#i think i focused too much on unnecessary details ahh

[art-of-mathematics]

Hello! I was wondering what textbooks you would recommend for someone looking to get into mathematical proofs and introductory physics. I don't have physics in my courses this year so any notes would be helpful. Thanks!

Hello there!

I am glad you approached my ask box (or me).

Unfortunately I may not have the answers you might be searching, but I found Keith Devlin's book Introduction to Mathematical Thinking helpful as an intro. (It's neither a textbook nor is it exactly about mathematical proofs.)

Do my fellow math peers here know some good textbooks and want to share? Please feel free to reblog with some infos and references. (I would like to know some good books about mathematical proofs as well.)

As for physics I consider the Feynman lectures merely well-written.

[Caltech has uploaded the Feynman lectures as digital format/website:]

Another source I enjoy is Hyperphysics. [... although it is not a textbook either, but a good website]

It's a very neat and very basic html website with many good javascript boxes to directly play with some equations, as well as it contains well-summarized information and an overall good visualization and explanation of the concepts.

The mindmaps with topics (and sub-topics) are clickable:

Sub-topics are chunked into well-summarized: boxes:

And the plain/simple javascript forms are helpful for getting a quick intuitive feeling for the concepts when playing around:

(It helps me to make it compatible with my imagination. I don't know if other people might find this helpful as well.)

I consider this website merely neurodivergent-friendly, as it's well-summarized, well-structured, well-visualized, chunked, minimalist and quick-to-the-point, while also using very basic design, which makes it quick to load as well as more minimalist to look at - meaning less distraction and more focus for the depicted topics/concepts.

And you have an index window on the side which you can close:

[maatryoshkaa]

Bet | Seo Changbin

Summary: as a JYP intern, your one goal had been to avoid developing feelings for the idols you worked with. Unfortunately, upon noticing your feelings for a certain “dark” rapper, the rest of stray kids have made it their mission to make your relationship happen.

Genre: fluff, infinitesimal amount of angst

Word Count: 2.9k

Features: Stray Kids, JY-Papi

It had been nearly half a year of floating around various entertainment companies and internships until you’d finally hit the jackpot and landed an offer at JYP Entertainment.

As it turns out, one of their monster rookie groups, Stray Kids, had just had one of their most busy, successful comebacks, and their management needed as many hands on deck as possible.

Before you knew it, you were transferred to their department and assigned as one of their full-time personal assistants.

At first, it was a hectic whirlwind of tasks thrown at you -- suddenly, there were 9 orders of drinks to memorize in the morning, numerous meal deliveries to manage, supplies to organize in the studio, and cleaning up the dance practice room every day.

Honestly, your back and soul would have broken within the first week if the boys hadn’t been so sweet and easy to be around.

Lots of the full-time assistants already held positions in other departments, so they only dropped in for a couple of brief shifts a day.

This lead to you staying with them from 6am, when you’d bring them their schedule, until the unearthly hours of the morning when members (mostly Bang Chan, cough cough) worked late.

With you eating meals with them and accompanying them to all their practices, shows and promotions, your relationship began to feel more like close friends instead of idols and their personal assistant.

Even so, you were surprisingly adept at your job, winning a shower of praises from the members and higher-ups alike.

You’d always had a knack for noticing small details about people:

You were able to remember how Jeongin ran better on juice or fruit tea better than coffee, because he found the taste unpleasant,

And how Jisung likes his coffee made basically like ice cream, loaded with 3 creams and 3 sugars,

And that Chan prefers to make his coffee himself, because he feels bad that you often have to stay up till 3 am waiting on him to finally wrap up work.

Nevertheless, after all the late nights and misadventures you had taking care of Stray Kids, you’d be lying if you said someone didn’t make your heart beat a little faster than it was supposed to, even though you’d pledged to yourself over and over again not to fall for the idols you worked with.

But maybe, just maybe -- you had a teeny, tiny crush on Seo Changbin.

Sure, just the sound of his name was enough to set butterflies free in your stomach, and you laughed a little harder at his bad jokes than everyone else, and you put a little more care making his coffee than everyone else,

And maybe you were kind of in love with his cheeky smile, and how he’d go from dark, brooding rapper-producer to 5’5 ball of aegyo in a matter of seconds, and how when he was focused writing his lyrics, he looked so good--

Damn it.

