Posted in: Comics | Tagged: queen, queen elizabeth, uk

Comic Creators React To The Death Of Queen Elizabeth II

So I found out that the Queen was dead hours after everyone else, as I was attending an interactive version of Guardians Of The Galaxy at Wembley Park in the UK from Secret Cinema, and, emerging after hours of good cheers, swag and making of Ravager friends-for-life, I was informed of the news by Wembley Stadium in the fashion below, which is the first time I have ever learned major world news from a football pitch.

I am an ideological republican but a pragmatic monarchist. While I find the concept of a royal family ridiculous and dangerous, I temper that with the good they do for the country on the world stage, and how they absolutely make up for any of their financial costs with the money they draw from abroad, with the USA, China and Japan more fascinated with them than any Brit. They are our greatest diplomatic card to play, the Queen performed a great double act with Paddington, and the new King Charles III loves Spike Milligan so he can't be that bad.

I came home on the tube and the bus – I didn't go on the Elizabeth Line, but I did use the Jubilee. And while I understand there was a mass vigil at the gates of Buckingham Palace, the rest of London just got on with things, no one really cared, unless they had a joke or two to make.

So how are comic book creators reacting to the news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the appointment of King Charles III to the throne, alongside the Queen Consort, who will probably be called Queen Camilla by everyone… well, the Americans are offering sympathies and memories. And the Brits are telling jokes.

Rob Liefeld: Rest In Peace, Queen Elizabeth.

Cully Hamner: Whatever one thinks of the monarchy, the woman herself was living history. RIP, Queen Elizabeth II, who saw it all.

Billy Tucci:God Save The King. You have mighty shoes to fill. #QueenElizabeth #Queen

Josh Adams:Easily been the weirdest year of my life. Terrible loss, bittersweet success, but it's also a weird year for the world. Multiple generations have lived their lives to this date with Queen Elizabeth as the ever-present monarch of the UK. The world now starts a new chapter. RIP.

Patch Zircher: I don't have much to say about Queen Elizabeth II passing away except that she seemed pretty nice…mostly.

Simon Williams: That's exactly how I've felt today. Rest in peace Queen Elizabeth.

Brad Meltzer:"Giant leaps often start with small steps." – Queen Elizabeth II

Tim Hanley: Monarchy is dumb and the UK is a colonialist nightmare, but the queen certainly led a remarkable life.

Valerie D'Orazio: What a weird day. At least I got to share a pint with the construction workers over the Queen.

Fredrik Malmberg: I am not a royalist but really admired Queen Elizabeth.

Nancy Collins: The Queen Is Dead. Long Live The King.

Chris Claremont: The Queen (Liz-2) has passed, God Bless Her.   Truly, an era has ended.

Joe Harris: I really can't stand mean-spirited posts about Queen Elizabeth. Snark, fine. But mean? You're not the fucking Sex Pistols.

Ty Templeton: I met the queen in person only once– I was presented to her as part of my martial arts/movement troupe on the occasion of her visit to Canada in the 70s. She cracked some jokes about the Guess Who (a popular Canadian band at the time) and offered me a hit from a hip flask of something alcoholic. I don't drink so I turned it down, which I now regret. She told me I was the first person to call her a "fun broad", a term she took an unusual delight to, and it became our secret code word when we communicated subsequently. She always called me "Sven", but gave no explanation- it's possible she thought it was my actual name. I'm going to miss her, she was a fun broad.

Paul Gravett: I can hear a church bell ringing, all the flags will be going to half mast. I am not a strong Royalist myself, but Elizabeth II has been there symbolically my whole life long, right through to the big Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Until right now… Truly, the end of an era, and a time now to pause, reflect and respect.

Kieron Gillen:Relax. Emma Frost is fine.

John Reppion:The point of the UK having a monarch in the 21st century has never been more clear, as everyone with historical grievances with England now focuses on the dead Queen, as if she was solely responsible for it all, and now that she's gone it's some kind of victory.

Andy Khouri:I normally disapprove of those things but I'd like to see one of those celebrities-in-heaven pieces with Queen Elizabeth and Leslie Nielsen. One thing I really liked about the Queen is she stopped getting new Corgis after a while because she knew she was going to die soon, and she didn't want the dogs left without someone to take care of them properly. She loved animals and knew her family were fucking useless.

Ben Templesmith: Has CNN or any US news channel bothered to ask citizens of other countries that had the British queen as head of state for their reactions? I guess Canada, Australia etc are just used to being "less than a nation" to be thought of when *their head of state* dies. It's telling. Also is no one suspicious of the new UK PM being one of the last people to see the Queen alive? Seems fishy.

Jim Dougan:I don't know how all this succession stuff works, is Leah Williamson the Queen now?

Darick Robertson: While it was hardly a personal experience, I did accidentally see the Queen go by, in person, the last time I was in London in 2019… Just lucky timing. She was on her way to parliament to speak about Brexit.

Ed Brisson:When do King and Queen auditions start? I think I have a lot of fun ideas to bring to the table.

Chuck Satterlee: The Queen is dead. Long live the King. But he is 73… so… Too soon?

Duncan Jones:It's a very odd sensation to hear about the Queen passing away. I hope all those closest to her that needed to say their farewells were able to. Now the UK starts a new era… or maybe it doesn't.

Ryan Stegman: So I've started a store. You can buy books direct from me! What a day! Also, if you sign up for a paid sub on @klcpress
you can get a discount! VANISH books! Marvel books!

