What More Can Be Said? Young Avengers #1 is. . . Amazing!

Less than a week ago, Young Avengers #1 was released by Marvel as part of Marvel Now!. Written by Kieron Gillen with art by Jamie McKelvie and Mike Norton, colorist Matthew Wilson, and letterer Clayton Cowles, this opening issue is simply great. I loved every minute of it. But, what can I say in this review that hasn’t already been said in other reviews? I mean, every review I’ve read have been extremely positive with some very high ratings. 

I really can’t, to be honest. I love the writing. I love the fact that Billy and Teddy are depicted as a sickeningly in love couple (though I do wish we’ll see them get as much action as Kate and Noh-Varr, if not, I may change my tune). I love that opening sequence, hot damn! And Kid Loki is going to be a favorite of mine. He is a trip, no matter what. 

And the art work? Wow. I love it. I especially love the work of Mattew Wison. His colors are just freaking amazing. It is, honestly, a perfect complement to the amazing pencils and inks. Just, wow. What a great art team! 

I can only hope guest artists will be used in a manner similar to what DC is doing with Earth 2 and Batman (letting the art team have “filler” or standalone issues off in between the big arcs). 

So, what can I say about this series? Well, I can interrogate how Gillen answers my concerns about teens with aspirations of becoming superheroes. And I think he does a splendid job.

The kids who make up the team are doing the job because they want to do it. During the fight with the Skrulls, Kate Bishop wonderfully explains why “everyone should try it.” “Being a superhero is amazing,” which indicates the excitement of the lifestyle. There is, perhaps, something addictive to a superheroic lifestyle. 

And maybe, that is a metaphor for certain elements of the teen experience? I don’t remember which review compared Young Avengers to Skins, but I think that is a very excellent comparison. Isn’t the superhero lifestyle not comparable to a heavy party scene? 

In that metaphor, I think I find the answer to my earlier question about teen superheroes. Though, to be honest, I really do prefer them to be more “outlaw” than the groomed “next generation.” Perhaps it is a difference between rebellion and falling in line with one’s parents. 

So, while there is some elements of “cosplay” culture at work here, I don’t think that sense of emulation is all there is to it in this “new” Young Avengers team. Rather, these young heroes are standing on their own, not trying to be their parents or their role models. And that is, I think, a very good thing. 

Now, damn, I have to wait another month to see what happens! I can’t wait to see how the team comes together. For now, I think the team will be pulled together through three different storylines: A: Wiccan and Hulkling’s mistake (yes Wiccan does it, but Hulkling subtly guilt trips him into doing it). B: Loki and America Chavez’s violent game to figure out how to deal with Wiccan. And C: the sexy space adventures of Kate and Marvel Boy (’nuff said). I can see how A and B come together, but C may be a little tricky. Again, I can’t freaking wait. How will they get out of this one?

I want issue 2 now, damn it all!

 

I’m a Teenager with Super Powers. I Want to be a Hero (or Villain)!

Why is it that people with super powers inevitably become heroes or villains? Only a few are “civilians” (and usually not for long). This has frustrated me lately. Especially when it comes to teen heroes and villains. 

Okay, this is superhero fantasy, so characters becoming superheroes are par for the course. It is a genre thing. But, so often it seems as if being a hero (or a villain) is the only career choice. 

Now, I get why the Teen Titans are heroes. They have usually been brought together to face threats that older, more experienced heroes have ignored. Like Trigon and N.O.W.H.E.R.E. Should Red Robin’s team have gone up against an organization kidnapping and torturing metahuman teens? Hell no. But was anyone else doing a damn thing about it? Again, hell no. So, what choice did Red Robin and the others have? None. They had to fight. 

What about the Young Avengers? I like them. And I love Gillen’s take on them (expect a review this weekend). But what is their reason to fight, to be heroes? None, really save that many of them are related to previous Avengers. However, they come off as more akin to super powered cosplayers than anything else. Although, to be fair to the Young Avengers, it is not like the adult Avengers do much good either. Seriously, has anyone done anything about actually training Billy? Seriously, he’s far more powerful than Wanda was at that age. Anyway, moving on to more of Marvel’s merry teenaged heroes. . . 