Still, you thought you’d been pretty damn subtle about your feelings, but little did you know

Not even a month into your internship, Stray Kids (minus Changbin, who they’d made wash the dishes) had a mini meeting after dinner one evening.

After casting a quick backwards look to the kitchen, where the rapper was grumbling about how he was the only one who they ever bullied, Chan brought up the million-dollar question:

“So how much are y’all willing to bet that Changbin and our new assistant are gonna end up together?”

There were snickers, and murmured responses of “20 bucks” and “one fried chicken” and “my cats”, but a hum of conversation starts, some of the member dead set on the fact that your relationship was inevitable, while others admitted that though you were cute, Changbin would be too much of a pussy shy to follow through.

By the time Changbin came back, the bet had been made: Minho, Jisung, Chan, Hyunjin and Woojin were Team ready to risk it all for the two of you to end up together, while Jeongin, Seungmin, and Felix were team y’all cute but changbin’s a pussy.

It started off with little bets, like Minho nudging Jeongin and whispering, “bet you a banana milk that y/n’ll say hi to Changbin first today,” but quickly grows competitive

Eventually Team Jeongin, Seungmin and Felix cave in and the bet turns into a matter of which one of you will make the first move.

And suddenly, you’ve gained 8 wingmen.

It started off subtle: whenever you visited 3racha during their producing and recording sessions, Chan and Jisung would always manage to find some excuse to leave you alone with Changbin.

“Hey guys, you need anything?” You’d enter the room, handing them coffee.

“Oh, no, it’s alright! Ah, actually, Jisung -- weren’t we supposed to meet JYP for something today? We should probably get going --” Chan would get up from the computer desk, promptly swinging Jisung out of there and leaving a bewildered Changbin staring at them through the recording window.

At the practice room, Hyunjin would always spot you outside, bringing lunch deliveries from the parking lot, and would make a beeline for Changbin.

“Hyung, I just saw y/n in the parking lot...looks like she’s having a lot of trouble carrying heavy stuff in.”

Cue Changbin bolting out of the building to help a pleasantly surprised you carry the food back into the building as Hyunjin watched smugly through the mirror and patted himself on the back.

You also noticed them asking you to help out with the dishes a lot more, leaving you and the rapper together nearly every evening. There were always a mountain of washing to do, but you and Changbin didn’t really mind, somehow turning the chore into a fun time as long as you two were together.

You were kind of suspicious of the boys’ intentions, but didn’t really think anything of it until Felix began to contribute his part of the bet.

You two had always been close and honest with each other, but boy was this kid bad at being subtle

“Oh, that’s cute!” You’d exclaim, pointing at a fat plushie.

“Sure is. Hey, you know what else is cute? Changbin, right?”

Or

“It’s so sweet,” you’d remark after drinking the milk tea he prepared for you.

Cue a wiggling of his eyebrows as he’d reply, “Really sweet, just like this guy I know. Changbin.”

And, one fateful day, when he was giving you one of his infamous massages after a particularly grueling day at work,

“Ahh, that feels so good,” you sighed in relief as the tension left your shoulders.

“Mhm. You know who else could make you feel super good? Chang--” “FELIX!”

You finally confronted him, demanding why he always brought the rapper into unnecessary conversations, and so Felix ended up telling you everything: about how they knew you liked him, and the bets that had been going on between the members for the last seven months.

You could feel your heart sinking deeper into the pit of your stomach with every word Felix said.

Originally, you’d thought you could peacefully finish up your year-long internship, happy just to be around Changbin, quietly milling over your crush for him at a safe distance.

It would be painful, sure, but not as painful as it would be had he found out about your crush on him and had to reject you.

You knew there was no way he would ever like you, he was a busy member of one of the hottest groups in Korea, talented and destined for success. You? You shook your head. You were just an intern, not even a worker, helping them along a small portion of their career.

Now that you knew all the members knew, it began to make you wonder just obvious you had been, and a great shame washed over you.

You were devastated.

Determined to divert your focus strictly back to work, you distanced yourself from him, carefully keeping the boundaries between professionalism and friendship as you continued carrying out your assigned duties. Anyways, it wasn’t as if Changbin would notice.

Changbin noticed.

He noticed, and quite honestly, it put a heavy damper on his mood.

You’d always been the brightest part of his day, there to cheer him on or calm him down, ready to share the burden even though you didn’t have to.

Now, all he saw of you were glimpses of your resigned face when you passed him his drink, cleaned the studio, and brought in the meals.

