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thehefnerCrimminy, but I do not care for working Wednesdays. I thank my lucky stars that I don't, usually. Not today, though. Um. Which is to say, today. I do. Work. Yes.
Wednesday, for those not in the know, is New Comics Day. This means it's an hour longer, and the most hardcore of readers come in by the nerdload, which means that I hardly get a chance to do much needed writing work, not to mention dicking around on the internet and LJ. Other writers probably understand what it's like to get into the creative mindset, only to be ripped out of it by someone talking to you.
Yes. This is the day where I'm expected to actually work. How dare they.
But seriously. Living out of a van down by the river as I tour THE HEFNER MONOLOGUES and eat ramen noodles is becoming increasingly attractive. At least that would hopefully mean I wouldn't have to deal with the scary six-foot-tall guy with crooked teeth who angrily talks to himself, with a fixed facial expression that constantly seems to say, "I'm going to kill the motherfucker who farted."
But at least I'm surrounded by comics to read. Here are some things that took my attention lately.
CRÉCY: Several of you here will know about the Battle of Crécy, and how important it was to both English history and the history of warfare. I'm sad to say that I didn't, but I certainly do now. I like Warren Ellis' writing a whole lot, but I do think he's crazy overrated (no, he's really not the new Alan Moore, thank you very much) and I seriously dislike his whole cult-of-personality Internet-Jesus persona wherein he encourages his fawning fanbase of hairy men and Suicide Girl rejects to suck his literary cock. I find his work often times too simplistic, which is because the majority of his work reads like the stories of a talented work-for-hire guy who can spit out a cool, serviceable comic without much beyond entertainment value for the paycheck. There's often little substance beyond his attractively cynical and admittedly fun "fuck you all, watch as I kick ass, and possibly your own" style.
That said, I think CRÉCY is one of the best damn things he's ever written. I'm tempted to say it's the greatest single short work of his to date.
I'd be interested to run it by some of my history-buff know-it-all friends here, as I know there are several. One customer here gave it to his father, a professor of history at Cambridge, who approved. If it's all true, then wow, that's all I can say. It's like a thinking-man's 300 (that's not saying much, mind you) with a "happier" ending, and that "fuck you all" style works very well here, I thought.
Some scans of CRÉCY can be seen here, for those interested.
STEPHEN KING'S DARK TOWER--THE GUNSLINGER BORN: I desperately loved the books (even with the parts that sucked or fell flat), and was so super crazy into this comic series when it started. Sadly, they increasingly fell to adaptationitis, where the stories felt forced and crammed and rushed. Kind of hard to retell a Stephen King time in six issues. Still, I loved seeing these characters brought to life (particularly Lee's versions of The Crimson King and The Good Man John Farson, both of whom he actually made scary, and I rather loved the smarmy cool of Roy DePape). Still I have high hopes for the next DARK TOWER comics, which will be all-new material, and thus hopefully Peter David will have a bit more freedom and a better pace.
Also, the art was gorgeous, although it could really have used more emotion in places. Say, for example, when a character is being burned to death on a bonfire and defiantly shouting out their last declaration of undying love, call me crazy, I think they should look a little more expressive than a glazed zombie would in that same situation.
THE PUNISHER: The only Garth Ennis book worth reading is still awesome. How can this, of all frickin' comics, be the most humane and fragile work Ennis has perhaps ever done? While THE BOYS and WORMWOOD continue to be juvenile, petty, and obnoxiously hateful books (yes, we get it, Garth, you hate religious and authority figures, and you love dick and fag jokes, good for you), PUNISHER continues to be one of the more powerful and sad books out there.
Okay, this entry took me two hours to write, with all the customers coming in. I suppose I'd better get back to work. Oh god, the scary huge crazy guy is coming back in. I can already hear him yelling at nobody outside.
Wednesday, for those not in the know, is New Comics Day. This means it's an hour longer, and the most hardcore of readers come in by the nerdload, which means that I hardly get a chance to do much needed writing work, not to mention dicking around on the internet and LJ. Other writers probably understand what it's like to get into the creative mindset, only to be ripped out of it by someone talking to you.
Yes. This is the day where I'm expected to actually work. How dare they.
But seriously. Living out of a van down by the river as I tour THE HEFNER MONOLOGUES and eat ramen noodles is becoming increasingly attractive. At least that would hopefully mean I wouldn't have to deal with the scary six-foot-tall guy with crooked teeth who angrily talks to himself, with a fixed facial expression that constantly seems to say, "I'm going to kill the motherfucker who farted."
