THE SPIRIT MOVIE

Folks have asked me many times since Christmas Day if I had gone to see The Spirit movie. Once I got past all the sad and bad reviews, some personal work which is still not done, the loss of the family cat (okay, yes, “it was “just” a cat to some, but to me it was a member of my family for 14+ years, so I’m allowed to miss her), and just Xmas in general (already not my favorite holiday- for reasons I may go into here someday- or more likely in a graphic novel I’d like to do called “Spank The Monkey On Religion”), I took in the Sunday first showing in my second favorite theater in the area The Hollywood Cinemas in Birch Run.

I went to Birch Run because my current favorite theater (Trillium in Grand Blanc) decided not to show the film since there were already some half dozen or more films also premiering on Christmas Day and they HAD to cut somewhere, and that “somewhere” was NOT going to be Bedtime Stories (which is getting the same level of reviews, but it has Adam Sandler in it) or Benjamin Button- so The Spirit lost. Obviously someone else saw an advance copy or review of this film and had the same dread I did, albeit for different reasons.

Going in I KNEW there wasn’t a single positive review of the movie that I saw on the web. Not that I look for other folk’s opinions very often, but where Roger Ebert is quoted saying “I would call these performances cardboard but that would be an insult to descent packing material” you kind of notice. Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 15 out of 100, and that was probably due to the fact that there are a lot of folks who read modern comics that are also web savvy as well as lovers of anything Frank Miller. Interesting to note that that number is officially 15%.

I LOVE Will Eisner’s Spirit, pure and simple. Been a big fan ever since high school and those Warren Magazine reprints, number 3 of which was the first comic magazine I ever bought and devoured. There is no question to me that Eisner is a true MASTER in the field of comics and one of my total heroes who, along with Alex Toth, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Jack Cole, C.C. Beck and a few others I have yet to add to my My Heroes listings here on my blog- BUT I WILL EVENTUALLY, deserve their just attention in a spotlight that seems to make demi-gods out of flavor of the month hacks (who I would digress here to mention or attempt to list- that’s a rant for another time). Hacks by the way that I do NOT consider Miller to be one of.

Frank Miller’s movie is a testament to a number of things and picky points near and dear to my heart. Points that I should take the time to focus on individually here in future postings, but let me say this directly about the film; This IS FRANK MILLER'S SPIRIT, make NO doubt about THAT. It gives only passing nods to Eisner’s masterpiece, and would have paid more tribute to it if it were named FRANK MILLER'S SPIRIT. This is NOT Eisner’s Spirit as much as SIN CITY LITE, and is a prime example of two parts genius (that being Eisner’s and Miller’s) mixed with one part ego (Miller’s), devoured by a corporate filter and distilled to theaters and movie goers as “cinema”.

Everyone still alive and associated with the film did their job well, make no mistake, the film is kind of entertaining, the green screen effects are great, many of them heightened from my memory of Sin City (though I would have to watch that movie again to be sure and WILL as soon as I buy a copy of the Director’s cut version), and most parts are a joy to watch and perhaps even learn from. Some of the directing is obviously weak, but the director (Miller) is still new to the art form and given another film or 3 he may very well master this art form as well as he has mastered graphic storytelling on paper, just not now and not here in this film. Most of the performances were better than what the reviewers let on, especially considering the script (Miller’s again- which I only uttered “Jesus Christ!” out loud twice at- which was better than some others in the audience that I attended.), as well as the material the script was based upon and the format originally used for it. The real problems here with this movie all lies in their “homage” to the original material, and there is where Miller’s faults shine to the point of annoyance.

The Spirit comics were always told in 7 to 9 page shorts. Some of the most genius compact storytelling one could ever witness, examples of which EVERY writer in comics and entertainment media should read and study. As manga is to visual storytelling, Eisner’s writing is to compact/compressed “point-to-point” plotting. The use of character and characterization is short, direct, and sweet, sometimes to the fault of the dialog, but NEVER to the fault of the story’s pacing. No panel is wasted, no word balloon extraneous, everything is used to further the plot in Eisner’s tales because he had so few beats, so few pages, to tell it in. Now you move that quick clip characterization over to an hour and three-quarter movie and you get Frank Miller’s Spirit movie.