He missed you.

And it showed in the way his energy decreased, the rest of 3racha dumbfounded when Changbin ended up working later than Chan because he had no motivation to finish the tracks; his mind was filled with worries and thoughts of you.

Changbin missed you.

He’d found himself falling, falling hard for you ever since you’d brought him his first caramel macchiato, taking the time to listen to his worries about the recordings and offer warm, sincere encouragement.

Changbin found himself lost in the way your mouth crinkled trying to suppress a laugh at his bad aegyo, the way your eyes would betray you first, creasing into twinkling half-moons when you finally smiled.

He liked the sound of your voice, how hearing it could soothe the deepest aches in his bones from working all day and jolt him awake at the same time, a thrum of buzzing energy restored in his veins.

He liked you, everything there possibly was to love about you, the way your hair fell against your cheek when you looked over at him, your focused expression while you worked, the warmth of your hand brushing his as you handed him his 3 am shot of caffeine--

Fuck.

Changbin caught himself, running a hand through his hair. How did he let himself get in so deep? After all, you were the new intern, popular with new workers and upper-class managers alike. You clearly had a bright future ahead of you -- smart, beautiful, and resourceful, he wouldn’t be surprised if you claimed the CEO position within five years. So why on Earth would y/n l/n bother to get all tangled up with a mere idol like him?

He only barely managed to resurface from his thoughts, bringing himself back to the blank track he’d been staring at passive-aggressively for the last three hours.

Meanwhile, the eight other members have noticed this change in you and Changbin’s dynamic the past couple of weeks, and were dumbfounded.

“Yeah, I might’ve...told her about the bet,” Felix mumbled in the dorms after Chan had mentioned it in passing. When the other members had begun protesting, he added defensively, “What? I didn’t know it’d make them hate each other!”

“Bro, can you imagine how embarrassed she must’ve felt?” Chan groaned. “So she’s distancing herself from him now, and Changbin’s walking around like JYP made him the main vocal or something.”

Realizing that Changbin was likely still at the studio, and that you were probably still cleaning up the practice rooms, the boys decided that desperate times called for desperate measures.

At a quarter to 1 AM, two buzzes made you jump as you locked up the dance practice room for the night. Pulling out your phone, you saw two texts from Woojin.

Two New Messages

Hey! Changbin’s been pretty stressed about the new album recently, and he’s been staying at the studio till dawn.

The cafe’s closed, so could you make him some coffee from the cafeteria?

The image of sleep-deprived Changbin forced to work overtime was enough to make you shove down your sleepiness, rushing to whip up a fresh, hot brew of coffee with two shots of espresso and sugar, just how you knew he liked it.

Still, you were cautious as you knocked on the studio door, trying to make your heartbeat shut up. Calm down. This was nothing. He was just one of the people you worked with, and you just had to give him the coffee and go.

Just give him the coffee and go, y/n.

You entered after hearing his “yeah, come in,” voice hoarse and low from sleepiness and stress, and saw him slumped in his chair, eyes ringed with sleep circles and shoulders tense.

“Bin--Changbin. Drink some, you need the energy.”

He looked over at you, eyes barely concealing a million different emotions, but he silently took the coffee, drinking slowly.

You turned to leave, chest feeling hollow, until you felt a cool hand, warmed only temporarily by the hot coffee, on yours.

“Would you--can you please...stay?”

And something in the way he sounded so small, so vulnerable, something in the way his hand on your skin made your heart flutter involuntarily, made you pull up the chair next to him and gently ask to listen to what he’d been working on.

All the tension and confusion from the last few weeks of distance seemed to melt away, the dim studio and the moonlight filtering through the thin curtains offering a soft sense of peace.

You gave him suggestions, made jokes, cheered him on even after the last drop of caffeine had been consumed, and Changbin managed to finish the demo of the song in one sitting.

And it sounded amazing.

The clock strikes three, Changbin let out a relieved groan as he exports the file, and as he looked over at you, he swore that you were the single most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Unwilling to head off to bed just yet, you two graduated towards the sofa by the window, and, feeling bold on the waning spikes of caffeine and accomplishment, Changbin asked you for a massage.

Hands shaky at first, you turned him around, and gently smoothed your fingers over his back before pressing concentrated circles into the knots you found. He’d lost weight, but put on muscle, you noted -- as if he had been missing meals, yet overworking his body, and you felt a pang of guilt -- had you really been ignoring him so much that you didn’t even bother to check if he was eating?

