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Wednesday, June 28, 2023
The Hero We Need
Thursday, June 22, 2023
No longer trapped by cancer...
The World, As I see it
By Alex Ness
June 23, 2023
I am alive and hope that I will remain so, for a good amount of time. However, I don't know yet. I thought I'd share some recent messages to me, and Q&A. Plus showing two less famous writers in a field, such as fantasy in a branch of fantasy and a specific mythos of horror. I might or might not die from cancer. But I have no role in the result of cancer.
Messages
"You are fat and deserve to die of cancer, you fking fat fk."
I didn't reply with words, I blocked the sender on gmail, twitter and facebook.
Q & A
Q-1 "What 3 comic talents do you buy sight unseen?"
A- 1 Mike Grell, Mike Baron, Tim Truman
Q-2 "What 3 authors do you have near complete collections of" From the sender of Q-1
A-2 This depends upon your definition of collection. I have all the stories of H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith, but as each has had more popularity in death than in their time alive, the plethora of reprints makes the concept of complete collections differ, I own all of the stories, yes. Do I own every version and every book including their work, no, that would make me have to sell my kidneys or liver to afford.
Q-3 "I do like your articles and website, but I am curious if you get paid for your work here. Because if you don't I'd suggest focusing on your own work and your poetry blog."
A-3 I love connecting with creative people, and sharing their works with people who might not have known of them, or would like to learn about the creative mind behind the works I show with the interviews or review offerings. Not going to stop interviews, review offerings, or commentaries.
MY FAVORITE LESSER KNOWN WRITER
In the CTHULHU MTHOS: CLARK ASHTON SMITH
Smith was a poet as often as a prose writer but also a sculptor and artist. His use of his many abilities within his talents in the arts allowed him to imagine with a depth of amazing beauty, unique qualities of horror, and well worth delving into various mythos. He is often forgotten but his work should be compared to Lovecraft, Howard, Derleth, and others. But frankly, he'd be my favorite of all of those writers of Cthulhu.
In HEROIC FANTASY: DENNIS McKIERNAN
Dennis McKiernan has been pooped upon by some critics in comparison to Tolkien and others, for starting his literary career with a trilogy involving elves and men, dwarves and halflings, trolls and orcs on a great quest. However the trilogy was actually his 3rd through 5th works, and weren't his original choice for starting off the works. He had perhaps less layers and scholarly depth than Tolkien, but he absolutely was better in writing characters who expressed real emotions and motives that were well established. I have said, and I still think, McKeirnan's works work better with me than Tolkien, but I suspect that McKiernan himself would say Tolkien was a master. So think entertainment versus deeper literature in the comparison. I have to say, the covers shown are better than the current editions, but each of the two series do come in a one book collection. So perhaps seek that out.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I have considered doing interviews with people not in the arts, but in the world that the arts try to portray. Sometimes I see crimes and wonder about the response of fictional characters. And sometimes the reverse happens, I wonder if such a crime would flourish or even happen if there were violent vigilantes out there to kill or maim the perpetrators of the crimes. I wonder if the death penalty would be such a dangerous subject for politicians if the kind of horrible criminals you see in comics or fictional books existed. The term verisimilitude is long and sounds important but it is rather simple and direct, verisimilitude is a noun: a word meaning how a fictional work depends upon the appearance of truth; and is able to create the quality of seeming to be true. That is, does the fiction sound real enough for the reader to believe the world of the fictional happening.
So perhaps interviews with police, judges, forensic psychologists or criminals would be worthwhile. Because someone recently has argued that the character the Punisher is mentally ill and a murderer. He should not be a hero. Nor should a variety of other characters of fiction. Well I don't live in a fantasy world, and I know very well that crime is violent and the concept of these characters comes from the desire to harm and stop such criminals. The people trying to cure the mental illness of the comic book heroes should themselves stop and wonder why they think it is important to prevent our mental dreams and hopes, and creative responses to terrible real world events.
GETTING REVIEWS?
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.If you send hard copies for review I will try to 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 worrying that I'd dispense them for free to others.