The truly annoying touches here are solely Frank Miller’s mistakes in writing, pacing, and directing. Faults he may grow out of, just not here. Focusing on the Nazi motif and the llooonnnggg drawn out scene of exposition between Octopus and Spirit killed this movie outright for me. Having labeled clones as humor relief was more of a device from the 60’s Batman more than anything associated with Eisner, and over the top violence and the little side tributes to Miller’s influences (Iger Street, Ditko Delivery Service, Tuska as the name of one of the cops) were distracting to me, but that was because I knew who those folks were originally, and there were SO many of them that I started looking directly for them, and I’m sure I missed the majority of them along the way.

Finally, and this is also a picky point probably just to me, but a horribly distracting one, you have what I call “The opening of the black box” in the attempt to explain The Spirit’s seeming invulnerability and making it a major plot point in the film. Again, this is a picky point best deserving it’s own posting so I will try to compress my thoughts on it, but frankly, when you try to explain away the "fantasy" and try to make it “real” you blow all credibility with me, and you make for LOUSY entertainment. Eisner’s Spirit was always an average Joe, and his survival of whatever stabbings, shootings, and cartoon violence that he experienced came from his being a cartoon style HERO more than any scientific explanation. To try to explain that fantasy device away just robs us of that fantastic, heroic, aspect that truly made a comic book character like that unique, and not grasping that, not understanding that so-simple concept of heroism, especially old style American heroism is such a common fault of so many “modern writers” that it’s shamefully annoying. Folks who can’t brain-check their entertainment every once in a while, and need an explanation for EVERYTHING should just abandon such a fantastic and fantasy based art forms such as comics (and comics based entertainment)all together and go write their All American “slice of life” novel, or cinema and get the hell out of my playground!

Miller’s Spirit can be fun and entertaining at times, but mostly for all the wrong reasons. Stylized like Sin City is stylized, bastardized like Miller’s Dark Knight, overly egocentric and about 80% off the mark from the original material, Miller’s Spirit movie is much more a Spirit/Sin City crossover than most any of us long time Spirit fans ever wanted to see, but you better believe that I’ll buy the DVD as soon as it hits the discount bin, and if I ever see it late night on cable I’ll probably spend a few minutes watching it in a half sleep haze, then later I’ll pick up my Spirit Archives and relive some TRUE genius there. Folks who don't know the Spirit property well might be VERY entertained, but unfortunately not if the critics are listened to at all.

One final note: If you go see this movie at a theater (matinee’s only please) watch this movie all the way through the end credits as you get treated to some examples of Miller’s real talent in his drawings from storyboards and other prep materials on this film. You get to see the “Sin City” Miller, as well as the brilliant sketchy more comic book oriented Miller. That was the true treat of this film to me, and seeing it on the big screen was icing on a pretty soggy, almost bitter cake.

In the future, let’s hope Miller does more Sin City, or more ORIGINAL material (too bad he says he wants to do Buck Rogers- I honestly hope he does something LIKE that in genre only ORIGINAL in name- but better he do Buck than Flash Gordon!), or perhaps is knocked down a peg or two ego-wise, goes to film school and perhaps a creative writing class or two, and comes back to entertain us like the comic book storyteller craftsman he’s shown us he can be.

WAKE UP!

P.S. if you want to witness the REAL genius of The Spirit pick up the Archive sets from DC, particularly numbers 12-22 and relive five years worth of TRUE genius from a Master of the art form. There's a reason why some of Eisner's best Spirit stories have been reprinted, in many different formats, almost as much as Ditko's early Spider-Man works- that is because 1)they still make the publisher's huge jing every time they reprint them, and 2) They are works of genius, pure and simple.

BETTIE

I’m sure over the next few days and perhaps weeks there will be a flurry of eulogies for Bettie Page and her passing. I have a few shots from my collection to share, and a few thoughts about her and what she represents as well.

Bettie to me was never a real person; she was a “TYPE”, curvaceous, long hair, spunky, intelligent, and most of all fun loving. I was never a bondage freak, or heavy into stockings, garters, and lingerie, but with Bettie anything she was shot in, or anything she was photographed doing just looked like so much FUN.

Bettie is an icon, simple as that, a memory of a time and feeling. I am a HUGE believer in intellectual property, but I also believe in exceptions. Bettie was never able to capitalize properly on her own image. She frankly had no idea of the trends she would affect later in history when she was posing for photographers just to get by, and I believe that of anyone and anyone’s image it should be her and all of her work that should be recognized as totally in the public domain. Frankly, no one deserves the rights to Bettie’s image except Bettie, and now that she’s gone no one should truly OWN outright a single image of her. This way she will remain what she already is immortal. Left to be copied, swiped, drooled over, turned into movies, characters, and what not for all time. Anyone trying to secure copyright on a single original photograph of her should be vilified and shunned. Those artists who paint her likeness, or use it in whatever way should retain their rights, but only to their own work and not to Bettie’s image itself, and her photos should be proclaimed as public domain for all to use and see as they see fit.

