Spec Fiction Quiz: Motives and Enjoyment

Speculative Fiction Quiz
By Alex Ness
March 28, 2022

I think it could be argued that I was far more serious minded from 1988-1999. I'd finished grad school, knew how to think on heavier level and developed a greater interest in knowing more about people, life and the world of the past and present. One of my stated reasons for going into History and Political Science was to have a means to know what has happened and to have the means to find motives and reasons for what happened in those events. Not to predict behavior, but to understand the motives and mindsets that lead to choices. One area that I wanted to know more about other people wasn't based upon my interest areas. I wanted to understand more what motivated and gave hope and comfort to those people I liked, and those people who cared about but didn't understand deeply enough. I also wanted to know why those who despised me did so.

Prior to becoming a stay at home father, I briefly taught, and wrote freelance articles for numerous small newspapers and publications. I never did enough that allowed me to dive deeply into any subject. And it never paid enough to get myself established in intellectual studies that allowed me to do more than I was doing.

But in time I realized that everyone seems to like the cultural media that moves them, whether movies, TV, games, books, comics and they have deep loyalty to their favorites. So I developed a quiz to give to people to get a feeling for their personal outlook through the mediums of their presence.  It isn't a universal quiz, but was aimed as it was towards films made in English, featured SciFi or Fantasy, or better to call it speculative fiction.  Answers would suggest an exposure American culture, and film, but the film franchises offered are known well to 3 generations of Americans. They might, of course, appeal to others, in other languages as well. I wanted to engage the minds and tastes, and learn more about the persons being asked.

What film/films or franchise do you identify with or prefer? And why?

1. Alien/Predators
2. Star Trek
3. Star Wars
4. Blade Runner/Terminator/Matrix
5. Indiana Jones/B&W Serials (Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, and more).

At the time I had mentally given these values to when the franchises choices were chosen:

1. The person is a believer in, or perceives the realism of the human future from Capitalist or Libertarian outlook and real life based fears and science.

2. This person believes that science will create a utopia and dangers come from our lack of optimism.

3. The person who prefers this might be a person who believes in technology and science, but might instead be a person who enjoys fantasy, however disguised as the future, utilizing heroic eras of a past.

4. This viewers sees the future as a complex maze of technology and the fear of Artificial Intelligence, and Cloning, and the creation of false reality, similar to virtual reality and video game worlds.

5. This person prefers the simple story, where adventure appeals to the mind, is romantic and daring but  fantasy is less important so long as the story is based around action.

However, I came to believe that this list doesn't achieve the result or anything that I had hoped for. Initially I thought that if I'd do it again, I'd have to add a 6th category/franchise: Excalibur/Legend/LOTR. I'd then suggest those who choose this category enjoy legend based, mythic ideals, of heroic people, and the human ability to ascend into godlike worth.

I was wrong for more than needing the 6th category though. I don't think this is able to cover the many outlooks of those who like Speculative fiction. An example of the failures in the endeavor is found in how limited the questions are, even if people being asked are likely to be subjects who have watched examples of each category. I think my quiz falsely assumes that I can delve motive or personal preference by the sort of film appeals to them the most. The reason I think I can't is something that people don't often perceive. A Dystopia is often a failed Utopia.  Fears are often what are considered with the loss of hope. One who enjoys fantasy might enjoy the rush of heroism or ideals that they, themselves, entertain in their own life, or it is an escape from the lack of those ideas in their existence. Perhaps, whatever we want, is one thing, but what we love and would defend is another.  One can be frivolous, the other quite serious.

Maybe now, with that knowledge, and having learned from my mistakes, I should just ask What makes you happy, What do you love? and why? Or maybe I should stop wondering. Or move to a different subject, assuming I am perfect so how could I ever understand the choices of others. For those who wondered my answer, it is the Aliens/Predator category. However, I've never been a capitalist, and the only aspect of Libertarianism I find to be most interesting is free speech. That might change when America goes to Martial Law but for now, I suspect the reason I am most moved by this category is that it felt rather real.  Everything else pales in that respect. If I were to add category 6, I'd suggest that I'd have to choose that, I absolutely love Heroic Fantasy. And if I don't know why I do, that would demonstrate the futility of this quiz.

ALL OF THE MOVIES I LOVE

About Getting Reviews from Me

First off, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

MY LINKS:
My Poetry AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Cthulhu Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis & Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted.

INEVITABLE? Not really. War Games & Kaiju

Alternative Endings
By Alex Ness
March 21, 2022

RECENT EMAIL AND VIEWS OF HISTORY

Over the last two weeks I've had dozens of questions regarding the world we see out our window and from social media and the news media.

Every time I answer emails questions I get many more in response. That is ok, I think it means people are reading this. But I think we all know, you aren't likely to find out much from me, other than what I think and my areas of taste. Still, it does make me smile to think that someone wants to know something I might know about something."Now that the world dealt with the pandemic and the brand new war, what would you say that would make America finally be upon the right path? You complained about both the Left and Right, so you must have an idea of what you want, or do you?"

