Archive for January, 2005
Chapman girls come to visit
Brenda Chapman spotted this little gem when we were traveling back from some shopping on Saturday. Sitting out in the Denny’s parking lot by our house was a beat up truck that had a huge paper mache blue and white Colt head sticking up with a tiny little body of a certain Patriot quarterback hanging out of its mouth.
Alas, that wasn’t meant to be as the Colts were just shut down left and right. Tom Brady really didn’t do squat, but the defense and rushing game just rolled right over the Colts, eliminating them with a final score of 20-3.
Collateral (2004)
Christine Mulligan said that she felt not scared of Tom Cruise in this movie, that he wasn’t the least bit intimidating. That didn’t scare me off from seeing this movie, but after I watched it through for the second time, I would have to say that I agree with her.
Collateral is about Vincent(Tom Cruise) who is a hitman that visits LA to kill five men in the course of one night and Max(Jamie Foxx) is the unlucky cab driver that he randomly picks to be his escort. Max is kind of a timid but strong man, and Foxx does a nice job showing this transformation of a regular human being trying to do the right thing who is pushed too far.
Being a guy, there are some really awesome action scenes, and you root Cruise on in some of his viciousness, but really until the last fourth of the movie, I just felt like it was Tom Cruise running around in makeup, shooting people. But the high paced ending chase scene between Cruise and Foxx with Jada Pinkett Smith is intense and enveloping. You can’t predict what happens, and in the end you are convinced that Tom Cruise is bad to the bone just as he dies.
Like Tom Cruise? You will like this. Like a strong resolve in your main characters, this is a good movie for you too. But if you like movies that are filmed a little more traditional, I wouldn’t recommend this. Michael Mann gives this movie at times a documentary feel with its close-up jittery camera shots that can be a little distracting. But it wasn’t a bad movie, and you can laugh your butt off at Jada Pinkett running around on a tile floor in high heels.
So why do comics get the bad rap?
The first essay about “Why Comics?” got just too daggone long, so I broke it down into 2 parts (a la “Kill Bill” *chuckle*). But after this I’ve got to knock it off with this pseudo-scholarly junk. I can’t have people thinking I take myself too seriously. J Here we go – same song, different verse….
So why do comics get the bad rap? (Alternately titled: Why I feel sorry for others who think they are too good to pick up a comic book *smile*.) I think there are a couple stereotypes that hold people back. Okay, I’m sure there are a billion, but I’m sliding into my stream-of-consciousness thing now & that’s what popped into my head.
The first biggie (naturally) is that it’s a kid thing. Grown ups don’t read books with pictures & comics have nothing of significant value to say. And the second reason is “I don’t go for that science fiction/fantasy crap.”
The lazy one word “Duh” response to that is, of course,” Maus”. I read & was deeply moved by this Pulitzer Prize winner (and its sequel). So you tell a non-reader it’s about the horrifying time a man spent in a Nazi concentration camp & the lasting effects it had his life & on his future father/son relationship. Most people are still with you at this point. Now tell them that the main characters are mice.
Yep, we lost ‘em.
And what a shame for them. We’ve all read about the Holocaust. We have our ideas of what evils were perpetrated by one group of people against another. But by stripping labels the “Jew” and “Nazi” away from the people and re-casting them all as different species we can understand from a new perspective. Sheesh, nobody gets teased for reading Adams’ “Watership Down” or Orwell’s “Animal Farm” now do they?
I could do a whole freaking dissertation on this one alone, but this is the INTERNET folks so I’ll try to keep it snappy.
It doesn’t take much effort to prove that any kind of writing/media can take on important, mature topics. I believe it’s the “fantasy-phobia” that still bars potential readership. It’s probably safe to say that an affinity for science fiction is often the gateway drug that leads to comic book reading.