After a few moments of silence, he said, 

“We haven’t done this in a while, huh?”

You nodded absently.

“Remember I am You promotions? You’d always stay up with me when JYP needed me to change the tracks last minute, even when I’d go ‘til the next morning…” 

He trailed off, lost and basking in the warmth and comfort of your body close to his for the first time in weeks.

Too soon, you finished the massage, avoiding his gaze, but before you could pull away you felt his arms envelop you, pulling you close, and he smelled like coffee and lemons and felt warm and right.

He was holding you as if he might break if he let go, his breathing uneven in your ear as you feel his erratic heartbeat through his thin shirt.

“Changbin, I--” 

You couldn’t find the right words. 

I like you, so so much, but I’m also so, so afraid to. I’m afraid, you won’t like me, you shouldn’t like me, and definitely not good enough for you and this whole thing is just ridiculous to even consider--

Judging by Changbin’s dumbfounded expression when he pulled away to look you in the eyes, you realized that you might have just rambled all of that out loud.

“Are you kidding, y/n? I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you.” He peered at you. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”

You nodded, now clamping your mouth shut for fear of more word vomit spilling out of your tired mouth.

Changbin sighed, shaking his head before looking back up at you. 

“Dummy, I like you, too. I thought that was obvious.”

Now your mouth dropped open, opening and closing dumbly as he looked up at you with an equally stupid smile, and you remembered one thing.

“You know, apparently all our friends have a bet going that we’re going to end up together,” you breathed, still unable to fathom what he’d just said.

“Yeah?” Changbin replied, voice soft. “Well, I guess they won.”

The next thing you knew, all you could feel were Changbin’s lips were on yours, tasting of sweet caffeine, and the cool moonlight pressing stars behind your eyelids. He laced a hand with yours, the other finding the small of your back and pulling you even closer into him as you reached up to gently touch his chest.

Afterwards was a blur, the dim room now filled with your dazed, heavy breathing as Changbin pulled the throw blanket they used for late nights in the winter over the you, both of you too happy and exhausted to say anything else before falling into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The first person to find you two in the morning is none other than JYP himself, entering the studio with a 

“Changbin, you should get some re--oh.” 

And promptly closing the door.

Honestly he saw this coming, and was lowkey betting on it himself.

Changbin has you in his arms, hugging you from behind, your head tucked comfortably in his chest and his chin buried in the crook of your neck.

The blanket was still snug around both of you, sunlight pouring from the window and warming the smiles on your sleeping faces.

Bonus

When you two finally sucked it up and walked into the practice room hand-in-hand, the boys burst into an uproar of relieved cheering

“Oh my gosh, finally,” Hyunjin groaned. “So who confessed first? Tell me it wasn’t you, y/n, please.”

“No, say it’s you,” Jeongin pleaded. “Minho-hyung said he’d give me his cats if it wasn’t Changbin.”

“Why don’t we call off the bet,” Chan suggested, sensing that his family was about to rip itself apart, “and just make Changbin treat all of us?”

A unanimous sound of approval drowned out Changbin’s sound of protest, and it was off to the barbeque you went.

Bonus Bonus

JYP sat at his desk, reading over Twice’s sales reports when his assistant burst into the room.

“Boss, um...I know this might be shocking to hear, but the new intern seems to be dating Seo Changbin.”

Without looking up, the CEO replied, “Mhm. I see them asleep together in the studio every morning after my morning jog; it’s about time. I’m not stupid.”

[aftermoviethings]

My thoughts on the After movie.

Warning, this post contains spoilers.

So like many of you I was very excited when they announced, that they were making a movie based off the After book. Although I wasn't 100% happy with the casting, the movie convinced me with every person that was casted.

Like Inanna as Molly, Khadijha as Steph everyone did a great job on portraying the characters.

The chemistry between the two main characters Hardin and Tessa was amazing. It wasn't awkward or cringe to watch these two fall in love. They were very cute. Jo has done a phenomenal job on playing Tessa. Her acting was spot on, she was 1000% Tessa. Unbelievable.

I know people always say, that you can't/shouldn't compare a movie to the book. That's right, because in this case you can't fit every single detail in a 1h 46 min. long movie. It is impossible.

Anna said from the beginning, that they had to change a few things in order to focus more on the love story of Hardin and Tessa. And that was done. The whole movie was concentrating on their love story.