I think the limits of democracy are found in the response to crisis. The old saying that "While Democracy Debates Tyrannies Act" is absolutely true. When invading other countries or responding to revolutions, having the ability to act with swift reply or initial thrust is an advantage tyrannies possess. But one of the greatest strengths of democracy is the joint efforts, agreed in principle for the well being of all, and through that joint action, there is a determination that weathers most storms. The problem with the pandemic is the lack of honesty in some, the desire to control in others, and the use of popular opinion versus facts for many, leads democracies astray. It isn't a single leader or person's fault, or even one ideology's fault, however much it participated, because among other things, pandemics don't behave how anyone would wish them to do so. In reply to war, democracies gather the best information and find united goals and response. The war in Ukraine will end sooner than the pandemic.

My response to the pandemic would be to give people options and let the real truth of accurate science convince them, and if they choose not to mask or vaxx, then society should limit interaction. In war the best response is to listen to those who fight, those who have the most to lose, and your gut. While I've said and mean what I said, that Russia had standing grievances that led to the Ukraine war, that doesn't we should assume the war is just and ignore it.

Most of the questions asked focus upon Russia being evil and Ukraine's response being heroic and good. I've grown reluctant to make any comments, because while I think Ukraine is a victim, Russia has been making a case for their side for almost 25 years. We might blame the aggressor but if America were surrounded by allies of an enemy, we might feel differently. Look at the roster of NATO and compare it to the WARSAW Pact all members who have time in both, are the crux of the problem. Beyond the fears of being surrounded by former friends now enemies, the world has forgotten the 30 million Soviet war dead from the First and Second World Wars. History isn't important to many in the present world, but that is a problem. In this modern world there are persistent, damaging, and flawed perspectives upon the past. Each of those views can be tragic.

A person can be seen as "dwelling" upon the past, for caring about it, and knowing the details of what happened. These people are perceived as ignoring the present, quite often, for a preference of the past experiences, past glories, and even the past worries. They refuse to live in the moment, live for the day in which they live, and know what is important to those who live in the present. An example would be an older generation saying "This generations doesn't know how easy they have it..." or "In my day..."

A person can live relatively well in their modern life and not care at all for what happened in the past, because life has become so isolated into compartments. This isn't the tragedy, but living without a context of how we arrived in the place we live, has an arrogance about it, a sense of entitled inevitability about it that abandons every sacrifice, ignores every achievement and forgets every single wrong that has been corrected.

Lastly, someone can perceive the past as an impenetrable mystery, unworthy of effort to know, and better left to the mists of time. And that is fine, perhaps even true, but seeing issues that can be addressed as permanently unsolved, or unknown, leads to a person being content with whatever the world events happen as being disconnected from it.

THE PRESENT

Why are these points of view seen as flawed thinking and not just a different way to think of things? If the man who stood in front of tanks headed to Tiananmen Square, perhaps hundreds or thousands more would have been slain. Had President Lincoln followed the previous US president's stance, the Southern states of the Confederacy would have become established and the social and economic institution of slavery would have been further entrenched. And it goes into a negative territory as well. Had Hitler been slain by any of the assassination attempts, would the Nazis have still fought most of world for half or more of a decade? Had the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor been lawfully preceded by a legal declaration of a state of war, would the attack have seemed so outrageous and murderous? Would Americans have dropped the atomic bomb, if they saw their opponent as being honorable or moral and only by an accident of geopolitics enemies in war?

Outside of war, imagine if the whistleblowers who changed society's course into the future had decided that they couldn't change the world, that their well being was far more important than problems they actually fixed or tried to fix. Karen Silkwood was murdered for telling the world about the safety lacking in the nuclear power industry.  Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange literally stopped the continuation of the Iraq war by shocking revelations of mistakes, accidents of war, and choices showing that the military use of force was flawed by how the US viewed Iraqis and other people.

"I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost

WARGAMES

Is this a rant about history and the loss of it in the minds of the present? No. While I have issues with the current mindset, I don't know that everyone having a perspective and context regarding the present.  Over time I've spoken here about alternate history. In fiction it can be a wonderfully new way to look at things or a way to beat a dead horse. But the way to learn about history and the importance of certain events, is to change the outcome. That is, by knowing about the past, we learn something. But in changing the outcome, we have to know the forces that caused the initial event, and then we can observe and understand the changes, and realize how things might be more important than we might know otherwise.

Lastly, I want to point to the fact that each of these games offer a way to change the history of an event, as we know it. This has dangerous consequences as well. In the Avalon Hill Game Afrika Korps showed me, winning the game with the Afrika Korps is exhilarating, losing as the UK/Commonwealth troops is disastrous and depressing. The stakes of war become even clearer with the change. A game I've spoken about, Axis and Allies originally from Milton Bradley, then to Hasbro, offers a big picture take upon World War Two.  It allows a fairly well done means of playing out the influences of the result, whether production, territory, bad leadership and chance, and could show people how to take over the world, was a really bad idea.  But losing as the Allies, can give one pause, because you have to wonder what you did wrong, when you had most of the advantages.

