What It Is – (beware) The Ides of March edition [2015]

With apologies to Dave the Thune (as well as Mike Baron & Steve Rude).

WRITING:

Every day.  1000 words.  That’s the goal. 

A week ago I took my second day off from writing for the year.  Since then, I’ve plugged away at the novel, which, though it progresses, is wandering through the weeds.  I can see the end approaching, but the space between where I’m at now and where I need to end up is murky.  I know some very specific things that need to happen, but I haven’t got the connecting threads mapped out, instead discovering them each day, as I complete one scene and start to conjure the next.  It’s been a challenge and a bit scary, but there have also been exciting revelations and inspirations, while I have also picked up a thread I’d dropped off earlier in the manuscript believing I would not come back to it.  But this thread represents a fairly heavy emotional moment that is coming right up.  I’m anxious to write the scene, but feeling a bit of trepidation too, worried I won’t be able to fully evince what I’m aiming for.  At least I’ll have a chance to fix it in revisions this fall. 

READING:

Read Shakespeare’s ­Comedy of Errors this week, and it was great.  Not as dense or layered as his dramas, obviously, but I really enjoyed the word play utilized by Shakespeare, and the manner in which he drove the farce forward.  Nothing invigorates me more than reading one of his plays, and this one – upon my first reading – did not disappoint.

Also read Grendel: Devil’s Reign by Matt Wagner and Tim Sale.  I continue to be impressed with the way Matt Wagner would continually change up the storytelling approach for every new storyline.  With this, continuing the story of Orion Assante five-hundred years in the future, Wagner returns to a familiar approach – thick blocks of text, taken from a “history text” of the time – and infuses it with traditional comic panels (rather than the highly-illustrative and design heavy images from his initial foray, Devil by the Deed) to create a hybridized approach.  But this text-heavy narrative is only have of a chapter, with each one filled out by a more traditional comic book approach that showcases a different, but parallel, storyline that eventually intertwines with the main narrative upon the completion of this story.  It’s impressive and admirable, how Wagner and his cohorts come to every storyline in this varied fashion. 

Something else that struck me, upon finishing this volume, is the fact that, despite being part of the Grendel narrative, this volume, like almost every other one, has very little Grendel in it.  Devil’s Reign is about the transformation of Orion Assante into the first Grendel-Khan, a name he does not officially take upon himself until the final chapter.  Similarly, in the previous God and the Devil storyline, Grendel, in the guise of Eppy Thatcher, was always hanging above the story, but his time “on-screen” was minimal at best, even if his scenes were dramatic and important to the overall narrative.  [damn, I love the word narrative]  It’s an impressive feat, and something worthy of further examination, but that will have to wait for another time. 

WATCHING:

Started season two of Downton Abbey.  The writing – even if it does slip into the overly melodramatic, and can be too on the nose, at times – is still impressive.  With the first couple episodes, they have managed to imbue the two most reprehensible characters with some humanity, which is disconcerting because I enjoyed hating them.  It’s rather impressive the ease with which this was done – and I do understand that, though it may look easy on-screen, it was certainly not easy in the writing room.  Definitely want to try and take some lessons away from this aspect of the show. 

Also finished up my Tarantino (re)-watch this week, with Django Unchained.  That was some kind of a great movie.  Disturbing, cathartic, and bloody – three words that I think sum up much of Tarantino’s filmography.  Not sure what more I can say about this.  Tarantino just seems to be getting better.  I’m anxious to see Hateful Eight, and am curious if he will be using chapter headings again.    

 

MISCELLANY:

This week I finished up my reminiscence/examination of my affection for the Flash, from DC comics.  The Scarlet Speedster has always been my favorite hero.  I don’t know if I managed to explicate why that it and where it orginated – my aim with the five pieces – but I had fun doing it, and I hope you find something to enjoy.  They can be found at:

Part 1: Introduction 

Part 2: Barry Allen 

Part 3: Carmine Infantino 

Part 3.5: the Rogues 

Part 4: Wally West 

SIGN OFF:

As always, check out my friends – Brad& Matt and Don McMillan, as well as Dan’s foray into podcastdom, the Potato League Podcast, for their own weekly recaps on things comic-y and geeky, and we'll see what's what in seven.  

