Let’s do this again!
It’s time to put the bins out!
I have lately had my belief that everything will end up ok in the end challenged. The chaos that has crept in and is now omnipresent in my life isn’t due to politics or war. It’s due to laziness.
In other news did you see that the end of ‘Batman – Hush 2’ is delayed?
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” — Thomas Paine.
Moving sideways at the stop light.
Elsewhere it’s been a week of people telling me about themselves. A little randomly as a choice in my regular programming I’ve just finished Ben Elton’s autobiography. He’s someone who I haven’t actively followed, I’ve never read any of his novels for example. But looking back on it he was ever-present somehow in my formative years. From his writing on ‘The Young Ones’ tv series, through his ‘Friday Night Live’ and ‘Blackadder’/‘Thin Blue Line’ stuff and beyond. I remember being told off by my mother once because I laughed at his “Cream in your coffee” gag. (I still use it, often in the wrong company).
The book is seemingly quite honest. It’s a bit of a book of ‘…then this happened, then that happened’ chronological listings but he does discuss his failures as well as his successes. He talks about those friends he’s loved as well as those media types he (kinda) dislikes, giving sound reasoning on both. His trademark ranting is toned down a little but still recognisable.
As I read, two questions jumped out at me. I got to thinking about both what I think of him and what he wanted me to think of him. In both cases I’m not sure. And rather than seeing that as a mystery of indecision on my behalf I realised it’s just life. (Innit.)
I also received and talked about two auto-bio small press comics on the ACP this week. Both by English men of my approximate age. I say this as I can find similar ground in their upbringing and the lives that they document in these issues. And indeed I did and do. Both have a few things in common. They use time jumps as a narrative propulsion and both dwell in some sadness of their own particular past. Not exactly regrets but a melancholic acceptance of what makes us who we are today.
But as comics, and in their telling, neither comic or creator goes out to be liked and/or pitied. Both paint, partly because of this attitude, a realistic picture of each man. Stains and mistakes and bad choices and all. We all make them. I’ve made more than most. And because of this honesty I found them captivating and compelling.
I’m a great believer that even in the most fantastical fiction there has to be an honesty. The more experienced amongst us will spot a fake at a mile off. Veer off from that track to pander or to falsely appeal and you’ve created an often easily identifiable dishonesty. I see it every day. From social media postings to comics. Take the advice from us painfully honest old fuckers. Warts and all kids, warts and all.
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” — Kahlil Gibran.
Let’s look into the reading I’ve done this week.
Small Press Comic of the Week.
(See above.) from Paul Ashley Brown. Another masterclass in ink and dialogue. I wish he printed these magazine size. The art is that good.
Top.
Another Ghost Machine issue with a mixture of artists that work well in a combo.
Bottom.
Another pile of crap pretending to be a comic. Thanks Global Comix!
“Never do a man a favour. You’ll owe him for the rest of your life.” P.G. Wodehouse.
(Always do favours!!!!)
My name is Tony Esmond and good night!
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