If you want some fine challenges to the established facts, and to replay battles and campaigns, you'll need to go upon ebay or visit a retail store that sells used games. SPI produced a great many fun and thoughtful games, many of which are now carried by DECISION GAMES. When I had friends to play games with, time to play games, and money to buy games, I found that SPI did a great job in creating a larger picture so that trends and phases could be understood, from the now great distance of time. I found that AVALON HILL presented really good games focused upon single battles, but also, very good campaign games. In the last decade I received and played two Avalanche Press games. I played them and studied them, and I think that they offer games from different eras and previously unknown events, plans and wars that never happened.

SPI
DECISION GAMES
AVALON HILL
AVALANCHE PRESS

“She was all too sunk in the inevitable, and the abysmal.”  Henry James

ALTERNATES TO KAIJU Film

I was pleasantly surprised when Godzilla 2014 came out. I love the movie and want much more.  But more than me being satisfied and happy, the idea that giant monsters with various powers have grown in popularity to achieve general society enjoyment and success makes me appreciate the journey to reach this place. I remember buying a magazine with monsters on the cover, and the retail clerk said, gee, you look way smarter than to read this stuff. I said, I guess I must be stupid.

Pacific Rim, Godzilla, Cloverfield and many more tickle me, and I am not about to apologize for liking it all. What truly allows me to be excited was the brilliant Ultraman Netflix series. Giant monsters and the warriors who fight them are worth the length of journey it required. But I've been thinking about the question I asked in an interview with a bright and talented friend, are Kaiju stories limited to film or television by the fact that they are perfect in those media? I think they might be limited in that way, the idea of giant monsters is the event, the rush and excitement, the sound and fury, and danger without real danger.  That is, I think Kaiju belongs in film/tv because it is a roller coaster, and that experience must be experienced in order to appreciate it.

However, there are some ways to approach Kaiju stories and events, without being film. Those shown in each image are the best efforts regarding this.

KAIJU GAMES

Losing in a video game as Godzilla or any other monster or monster fighter is depressing, that is true. And while destroying things is fun, or can be, it has limits and in the end when fighting against the computer, you will almost certain lose. However, playing with two players, or more, is absolutely a hoot. It is a necessary part of the experience because then the challenge is how to win versus someone with the exact same agenda.  Being in combat and getting a power up or you throw a building at the other player, is gloriously fun.

KAIJU PROSE

When I saw Gojiro on the shelf as it came out, I thought, this is a fascinating concept, and one that is a prose story. From the liner notes and entry on Amazon... "A lizard made gigantic by atomic bomb testing, and a recently comatose boy--whose family had been killed nine years earlier in the Hiroshima blast--venture forth to discover their identities in a nuclear age" That is, it is as much a story about the monster as it is the cumulative consequences suffered by the human world. It worked for me, but I've heard that others found it rather scattered and meaningless. If I remember right that is what the movie Godzilla 2014 had as criticism from some, and I don't think it is accurate. This book isn't great, but I applaud the idea behind it. The lives in the foreground and background give all monster movies the context, and if you were to say, a nuclear plant explodes and the lives of people experiencing the effects are the basis of a story, or famine, or war, or anything, it gives a nice entry point to a big event or big creature.

KAIJU BASED COMICS

I have read all of these, and while they might all deal with monsters and monster fighters, they differ greatly in result. Giantkiller is a play on the fairytale in title, but gives a clever concept and exciting fights throughout. Giant Monster is technically really well done. But the effect is less satisfying than you might think, even as I love Steve Niles writing as well as appreciate Nat Jones art. It comes off as Gamera when what you want is Godzilla. The Wake isn't at all silly and the tone and concept moves from fear to thrill, danger and escaping the darkness. It is a work that resonates. Rise of Ultraman is good, pretty, well done, but it pales compared to the Manga series the Ultraman Netflix show was inspired by, and adapts. It is good, but, not enough for me. And Kill All Monsters? I've spoken of it here and elsewhere, and have interviewed both of the creators of it.  It is the best of the works shown, and I think it is worthy of your purchase.

Giant Monster  Steve Niles and Nat Jones
Kill All Monsters  Michael May and Jason Copland
The Wake  Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy
Giantkiller  Dan Brereton
The Rise of Ultraman  Kyle Higgins, Mat Groom and Francesco Manna

About Getting Reviews from Me

First off, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.



MY LINKS:

My Poetry AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com

Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html

Amazon Page Amazon.com/Author/AlexNess

Cthulhu Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com

Atlantis & Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

I have an email list for my blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com If you are interested please send me an email asking to join the list. Send an email toAlexanderness63@gmail.com to join the list.  I promise never to sell the list or share it.

