The Superhero Fantasies of Trump’s Mob
The insurrectionists have been sold a fiction, and their costumes warp the works that inspired them.
They thought they were heroes; that much is obvious. The animal furs and war paint, the banners and utility vests, the slogan slinging and wall climbing: Wednesday’s attack on the U.S. Capitol felt like fiction to watch, and doubtless many pro-Trump insurrectionists had Hollywood on their mind as they pillaged and took selfies. Some participants wore the logo of the Punisher, the Marvel Comics character who stabs muggers in Central Park. Others flaunted shirts that said CIVIL WAR in a font recalling the Avengers sequel of the same name. Those shirts were printed with the date January 6, 2021, which helps clear up whether the chaos was spontaneous.