You may have gazed up in wonder as Star Wars flickered before you at 24 frames per second. Or you fought with your brother & sister that the one TV in the house should be on Justice League for Saturday cartoons (or the special 2 hour Buck Rogers movie – I cried to get my way on that one *laughing*). Or you devoured Asimov, Tolkien, or Herbert stories. Or you just found GI Joe & Barbie not nearly as interesting as Batman & Superman action figures.
I think I just SERIOUSLY dated myself with the list above.*grin* But I also think you get the point.
People who already have a certain proclivity for catching Star Trek reruns are more likely to be open to what a comic book has to offer.
I know I’m biased, but non-readers have no idea what they are missing. There’s a wealth of ideas & potential for growth of perspective that can be gleaned from being open to the “superhero” metaphor.
(I’m apologizing in advance – I cut my teeth on X-Men books, so I’m way more steeped in Marvel culture than any other. I’m afraid that makes a lot of my reference points from the Marvel Universe.)
I’ve already discussed Colossus’ symbolism & the idea of emotional armor. Peter Parker – the perfect conduit for thoughts on how we are torn between the pursuit of our personal desires & our need to serve the greater good (all the while being completely unappreciated for our efforts).
And let’s not forget one of my total faves; Rogue. I so relate to this gal. She’s a LITTLE too close to home for me to go into too much detail as to why. Let’s just say anyone who’s spent a good amount of time participating in this barbaric custom we refer to as “dating” could probably relate to the sense of isolation she embodies because she is untouchable.
It’s bigger than just characters too. Nothing like an alternate reality to create the perfect forum for discussion. I dated a man a few years back who overheard his pre-teen son making some pretty hateful & ignorant comments. I gave him a copy of “God Loves, Man Kills”. This Chris Claremont X-book is a powerful treatise on bigotry & tolerance. I lost touch with the guy, but I hope the son was left at least a little more enlightened.
I’d recommend “The Crow” to anyone grieving over lost love. I’d suggest “Bone” for family reading. Try “The Tick” is you love to laugh. Pick up “The Watchman” (another totally not for kids book) if you like political & social commentary mixed with questions about “playing god”. And you can always count on Batman (especially Frank Miller) for challenging moral & ethical quandaries.
It’s funny; I started writing this thinking it could be something that might convince a non-reader to pick up a book, any book. I feel pretty secure that I’ve failed in that respect. I’m not sure it’s even “doable” with any amount of words to persuade an uninterested faction with no predilection for, or openness to, Sci-Fi or fantasy to try out a book.
At the same time, I also puzzled over what to write about next – I was blank on ideas. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone (I’ve dropped into clichés, better wrap up fast now *smile*).
I think I may have to go back through some of the books, issues or story arcs that had a big impact on me & write from a reviewer’s perspective. Maybe go more in-depth on some of the books listed above. Who knows, maybe it would pique someone’s interest. And, hey, if I got one person – whether they are an established reader or non reader – to pick up one of my favorite graphic novels, I’d say mission accomplished.
Look at me, assuming people read this stuff. All I have to say to that is “Quit it – You’ll never get that time back!” *laughing*
Later!
We move into our brand new house
Like I said in the intro for today’s entry, it has been a week to forget, time to look forward to the weekend. Which this weekend is our one week anniversary already, and here are some photos from the move-in.
Right away I thought that it would be a good idea with help down, and if the weather permitted, to fix all of the small things that came up on the inspection so that if we every have to move that stuff isn’t still wrong, and we can fix the problems we created.
Photo one : Dad Chapman is replacing the toilet kit in the downstairs basement.
Photo two : Sarah’s awesome college gal sister takes off the little girl wallpapered butterflies in the “purple” room.
Photo three : Everyone, including my parents, has a hand in setting up Sarah’s desk, which this “purple” room is now her very own office.
Photo four : We did take some time out for fun and introduced our parents to the frightfully delicious Long’s donuts.
Photo five : The left half of my office fully assembled again.