All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted

José and The Pirate Captain TOLEDANO: A Different Kind of Pirate Tale

Jewish Pirates Explore The Oceans José and The Pirate Captain Toledano hits stores this May (March 16, 2022) This Purim, a unique Jewish tale of triumph over adversity is getting ready to launch.  This hot new release expands on a story first told in an award-winning short film, “The Pirate Captain Toledano” which explores a mysterious corner of pirate history: Jewish piracy during the Spanish Inquisition. As refugees from the Spanish Inquisition searched for a safe haven, some took to the sea, and action and adventure inevitably followed. José and The Pirate Captain Toledano will appeal to pirate fans of all ages and will be available in print and digital formats.  ​Explaining his fascination with Jewish pirates, author Arnon Z. Shorr says,"Unlike your typical pirate who's driven by greed or a thirst for adventure, the Jewish pirates of this era had a whole other motivation to pillage and plunder - they were refugee-vigilantes, fighting back against the empire that expelled them." About José and The Pirate Captain Toledano:  HC: 978-1-7284-4606-6 $18.99  PB: 978-1-7284-2009-7 $8.99  Author: Arnon Z. Shorr  llustrator: Joshua M. Edelglass  Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing  Size: 6 x 9  Page Count: 96  Details: Full‐Color Illustrations  Age Level: 8‐12  Grade Level: 3‐6  ​Pub date: 5/1/2022  Description:  Set in the shadows of the Spanish Inquisition, José and the Pirate Captain Toledano is a coming‐of‐age story that centers on José Alfaro, a young refugee who forms a powerful bond with the mysterious Pirate Captain Toledano. It’s also a dynamic pirate adventure on the high seas, with hand‐ to‐hand combat and ship‐to‐ship action, and the powerful story of a dark time in history when people took different paths to survive. About the Writer Arnon Z. Shorr, a filmmaker and screenwriter, loves telling stories. Half‐ Sepharadi / half‐Ashkenazi, a Hebrew speaker in America, a Jewish privateschool kid in a mostly non‐Jewish suburb, whenever he’d set foot in one world, his other foot would betray him as different. That’s why he tells stories that embrace the peculiar and the other. For more about Arnon, visit www.arnonshorr.com. Formerly of Los Angeles, he lives in Boston.  About the Illustrator  Joshua Edelglass’ work has appeared in publications including The Jewish Comix Anthology, Tikkun Magazine, and The New Haven Review. His artwork has also appeared in numerous exhibitions, including Pow! Jewish Comics Art and Influence at the Brooklyn Jewish Art Museum. He has watched Star Trek II more times than is probably healthy. For more information about Josh, visit www.joshuaedelglass.com. He is the Assistant Director of Camp Ramah New England and lives near Boston.

Great Comics

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT
My All time 10 Favorite Comic Books

By Alex Ness

March 21, 2022

QUESTION ONE



"Dear Mister Alex,



I haven't read you long, but my son Trey, who has just graduated from university, told me a few months ago that he has read you and your comics since he was 14 years old. He said I should read your articles and I have done so. Really impressed, I've learned a great deal.

My son has tried to explain to me why he loves his comics, but I don't understand why adults read comics. I stopped reading them about the time I mastered tying my shoes.

I'm not saying that you are old. I can't understand your love of comics. I'm not complaining about comics in general, but thought, if I asked, would you please list your 10 favorite comics, and why?

I'd promise to buy them, if possible, and read each comic series you list. (I am a single mother, work in a data entry position, and have enough money to buy comics, but until recently I didn't have the time. Covid cases at our ancillary partners/sites then caused my job and company to go on a break until things change.) I have the time, so tell me what is great! Make me a comic book fan.

Also, THANK YOU for the guest articles by Richard LeDue.  He was right on target! 

Sincerely, Jenna M. from Toronto Ontario Canada"

Thanks for writing and being so interested in what I write. Congrats to Trey. And I think he might mean comics I write about rather than the comics I've written, which are about 5 total.

I've read and loved comics since 1969, so it hurts me to choose just that number. My choices reflect what fits into my taste and if they are able to touch my taste-meter, I assume that they have some quality, whether all time best 10 Comics quality or not, is a matter of debate that isn't herein being debated. While I include Manga series (Japanese style and content works that slightly differ than US or European comic books), I do so without suggesting that I could easily do a favorite manga list as well as a US/European Comics, because I could do that. This is a straight out list, without excepting much, except to say, these are more than 1 issue or original graphic novels, however much they might deliver great reading.

Click to enlarge the image:

MY CHOICES:

BADGER
Capital/First

Mike Baron/Jeff Butler/Bill Reinhold



The Badger is a costumed hero from Madison, Wisconsin. He also happens to be insane and has a pet pig named Kasten. He is friends with an ancient druid, married to a woman named Mavis Davis who is a doctor (Mavis Davis MD or MD/MD). Badger is able to be read as a superhero tale, but it is parts humor, action, and really REALLY well written. Badger is a martial artist, but also a multiple personality war veteran, who is lovable but dangerous. I loved it for most every issue I've read, and found that it fits my taste almost better than any other "costumed" hero.

 Sadly, I felt like the 1990s various attempts to update or even tell a Badger tale felt somewhat flawed and didn't move me. But more recent Badger stories recaptured the joy and madness found in the beginning.

