Let's Talk About Luigi
I was talking to a friend over drinks last night. As seems to be the case lately, the conversation drifted over to Luigi Mangione.
A couple of things dawned on me as we were speaking. First, this already seems destined to become the most significant crime story since OJ Simpson. And second, it feels like we are witnessing the emergence of a true American folk hero for what I think is the first in our lives.
I have a unique vantage point on all this. As the person behind FCTRY, it's my job to keep a close eye on current events. Basically, I read the tea leaves and say which way the wind is blowing so we know who to turn into our next action figure. What I'm looking for when I do this is the rare moment when someone sort of transcends the day-to-day news cycle and starts to take on a certain mythological quality - when they go from being human to being hero.
I've been doing this for a long time now, since 2006, and I've only seen it really, truly happen twice: when Obama emerged in 2008, and when Ruth Bader Ginsburg became a symbol of the Me Too movement in 2018. Luigi Mangione may very well be the third.
To be clear, it's not my job nor my place to comment on the morality of all this. I'll leave that to everyone else. I'm simply here to say unequivocally that Luigi Mangione has become a cultural icon and, if I'm reading the tea leaves right, he is on track to become a full-on legend along the lines of maybe Che Guevara. And as a fan of the whole phenomenon of cultural icons, I am completely riveted.
In fact, it may be the most riveting real-life story I've ever seen. If you think about some of the details - the inscriptions on the bullets, his ridiculous good looks - it's hard to believe this is not fiction.
Circling back to something I'd mentioned earlier, I believe it all adds up to something we've never truly seen in our lifetimes, in America; the rise of a folk hero.
I can tell you right now that, if we were turning him into an action figure and I were directing the project, we'd be using Robin Hood as the template.
If you place this all in the larger context of everything that's going on in the world right now, maybe that's exactly what we need.
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19 comments
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It’s been quite awhile since your action figure. I’m surprised you don’t have another one in the works, since there so many true patriots to choose from. Please no JD Vance.
Jerry Heim on
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Whole lot of right wing “won’t someone think of the poor billionaires” bullshit going on here. Wouldn’t surprise me if some wierdo russian troll farm was at work because vlad is big mad about being a bad guy.
Now, as far as Luigi goes, it’s a sure thing for me, hell you donate a portion of the proceeds to his defence fund and I’ll buy 2!
JD on
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I have purchased almost all of your action figures. I will not buy the villains except for prison suit trump. It’s on my mantel with a dinosaur tearing off his arm and a hyena chewing its leg!) I really want to get Michelle Obama and Liz Cheney and even Tim Waltz Adam Schiff, Hakeem Jeffries. I will support these!
denise on
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I have all of your action figures. Please no Mangione. He’s an assassin, there is nothing heroic about him. I’m waiting for my Michelle and the podium and the Tim Walz and yes I would buy the 1/6 Capital police and Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger. I bought Putin, Kim Jong Yun and trump but they are different sorts of criminals than Mangione. We all know that if Mangione was a fat pimply, stringy haired ugly guy that he would not be hailed as a hero. Shooting a man in the back is despicable.
Fran on
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I have bought all your. Action figures except #45. I won’t buy a Mangione. I’m also fascinated by his role in this moment, but he’s still a vigilante. I will buy a Liz Cheney, an Officer Fanone, a Michelle Obama.
Vicki McNeil on
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I have bought all your. Action figures except #45. I won’t buy a Mangione. I’m also fascinated by his role in this moment, but he’s still a vigilante. I will buy a Liz Cheney, an Officer Fanone, a Michelle Obama.
Vicki McNeil on