Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Alan Moore, anonymous, Comics, david lloyd, dc comics, julian assange, v for vendetta, wikileaks

Julian Assange, Wikileaks And V For Vendetta

Published Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:16:40 -0600

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:36:26 -0600

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It does appear that, thanks to V For Vendetta, the Guy Fawkes imagery and V logo is becoming a true symbol for the 21st century. This was a scene outside the London courts this week, a group of protestors dressed as V , holding Free Assange signs. It's not the first time V and Julian Assange have been associated. Take this poster from November;

The Wikileaks defence activist group Anonymous has been using the V symbology for some time. Here are some of their anti-Scientology protests.

What is different here is that Julian Assange is being associated with V. Which may play into the hands of people who accuse Assange of being a terrorist. V was clearly a terrorist aiming to bring down a corrupt government and take revenge on those who held him captive and tortured him. The film's ending gave us a crowd of Vs, all wearing masks and it's that collective identification and simultaneous anonymity that is so appealing to Anonymous as imagery. And means that comic shops keep selling more and more of those masks.

But, whatever image you choose, there are some who will take that iconography and use it in ways you never intended.