It is truly astounding how many of out current** comics demonstrate such a breathtakingly comprehensive understanding of the medieval conception of Antichrist. Spider-Man has lately been dealing with Antichrist's deceptive resemblance to Christ. Marmaduke has shown us that Antichrist's final world conquest is near at hand. Now Blondie has got in on the action.
On the surface, the comic below may look simply like yet another inane attack on progress. Blondie uses a new "miracle" product, and it dissolves Dagwood's sleeve. Ah ha ha ha...oh, but for the olde daies, when cleaning products were concocted in huge, steaming cauldrons and didn't actually work at all! I miss permanent stains! *Sigh*...
However, a closer look at that key word, "miracle," reveals the comic's hidden depths. Christ is a purveyor of "miracles"; Antichrist claims to be performing miracles but is actually accomplishing only "marvels," or black magic. Where Christ's powers come from God, Antichrist's derive from Satan. These powers may seem to have similar results, but only Christ's lead to truth and salvation.
Blondie's "miracle spray" is a demonstration of the hideous darkness behind the seemingly miraculous nature of Antichrist, here allegorised as a household cleaning product. Though the spray seems a convenient and magical method of stain- (or sin-) removal, as well as a vast improvement on the alternative, it actually consumes the Clothing of Righteousness worn by Mankind and possibly has a go at Mankind's arm as well. Our modern trust in convenience is, in fact, leading us to eternal damnation. We must shun apparent technological improvements (read: Antichrist) and embrace the true path to Heaven (read: poor personal hygiene and an utter refusal to use anything invented after 1392).
P.S.: Today's gloss is, in fact, about Antichrist. Cursor Mundi is a 24,000-line history of the world. The Antichrist material it contains seems to be based largely on Adso of Montier-en-Der's tenth-century Letter on the Origin and Life of the Antichrist. There...you learned something new today (unless, of course, you didn't).
*But I do not speak from experience. Oh, no. Not m--ow. Ow.
**I use the word "current" in its widest possible sense, of course.
2 comments:
While I have a degree in history, my interests are in periods somewhat later than 1392.* So, prithee tell, what was invented in 1392?
*My most recent endeavor is an article on the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Did you know that the guys tossed out of the window during the Defenestration of Prague** survived? There was a large manure pile under the window which gave them a soft landing.
**I always picture the Defenestration of Prague as an entire city being thrown out of a huge window.
Michael: No idea. However, I can provide you with a huge list of things that hadn't been invented in 1392 (including, natch, the sandwich...though I'm suspecting that Dagwood would have quite liked trenchers). I would very much like to see Blondie and Dagwood attempt to live without them.
Re. the Defenestration of Prague: It does rather sound as if Prague itself went out the window, doesn't it?
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