My Creative Blogs:
5k poem blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
Published works AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
All images are copyright © their respective owners, use
is simply as fair use and no ownership rights asserted.
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
FEVER DREAMS: A PULP COLLECTION
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Sunday, June 18, 2023
Great writers, Great Comics you might have missed
Moench, Glass, Bendis
McKeever, Baron, Niles
Delano, Hine, Carey
By Alex Ness
June 23, 2023
After my surgery on my last questionable lymph node, the doctors are formulating an opinion. So in the meantime, here are some comic issues and series, by wonderful writers, that you might not know about or have missed when they were released. I might do another of these, but there are so many good things out there, you really don't need my guidance.
Sorry just pics, and links. I don't have the energy to do more. There are books that were known or even thought well of by critics, but those shown did not get nearly the sales nor the love they deserved. So, these aren't the best remembered works, but ones that you should pursue.
Doug Moench
Michael Baron
Steve Niles
Mike Carey
GETTING REVIEWS?
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.If you send hard copies for review I will try to 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 Creative Blogs:
5k poem blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
Published works AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
All images are copyright © their respective owners, use
is simply as fair use and no ownership rights asserted.
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Obituary:: CORMAC McCARTHY
Cormac McCarthy was an American writer who achieved fame with his idiosyncratic, powerful stories, often about individuals in the middle of crises, and how they respond to what they face. His works have won prizes and awards. His work THE ROAD won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2007.
Many readers have wondered the purpose or choice to use the forms of writing used by McCarthy. Some have suggested he was writing books filled with blank verse poetry, without calling it such. Others think him to have been somewhat arrogantly saying, I'll write however I like. Or maybe his purpose was to create according to his own sentiments. I don't know. And found that aspect of his work to be rather confusing if also rather clever.
However what is known, is that he had a purpose and achieved it. He wrote, he taught writing, and he gained fame for his considerable archive of works.
SOURCE ARTICLE
Monday, June 12, 2023
Obituary: Early Spider-Man artist, Co-Creator of Wolverine John Romita
John Romita Passes Away
By Alex Ness
June 12, 2023
When I was in my 30s I realized that most of the artists I appreciated were not going to be around forever. So I began writing each to tell them how much I appreciated them. Many responded with a thank you. But John Romita sent me a 3 page letter telling me how much he appreciated my letter, and how he wished he could draw and do art forever, but he was ready for his time as a father and grandfather and ready to not have deadlines to face, every single day. It was such an act of grace and kindness, he connected in a real way, and that led me to follow his son's art, and I appreciate the father through the work of his son.
Godspeed John Romita, the world of Comics will miss you.
Images used in fair use, no copyright infringement intended or asserted.
Sunday, June 11, 2023
Whoa that was a short Hiatus
I'LL LIVE
By Alex Ness
June 11, 2023
I'm not currently dying. I found out that I'll need to get a screen every year until those precancerous cells that are growing in me, bloom into dangerous cancer. But I've but one surgery, followed by a screen in a year, no chemo, no radiation. The cancer is one that has a high curability rate, and recurs every 10 years.
I am going to live, oh my friends, readers and interested bystanders. Not forever of course, and really, who'd ever want such a thing in this fragile flesh?
This quote, by Yukio Mishima struck me in particular, about recent times. When someone who is hyper critical sends you many emails or direct messages or texts, telling you how stupid he sees you being, does he perceive the silence is you not letting him wound you, when you are trying to heal. Does he not see that he judges others upon standards that in other portions of existence he'd fail in every category. I guess not.
So when are we back to normal weekly articles? I don't know. I've extreme fatigue still, I likely still have mono. My computer spell check tried turning my word Mono into money. And that is a laugh, "I likely still do not have money." <----- There, I fixed it. I'm not eager to begin to write 80 hours/week again. I don't make enough or any money to justify running my body into being a mass decayed living corpse.
Part of this quote moves me deeply. Whatever we do in life, has a cost, and it always feels that a difficult project, or difficult life, it becomes a contest between you and reality, and the one way to defeat the enemy, is to keep making progress. You can't eat a giant elephant, but if you tried? You'd have to do it one bite at a time.