Bettie is immortal, as she totally deserves to be, a symbol of happier times as well as an example of what an ideal American woman should look like; round, bouncy, most always happy, even when she tries to be oh so serious, and flat out beautiful. She of all people and types deserves to be lusted after and loved by all. I KNOW of her history, and her anguish, and yes, for the most part Bettie is the highest example of exploitation, especially during the time she was in front of the camera, and I think she should be a lesson to learn from to an extent, but she should also be recognized for her personal work more, and what she represents, and frankly the face value that she left in front of the camera more than what happened behind it.

More and more often I’m noticing “Betties” in clubs and in everyday life. Some folks, on whatever level, understand the icon that she is and mimic and represent aspects of her, her on camera lifestyle, and the in general sexy fun that she will always represent. THAT’S the “icon” at work, THAT’S the positive mark she has left on our culture, media and society, and THAT’S what will always make her immortal. Frankly, THAT’S exactly what she deserves.

R.I.P. to the REAL Bettie Page, in our hearts may she always stay immortally young and fun! Now you other Betties and Bettie lovers, GET TO WORK and…

WAKE UP!

Recycled Ranting: All My Heroes Are Dead

I was wading through some old files and found this rant, previously posted on the Komikwerks site a couple of years ago, it still applies today and I thought I'd like to share it all with you again. Hope you don't mind...

ALL MY HEROES ARE DEAD
First of all I love comics, all kinds of comics, and have worked and read, and perhaps even breathed comics for most of my life. They got me through High School, they prompted me to become a graphic artist, they destroyed my first marriage (well, they helped), and were a firm condition on all my relationships since, I wouldn’t have met my current wife (Married fifteen years this year, thank you!) if it wasn’t for her LOVE of comics- she’s got more long boxes than I do!

I LOVE comics, but all my superheroes are DEAD.

All the heroes were systematically killed off, all in various ways and forms, and replaced with soulless zombies (Which may explain the market’s current hunger for hungry walking dead comics, their favorite superheroes have been zombies for some time now, so why not read about the real thing?). Like Invasion Of The Body Snatchers the souls of all the icons in these superhero universes died and have been replaced with “pod people” walking dead; zombies forced to live out the rest of eternity walking lifelessly through the motions of their former selves, left to constantly rise from whatever future “deaths” they are forced to endure to pace through the same motions yet again, only this time just a little bit more decayed and lifeless than the last.

Oh sure, most current fans would just say it’s “reality” creeping in, comics have to keep pace with the “times” (whatever THAT means!) and be more “mature” and realistic, more dark and “hardcore”, that these characters must face a reality that creeps ever closer to the one the reader is in. I’m here to tell you that they definitely do NOT need to, and that American superhero comics, as an art form, are so, SO badly crippled because they do, perhaps to the point of the entire genre’s death.

How else do you explain Spider-man meeting The Green Goblin the first time, what at least four times over now? Batman has found Robin how many times? The Justice League has formed what, at least three times now, and don’t even try to explain Captain Marvel to me, from EITHER company because the ones I loved died about three incarnations ago apiece. Plots are now tirelessly recycled “made more realistic” slowed down to a near lifeless crawl, and repeated almost with each new writer of the title.

Sure comic sales are going up, SLIGHTLY, but so is the cover prices and the “events”- you know those crossovers that will change the superhero universe FOREVER-or at least until the next major “event”- artificially making the market look bigger. Graphic Novels are the largest growth portion of the market, but seriously how much of that growth are the Marvel Essentials and the DC Showcase Presents? Collections that I consider to be the true grave markers to memorialize the deaths of all the particular icon’s adventures each book collects. Personally I buy them all, looking at it as part nostalgia and part mourning. This month Marvel even collected their first version of their “official handbook” in one nifty Essentials, once again to let us all have a taste for those original heroes, as their soulless zombies trudge on.

