever. So, if there's any book publisher or editor reading this who's intrigued to know more – talk to me! There's a lot more where this came from…

Finally, a word on the colour palette. If you hadn't already guessed, it is broadly analogous to the national flags of each country in which events take place – France, Germany (for Switzerland, too tall an order in only red and white), Italy. Not only that, it's a conscious nod to the four-colour separation glories of the kind of British comics I grew up on (Beano, Beezer, etc). None of those sophisticated or restrained French BD album palettes here! Let's hear it for the ol' red, green, blue, yellow…

From Paul Rainey

Tony Lee tells me,

Never has our country been so split over such a life changing decision. No matter what we vote, no matter what happens on the 23rd of June, I just hope that the country isn't permanently at odds with each other. I've seen countless friendships end already, on Facebook and Twitter, after debates become too heated and tempers flare. All over differing opinions on a broken European Parliament that, even if we do stay, we might not be able to fix.

What will I be voting? I'll be voting Remain. My reasons are my own and I'll respect your own opinions, whether you leave or remain. All I ask is you respect mine. And more importantly, remember that a friendship isn't worth losing over a difference of opinion about men in suits in Brussels.

All that matters is no matter who you vote for, please vote. Because apathy will kill our country, and our democratic system far quicker than division.

From Paul Rainey

Si Spurrier writes

Never, in the history of history–

–has the world become a better or happier place as a result of exclusion, exclusivity or discrimination. As a species we shine when removing barriers, not entrenching borders.

In everyday life we rightly disapprove when a person takes action to empower him- or herself in the certain knowledge it will harm others. Whenever it happens we like to believe that that individual, in the long run, will harm themselves through their own short-sightedness. The narrative always catches-up with a self-entitled bastard.

And whenever we encounter people who spend their time blaming others for their misfortunes – walking away when they could be engaging proactively, sulking at the world's complexity rather than trying to do something to improve the common lot – we regard them as moaners, quitters and responsibility-dodgers.

I do not wish to be a part of a poorly-adjusted, blame-fixated, ringfenced, paranoid little Hermit State.

Please, folks. Vote with the world, not with your fear

Mark Millar believes that ex-Prime Minister Ted Heath was a paedophile.

From Paul Rainey

Liam Sharp writes,

'It'll be no surprise to anybody that I'll be voting to stay in. You know me. I'm all about altruism. Caring. Inclusion. And not about building walls. It's how I was raised, and it's how I have come to understand the world – by listening to wiser people than me. I'm also an immigrant myself, having moved to the US recently (where similar trial grip the country) and have friends from all walks of life, and family that could well be in a mess if we exit, as they may not be able to stay in their adopted country.

I also truly believe that it will just give the very wealthy more power over the poor, and will make travel abroad harder and more expensive. Yes, it's not perfect, but I liked being part of the bigger picture. We're going to find ourselves a tiny, isolated island I think. I fear for the worst, and that it's nothing like the break for freedom that people believe it will be.

So I do find it sad to be the polar opposite of so many I love.

My final point is that I can't find a single well-known person – political or otherwise – who's views I share on most things that wants 'out'. On the other hand there are many many well-known people who I strongly disagree with that want 'out'. That's all I need to know. I don't really get why so many decent people are listening to so many not-so-decent people.

Man, even Jerome Clarkson wants us to stay in, and I barely agree with that guy about anything, entertaining though he is!

It's terrible that it has caused such rancour."

From Paul Rainey

Joe Glass writes,

This referendum has been an ugly affair.

A debate which frankly should never even have been had. The concept of pulling our nation from being part of something larger; of sundering the European family in favour of an unknowable possible future that some would only vaguely argue would see a return to some fabled nostalgic fantasy of a Great Britain, which in itself relied on the notion that our nation is somehow not great as it is.

There is, and only ever was, one option: remain. In. Stay. Because we are not a nation that gives up. We are not a nation that cuts ourselves of. We should stand together with our neighbours, to make a change, to make a difference, to Europe, and to the world.

That is why I am voting Remain. And I hope that you do too.

From Paul Rainey

Paul Duffield writes,

It's worth noting that I've actually been directly and negatively affected by the EU. Their new VAT laws are aimed at curbing tax-dodging by large corporations, but they disadvantage small internet businesses. Many people I know had to shut their stores because of these rules, and I've had to modify my plans for the future because of them.

However, I'M STILL VOTING REMAIN. Selling to the EU would be harder and more expensive without being in the EU, and there are many other advantages that I take for granted.

Instead, I've been campaigning for change, contacting my MEP (Member of European parliament), petitioning, and consciousness raising.

I think that the key to change is targeted effort. Exiting and hoping things will be better without understanding exactly how does not seen like a solution to my problems with the EU, or anyone else's…

it seems more like the equivalent of jumping out of a moving vehicle and hoping I like where I land.

John Wagner writes,

This is the single most important vote any of us will ever take part in, so whatever your preference, get out there and vote. Though I should remind LEAVE voters that your voting day is tomorrow.

Paul Grist echoed this,

Thanks to new EU regulations the referendum has to be held over 2 days. Those voting to remain vote today, those voting to leave vote tomorrow. Damn those pesky regulations.

Paul Cornell posted

Tom Oldham of Gosh Comics posted,

Thank you to all my friends and acquaintances who moved to the UK from other countries. You're contribution to this island's society and culture is essential and one of the few elements which make life here bearable. I'm sorry if this mongrel nation has made you feel unwelcome, especially over the last few months. Thank you for tolerating aspects of this referendum with patience and dignity. You are loved and appreciated. Right, off to vote.

Chris J Thompson of Orbital Comics

I really hope those who are on the fence choose to ‪#‎Remain‬ and give themselves the option to reconsider in future. Leave doesn't allow that.

Steve Pugh has more practical matters in mind

hmmmm- cash my american cheques now, or wait till after the EU vote?

John Freeman writes,

I'm voting ‪#‎Remain‬ on the basis of continued reform, advocated by the Green and Socialist parties. I don't trust those at the centre of the Leave campaign to do right by us. Their track record shows they are as much in the pockets of the Bosses as some in Remain. Continued reform from within.

Rufus Dayglo writes

Get by with a little help from my friends. Vote Remain today. We are Europe. #eureferendum #voteremain #remain #in #uk #euro #europe #family #together #love

 Martin Hand told us he had

– VOTED – it was quite busy but i was slightly concerned by the number of old people voting (presuming them to be leavers) – then i remembered that i was 51, so in no position to cast aspersions… – anyway, here's hoping for a REMAIN result today

Kev F Sutherland found he had a social media dilemma.

Confirmation Bias, thy name is Facebook. Since, obviously, almost everyone I know thinks like me, I'm reduced to picking petty fights with the few "friends-of-friends" who are Brexiteers. Pathetic. If I'm a real man, why don't I go out into a proper pub full of baldy blokes and shout "I'm forRemain – anyone got a problem with that?" (Then engage in constructive debate).

So if we vote Remain (as the polls are currently edging towards) will Mark Millar stay in the UK or will he emigrate to Canada? And what's the appeal for Canada anyway?

He has Hope…

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