-chris

What It Is – week ending 7 March [2015]

With apologies to Dave the Thune (as well as Mike Baron & Steve Rude).

WRITING:

Every day.  1000 words.  That’s the goal.

48 straight days of writing without a break, and 65 of 66 days, so far, in 2015.  Even when I plan on taking a day off, the fates conspire, open a doorway for me, and I walk through.

 (ahhhhhh, the poetical metaphorical)  

I passed 70,000 words for the year and am 92,000+ words into the first draft of the novel.  I am almost to a point with the novel where I can see the end rearing its ugly head.  I’m feeling pretty good about that and am anxious to pull the train into the station.

(again with the damn metaphors, what the heck, man?)

Last year I completed the first draft of a YA novel on my birthday.  As I continued writing this latest novel, I considered that I might pull that same trick again, but at this point I’m unsure.  Seems like there’s more novel to get written down than days left to the end of this month, but we’ll see. 

(that was a boring, non sequitur-type aside; quit yappin’)

Anyway.  Looking forward to finishing this up so I can get to some of the short stories I have lingering around.  I hope to double the number of “completed” stories I have on hand by the middle of the summer, in order to broaden the scope of my submissions.  So, onward and upward. 

READING:

I’m reading the novel Disgruntled by Asali Solomon.  Revolving around a young, black girl in 1980s West Philadelphia whose parents, before divorcing, created an activist group called the Seven Days, based upon a similar (but more militant) group from Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon (which is next on the to-read pile).  It follows Kenya (the young girl) as she deals with her parents’ divorce, moving into her grandmamma’s home and going to a private school, and all the trials that come not only from being an adolescent but also being female and black in Reagan’s America.  It’s an engaging, wonderfully written book.

Also reading Matt Wagner’s Grendel: God and the Devil.  Five hundred years in the future, America and the world is contaminated, many parts of the Earth unfit for any living beings.  Corporations now run the world (that’s different, how?), with various parcels of land carved out by these conglomerates as their bases of power, and the church of Pope Innocent XLII oversees it all, wringing money from those who can ill afford it, in order to build a giant weapon that will block out the sun.  But Grendel, in the guise of a junkie addicted to a drug he calls Grendel (if I read that correctly), is here to save us from the church – or maybe he just wants to kill the Pope; either way, the same ends will be achieved, a similar theme to be found throughout Wagner’s Grendel mythos. 

Art is shared by John K. Snyder, III, Jay Geldhof, Bernie Mireault, and Tim Sale, and it all meshes nicely, with the styles of these disparate artists similar enough to allow one to appreciate the story without feeling jarred by a sudden shift in delineation.  I haven’t gotten to the end of this yet, but it’s another fine offering in the broader Grendel story that Wagner has been telling for over thirty years, now.  Great stuff.

Also read the first two collections of Geoff Johns & Jim Lee’s Justice League.  That … was a comic.  And if you enjoy full-page and double-page splashes, this is the comic for you.  Not that it was bad, per se.  It entertained well enough while I read it.  But once I finished these two volumes, any residue from the narrative seeped right out of my ears, and all that’s left are the foolish characterizations of Hal Jordan and Diana Prince that DC and Johns chose to go with in this iteration of their greatest superhero team.  At least I still have my JLI issues. 

Finally, though, the big winner of this week was Hit: 1955 from Boom Studios – written by Bryce Carlson with art by Vanesa Del Rey.  A crime comic set in 1955 Los Angeles … oh, man this was great.  It reminded me very much of the film adaptation of L.A. Confidential, using the geography of L.A. to tell a seedy crime story, juxtaposing the ugliness of the crimes and the double crosses with the glitz and glamor of Hollywood and its beautiful surroundings.  It was great.  (did I mention it was great?)  There are great characters, some great plot twists, tough guys and tougher dames, and the art is gorgeous.  Del Rey’s work has a painterly quality to it, with hints of Matt Kindt in her linework, but it is all, distinctly her own art style, and it is perfect for this story.  Check it out, read it, and then go out and get the sequel, which hit stores this week?  If you love crime comics, you won’t be disappointed. 

