Guest Blogging & Book Giveaway Contest
Posted on
Monday, November 23, 2009
by Gary A. Ballard
Heather over at the book blog Book Obsessed has posted a mini-review of Under the Amoral Bridge in front of the guest blog post I've written for her. Head on over to Book Obsessed and read The Genesis of Inspiration. I talk about some of the influences that first led me to write, ranging from my mother to cheesy B-movies and role-playing games. Heather is also giving away a copy of Under the Amoral Bridge, so don't miss out on your chance to win a free copy. And don't forget that from now until Dec. 1st, you can get 25% off the paperback or ebook version of the novel - click here for details. I'd like to thank Heather for the kind words about the book, and for the promotion.
Labels: Cyberpunk, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 8:46 PM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
| 
Thanksgiving Sale on My Debut Cyberpunk Novel
Posted on
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
by Gary A. Ballard
Thanksgiving is coming up and that means it's time for all you responsible bastards to start doing your Christmas shopping early, unlike me who waits until the last minute to do anything. What better gift to give than my thrilling debut cyberpunk novel, Under the Amoral Bridge? From now until Dec. 1st, I'm offering two discount codes, both for 25% off this fantastic read. For the paperback version, go to the CreateSpace store link and use the coupon code HC86CZSY to get the book for $9 + shipping (regular price $12). If you'd prefer the Ebook version, it's available in a ton of Ebook formats on Smashwords.com. Use the coupon code RS46Q to get the Ebook for $6 (regular price $8). I wish I could offer the book on Amazon or the Kindle store with similar coupons, but they do not offer such options at this time. If you're looking for a gift for that science-fiction fan on your list, or if you are a sci-fi fan yourself, you'll love this book! Let's move some paper, people!
Labels: Cyberpunk, Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 11:40 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
Big News!!! My Self-Published Novel
Posted on
Thursday, September 17, 2009
by Gary A. Ballard
For the last couple of weeks, I've been hinting at some big news in the Bridge Chronicles universe, and now I can finally announce it. Under the Amoral Bridge, the first novel in the Bridge Chronicles series, is being published! Thanks to the great group over at CreateSpace.com, I am self-publishing a physical copy of that first novel. Available now at the Create Space Estore, it will be available at Amazon.com within two weeks. The cost is $12 for a really nice, trade paperback edition. Not only is it the entire first novel exactly as it appeared on the Bridge Chronicles blog, but it includes a Bridge short story that has never been published before. This story, Feeding Autonomy, will only be available in this print edition.
Please buy my book. No, really... buy the book. I'm begging you.
Ok, with the whoring done, let me just explain how this process works. This book will be a print-on-demand book. Both CreateSpace and Amazon will take their cut (a percentage of the price + per-page fee + per book fee) and I get the difference. I get about 50% more off a purchase from the CreateSpace store than from Amazon, which I will attribute to Amazon's discount. Naturally, I'd prefer you buy from CreateSpace (and yes, they offer international sales as well as U.S.) because I make more money, but so long as you buy the book, I get paid. Did I mention I like getting paid? If you do purchase the book, no matter the channel, I ask that you post a review on Amazon.com. Note, I didn't say a positive review. Please be honest, I can take the criticisms - bonus points if you dog the novel in a funny or entertaining way. At this early stage of my career, any press is good press if it gets my name out there to the book-buying public. The worst feedback a writer can get is no feedback at all. Our massive egos are so fragile that we constantly require acknowledgment that someone read our work, even if the reader hated it.
Keep an eye on the Bridge Chronicles blog for more updates, including the upcoming listing on Amazon. Those interested in following my other pursuits can always follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HaemishM. Thank you for your support of my literary efforts and I hope you enjoy the title.
Please buy my book. No, really... buy the book. I'm begging you.