Tessa is like the Tessa we know from the books. A good girl, doing what her mother says (to a certain point in the movie) is good in school and has good grades. Her behaviour around Hardin and his friends was exactly portrayed like from the book. Very good. I really liked that.

Hardin on the other side has undergone some changes. Throughout the trailers and teasers we could see, that he was a lot more softer and calmer than we know him from the books. Which is kinda good, I mean at some points in the books he was too aggressive or too moody. Idk.

But they toned him down too much. Like that wasn't Hardin from the books at all.

Due to the pg13 rating, swearing wasn't allowed. Which for me is such a big part. That's Hardin. It's okay if he is not as aggressive as in the book, but let him swear at some points. It just fits with his character.

Another thing that annoyed me was, that the movie was very rushed. They were so many scenes. But then the scenes were so short and sometimes really unnecessary. Like at the beginning, where Tessa is sitting in the cafe a studying. Hardin, Molly and Zed come in and order something. Tessa and Hardin look at each other for a little bit and that's the scene. That's wasted time for me. I hoped, that there would be more scenes at the beginning where they would talk, simply just getting to know each other. The frat party was like the third time they had seen each other. The first two times were very short and they didn't speak that much. How can you already feel so much for someone if you don't know them. And for us, as the audience it was like I blinked and they were already almost kissing. For me that was too rushed. I get it, they don't have that much time to develop their story but they could've made some changes to make that happen.

Also I feel like some of the scenes,that we have seen in the trailer or teasers were missing in the movie.

Just a side note.

What also bothered me is that Zed had such a small role in the movie. I know the movie is focusing on Tessa and Hardins love story but for those who have read the books, you know that Zed has a big part in Tessas life. If you could say that. Well movie Zed had what, 3 lines? Not more. He seemed very unnecessary. I mean Jace had a bigger part in the movie than Zed. Even a bigger part than Karen and Ken.

I was sad that we didn't see them much. Only at their wedding.

Well.

As we all know, there are a few scenes that aren't in the book, like the library scene or the aquarium scene.

I liked those scenes. They were cute. It was a nice touch.

Overall the love story seemed a little rushed, they were some montages of the two of them which were funny but they could've used that time for them to show us more of their story. To show us the depth of their love and love story.

What was also missing were the erotic scenes if you can say that.

A big part of the book is Tessa discovering her sexuality. The sexual side of a relationship. I thought, because It was a big part of the books it would be a big part of the movie too.

Well it wasn't. I don't know if they cut it out, or if they didn't want to do it from the beginning. But they weren't many hot scenes. For example the lake scene. Where Hardin is pleasuring Tessa. Well that was done in 5 seconds. I didn't realise at first if he was doing what I thought he was doing. Because it wasn't clear. I know it is a pg13 movie, but again I wonder if they knew it from the beginning. Meaning if they wanted it to be that way. Because that's not it. It was poorly done and not really sexy or anything like that.

Also their first time at the wedding wasn't filmed that great. The making out and undressing part was done good. But then they showed they faces for a few seconds and done. Like they could've left that out. To leave it to us, to imagine it or whatever. That aspect overall was really missing.

I hope if they do a second movie, that they will change that.

The movie should've been more mature and in depth. It was too much of a teenage romance movie.

What I disliked the most was the bet. I mean if you can even call it like that.

We all know, that in the books Hardin makes a bet on taking Tessas virginity. We know its cruel,m but we have read it. It isn't as shocking if it would've happened in the movie.

They changed the freaking bet. At the frat party when they were playing truth or dare (when Tessa left) Hardin said that his dare is, to make Tessa fall in love with him and then break up with her. Therefore breaking her heart.

Wtf. That isn't it.

I felt so disappointed. Cheated.

It seemed like Anna was ashamed of what she wrote and wanted to make up for it.

Or maybe like I said before, they wanted a pg13 movie from the beginning so they changed a lot of things. So that many more people could watch it and therefore earn more money. At the end it's all about the money.

For me they didn't stay true to the books. I know you can't have everything in a movie, but these big parts like the bet, their character overall the story. It shouldn't be changed.

For me it looked like a different movie. Meaning it had almost nothing to do with the book.

It wasn't the Hessa love story that we fell in love with.

I was, am disappointed. Maybe I had high hopes. But I didn't think, that they would change such important parts which are the "soul of the book".

