Sharp-eyed viewers of HBO’s True Blood may have noticed a famous — or is that infamous? — Alex Ross illustration lurking in the background of one scene in this week’s episode.
On a wall at Fangtasia, the vampire bar in Shreveport, La., hangs Ross’ depiction of President Bush draining blood from the neck of the Statue of Liberty. The image caused a bit of a stir when it first appeared as the cover of The Village Voice on Oct. 26, 2004.
I’d meant to post something about this yesterday, but I have a mind like a sieve. Luckily, The New York Observer jogged my memory.
True Blood, Alan Ball’s follow-up to Six Feet Under, is based on Charlaine Harris’ popular series of “Southern Vampire” novels. You can read the show’s online comic, The Great Revelation, at the HBO website.
September 30th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I’m sure the right-wingers will come pouring out to call Ross a traitor, terrorist, heathen, and worse, but I love this. I love his work to begin with, but even if I didn’t this painting would make me a fan. A picture does indeed paint a thousand words. In Bush’s case, none of those words are good ones.
September 30th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
MWAHAHAHA. Take that, politics!
October 1st, 2008 at 12:52 am
awsome image defetly conveys what many in america are feeling about bush and his failed policys Alex Ross truly has no equal!
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I hope the show does not receive too much flak for the episode as it seems to be very popular with HBOs young viewing audience. I believe the graphic to be nothing more than a harmless political satire, and now that Bush is out of office, it is especially harmless. What would this democratic country be without comments on politics through graphic interpretation?