Ok, with the whoring done, let me just explain how this process works. This book will be a print-on-demand book. Both CreateSpace and Amazon will take their cut (a percentage of the price + per-page fee + per book fee) and I get the difference. I get about 50% more off a purchase from the CreateSpace store than from Amazon, which I will attribute to Amazon's discount. Naturally, I'd prefer you buy from CreateSpace (and yes, they offer international sales as well as U.S.) because I make more money, but so long as you buy the book, I get paid. Did I mention I like getting paid? If you do purchase the book, no matter the channel, I ask that you post a review on Amazon.com. Note, I didn't say a positive review. Please be honest, I can take the criticisms - bonus points if you dog the novel in a funny or entertaining way. At this early stage of my career, any press is good press if it gets my name out there to the book-buying public. The worst feedback a writer can get is no feedback at all. Our massive egos are so fragile that we constantly require acknowledgment that someone read our work, even if the reader hated it.
Keep an eye on the Bridge Chronicles blog for more updates, including the upcoming listing on Amazon. Those interested in following my other pursuits can always follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HaemishM. Thank you for your support of my literary efforts and I hope you enjoy the title.
Labels: Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 10:39 PM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
Updated the Blog Novel
Posted on
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
by Gary A. Ballard
For those wondering about my decreased output over here, it's because of my serial cyberpunk blog novel, called The Know Circuit. It's a sequel to my first blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, and is being updated twice weekly, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today's update brings the story into Chapter 13. Keep watching this space for my more personal, non-fiction writing, and watch The Know Circuit for my science-fiction.
Labels: Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 9:09 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
Bridge Chapter 12 Posted
Posted on
Friday, June 27, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
My blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, has been updated. I've added a new Chapter, Chapter 12 in the serialized adventures of Artemis Bridge. Bridge returns to Angela's apartment and discovers the reason Kira made the recording. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter.
Labels: Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 3:21 PM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
Bridge Chapter 11 Posted
Posted on
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
My blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, is coming into the home stretch. I've just added a new Chapter, Chapter 11 in the serialized adventures of Artemis Bridge. I've also set the total size of the novel at 14 chapters and an epilogue. Bridge attempts to return the recordings to Mayor Sunderland, only to find that not everything is as it appears. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter which will be posted on a weekly basis until the novel is finished. *fingers crossed*
Labels: Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 10:08 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
New Bridge Chapter Posted
Posted on
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
I've updated my blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, with a new Chapter. It's Chapter 9 in the serialized adventures of Artemis Bridge. Danger closes in on Bridge as Stonewall reveals the fate of the bouncer, Paulie. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter posted every two weeks, and new material posted in the off-chapter weeks.
Labels: Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 10:20 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
Bridge Chapter 7 Posted
Posted on
Thursday, April 17, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
I've updated my blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, with a new Chapter. It's Chapter 7 in the serialized adventures of Artemis Bridge. Bridge has to fight off an assasination attempt in cyberspace. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter posted every two weeks, and new material posted in the off-chapter weeks.
Labels: Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 8:17 PM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
Bridge Chapter 5 Posted
Posted on
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
I've updated my blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, with a new Chapter. It's Chapter 5 in the serialized adventures of Artemis Bridge. Bridge is assualted during his meeting with the hacker, Kira. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter posted every two weeks, and new material posted in the off-chapter weeks.
Labels: Cyberpunk, Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 11:41 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
New Bridge Material: GlobalNet GlobalPedia Entry
Posted on
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
I've updated my blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, with a new GlobalPedia article. This week's supplemental article is an explanation of the GlobalNet, 2028's successor to the Internet. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter posted every two weeks, and new GlobalPedia material posted in the off-chapter weeks.
Labels: Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 10:41 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
New Bridge Chapter Posted
Posted on
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
I've updated my blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, with a new Chapter. It's Chapter 4 in the serialized adventures of Artemis Bridge, in which Bridge visits the Arsenal night club for some important business. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter posted every two weeks, and new material posted in the off-chapter weeks.
