Gravity Falls, Adventure Time, Regular Show, and the power of heart

Adventure time, c’mon grab your friends. We’ll go to very distant lands. With Jake the dog and Finn the human the fun will never end, it’s Adventure Time!

My current favorite shows on television are all cartoons.

Maturity is never something I’ve been accused of, but it does strike me as odd that for 21-year old me and a large portion of my friends in the same demographic we are increasingly finding ourselves caught up in what is essentially children’s programming.  And, while I and many others could argue for days on end about the subtle adult humor and references in shows like Regular Show, Adventure Time, and my new favorite Gravity Falls, at the end of the day I’m dvr-ing the Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. 

So what is it about these cartoons that have people in my age-range so enraptured? I would assume that we are not the target audience. All of these shows are quite funny in their own right, but I think each one of them independently appeals to something in me that goes beyond the comedic.

Adventure Time, is at heart, about a boy and his dog. This is simply the start of any good adventure. Boy + Dog= great fun. But this is a talking magic dog. And they live in a literal candy kingdom. There’s sorcery and swords and liches (Despite my extreme nerd cred I’m not quite sure how to pluralize that word).  There are princesses and evil wizards. On paper seems extremely cliché but when put into practice it’s just kind of whimsical. It’s a show that encourages you just to let go and accept what’s happening. There’s a sense of fun and excitement to it that stops all cynicism in its tracks.

And I think that is what makes Adventure Time such a phenomenal show. Consider the extreme cynicism in our world today. There’s such an incredible negativity for people of my generation. There aren’t jobs. The planet is objectively fucked. Politics is a joke. Idealism is something that is a punchline and not a desirable character trait. And yet, in Adventure Time there’s this one boy that pretty much embodies everything good about the human spirit. He’s courageous, kind, selfless, loyal, and every other positive quality a person can possess. He is undeniable, unabashedly good and sees the world in a way that makes everyone who watches feel the same.

Gravity Falls features a somewhat similar character. Dipper is roughly the same age as Finn. He’s in that same point in his life, existing as he comes into the his own without a standard parent figure (Finn was adopted by Jake’s family, and Jake serves as a sort of older brother, whereas Dipper and his sister are spending the summer at their great uncle’s).  However, whereas Finn is sure of himself and confident, Dipper is more unsure and contemplative. Gravity Falls is styled like Twin Peaks for kids, and the supernatural events simply serve as a framing device for Dipper and his sister Mabel to learn and grow.

The subject matter is presented rather straightforward. It’s direct, sincere, and sweet without being saccharine. Dipper learns to stop being so analytical and just let things happen thanks to a copy machine that serves as a cloner in a surprisingly self-aware and heartfelt episode. In another, Mabel has to learn to deal with people directly, specifically in the romantic sense, when the guy she has Dipper reject for her goes berserk with his psychic amulet.

One of the things to me that in Adventure Time and Gravity Falls that is the most interesting is the fact that both boys’ primary love interest is much older than they are. Gravity Falls has Wendy, a fifteen-year-old, and Adventure Time’s Princess Bubblegum is eighteen. Both of these are in this continual state of pining, with their beloveds either unaware or uninterested, and eventually the boys have to accept that it doesn’t always work out. I don’t know, for me and probably everyone else, growing up there was always that older person that you just pined for knowing in the back of your mind that it was incredibly stupid, and yet you couldn’t help yourself. Watching Dipper go through the same thing that I had gone through with god-knows-how-many girls really struck a chord with me that reminded me of what it was like to be his age trying to get that girl you like to notice you despite the fact that you’re twelve and half her height.

Part of the heart of both those shows is the reminder of growing up, but Regular Show breaks the mold a bit by the fact that all of it’s main characters are well into adulthood. Mordecai and Rigby are both 23 and objectively aimless, working at a park. They’re roommates and old friends, and spend all their free time playing retro video games or watching VHS tapes. Whereas Adventure Time and Gravity Falls remind us of being kids, Regular Show is surprisingly on the money for being in your early twenties without a clue what to do with your life.

It’s almost surprising that this is a cartoon and not a real show. Aside from the absolutely ridiculous events that happen in almost every episode (arcade game comes to life and destroys the park, evil society of blondes, bowling versus death) it’s rather subdued in it’s humor.  They mock hipsters and nightclubs, despite the fact that the average 12 year old probably has no concept of either of those. If anything, Regular show seems aimed at the kind of people its protagonists represent: young adults who don’t know what to do.

Regular Show, despite its absurdist plots, deals with heavy subject matter beyond the standard “very special episode”. In one episode, a side character known as Muscle Man, loses his father, and learns about his fathers real job (he was a forklift driver, not a trucker as he claimed), and grows closer with Mordecai and Rigby, all while they prank the trucker hall of fame by spreading his dad’s ashes there. It’s a lot to think about, all in the guys of kids show. But, for twenty-somethings with parents in their fifties it’s something creeping into our heads that our parents won’t always be there or that they aren’t exactly all we thought they were and that’s okay. It’s honest. It’s sincere.