The impetus for this post is my strong dislike for the first volume of Avengers Academy. I mean there is a lot of potential there. But at the end of the day, the really interesting story arc is negated for more traditional heroics (with a good side helping of angst). And, to be honest, none of those characters are very compelling. 

But, what is interesting, is that for the Avengers themselves it seems perfectly logical to begin training the next generation of Avengers (excluding the prexisting Young Avengers). Of course, the actual goal is to prevent them from becoming villains. Though I wonder if later additions to the book have the same potentiality. 

An interesting take on this whole debate comes from early issues of Wolverine and the X-Men as well as X-Men: Legacy. How much educating outside of superheroics actually occurs? How well prepared are the students for the outside world should they choose not to become future X-Men (or whatever)? Or is the expectation that all of them will be superheroes? And is that really what Xavier dreamed of?

At the end of the day, this is superhero fantasy. So, it is to be expected that the goal of young people with super powers is to become heroes (or villains). Again, though, it would be really interesting to explore such a world from the perspective to those who don’t want that life. Or who are forced into it. 

Next time, do I really have to talk about that?

Thoughts on a Villain: James Gordon, Jr.

Scott Snyder’s rise to comics superstardom lay in his American Vampire series and his run on Detective Comics before the advent of the New 52. One of the most memorable events of Snyder’s run on Detective is the reintroduction of James Gordon, Jr., the son of Commissioner Gordon.

But James is nothing like his dad (or his sister, either). Junior is a psychopath. He is a menacing force that terrorizes the pages of “The Black Mirror” almost from the inception of the run. But what kind of villain is he?

James Gordon, Jr. starts out as this mysterious force, a blast from the past, if you will. He hasn’t been to Gotham in years. His activities are little known to his father. And barely followed by his sister, Oracle. How can the world’s foremost heroic hacker and information broker be stumped and stymied by her own brother? 

Oracle, however, suspects that her brother is not only a psycopath, but also a murderer. As the arc runs the course, that assumption is proven horrifically true. James Gordon, Jr. has to have a body count in the dozens, probably far more, if the box with keys is anything to go by. And it is clear that James’s first murder occurred when he was no more than ten. Scary. Hell, the kid even creeped out another serial killer. And, he gets on rather well with the Joker. Think about that. 

As the arc progresses, James Gordon, Jr. begins to take center stage as the main antagonist for the entire run. And, as such, there begins to be hints of a plan, of something sinister, at work. 

Junior’s plan is revealed to be two fold. First, he plans to poison the baby formula with a drug that will increase the likelihood that those children will become psycopaths like him. Secondly, he plans to murder his sister and stake his claim to being Dick Grayson’s Joker. 

During Barbara’s kidnapping, she calls her brother out. During the majority of the arc, Junior has been a menacing presence. In many ways, more frightening than any of Gotham’s usual array of villains. But, as his plans are revealed and take shape, James becomes just another villain, just another Gotham crazy. 

Is she right? Does James, Jr.’s shifting into more traditional supervillain territory render him less a threat than he was before? 

My reaction is to agree with Oracle. James is far more frightening when the reader doesn’t know what he is going to do. For Oracle, dealing with a villain that wants to poison baby formula to create more psycopaths (and then ham it up) is par for the course. But not knowing when Junior is finally going to come for her? Not knowing when she would, “wake up  with your hands around my throat,”? That is, I think, truly frightening. 

So, why does James Gordon, Jr. become just another bat villain? I don’t know. Perhaps it is the genre itself that forces the change. I don’t know. It does take a little bit of the bite out of the character though. 

And, of course, there is his moment of villainous hamming. Obviously, the intention is to cast James Gordon, Jr. as Dick Grayson’s Joker. Okay, now he is Batgirl’s Joker, but anyway. 