Labels: Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 10:17 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
New Bridge Material: Soto Campaign Video
Posted on
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
I've updated my blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, with a new GlobalPedia article. It's another spotlight on the 2028 Los Angeles Mayoral Race, including a new campaign video by the challenger Arturo Soto. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter posted every two weeks, and new material posted in the off-chapter weeks.
Labels: Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 4:18 PM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
New Bridge Chapter Posted
Posted on
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
I've updated my blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, with a new Chapter. It's Chapter 3 in the serialized adventures of Artemis Bridge. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter posted every two weeks, and new material posted in the off-chapter weeks.
Labels: Cyberpunk, Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 12:37 PM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
New Bridge Material: Campaign Video
Posted on
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
I've updated my blog novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, with a new GlobalPedia article. It's a spotlight on the 2028 Los Angeles Mayoral Race, focusing on the campaign of interim mayor Oliver Sunderland. Don't forget to keep checking there for a new chapter posted every two weeks, and new material posted in the off-chapter weeks.
Labels: Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 10:01 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
My New Experiment: A Novel Told in Blog Form
Posted on
Thursday, January 31, 2008
by Gary A. Ballard
The time has come to unveil something I've been working on for a few months. Those who have followed my writing over the years may know that I've written a novel and have been trying to get it published, without much success. As a means to promote myself as a fiction author as opposed to some loudmouth blogging asshole, I've decided to publish a novel on the web, using the blog format. That novel's first chapter and introduction have been posted at my new novel blog, Under the Amoral Bridge.
This blog will still be updated, with as much regularity as it has been in the past. That means there will be more sporadic posts, depending on what I've got my dander up about on a particular day. I will keep this blog updated on the additions to the novel. This most likely will mean that The Stalin Monologues won't be updated with a new episode anytime soon, but since it hasn't been updated in a while anyway, that won't be much of a change. The plan is to update with a new chapter every two weeks, with some supplemental material released in the off weeks.
The novel is a cyberpunk science-fiction novel, but it isn't the novel I've been trying to get published. The introduction will explain more fully, but Bridge is a prequel novel in the same setting as the unpublished novel. Both are part of a planned series of sci-fi novels. Keep checking back here for new opinion pieces from me, and read my novel. I welcome comments on all my work, from all five of you that regularly read it.
For those who do regularly read my work, thank you for your support. I hope you enjoy it.
This blog will still be updated, with as much regularity as it has been in the past. That means there will be more sporadic posts, depending on what I've got my dander up about on a particular day. I will keep this blog updated on the additions to the novel. This most likely will mean that The Stalin Monologues won't be updated with a new episode anytime soon, but since it hasn't been updated in a while anyway, that won't be much of a change. The plan is to update with a new chapter every two weeks, with some supplemental material released in the off weeks.
The novel is a cyberpunk science-fiction novel, but it isn't the novel I've been trying to get published. The introduction will explain more fully, but Bridge is a prequel novel in the same setting as the unpublished novel. Both are part of a planned series of sci-fi novels. Keep checking back here for new opinion pieces from me, and read my novel. I welcome comments on all my work, from all five of you that regularly read it.
For those who do regularly read my work, thank you for your support. I hope you enjoy it.
Labels: Cyberpunk, Entertainment, Literature, Science-Fiction
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 10:33 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
Bizarro World: Where the Right Went Wrong (Book Review)
Posted on
Monday, March 12, 2007
by Gary A. Ballard
It's a telling indictment of the political world we live in today that not only did I read a Pat Buchanan book, but there were parts of it I actually agreed with. Buchanan is the kind of bigoted, right-wing douchebag that I not only disagree with vehemently, I actually have wished violence upon the man many times. Not the kind of death-wish violence reserved for evil people like Dick Cheney or Osama Bin Laden, mind you. It's more of the "someone should punch him directly in the face" type of violence. But the events of the last six years have created such a Bizarro version of the world that I've no choice but to admit that in Buchanan's 2004 book Where the Right Went Wrong, he actually has some points on which we both can agree.