Ahh what I forgot to say, Hardins nightmares weren't included. But that's something we knew beforehand. What I didn't like at all was when and how Hardin told Tessa what happened to his mother(which he also explained very vaguely). They were at the wedding sitting at a table and everyone was listening to Ken's speech.

I thought that this was the worst way possible how and when he told her. And as he told her idk it didn't seem like it would have a big deal in their story or his life.

It was weirdly done sadly. Another important part not done right in my opinion.

I would rate it a 6/10

So these are my thoughts, if you have seen the movie tell me your thoughts! Or tell me after you see it in the next few days. I am very curious to hear your guys thoughts.

Thanks for reading all of this, excuse me for any mistakes, english is my third language.

Love you. 🥰

[gaknar]

Review: The Secret Wars

Well we made it. We survived the Secret Wars. We survived all the hackneyed, 3rd grade, dumbfuckery that is one of the weirdest comic book crossovers of all time.

Remember when I was just starting this huge fucking omnibus? Remember when I made it half way through? Here I am on the night I finally finished that sucker off. Look how happy I am! And here is a big review. The decision to cover the Secret Wars came from a desire to track the core X-Men characters through every comic they appear in. For the purpose of nerd posterity. And to meticulously observe the level of continuity that the writers were able to achieve (or not achieve). Though the X-Men are not the central focus of either Secret Wars series, they are present, and these stories were the big Marvel event of the time. And the Secret Wars have always been so notorious that I’ve always wanted to read them. And god damn it why am I making excuses. I wanted to read these comics because I love Marvel even when they are at their worst.

Like seriously I could be reading Nietzsche or Ernest Cline and all I want to read is these dumb fucking comics.

Technically speaking, this reading covered Uncanny X-Men #176-#203, Secret Wars, Secret Wars II (including all crossover issues), Asgardian Wars, the Magik mini-series, the Nightcrawler mini-series, the Longshot mini-series, Kitty Pryde and Wolverine, and a bunch of issues of the New Mutants. I had no idea that these mere 23 issues of Uncanny X-Men would coincide with so much other X-Men related material, but such is the nature of the popularity explosion that the X-Men were going through at the time. And coincidentally, it was Secret Wars writer / Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter who decreed the X-Men brand had to be expanded on so largely, because it was so popular, and because Marvel was leaving money on the table by only showcasing the characters in 2 on-going series. Hey remember when Marvel cared enough about the X-Men that they actually tried to exploit their popularity?? Remember when they promoted the characters and stories as if they actually wanted the brand to be successful? Ahh those were the days.

I couldn’t find a picture of it, but my first comic book t-shirt had Wolverine on it, smoking a cigar, with the text “Make Mine Marvel, and Make it a Mutie.” That was in 1988. Compare that to how Marvel regards the X-Men now when making merchandise.

Reading all of this material, and the massive amount of other random comics that are included in the Secret Wars II crossover, it’s easy to see why Chris Claremont was so well regarded at the time. The criticisms of his writing are still valid. He’s as wordy as ever, many of the characters are sexualized in an unnecessary way, and compared to more popular modern writers his material is dated, slowly paced, campy, repetitive, or just uninteresting to some people. But when you directly compare him to his contemporaries at the time, the Uncanny X-Men was like something from the future. His comics are filled with dark stories of inner personality conflicts:

feminist focused character arcs:

and social commentaries integrated into the narrative in a natural way:

You just don’t get these qualities in the issues of the Avengers, Spider-Man or Captain America that were being published at the time:

Not that this story about Captain America fighting a giant, human armadillo wasn’t engaging!! It totally was! For serious! It was no laughing matter!!

While reading the massive Secret Wars II crossover that touched nearly every Marvel comic being published, coming to an issue of Claremont’s Uncanny X-Men or New Mutants was like grabbing breath of fresh air. People talk realistically and eloquently:

characters have depth and subtlety, and they don’t always behave predictably:

and best of all, aesthetically speaking, Uncanny X-Men contains some of the coolest stories in comics:

And despite the convoluted comic book narrative crossing over into several different titles, there is continuity in Claremont’s writing that drives everything along in a believable way. For instance, after Kitty gets her hair hacked off by Ogun the demon ninja in the Kitty Pryde and Wolverine mini-series, she returns to Uncanny X-Men and you see her hair grow back slowly over time as the stories play out in chronological order, despite the publishing schedule of these different comics being completely out of order at times.