So, what does this tell the reader about Dick Grayson’s character? Well, it is plainly stated in Junior’s rant, so I won’t rehash it (if you haven’t already read Batman: The Black Mirror, you should).

Is a supervillain less frightening than a run of the mill serial killer (or psychopath)? Is that because the audience knows one is fictional while the other is, often times, too real? And, thinking of the impossible, what would a world where superheroes and supervillains really did exist look like? Hmm, thoughts for another day. 

Next time: I’m a teenager with superpowers. I want to be a superhero (or supervillain)!

In Need of a Reboot?: My So-Called Life

Reboots. Remakes. Reimaginings. I won’t lie. I’m on the fence when it comes to this. On the one hand, I’ve enjoyed the reimagined Battlestar Galactica, the rebooted James Bond series, the New 52, etc. But, on the other hand, I’ve hated some examples like the new Star Trek, American Godzilla, the rebooted Conan the Barbarian, etc. Given that Hollywood is, on average, dearth of ideas, it is not surprising that reboots and remakes are unavoidable. Especially the more successful ideas. And that is where my issue with the whole concept comes from. I loathe the fact that there seems to be so few original ideas. Although I don’t know how audiences would react to an original idea. And there’s the problem.

Anyway, that is the torn position from which I am approaching this post. There are at least two series that I would love to see get a reboot or a remake. One of them is Babylon 5. And the other one (and the subject of this post) is My So-Called Life. 

In my last post on Glee, I mentioned discovering and falling in love with My So-Called Life. I’m not kidding, this show is amazing. Absolutely awe inspiring. Don’t get me wrong, there are some problems. Mainly the story arcs featuring the elder Chases. Some of Patty and Graham’s independent arcs are interesting, but they really work best when bouncing off the younger cast. 

I love the fact that the show is largely unflinching and not afraid to depict characters warts and all. There are times when Angela is an insufferable brat. And that makes this show so great. And she gets called out when she is in the wrong. Pity so few teen dramas do the same (though who am I kidding? I’m very new to this genre). 

That is why I would love to see My So-Called Life get a reboot. But, is it feasible? Has time passed it by? Should it be done? Would it be a success or an abject failure? A Battlestar Galactica or The Addams Family?

If there was any movement for a reboot, wouldn’t it have made itself known by now? Then again,I really don’t know how the film and television industries work. And, to be honest, I have no interest. I’ll get to that in a later post.

Back on topic, I don’t know if a remake really should happen. The thing about reboots and remakes is that they so often work when the original versions were not successful. The original Battlestar Galactica was a failure. But the remake was one of the highest rated scripted series on SciFi. Meanwhile, The Addams Family and The Munsters were both very successful shows in their original incarnation, and sucked badly in their remakes. Seriously, the recent Munsters revival was an hour of my life I’ll never get back. Damn it was horrible. 

So, that’s my fear with rebooting My So-Called Life. Would a remake have the same power, the same drive, the same artistic vision as the original? I don’t know. Maybe a remake is not the way to go. Maybe the focus should be on inspiration, legacy, and succession. 

And here is where my knowledge hits a brick wall. I don’t know enough about the genre, either teen drama or teen comedy, to make a reasonable statement as to whether or not any recent series are inspired by My So-Called Life. Though, to be honest, I suspect not. I hope I’m wrong, but I just feel that the more successful teen targeted series are based around a conceit or a gimmick. Like Glee or Gossip Girl. But maybe I’m wrong. If so, yes! Now, would I like it? 

Damn, I think I just wrote myself away from wanting a reboot of My So-Called Life. That isn’t all that surprising. To be honest, I would much prefer an original idea inspired by My So-Called Life rather than an outright reboot. But this is Hollywood, and I doubt we’ll see movement in either direction.

Next time, I have a date with James Gordon, Jr. Wish me luck. 

Blog Posts for the Week

Well, I’ve had a horridly mixed Sunday. First, I went to Hastings for a comics run. Picked up Earth 2, Batman, and Saga. All very good. I may talk about them later at some point. But, my joy ended pretty quickly as my brother decided to drop my niece on me. To be honest, I’m not very good with kids. And I don’t like them much. 