And then compare this to other shows on TV. I mean, the most popular comedies on TV have a cynicism to their humor and protagonists that are fairly hateable. I mean, look at 2.5 Men or It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. There are shows like The Big Bang Theory that try and fake sincerity, but the I’d argue that the vast majority of live-action, prime-time television lacks heart, and that’s an issue. In an interview, show creator Alex Hirsch says:

“I think there's sort of a fear in some places, particularly at networks that have an over-emphasis on being cool or trying to follow what they think the zeitgeist is this minute. There's a fear of sincerity, and a fear of characters being emotionally invested. There's kind of a "can't the characters all just be kind of sassy jerks who don't learn anything?"“

And don’t get me wrong those shows are funny. I do love Seinfeld and I can laugh at Workaholics. I’ve watched my share of How I Met Your Mother and Girls. However, the thing is that once I watch an episode I really stop caring about it. I am honest-to-god obsessed with Gravity Falls. I mean, I take enough away from these shows to the point that I have written over a thousand words about why they’re so incredible.

It's that heart and sincerity that makes all of these shows so great. These cartoons allow for adventure and fun but also confront serious issues like death and love. All at once I’m reminded of growing up but also dealing with being a grown up. It’s more than cartoons kids can watch with little jokes for their parents to laugh at, but cartoons that anyone can watch and relate to their characters, whether it’s a boy and his dog, a twin brother and sister, or an anthropomorphic bluebird and his best raccoon friend. 

A Contract with God

To say the term "Jewish Comic Author" is often fairly redundant. Most of the earliest comics creators are incredibly Jewish, but the most Jewish of all is Will Eisner.

I just finished his "A Contract with God", which is a collection of 4 short stories centered around life in the Bronx tenement of Dropsie Avenue. It is wonderful. The characters are lively yet heartbreaking. Each story is brilliantly written and illustrated in Eisner's signature style. I can't help but think of Walt Disney work whenever I see it.

His writing just feels very Jewish. I love it, to say the least. The idea of "A contract with God" is so incredibly Hebraic I can't even begin to gush about it. He knows what he is doing. He is a man who knows how to tell a story and then to draw it perfectly.

This is literally a graphic novel, which is what makes it so revolutionary. This man, Will Eisner... Oy, what a mensch.

Hey now, you're an All-Star (Superman)

God bless you, Grant Morrision. Er, pan-dimensional hyper-being grant you favor, Grant. All-Star Superman is beautiful. That's it. That is all there is to say. I'm not going to lie. I came cross to crying. The way Superman faces the unavoidable reality of his death while still managing to be the epitome of heroism is the truest representation of Superman's character and what makes him THE Superhero.

I am moved by this work. I really am. It is a wonderful, meaningful idea that communicates the brilliant character of Superman. There are so, so many things to talk about, but at the end of the day the most important is going to be Superman. He is just so damn Super. Over the course of the run he manages to do more than I have ever seen him do, and that is why Grant Morrison does such an incredible job whenever he writes the character. He reminds us time and time again just what kind of person Superman is.

And there in lies the brilliant irony of Superman. He has all the best traits of humanity. He is brave, caring, selfless, inventive, and compassionate. He is of an entirely pure heart, despite being the most powerful being on the planet (at least in Grant's universe). He is the best of earth despite his Kryptonian heritage. There is an incredibly moving scene where Clark speaks at his fathers funeral and we can see just how he was molded by a loving family.

People always razzle Supes because of his indestructibility and lack of humanity. Superman is at his most powerful in this story yet despite this he is at his most vulnerable. He reveals his secret ID to Lois Lane, (who never believes him) and really shows his softer side despite having bulletproof skin. He isn't even hurt by Kryptonite anymore. He is like a Super-Superman.

I want to rant more but I think I'll save that for later. It's just so, so, so good. Grant Morrison, you may be insane, but you do damn good work.

I think this story carried a lot of weight for me personally because of the recent death of my Grandmother. She as so brave and so bold facing her cancer. It reminded me a lot of her.

Future Family

I have only dabbled in Fantastic Four. I am well aware of their stories and villains and importance to the genre, but I just never got too into it. I've read enough to understand them and everything, it's just that I never had the time or money.

To sum up, the Fantastic Four are a nuclear family. There is the workaholic dad, the loving mother, and two bickering brothers. Though the roster has shifter around and members have been added, that core four has always been a big deal. Mr. Fantastic, the Everlovin' Blue-eyed Thing, the Invisible woman, and the human torch have been constants in the FF's run.

Cut to now, where the Human Torch fallen in action. This is kind of a big deal. Not to say whether or not it's a publicity stunt and he is going to come back within the year, the Fantastic Four is sort of a four-thing. The Thing and Invisible Woman have lost a brother, and Reed has essentially lost a son. Again, this is a big deal.

However, due to Torch's request, they bring Spider-man onto the team. There's a great moment when he swing onto the roof of the Baxter Building and the Invisible Woman welcomes him inside. It echoes the first issue of Amazing Spider-man where he tries to join the FF and is locked out and gets into a fight with them. Now he's welcomed inside.

Of course, it's still super-awkward. Ben is not a fan of Peter being there, and when they gather round for the Fantastic Family dinner, he's the only one with a mask on. He knows he still doesn't belong here. Though he had a rocky history with the Torch, he and Johnny were friends. The whole dinner set-up is powerful and reminds us of the family idea of the Fantastic Four.

I'm very interested in where this is going to go. I just may be a Fantastic Four Fan yet.

