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Friday, September 30, 2022
NYCC the place to be to for JOHN CARPENTER LIVE
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Great Books to share, And Getting FURIOUS
FURIOUS About Comics
By Alex Ness
September 29, 2022
I am starting to write a series of additional articles where I review or consider and offer for your consideration comics and books. It may be regularly appearing, it might be occasional, my schedule is clear but my health is not. So, with possible interruptions, I present the first in many or the first in an irregular series of articles.
CLASSIC COMICS?
Graphic Classics are a wonderful way to give kids and adults who like comics a taste of the great literature of the human past, along with the opportunity to see the stories adapted into sequential visuals and dialogue from the works. Great talents contribute to the artistic adaptations and as a collection of volumes the series covers some wonderful writers, and writers who the present world might have forgotten. I get asked often what comics I'd recommend to parents for their children, and I like these books a great deal. I think the series has had different publishers, but when I was getting most of mine it came from a publisher in Wisconsin, and great fellow Tom Pomplun. In any event, they can be found on comic book webstores and ebay, perhaps on Amazon. I particularly liked the Lovecraft and Poe editions, and they each add to the library of Poe and Lovecraft's work in crisp, well done adaptations.
FURIOUS
By Bryan JL Glass, Victor Santos
Volume 1 published by Dark Horse Comics
I posted about Furious once before, and now I've had a chance to read the first volume. The story features a girl hero, one who is forced to use her powers violently to find redemption in a world of violence. Her world is sensationalist, and she is forced to act in ways that entertains society, despite the supposed outrage towards violent acts and heroes who use such means to find justice. The death of a man demands justice, but what will that lead her to do?
This five issue series contemplates the response to the vigilante's mask, the desire for justice cloaked by others in the language of revenge, and society's role in how heroes are measured. For those who need another comic to be used to compare for the feel and concept, I'd say there are two comics that Furious reminded me of, in good ways. Powers by Mike Oeming and Brian Bendis and Spider-Man by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko ask the questions of what is a hero, while challenging how society demands a proper hero when violence demands a certain outlook. Furious, however, is original, and a good read.
The writing evokes the innocence of an earlier age of comics, but has a perspective presented that invokes thoughts of powerful satire versus the coy, glib tongued sensationalist media. The art is very good, certainly able to present the story in ways that express action as well as emotion in the faces of the cast of characters. I was impressed, and the thought of there being a volume two would be a welcome thought.
CLASSIC CAT!
I am not able to write without a certain friend on my desk. She is wonderful company, kind, naughty, affectionate and funny. Her name is Katya and my son Jonathan took these pics of her while I was at my desk.
My Poetry blog with 5000+ poems: AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My published Work: AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
An Amazon Author Page: Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Cthulhu Based Horror: CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis & Lost Worlds: AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com
Sales: Poplitiko.Blogspot.Com/2022/06/for-sale.html
If interested in purchase of my works, write to me at AlexanderNess63@gmail.com and inquire about the various books I've written. Not all remain in print, in fact, about half are in print still. But I do have author copies to sell, so, please feel free to inquire...
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.
Saturday, September 24, 2022
Cthulhu Books, Spy Movies, & the Faerie World
DARK, LIGHT, COLD WARS
By Alex Ness
September 25, 2022
THE WORLD AROUND US
Continuing mass shootings in America, War in Ukraine, Pandemic closing cities around the world, Monkeypox being spread through intimate contact around the world, Abortion losing federal support, and the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, all have made we as Americans, and I suspect the entire world aware of the absurdity of life, and difficulty of existence. If you extend the world in madness, start in 2001 and work your way up through the years, with terrorism, grave natural disasters, Fukushima nuclear catastrophe, and more. Life itself does not happen in a vacuum, however much we might prefer that. We are all confronted by the choices others make, along with our own, and rather than rise to the occasion, it seems to me we are choosing to ignore the events, continue our flawed practices, and assume if it didn't happen directly to us, then we are lucky.