NEXUS
Capital/First

Mike Baron/Steve Rude



This might be perceived as an alternate universe as well as a superhero story. There is a false future presented in the story, as that of a surviving if dying out Soviet Union. Perhaps it is purely allegorical and metaphor, using the hero or anti-hero as the focus. There is an odd use of coercion to kill dictators and evil men/women. Nexus is an assassin. However, unlike most assassins, he is highly moral. His home is a moon, Ylum, and it is a place of refuge for the outcast and innocent victims of terror. When Nexus is given power, enough to accomplish whatever tasks necessary, he's also cursed with nightmares that create migraines and worse. He learns of his assignments by the sorrow of victims of the target of assassinations, and is sent by the command of moralist aliens.



LONE WOLF & CUB
First/Dark Horse

Kazuo Koike/Goseki Kojima

A former executioner of the daimyo, Lone Wolf loses his prestige, his honor, his family, and must flee. He takes with him his child, or his cub. Lone Wolf pushes the baby cart, and travels across medieval Japan. He is forced to negotiate a life in an uncivil world, a dangerous lack of allies, and exhaustion after miles and miles of travel. He maintains his personal honor, protects those he loves, including his cub, and weaves a story of persistence in the face of pursuit. I was blown away entirely by this book, and it is magnificent in art and writing. Any long time reader of mine knows my affection for Samurai tales, and this work is spot on through out.

NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF WIND
VIZ

Hayao Miyazaki



It was 1991 in Duluth MN, when a comic store was blowing out his manga and other overstock. I captured a near complete, to that date, run of Nausicaa for 25¢ each. The people with me were laughing, but, even as they were happy with their choices, I was in love with the characters I'd just read. Nausicaa was a princess of a small kingdom, who flew across the sky in a glider vehicle that allowed her to explore the disaster ridden world, that had mutated over time. She was gentle, kind, and noble. In a war of invasion into the rare gem of beauty Valley of Wind, she led her people in the resistance, and offered the finest of examples of being a princess and warrior. As manga and anime, this work captures nearly every good aspect of the medium, and avoids the less rewarding aspects. I love that princess, this work is a love letter to both apocalyptic epics and innocence.



SCOUT
Eclipse

Timothy Truman



Despite being interested in the history of the Apache people, and fascinated by the culture of Native America in general, I admit that, while I'd seen SCOUT on the stands I'd never looked at it. After a year and a half of seeing the work here and there, I discovered a run pack that made it impossible for me to try it out. I'd never seen anything like it, and it was a prophetic work, ahead of its time, an action movie, a spiritual journey and a work that resonated with my heart, visually with my imagination, and my mind for the future as presented by Tim Truman. The Apache warrior Emanuel Santanna traveled across what became of America, and along the way finds himself a father of two children, who accompany him eventually into the war zones of America. Driven apart by wars, environmental disaster, and economic collapse, America becomes a wasteland, and a danger zone, and Santanna tries to right wrongs, and find a sort of justice.



GREEN ARROW 
DC

Mike Grell/Ed Hannigan



I read and enjoyed Mike Grell's painted story the Green Arrow: Long Bow Hunters, so I really wanted this comic to be just as good. And I have to say, Grell's words with Ed Hannigan's art, really explored and understood the visual story Grell wrote (he wrote the series, but only did occasional covers and rarely interiors.) Grell created a story that went way beyond mature title labels, he made his comic book one that intelligent people wouldn't scoff at, and adult characters that weren't either throwing out F bombs or running around nude. They were actually mature. The stories told were amazing, accurate for the day, in language and world seen, and even my non-comic-fan wife fought me to read each issue.



HAWKWORLD
DC

Timothy Truman



As I mentioned Timothy Truman's SCOUT was epic and prophetic, HAWKWORLD retells the story of Hawkman in the DC Universe. It uses numerous themes, elite versus the broken, the wealthy versus the poor, and how a man who was driven by drugs and excess, learned to find a different man inside. His story was evocative and beautiful, and the art was the best Tim Truman art ever. This was a masterful story, of how a man who has fallen into the most abject pit, can free himself from the mire by his own resolve. Thankfully, I don't have to choose between them. This work echoed the film Metropolis by Fritz Lang, and the works of fallen Byronic heroes of the greatest literature.



DOOM PATROL
DC/Vertigo

Grant Morrison/Richard Case/Simon Bisley/Brian Bolland

I was a fan of the DOOM PATROL from the first time I saw the cover and those words, all the way back to the 1960s, when I was in a drugstore and the DOOM PATROL was teamed up in a BRAVE AND BOLD with the FLASH in issue #66. I know that sounds bizarre, but I was 3 years old and I still remember seeing it on the stands. I've been moved by the DOOM PATROL since then, so I have 55 years of being in the fandom.

The Doom Patrol was composed of a broken bodied leader, with a plan, mutants and survivors. The world they live in and act within is that of the DC Universe, but they always were perceived as odd.  And unlike other costumed heroes, these make sense as a team.  My favorite run of comics was the Grant Morrison written run, but it was good and fulfilling for me throughout.  I did have some opinions of the post Morrison era comics, but I liked them too, well, mostly, at least.