Why would someone who leans left enough to be considered a social democrat on most days want to read someone as proudly right-wing as Pat Buchanan? Unlike many of the members of the current administration who think even hearing a dissenting opinion is tantamount to treason, I do believe in hearing viewpoints that I cannot agree with, even from people whose politics I find morally offensive. Failure to listen to the opposing side, even when that side wanders into moonbat territory, sets up an echo chamber within one's own mind. In short, it's wholly positive that one can hear another viewpoint that makes one think, "How can any sane, intelligent person actually believe this?" With that in mind, I spied Buchanan's book in the dollar store while Christmas shopping, and for $1, I can certainly hear what Mr. Buchanan has to say no matter how much it raises my blood pressure with indignation.
Imagine my surprise to find a reasoned, sane, intelligent argument criticizing the very right wing, authoritarian government of George W. Bush. That's right, Buchanan wrote a detailed treatise tearing apart the administration of Bush's first term for unnecessary and illegal secrecy, ill-advised foreign policy mistakes such as the war in Iraq and even his free trade policies that have resulted in massive outsourcing and the destruction of the American manufacturing sector. In short, Buchanan made sense, strengthening my beliefs about the inadequacy and illegality of the Bush presidency.
And then the real Pat Buchanan came out from behind the curtain.
The first half of the book was quite good, and something I could certainly agree with. Midway through the book, he begins to go off the track a bit, delving into the history of other imperialistic regimes such as the Roman and British empires. While those are instructive, he loses steam when he begins trying to chronicle the birth of Islam and the rise of the Islamist political movements. Had he ended the book there, it would have been anticlimactic, but at least he'd have stayed in the village of reason.
But the trainwreck of Buchanan's particular brand of bigoted, intolerant right-wing beliefs cannot be restrained throughout an entire book. The last half of the book goes through what conservatives should believe, and in true wingnut fashion, it hits all the low points. From his fearful mistrust of immigrants diluting the Eurocentric nature of American culture to his outright homophobic discrimination against gays, Buchanan shows his true colors. He repeats all the worst conservative half-truths, such as his tirades against "activist judges" that goes so far as to criticize the Supreme Court for ending segregation, claiming they not only lacked the Constitutional authority but were actively part of a left-wing conspiracy to strengthen the Judiciary Branch. One gets the idea Strom Thurmond was his ghost writer on parts of the book. Never mind that had the Court not ruled against segregation, we'd likely never have removed that embarrassing stain from our public school system. Buchanan claims to be the last "Goldwater conservative" but his social views on things like gay marriage reveal that be a lie. Goldwater, for all his conservative views, believed that the government should stay out of the sexual arena. Buchanan seems to have no such qualms.
In the end, the book misses the mark by a great deal, not because Buchanan's wingnut nature spoils the logic of the first half of the book, but because he lacks the strength of his convictions. The book was published before the 2004 election with an eye towards influencing those elections. But after all the egregious errors and deliberate lies Buchanan criticizes the administration for, he still urges conservative readers to vote Republican in 2004. Somehow, he still believed that Bush was a decent sort of man, worthy of the presidency, choosing to believe the errors and corruption he'd highlighted earlier in the book were the fault of Bush's advisers and not the man himself. It was more important to Buchanan that conservatives not vote for a Democrat than that they hold the President accountable for incompetence, corruption and deception.
Here's a hint, Pat. Party loyalty above all else is what has fucked the conservative movement these last six years. Party loyalty despite blatant corruption is what has led the Republican party astray. It's what has killed over 3,000 troops in Iraq, it's what killed hundreds of Katrina victims in New Orleans, and it's what has wasted billions in fraud from no-bid contracts. It's what has led to the despicable crime against our veterans at Walter Reed hospital. Take your party loyalty and shove it up your ass, Mr. Buchanan, right up there with your racist screeds against hard-working immigrants and homosexuals. In short, you are just as responsible as President Bush for all the lives lost to his administration's fuckups, as is anyone who voted Republican in 2004 despite his policy's failure in Iraq. You made Bush what he is today.