I have long thought about the world I live in. Sometimes I've been told I think too much. 30 years ago when I was in grad school I was called a simple minded fool for saying America would elect a Black President in 20 years, and that there surely would be mass pandemics in 30 years, the sort that would kill many. I also suggested that the desire for gun control will lead to a reworking of the second amendment through laws and referendums. I am not a great gun advocate, per se, yet I do see the second amendment as being far more important than those suggesting it shouldn't be allowed. The US was born from revolution and war. It left the British Empire because the government treated Americans as less than equal, and utilized their homes, labor, and property for their own purposes. And perhaps the only reason they successfully left the empire was their guns and willingness to fight.
We live in an era of war and rumors of war, disaster from nature and those by our own hand, and the consequences of living in a wealthy country that has yet to address the role of racism in America, and how the legacy of slavery doesn't just pass like vapors in the wind. I also see violence as having the potential to turn our great country into an armed camp, with resolutions of issues coming at the barrel of a gun.
TO ENTER THE CTHULHU MYTHOS
H.P. Lovecraft had an outlook upon the world that was dark, cold and logical. He had views that were problematic for those in the present. But his idea that aliens of great power, difference of form, and malice, could come to earth and be perceived as gods, is enormously important and well considered. His work was made greater by sharing it with others.
I mentioned in a previous article that there were books to start reading various authors that would give the reader a better ability to assess an author, or particularly, enjoy that author's works. Those were chosen on single authors, and I suggested then that a larger subject, such as the shared universe of the Cthulhu/Lovecraft mythos would be different, if not more difficult to present. There are many reasons for this, such as being due to the number of participants, the different ideas presented, and the almost 100 years of its existence.
I absolutely love the quality of works considered, as well as the depth of ideas found in the shared universe. Some have pointed out that Lovecraft contributions were a sort of pure entry, since it came from the original mind of the universe. Others have suggested that while those entries might be good, they are no better than the additional works compiled contemporaneously and much later. That isn't to say Lovecraft sucked, it is to say that some very talented people added to the universe. A number of people have criticized the work of August Derleth, and that he changed the universe with his efforts to create a more traditional backdrop, with good and evil, physical and spiritual gods and more. But, I'd like to point out, that not only did he do that, for better or worse, he also created a publishing house that was established for the most part to collect, archive, share the works of Lovecraft. It seems to me that someone who took such steps might have had less creative talent than Lovecraft, but his acts as a publisher helped preserve and save the original works for all to read. That to me is something quite good, and perhaps even selfless. (I confess, I don't know the finances of Arkham House, for all I know it could have been a lucrative endeavor.)
The Spy Who Came in from The Cold stars Richard Burton, who I am a fan of. A spy has come to the end of his run, being exhausted, and tired from his life in espionage. The Cold War has a cost, and those who fight are not the soldiers in this war, but the spies. The idea of one last mission, performed by a tired weary man, has potential to be tragic. We've all heard of the guy on the front line with one week before he goes home, getting killed. This is similar. The acting by every single member of this cast is perfect. Watching it was the sort of edge of your seat viewing that only rarely happens in film. The lingering effect of Cold War fear and paranoia and the final mission of a truly first class spy, make for a great film.
About Getting Reviews from Me
By Alex Ness
September 25, 2022
THE WORLD AROUND US
Continuing mass shootings in America, War in Ukraine, Pandemic closing cities around the world, Monkeypox being spread through intimate contact around the world, Abortion losing federal support, and the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, all have made we as Americans, and I suspect the entire world aware of the absurdity of life, and difficulty of existence. If you extend the world in madness, start in 2001 and work your way up through the years, with terrorism, grave natural disasters, Fukushima nuclear catastrophe, and more. Life itself does not happen in a vacuum, however much we might prefer that. We are all confronted by the choices others make, along with our own, and rather than rise to the occasion, it seems to me we are choosing to ignore the events, continue our flawed practices, and assume if it didn't happen directly to us, then we are lucky.
I have long thought about the world I live in. Sometimes I've been told I think too much. 30 years ago when I was in grad school I was called a simple minded fool for saying America would elect a Black President in 20 years, and that there surely would be mass pandemics in 30 years, the sort that would kill many. I also suggested that the desire for gun control will lead to a reworking of the second amendment through laws and referendums. I am not a great gun advocate, per se, yet I do see the second amendment as being far more important than those suggesting it shouldn't be allowed. The US was born from revolution and war. It left the British Empire because the government treated Americans as less than equal, and utilized their homes, labor, and property for their own purposes. And perhaps the only reason they successfully left the empire was their guns and willingness to fight.