WATCHING:

Started watching Downton Abbey with the wife, and it’s pretty great so far.  Yes, it could be described as a period piece soap opera, but that would be giving it short shrift.  The characters in the series are fully realized, and you have some incredibly horrid ones who help to spark the tension that molders beneath the surface of those serving the upper classes directly.  And the stories of the Grantham family are equally enjoyable to watch, especially when the Dowager Countess, as embodied by Maggie Smith, is involved.  She steals most of the scenes she plays in, and it’s pretty great.  Smith’s character always has a sharp rebuke for others and never backs down from anyone, most especially not her son who is the one in charge of Downton. 

Watched Inglourious Basterds this week, for the second time, and it was just as good, maybe even better, this time around.  Tarantino’s story of righteous vengeance against Adolf Hitler and his high command in the middle of World War II is riveting and invigorating.  His dialogue typically garners much plaudits, and rightfully so, but the way he shoots a scene is also something to appreciate.  And those opening fifteen-plus minutes are mesmerizing.  The way he builds the tension through the discussion between Christoph Waltz’s Colonel Landa and the poor French farmer who only wished to help his neighbors but cares more about the welfare of his daughters is a master class in filmmaking and writing.  Seriously, for that opening scene alone this movie is amazing.  But add to it all that comes after (Fassbender’s turn in a similarly tense scene) and this is just a stellar piece of cinema.  Loved it.  Top of the list (with only one left to go). 

MISCELLANY:

The Flash is my favorite character, and when Brad at the IMTODcast said he knew very little about him, I took it upon myself to finally try and get to the bottom of my fascination with the Scarlet Speedster.  Steeped, as it is, in my youth of the late 1970s/early 80s, I am dubious of my ability to get to the heart of it. But I’ve tried and written a five-part examination.  The first two parts went up this past week and can be found below this post.  The final three will hit this coming Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  I’d be interested to know your thoughts – do my arguments make sense; are they persuasive; could one even call them coherent?  Let me know.  I’d be interested in an unbiased opinion – I’m looking at you, Brad.

SIGN OFF:

As always, check out my friends – Brad& Matt and Don McMillan, as well as Dan’s foray into podcastdom, the Potato League Podcast, for their own weekly recaps on things comic-y and geeky, and we'll see what's what in seven.  

-chris

What It Is – week ending 22 February [2015]

  

With apologies to Dave the Thune (as well as Mike Baron & Steve Rude).

WRITING:

Every day.  1000 words.  That’s the goal.

Last year, I felt I started strong with my writing, better than I ever had.  And at this point in 2014, I had only taken 9 days off from my writing.  Not bad, as that would average out to once a week.  This year, though – 52 of 53 days writing, only a single day with no production.  That, that makes me feel good.

The novel (draft 1) continues apace.  Passed 80,000 words and 300 manuscript pages this past week, and now things are starting to get tense and the main protagonist is about to snap.  This is what I’ve been building toward, let’s see how things work out (or don’t) for our guy.  And, as of today, my writing for the year is just above 57,000 total words.  I’ll take that. 

Also, I posted the first of what I plan as a semi-regular series – Comic Artist I Love – this one featuring Scott Morse.  You can check it just below this post, or hit the link.

READING:

My Grendel (re)-read moves on.  I read the Matt Wagner Devil Tales collection this week (issues 16-19 of the original Comico series), the Grendel: Devil Inside collection with stark Bernie Mireault art (issues 13-15 of the Comico series), along with the uncollected issues, #20-22, with art by Hannibal King & Tim Sale, all the stories having been written by Grendel creator, Matt Wagner.  I continue to marvel at how Wagner chooses to approach each storyline in a different fashion – whether as a fully-illustrated prose novella (Devil by the Deed), or utilizing a 25-panel grid (one of his Devil Tale stories), or having the scratchy thoughts of the devil within scored along the bottom of the pages (Devil Inside), it’s always intriguing to see what he will do next with these stories. 