So, what have I got for this week?

First up is “A Call for a Reimagining: My So-Called Life.” Will/ could a remake be more successful? Should it be remade or should new stories be told (though this is Hollywood we’re talking about here).

Second is “James Gordon, Jr.: Thoughts on a Villain.” I finally managed to read Scott Snyder’s awesome “Black Mirror” run on Detective Comics. Oh my, how awesome and frightening is James, Jr.?

Third is “Teen with Super Powers, Become a Superhero/ Supervillain!” I tried to read the first volume of Avengers Academy and I just could not get into it. It was blah. And that got me to thinking about the role of teenaged super humans.

Finally is “My Life as a Wannabe Professor.” Here, I will attempt a personal essay remembering back to my dreams of becoming a professor. 

I have to say, I’m looking forward to these posts. 

Before I end this post, I have to admit that I am unsure if I want to do a post a day for two whole months. When I did it for October, I realized that I ran out of good ideas. Seriously, some of those posts were rather sucky, if you ask me. 

So, I’ll be back tomorrow with “A Call for a Reimagining: My So-Called Life.”

Hating What I Want to Love (Though I Wish I Didn’t)

I freely admit it. I get these strange and very annoying obsessions that I wish I didn’t (often because I really dislike them). Glee is a classic example of this type of obsession. What is it about Glee that so fascinates and repels me? Why do I give a damn? 

Before I begin, I must confess that I’ve largely resisted watching the series save for one episode. And that I fast forwarded. But I haven’t been able to resist reading some of the recaps and discussions. Some of which have been cogent. And most of which have been horrifyingly asinine. 

The Problem With Glee Part One: It’s the Writing, Really

I’m a stickler for world building. Especially when things are set on Earth. The one we all should live on. And the last time I checked, Glee is set on our Earth. 

So, how old is Kurt Hummel when the series begins? According to the wiki, Kurt is born in March. But he has a car in the third episode. Either Kurt is a junior in season one or he somehow got a license early (the legal driving age is 16 in Ohio). 

And don’t get me started on the viscous rule changes for the competitions! Do the writers not pay attention to their own show? And why not just go with the rules in real show choir competitions? Hell, from what little I know, Sue Sylvester (and the school as a whole) would have a legitimate beef with it. Particularly the larger competitions!

I’ve gone to college. And I have no idea what the fuck is going on with NYADA. What the hell is up with not applying to multiple universities? And who gets in to a university on an impromptu audition? Even if it is by standing ovation?

If I actually watched the show, I would probably be able to give you a litany of examples of world building fuck ups and character inconsistencies. Maybe I’m just too much of a stickler to enjoy the intended schizophrenia of the show?

Moving to the narrative, I sometimes wonder what is going on in the minds of the writers, showrunners, and other decision makers. I get that they want a surreal, campy, and schizophrenic narrative, but still, I just don’t get it. Like the various breakups in “The Break Up,” the Kurt-Finn storyline from season one, the season three finale, etc. Again, if I actually took the time to watch the series, I’d probably have to pay for damages from my shoes hitting the wall.

The Problem of Glee Part Two: On Gender, Race, and Homosexuality

Besides cheerleading, are any of the female characters in any sports? Or are sports only a domain for male characters? In addition to that, are the women on Glee dependent on and defined by their relationships with men? I’ve read that Rachel Berry is falling into this trope. What about the others? And of course, there is the cheerleader stereotype running amok.

Does Glee have a race problem? I understand the various characters are stereotypes. But does that give the show a pass? Are the accusations in the various “gaycism” articles valid? Are the various characters of color on the show treated the same as the white characters?

Glee has been applauded for its depictions of lgbt characters. Hell, it even has several GLAAD nominations. But does the show deserve it? 

The lesbian relationship is no more. And I don’t know if they’ve ever really explored them in the same way that Kurt has been. To be honest, I wonder if “Brittana” is only for “girl on girl is hot.”