We live in an era of war and rumors of war, disaster from nature and those by our own hand, and the consequences of living in a wealthy country that has yet to address the role of racism in America, and how the legacy of slavery doesn't just pass like vapors in the wind. I also see violence as having the potential to turn our great country into an armed camp, with resolutions of issues coming at the barrel of a gun.
TO ENTER THE CTHULHU MYTHOS
H.P. Lovecraft had an outlook upon the world that was dark, cold and logical. He had views that were problematic for those in the present. But his idea that aliens of great power, difference of form, and malice, could come to earth and be perceived as gods, is enormously important and well considered. His work was made greater by sharing it with others.
I mentioned in a previous article that there were books to start reading various authors that would give the reader a better ability to assess an author, or particularly, enjoy that author's works. Those were chosen on single authors, and I suggested then that a larger subject, such as the shared universe of the Cthulhu/Lovecraft mythos would be different, if not more difficult to present. There are many reasons for this, such as being due to the number of participants, the different ideas presented, and the almost 100 years of its existence.
I absolutely love the quality of works considered, as well as the depth of ideas found in the shared universe. Some have pointed out that Lovecraft contributions were a sort of pure entry, since it came from the original mind of the universe. Others have suggested that while those entries might be good, they are no better than the additional works compiled contemporaneously and much later. That isn't to say Lovecraft sucked, it is to say that some very talented people added to the universe. A number of people have criticized the work of August Derleth, and that he changed the universe with his efforts to create a more traditional backdrop, with good and evil, physical and spiritual gods and more. But, I'd like to point out, that not only did he do that, for better or worse, he also created a publishing house that was established for the most part to collect, archive, share the works of Lovecraft. It seems to me that someone who took such steps might have had less creative talent than Lovecraft, but his acts as a publisher helped preserve and save the original works for all to read. That to me is something quite good, and perhaps even selfless. (I confess, I don't know the finances of Arkham House, for all I know it could have been a lucrative endeavor.)
There are mass collections of Lovecraft, but the Omnibus shown is perfect, and I included a collection from Lovecraft's poetry, not just because I love poetry either. His work is many faceted, and I suggest that his poetry is just as interesting and dark as his prose, and as poetry goes, it is pretty damn good. Lovecraft's work is easy to find, so, any collection might do well for the reader, but the books shown are all perfectly edited, lovely physical books.
I've included a selection of four non Lovecraft books that collect works by others. The best among them for me is Cthulhu the Mythos and Kindred Horrors by Robert E. Howard is a volume that adds to the mythos, understands it perfectly, and expands the universe by showing what can be done. The Disciples of Cthulhu is mostly great, with some lesser quality works, but there is within it an understanding that some who add to the universe are not attempted to change or alter the known world, but to "play" in it. Which is fine.
The final group is by August Derleth. He did rework some pieces by Lovecraft to add his own work, but he also wrote works that were entirely his own. And, if you like them or not, they are well written, add a different flavor and angle to the mythos and shared universe and give the reader pause to ask themselves if the works don't offer a perhaps more nuanced take on the shared universe.
(I
haven't included in this a list of Brian Lumley's Cthulhu tales, but
that is solely because I included him in the Author starter sets that I
referred to above. After Robert E. Howard, Lumley is easily at least tied for my favorite
author with Clark Ashton Smith and Lord Dunsany, within the circle of Lovecraft writings and authors contributing
to the Cthulhu universe.)
FAERIES & MAGIC ITEMS
Some have asked where I got my
inspiration to write my own Faeries book. And I confess, I don't really
know the answer. While I did love Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene, that
was an allegory so the aim there was less the story of faeries as it was
Queen Elizabeth I in the guise of a perfectly beautific and wise queen
of the faeries. I enjoy the many King Arthur and similar tales, but the
more folk tale the stories get the less I tended to like them. Perhaps I
was drawn to the concept more than anything, of being so joyful in life
they dance, they are happy, even as the world around them might be in
chaos or sorrow. But there are some wonderful stories that were told that came before the
others. The Genre of Fantasy is my favorite, and three of these came
before most others, and shared a vision of that world that was magical,
and tempting.