Donny Cates: Ryan the queen just died show some respect

Ryan Stegman: I'M the queen now baby. The queen of STEGWORLD

David Roach: It's a sad day, of course, and even though I'd rather not get into the rights or wrongs of the monarchy as an institution today, I can't help reflecting on the way the Queen's death is being commemorated today. Perhaps I'm just naturally contrarian, but I don't like being told how to feel, and constantly informed about how much the Queen meant to me. This sort of institutionalised mourning, seemingly enforced across every radio and TV channel, surely has no place in a free society in the 21st Century. I don't want to be told to tug my forelock and genuflect. I was particularly irritated by the speech from the other Liz, our latest PM in a long line of the obsequious and wretched. No, she was not "the rock on which modern Britain was built", surely everything progressive about our current society was built in opposition to the repressive class system the monarchy inevitably represents. And it's ludicrous to say the "Britain is the great country it is today because of her", No- We made it; The artists, writers, Scientists, Politicians, workers and thinkers. But as I say, any death is a tragedy for family and loved ones and I don't doubt that the Queen was a caring, kind soul so I'll happily celebrate her life here today

Ilias Kyriazis: Ok enough with the medieval fantasy bullshit you keep posting! First it's about some dragons, then elves… now it's about a queen or something(?) It's 2022 and this is the real world.Ok enough with the medieval fantasy bullshit you keep posting! First it's about some dragons, then elves… now it's about a queen or something(?) It's 2022 and this is the real world.

Liam Sharp: Hard to believe the Queen has died. I was starting to think she was actually immortal! I've never been a royalist or anything like that, but what a long and storied life.

Terry Overall:Weird feeling isn't it? Fairly ambivalent about the Royals most of my life but I'm actually quite saddened. Most of those who saw this happen the last time, are long gone. Living in a historic moment.

Gary Frank: Yeah, it's weird. On the one hand, institutionally, she's a relic of some despicable parts of our history while, personally, she evokes much of what makes me feel affection for the UK. Her Britain is gone, though. It's now the Britain of Farage, Johnson, food banks & Tufton St.

Joe Eisma: Knowing we will have to see weeks worth of takes from people on the Queen and the Monarchy

Abraham Josephine Riesman: I'm seeing reports that the Queen converted to Judaism on her deathbed, which means all of her subjects are now Jewish, too. All hail the new Khazar Empire

Josh Trujillo! I know it's supposed to be a burn, but the title of "Queen Consort" sounds kinda sexy and fun.

Jon Moisan: The economy is so bad that Prince Charles has to get his first job at age 73

Tony Lee: The Queen has died at 96. This feels weird to say. She's been a part of my life since I was born, every coin, stamp, note has her face on it. As her family became an episode of Eastenders, she kept quiet and dignified. Sure, she made mistakes. We all do. Rest in peace, Ma'am.

Tyler Crook: I'm just now hearing about the queen of England. So sad. Does anyone have a link to her family's go fund me?

Grace Randolph: An incredible run and legacy which will become even more evident as we see England transition to a new King RIP Queen Elizabeth

Andrew Wheeler:The Queen has rightly decided that she cannot stomach meeting any more Conservative Prime Ministers.

Ramzee:I don't want a King. Can we end the monarchy now, please?

John Reppion: Sadly, this couldn't have happened at a better time for the Right Wing Royalists, so it will not even be open to serious discussion (as it might have been if the Queen had died, like 10 or 15 years ago). There will be lots of "she lived through the war, and so did we" flag waving. They'll say about how even the Queen had to "muck in" and "tighten her belt" during the war, "and that's what Alice, who is 87 and lives on her own up two flights of stairs will be doing this winter. Just like the Queen did. But in a freezing council flat".

Ramzee: It's a very interesting time. Her successors aren't particularly well loved or regarded and Britain has never been more divided as it enters one of its most difficult periods in over 40 years. The right wing press might use this death as a pacifier but the problems are too big

John Reppion: Her death marks the inescapable end of (the idea of) an era which, in truth, ended long ago. But the loss of that link to the rose tinted fantasy of the good old days and "proper" England is going to send the Right into overdrive, I think. And it's going to be bad.

Ramzee: Yes. I saw this tweet and it made me think that we have a very difficult time on the horizon that might spur people to protest etc & this death and the extravaganza of a coronation might prove a bit of a distraction for quite a % of the population maybe. dumbly it didn't even occur to me how much a state funeral and coronation is going to cost – I know it's icky to talk about but the taxpayer has really been getting a hammering the last 3 years with the rich contributing sweet F.A.

Scott McCloud:China—Powers of Emperor without the title. Russia—Powers of Czar without the title. Egypt—Powers of Pharaoh without the title. Title without power = better. Keep clawing it back, UK.

John Reppion: Ah, finding the money for a big funeral and a coronation will be no problem for them. No problem at all.

Adam P. Knave: Who will be the first pop culture site to run the headline: "Queen Elizabeth, of both Marvel and DC Comics, dies."

I mean, I was tempted.

Tom Peyer:Well I didn't have the Queen shitting all over Disney Plus Day on my 2022 bingo card

JohnLayman: Probably a blessing Her Majesty didn't hang on long enough to be disappointed by today's @tompeyer
tweets.

Tom Brennan: "I'll be dead before a live action Disney's Pinocchio is released." – Queen Elizabeth, 1985

G Willow Wilson:Wondered if they would cancel the Europa League match in Manchester in light of the Queen's death. They have not, but the mood on the broadcast is eerie.

Chris Burnham: Wait I thought the queen died in like 1986

Ben Templesmith: I guess I *am* looking forward to a medieval styled funeral & then coronation of Prince Charles though. I do like historic stuff. But royalty is only worth it if some other bloke can come in & usurp. The last of the Plantagenets is an Australian. It's time to press the claim.

Of course, no reaction will beat that from Les Miserables, whose social media tweet was rapidly pulled down.

Though weirdly Hamilton's with the exact same wording is still up…

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