And I am, honestly, unimpressed with the depictions of the gay characters. All four major gay characters have been depicted as being, arguably, shades of “predatory  gay”: Kurt’s crush on Finn (which After Elton called out at one point), Karofsky’s bullying lust for Kurt, Blaine’s made up relationship and attempted rape of Kurt, and Sebastian’s whole existence. Seriously? Four for four should be cause for concern.

The depiction of same sex relationships and gay sexuality is equally problematic. Kurt and Blaine’s relationship is depicted as, largely, passionless and asexual. They are never as well developed as the heterosexual relationships. Even straight characters of less importance get more romantic screen time. And the sex scene from “The First Time” is, honestly, anemic. Hell, I’ve heard that every “Klaine” romantic interaction is overshadowed by a “Finchel” one. Seriously? What does that tell you?

And let’s not fail to mention the demonization of gay desire in the character of Sebastian Smythe. He is a villain because he is gay. And his sexuality (or how he expresses it) is depicted as wrong and “evil.”

Kurt himself is quite troubling. He is “supposed” to be a strong role model. But instead, he is a “paper dolphin,” lacking the strength to fight for himself and his own desires. He fights then forfeits “Defying Gravity,” gives up the duet with Sam, refuses to fight his father when Burt is clearly wrong, same goes with Blaine when Kurt does have a legitimate grievance (yeah the whole bisexuality thing is troubling, but Kurt has a right to be pissed at Blaine for his actions in that episode), etc. I honestly could go on. Kurt is, honestly, a gay Uncle Tom who gives up his rights and his desires to kowtow to pressure. 

Where the hell is the wider gay community? This is one area where I strongly feel Glee dropped the ball. Of course,  there are reasons why Glee is troubled by its gay characters. . . 

So, Why the Hell Do I Care So Much?

Clearly from the rest of my rant, I have a special affinity for Kurt Hummel. Much of my issues with the series lies with how he is depicted. And I seriously would not care about the show if he didn’t exist. But though I’ve always been mildly interested, my seeming obsession is newly formed. Unless I really just like complaining about it.

So, maybe the answer is Chris Colfer himself? He has only recently begun to work on projects outside of Glee. And his first novel, The Wishing Spell, is very good. Hell, one of the best children’s fantasies I’ve ever read. Certainly better than A Wizard of Earthsea! So, maybe it is Colfer who has inspired this obsession. 

But There is a Silver Lining in All of This

My obsession with Glee has inspired a creative explosion. An Octavia Butler moment. My reaction, my issues, though largely negative, have driven me to want to do better in my own writing. Now, I am unsure whether I want to do a non genre realistic piece or incorporate my annoyances into preexisting projects. Maybe my contemporary sword and sorcery? Or something else?

And, I have discovered an interest in high school dramas. Seriously, I’ve fallen in love with My So-Called Life. And Freaks and Geeks is not too bad. I just hate the setting. 

So, to conclude, my attitude to Glee is complex. I really don’t want to care about it. I don’t like it. Too much about the series bugs me. But I can’t help but be inspired. And for that I do have some gratitude.

 

Next time: My plans for next week.

 

Sasuke Uchiha

Sasuke Uchiha. Friend. Rival. Enemy. Antagonist. Cool. Emo. Occasionally the most popular character in Naruto. Sasuke is a difficult character to come to grips with. On one hand, he is very popular in Japan, but in America, he is widely disliked. He is, simply, controversial.  He fascinates me. And I what to look at why he does so.

At times, Sasuke is the most compelling character in Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki is an interesting character. But I think Sasuke’s story, his tragic descent into darkness and revenge is truly considerably more interesting than Naruto’s rise from hated nobody to beloved hero. 

Part of my issue with Naruto is that Naruto has never satisfactorily had a reckoning with Konoha over his ill treatment. That Naruto can so easily love the village that so despised him for so long is, ultimately for me, troubling. Meanwhile, Sasuke’s pursuit for vengeance is, ultimately, heartbreaking. 