The Magic Ring didn't use cliche or tropes. It told a new kind of story, and it was written before the common fantasy tale was established. The Magic Ring does borrow from ancient texts, literary traditions, but does so with a sense of unity of aim. It feels Germanic, calls upon the Viking/Icelandic ideals and stories, pays homage to the Arthurian tales, and even offers Gothic horror or nightmares. A knightly quest sends warriors to far corners of the known world, and magic and treasure are just a couple aims of the quest.
The Magic Goblet is the focal point of an odd but wonderful tale. A Swedish village is to have a new church built, but the daughter of the provost shatters a goblet, with an unknown arcane past, the tale is set to go into dark and unchartered territory. The architect of the new church is a local celebrity, being of high class, handsome looks, and he is a charmer. The local women flirt and angle to collect his attention, but the realm is shaken to learn, not all that is beautiful to view, is good at its core. The goblet and the human interaction make for a complex tour of human emotions, magic, and dark motives.
I included Undine by the author of the Magic Ring, not due to its mastery and excellence, but because it shows how myth and lore can be reimagined and repurposed for new tales. In the story a knight named Huldebrand marries a water spirit named Undine. The love story is tragic and perfectly written. It is a fairy tale, one like those it pays homage toward, and to those tales later inspired by it.
SPIES, COUP ATTEMPTS, & ASSASSINS
So, my movie watching has evolved from watching documentaries and cooking shows, into watching movies featuring similar themes. Watching one area often leads to watching others, many being complex in outlook, and perhaps even related in terms of cast or director, theme or subject matter. Youtube and archive.org offer movies that are out of the public eye, or forgotten or simply not available elsewhere, which means I am very grateful for their existence.
Recently, I've been digging into the Cold War. The Manchurian Candidate is the result of such a war, and the paranoia that grew due to the conflict. I love Frank Sinatra, and appreciated well the dialogue and riddle of what was going on. I don't think it was the greatest movie I've seen, but it did qualify in my mind as great.
Seven Days in May was similarly about Cold War fears and paranoia leading to a possible coup. Since few such events happen in a vacuum, the trail of lesser names are followed and deconstructed until the major player has been outed as the villain. This was a great movie, in most every way I watch movies to experience.
Day of the Jackal was about an assassination attempt upon French President Charles de Gaulle by a secretive underground political terror group. The group initially tries and fails to kill de Gaulle. So they decide that this assignment requires an expert. The one they bring in to do the job is called "The Jackal" and nothing much is known about him. The movie tells a story that is engrossing, and is quite dark. It speaks of the life of a political leader, and what unknown forces exist to kill him or her.
The Spy Who Came in from The Cold stars Richard Burton, who I am a fan of. A spy has come to the end of his run, being exhausted, and tired from his life in espionage. The Cold War has a cost, and those who fight are not the soldiers in this war, but the spies. The idea of one last mission, performed by a tired weary man, has potential to be tragic. We've all heard of the guy on the front line with one week before he goes home, getting killed. This is similar. The acting by every single member of this cast is perfect. Watching it was the sort of edge of your seat viewing that only rarely happens in film. The lingering effect of Cold War fear and paranoia and the final mission of a truly first class spy, make for a great film.
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
All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted.
Thursday, September 22, 2022
ATOMIC SMASH!!!
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Saturday, September 17, 2022
BACK ISSUE BARGAINS AND A HUGE SCREENSAVER
BARGAINS IN COMICS
By Alex Ness
September 19, 2022
COMICS COMICS COMICS
Due to having a number of interesting quests over the summer with my son, and having a little money, and going through some miserable health issues, that linger still, I had the opportunity to find numerous deals in the world of comics, and for the first time in a really long time I immediately read what I found, and I really liked what I was reading. The comics shown today cost me a whole ten dollars, and they are worth seeking out. I was spending a dollar or two on a set of comics, or finding great deals in back issue bins, and it was fun, rewarding, and as I have very little money, it was exciting to find these deals. I'll give a brief comment about each set I found and hope that if you are a fan of the subject matter, it will move you to search them out yourself. (Thank you to Hot Comics of Minneapolis/Osseo Rd, Source Comics & Games in Roseville MN, and finally, Steve Brown & Cedar Cliff Collectibles in Eagan MN.) Oh and yes, it is obvious, these sets are not composed of Marvel or DC comics unless they come in a crossover. I enjoy good comics from across the genres and companies, but in a case like this, I do have one series I began reading again, from one of the big two companies, and I'll get into that later in this column.