INHUMANS
Marvel

Paul Jenkins/Jae Lee



The Inhumans have appealed to me for a while, especially under the pen and typewriter of Jack Kirby. But what sold me, initially, on this version out in 1998, was Jae Lee the artist. His work is elaborate, lush, beautiful and completely moody. The Inhumans are moody, even dark, as their story is a bizarre epic of how beings expose themselves to being changed at a come of age transformation. What made this better than almost any other comic of the era, was the ability of Paul Jenkins to take this odd tribe of powered beings, and tell a story that was immediate, desperate, and even tragic.

It displayed how the world viewed a group of "freaks", but ones that are powerful. Power can lead to fear, and that fear would isolate your people. Black Bolt was the king of such a group of outcast freaks.  The story shows the odd combination of motives and fears that can lead to betrayal and internal collapse of a kingdom. Threat of an external collapse from invasion of outside forces of "normal" humans.

These outsiders were always on the run from other humans. The story was sexy in look, but dark and intricately told. It was out at a time when my father died, my wife and I were having our child, and I had a health issue (a gallbladder) that went untreated initially due to lack of insurance, and then bad health care once I was on it. I nearly died. The Inhumans were among the few things that gave me comfort at a time when so much was going on, it felt like this comic was telling the story of my own collapse.



THE SILVER SURFER:Parable
Stan Lee/Moebius



Quite honestly, I didn't enter the story for the writing. While Stan Lee was a giant in his industry, his work tended to fail for me in the dialogue, and rarely evoked a response in me that could be described as me being excited. I am not saying he wasn't a good writer, his style didn't work for me.  However, having said all that, I entered this comic a bit differently than most. I like Silver Surfer, but thought of him as a character I understood. I thought Stan Lee created some wonderful characters, but rarely dug the writing. And I didn't really understand a lot of the Moebius art or projects I'd seen at the time. But when I read it, it was so good I cried.

Moebius gave a grace and beauty to the character, that made him one of my favorites forever after. He was broken for his people, rejected by the earth where he had become imprisoned. In the end Moebius and Lee together create a spiritual story, with the Silver Surfer transformed from John the Baptist announcing the arrival of a God (Galactus) to Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. I get told that comic books focus too much upon costumes and violence. This series is the opposite, the work is a treasure.
 



QUESTION TWO



"So I know you are a fan and fascinated with Russia. Do you admit they are wrong in the invasion of Ukraine? You right wingers sure love Putin, don't you comrade?  Your "friend", Jim Mc. from Atlanta, GA USA"

I will answer your questions, but want to say that your tone is nasty. You've written to me over the decade, and I know that you know that I am a fair and honest person. Also, I answer all the questions you send for me to address. Attacking me by associating me with any agreement with a war is worse than being nasty.

Regarding the content of the question, I think you need to distinguish between advocacy and analysis first, and second, learn to question your ability to discern motives. I'm neither a believer in war as a solution to questions, nor am I a right winger. I might have some right wing oriented life experiences but not as many as you might think, I'm a Christian, attempted to be in the military (but failed) and like movies and stories about the Samurai. I've still had more left wing experiences than you might be aware. I've received a Master's Degree in an academic field, I live in one of the most liberal states in the US, and I'm a believer in the widest possible acceptance of people eager to become American, i.e. I'm positive towards immigration. I hold views that are pro Police reform, pro Universal Health Care, pro Voter rights, I also regularly read the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.



I think that the actions in Ukraine by Russia are wrong and might portent a nuclear war or nuclear exchange. However, I believe that the United States signed agreements with Russia when the Soviet Union fell and Warsaw Pact dissolved. It was agreed that the former satellite nations of the Soviet Union would not be invited or welcome to join NATO. However aggressive or wrong, Putin's present path to war was literally paved by US and European development of a wider NATO membership, and the desire to surround Russia with hostile member nations. I know it confuses the people like you who accuse others, but I can't help but look at the world from the distance it deserves, because if you take sides before you know what is going on, you tend to make assumptions.

If I sorrow for Ukraine's people, and I do, know that America has made truly bad choices in dealing with the region. If Putin is bad, well, I can't argue that Americans have been truly good or without blame in their own foreign policy. Americans haven't been moral in our following of international agreements. Remind yourself of America's treatment of Native People treaty rights. The failure and immoral bent regarding agreements involves every one of the US political views, Left, Right and Center.

About Getting Reviews from Me

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.



MY LINKS:

My Poetry AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com

Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html

Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess

Cthulhu Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com

Atlantis & Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

I've an email list for AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com If you're interested please send me an email to join the list. Send the email: Alexanderness63@gmail.com to join the list. I promise never to sell the list or share it.



All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted.

Q&A, Stupid things, Fun things, RPGs and Solitaire

Q&A
By Alex Ness
March 14, 2022

I don't know why, but I received a ton of questions.  Some less important questions, some interesting questions about life, the world with Covid/Covid Protests, Comics, Football, RPGs, Games you can play as solitaire and more. So I'll try to respond as I am able.

THE QUESTIONS

Unnamed emailer says "What is your favorite laxative?  Reading your work always make me take an enormous shit!"