To me comics were always about exaggeration, pure and simple, they were never supposed to reflect “real life”. If I want “real life” I could get that by just stepping outside, or turning on a television. Would comics, as an art form, have lasted as long as they have if they were as realistic as they are now? Do we recognize the Masters of our craft, like Eisner, Kirby, Cole, Beck, Fox, and Binder and so many other talented people throughout the last 80 or so years, for their “realism”? If superhero comics have survived all these decades as an entertainment medium because of their ability to exaggerate to the farthest reaches of our imagination, isn’t there something inherently WRONG about the constant striving for realism, or realistic themes in today’s comics, especially in our superhero universes, whose very foundation were the suspension of belief that a person could get extra powers or dress in tights and fight crime without folks laughing at them?

Anymore all the companies printing superheroes remind me of is the dance band on the Titanic, they KNOW they’re going down, but they’re gonna keep playing, no matter how badly, until they can’t play no more, and mostly the same song over and over again. Besides, let’s face it, it’s so much easier to draw from “real life”(photo reference), and be able to re-write a one issue plot into six issues, like the old cliché’ goes; “Dying is easy, comedy is hard” that’s why most of today’s writers are able to write four or five issues a month, because they’re dying (or zombifying), and that’s EASY.

So. What’s the solution? Should all realism be washed out of superhero comics? No, absolutely not. There IS a market for such work, however dwindling. Do we “reinvent” our icons AGAIN? Frankly, it’s too late; those icons were tainted and dead the first time they were “revamped” (Is it me, or is Superman STONED on the cover of the first issue of his latest re-re-reimagineering?). Start fresh, with new characters in the direct market? I’m not convinced that’s the solution either because it might be too late for the direct market also (which is probably another rant all together). Besides the “big two” seem to be unable to create new, popular icons in today’s market, which explains the last few issues of Marvel Team-Up being populated with some of the most recent attempts at icons in a team called “The League Of Losers” or something like that. Can comics EVER be as entertaining and as widely read as they once were? You CAN’T be so naive as to blame ALL of comics dwindling readership on outside forces can you? You really have to look INSIDE the art form for reasons we haven’t stayed entertaining with the masses in modern times.

I don’t have a magic solution to the problem, though I have a few theories. Maybe it’s time we all start seriously discussing some solutions before the art form dries up completely. Maybe it’s time to fight back against the zombie horde that seems to chase away more readers now than it attracts. My wife for example, used to read EVERY superhero book out. Now she only reads a handful of the more realistic ones, mostly out of any known “universe” because like me all her heroes died a LONG time ago as well. She still LOVES comics, like I do, but stopped reading so many when they stopped being so entertaining and became more “realistic”. I KNOW we’re not alone in this.

Does anyone out there care, or are you all walking dead as well?

Thanks for being here

WAKE UP!

MY HERO: Vaughn Bode' -Comix Artist Master

I discovered Vaughn Bode’ (pronounced Bo-Dee) in my late teens from the pages of National Lampoon, Heavy Metal, and the occasional “underground” comic I found in head shops and alternative bookstores (back when we HAD alternative bookstores that carried odd, “alternative” things- like stuff you can only find online or E-bay today). His work had a profound effect upon my life and work. I still have almost everything he has done in print (some in multiple copies), though I still uncover the occasional gem here and there, and HIGHLY recommend his work to any new rising comic artist out there, just to show that there are INCREDIBLE artists and thinkers in comics that never went the Marvel and DC route.

To describe his art as “psychodelic” really does not do it justice. “Groundbreaking” and “totally unique” come closer, but with its timelessness, charm, imagination, and style his work still remains completely recognizable, just as whimsical and enjoyable, and still a potent influence on modern art.
I like to point out to folks that most spray painted graffiti would look completely different today if he hadn’t lettered most of his work in that cartoony run-together balloon style of his. It remains a mystery to me why he’s not more recognized, though it doesn’t mystify me as to why there aren’t more people copying his art and aping his style.


Vaughn was truly a one of a kind, or almost at least, his son Mark comes close in style and wit, but anyone who has studied their collective style can still tell them apart, and both are unbelievable in their own way.


His most famous creation is a little lizard in a hat called Cheech Wizard, though that may change soon as Zach Snyder (of 300 and Watchman movie fame) is said to have another of his and his son Mark’s creations, Cobalt 60 on his slate to adapt into film. You MAY have seen a ripped-off (“homaged” some say) version of Cobalt 60 as the red dressed assassin from Ralph Bakshi’s WIZARDS movie (that’s him on the movie poster).
Once again, the Bode’ design style stands out as totally unique, and always fresh. Bode' is also known for his well rounded, well busted, well shaped, cute women (known as Bode' Babes), which admittedly probably also had quite the effect on me as a youth as most of his drawing of women mirror my tastes with incredible accuracy.

