I for Irony

Matt Drudge, who, let's face it, is nothing but the world's most glorified (and vilified) link-blogger, can't stay away from the pre-release hype for V for Vendetta, linking to a Variety story on how Warner Bros., the studio behind the DC/Vertigo Comics flick, is "playing it cool" during the countdown to the film's release March 17:

In these edgy, post-9/11 times, how does a studio handle a movie featuring a terrorist-like hero who blows up the British Parliament building?

They call him a freedom fighter.

As an aside, the Variety story goes on to mention a proposed law in the U.K. that maybe, possibly could have been a spot of bother for Warner Bros.:

In the U.K., "Vendetta" has come into the spotlight in recent days thanks to a new measure passed by the House of Commons that would outlaw the "glorification" of terrorism.

There's no indication so far that the law could impact the release of "Vendetta," but studio execs must have been relieved when the House of Lords rejected the proposal late last week.

Alan Moore may have disowned the film based on the graphic novel he authored, but even he probably appreciates, however darkly, the fact that his native country's knee-jerk reaction to V for Vendetta is to become more like the government the book and film criticize. He may even appreciate the irony that it was the stodgy old House of Lords that stayed New Labour's hand.