Well it must be contagious as I am flushing your email down my toilet.  I recommend Kaopectate or Bananas for your condition.

Another unnamed "Do you know where my car keys are?"

I don't know where they are, but probably lost forever.  If they are still findable, my guess is somewhere near your parked undrivable 1977 pick up truck, and your keys will be found wherever you last fell asleep after you got high or drunk, or both, likely a couch, a sleeping bag, park bench, or police holding tank.

From an unnamed emailer "Didn't I read on Twitter you excitedly tell everyone how much you love Biden? So of course you got vaccinated, you need to have been sterilized too."

While I have sympathy for those having fair, medical concerned worries over taking a vaccine, I don't think most who did take it are necessarily Biden fans. For me and many others it was a pragmatic choice and nothing more. If I voted for Biden or not, I can tell you this, he isn't by any means enough for this job, but I can say he is more presidential than the previous office holder. America has been really going off in the wrong direction, for at least 2 decades of leadership. For the record, no, I never said on twitter that I love Biden. I tend to look at politics from a distance, and rarely find myself moved enough to lose my non partisan online voice.

From an emailer calling themselves Canadian Trucker "What did you think of the Trucker protest?"

I think civil disobedience is a most reasonable response to authoritarian rule. In America I've grown to appreciate the 1st Amendment defenders since I think the police in America have grown to consider the civilian population as a people to rule over and control. Review the police in Loveland, CO PD who've broken bones to dementia victims, and given each other high fives for it, tackled and arrested witnesses of car accidents to make them comply to their questions. In the face of authoritarian excess, I trust the people more than those who hold power.

Protest isn't always just, and police are by no means always wrong. I think that in Canada the trucker protest is in response to an overly heavy handed response to Covid, but Canada wouldn't be such a wonderful place without the government it has had. Some of it is a protest because the current situation for everyone sucks, and some of it is specific to Justin Trudeau's choices as leader and his practice of power. In such a crisis, citizens of any country, except maybe North Korea, blame their own leaders.

FOOTBALL

Syd from Toronto, "Did you watch the Super Bowl? What would you say is the reaction to people to how badly the SB was officiated? I think it sucked, sucked really big. Also, Go Argos!"

I didn't watch the game, as I don't have a TV, or cable. I can watch youtube or other video sharing sites, so I did see the various highlights, and saw at least a couple of really mindblowingly bad calls, or non calls.  I honestly don't get why at this point of importance of a game, the championship for goodness sake why there aren't officials in the booth to call down to the field and say, pause the game, look at the missed call. I think the right result (the Rams winning) made some of the outrage go away, but it might not have.  And yes, Go Argos. Let 2022 be the Double Blue's year! 

COMICS

Ed from Australia "I know a person who worked with a certain creative talent, and they said when they went to comic conventions together that that certain creative talent spent the entire show cruising for 15-18 year old girls to have carnal relations with. I know you know him, and know you probably think of him as a friend.  Do you know about this guy's behavior and would you tell me if you do?"

I don't have any knowledge about anything re:your specific questions. I'm not friends with the certain creative talent, as I barely know him, but I do like his work. And yes, I'd say in any direction, yes or no, good or bad, if I knew the answer to your question, but I do not.  The person who is the friend, who you know is someone I think is a rumor spreading shit disturber. They are talented but I wouldn't give them a second of my time in any situation.

RPGs

Reader Charles former Minnesotan, now in Florida writes to say: "I've read your column since Robin Goodfellow and Slush. I am older than you, but have read the same kind of comics and books, and from your reviews I am certain that we share the same taste. I'm retired and have been for 10 years, I live alone, but my son brings his two children over and rather than play video games, which I've never been a player of, we are looking for a shared experience. What is not a video game but offers joint play of fantasy, and, what is your taste experience regarding those games?"

In response, I can only briefly say from what I've played, and what I thought therein.

Basic D&D teaches you the concept, and remains easy enough to fully play, and offers flexibility enough to enjoy.  I liked the expansion of it with Hollow World, actually a lot. My first full adventure, Keep on the Borderlands was fantastic and worth celebration.

AD&D Advanced Dungeons and Dragons was my go to, as it was easy and if unrealistic worked in gaming to create a vehicle to allow players to create an epic story of their own.  If limited by an alignment system to center people around making characters that could work together, it was also flexible enough to not worry over it.

Tunnels and Trolls I really liked the idea of T&T before beginning play, but, sadly I couldn't get others to play. That is ok, and you might well appreciate it too, because it is also able to be played in solitaire fashion. The creator of the game had an interesting twist upon the common theory of RPGs, where Trolls were heroic, Dwarves greedy and violent and other juxtapositions. 

Harnmaster was limited, in some ways, in the mechanics and the possible idea of any play outside of the setting. Harnworld was a wonderfully wrought and thoughtful setting of a gaming world. It utilized all social science considerations of a real world for fantasy play. Harnmaster felt like it could only work in Harn, and maybe that's ok, but my players also didn't want to play in Harn. However good it was they preferred my own setting and preferred AD&D.