Photo six : The gang putting in our brand new microwave. The Microwave we got as a housewarming gift from my parents. It didn’t fit as things were in the house, so we had to remove a cupboard, move it up, install a plug, and then put in the microwave. It look gorgeous, like it came with the house and a bunch of professionals did it.
Photo seven : Sarah’s brand new office fully setup.
Photo eight : Everyone finally taking a break Saturday after everything is mostly done for some dinner and a movie.
We also got a ton of help and food from Christine, who is awesome. We don’t have photos of her working the stinker, but next time we move, we’ll get her. Which she lucked out, because after four moves in two years, we plan on dying in this house.
So Why Comics?
If someone put me in a line-up & asked you to pick out the comic book reader – I doubt you’d choose me first.
I mean c’mon…pick the gal in her 30’s in sling-backs & Ann Taylor? Choose the intellectual (look I said that with a straight face *giggle*) mother of two with the degree & the Dilbert-esque corporate career? Nah – it’s the big Goth girl or the little geek-guy – not main-stream-middle-class-church-going-little ol’ me, right?
And you are asking now, “What does this have to do with anything?” For years, people have been confounded that someone like me reads those COMIC BOOKS, so I get a lot of practice trying to explain. I’m not saying I actually succeed, but I try.
When I hear “Why comics?” the first thing I think is – Well, why movies? Why books? Why mythology? Heck, why storytelling at all?
Even the most Cro-Magnon members of our culture want to communicate & be understood (BE-lieve me I’ve dated them, I know *grin*). Fact based communication can take you so far. But when you’re ready to explore bigger ideas sometimes it helps to deliver that idea as metaphor, allegory, parable, etc.
So we tell stories. Books are perfectly acceptable – have been for centuries. The best ones inspire you to create your own vivid pictures in your imagination.
But let’s add pictures to help tell the story. Movies & television are still generally mainstream. These media allow the creators to tell a story but add their own vision of what the story “looks” like. Again, the best ones have the ability show you things outside your imagination. Or even when an already existing story is now told with pictures – you have the opportunity to see the same story in a whole new way.
And that’s all comics are, a story told with both words & pictures, right? Why choose this medium for entertainment when there are books to read and movies to watch?
Because it’s truly unique.
It takes the best of different media and creates a rich storytelling experience. It’s a marriage of original artwork & words. Then when it’s coupled with meaningful, iconic characters – it hardly gets better.
Think about the written word alone. The author’s imagination can be ablaze with colorful settings & characters, but the conveyance of his ideas can be restricted by the reader’s perceptions & limits to their imagination.
Words are powerful. They have amazing descriptive ability. But think of the capacity a picture has to covey a whole host of ideas at once.
I can think of the perfect example. I ripped up my collection looking for this issue so I could describe it, but couldn’t find it. (It was one of the X-men titles & they are always hopping around each others books.) But maybe it’s better to talk about it from memory so I can express the imprint it left behind.
It was a time when Colossus had left the X-men to join Magneto. Due to a serious head injury he received in his armored form he resolved to remain that way. The wound would probably be too severe to survive if he reverted to his human form.
His X-pals naturally still cared for him & figured out a way to repair the damage, but Colossus would not willingly submit to the procedure.
Because of Colossus’ unwavering trust in her, Xavier enlisted Kitty Pryde to ask him to return. The thought of deceiving him sickened her, but she wanted him to have the opportunity to heal, so she persuaded him to come to the mansion.
When he arrived & realized he was there under false pretenses he raged at the duplicity, but was quickly overpowered. The procedure to repair the damage was a success. Kitty was there when he woke up.
Here’s where the pictures turned this from an ordinary story to something I’ll never forget.
Kitty tries to convince him that he can return to his human form now. Colossus is angry, but more than that he is hurt by her betrayal. As they talk we learn the wound was really a convenient excuse. He wanted to stay armored up – it was “safer” that way. Not just physically, but emotionally.