I’m also reading Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, for the first time, with the announcement that the sequel is coming soon, from Dark Horse comics.  It’s good, and, having seen the film adaptation, I am impressed to see how deftly Palahniuk walks that tightrope of not revealing the truth behind Tyler Durden, while always playing fair with the readership – if you know the secret, it’s obvious what is happening when reading.  Smart writing, and a wonderful use of language and the medium of the novel to craft this story.  Don’t know if I’ll follow this up with any more Palahniuk, but I’m enjoying this, as I read it. 

And I finished The Lobster Coast, by Colin Woodard.  This was an incredibly fascinating look at not just the lobster industry but at the colonizing and evolution of the Maine coast, and the state of Maine in general.  The writing was excellent.  I learned a lot (like the fact that the federalists in Massachusetts, who were in charge of much of the government and the banks, sided with Britain in the war of 1812, leaving their holdings in Maine to be taken over by Canadian and British forces, which was the final “straw” that led to statehood for my home state).  And I got the needed research for the novel.  5 stars.

WATCHING:

Finished up True Detective this week.  That was a damn good show, but I’m not entirely sure what I think of it, overall.  I read a piece criticizing the finale as taking the big ideas and big thinking put forth by Rust Cohle, as proxy for series creator Nic Pizzolatto, and distilling it down to something mundane and typical.  I don’t know that I agree with that.  Some of the points made in the piece were well put, but I feel like they may have missed the point of the finale – not to be too arrogant about it.  I still have thoughts swirling around in my head that have yet to fully coalesce.  Maybe I’ll try writing them down to give them weight, and possibly arrive at whatever ultimate revelation I’m aiming for. 

My Quentin Tarantino (re)-watch moves along, as well.  I watched Death Proof this week and … it’s at the bottom of the list.  I can appreciate what Tarantino was trying to do with this (in conjunction with Robert Rodriguez, obviously; need to check out his Grind House offering now), and I applaud him for crafting a film that looks straight out of the 70s while still taking place today.  Seriously, the detail and the way it was shot and the costuming and the settings – that all came together and perfectly fit the aesthetic he reached for.  Bravo, on that front.  But, ultimately, this movie felt incredibly hollow, for a Tarantino film.  Not saying it was bad, per se, but I won’t be giving it a second watch. 

And Mary and I found ourselves with some free time yesterday, so we finally got out to the cinema to see a film we both have wanted to see since its release – The Imitation Game.  This was a really good movie.  I wouldn’t say it was great, as many of the beats of the plot can be found in any number of films, but a number of the performances, particularly Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing and Alex Lawther as the young Turing, were exceptional. 

The movie has been criticized for focusing on this triumphant aspect of Turing’s life (and, in the process, making us feel good about ourselves vicariously) when it should have given more time to the more interesting and complex issue of Turing being prosecuted for being a homosexual (gross indecency, as the law stated) and losing his humanity and his mental acuity through the forced chemical castration that drove him to suicide at age 41.  This was a war hero, a man who conceived of computers long before technology would allow for such machines, a man who revolutionized the world  and saved millions of lives through his intellect, and he was damned and victimized by his government because he liked men instead of women. 

I don’t know that I agree with these arguments, overall.  Yes, it could have been more interesting, and would have been more daring, to have followed this other thread of Turing’s life.  But that wasn’t the story they wanted to tell.  And, to be fair, they did not leave that out – as I was led to believe in reading some of the criticisms.  It certainly got short shrift, but it was included, and utilized for the framing device leading to the recounting of the cracking of the Germans’ enigma code.  And it did not shy away from showing us how it affected Turing, even though the time afforded this scene is minimal, it was still affecting and emotional, and did not leave us exiting the cinema feeling uplifted.  I’m thinking those who left believing The Imitation Game was a feel-good movie didn’t see the same film.  Yes, it lauded a triumphant point in our history, but it provided a bit more nuance than was related in some of the criticisms. 

SIGN OFF:

As always, check out my friends – Brad& Matt and Don McMillan for their own weekly recaps on things comic-y and geeky, and we'll see what's what in seven.  

-chris