But at least I'm surrounded by comics to read. Here are some things that took my attention lately.
CRÉCY: Several of you here will know about the Battle of Crécy, and how important it was to both English history and the history of warfare. I'm sad to say that I didn't, but I certainly do now. I like Warren Ellis' writing a whole lot, but I do think he's crazy overrated (no, he's really not the new Alan Moore, thank you very much) and I seriously dislike his whole cult-of-personality Internet-Jesus persona wherein he encourages his fawning fanbase of hairy men and Suicide Girl rejects to suck his literary cock. I find his work often times too simplistic, which is because the majority of his work reads like the stories of a talented work-for-hire guy who can spit out a cool, serviceable comic without much beyond entertainment value for the paycheck. There's often little substance beyond his attractively cynical and admittedly fun "fuck you all, watch as I kick ass, and possibly your own" style.
That said, I think CRÉCY is one of the best damn things he's ever written. I'm tempted to say it's the greatest single short work of his to date.
I'd be interested to run it by some of my history-buff know-it-all friends here, as I know there are several. One customer here gave it to his father, a professor of history at Cambridge, who approved. If it's all true, then wow, that's all I can say. It's like a thinking-man's 300 (that's not saying much, mind you) with a "happier" ending, and that "fuck you all" style works very well here, I thought.
Some scans of CRÉCY can be seen here, for those interested.
STEPHEN KING'S DARK TOWER--THE GUNSLINGER BORN: I desperately loved the books (even with the parts that sucked or fell flat), and was so super crazy into this comic series when it started. Sadly, they increasingly fell to adaptationitis, where the stories felt forced and crammed and rushed. Kind of hard to retell a Stephen King time in six issues. Still, I loved seeing these characters brought to life (particularly Lee's versions of The Crimson King and The Good Man John Farson, both of whom he actually made scary, and I rather loved the smarmy cool of Roy DePape). Still I have high hopes for the next DARK TOWER comics, which will be all-new material, and thus hopefully Peter David will have a bit more freedom and a better pace.
Also, the art was gorgeous, although it could really have used more emotion in places. Say, for example, when a character is being burned to death on a bonfire and defiantly shouting out their last declaration of undying love, call me crazy, I think they should look a little more expressive than a glazed zombie would in that same situation.
THE PUNISHER: The only Garth Ennis book worth reading is still awesome. How can this, of all frickin' comics, be the most humane and fragile work Ennis has perhaps ever done? While THE BOYS and WORMWOOD continue to be juvenile, petty, and obnoxiously hateful books (yes, we get it, Garth, you hate religious and authority figures, and you love dick and fag jokes, good for you), PUNISHER continues to be one of the more powerful and sad books out there.
Okay, this entry took me two hours to write, with all the customers coming in. I suppose I'd better get back to work. Oh god, the scary huge crazy guy is coming back in. I can already hear him yelling at nobody outside.
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Re: Sunday in the Park with George
Date: 2007-08-22 08:10 am (UTC)DAMN YOU SUPERBOY PRIME
Manhunter is one of my favourite films too. I suppose the 80's vibe is right through it, I just hadnt noticed it.
Personally I think Brian Cox was a better (and more restrained) Lecktor too.
As for Edinburgh, trust me, when you do come, you will go down a storm.
I was watching a programme on the festival last night and even though there are more and more acts on at the fringe, the quality is low (although I did like the sound of Macbeth on a bouncy castle - they showed a clip of the three witches, on broomsticks, bouncing up and down. To a bloke like me, thats almost perfect!).
So based on your writing in your posts, you will have no problems shining through.
I, Friend of Criswell, predict great things.
Re: Sunday in the Park with George
Date: 2007-08-22 01:24 pm (UTC)A number of people I know just can't get into MANHUNTER either. Bizarre how that and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE can have something in common! They're not for everyone. Honestly, I like it better than SILENCE, mainly because I think Michael Mann is a better director all-around, and I find William Petersen's Will Graham a FAR more interesting protagonist than Clarice Starling.
I totally agree about Brian Cox being better and more restrained than Hopkins. I actually say so in THE HEFNER MONOLOGUES, and challenge audience members to meet me in the lobby downstairs if they disagree.
Maybe I will give Edinburgh a shot, then. Hell, that production of the... erm, cough cough "Scottish Play" sounds fantastic! (I'm only superstitious insofar as I'm surrounded by OTHERS who are superstitious, and don't wanna get ugly looks. Also, all it would take to sabotage that production is a needle. Or an actor forgetting to take off his cleats before a performance.)
PULL THE STRING!