(Please click upon images to enlarge.)
TOPPS Comics: X-Files
I have enjoyed the comics of
X-Files more than the tv show, but, I suggest that isn't a flaw, I just
have never sat down and absorbed the layers of the show. Topps Comics
really did itself a favor by creating such a well written and
illustrated work that was a fine accompaniment to the show.
NOW COMICS : The Twilight Zone
As
with the X-Files, I liked the original Twilight Zone but never much
enjoyed the reboots of the series, and I must say, I don't like Harlan
Ellison much either who was featured in the beginning of this series.
But my personal flaws and bad taste regarding Ellison aside, this series
was a showcase of a good concepts and creative talents acting in accord
to create really readable stories.
I've interviewed Erik Larsen a number of times, and while I sometimes feel like I'm a prophet in the wasteland calling people to notice the works of a great creator, I don't think his talents are appreciated in the ways that are deserving. He is a fine story teller, and if his character Savage Dragon (SD) has flaws those end up as meaningless due to the quality of the character's conception and his world. That quality is such that Larsen allowed others to tell stories featuring SD, without being the overarching master of content. The Dragon Blood and Guts lingered with me, I enjoyed 30 some years ago, or so, but reading it again as an old fart, it resounded even greater. Red Horizon is slightly less enjoyable, but I liked it. Savage Dragon and Hellboy was letter perfect and done by Larsen. I'm not altogether been a fan of the TMNT, but, perhaps oddly, every crossover I've read with them, I've enjoyed. The crossover with SD was truly fun. The Superman and SD crossover Chicago I liked a hell of a lot more than I like the city of Chicago, despite many fine people coming from the metro. Many damn good reads here.
COMICO: The Amazon
Tim Sale did the art and it is every bit as luscious and alive as the Amazon rain forest itself. This is an early work also of writer Steven T. Seagle and frankly it is better in my opinion than many other works of the time that received higher praise. The Amazon is presented as a vast mystery, with indigenous people and outsiders interacting, to bring the truth of a missing reporter to light.
BLACKTHORNE: Revolving Doors
I liked this work, even as I think it relied upon a gimmick to move the characters from real life into a
fantasy world. The Revolving Doors in the title refers to how the transit from reality, boring work life, through a portal into that distant and unreal place. I confess, it was a $1 shot in the dark, that paid off in spades. I think it deserves to be remembered well, perhaps even being revisited.
MY LINKS:
My Poetry blog with 5000+ poems: AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My published Work: AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
An Amazon Author Page: Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Cthulhu Based Horror: CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis & Lost Worlds: AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com
Sales: Poplitiko.Blogspot.Com/2022/06/for-sale.html
If interested in purchase of my works, write to me at AlexanderNess63@gmail.com and inquire about the various books I've written. Not all remain in print, in fact, about half are in print still. But I do have author copies to sell, so, please feel free to inquire...
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.
Hey, before you go buy those comics, how about a large background pic/screensaver featuring some wonderful Manga/ Anime properties. Please click upon the image to enlarge it.
Monday, September 12, 2022
Comics Mentoring
Comics Mentoring Relaunch:
25 Slots Available for 2022
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Saturday, September 10, 2022
Stories of the West of the American Imagination
COWBOYS AND WESTERNS
By Alex Ness
September 12, 2022
IN THE BEGINNING
From the beginning, I knew he was the man with the mask, the hero, and I was his sidekick. I grew up as Tonto to my older brother's Lone Ranger. I was Robin to his Batman. We were both adopted at birth, and while my brother isn't my DNA brother, he always represented someone who helped me, the over emotional poet, try to endure the bullies and assholes of life. I dedicated my book Lancelot to him, for while Lancelot morally failed, and messed up, he'd been King Arthur's defender, and greatest knight. I am not anything like King Arthur, or any of the knights of the round table, but I would fit in as a court jester, or perhaps the bard who recorded and remembered deeds of courage. Ultimately, the point I am trying to make, really isn't about me, but how my brother was motivated or enjoyed them.