Kitty Pryde and Wolverine #2 (Published Dec 1984)

Kitty Pryde and Wolverine #4 (Published Feb 1985)

Returning from Japan in Uncanny X-Men #192 (Published April 1985)

X-Men Annual 8 (Published Dec 1985) which takes place during a 3 month gap between panels at the end of X-Men #192.

X-Men / Alpha Flight #2 (Published Jan 1986) which takes place during the same 3 month gap between panels at the end of X-Men #192.

Uncanny X-Men #193 (Published May 1985

Power Pack #12 (Published July 1985

Uncanny X-Men #194 (Published June 1985)

Uncanny X-Men #196 (Published Aug 1985)

Uncanny X-Men #201(Published Jan 1986)

It’s this sort of attention to detail that really engages an OCD kid like me and gives a feeling of life to these comics. When I was a young, naïve nerd who didn’t have a life or any friends (I have tons now I swear), it really felt like these characters were real people having amazing adventures and each comic book was a window into their living, breathing, persistent, physical, world. Successfully creating this illusion was Chris Claremont’s big talent, and it’s often overlooked when you spot check any one particular comic he’s written, or focus too tightly on the words that fill up any particular panel he’s designed.

I still have no idea what’s going on here.

I’m going to hang my rep on the line here and say something controversial. These X-Men comics and Claremont’s writing in the mid 80s—I think this has been his best work so far. I know these stories come long after the ones he is most famous for, and while it’s probably true that the conceptual narratives of the Dark Phoenix Saga and Days of Future Past are more interesting from a fantasy standpoint, his character work in these later comics is more engaging to me. There is more depth and believability, perhaps because the characters have existed for many years at this point, and there is a strong sense that they are growing, maturing, and struggling to be better people. This development takes time, and it happens over many comic books that span many years of publishing, and this may be why these comics are not as well remembered as the bigger stories. But because of the added depth I’m more invested in the little events that are happening to these characters in every issue:

So. On the other hand. I’m not going to spend too much time talking about Secret Wars since I think I pretty well conveyed my opinion of these comics while I was reading them over the last year. Again, reading Claremont’s work alongside the Secret Wars and the Secret Wars II, as well as the dozens of other Marvel comics that were part of the Secret Wars II crossover, is jarring. Because the Secret Wars are not subtle. Or eloquent. Or well written. Or averagely written. Or poorly written. They are terribly written. As I said in one of my posts, the Secret Wars are the comic book equivalent of a Michael Bay movie, in which the director (in this case editor-in-chief Jim Shooter) fancies his characters as toys, and his stories as an excuse to bash his toys together while supplying his own vocal sound effects.

And for the most part, that exciting shit only happens in the first Secret Wars. In the second, when the omnipotent Beyonder takes human form and comes to Earth to study human desire and search for contentment, we don’t even get the popcorn fun of watching our favorite comic book characters mindlessly bash each other’s brains in. We get one of the least interesting characters ever moping around trying to understand the nature of his clinical depression.

There is NOTHING interesting about the Beyonder. He’s an 80’s cliché, everything an uninspired, middle aged writer thought was envious or intimidating 30 years ago. His story takes itself way too seriously, attempting to examine the broad existential themes of happiness, contentment, and the meaning of life, but failing completely at creating any tension or… you know… any interest in anything going on. It’s really, really, really not good. As most Marvel fans know, you can’t recommend these stories to anyone. They were published at a time when the comic book medium was maturing into something more respectable with the arrival of stories such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns. But god damn it, as most Marvel fans know, if you are a super big geek that likes to see all your favorite characters get together to fight a super big bad, there’s still something fun about these comics. In a horrible, embarrassing, guilty pleasure sort of way. There’s nothing respectable about these stories, but I still found myself laughing out loud and excited to write about them, to parade their panels around the internet and make fun of them. Does this make me a bad person?

I can’t say I was expecting the climax of the Secret Wars II. With this man-baby squirting sphincter machine the Beyonder used to birth himself as a regular human.

So alright. That’s it. Let’s move on already. My review is: Don’t read the Secret Wars. Unless you already know you want to. There!!! I’m done with the Secret Wars!!! Forever!!! I'm going to take a break for a few days, but then it’s time to read the last leg of Chris Claremont’s run on the Uncanny X-Men. These are the first X-Men comics I’ve ever read as a kid! Let me at them!!