Neonomicon

So yesterday I picked up Alan Moore's new thing, Neonomicon. I don't know what to say. I should have been concerned when I saw the ads for Crossed (about rape zombies) on the back. I like horror comics (as evidenced by my recent gushing about Hellboy and B.P.R.D) but this wasn't really doing it for me. It's not that it's bad, it's just not the quality I would expect from someone of Moore's status, especially after reading League of Extraordinary Gentlemen that same day.

I am by no means an anti-Mooreite, but I'm just not feeling this one. It feels forced in places, and like they are deliberately trying to startle. Whereas I am genuinely concerned for Hellboy and the members of the B.P.R.D, I really don't have that much empathy for the characters in Neonomicon. I'm going to keep looking into it because it's Alan Moore, but I don't want the same thing to happen here that did to Nemisis. I have a great respect for Alan Moore and his incredible writing, but in all honesty if it was any other writer I would not be continuing with the series.

Amazing, Spectacular

It's rare that an issue of The Amazing Spider-Man is poignant and claws at your insides the way the most recent one did. Bot that Spider-man is not well written and consistently enjoyable, but it's generally that lighthearted and delightful Ol' Webhead. This... well, this was different.

When last we left our hero, J. Jonah Jameson's wife had been killed by Alistair Smythe. Smythe had long been seeking vengeance on Jameson and Spider-man, and finally exacted a little piece of bloody revenge. This issue finds Spidey in mourning, coping with yet another loss.

Spider-man, like many superheroes, finds himself coping with death a lot. He is an orphan motivated to heroism by the death of his uncle and father figure at the hands of a criminal he failed to stop. His girlfriend was murdered (or perhaps he killed her). He has killed a woman before. In short, he is surrounded by death and frankly is unable to cope with it on a serious level.

This issue is incredibly well drawn and paced. A lack of dialog and text of any kind in the first pages clearly shows the emotional weight placed on Peter and the incredible sadness. It's hard to read and hard to describe.

I just really want to commend the writers and artists on this one. I've never read anything like this, especially in Spider-man. Bravo.

Monsters and Morrison

So thanks to my roommate I've been on a total Hellboy kick. I had seen the movies and dabbled a little bit, but never really read anything seriously. Now I can't put it down. I also finally got around to reading some more of Grant Morrison's work outside of the mainstream, specifically The Invisibles. I'm not sure what I think about it yet. It's very good, don't get me wrong, but I'm not sure just how much I like it.

I want to go back to Hellboy. I think if anything, Mike Mignola has a gift for characterizing without actually just telling everything. One of the interesting things about comics and characters is that because of the format (few words, lots of pictures, short issues, etc) you don't just say a bunch of things about Hellboy or Hal Jordan. Comics are the epitome of the creative writing doctrine "show, don't tell". Telling is waste a space, plus with someone like Mignola who prefers to let his panels do the talking.

I can say a lot about the character of Hellboy. It's an incredibly impressive undertaking.

This I Believe

I'll say this right out: I believe in Superheroes. This is all figurative, of course, and as much as I'd like to believe in magic rings and mutant x-factors I'm quite aware of the impossibility (though still hopeful). There is no literal Batman, no Metropolis, and as far as we know no S.H.E.I.D Helicarrier. What I do believe in is the ideas represented in the panel of their stories.

I believe in the Green Lantern Corps. They keep peace as bright beacons of courage and honor throughout the galaxy. Theirs is a story of overcoming fear and tragedy to become something more than just an interstellar police force, but as symbol of the the inexhaustible potential of willpower and imagination. They represent a light cast over the cold black of space "In brightest day, In blackest night".

I believe in Superman. He is an immigrant from beyond the stars. He is the best of humanity despite not being human. Superman is literally a big blue Boy Scout, and despite internet flame wars and how awesome Batman is Superman is the greatest hero of earth. He was sent here by his father from beyond the stars and has given his life to save the world (sound familiar?). He is the answer to the question "what if God was one of us?"

I believe in Peter Parker. He truly enjoys being a Superhero. Sure he has a lot of teenage angst, but who doesn't?

I believe in the Flash: a man who can run faster than death and yet still slows down to make small talk.

I believe in the X-men. People everywhere are persecuted for being different, whether it's skin color or X-factor.

I believe in Captain America and the ideals of our nation.

I believe in Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic, and the wonders of Science.

I believe in the Spectre and Deadman and the infinite mysteries of God.

I believe in Batman. He's Batman.

I believe in Lois Lane, and the magic of true love.

I believe in Bruce Wayne, and that there is nothing a man cannot accomplish given the time and the effort.

In short, I believe men can fly. I believe that a person can becomes something more than just human. The most important aspect is not the Super or the Bat or the Woman, but the man and the woman. While they may be gods in our eyes or in canon they are innately human. They face the same choices we do with what they can direct their energies towards, and yet these all-powerful beings chose to work towards the betterment of mankind. I believe in a world where we use our powers to aide our fellow man rather than use out strength for personal gain.

There are days when it seems like it's easier to believe that wealthy industrialists will secretly fund vigilante justice than people will be decent to be one another, but I believe in not only humanity, but or potential for super-humanity. For every Lex Luthor there will be an army of Bruce Waynes and Tony Starks to set things right. An international force of heroes will come to the aid of the world to prevent crimes against humanity and relief after natural disasters. Is that to much to ask? I don't believe it is, because I will always believe that anyone can be Super.