I've collected books I plan to read, and some comics. I have been trying to write two more series of poems for making into lyrics and then weave them into the composer's opus. I was saved, during my two year struggle with deaths of family and friends, physical pain and issues with cancer, as I have mentioned. Aaron Kerr is the composer of the works utilizing my lyrics, and working with him last year, allowed me to survive all that life threw at me. I focused, wrote one set of poems, then slept and lived. Then began again, with a new set of poems and life happened, however good or bad, and I tried to sleep, deal with pain. Following my near death broken neck and repeated surgeries, I tried to right any wrong in the event I were to die. I tried to mend broken friendships, and I've realized, if someone has spent their life while knowing you and they can't help speak hatefully to you, they probably hate you and it is time to count the costs, and move on.
Now you know this quote moved me, Mishima died in a suicidal manner, but just prior he delivered his final books to his publisher. He was known to believe that the Japanese had lost their way. He was perhaps feeling guilt that he was forbidden by the induction medical staff to enter the military due to a medical condition, thus, they prevented his entry into the Japanese military, and carrying on the samurai legacy of his grandparents into the deeper past. So he attempted to fix what the war and loss of the war that destroyed much of metropolitan Japan.
Both recently and through my life I dealt with moments of suicidal ideation. I saw my health options as die of horrible cancer, or live in the pain of arthritis and dysfunction of my joints and bones. I had been told twice, the most likely cancer was lymphoma, and that after the first scan, they said between late 3rd stage and early 4th. But I found out that Mayo said it was almost certainly a return of my original cancer, and it moves slowly, it is a passive and indolent type. So, not wanting to kill myself over such a thing, and not wanting to leave my wife, brother cats and family.
I recently became self aware of the fears I had of losing my cats to old age. Praying to God that I leave this earth before I lose my cat Katya, I've never feared death for me, I looked at as some kind bonus. I lose the pain and misery getting to find a peace in the afterlife, whether Heaven, Hell or Oblivion or life endurance. But between those choices I've chosen endurance and life. I love my family, especially my wife and son.
With my own pain as a barometer of my willingness to endure, I have a new energy to create stories and art, with collaborative partners. I'm also not going to use Amazon to publish and sell my works. I know many people use it well, but I don't sell online, my books sell in person. In person has always been the majority of sales. So who will I use? Well I am going to use some printing option, I guess I don't know yet.
So, bless you all, thanks for reading this. More soon, I hope.
GETTING REVIEWS?
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.If you send hard copies for review I will try to 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 Creative Blogs:
5k poem blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
Cthulhu/horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis Lost Kingdoms AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com
Published works AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
All images are copyright © their respective owners, use
is simply as fair use and no ownership rights asserted.
“... of all the kinds of decay in this world, decadent
purity is the most malignant.”
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
BITE A COWORKER
Who hasn’t wanted to bite your coworkers? Bitemark comic kickstarter is live
Independent Canadian comic publisher Lucha Comics has launched manga horror’s new book to beat, Bitemark. On their fourth successful kickstarter and picked by Kickstarter as a “Project We Love”, Bitemark takes a chomp out of representation in the workplace with African American woman as the protagonists of the story who have been historically underrepresented in the genre.
Bitemark
is one part comedy, one part horror and the revenge on type A
co-workers the world has been waiting for. Support the campaign today at
https://www.kickstarter.com/
Title: Bitemark
Publisher: Lucha Comics
Format: 6x9 inches, 110 pages, Black and White
Writer: Michael Stinson
Artist: Devan Muse
Description: Following
in the tradition of classic horror tales like An American Werewolf in
London, Ginger Snaps, and The Howling, Bitemark is our take on werewolf
lore. Although treated like a curse by some, lycanthropy is a
superpower—a means to reinvent the identity of our protagonist through
bestial strength and instilling fear at just a glance of the furry
mutated form. This blood-shedding power is tempting to a timid office
drone like the protagonist, Miki, who is trampled upon by her A-Type
coworkers.
Miki
must stand up for herself when she has withstood enough of her
malicious coworkers taking advantage of her. A healing retreat with her
best friend, Ana, instead brings Miki more trouble when Ana reveals a
monstrous path to revenge that involves a particular carnivorous diet
that she’s not sure she’ll be able to stomach.
Michael Stinson commented, "We decided to make our two central characters, Miki and Ana, young Black women. Not because of our personal identities but because strong, young Black women are grievously underrepresented in the media as central characters. There are too few comics and films with women of color as the lead, especially in the horror genre. It was important to me to feature young Black women as the leads in a narrative that does not focus on race as a major plot point or source of character development.”
About Lucha Comics:
In 2014, Lucha Comics was founded to bring new stories to the market,
and launched with digital exclusives from South Korea’s Blue Wolf. Since
then, our catalogue has grown to include titles such as The Adventures
of Super Yeiya & Tornado Man, Azteq vs. Prowler, Macbeth: The Red
King, Thrill Rider, and Indios de Corazon. All of our titles are labours
of love, created by true comic book fans.
Monday, June 5, 2023
TWO Book Series Worth your time:
CONSIDERING TWO VERSIONS OF ONE AMAZING STORY
By Alex Ness
June 6, 2023
FIRST, The Original Series and Creator of ALICE IN WONDERLAND
For its day, Alice in Wonderland and even those excerpts and small collections, released later, Through the Looking Glass were books that not only were entertainment, but were layered in ways as to reveal the era, the ideals and fascinations of the era, and the questions and answers that plagued the era of their writing. Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, of the then not so odd combination of labor of writer, poet, and mathematician. He taught, never married, but also, wrote poems and stories wherein he never gave up upon his fascinations of nonsensical literary poems, creating absolute absurd madness and then placing characters in the midst, and finding their path out. He came from a noted family of Northern Ireland, of military men, clergy men and it seems all were devout and devoted deeply to the High Anglican church. His father a clergyman of that church, known for his
ability to debate issues of faith, apologetic arguments to
those of different faiths, well known to be an upholder of law
and order, religious conformity and of a social aristocracy, where those
of proper families stood atop the order. Lewis Carroll stammered, was a target of bullies, a very soft and tender outlook. It seemed that he was not meant to thrive in his own era, poets of such experiences and talents, rarely are so. I'm unsure if he was wounded by the times, or by his world, or by birth into an era that wouldn't or couldn't understand someone of such a nature, however. L. Frank Baum's Dorothy was not based exactly upon the character Alice but was heavily influenced by her. Oddly, he didn't end up finding the story Alice in Wonderland and coherent but still brilliant.
His work Alice in Wonderland and other works, is about what happens when a normal, seemingly so, human enters a land of humor, oddity and wonder, where nothing makes sense. Carroll's work often played with names, used allegorical themes, and characters, and played with words, especially apt for the day and culture. It is said to make less sense to the modern audience, which makes sense since he is poking fun at the people in his life, the British Prime Minister, the idea that was true, being mad as a hatter (the Mad Hatter) was from the truth that the people who made hats, for whoever wore them used and made contact with chemicals and those chemicals made them rather insane. Mad didn't refer to anger, just as dumb in those days didn't refer to being stupid, but being deaf, the mad referred to insanity.
The books are a walk through of a land of insanity and wonder, poking fun at all of the big important people who talk down to children, and those with lesser forms of work, or came from lower society. The Tea party within the story is a mass display of just how silly and over important those from higher society saw themselves. I believe this land of wonder is where Carroll felt most comfortable. Although some in the present argue he had an unhealthy interest in children, and little girls in particular, I believe he felt safe in their presence, and the stories he created of wonders and mysteries, were how he saw the ideal life, rather than the judgmental and hard adult life.
THEN, THE STORY OF FRANK BEDDOR, THE LOOKING GLASS WARS
Frank Beddor on the other hand, a Minnesotan Olympic quality skier, who also produced the multi million dollar movie There's something about Mary. Now, that is impressive, but in the first look, I don't see a connection to Alice in Wonderland in that. But don't for a moment get me wrong. I like the writing of Frank very very much. I think his story of Alice and the world found in the Looking Glass Wars and the Red Queen, all is imaginative, quite beautiful, and yet the whimsy needed for Alice in Wonderland is not required here. In fact, I think it is a positive thing, that allows for a fantasy world and fantasy characters, without it requiring a reader to like tulips and daffodils, bunnies and wonder, magic and all sorts of things that some readers can't enjoy. For me, each volume emphasized the enormous source of hope and healing positive thoughts and a vast imagination can provide.
One person I know so despises the presence of magic swords and spells in the TSR RPG D&D made it an automatic no for him/ I asked why, he said, perhaps for him and only him, there is a disconnection that makes the use of fantasy and spells and magic, thaving a ten foot red dog, or a guy named Harold using a purple crayon that creates new worlds and ideas as used. Or lastly maybe the idea that a Mouse riding on a motorcycle infuriates him for it not being real. I like this person, but he just can't understand or like fantasy.
Others like fantasy, but see it as unimportant, or not something as equal in value to important and adult literature. If you ask me, being an adult is way overrated. If I could have lived as a 10 year old my whole existence, playing with legos and little plastic soldiers, building buildings and machines, so that I could destroy them all with my adventures and little plastic soldiers defeating the enemy, and blowing up their machines. I've spent more than 20 years writing about comics, movies, games and books. They are more enjoyable than actual existence. I'd an opportunity to pitch a story at a major publisher, an editor liked me. I said, 4 different artists, all distinctly different, a historical event most controversial, facts unagreed upon. The artists would have a character's point of view and experience, during the controversial event, each convincing in portrayal and the suggested truth of their experience. But in a fifth and final issue, no narration, only a series of scenes and footnotes or boxes where an explanation of the presentation might clarify it, and portray that event, and have all of the narrative voices be accurate, but, none would be in agreement with the others, due to the fact that eye witness reports are true for the speaker, but might not take into account all the moments. I wanted to show, a narrative story might be 100% true, according their voice and experience, whatever happened was a combination of facts, viewpoints, and truth, and it is an objective truth. The editor scoffed at and never asked for a pitch idea from me again. My point here, is that Lewis Carroll told one story, and for most of the books by Frank Beddor and friends, they are wholly different, but could that be just a different viewpoint of a central event.
I've heard of an author's saying to a biographer or reporter that what they said about something, as a quote was true, but that it wasn't meant to be the whole of the event. I think what is brilliant here, is that Beddor doesn't suggest his work is better or even definitive. He simply says this is the version of the many of Wonderland's different events presented. No aim towards saying Carroll was wrong, but that his message was either garbled, or mistaken, or there are ulterior reasons for the differences. He means to delve into the mysteries and areas of no information available, to explain what has happened. That to me, is worth the trip.
Well there is fantasy, magic, creatures of wonder, weapons of special abilities and much more in this series. So if you love fantasy, you'll love this, if you hate fantasy, you might still like it, but probably for a different reason, and with a different result. Here is the catch, it isn't exactly a sequel, or reworking, retelling the story. This is presented as the true story behind the Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass books. Accepting the originals as a poorly translation of the real story, or one with information held back from every day readers for the dangerous information within it, the pseudonyms and names all code. The novels are young adult on up, with the graphic novels being more action oriented, perhaps for an older audience.
WONDERLAND is a realm of glorious things, odd and strange things, all kinds of wonders that make one from our normal world curious or confused. To the inhabitants of Wonderland, it is all made more wondrous by the access to Black and White Imagination, something like magic, more like the force of Star Wars. There are characters who do not understand their own world's uniqueness or that the real world of our own has wonders of its own. It is worth traveling to, because it allows an expansion of one's outlook upon reality.
THE CHARACTERS
Alyss Heart -- Alice Liddell living two lives, one real and one in Wonderland
Queen Redd Heart -- Alyss's Aunt, user of Black Imagination, a Negative form of energy
Hatter Madigan (Hatter M) -- Royal and personal bodyguard of Alyss, cast into a different world, where he is in contact with Charles Dodgson, the author of the first series under the name Lewis Carroll
Dodge Anders -- a Form of the leader of the palace guard of Queen, who cares deeply for Alyss, but a care more than as a royal figure requiring his protection
General Doppelganger -- A Leader of the forces of the army of Alysss.
The Cat -- A sweet kitten, or a dangerous predator, the favorite assassin of Queen Redd
Homburg Molly -- A woman assigned the task of protecting Alyss in Wonderland.
Jack of Diamonds -- In an arranged marriage, he is/was meant to marry Alyss but when the wars of Wonderland occur, he tries to be loyal to each side of the war, which ends with failure.
Bibwit Harte -- The White Rabbit A character who has an aspect of madness, but is Alice's introduction to the madness of the Wonderland realms.
Prince Leopold -- The Royal Prince, child of Queen Victoria, who is fascinated by Alyss/Alice
Queen Guinevere -- Queen Regnant of Wonderland, who is murdered by Queen Redd, Alyss's mother
THE STORY IDEA
Now as I mentioned, the earlier version of this story, was told by Lewis Carroll in a way that was either flawed enormously, or was told in a form of code so that the tellers of the story could safely be uninjured by the truth of the event.
The Queen of Wonderland, is a generous and loving mistress of the realm. It is a magical place where the normal of our world, would seem equally weird there. The kingdom of the Queen Guinevere of Wonderland is based upon a positive or White imagination. Others, such a Redd Heart, her sister, crave power, and use the Black imagination. Redd kills Alyss's mother, and grabs power, for 13 years, and Alyss and her bodyguard attempt to flee and are cast into different dimensions, only to end up upon this earth and this Victorian England of Charles Dodgson.
The War of Wonderland, is a collision of worlds, outlooks, and desires. Although I've revealed a lot I won't spoil how it transpires.
THE GENIUS OF IT
I've read a number of upper level sort of critical reviews of the series of books, both that of the war and the tangential and important Hatter M graphic novels and stories. They seem to border upon recognizing that this is a work that is a clever redesign of the whole of the stories of Lewis Caroll's Wonderland, and some were of the opinion that as clever as it was, it felt unnecessary.
I get that. I write poetry and people tell me that is no longer relevant with the world we live in. Where technology can write, paint, make music, I essentially write lyrics without the music to enhance it. Well this isn't that. It is a whole work, works on its own surface level of story, and possesses a charm that silliness can't be a term that describes. It is a work taking a brilliant work, that no longer works as it once did, and makes it more relevant, more interesting, and gives the original author a role in it, if not perfect, he is not a pervert nor fool that many in modernity make him. The respect for the original is obvious, and the respect for its author, paid by Frank Beddor, is obvious as well.
I didn't read any amazon or every day person reviews of most of the works, preferring to know my own outlooks, but when finished with the read and overall article here, I did read a few to see where I landed, and I have to say, for the age group aimed at, 13 to adult this is both complex, and simple. It doesn't require an expert tor read the novels, and in the graphic novels, while they might be aimed slightly older, there is such a charm and constant movement, they'd work for most people who don't care for superheroes, but long for heroism and courage, magical and powerful women, and handsome yet flawed men. I believe it is a genius work based upon an interpretation of yet another genius work.
HATTER MADIGAN: Ghost in H.A.T.B.O.X.
Frank Beddor and Adrienne Kress
A younger Hatter M belongs to an organization, that is meant to teach, train and instill the job of a bodyguard, a moral and honorable member of the team to defend the members of the throne. This work, is focused upon what gives Hatter M the many skills and abilities, and motivation to do what he does in the series of Graphic novels about his quest. This is a little bit more for a younger audience, but still does a wonderful job of showing what must be done in training to be more than a person with a weapon. It shows how Hatter M will become a living weapon.
THE LOOKING GLASS WARS: UNDERFIRE
FRANK BEDDOR, CURTIS CLARK, SAMI MAKKONEN
THE LOOKING GLASS WARS: CROSSFIRE
FRANK BEDDOR, CURTIS CLARK, SAMI MAKKONEN
With no hope except from the elite soldiers/bodyguards, the quest to find and keep, or find and destroy the relic crystal heart. It is to be kept from the forces of black imagination. And the final struggle is almost a suicide mission, for it is just as important to the users of black imagination as it is to Queen Alyss's realm and minions.
HATTER M's Graphic Novel series
Written by Frank Beddor and Liz Cavalier,
Art by Ben Templesmith, Sami Makkonen, Tyson Schroeder
FAR FROM WONDER
Separated from his duty bound charge Alyss, Hatter Madigan goes on a quest to find the legendary person who is said to have captured the tales of the literary Alyss, and use him to lead him to Alysss. While the potential for violence is much greater, with the body guard's tale, it is surprisingly more humorous and able to tell a story that the books take much longer to detail. Ben Templesmith's art is a great draw, as it is anything but photo realistic, and thus the fantasy element is raised to a much higher degree.
MAD WITH WONDER
Artist Sami Makkonen replaces Ben Templesmith and the story telling is more typical, and easier to follow, if not as dramatic or fantastical as Templesmith. As such it makes sense that this edition takes a different path. The world Hatter M has found is intermingled with wars, that are flowered machinations by the acts of Queen Redd in the realm of Wonderland. Her dark visions for Wonderland are infecting our reality, making it all the worse for its presence. Hatter M continues his search. Alyss has tried to tell her story, but did Lewis Carroll understand it enough to record and reproduce its truth?
THE NATURE OF WONDER
The trail of following the glow, the path of Alyss, has led Hatter M to a house of madness, and April 1865 America, close to the final moments of the American Civil War. The revelations of white imagination and black imagination, has led to cults of each power, and in the middle of the chaos, Hatter M tries to escape the madness of our reality to follow Alyss, back to her home in Wonderland.
THE ZEN OF WONDER
Still searching for a doorway to return to his home, Hatter M is in San Francisco, dealing with a young girl named Nekko, who has creatively acquired his top hot, which is more than just a hat. After the madness of a chase across rooftops and alleys is the bizarre yet fascinating world of 1870s San Francicso, Nekko tries to assist him in finding a blade, one with a connection to Wonderland. Nekko is more than a young mischievous girl, more than a step into yet a new place with odd connections, to a world that is similar to his own, but with vast difference. Somehow that he can't figure, she is a master, wise yet young, dangerous if also peaceful and kind.
THE LOVE OF WONDER
One might forgive Hatter M for finding a place and just giving into the need to finally get rest, and end his quest. He has traveled across dimensions and time. He has fought others without knowing who had sent them or why but he knows these events all have a connection, to Wonderland. When his actual brother confronts him, is it to stop the quest with violence, or has his brother appeared, bringing news or an order from the organization they both have deep familiarity with, from Wonderland.
SEEKING WONDER
What is the world of Wonderland, is it a real alternate dimension, or is our earth the alternate dimensional planet? Seeking wonder is just about perfect as it tells tales about the cause that leads some to go on journeys, treks, and quests, when life could be simpler, easier, less stimulating. I think this books was meant to be a way to tell readers, seek your own wonder, educate your mind, but stimulate your adventurous heart. It has a cover by a Bill Sienkiewicz, and evokes all of the previous volumes, in ways that tell you, your heart has a desire to be untamed, and your mind is always seeking to keep you grounded upon real life principles. But you have an ability to escape now and then, and should do so.
I enjoyed the graphic novels every bit as much as the books, and while I don't agree that they are pointless or hard to understand without reading the novels, I agree that they compliment the novels very nicely.
If my readers want to know what I would offer them to read, this series is that. It fills the need for adventure, action, fantasy and it has a curious slant upon just how real is our own reality, and just how confusing is the Wonderland. Especially in times like the present, I'd welcome a visit to Wonderland. I'd like to thank Frank Beddor for his generosity over the years, and recently, and am using this moment to say this blog is now on semi-hiatus, with occasional PR pieces, but few real articles until I figure out my cancer situation. At one point I was told by my oncologist that I had late stage lymphoma, then I was told I had no cancer, then shortly after the miracle was celebrated, I was told to rush to the MAYO for the cancer I truly had. Modern Medicine is kind of like falling through the rabbit hole and finding a brand new world. I am getting scans, and at least one surgery, but who knows what the future holds. So until I know, Farewell my friends.
My wonderful friend, Frank Beddor, & his comrade in arms for a time, & friend Nate Barlow
Please find my friend Frank on Amazon
And at his website, guaranteed by me to be kick ass awesomeness
Lovecraftian Horror and Coming-Out Drama
Boys Weekend
A Graphic Novel by Mattie Lubchansky
Pantheon Books, Available 6/6/23
First of all, let me say how much I enjoyed reading this book. But second, I have to say how hard it is to write about. I'm a cis-het middle-aged male from the suburbs. While I like to imagine that I'm experienced and aware, I'm also deeply conscious of the fact that observation is not experience, and empathy is not necessarily the same as understanding. But hey! Maybe there are other aging cis-het comic geeks out there who would like guidance on whether this is worth their time.
Our protagonist is Sammie, who is less than a year into her transition, and while she's out as trans, she hasn't exactly issued a manifesto and sought out uncomfortable conversations with everyone she's ever met. Why should she? She's built a life for herself, surrounded by people who love and understand her. Conflict arises when her former life summons her. She's invited, and feels obligated to attend, the bachelor party of her college-era best friend. Even worse, she's the Best Man.
The majority of the story takes place on El Campo, a capitalist libertarian resort where pretty much anything goes, as long as you can pay. Freedom isn't free, and human freedom often takes a back seat to corporate freedom. Writer/artist Mattie Lubchansky does a great job of portraying this dichotomy without leaning on it hard enough to become didactic.
The setting is near-future, with technologies we don't quite have yet. These are woven seamlessly into the story and pass unquestioned. I'm a science fiction purist. Science fiction is about ideas. It's not about spaceships and robots going beep-boop. This story utilizes science fiction ideas and explores how we, as individuals and as a culture, might respond to them. That makes it True Science Fiction, which is about as high a compliment as I could pay.
The plot involves Sammie trying to fit in with friends she's outgrown, but isn't willing to abandon; trying to navigate the planned activities of the bachelor party. There's also a Lovecraftian apocalypse cult, but that's not nearly as important as the dynamic between Sammie's former life and her current one. Her efforts to conform to a niche from which she has long since moved on, and her friends' refusal to acknowledge her transition make for an uncomfortable drama which forms the heart of the novel.
"I think", Sammie says before embarking, "I'm gonna have to go guy-mode."
She does; ignoring the countless times they call her "Dude" or "Bro", joining them at the strip club, and even going topless at the pool. The service workers at El Campo, whose livelihoods are presumably dependent on tips, persist in calling her "Sir" even though she's clearly presenting as female. Granted, they have access to genetic scans that identify her as XY, but she doesn't even stand up for herself to people whose job it is to cater to her needs. She's just trying to get through the weekend. One old friend declares himself an ally, but uses that as an excuse to ask puerile questions. Another, the only female in the bachelor party group, can't understand why Sammie would voluntarily discard the advantages of being male. Most ignore the issue completely. They're guys.
The plot is unimportant. The emotional journey is all. From one perspective, she's ultimately rescued from the cult by a man, like a common Lois Lane. From another, she rescues herself. Her past and present lives, past and present friends, past and present selves, conflict in ways it's not always easy to parse. By confronting and then abandoning her past self, she is finally able to move ahead into a future only she can define.
Boys Weekend is a fun and sometimes challenging read. I'm grateful for the education. If you're looking for a graphic novel that doesn't involve spandex tights, mystic quests, or incomprehensible Japanese rigmarole, this may be for you!
Rich Chapell