Throughout our life together, from 1963 to 1982, I learned, from
watching my brother, the love of reading, the courage and heroism
displayed in the comics or novels, or movies or in child play, that
heroes aren't made by the opportunity, but in the preparation and
mindset before the event in question. My brother had guts I've
never had. As I've mentioned here, I had learned at age 54 that
I had siblings in my DNA family, my brother Nate, my sister Denise and
her wonderful hubby Steve were highly similar in life they each lived
and their outlook on politics and life. When someone asked me if I
found it to be odd that my adopted brother and new DNA family were
similar, I said, I think God knows in his weaving of family, that I was
someone who needed support and defenders. Not that I was an emotional
cripple, a fool, a broken human, but I certainly was someone who didn't
fit in, and one that the rest of the world might hate for being
different.
After I graduated NDSU Grad school my neighbors for 3 years in Plymouth MN,
when my wife and I were just about to start our family of 3, were
German. They were amazing, I loved them. They told me that in Germany
and the rest of the world, there is an enormous fascination found in the
fictional and true stories of the American West. And that they thought
Americans seemed like Cowboys, even if they'd never even ridden a horse,
or had a gun duel. I can't say I ever felt the same, but my point in
mentioning this, is that from the outside, when people view America,
they also view the myths and legends, the narrative of how we became the
nation we are now. I miss my neighbors Gerlinde and Peter, yes I miss
having great friends and neighbors nearby very much. If I am to be
entirely honest, I am far more about knights and castles than someone in
a cowboy hat and native people. I'm not writing here about which genre
or that genre is my favorite. If only briefly, here is a look at some of
the creative works that utilize genre, concepts and settings of the
legendary American West.
(My taste in books is more fantasy,
elves, dragons, faeries and dwarves,
however, I do think that there are some wonderfully written,
imaginative, exciting books that qualify as being able representations
of the genre. I was going to include Mad Amos by Alan Dean Foster, who
writes a distinctly western character and setting, but it was a fairy
tale utilizing the western concepts and myths. My heart was sealed when
reading it when Amos visits Casa Grande, AZ, where my wife and I once
lived. But unlike the other books and games and movies, it has a
constant sense of whimsy and humor, as well as being comfortable
creating brand new beloved legends. The writing in it does kick ass, it
is one of my very favorite books of all time, but some folks I
know might say, no, WILL SAY, ah nuts, that isn't a Western. So, there
you go.)
THE BOOKS
Zane Grey wrote Westerns of a sort that were better than most but not altogether unique. Louis L'Amour wrote the same sort of works. While neither are bad, at all actually, they both do retain a flavor that is similar. Cormac McCarthy writes differently than anyone you might read, he tempts critical comments by his individual sort of punctuation. But his Blood Meridian is a clear work of genius, and it is his individual touches on a dark dark bloody subject matter that allow the reader to endure and finish it. Elmer Kelton wrote as a journalist as well as novelist, and he lived much of what he wrote of. He did still retain a hint of romantic, but managed more truth than most writers of the genre. Perhaps it was the reporter in him telling readers what they needed to know. Robert E. Howard could write in any genre, and all of those that he did write within, were ennobled by his words. He is my favorite author, but stands with others in that realm.
“I don't believe I ever saw an Oklahoman who wouldn't fight at the drop of a hat -- and frequently drop the hat himself.” Robert E. Howard
I've read other writers who suggest that Chuck Dixon's writing is good but formulaic, and I will disagree loudly with that suggestion. All of his works do observe a format not a template, and if they use local color in language they completely obey all of the good writing reminders, and also the books are good for the reader and they don't feel like a formula. These aspects of writing include moving the plot forward by both action and dialogue... but in the work Snakehand he utilizes a second author to balance his approach, and it was really excellent. John Morgan Neal seems to have given weight to the emotional aspects of the story, which gives more power to the action scenes. And I am happy to say, that I believe a second volume approaches in the future, but I've been out of the Dixon zone of information for quite a while now so I could well be wrong. (Since writing this I learned that book two is out and was written by Dixon alone, available on Amazon and I guess elsewhere, and that book three is currently in progress, written by John Morgan Neal. Color me very interested.)
