Girlz 'N' Games webcomic #90: Year of the Asshole

A surprising trend emerged during this year’s midyear blockbuster season (more commonly identified with the North American Summer). And that’s how often movie audiences were called on to like, admire and celebrate heroes who act like A) Assholes, B) Dickheads and C) Douchebags.

Of course, in reality many of history’s most respected figures haven’t exactly been shiny, principled paladins in all areas of their lives. This said, Hollywood doesn’t normally encourage audiences to think highly of characters who hurt or sacrifice innocents, or the inconsequential, for personal gain. Even antiheroes are typically on the side of the little guy.

Well, the “likeable hero” rule went out the window this year at the movies.

In a film entirely populated by unsympathetic characters, we were introduced to Green Lantern Hal Jordan blowing off another one night stand, forgetting his nephew’s birthday, and, most importantly, deliberately getting his wingman “killed” during a combat simulation (read my Green lantern review here).

Over in Michael Bay land, mass destruction, death and slavery came to Chicago because the Transformers needed to prove they were right all along about the Decepticons (read my Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon review here).

Finally, freshly "resurrected" Dumbledore the White revealed that Harry Potter AKA The Boy Who Lived should really have been known as The Boy Who Lived So He Could Be Fattened Up for the Kill. Given that he was thinking about the “greater good” and was working with a master plan, Dumbledore is actually a lot less of than an asshole than Hal and Optimus Prime. However, the Hogwarts principal does have a long douche-y tradition – like other wise white wizards – of abandoning the hero for long stretches and/or sitting on information that would have made others’ lives a lot easier and safer (read my Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 review here).

Were there any other assholes that cinema audiences have been encouraged to cheer for in 2011? Did I miss any other important ones?

Also, if you got a kick out of this Girlz 'N' Games comic, please "Like" the Girlz 'N' Games Facebook page. For the record I had a lot of fun drawing this strip, returning to mild caricature mode.