More big stuff coming this month most of which will come in 2 weeks after I’m done with these academic papers and finals. This includes a post on rock docs, at least one more FD essay, at least three It’s Loud and It’s Tasteless entries, some end of the year music blogging (ie – lists and reviews), a post about Umbrella Academy: Dallas (which was completely overshadowed by Batman RIP last week), and somewhere in there I’m going to be working on the scripts to my new book which I’m writing under the title BLEED IN MY OWN LIGHT. I like it a lot more than “the Austrailian”.
But! In an effort to drive myself insane – I’m going to bring it up so if I can’t back out without owning up – before the end of the year I am going to have a massive post on Watchmen. I think I have a new angle on it that will preclude me from reiterating any of the cliches that pop up when writing about it. I realize that this is a fool’s errand, but I want to up my game. But I think I’m going to write it as an It’s Loud and It’s Tasteless or an FD Essay. When you see it, that’ll make sense. And now I have to do it.
Also – anyone have any suggestions for It’s Loud and It’s Tasteless? Like, stuff that I will actually own or be able to track down (and considering my finances, afford)? Right now I have a few lined up but I’d like it to be a very long-running thing. So if I don’t have it or can’t find it, maybe I could keep an eye out and it’ll turn up sometime next year. Right now I like the idea of expanding it out from comics featuring musicians to any comic that’s actively working with music, so there’s a lot more stuff that’s fair game.
I hope the new tumblr-but-not-shitty format isn’t getting on anyone’s nerves. I’m still working out the kinks – hopefully one of these days it’ll be a decent mix of videos/pics/links and substantial chunks of writing. Right now it’s really unbalanaced. Okay, this now ends housekeeping, back to the shit.
13 comments
12/04/2008 at 1:30 pm
pillock
What a coincidence! I just post a Watchmen thing, and there you are! Immediately stoked about you doing a Watchmen piece that doesn’t just parrot the same old shit everybody regurgitates…including me, naturally…and the idea you might do it in It’s Loud And It’s Tasteless sounds pretty fucking cool. Music…mathematics…time…SOLD.
For more “Tasteless”, I guess I’d suggest the obvious:
A little Jaime…or a lot of him
V For Vendetta
Paradax (that’s coming up a lot, these days)
Promethea (too much Moore, I know, but the man loves his music!)
Alec
Seven Soldiers #0 (I swear to God there’s brilliant pictorial music in that thing — plus, I want you to review it in detail anyway)
And I will think of more, but for now that’s it.
I consider this “name things for Sean to discuss in “Tasteless” a pretty fun game all on its own. Let’s everybody play!
Oh no, I forgot one! And if Watchmen is musical you know this is:
Batman vs. Grendel
Okay, I’m done!
For now.
12/04/2008 at 6:57 pm
sean witzke
No not math. No math ever. I will never, ever discuss math in relation to anything I love. Fuck that. Let’s kill that idea dead right now.
I’m going to address this mostly in email – but you’re suggestions – wayyyyy too much Alan Moore. Also Jaimie – I read the first Magge the Mechanic trade and it was good, but it really failed to grab me in any significant way. Never even seen an Alec book in real life. V, maybe but not in this series. Promethea – I was debating writing something about the incredibly shitty band in the very beginning, which almost completely derails the entire book in issue #2. Seven Soldiers #0 – no. And Batman/Grendel – don’t have it, will keep an eye out.
12/04/2008 at 8:07 pm
Mark Kardwell
Stick with Jaime, it gets better and better.
12/04/2008 at 9:09 pm
judahthor
my suggestions for It’s Loud and It’s Tasteless:
Desolation Jones – particularly the first issue I think. There was something in the rhythms of the panels or action in that thing that I really vibed with as musical.
Casanova, issue 2 I think. I really like where Cass is listening to the liquid swords intro and it dominates the panels. also I think that was way more successful than other moments in the series where Fraction tried to work in music.
those being the comics that popped in my head in response to reading yr FD essay#7 a while back.
12/04/2008 at 11:57 pm
judahthor
a couple more occurred to me on the drive home.
Garage Band by Gipi. There’s some great images there when the band is rocking out that really struck me.
also in the Lynda Barry edited Best American Comics 2008, “Turtle, Keep it Steady” by Joseph Lambert. Matthew Brady reviewed the whole anthology piece by piece here. I think it’s also available as a mini comic if you can’t get the anthology via the library. It’s just a retelling of the tortoise and the hare, but the way he conveys the beat in the story is pretty cool.
12/05/2008 at 12:05 am
David Allison
What about the Invisibles?
There’s quite a bit that could be said about the good and bad uses of Brit-pop signifiers in that comic, though I’m not sure exactly where I’d start with that one… (with Kieron Gillen and Kula Shaker maybe?).
12/05/2008 at 2:25 am
sean witzke
@Mark – I’m going to buy the next book whenever I see it. But it just felt pretty good, not this religious experience I keep getting brought up.
@Judah – Casanova #2 was in my original shortlist – because it’s like the full-on “music issue” of Casanova. I’m still not sure about.
As for Desolation Jones, etc. I’m kind of trying to have music be a part of the story rather than comics being musical. That’s a whole snakepit I’m trying to avoid.
@David – On the shortlist, specifically a single issue of it that’s not oneof the britpop ones. Actually there’s a chance I might do a bunch of them – at least two of the Invisibles were musicians, right?
12/05/2008 at 3:36 pm
strangeink
Lapham’s Young Liars, perhaps?
12/05/2008 at 4:35 pm
sean witzke
Yeah, the one issue I’ve read was great, but my shop is completely sold out. Waiting on the trade.
12/05/2008 at 11:02 pm
Mark Kardwell
As someone living in the UK, reading NME and SELECT during the Britpop years, I’ve got to admit, Gillen’s PHONOGRAPH simultaneously hit all the right spots, AND utterly bemused me. Main example: Kenickie were occasionally diverting, but really weren’t all that.
12/06/2008 at 6:56 am
sean witzke
Yeah next week I’m kind of planning to review the new first issue as one of these. I think it might be a lot more interesting with contemporary bands.
12/06/2008 at 12:17 pm
pillock
How about Hate? Seattle scene…grungy shit…
12/07/2008 at 12:55 am
Mark Kardwell
Fuck, yeah. Can’t believe it’s only been mentioned now. And Sacco’s BUT I LIKE IT.