In retrospect-

Looking back on it, I think I was a little hard on Geoff. He's not a bad writer, and after re-reading Blackest Night 8 it's apparent why he has his job in the first place. With that said, however, it's pretty easy to get overloaded with him, especially with the 4000 titles a week that come out with his name on it. I don't know, I just get frustrated when I don't feel like a story is going anywhere.

I am far, far more disappointed Mark Millar and his utterly terrible Nemesis. I really can't describe just how offensive this book is. Not only is it constantly pandering to shock value and trying to generate controversy, but it's just bad. I guess after the success of Kick-Ass he can do whatever he wants, but he's just gone down hard. Kick-Ass 2 is looking pretty bleak. Also he can't get a regular schedule for release which just makes it worse.

It's sad because Civil War was so so good. This... I don't even know.

Grant Morrison is Grant Morrison. 'Nuff said. His Batman and Robin is insane and fantastic. I've read it over and over again and haven't gotten tired of it yet. I see something new and cool each time, and the characterization of Dick and Damian is fantastic. The man knows what he's doing. He may be crazy (see the Doom Patrol), but he can write a story like nobody's business.

The finale of Scott Pilgrim made me happy i brought the series. Brian Lee O'Malley kind of came out of nowhere with a story about growing up and change and maturity and it turned out incredible. I spent five books kind of hating Scott Pilgrim and then realized I was supposed to hate his loser ass. Once I figured that out I reread all the books and loved them. That's the real secret of Scott Pilgrim: no matter how funny and charming he is, he's still kind of a dick.

It's been a pretty good year for comics. It's been great reading and writing. There are going to be some interesting things going on in the future with the finale of Brightest Day and the new Batman Incorporated, as well as the new DC Universe on line, which I plan on checking out at some point in the near future. I'll do updates about how good it is, or how bad as the case may be. We'll see how it goes.

-S

Geoff Johns: A Phantom Menace

Recently, I watched some interesting reviews of the Star Wars prequels. The link is here, and I highly advise checking it out. It's pretty crazy the things that they point out, such as the LACK OF A MAIN CHARACTER and LACK OF PLOT DETAILS and LIGHTSABERS ALL OVER THE ****ING PLACE. This was pretty disturbing to see on its own, but it got me thinking about the Blackest Night event and just Geoff Johns' recent work in general.

The main character of Blackest Night and the Green Lantern series isn't too much of a problem, given as the main series of GL has Hal Jordan, you know, The Green Lantern. John Stewart gets a little playtime too, but generally Hal has main billing. However, after Hal gets spirited away by Indigo-1 we have a split where the Atom and Mera are doing stuff and become protagonists of their own stories. This crossover has like 14 different protagonists derpin around until they all meet up in Coast City, where the white entity is conveniently located.

The whole entity-spectrum thing is pretty bogus too. I mean, it is a good way to make it so that Hal isn't responsible for that whole MURDERING THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS thing, but the constant use of these entities and how Parallax has to weasel his way into everyone. Ganthet gets it, Kyle get it, Hal gets it again, and in a recent issue Barry Allen gets it. Now that everyone has an entity who gives a damn about it. They're like the friggin' Pokemon of the DCU where everyone wants to collect them all so that they can get the legendary white entity.

Now, the entities are just sort of there. The real thing here is the emotional spectrum. This little thing gets thrown in there and raises a few eyebrows. I can get behind a Green Lantern having enough willpower to create constructs and such with their ring. That's pretty cool. The emotional spectrum though makes less and less sense the more I think about it.

Lets break it down real quick. Fear I can accept because they already have parallax and sinestro so whatever lets move on. The Zamaronians and the Star Sapphires also appeared earlier so that also I guess is acceptable. I don't like the fact that they felt it necessary to include the skeletons of Hawkgirl and Hawkman as their power source because that makes absolutely no sense at all. Now, the blue lanterns only get introduced because of the red lanterns, and the orange lantern is just comic relief. The indigo tribe serves solely as a vehicle for the plot. That's it.

Another thing I don't like is how the red and yellow lanterns are all weird looking and scary and stuff. They are all alien and sort of scarifying because Geoff Johns is going with the general idea of what should scare us. All these things have odd numbers of mouths and limbs and stuff or are different colors. I think the use of lolscarymonsters takes away from the actual fear. The reason the Joker is scary is because he is an unpredictable sociopath who kills for fun. He is a unique and horrifying concept because he is a total wild card. But, you see all the crazy crap the red lanterns and Sinestro corps throw out and it barely phases anyone. One psychopath is scary. A whole army of them takes away from the uniqueness of the psychopath and just makes it a bunch of token bad guys for the GLC to kill (they can do that now because it's EXTREME) without any real sort of interesting emotion (even though the whole series is supposed to be about emotion apparently). The Red lanterns also have a cat. Yeah. Just this normal cat who got mad and now has a red ring on his tail. This would be interesting if it wasn't stupid. I know exactly why Geoff added the cat. He went on the internet and saw people making jokes about cats and decided to put one in the Red Lanterns because LOL I CAN HAZ CHEEZBURGR. I could care less that there is a mad cat who has the powers of mad. It is minimally important in the grand scheme of things. It's just a cheap joke that subtracts from any sort of drama.