Part of my fondness for Sasuke is because he is, essentially, the protagonist of my favorite arc of Naruto. “The Itachi Pursuit” arc, is for me, the best arc I’ve read yet. And Sasuke is the protagonist. It is a fight between him and Itachi. And Naruto plays the role of minor antagonist! That is, to me, awesome. Even as Naruto is, obviously, the overall main protagonist of the entire series, he does not always act as the main protagonist for every arc. (Shikamaru serves as the main protagonist for “Hidan and Kakuzu” and Sasuke again serves as the main protagonist for “The Five Kage Summit”). 

All that said, I think that Sasuke Uchiha would make an excellent manga series. I get why Naruto exists. Naruto Uzumaki is the more standard shonen protagonist. Sasuke best serves the role of “friendly” rival. But I think that a manga featuring a hero like Sasuke would be very interesting. Just think about it. . . 

That gives me some ideas. Maybe later. 

Anyway, I wish that I could do a deeper study of Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto as a whole. But I do not know what the critical literature looks like for manga and Naruto in particular. That, I think, is a shame. 

Next up: “Hating What I Want to Love (Though I Wish I Didn’t)”, my epic, tortured, and (hopefully) crazy take on Glee and myself. 

Library?: Cookbooks and Art Books

Libraries are great resources. You can find information on practically everything in the books housed in a library. If not at your local library, then through interlibrary loan. And, of course, many university libraries are just awesome. The question, I guess, is can you really use material from the library for instructional purposes? I’m not talking about research. I’m talking about long term instruction. Like going through an entire cookbook’s worth of recipes. Or learning how to draw and paint. Only using books from the library.

Cookbooks

The big issue with trying to learn new recipes from cookbooks checked out from the local library is obviously the size. It is unfeasible, even with the shortest of cookbooks, to be able to produce every recipe. And for the very long ones like The Joy of Cooking, How to Cook Everything, The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook, etc., there is no chance in hell, to be honest. Now, I guess a reader/ cook can run through the book, find a few recipes that they really like, and try the recipes out. That could work. And the recipes that come out great can be copied in some form and saved into a personal cookbook. Sounds doable.

What about collecting the ingredients (and needed implements)? This could be an issue depending on what kind of recipes are on the agenda and the kinds of ingredients/ implements required. For example, I really want some onigiri. But where the hell do I get some umeboshi? And the other ingredients that aren’t available from my local HEB? Heck, I still don’t know where to get any brown rice syrup (or any healthier cane sugar substitutes). 

Art Books

The issue here (and probably for cookbooks, too) is one of quality. Is this book any good at giving instruction and advice? What about that one? I guess a reader/ student can shift through the morass and experiment. And take advice from other books. 

I was reading a book on comic book art. One of the artists interviewed mentioned drawing every drawing in George Bridgman’s Complete Guide to Drawing from Life. I’ve since read the book, and I it is a damn good one. And good advice, too. 

Reading a book is one thing, but actually doing is another. That requires materials. I’m lucky in that there are at least two local craft stores near me. Unfortunately, both of them are rather known for supporting right wing politics. And I really don’t want to give them my money to further causes that I oppose. Maybe getting my supplies online would be a better option? And I always did regret not going into Pearl while I lived in San Francisco.

Hey, Maybe it is Possible?

When I started out planning this post, I had expected myself to argue that it is difficult to use library books for instruction. But, as I outlined and later wrote, I discovered that I am wrong. It is possible. Now, a few renewals may be demanded. But with enough time and attention, it can be done. 

 

Next Up: Sasuke Uchiha

Autopsy of a Dead Project (With a Chance of Frankenstein)

For some time, I’ve toyed with the idea of setting up an online anthology featuring OEL manga. I’ve since fallen out with the idea. A number of factors came together to question the viability of the project. But, I think there are some good bits from the carcass of this project  that can be useful in other projects. 

What Was the Idea?