As this already compelling conversation plays out we see him, literally SEE HIM, start to let go. Until the one picture that summed it up for me – a spent, vulnerable Colossus, now human again, is wrapped only in a sheet, clinging to an equally emotional Kitty.
The dialogue was moving, but when paired with the picture the message was perfectly communicated. It’s safer in the armor. How could people who loved him rob him of his reasons to stay protected & secure? He did NOT want to feel…to grieve…to forgive. But for that one moment, in the arms of safety, he let it all go.
Oh man I got to quit this – I’m getting teary all over again now. See – little pictures, big impact. And this is also a great example of the weight the mythology of these characters has. Colossus is such a great character. Who among us can say they haven’t had a time where we could relate to those feelings? C’mon – I think we all “armor-up” the minute we set foot out the door each day.
Okay this grows ridiculously long – I’ll try to wrap up with my last point. So if a “comic” is just storytelling with pictures – I can get that at the movies, right? Well, not exactly.
Where on earth are you going to find such a wealth of original artwork? Sure we all have different preferences & some of it is “out there” – but so much of it is fantastic!
Technology for making movies today is astounding, but it has limits. CG work can create almost anything now, but it’s a lengthy & expensive process. In a comic though a fantastic character, an exotic setting or an entire world can be just one sketch away. (I know, that’s waaaay oversimplified, but you get the point.) And those people & places can live on forever as long as there are artists to continue creating them.
I know, I just made mincemeat out of that last point trying to dash to the finish line. So I’ll wrap it up here. Unbelievably I had so much to say about “why comics” I lopped off half my thoughts here & put them on another essay. Look for it soon. Thanks for listening to the rant…..
Later!
Esystems moves into Stutz building downtown
Like I mentioned on the front page, the Stutz building has all sorts of graphic studios inside. It is it’s own community and the building has such character. Originally home to the Stutz, which was manufactured here in the early 30’s, the building is still littered with the cars and even has it’s own museum. In the early 90’s Turner John management bought the property and broke it up into office spaces.
That brings us to today. Some of our competitors are in the building, and some businesses we could outsource some work to. But either way, it is so cool to go around and see all of the offices and how they have customized their workspace, since most of them are artists.
Hopefully when we get settled in I will have some photos from the inside. I know that I love being just a block from the canal walk for running and everything, and I can rollerblade, like I will tomorrow, ten blocks downtown to the comic book store. Plus, the building has a restaurant with great food and a bar, so you barely ever need to leave.
Rose Bowl Party – Michigan vs. Texas
It was a tough game, with both teams playing good at times, and not at others and the lead flipping back and forth. But in the end, by not scoring first and going hard from the beginning, Michigan lost in the final seconds on a field goal, 38-37.
In the first photo, Sarah is playing with a little “play” chainsaw that actually makes the noises and has a little tin ball linked chain that moves around. In the background are two of the Johnson girls, Emily is on the left and she is on break from Concordia Ann Arbor right now. Andrea is on the right and is a Junior in high school.
In the bottom photo, to the left in the red is Paula Johnson, the oldest Johnson girl and right around our age. The guy to the left with the ball cap is her friend Brian. I don’t know much ’bout dat guy. He likes hats.
And then finally, unrelated, but here anyway, is the photo of the extensive Water Damage that we are experiencing at Beech Meadow Apartments here in Beech Grove. Sarah contacted the front desk about doing something about the leak, so it doesn’t get worse because this was the damage we had after the first warm day started to melt the snow on the roof. Basically Beech Meadow Apartments said they weren’t going to do anything about it because “It was too dangerous to send maintenance men on the roof”. They suggested to move everything we had away from that wall and they would come in and basically redo the roof and the wall when the snow was gone.
This is the type of attitude we have experienced for the last six months from Beech Meadow, and I hope that this will benefit someone’s decision out there to not live here unless you want a substandard living space.