Most, if not all, of Vaughn and Mark Bode’s printed works are still in print from Fantagraphics. I personally recommend any of the Deadbones, Cheech Wizards, or the Cheech Wizard in Oz book(s). If you’ve never read Bode’, then please do so ASAP. If you click on the headline above, it'll take you to everything Amazon has to offer of Bode's. You'll thank me for it later.

Upon surfing the web I found an old film clip of an interview of Vaughn Bode’ from 1974. The interview was at a comic or art convention, it is definitely not of the best quality as it has numerous glitches and sound problems, but it’s definitely worth a look. It amazes me of how much of his philosophy mirrors my own, especially when it comes to working and owning the work that you do (not so much about the drug use, but hey, the film was shot in 1974, so those times were a bit different than now in regards to drug use). These three clips fit together one right after another into about 25 minutes total. If Vaughn Bode' is not fascinating to you you may find it somewhat dull and dry, but to me finding these clips were more like finding a small time capsule to a guy whose work has always kept my interest and it was great to listen to him speak, and speak candidly about his art, his work ethics, and his life.

Vaughn Bode' died in 1975 according to Wikipedia due to a failed experiment in auto erotic asphyxiation, but other sources list other causes. Quite frankly it doesn't matter how he died, what mattered is that he lived and left behind an incredibly long lasting volume of work.

One of the things I find most fascinating about Vaughn’s personal work life is that he did work anywhere he could and got printed in numerous places, numerous times. Bode’s work is nothing short of genius, and that makes him one of my heroes…








WAKE UP!

My Hero: Bill Hicks- Outlaw Comedian

I was never aware of Bill Hicks until long after he was dead. Once I was "On the Road" with my comix I had a few folks at Comic conventions ask if I was a fan and I had no idea what they were talking about. Then a friend in my own hometown (DVD Scott) showed me some of his work, downloaded a large number of his performances to listen to, and even lent me his copy of Hick's biography (which I need to replace because it is not only twice as dogeared as when he lent it to me, but it also carries a nice coffee stain (I am a coffee fiend if you didn't already know).

Bill Hicks decided, somewhere around the first Bush's presidency, that his time on stage was too important to spend repeating the same lame jokes he had written over and over and decided to try to make his audiences THINK and laugh at the same time.

A genius idea way ahead of his time Bill Hicks literally paved the way for such acts as Dennis Miller (who was just cutting his teeth on SNL when Bill was running the nightclub trenches), Bill Mahr (who freely admits that ho would not be nearly as popular if Hicks had not paved the way) Denis Leary (whose entire shtick on cancer is practically a direct lift for Hicks, who had done it just as vicious but not quite as hyper many years before), and a number of other comedians who cover more political content. Bill Hicks was the bridge between Lenny Bruce and modern political comedy. Hicks was practically ignored here in the states through much of his life, but was a HUGE hit in Canada and England. He was just "breaking" here in the states when he died of cancer, having barely a half dozen of his performances on film.

His comedy and thoughts are just as viable today as when he first spoke them. His thinking was sensible, his opinions so well thought out as to easily point out the absurdities in them. Bill was a rare genius, quick witted, as "hardcore" as comedians can get, perhaps too rough for his time, yet SO poignant for today.

You Tube has a number of his spots online, and if you've a lazy afternoon you should watch them all. Though he had a set routine most of the time it was usually his off the cuff rants that were more amazing (if you're fortunate enough to catch his appearance late in his career in Chicago he rips up a few hecklers and non-thinkers to classic proportions- just amazing). Take it from this monkey, you won't be sorry you went.

His biography is entitled American Scream, written by Cynthia True, and I'm sure it's available from Amazon (probably where I'll be getting that replacement book for Scott-bet he forgot he even gave it to me- ha!

For those too lazy, but still curious, I leave you today with his closing for a One Night Stand show recorded in London pretty far along in his career. Comedy Central still shows this one or two times a year (much to their credit- but then again I think they should take at least one weekend out once a year and play nothing but old stand up routines from comedians like Hicks and Bruce who were way too important to be forgotten), and again You Tube has a number of clips from this amazing comedian who thought it was important to try to wake people up.

Enjoy, and WAKE UP!