Speaking of cheap jokes, Geoff Johns has a very distinct style where he feels the need to insert lots of them. Whenever we have some sort of dramatic buildup or tension it's instantly kicked in the teeth by Hal cracking a joke about how Larfleeze looks like Gonzo or something. Also, the surplus of cluttered splash pages takes away from the power a splash page can have. It stops being cool really fast.

Another thing with the bigger splash pages is that they often feature like 8000 lanterns all slinging their rings around. I thought being a lantern was like this unique thing but apparently there are literally thousands of them. There are at least 3600 green lanterns alone, and seeing them all on one page makes it seem so incredibly commonplace. It's like the lightsabers in the new star wars. We see them all the time. It's like they're a price for some universal sweepstakes or when somebody buys the deluxe edition of Green Lantern: Rebirth, (or a Blackest Night tie-in at their local comic book store). Yeah, the epic battle scenes are kinda cool, but the more lanterns I see the less I care about them. I already have 4 from earth to care about and I really don't need more.

There are a few more comparisons I can make with the Star Wars prequels. One- the forced relationship with Padme and Anakin alongside Carol and Hal. Anakin and Padme are just two sort of attractive people who up and decide they are in love, or really, Anakin decides they are in love and Padme goes along with it for some reason. Carol and Hal at least have a history, but Hal has been with Cowgirl (who has not shown up in a while, by the way) for a decent amount of time. but then, Hal and Carol sort of kiss in Blackest Night for some reason and we're just supposed to accept it because they are supposed to be together. I mean, they are one of those comic book couples but not in the way Clark and Lois are. They have had more ups and downs than practically anyone. Don't force relationships because that's how it was in the Silver Age.

Speaking of Silver Age, Geoff Johns brings it all back. He brings back all these heroes and just sort of re-establishes a new silver age. I mean, I guess that's cool. It's just that these guys have had their stories told and it'd be nice to get some new ones.

Also, there's this part in the reviews I linked when they talk about how Yoda, the wise and powerful mystic decides to become a flippy swordsman. This is the same as Ganthet, wise guardian of the universe, becomes a regular Green Lantern and ringslings, even though he really doesn't need to. He has been displayed as being able to "crack a planet in half with a though" without a little ring. But then he activates the ring duplication power and adds to the ring overload even more.

There is a lot more I can talk about, and it gets worse with brightest day. I feel like Geoff needs a break or something. I don't see any substance in his work anymore. It just seems like he is an overzealous fanboy who nobody has put a leash on. Let him take a break from making everything SO EPIC and trying to tell the most important story, and just let the man be for a bit, then maybe we'll get something good. Meanwhile, I'm going to read Grant Morrison and wait until this whole thing calms down.

Knight, the Devil, and Death: Grant Morrison's incredible saga of the return of Bruce Wayne

I had a discussion with my girlfriend recently about the academic legitimacy of comic books when compared to other finer arts and literature. Let me say that I agree that while graphic novels are part of the collective monomyth and all those Jungian archetypes, they can never hold the true legitimacy of real literature because of the simple fact that they are comics. Comic books often have multiple writers and reboots, with different people establishing different ideas on how they want to see characters. That alone seperates comics into their own separate and distinct universe which allows them establish their own stories that flow with changes in culture. Comics adapt and change with society, and while they provide good mirrors to culture, establishment of canon prevents the vast majority of running superhero comics to be counted as true literature.

Comics can be critiqued through various schools. Wonder Woman has seen her share of feminist theory for sure, but the fact of the matter is that comics are just comics, and despite how people like myself dress them up for academia, they are largely inaccessible save to those who truly know the canon. And yes, there are widely acclaimed graphic novels in the academic community. Persopolis, Maus, and American Born Chinese instantly spring to mind, but these are self-contained personal stories. They could be actual books if their authors had chose to format them that way, but they chose to do them as graphic novels instead.

Comics books and graphic novels are entirely different entities. A graphic novel is exactly what it says it is: A novel with pictures. These can legitimately be called literature. Maus is just as moving as Eli Weisel's Night. However, the vast majority of superhero comics can not be held at that same literary level. It's a sad fact, but it's one we as comic fans have to deal with. The idea of comics studies seems fun, but unfortunately its a field that will never take off. It's an interesting topic, I know, but the very nature of the comic book defies literary criticism.

I write about comics because I enjoy them. I think analyzing the heroic ideals of batman or the meaning of death in comic books is fun. I am aware that I am weird. However, it's very hard to translate comics outside of their perscribed universes. You can compare Superman to Jesus or Hercules, but not to Shakespeare. Nobody in Othello had heat vision, and Romeo and Juliet were not retconned back to life. It's easy for comic fans to see parallels because all of our heroes originate from basic ideas.

Also, superhero comics today are based around canon established decades ago, meaning the writers are generally basing their stories on what they read as a kid. Geoff Johns obviously loves the silver age Justice League because they are all apparently back, and any newer hero is sadly displaced. However, we as comic book readers love when canon ties together (this will come in later). The whole genre is based on appealing to fans and attracting new readers, which is what separates superhero comics from the rest of literature. There is a fan base. It needs to be appeased and new readers need to be brought in to keep DC and Marvel floating. This commercial drive is the wedge that will forever split the mainstream comic book from graphic novels like Maus.

