A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
V for pissed-offedness : Anti-immigrant subversion of dystopian superhero intertexts (2023)


Rantala, O. (2023). V for pissed-offedness : Anti-immigrant subversion of dystopian superhero intertexts. In R. Kauranen, O. Löytty, A. Nikkilä, & A. Vuorinne (Eds.), Comics and Migration : Representation and Other Practices (pp. 139-152). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003254621-9


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editors: Rantala, Oskari

Parent publication: Comics and Migration : Representation and Other Practices

Parent publication editors: Kauranen, Ralf; Löytty, Olli; Nikkilä, Aura; Vuorinne, Anna

ISBN: 978-1-032-13850-3

eISBN: 978-1-003-25462-1

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 31/03/2023

Pages range: 139-152

Number of pages in the book: 298

Publisher: Routledge

Place of Publication: Abingdon

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003254621-9

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/92693


Abstract

In 2019, the nationalist and populist Finns Party defied expectations and became the second-largest party in the Finnish Parliament. A significant component of the successful campaign was a video titled “V niin kuin ketutus” (“V for Being Pissed Off”). Its violence and the depiction of immigrants as sexual predators caused controversy and attracted nearly half a million views.

From the perspective of comics studies, the narrative short film is interesting because of its intermedial relations with comics. The film depicts a dystopian Finland governed by corrupt politicians and subjected to high levels of immigration; however, this dystopia is situated inside the story world of a comic book in the film. Furthermore, the film extensively appropriates V for Vendetta, a comics work by Alan Moore and David Lloyd (1982–1985, 1988–1989), and its film adaptation by James McTeigue and the Wachowskis (2005). The chapter discusses the ways in which the narrative strategies and aesthetics of these works are appropriated and the politics subverted to support an anti-egalitarian and anti-immigrant agenda and manufacture exploitable political controversy in the contemporary media landscape.


Keywords: right wing parties; populism; immigration policy; political advertising; advertising films; visual narrative; intertextuality; graphic novels; films; dystopias; superheroes

Free keywords: Finns Party; V for Vendetta (graphic novel, 1982-1989); V for Vendetta (film, 2006)


Contributing organizations


Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2023

JUFO rating: 3


Last updated on 2024-15-05 at 13:32