SOME OF THE MOVIES
When I taught in the Humanities we used the movie Unforgiven as a way to teach students how archetypes and genre roles are used, along with mythic information, to tell stories, and to disavow them of any trust in movies for the future thereafter. Nope, not getting into the reason I say that, but if you are worried about spoilers, then you should be more timely in your movie watching. I think the movie is great, but brutal, and I won't watch it again. Three movies with Clint Eastwood and two with John Wayne, along with the Lone Ranger? How wide of a variety am I offering? Well, one movie is way more of a romance, one is more action, one is a dark hero's journey, and the other a traditional movie by a traditional film director all the way down to a scene in Monument Valley. You really can't go wrong. Unless you don't like the subject matter, then I can't see any of these working for you.
AN RPG: BOOT HILL from TSR
I loved D&D and Gamma World (GW) from TSR. I wanted to like Gangbusters but it kind of was a better idea than a game, and Boot Hill was a game I liked but I rarely ever found anyone interested in playing it. Just as I did with Gamma World, I used Boot Hill to take fantasy characters into a hot desert gold mining ghost town or former frontier town, and would challenge the players with new ideas, meet intelligent characters, and try to work out who they were quickly, or get shot. I still recommend Boot Hill, but I prefer D&D and GW to it, and think it is a harder sell to get people interested. That doesn't mean it isn't fun. It might be hard to find though, as I am uncertain if it is still in print or out of print copies are easy to find. I can still remember my players going from fighting Orcs, to discovering a Gatling Gun, and wanting to go to war with the enemy. It was funny, and a fun diversion.
LASTLY, COMIC BOOK WESTERN TALES
The talented creatives, Chuck Dixon, Timothy Truman, Joe Lansdale, Cullen Bunn, Moebius, Tom Pomplun, Leonardo Manco, John Ostrander, Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and more, told stories with an edge. The characters all at home in Western tales, were made better than the typical story, due to quality of writing and art, but as often due to refusing to tell stories using stereotypical depiction, avoiding tropes, and simply telling human stories. Jonah Hex by Timothy Truman and Joe Lansdale is my favorite of the bunch shown, as it makes use of metaphors and allegory, action and thoughtful writing and image. However, again, while Westerns aren't my genre, all the books shown have a great deal of quality and intrigue. The most clever book shown is Justice Riders, where the story of a team of vigilantes in the American West is shown, utilizing the templates of the Justice League characters, with a Western motif. The story is great, but more than that, the adaptation of the setting with modern characters and their powers is wonderfully done.
MY LINKS:
My Poetry blog with 5000+ poems: AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My published Work: AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
An Amazon Author Page: Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Cthulhu Based Horror: CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis & Lost Worlds: AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com
I
make precious little money from royalties and direct sales of my
works. If you know me in person you'll know I am not starving, so I am
not arguing that I have no money for food or rent, but that isn't my why
I sell books. I never have paid anyone to publish my work, I've been
both self published and published by publishers, but even not going the
vanity press route, I still need money to pay for book copies, to pay
editors or others, and to invest in research to in the end make the best
work I am able. Also, it would be true to say that since 2013 my
royalties and money went to pay health bills not anything like paying
for the ancillary costs of publishing, nor investment into books for
research. So, if you have an interest in helping me raise money, for
whatever purpose (I still have health bills not completely paid), please
click upon the link below... it will take you to works that I have for
sale, and there are more, but I chose to share these because you can
write to me at AlexanderNess63@gmail.com and inquire after books I've
written. Not all remain in print, in fact, about half are in print
still. I have author copies to sell, so, please feel free to
inquire... FOR SALE
All works & art remain the property of the owners/creators, nothing more than fair use is asserted.
“You must pay for everything in this world one way and another. There is nothing free except
the Grace of God. You cannot earn that or deserve it.” Charles Portis True Grit
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