I say this all sadly. I'd love to spend my life writing about comics, but there is very little legitimacy. Comics are fun, but will never be fully accepted. It's something we as fans and readers need to accept, deal with, and then go back to enjoying the best publishers have to offer.

The best, of course, being Grant Morrison (finally on topic now). If there is one man who could bring a shred of academia to the comic community, it's him.

Grant (can I call you Grant?) is intelligent, and his stories play on two levels. At first, they are just exciting and fun and suspenseful, really everything a comic book needs to be enjoyable to read. However, without a decent understanding of gothic art or mythology, a large portion of his Batman and Robin and Return of Bruce Wayne is completely missed. I have so much to say about the honest-to-go masterpiece I finished today. It is, in my opinion, the best series I have ever read. Yes, Geoff Johns, I enjoyed Blackest Night, but Grant brings a hefty weight of actual intellectual content that actually makes comic books seem a bit smarter. Your zombie heroes were cool, but Grant Morrison has a grasp on the English language and culture as a whole that makes him better than really any other comic writer I have ever read.

Morrison does this incredible thing where all of his storylines come crashing together. I find myself rereading him over and over to try and catch all his references not only to other comic books but also to literature, art, and music. I cannot possibly list them all, but they are without question phenomenal. He may know everything, or is consistently on Wikipedia.

Let me give an example of this (spoilers)

Thomas Wayne AKA Dr. Hurt has been repeatedly referred to as the devil. With his mask on his shadow looks like a horned demon. He is the Devil referenced in the title of Knight, the Devil, and Death, which is a famous piece of Gothic art. At one point the Joker gives a brief monologue about a banana, and how it represents the "primal gag": The fall. He then tosses the peel on the ground. Keep this in mind.

At the end of the arc, Hurt is running away from Batman and encounters the Joker. The Joker and Hurt are not on the best of terms. Sitting on a stump, the Joker points to a gun on the ground, and says "Betcha can't reach the gun before me, gambler." Hurt races for the gun, slips on the banana peel and falls, only to be buried alive while the Joker laughs about how his plan went to Hell.

Hurt is very clearly now the Devil. He gambles and falls. The fall refers to the Devil gambling with God and being sent to Hell.

THIS IS BRILLIANT.

It is also only one of the little details that takes many rereads to notice. Anyway, it's late. Sorry about the rant at the beginning, but it's my blog so deal. Grant Morrison, If you ever read this, thank you for an amazing story. You're what's right with comics today.



In summation- If you want an example of a phenomenal superhero comic- this is it. It's canon heavy and Wikipedia will help with a lot, as well as the comicsalliance.com annotations. Without them I would have missed so much. They do great work, and the fact that there is so much information present gives credit to Morrison as a writer. The entire arc is nothing short of brilliant, and the best today's comics have to offer.

Hast Thou Considered the Shepherd?

God bless Joss Whedon. Though his shows may be dead he lives forever in our hearts and in Dark Horse Comics, where his Buffy: Season 8 and Serenity/Firefly graphic novels are released unto an adoring public.

I, being a die-hard browncoat, picked up The Shepherds Tale on Wednesday. It's the long awaited backstory of Shepherd Book, the enigmatic preacher from the Serenity crew. It does a fantastic job telling the story of his life, right up to the point where he is killed on Haven in the movie. I'm not going to go into a lot of spoilers, but it's a very compelling story.

It's also got some great monologue. Book is very philisophical, and there is a fantastic point where he is talking about soup. It's honestly brilliant.

Book's story is told through vignettes, almost like they're flashing before his eyes as he passes away. They go further and further back in time until his childhood. The entire painful, violent, lonely, and abusive. At the end, Whedon reveals that part of the story is centered around "Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod?" by The Mountain Goats. For those of you familiar with the song, it explains a lot about the book's tone (no pun intended).

Firefly fans: It's a must-read
Everyone else: you could probably care less, so watch the show and become a Firefly fan.

Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod- listen to this whilst reading.

Kick-Ass #2, or Dave Lizewski Explains it All

For a kid who supposedly messes everything in his life up, Dave Lizewski is surprisingly assertive in his decisions. No matter what lessons life teaches him, especially that YOU SHOULDN'T BE A SUPERHERO one, he shrugs them off and goes about his merry way. I mean, I'm just saying that if I was such a self-proclaimed failure, I'd be a lot less cocky.

Dave is incredibly unlikable. His actions make things worse. It's incredibly rare that he really does anything right. I can't take him seriously because he whines all the time and has to call the cops for help when he gets into a bind. He's just kind of a douche, an idealistic and well-meaning douche, but a douche nonetheless.

I've read a decent amount of Mark Millar. Civil War is phenomenal. His Flash stuff is solid too. I'm just sick of him going for this shock value crap. Nemesis is kind of garbage. I keep hoping it will get good and quit trying to just be controversial, but I'm 4/5 in and still disappointed. Kick-Ass was great because of the idea: A kid in our reality decides to be a superhero.

