Hey!
Another trip through the week lands us back on Hump(ing) Day and sadly for you rabble, another one of these.
We are reminded that nothing changes.
Somebody else this week in comics walked in a funny way and was jumped all over by the usual crowd (I’m guessing here as I pay little attention to that load of flannel). Whatever the perceived war crime it was this week we can be sure they’ll be on to someone/something else next. It’s a cycle right? Copied from the many other ‘Revolutionaries’ we regularly see and are usually part of the extremely brave ‘Laptop Class’. People of all political persuasions who pay more attention to the Devil’s Window than the physical world. As with many things, science fiction warned us about this. (Yes, I am aware I’m doing that here. I am nothing if not a hypocrite!)
Typing your allegations onto whatever current social media DOES NOT make you an activist. Action is implicit in that classification. Typing your late night moan is not included in that definition, especially when it is aimed at your own insufferable ideological bubble. The equivalent of just saying stuff to your friends down the pub – but without, you know, leaving your stained and overused couch. In the microcosm of comics it’s often done so that the ‘typer’ can bask in the light of their perceived glory among their own tribe of ‘typers’. Not really helping and mostly kicking comics down the ladder another step at a time. (Ed Piskor anyone?) I was also reminded of this phrase from before the internet took everyone hostage. Here is a handy refresher.
‘The Green Ink Brigade’ – A disparaging label traditionally used by journalists to refer to people who would write *letters to news organizations complaining that something or other presaged the end of civilization as we know it, or else urging a reporter to investigate a high-level scandal that was being covered up by the authorities and the rest of the media. Such letters would occasionally be written in different coloured ink and/or in capital letters, presumably to emphasize their importance; they have largely (but not entirely) been supplanted by communication via computer. (from ‘A Dictionary of Journalism’ Tony Harcup published by Oxford University Press).
These people were not activists either. So, let’s follow the advice of sci-fi and unplug. Go help someone and just maybe, read an actual comic. And when you type – imagine if it would have been in green ink thirty years ago.
Funny how everything can be compared to medieval religion isn’t it.
“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
― Voltaire
Moving on.
This week on the ACP we had Stuart Moore on for a chat. One of the founding editors at Vertigo, an editor at Marvel Knights, a writer of comics and books and an all round good egg (and listener) this was an education. We also talked about TOXIC SUMMER. Not to be missed.
Back to the task at hand. I’ve had a few new followers of late so an explanation is in order. Every week (mostly on a Wednesday) I choose the best comic I’ve read (aka ‘Top’) and the worst (aka ‘Bottom’). No, nice try, this isn’t activism. Just (that dreaded word) ‘Content’.
Small Press Pin-Up Comic of the Week.
Fancy some sexy (kinda) comics creators in their speedos? Then this is just for you. But probably not if you are adverse to too much booooosh. (Although, in all honesty, I could have done without Gaiman being in it.) Mostly a laugh nevertheless. Get on it.
Tops.
Bit of a cheat. But I bought this omnibus over the weekend. I was reminded of how much I enjoyed this when I was reading it month in and out. Bendis was on form and Stuart Immomen really lives up to his ‘Artists’ Artist’ credentials. A bit pricey but I’m sure FP will have it at a reduced price.
Bottoms.
Doom and Reed enter a win-all/lose-all debate that never rises above the stupidly obvious. Meanwhile a team of heroes breach the force field around Latveria. It’s fairly trite, needs someone to explore it with actual depth and comes over like a too easy win that makes you wonder if that’s down to bad writing or plot. I liked the cover.
But it was the ‘too referenced’ art that kept annoying me. Surely the ‘reference’ here is from an audience at a comedy show? And wtf happened to that dude on the end? So underdrawn I wondered if the debate audience were disappearing due to some Vanishing Ray being deployed by a Doombot….. nope, just a bit of rushed/shit ‘referenced’ art.
‘I don’t fear you. I dread you’ – Godfather 3.
Three men can keep a secret if two of them are dead – apparently.
Many thanks for reading.
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