My idea took inspiration from Viz’s Shonen Jump (and by extension the source Japanese magazines like Weekly Shonen Jump and Weekly Shonen Magazine among others). What I wanted to do was gather manga inspired artists and writers together in a similar format. I know that Eigomanga (I think that is the publisher) had something similar with Rumble Park and Sakura Park. But I don’t know if those magazines are still in active publication. And I know of others that have failed. 

I think (and this is where things get nebulous) I would have gone with a donation model of funding like Strange Horizons, Clarkesworld, etc. The actual making things work never got much past the idea stage. Certainly not into the research phase.

What Went Wrong?

As I mention above (and in several other posts), OEL manga in the United States is not very popular or viable economically. Readers just don’t want it, except in very rare cases, and none of them are even remotely as popular as authentic Japanese manga (baring tie-ins or adaptations like Twilight). So many attempts have been made to promote OEL and none have succeeded. So, it begs the question, why bother?

That said, to edit and publish an online magazine or anthology takes a passion for the material. But I personally have been ambivalent about OEL manga (what I’ve read have been largely terrible- Jason Thompson’s work comes to mind). And, to be honest, I’ve gradually lost my passion for reading manga, anyway. Baring Fairy Tail and a few others, that is. 

Besides my fickle nature, I don’t know the first thing about setting up an online magazine. I can research and learn what I need to do. Unfortunately, I’m not the most tech savy person. When I took a course on website construction, I remember struggling mightily. And I doubt I’ll have any better success now. 

Furthermore, I don’t know the first thing about editing a magazine. I guess I could learn by trial and error. But seriously, that seems to be a recipe for disaster. How would I attract talent? How would I keep everyone happy? And would I have to sacrifice my own creative ambitions? 

Cobbling Together a Monster

While I no longer have any interest in setting up an online OEL manga anthology, I do believe that there are some elements worth keeping and incorporating into other ideas. Perhaps just not a magazine. Seems to be enough of them, to be honest.

I can just transition between comics forms. Instead of working on OEL, I can work on American style comic books. It could be fun playing with a web comic series. And likely easier. 

Another idea I’ve had is to experiment with an online strictly prose serial. One that aims to mimic comics and television. This could be very fun and interesting. Although I did make a statement at some point that I did not want to write a very long series. But hey, I don’t remember making a promise. 

All this said, it will call for quite a bit of research. It’s been years since I worked on constructing websites. So, I’ll need to read up on the subject. I also need to gather more research on self publishing and epublishing. Plus, there are a few other issues that require research. 

Finally. . . 

In the end, it kind of sucks that my original plan went nowhere. But I can be glad that something of the project will survive. Even if it is cobbled together. However, if anyone reading this is inspired to try an online OEL manga anthology, please feel free to do so. Good luck. 

Next time: Learning from the library. 

Changing My Mind (Not Going to Transcribe)

Okay, I’ve changed my mind. In a previous post, I mentioned toying with the idea of transcribing my handwritten notes to computer. I’m not going to do it.

Why? I tried it during the Baltimore/ Denver game Saturday. And I just could not keep up with it. I could do so much else instead of spending precious hours transcribing my nearly countless pages of ideas and notes. So no, I’m not going to transcribe. To all who eventually read my notes (for whatever reason), good luck. My handwriting is difficult to be kind. 

But I don’t want to just discuss changing my mind. 

I want to update the four posts I have planned for this week. 

First off, I have “Autopsy of a Dead Project (With a Chance of Frankenstein)” which looks at my abandoned idea for an online OEL manga anthology and what I can do with some of the ideas that developed from that.

Secondly, I have “Library? On Cookbooks and Art Books” that explores the usefulness of checking out cookbooks and art books from the library for instructional purposes.

Third up, “Sasuke Uchiha” where I explore my feelings towards Naruto’s rival/ friend/ enemy.

Finally, “Hating What I Want to Love (Though I Wish I Didn’t)” which will be my epic and humorous attempt to wrangle my feelings, frustrations, etc. towards Glee. Ranting and invective are to be expected. As well as seriously questioning how “tolerant” Glee really is. Should be fun. And maybe I’ll finally be rid of this damn obsession!

Until then. . .