I'm going to go through it, of course. I'm sure it will end up being okay and entertaining, but I'd just like Mark Millar to write instead of trying to make me flip out over the fact that his characters say fuck a lot.

Bruce is Back, Baby

Return of Bruce Wayne #5 came out this Wednesday, along with a plethora of tie-ins about his return to the present. I can't begin to talk about how much I loved this series, especially the characterization of Bruce as more than just brood and gloom and as a really whole person. By using his closest friends and allies, as well as proteges and an unknown offspring, Bruce is truly realized beyond his Dark Knight identity.

Grant Morrison is an incredibly surreal writer. He incorporates sound into his books like no other comic author I've seen. In Final Crisis, music plays a huge role. The Ultima Thule, the inter-dimensional ship used to gather up the Supermen of the multiverse, looks like the yellow submarine of Beatles fame. It is driven by what appears to be an organ and a harp. Overman (Nazi Superman) and others talk about the "great and terrible music" of the multiverse. Grant Morrison uses this overarching theme of life and the universe(s) as just vibrations combining into this music. Superman defeats Darkseid by canceling out his vibration (Darkseid, the anti-life, is cited as having "always hated music).

In Return of Bruce Wayne, there is the sound of bells echoing throughout the story. Whenever Bruce is about to the bells sound, the "Bells of the all-over". You can actually hear these frantic bells ringing, summoning Bruce to his ultimate destiny. The are like alarms, warning us of the imminent danger of Bruce's return and what crisis #6 is going to bring.

There are some new tie-ins out too, involving Red Robin, Dick, and Damien, as well as the other members of the Bat-verse (yes, I said that). These might have needed to wait a week or so because (spoiler alert), they kind of take away from the climax of #5 and #6. You'll understand if you read it. It's a must for any Batman fan.

Batman: Under the Red Hood

I know that this a bit late for a review, but it was new to me, so hush.

This weekend I saw Batman: Under the Red Hood. It's a DC Direct-to-DVD animated film based on the Batman Storylines Death in the Family and Under the Hood. Death in the Family is one of the quintessential Batman stories, concerning the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin. Flashbacks to this story set the stage for the movie, so take notes.

This is not a movie for kids. Granted, it is animated Batman, but this is not the Brave and the Bold. This is kind of Dark Knight. There is blood and violence, including headshots and a person getting his head slammed into a bottle. Granted, it's pretty badass. If it was not animated, this movie would be as well recieved as The Dark Knight. It is suspenseful, and the Joker is just as unnerving as he is in The Dark Knight.

It's a shame that so few people are going to see this movie. It's really good, to say the least. Batman fans need to watch it. It's the best of DC's animated films, and sets a good precident for the future. 5/5 stars or whatever.

Wade Wilson's War

I am unabashed Deadpool fan. I think the character is absolutely hysterical and innovative (even though he is kind of a rip-off of Deathstroke). I like the consistent breach of the fourth wall and his obvious insanity. It's a good read when you've been neck deep in "serious" stuff or floating in a sea of crossovers. I really enjoyed Merc with a Mouth, and Suicide Kings is hilarious as well. So, months ago when I first saw Wade Wilson's War, I figured it would be a good, fun, read.

It starts out with Wade testifying before the Senate. It ends... I can't really explain it. It's way different from any other Deadpool story I've read. Deadpool is insane, sure, but it leaves you questioning the very nature of the book. But it's a Deadpool story!

Issue four is honestly thought-provoking and deep. It's sad and serious, but with that same Deadpool attitude that counters the actual depth of the story. It really leaves you questioning which story is true, and if Deadpool even exist in this world at all. It's got a sort of cliche ending, but in the way that is not at all pretentious. It's rather moving. I don't want to spoil it because I really do reccomend reading it, especially for fans of Deadpool.

Deadpool quotes David Simon at the end of book four, and that dialog right there sums up the book. Again, the stark contrast of the creator of Homicide: Life on the Streets and the Wire with Wade Wilso is incredible. This is it right here:

"See, I wanted you, dear reader, to hear the truth. Or parts of the truth anyway."

"Hey! Don't get your panties in a bunch. This is drama, not a documentary. As writer David Simon once said, "We know more about human pride, purpose, and obsession from Moby-Dick than from any contemporaneous account of the Nantucket whaler that was actually struck and sunk by a whale in the nineteenth-century incident on which Melville based his book. And we know how much of an affront the Spanish Civil War was to the human spirit when we stare at Picasso’s Guernica than when we read a more deliberate, fact-based account... Picasso said art is the lie that allows us to see the truth."

It's good stuff. Read it, especially if you're a Deadpool fan. If you're unfamiliar, it's a powerful story on its own. If you don't like Deadpool, this is Deadpool as you've never seen him before.

"All I can tell you... and this is the honest truth... life's what you make of it."

One Moment in Time

The Peter Parker/ Mary-Jane relationship is one of the cornerstones of comic book couples. While they aren't the number one on the list (Clark and Lois, I mean, they had a tv show and everything), they are a heavy hitting #2.

However, as anyone who keeps up with continuity will tell you, MJ and Peter aren't together anymore. After Peter unmasks on live TV during the events of Civil War, the Kingpin puts a hit out on him. Aunt May gets shot, and in a last ditch effort to save her, he and MJ trade their marriage for May's life and public knowledge of Peter's identity to be wiped from the general consciousness.

It's sort of depressing when you think about it. Peter and MJ were a very good couple. They have been through thick and thin, and while they are very different people, they compliment each other very well.

I want to talk more about their coupledom, but I'm just pissed they ended it. Peter and MJ were so good together, and now Peter is out there trying to meet someone new. I now they felt it aged the character, but Peter is older. He needs to face the challenges of maturity and grow up. He doesn't have to be all broody or get all serious. Look at Wally West. He grew up and had his own kids. He now has to work with the challenge of being a superhero and a dad at the same time. I'd love to see Peter Parker do that.

Maybe he and MJ will get back together. I hope they do. The end of One Moment in Time is hard to read. It's a brand new day though, and anything can happen.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the Movie

As someone who disliked Scott Pilgrim, realized that I was supposed to dislike Scott Pilgrim (the character), and then liked Scott Pilgrim a lot, I was very excited for the film. Michael Cera is perfect for the part (the casting is perfect), the style worked great, and the music was pretty good too. The problem comes through with the adaptation to the screen.

The movie is a little bit shy of two hours, with the majority of the movie being ridiculous fight scenes, musical numbers, and one-liners. This is problem number one, because the source material is six rather thick graphic novels chock-full of dialog and exposition. Seven evil exes is a lot to cover in an hour and 45 minutes (roughly 15 minutes per ex). This doesn't leave a lot of room for the emotional content of Scott Pilgrim that made it really appeal to me. Sure it's flashy and kung-fu and "an epic of epic epicness" but it lacks the power of heart that made it so great to read.

The movie does a poor job on Scott's backstory, and by poor I mean that it's barely covered. Scott and Kim's relationship is barely touched, so when Scott apologizes to her I found myself wondering, "what for?" Envy Adams has an incredibly small role, only appearing during with the third evil ex, and her relationship with Scott is immediately forgotten. It builds it up and then drops it to go to a very long fight scene (like ten-ish minutes). Yes, it was cool to look at, but the stylized bass battle takes away from any sort of maturity that Scott could get to (such as legitimate closure with Envy).

Also, the ending (SPOILER ALERT) is kinda weak. It resolves rather hurriedly, and Scott really doesn't learn or grow like he should have. Gideon is not the ASSHOLE, and Scott never really confronts himself (He makes peace with the negaScott, but doesn't except his faults as well). It just sort of cops out and hopes that a happy ending and swordfights will cover for a copout.

These are the complaints of someone who wanted to see a movie of the book. I know that's not possible. This is more mass market appeal and that's great. I'm glad the book got publicity but the movie lacks the power to actually make any sort of statement. Maybe it should have been two movies, or maybe they should have toned down the LOOK WE'RE NERDY LIKE YOU and KUNG FU. Maybe they should have let the graph finish before they wrote the movie.

In short, it's really fun. If you were a big fan of the books you'll be a bit disappointed. I enjoyed it, but I found myself wanting more dialog and less style. Plot is good. That's why the books were popular. Add a little more of that next time and we'll be good.

(I wanted to avoid a rant here, but there is a lot missing from the books and some serious changes that don't really work. I'm not going to list them, just be re-warned)

A problem

As I've been doing research for my paper, I've come across a few problems. I just want to rant on this for a minute.

There are some very good books on comics. I've referenced Danny Fingeroth a few times, and I just read a very good one called Superheroes: A Modern Mythology. That said, there are a lot of those X and Philosophy books out there that really irk me. The problem is that these books are more topical, and therefore instantly dated the second the are published. For example, a book that talks about Jason Todd's death is no longer applicable, since he didn't die thanks to Superboy-Prime retcon-punching him into existence. Superheroes and Philosophy is from 2005, meaning they don't get Final Crisis or Civil War. They haven't seen The Dark Knight, read Kick-Ass, or Infinite Crisis. Superheroes and Philosophy has a whole chapter on metaphysics and multiverses based on Crisis on Infinite Earths, but all of that is reinvented by the next crisis.

Another thing is how people think Batman is crazy, and that the costume is some sort of bizarre compulsion. False. Batman is not compelled to do this, he wants to. He can stop at any time. He says so in Identity Crisis. That is an important Batman story. If you don't read it, you lack an important perspective.

I just wanted to say that. Comics are a changing universe. Things are never ever concrete.

What's Wrong With Brightest Day

Brightest Day #7 comes out tomorrow, and I've been thinking about the series a lot.

I don't like it that much. I hate saying that, but it's disjointed, confusing, and has the bad habit of not answering questions but simply raising more. Here's the summary for #7.

"There can be only one who wields the White Lantern...but is it truly Deadman? And what will happen when he attempts to charge the white ring? Meanwhile, Ronnie Raymond risks everything for Firestorm, Martian Manhunter uncovers more clues about the bizarre string of murders stretching across the country, Aquaman searches for the key to the ocean's survival and the Hawks come face-to-face with the evil that lurks within the strange land known only as Hawkworld!"

Keep in mind there are only 32 pages there. 32 pages for 5 different storylines. That is abysmal. I want answers. I want progress. There's barely any overlap to call this a crossover. The brightest day series has just been a disappointment so far. I want to eat my words bad, but I'm doubting that it's going to get better.