Warhammer Fantasy Role Playing for me, not others, had limitations in how characters were created and how it was played. However, I really loved the cultural flavor of it. If Harnmaster's game system was limited and felt world centered, Warhammer FRPG felt like it had a culture and flavor, but I didn't like your options of playing within it.  It could be used to have fun, but for me felt forced in character development.

Empire of the Petal Throne was created by MAR Barker, a professor of history and linguistics (or something similar, I am going by memory.)  As such, it creates a real feeling culture, it doesn't use white folks from Europe and Tolkien influenced fantasy beings like elves and orcs as a replacement for real sorts of beings, interactions, and geography. It is smart as heck, but the RPG was limited, in that the two times I played it, my players tried playing it as if it was D&D and it doesn't translate. Yes, the players were the reason, but a game needs to be played in a group effort. People I played with shrugged their shoulders over new things to discover, rather than dive in and experience. They killed what beings they met, rather than interact with them. It was a wasted opportunity.

Jorune was a game setting that was worthy of praise, if the RPG was less complete than the experience required. However, as with any RPG setting, the player requires a depth of world knowledge, just having lived in that setting. If you play a visitor to the planet that is one thing, but the known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknown things made this setting and RPG limited. However, the two times I played it I really could see options and ways to improve the experience but the players were slow to adapt, and didn't want more.  It was disappointing in the way Empire of the Petal Throne was, that is, the material was smarter and better than the player's imagination.  And that is sad.

Earthdawn was a beautiful looking set of books. But, I did not enjoy the game system, felt that the flavor of it seemed borrowed and the players were so pretentious over the fact that they were RPGing and it wasn't like D&D at all... but it was. It was just a beautiful looking product, the art was superior to most other games, and it was something I don't regret reading, but gaming it was not fun.

RuneQuest was for a number of reasons, exactly what I experienced with Earthdawn. The RPG system had flexibility, but the combat system, for all of the flaws inherent in D&D's combat system, were farsical in the hyper attention to damage and location. It all might have had some use, and I liked the idea of how powerful cults were regarding the culture presented but I found the tone of it to be mostly silly and unworkable. The conceit of it all, is, hey this system is so realistic (and slow) the setting so deep (deeply silly) and playable, (not really.)

Dangerous Journeys is the black hole of RPGs. For all of the people who RPG today, those who were playing 30 years ago were excited to buy and try the Gary Gygax written and developed series for GDW. With many books, new ideas, it was released after a fight with TSR. It was an RPG and setting fans had looked forward to, and, had it been good, GDW's/Gygax's system would still be played. Gygax isn't with us any longer, but the game was roundly criticized for being overwrought, too complex, silly, and ultimately unplayable. I did own copies, but wanted to say, it wasn't in itself so horrible, but it had a feeling about it as being Anti D&D. So, despite the TSR lawsuit, it was anything but what D&D had been. For some reason after the disastrous failure of the game, TSR bought it and shelved the IP forever thereafter.

I've played many more games, but these are the fantasy oriented RPGs I played or invested time in more than others. Middle Earth Role Playing and Rolemaster from Iron Crown were miserably rules heavy games. Man, Myth and Magic felt like the designers weren't aware of the historical settings they wrote about. Chivalry and Sorcery was a game that felt much more like a clone of D&D without improving it. But, regarding any of this, my views are born from my experience, other people might well have found the games I disliked to be well worth their time. Maybe I'm stupid. ARS Magica was a game I wanted to play, but none of the groups I participated in had any interest. Sometimes whatever the experience one has, limits your ability to know, beyond hearing about games. Oh well, I didn't experience all of the games I had interest in, that's ok.

SOLITAIRE

Charles also asked "And, not just fantasy, but what games are out there, that aren't computer based, that are solitaire?  I have tons of time, less than tons but some money, I don't have tons of games to play."

Gurps from Steve Jackson Games created some opportunities to play in the realm of the series the Horseclans by Robert Adams and it also had a solitaire opportunity. Similarly, they adapted Alan Dean Foster's Humanx setting and it has a solitare adventure for it. 

Nemesis allows solitaire play in the Aliens world.

Tunnels & Trolls is fun, well made and worth play, and can be solitaire too. I've mentioned it quite a few times, as well, the creator of the game, and writer of many stories, Ken St. Andre. Ken is truly talented and what I love, he wants the reader or player to love what he creates. There is such a fun part of the experience, whatever else, you can use the book or game to rehab, restore, find enjoyment within a moment that gives you strength.

I'll not go into the war games showed, but they all can be played in solitaire fashion. I wish I still had access to play Raid on St Nazaire as it is based upon one of the most daring decisive events in World War II. I think war games are probably the most easy to make into solitaire, so I'd just say click the image and find the name of the games and look on ebay.  They are almost certainly worth your money.

About Getting Reviews from Me

First off, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

MY LINKS:
My Poetry AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Cthulhu Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis & Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

I have an email list for my blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com If you are interested please send me an email asking to join the list. Send an email toAlexanderness63@gmail.com to join the list.  I promise never to sell the list or share it.

All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted