#but as someone who just enjoys storytelling and themes and characters in general... just... WOW

[molinaesque]

"What are you?" "Oh, I'm you, sweetie. You just... give it a little time."

[lesbicattiva]

araki’s interview at luccacomics&games 2019 part two.

loose & imperfect transcript / translation of araki first interview (30th oct 2PM) at lucca comics & games 2019 at teatro del giglio about his main work: jojo’s bizarre adventures. (talk show translated from italian to english 2/5).

A: Good evening. Q: Good evening. Since we’re here to talk about it, I’d like to ask: how was JOJO’s Bizarre Adventure born? A: [ignores the question just to properly repeat ‘good evening’ again and then point at cosplayers] I think I recognize that character! Maybe I saw it on japanese tv! Q: [stammers] Uh.... my question? A: Oh right [laughs]. The idea of JOJO came because I wanted to draw characters with superpowers that can’t be seen. I wanted to draw that and shape those powers on paper. I did it on shōnen jump, where I debuted, and just tried to pick a name that could be easily remembered, something like with a double J and a double O.

Q: Continuing with the foundations of JOJO, as I was saying earlier, there’s a common theme in this year’s lucca comics and JOJO; the focus on ‘humanity’, its tight bond with ‘fate’ and the ‘immortality of the human spirit’. I’d like to know why these themes have been chosen and why you like them so much. A: Actually, it’s because I’ve been told to draw something like this, and so I did it [editor of JOJO laughs]. But only after drawing it I realized that “wow, I drew something really interesting!” a theme so deep such as ‘admiration for human beings’ and so on. It’s really a serious thing [him, the translator and the two editors laugh] but yeah, I only realized it later because at first I’d just been told to draw [head-editor of ultra jump speaks to araki and he nods]. Well, yes, actually this was the short version of the story, the longer one is that I actually wanted to draw the theme of the ‘affirmation of humans’, of ‘not rejecting your humanity’. And because of this there are ‘good’ characters, which are obviously appreciated, but even ‘evil’ characters have something that can be appreciated since they are human beings. And this was more or less the idea for JOJO’s theme. I gave a bit of a superficial answer at first but now it’s a good answer, isn’t it? [everyone laughs]

Q: Let’s remain on the theme of fate, of destiny, of how we humans are destined, or damned, if you will, to follow a certain path. In JOJO there isn't just the protagonists’ family, which moves from location to location, but there’s also another family.... the Zeppeli [audience laughs]. It’s good to see you guys taking it that way because they really.... don’t. Since, as you can hear, I’m from Napoli, I’m rather curious if their fate will always be the same or if they’ll be able to take control of it someday. A: I don’t mean to ‘persecute’ them, but they are complementary to the Joestar family. Them ending up dying serves to complete the flow of the story and to facilitate the path of the Joestars. Q: But do you see a possibility for them in the future.... I really care about them, you see. A: I’m glad that you’re a big fan of the Zeppeli as I am. But I think that the beauty of their family is in the very fact that, yes they will die, but they will also pass on those values and positive qualities through their deaths. The very act of dying for them allows that. Don’t you think too? Q: Yes. I too.... can’t wait to die. [audience laughs and so does araki, but he’s still a little concerned]

Q: In JOJO, compared to other mangas where characters fight, you made a precise choice; that is, the absence of a direct clash. You opted for a more studied, strategic way of fighting, almost like a chess match. And the cornerstones of that are stands. How do you manage to always find new powers and tactics? A: Having new ideas is my job. I get inspired by many things, especially during my everyday life: when I meet my friends or I see them do particular gestures, when I talk with my old neighbour or when I drink a glass of water and some gets stuck in my throat; then I think “hey! I could make a stand power out of that!”. Basically, I think observing little details is essential to my creative process.

Q: Many of the stories of JOJO are real travel diaries, since a huge variety of settings is present. How much the setting influences the writing and how fundamental is it? Do you start from there to create the story or is it just a plus?  A: I was very inspired by the small trips I did when young. As a kid I would bike to various places, I’d climb up mountains, go around other cities.... This travelling process helped me a lot in my growth – from kid to adult, so for me the philosophy of a journey is very important because it allows the characters who partake in it to evolve and become adults, from the beginning to the end of the journey. As for the other part of the question, thinking about the creative process of the manga for more contained locations.... For example, if you stopped to camp during a trip and encountered one of your fears, you would have to face it directly. But I asked myself what would happen if that fear, that enemy, is the one hiding instead; maybe even in the apartment next to you. From this idea the setting of Morio-cho was born, to have an invisible enemy, a peaceful person who just waits silently somewhere in the background. This has been a different challenge compared to what I previously tackled regarding the process of a journey.

Q: Speaking of Morio-cho, would you like to live in this town you created? A: Yes. I’ve answered your question right away because it’s based on the town where I grew up, near Sendai, it was full of weird people [audience laughs] – well, they were all good people but [laughs a bit] still some were weird. Q: I see. I’m sure there were some Zeppelis there as well.

Q: Again, speaking of the creative process, it’s common knowledge that you listen to a lot of music while working. It’s also an interesting concept, since rhythm is essential to storytelling. How much music, and what type, influences your work? A: What influences me the most is the rhythm, and you can probably see it in the onomatopoeias that I use, which can go like [makes an index gesture] ‘tan-tan-pa’. They are all different types of rhythms that I listen to while writing, this of course influences my creative process as well.

Q: Okay. This is my last question, then I’ll leave the rest to fans. What will the future of JOJO be? A: I don’t know [laughs]. (note: translator suggests he might know but doesn’t want to reveal anything) Actually, I had a good idea of the beginning and a relatively clear idea of the end, but everything else in between is like a jazz concert: it’s a very spontaneous and in the moment creative process. But yes, the ending is pretty definite to me.

F: Hi. As we were saying, you are often inspired by ordinary things: your travels, your childhood, music.... In Diamond Is Unbreakable there's a stand called Bad Company and I remember seeing something similar in a Stephen King's story. I'd like to know if you took inspiration from that and if you like horror movies in general, and if they influence you in any way. (note: people say this guy was rude) A: No, I didn't know there was a story like that. But yes, I do like Stephen King. I enjoyed The Twilight Zone and I'm definitely influenced by horror for my work but I prefer movies like Chucky or Child's Play. I really love horror movies though. 

F: Hi. I read online that the ending and opening songs for the anime are personally chosen by you. I'd like to know if there's an italian song that you like and maybe would use as an ending for the anime. A: An italian song? Mhh. I really like PFM. Was it Premiata? Premiata? [audience claps loudly and araki smiles] Premiata Forneria Marconi, that's it! I didn't decide it just now, I really do like it! [laughs] I also love Puccini's opera.

F: Hello. We know that clothes are one of the main characteristics of JOJO and that many are also inspired by famous brands, I'd like to know, then, what's the creative process behind the creation of those outfits. A: A thing that all of my clothes have in common is that they are comfortable and facilitate movement. In particular, for the protagonists, I always base myself on the model of a classic japanese student uniform, on which I then add other features, like ladybugs brooches or more fancy accessories. But the start is always the school uniform. When I was young I really liked “Babil Junior”, a manga where the protagonist wears a school uniform while in the desert. I found that truly beautiful and it inspired me a lot. To be able to draw these characters in school uniforms and have them go around desolate locations.... It really touched me and even made me cry a bit.

Q: While I search for the next person can I ask another quick question of my own? If you could choose your stand, what would it be? A: Judging by the weather here in Lucca, which has been pretty gloomy today, I’d say that I’d like the stand power of a ‘hare-otoko’ / 晴れ男 (lit. a man that brings good weather). In fact, forecasts said that it would rain a lot today, but since I’m here, thanks to me, there’s good weather [laughs]. (note: believe it or not, it always rains during lucca comics, but for the hours that araki was there, the weather was good. as soon as he finished his talk show, it started raining heavily. he really has a powerful stand.)

F: Hi. A straightforward question: since today's theme is ‘becoming human’ don't you think that Diavolo's punishment was a bit too much? (note: people say this guy was also rude) A: Oh, sorry, you don’t like his punishment? [laughs] I think he was such an evil character that he deserved to end like that. I’ve been told that his death was too harsh by japanese fans as well, however.... I think it was fitting for someone as evil as him. Sorry.

Q: Since time is almost up, allow me to ask the last questions. Is there a character that you think looks like you or just one that you can easily identify with? A: Rohan— [audience interrupts him by cheering loudly] NO NO NO [araki and the translator laugh]. I was saying that Rohan is who I aspire to be but it’s not who I am, sorry [araki and the translator laugh again]. There isn’t a character that I can really identify with but my favourite is Shigechi. [audience is kinda surprised] I like it when he collects the money that fell on the ground.

Q: Looking in hindsight at the work you’ve done on JOJO so far, is there any anecdotes that you’d like to share with us here today? A: I don’t know if it’s interesting but when I was writing for weekly shōnen jump the deadline was set to 19 pages of work each week. But every single time I just couldn’t limit myself to only 19 and always ended up doing 21. Like this, 2 pages were always going to be cut out. They wouldn’t even go in the next chapter because they were part of the current one and thus had to be cut out completely. Currently I’m very satisfied because I have 45 pages to work with in ultra jump. Although, actually, maybe now they’re a bit too many [everyone laughs].

Q: The last thing that I’ll ask you before saying goodbye is: if you could go back to the very first day in which you sat down at your desk and started working on JOJO, is there something that you would do differently? A: I would change the printing mistakes, for example ‘nani o suru da’ / 何をするだァーッ would often be written incorrectly as ‘nani o surun da’ / 何をするんだァーッ (where んだ got added) [laughs and jokingly blames the editor of JOJO, who takes responsibility. even though the editor wasn’t able to correct them at the time he still feels it was his responsibility nonetheless]. But yes, in the end, I would change little things like this, because in the first volumes there were many mistakes like this.

[originaldisneydescendants]

So some time ago I had a kind of weird Tangled dream... and it turned into a theory... I won’t tag for spoilers since it IS all just a hypothesis but if you don’t like them then I might suggest you keep scrolling just in case.

Before you start reading though, keep in mind that if you think I ship these two in ANY way that is inappropriate for their current ages or Disney in general, I will PERSONALLY put together a large southern gospel choir to knock on your front door and sing you a very loud and glorious “NO.” I don’t even ship Rapunzel and Eugene that way and we KNOW they get married. SO WIPE THAT FROM YOUR THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW!! THIS. STAYS. INNOCENT.

EDIT: Please read the WHOLE thing before sending me messages.

After I had noticed how many parallels there were between Rapunzel and Eugene with Cassandra and Varian (both in Great Expotations and in general: EX. both involve an older character that starts out rather cynical and guarded who began life as an orphan then slowly lets down their defenses with the younger, perky, passionate, creative, buck toothed, freckled, son/daughter of some influential leader, (that’s not even all of the similarities) and if Eugene really IS 26 and that’s what the show seems to be suggesting with him appearing with his adult design in a flashback that takes place 8 years prior, and if Cass IS 22 as I suspect she is, then that would mean they have the EXACT same age gap and all four characters are four years apart from each other). I... don’t think that’s sheer coincidence. Along with what could be read as possible foreshadowing (Ex. Andrew calling Cassandra “Cassie” in an episode set immediately after Great Expotations and “venomous cobra man” is a lot more suiting now than it used to be, etc.), I started to wonder if maybe it was possible that they could end up someday, being a foil pair to our romantic leads?

HEAR ME OUT.

I didn't think much of it at first because I’ve been way off on predictions before, I wasn’t in full favor of shipping them yet, and I thought I could simply be misreading and the parallels are all just coincidence until the very night that this occurred to me, I dreamed of the episode 'What the Hair?!' and everything was the same except when everything came crashing down the dialogue was switched so it was now Cass and Varian saying Raps and Eugene's lines and even making the same expressions, holding hands etc. but they were still in the same locations that they actually were on the show (I've had a lot of theories for a lot of shows but as far as them making it into my dreams, this is a first).

I woke up very confused because I thought it was canon and was wondering why fans weren't paying any attention to it. You'd think they'd be losing their minds! After I woke up a little more I thought...

"Wait! That never happened! It couldn’t have! 1.) 14 and maybe-20-something? They can't get away with that! This is Tangled, not The Garden of Words! 2.) They just met like five minutes ago! YEESH! That’s fast even by Disney fairytale standards!!"

^^^That boy's face says "I LIKE you, but not in a 'You mean the world to me' kind of way, more like a 'Wow, I just noticed how attractive you are. Are you free this Friday?' kind of way."^^^

I almost outright dismissed it as disturbingly nonsensical but didn’t because the more and more I thought about it, the more the possibility of them ending up together at some point down the road actually started to not only seem plausible... but actually make perfect sense for a LOT of reasons!

Think about it! First off, if the show itself is centered around Rapunzel and Eugene's romance then wouldn't you expect any secondary relationship on the show to be just that? A foil? A complimentary opposite? Classical music vs Rock and Roll? The very earliest they could really even suggest that Cass maybe starting to reciprocate or that she could someday have romantic feelings for Varian would probably be at the very end of the show when he is likely to be more matured both physically and emotionally and all conflicts have been resolved. This would also explain why it seems like it's always hinted at that Cass could have a romantic interest in the future, but a real one hasn't been introduced yet (at least not one that we'd recognize right away). This also makes sense in that the crew behind the show might not want to develop another romance on-screen and risk overshadowing the main pair with new characters.

"Besides, I don't have time for dreams. My dad taught me at a very young age to focus on the here and now." - Cassandra in Cassandra v Eugene.

I read her keeping the rose Andrew gave her at the end of Under Raps (especially after her earlier expression of distaste in the idea of romance) as her saying "Yeah, the whole thing was a total charade, but I actually kind of enjoyed it and I might not be opposed to having a REAL romance with someone SOMEDAY."

Ways that they would be a foil could probably include how it takes years for them to develop into anything romantic rather than just a day or two, it’s an older girl with a younger guy rather than the other way around, nocturnal animal friends vs diurnal which I pointed out in a linked post above as part of a sun vs moon motif (I've noticed a lot of background imagery tying Cassandra to the moon so there's some theory fuel for ya), and how, while we already know that Rapunzel and Eugene live happily ever after, almost NOTHING is certain about the future for Cassandra and Varian at this point in time like whether or not they’ll even end up still being friends. Neither of them are in the Ever After short so there's that too.

Something else I noticed is when this show tends to emphasize something, it seems like it is subject to change and contrast seems to be a major theme in this show. ( @starxapple ) As ‘Kevin’ pointed out, Varian’s cuteness/sweetness was very played up in the first episode and he called out how this meant Varian would became a villain. By that logic, it’s really played up on how Varian is a kid and, accordingly, how Cassandra sees him as such. Varian isn’t an adult, but he isn’t exactly a child either. He’s an adolescent in that confusing and emotionally turbulent stage right in between. He’s old enough to be held responsible for his actions, but not necessarily mature enough to take that responsibility himself.

This to me suggests that we will most likely get to see him really grow up on this show, backed up by the fact that it is set over a few years and no doubt Varian is FAR from a static character with a great deal of potential for growth.The whole point of his character might be to make a point about maturity and at what point should someone be truly considered an adult? 18 isn’t just some magical age when someone goes from naive kid to wise grown up because, in reality, people mature at different rates and it all depends on individual experiences. Someone lacking emotional maturity enough to be honest about their own faults and limits definitely wouldn’t be ready for a serious romance with anyone, much less an older person like her.

(My friend, Chi and I both explained why the fact that they meet before he is an adult isn’t really a problem in this post here. In fact, if they ever WERE to become a romance in the future, it would actually be essential for SOME emotional connection to be made BEFORE he became a villain for the reasons stated.)  Sorry if this chart is hard to decipher but hopefully my earlier explanation helps it to make sense.

When the show is nearing its end, I wouldn’t be surprised if they started playing up how Varian has grown up (a lot taller, more responsible, calling Eugene by his real name, they may give him facial hair etc). This growth may also be emphasized by Cassandra’s view of him changing from ‘kid friend’ to 'dangerous enemy' then finally to ‘potential romantic interest’ at some point in the future. By the time the show is over, Varian should be at least around 16-17 which (again if I’m right about Cass’s age) would place them both at only slightly younger than Rapunzel and Eugene were in the movie so I wouldn’t be too surprised if the possible foreshadowing became a lot clearer near the end, like the bouquet at Raps and Eugene’s wedding landing in Cassandra’s hands and her realizing that Varian happens to be standing right next to her.

Of course I don’t expect any kind of confirmation or denial on this outside future episodes since, again, that would be a massive spoiler if it were true, but it’s still very interesting to think about.

Also this makes me wonder what other Rapunzel/Eugene things they might paralle--?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! DON'T YOU DARE!!

But... DANGFLABBERGASKIT that ALSO kinda makes sense!! We've seen twice already that Varian feels an impact whenever Cassandra saves his life. The first time likely being what caused him to start crushing on her to begin with (seeing as how before that point, if anything, he was probably more intimidated by her and otherwise didn’t pay much attention to her at all in favor of the princess and his believed-to-be-hero) and the second time he voiced how it moved him that she chose him over her guard duties to Dr. St. Croix. This is purely guessing but how much do you think it would impact him if she got HURT saving him a third time even after EVERY terrible thing he did and in the same way that caused his dad to get encased in the first place?

I've seen other redemption arcs for other characters and it's not uncommon for their turn around to be triggered by the hero(ine) making a selfless act on their behalf despite everything they did. In fact, if they HADN'T done such terrible things, the scene where they apologize would be nowhere NEAR as powerful. Storytelling 101. If Yukine’s stealing a skateboard didn’t contribute to his friend facing painful death and his careless disregard for that fact didn’t happen then his weeping/screaming apologies would have come off as a bit overkill rather than emotionally powerful. 😝

And since there are no more healing powers and Cass isn't in the Ever After short, the stakes are high enough that it could still have a huge impact on the audience as well. Not to mention what it would say about Cassandra's growth as a character since it's emphasized in Not In The Mood that the area she could use the most growth in is compassion.

Both of their individual relationships with Rapunzel are the ones that get the most focus, which is fitting since she's the main character, so I'd be hard pressed to imagine that she isn't directly involved in some way.

GAAAAHHHH HAVE MERCY!!

For those who argue that what he felt for her was a puppy crush, I’m not going to say that isn’t the case but here’s the thing. After Varian becomes a villain, it’s pretty obvious that he no longer feels the same affection for Cassandra that he did before. If he did, safe to say he probably wouldn’t have tried to crush her. This is emphasized by how he calls her Cassandra when ‘Cassie’ was clearly meant as an affectionate nickname for her. If there was a puppy crush, it’s most likely gone already. Whoosh! Bye-bye! This would leave room for more mature feelings to become a new foundation after a redemption arc. A relationship built more on that common connection they shared in Great Expotations, rather than an action she took that may or may not really mean anything.

I can actually imagine this all happening and when the show is over, we'd be hearing things from the production team like "This was the idea all along. We didn't just decide to throw them together halfway through because people seemed to like it enough, it was always going to be part of the story. Just like how we always knew Varian would become a villain, when the episode What The Hair?! was being written, we already knew how it would end with these two."

Huh... this would actually put my dream into perfect context if true. After all, it is a complete story and Chris has said that the course of each characters' story has been planned out from the beginning. There is freedom for the writers but the backbone was set before casting, character designs etc.

I'll be honest, I wasn't that surprised to hear that it sounded like there WAS an answer but I wasn't going to get it directly from him. The fact that it seems implied that SAYING Cassandra’s age could potentially be a sort of spoiler leads me to wonder if this might be why? I mean, it is assumed that Cass is somewhere between Rapunzel and Eugene in age. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but why bother with not having a clear, direct answer, instead suggesting that it will be hinted at, unless there was real significance behind the exact number? I wonder if by "hints" he means more flashbacks since, again, The Return Of Strongbow seemed to hint at Eugene's age.

With all that said, I am 100% in favor of us getting to the series finale and having Varian acknowledge that he is STILL NOT ready for a real relationship with Cassandra just yet for two reasons. One, it would show how much he has matured with him being able to recognize that he isn’t emotionally prepared for something, and two, it would be another Rapunzel/Eugene parallel with the series premiere where Rapunzel tells Eugene that she isn’t ready to settle down and marry him just yet. I would expect Cass’s response to parallel Eugene’s with her now more developed patience and understanding giving him time to catch up with her.

All in all, I see the possibility of a romance between Cassandra and Varian as being like an acorn. Someday, after years of growth, it could be a beautiful oak.

But for now it's just nuts.

Yes, I know shipping slow burn romances is torture but because I’ve managed to convince myself that their chances of being canon in the future are actually pretty good, I signed myself up. *Puts on helmet* Bring on the pain.

[sniperct]

Oh wow you really weren’t kidding! Someone asked a while ago I think, but what’s your thoughts on mercymaker? I personally wish it was given more of a chance over the two rather dominating female Mercy ships, but that’s just how it be sometimes. Also just wish people and other shippers were kinder as a whole, then we might still have incredible artists making content for the ship.

I enjoy it now. It took me about a year to come around to it because at the time I wasn’t in a mindset to multiship with mercy (there are still some characters in some fandoms I just can’t multiship with, while there are characters I multiship like whoa like Kitty Pryde). 

I was *hipster glasses* Literally the First Pharmercy Shipper(tm) so that will always have a special place in my heart.(Like, they opened the website and I went to look at the heroes and it was like ‘hey honey there’s a healer with an angel theme like Min! And they have a lady who believes in justice and protecting people, kind of like aveline!’ and thus, it was destiny and we had to ship it since it so closely paralleled so many of our MMO character relationships.

 But there’s a lot of artistic and storytelling potential for mercymaker, if you’re willing to explore the ethical considerations. And generally its a darker ship, but in a way that appeals to me. I love the concept of exploring Widow’s psyche and the way she works with Mercy is a lot different than with Tracer. It’s interesting in looking at the different approaches my three favorite widow ships take(tracer,mercy,sombra) In the ‘trying to save amelie’ thing and then trying to figure out how they react when they realize she can’t be ‘saved’ in the traditional way.

And then a little shallowly, I just like the... aesthetic that widow and mercy have together. And a lot of the art I’ve seen for it is very ... artsy and thematic and I love it.

(if that other ship is what I think it is its one of my notps but then I have yet to see a ship with the other character involved that I find particularly compelling or interesting, though part of that may be me...well an overwatch character is one of the reasons I made a post about fandom making me dislike villains I’d otherwise really like)

But you have a point there on shippers being kinder. It’s why I simply blacklist the ships I don’t like and very rarely talk about them. (I suppose the exception the proves that rule is my very vocal hatred of kitty and colossus lmao)

[davidfostercomedyblog]

It Must be Great to be Christopher Nolan...

It must be great to be Christopher Nolan. Besides the obvious, money and success, it has become incredibly apparent that he is able to love, sympathize and identify equally with all of his fellow man, regardless of having a close personal relationship with them or not knowing them from a hole in the wall.

 “Spiritual enlightenment,” as the kids call it, and Nolan must be one of the few filmmakers in possession of such Zen, as it has evidently absolved him of the very first prerequisite of basic storytelling: Define your protagonist, and by “define,” we understand this to mean: Develop. Engage. Make me give a shit about this person for some reason beyond just our co-membership in the same species on Earth.

 Instead, Nolan bravely spits in the face of conventional artistic parameters, as well as his moviegoers, by presuming we all share with him this same internal experience of existential oneness and love for all, thereby depriving us ego-ridden mortals of even the smallest sliver of window into what makes his characters uniquely human or relatable to us, the common man. Surely at Nolan’s elevated frequency it’s become challenging for him to portray the mere common man. After all, what are our creative characters if not expressions of our different dimensions of self, which would make even his background extras practically omniscient empaths who needn’t be bothered with the worldly tangibles of someone in order to root for or against them. For Nolan knows there is no real “for” or “against” in life. None of this is real, none of us are separate from one another, and God help your pathetic little brain if you dare view one of his masterpieces sans such awareness. I admittedly did so last night, and promised my date afterwards that I’ll never make the same mistake again, lest of course I should achieve such inner evolution between now and the release of Christopher’s (not Chris!) next piece of art. Or should I say “anti-art,” “non-art,” or “post-modern art from an irrelevant past and present of complete presence?” Gosh, Nolan, you mad genius.

 Another quality consistent with Christopher’s Buddha-like mindfulness is the environmental consideration he so obviously takes, thoughtfully sparing so many trees, as each of his screenplays (especially that of Dunkirk) couldn’t be greater than 20 pages long. Nolan knows that the majority of human communication is non-verbal, a lesson we can only wish had been learned earlier by the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, and who knows how good The Godfather could have been.

 While the more generic likes of Oliver Stone in Platoon and Spielberg in Saving Private Ryan felt compelled to convey to us some story arc in order to earn their climax, some outward expression of soldiers’ internal journey to garner emotional investment, Nolan has transcended such menial obligation, instead wowing us with his outside-the-box decisions, enlightening us (only to each of our own individual capacities) in Dunkirk with the fantastical concept that there are multiple perspectives to any one situation.

 Of course this has been done in films before, but never before spanning the entire film concurrent with two hours straight of suspenseful music, no doubt inserted to remind us inferiors that we should remain on the edge of our seats the entire time, which is sort of like requesting a single two-hour orgasm: physiologically impossible. Nolan achieves the impossible.

 I honestly have no idea what Dunkirk was about, but more importantly, I don’t give a shit. Some kind of battle, even a very famous one that I could google and lend myself a bit more credibility by sounding like not such an ignoramus, but unlike Christopher Nolan fans I imagine, I’ve never equated intelligence with awareness of historical facts – or any facts for that matter.

I liked Memento. I felt it actually obeyed the rules of storytelling, ironically and in spite of its inverse chronology. There was someone we were made to care about, the stakes ebbed and flowed, and although there was at times ambivalence about the characters and what exactly was happening, it was ambivalence with integrity within the world that Nolan created. Since then what I would diagnose as laziness and ignorance would surely be defended by Nolan-ists as depth or profundity, as the “filmmaker” tackles challenging existential themes, but in the process neglects to tell a (human) story. Two guys behind my date and I on the way out would disagree, as we were unfortunately in ear’s shot of one of their reviews:

“It just had so many layers.”

 Ugh! I felt like I was in a sophomore NYU film class. “Layers?!” Are you fucking kidding me? How about the first layer of making me give a shit about any of these assholes in the first place?

 It made me think of the Seinfeld episode where George and Jerry were pitching their “show about nothing” to the NBC executives and George wouldn’t budge on the theme. “No, nothing happens, nothing!” he insisted.

 “Well then why am I watching it?” inquired the executive.

 “Because it’s on TV,” George said. (Who could’ve guessed what foresight he had!)

 The executive responded: “Not yet.”  

 It’s as if Christopher Nolan fans care just because “it’s on TV.” It’s a “Nolan,” thus deserving of our keen mental focus in attempting to dissect wtf is happening here. I guess in their defense, at some point a “Nolan” had to be initially defined, which means some people must just not need… people in order to care.

 Is that possible? Of course I’m biased but I don’t believe it is. Instead my suspicion is a level of pretentiousness within that they are utterly unaware of and allows them to find fulfillment in pure sequential mind fucks, wholly void of emotionality, which in my opinion is always a red flag for unintelligent art.

 Nolan is the wordy underground rapper who uses tons of six syllable words and just tons of words in his songs, but offers us no rhythm or melody by which to enjoy them. He claims to be more intelligent, thus more entitled than the likes of Biggie or Mobb Deep, but forgets the most important part of music: to make a good song! He’s the poet whose poems can only make sense in some abstract way in his own head, which then if you can’t decipher gets you labeled as “stupid.” He’s the pseudo-guru who speaks in cliché riddles that gives all of his dogmatic followers something to nod their heads and smile at each other about in class, but zero practical tools to take with them into the world. He’s not the worst filmmaker of all time, because for that title one would have to make films. Instead, Nolan hatches together practical montages that play out almost like a literal dream, tipping the scale from clever subtlety into utter bullshit, in the process mentally masturbating over some profound concept in lieu of putting forth the effort to date said concept, talk to the concept, care about it and then fuck it the way it’s deserving of. He is the fuckboy of modern cinema, and like all fuckboys has earned plenty of success, believers, and followers of his bullshit until the proverbial next morning when we finally wake up.

 Every once in a while an artist comes along whose work is so potent that it can accurately inform us of how we feel about him/her, which is really how groupies come about, which should make us less judgmental of their character. I don’t just hate Nolan’s work. I hate him. And not because he’s “so polarizing” and must be at least commended for having moved me so dramatically in one direction, but instead for the complete failure to do so. He represents to me all that is wrong with the creative world, much like Trump represents all that is wrong with the political one, and I suppose I’ll never understand life or the supporters of either. Nolan makes me feel alone in the world. 

[getoffthesoapbox]

[SnB:VS] EP3 - A Wild Love Triangle Appears!

I wasn’t going to speculate per episode but, dagnabbit, the speculation opportunities are calling me. 

This series is the highlight of my week, I swear. 

Mirroring the Opening

This whole episode set up a scenario quite similar to what we see in the opening theme visuals--Azazel being drawn out by Charioce and Nina on the move to save him. I’m not sure how it will unfold, or if we’ll see more than one variation of this scenario within the first twelve episodes, but I’m definitely looking forward to whatever is coming.

Now that I’m sure we’re not changing the opening every episode to switch to a new character, I feel more confident that Azazel is meant to be the main male protagonist. It’s still weird that Charioce is listed first in the ending credits, but that may just be because Charioce gets top billing as main love interest for Nina. Who knows. 

Azazel and Mugaro

Well, I know what ship I’m switching to if Nina decides to be a fool. (When Mugaro is older, of course. Too young right now.)

Azazel is painstakingly tender with Mugaro. He has so much affection for the kid, it’s utterly heartwarming. I do suspect this affection will be tested when he finds out Mugaro isn’t a demon--Azazel probably dislikes angels as much as he dislikes humans. But his life is now going to be filled with humans and angels, in order to help him learn to see past the race and accept the common essence each of them shares. 

Regardless, this does prove that Azazel has a good heart when he’s not being a prejudiced turd. This explains a little more the loyalties his fellow demons had to him in the previous series, as well as why he himself was never consumed with ambition. He’s a swell chap at heart; he just needs to overcome his biases against humans (and presumably angels). 

I did find it interesting that Mugaro chose Azazel, rather than vice versa. Azazel doesn’t seem to know the extent of Mugaro’s powers, either. Mugaro seems to be hiding things from Azazel. It’s surely not out of malicious intent (I doubt Mugaro has a malicious bone in his body), but it’s likely so Mugaro can stay as close to Azazel as he can for as long as he can.

Azazel’s lucky to be protected by two incredibly powerful beings--Nina and Mugaro. Undoubtedly he’s going to screw up, and those two are strong enough to get him out of whatever tomfoolery he gets himself into.  I also love how Azazel relies on Rita--she’s the one he feels he can entrust Mugaro to, and given how fond he is of Mugaro, this shows how highly he esteems Rita. 

The Love Triangle Arrives!

The moment I’d been waiting for since the 3rd PV arrived at last! Nina has now met both of her main suitors--Azazel and the “Turbaned Gentleman”, who clearly is none other than our out of control king, Charioce. 

Nina clearly has a “type”--tall, toned, and youthful. She can look at huge muscles and square jaws all day without blinking, but the minute some model-magazine quality young man walks by, she’s all blushes. It’s pretty cute. =)

I found the choices the writers took with this pivotal meeting between Nina and Charioce to be quite interesting. 

Nina doesn’t get to see Charioce first (Hamsa warns her Charioce is an ikemen, giving her time to place a blindfold over her eyes). On a higher meta implication, this renders her blind to who he is. Maaaaaybe it’s just coincidence, but methinks not, given how careful these writers have been so far. ;) You never want to start off blind in a relationship--bad things come of that.

Usually in these types of stories, the “strong” heroine will lose to her superior male mate. Nina almost loses to Charioce, but it’s mostly due to her being distracted over touching him rather than his particular strength. He is strong, make no mistake, but once she finally digs in and gets serious, she easily overpowers him, sending him flying and taking the table with him. The fact that the story allowed Nina to win the contest could imply several things: she will win him over in the end, she will win against him in the end, or perhaps he’s the wrong choice for her (or any or all of these). 

Charioce’s reaction to Nina is one of mild intrigue as well as a bit of posturing. He knows he’s an attractive man, and he knows she’s starstruck by him. He probably sees her as a bit of a country bumpkin. Her strength does impress him, and I expect it will be her strength (and her transformation) that will draw him back to her. What that’s going to ultimately mean, I’m not quite sure yet. The narrative did give him one tiny “humanizing” moment where he stood at the mystery grave stone, so he might have more to him than meets the eye. Will it be enough to wipe away all his evil deeds? I doubt it, but who knows. I’ve seen worse. <cough>Berserk and Vampire Knight</cough>

All in all, Charioce’s and Nina’s first meeting was more underwhelming than I was expecting, given the 3rd PV. Spacing out their encounters like this, instead of really focusing in on it, diffuses the impact (a direct contrast to Amira and Favaro from the prequel). This is very good for those of us on the Azazel train. ;)

Nina herself is clearly starstruck at first sight. However, despite her flailing and fangirling and her heart doing its pre-dragon thing, she never once loses control nor does she actually go “full dragon” for Charioce. Perhaps she will later, but right not Azazel is the only one who’s effected the full transformation from her. I’m not sure what that means, exactly, but it is interesting that they made sure to focus more on general girly reactions to Charioce, rather than the larger narrative implications of her transformation for Azazel. It paints the Charioce reaction in a lighter, more comical perspective. Obviously the regular viewer is going to see this and think “wow, Nina’s in love with Charioce,” which is exactly what the writers want. Tricksy writers. I shall not be fooled!

We have the love triangle confirmed from Rita herself. She asks Nina who she finds more handsome--Azazel or Charioce. The tricksy writers are at it again by not letting Nina answer. She does blink several times before reacting, however, and that implies she can’t immediately choose one over the other, rendering them about equal at this point in the story. This is important in order to keep Azazel as an option, because right now Nina’s not supposed to be pursuing him. She’s supposed to be pursuing Charioce, but we still need the clues leading toward her switching to Azazel later, because no one enjoys asspulls in storytelling. ;)

For now, Nina doesn’t get to interact with Azazel this episode, mostly to allow Charioce to finally “weigh in.” But she does immediately run to Azazel’s rescue despite only having known him for a brief time. =P 

Charioce’s Romance/Narrative Trajectory

Despite Azazel having the opening theme dedicated to him, and despite all the cues that Charioce is the narrative’s main villain, he’s still being billed at number 2 in the ending. This implies that he should be either the main love interest or the main male protagonist, second only to Nina. I’m quite baffled, but, hey, I’m willing to trust these writers to give the story a good run.

Right now I see three paths for Charioce’s development, given where he’s starting:

Charioce initially is interested in Nina for her abilities/skills, but gradually falls in love with her. He and she clash over the treatment of the demons, and eventually he realizes the error of his ways through her. {The problem with this is that it basically mirrors Azazel’s Beauty & the Beast trajectory, telling the exact same story. Unless Azazel’s going to become the main villain instead, this isn’t going to work.}

Charioce initially has no interest in Nina at all until he realizes what she is (presumably after seeing her dragon transformation). He then goes about deliberately seducing her, as he already knows she’s starstruck by him. He works on twisting her to his will to do his bidding, holding out the promise of romance as a reward. This puts her into direct conflict with Azazel and Kaisar and co. This leads to several different paths where Nina can fight her friends, or tun on Charioce, or get broken hearted and try to save Charioce, etc. Lots of opportunities with this route that don’t conflict with Azazel’s route. 

Charioce is interested in Nina and doesn’t realize who she is. He continues to do his usual evil bad guy stuff, and they have a pivotal moment halfway through where she realizes he’s been this jerk she’s been fighting all along. Nina realizes he’s not the person she loved, and she turns on him. Charioce, meanwhile, actually is in love with Nina and tries to win her back, but he’s committed to his path because he believes he’s righteous. This is a bit more nuanced version of #2 above which allows Charioce to be more complicated than just a nasty schemer. ;D 

Honestly, Charioce’s trajectory is where all the fun is. I’m not sure if he’s the final villain or if Bahamut still is or if we’ll get someone else who’s pulling Charioce’s strings later on, but he does bring a variety of opportunities to the table that poor Azazel can’t. ;) Rock on, Charioce! I’m counting on you to make things fun!

{Fun fact: Charioce is why I wanted to watch this show in the first place, lol. And I’m rooting against him, lol. =D}

Rita and Kaisar 

My secret OTP from the original series lives!!! OMG Rita calls Rocky Kaisar’s child! It’s his own darn hand, lol! (I adore how nonchalant she is about it. But the implications! She keeps a piece of him with her all the time! Gah!) The marriage implications! Kaisar gets in Rita’s intimate zones! He has eyes only for her! He doesn’t even notice Nina! But he does run after Nina as soon as the wife tells him to get moving! Gah! It’s so great!

I love that Nina asked if Kaisar was Rita’s lover (even though she didn’t know who exactly it was). Please make it so, show! I was so so so so worried they’d shoehorn him with Jeanne after that little short prequel episode they did with him and Jeanne recently, but I should not have feared! Rita’s devotion can’t be defeated! 

This also explains why Rita lives at the capital. She must be near her Kaisar! I’m so happy I can’t even express myself properly. Please give me more, show! *ahem*

The Family Protects Its Own

Can I just say how much I love the way Virgin Soul is developing the heroic family? Genesis did the best it could with this given its limited runtime, but Virgin Soul is taking what Genesis began and running with it beautifully.

We’re getting more information about Hamsa and Bacchus, for one thing. For another, the team has really come together around Nina and Azazel. Their reactions to Nina’s mentor (Favaro returns!) are charming and perfectly in character with how they reacted to him during Genesis. It’s easy to see how much they not only love Nina, but love Favaro as well. 

The fact that all of them, including Kaisar, are protecting Azazel explains why he’s the only bounty still able to run freely. It also explains why Charioce was suspecting Kaisar in the first place--Kaisar’s probably been letting Azazel get away more often than he should. 

Rita trying to stop Nina from going after Azazel was the moment that really got me this episode, though. She’s such a caring, loving person, and she’s only known this girl for a short time, and still she wants to keep her safe so badly she sends her beloved Kaisar after her. The strong bond this group is forming is going to be something to behold by the end, I think. 

I have a huge soft spot for stories that continue developing their characters from their earlier seasons, even if they’ve shifted focus to other characters. Being able to explore the original cast in new ways as they react to these new scenarios is one of the joys of a story like this. 

I am seriously floored by how much content there is in each episode of Virgin Soul. This series has easily taken the top slot in the season for me, no small feat with Rinne and Shingeki no Kyojin and Berserk in the same season. I hope it continues to be such a complex and compelling ride all the way to the end, a credit to its predecessor even as it forges new territory.

In the meantime, though, where are Jeanne and Lucifer dammut! ;)

Until next week!

[renaroo]

Wednesday Roundup

We have an interesting week! Not the least of which because of Saga’s newest volume release which I have been highly anticipating for months. There’s a lot of storylines beginning, ending, and everything in between this week, and we’ve got a spread between DC, Marvel and Indie. So let’s see how it plays out!

Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, DC’s Detective Comics, Image’s Saga, DC’s Titans, DC’s Wonder Woman 

Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man: Renew You Vows (2016- ) #6 Gerry Conway, Ryan Stegman, Jesus Aburtov

We’ve officially gone into territories that I honestly hadn’t expected for this series to take, that being the confirmation as of this issue that this is a parallel universe where the Superhero Registration Act and Civil War never happened. But... oddly enough it seems to also be a world where Conway is happily ignoring Slott’s miniseries that started Renew Your Vows because the X-Men, including ones we very much saw were dead in the mini, are well and alive and running the Xavier institute just fine. 

And just to add to weirdness, everyone’s in their 90s uniforms but Jean is married to Logan and they have an adorable daughter. How’s that supposed to work with my perception of reality? I have absolutely no idea, but Annie gets a possible future friend in little baby mutant so I think I can consider myself happy. 

It’s interesting to see Gerry Conway, who in many ways as I revisit the various comics of the past (as you may have noticed through my liveblogging here) really is fundamental for me personally in how I perceive Peter, MJ, and their relationship, is writing the first book I’ve been able to read in a long time that feels like them. And it’s not perfect marital bliss -- there’s conflict, opposition, and a sense of flaws that both of them bring to the table. 

Basically all the things that Slott and co. whined and bemoaned were gone simply because Peter and MJ tied the knot. y’know. Thirty years ago. 

Still enjoying the book, but I’m extra curious/worried where our cliffhanger leaves us. Also wow, poor Beast.

DC’s Detective Comics (2016- ) #954 James Tynion IV, Marcio Takara, Marcelo Maiolo

*long heralding sigh and a wistful look into the distance*

We’re smack in the middle of this storyline and I’m sure there’s a lot of things that will be better once it’s fully played out, but I’m running out of ways to defend Tynion’s run on ‘Tec. Mostly because for all the frustration that I have with people being way too critical of this run -- which there more than has been -- I’m getting less and less out of Tynion’s work that fills me with the joy and exuberance that helps me want to defend his comics to begin with.

Probably because I have always said his pacing is awful, his reveals have almost no setup, he repeatedly robs us of emotional catharsis, his views of morality are about as black-and-white as someone can get out of a high school creative writing class, and just structurally I’ve never enjoyed his arcs. 

What I do like from Tynion and have defended again and again is his understanding of the main team’s characters. The Belfry team, as written by him, have so many amazing character moments that they far outshine his stories and villains time and time again. He understands why people love these characters and he wants to share why he loves them, and that enthusiasm has repeatedly been a saving grace on issues that had everything else working against them during his run.

Soooooo This issue is completely devoid of those good things. Because our only goodguy left standing is Bruce. I continue to be... less than apathetic toward the Colony and the assassination of Jacob Kane’s character, or Ulysseus’ gamer-brat return. Bruce continues to be an IDIOT about this League of Shadows thing to the point that my brain breaks trying to figure out why in Detective Comics it seems like the World’s Greatest Detective can’t get a clue. And it all just blehhhhssss toward the middle. 

Now for the controversy. Because god forbid we not have controversy every week ‘Tec comes out. Cass’ reentry in the last two pages is awesome for the first page and stupid on the giant splash page. yes, she’s going to be the one to take down the League of Shadows, and she’ll probably FINALLY get to say one of her famous lines herself for once (IMAGINE). but Tynion or Takara one dropped the ball on that last page by having Cass holding bloody katanas and make it look like she had actually killed Shiva’s ninjas. If this was a mistake, DC is... itself again and we’ll have to ignore it. If it’s meant to make us doubt Cass and that she’s taken Shiva’s words to heart it’s a cheap cliffhanger and we know better. If if if, doesn’t matter, it’s not what it seems and it annoys me.

I was annoyed by this issue and outside of Takara’s continued excellent work in the art department this is going to be lost in the overall storyline of this arc like every single other middle issue Tynion has written for this run. Nothing was gained for this experience. 

Well, it gave me the energy to rant. And I know that’s what some of you come to this blog for, so it gave you that much. 

Image’s Saga (2012- ) Volume 7 Brian K. Vaughn, Fiona Staples

Few comics hit the milestones and accolades which Saga have without stumbling across bumps in the path, and that goes nearly triple when it comes to pushing the envelope with themes of interracial relationships, multiethnic found families, clashing cultures, war, sexual politics, and discussions of sexuality and gender all at once. 

But somehow, amazingly, Saga not only continues to maintain this path and always manages to find new and impressive ways to surprise me -- someone who I’d consider to be a pretty hardened veteran of nearly all forms of storytelling in comics at this point -- but it manages to make each punch still feel like a direct hit to my gut. 

There is so much anguish in the trials of our space opera family for this adventure, so much loss that it’s hard to pin down what hit me harder -- the loss of a long time friend, the sanity of a former dignitary, the home of a beloved survivor, the respect of a former mentor, or -- as Hazel herself so eloquently put it in the last pages of this volume -- the loss of things that never were, the missing energy of what could have been. 

There’s a lot throughout this, and as always Saga delivers. We continue to have one of the most badass trans women I’ve seen in comics to date, the fall from grace of Marko’s professed pacifism, and the fear of Sophie’s inevitable manipulations at the hand of The Will, something that will break my heart a thousand times more. 

Fiona Staples’ art is next level comic storytelling, but I also need to emphasize just what a fantastic writer Brian K. Vaughn truly is. As someone very aware and concerned about portrayal and voices of women in comics, I have to say that Vaughn is up there with Rucka as some of the few male writers that write female characters in a way that truly speak to me on a fundamental level.

DC’s Titans (2016- ) #10 Dan Abnett, Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dalhouse

Our fight with the Fearsom Five comes to quite the stunning end, really utilizing all of our characters and their strengths as well as their weaknesses. But what really captured my attention here was just how well the comic did when it came to showing off how truly formidable the Five were, with maybe only Gizmo not getting a real moment to shine out of the entire lot. 

The Titans were believably taken down, but not without showing off their prowess first and foremost, an that’s really all I ask for in a story where our heroes ultimately don’t win -- that their strengths are still on display and it’s believable how the battles’ outcome got to where it was. 

Perhaps our Seventh Ranger’s late entry with Bumblebee really showing off her powers and surprising us all does seem like a cheap way to end a battle the Titans mostly lost, but I think that was softened by showing that, in return, Karen has lost something that we have spent many issues building up as being highly important to her: her family and the memories and love she holds for them. 

That plus the reintroduction of H.I.V.E. and Deathstroke has me very curious about just how the “Lazarus Contract” is going to play out here, especially with its title’s obvious signifiers. 

Very good issue through and through, really enjoyable.

DC’s Wonder Woman (2016- ) #20  Greg Rucka, Bilquis Evely, Romulo Fajardo Jr. 

I have been incredibly curious to see what is Veronica Cale’s motivations in all of this and why she wants to get to Themyscira so badly, and it seems as though our past and present storylines have finally come to a head, proving my suspicions correct that the two Doberman that Cale has with her are the twins -- though I thought they were common disguise and not binding of them thanks to a revamp of Circe.

Now, of course, if you follow me long enough to know my Wondy opinions, you know that Circe is by far my favorite villain in Diana’s rogues gallery, and so I have been very excited about her turn to come into Rucka’s reimagining. And it didn’t disappoint, I rather like her modern redux. 

And in all honesty, Rucka’s second time around with Veronica Cale has been delightful to see take form -- moving her motivations to something more powerful and more relatable than “women be jealous of other successful women” is just so much more engaging. There’s definitely been a lot learned since his last run of Wonder Woman and I appreciate it.

The art continues to be just beautiful for the past storylines, I mean beyond gorgeous and so colorful. Which just makes me dread the upcoming more dour, dark, and all around depressing take on the present. 

And if that isn’t a culmination of my feelings about comic trends in general I don’t know what is. 

If I didn’t think it’d be entirely unfair, I’d easily give this week to Saga which just continues to impress and amaze me every volume, but as I read it by volume rather than by monthlies, that seems completely unfair. 

Usually my weeks are difficult because there’s more than a few standouts but this week I didn’t really have anything that really stuck out to me. But, ultimately I’m going to give my pick of the week to Wonder Woman. Rucka’s past storylines are just a joy over and over again.