The book is an interesting read, but only for those who don't already drink the Kool-Aid Buchanan has been swigging for years. Otherwise, readers might be tempted to vote McCain in 2008. If that happens, the right will really go wrong and nothing will be able to bring them back.
Why would someone who leans left enough to be considered a social democrat on most days want to read someone as proudly right-wing as Pat Buchanan? Unlike many of the members of the current administration who think even hearing a dissenting opinion is tantamount to treason, I do believe in hearing viewpoints that I cannot agree with, even from people whose politics I find morally offensive. Failure to listen to the opposing side, even when that side wanders into moonbat territory, sets up an echo chamber within one's own mind. In short, it's wholly positive that one can hear another viewpoint that makes one think, "How can any sane, intelligent person actually believe this?" With that in mind, I spied Buchanan's book in the dollar store while Christmas shopping, and for $1, I can certainly hear what Mr. Buchanan has to say no matter how much it raises my blood pressure with indignation.
Imagine my surprise to find a reasoned, sane, intelligent argument criticizing the very right wing, authoritarian government of George W. Bush. That's right, Buchanan wrote a detailed treatise tearing apart the administration of Bush's first term for unnecessary and illegal secrecy, ill-advised foreign policy mistakes such as the war in Iraq and even his free trade policies that have resulted in massive outsourcing and the destruction of the American manufacturing sector. In short, Buchanan made sense, strengthening my beliefs about the inadequacy and illegality of the Bush presidency.
And then the real Pat Buchanan came out from behind the curtain.
The first half of the book was quite good, and something I could certainly agree with. Midway through the book, he begins to go off the track a bit, delving into the history of other imperialistic regimes such as the Roman and British empires. While those are instructive, he loses steam when he begins trying to chronicle the birth of Islam and the rise of the Islamist political movements. Had he ended the book there, it would have been anticlimactic, but at least he'd have stayed in the village of reason.
But the trainwreck of Buchanan's particular brand of bigoted, intolerant right-wing beliefs cannot be restrained throughout an entire book. The last half of the book goes through what conservatives should believe, and in true wingnut fashion, it hits all the low points. From his fearful mistrust of immigrants diluting the Eurocentric nature of American culture to his outright homophobic discrimination against gays, Buchanan shows his true colors. He repeats all the worst conservative half-truths, such as his tirades against "activist judges" that goes so far as to criticize the Supreme Court for ending segregation, claiming they not only lacked the Constitutional authority but were actively part of a left-wing conspiracy to strengthen the Judiciary Branch. One gets the idea Strom Thurmond was his ghost writer on parts of the book. Never mind that had the Court not ruled against segregation, we'd likely never have removed that embarrassing stain from our public school system. Buchanan claims to be the last "Goldwater conservative" but his social views on things like gay marriage reveal that be a lie. Goldwater, for all his conservative views, believed that the government should stay out of the sexual arena. Buchanan seems to have no such qualms.
In the end, the book misses the mark by a great deal, not because Buchanan's wingnut nature spoils the logic of the first half of the book, but because he lacks the strength of his convictions. The book was published before the 2004 election with an eye towards influencing those elections. But after all the egregious errors and deliberate lies Buchanan criticizes the administration for, he still urges conservative readers to vote Republican in 2004. Somehow, he still believed that Bush was a decent sort of man, worthy of the presidency, choosing to believe the errors and corruption he'd highlighted earlier in the book were the fault of Bush's advisers and not the man himself. It was more important to Buchanan that conservatives not vote for a Democrat than that they hold the President accountable for incompetence, corruption and deception.
Here's a hint, Pat. Party loyalty above all else is what has fucked the conservative movement these last six years. Party loyalty despite blatant corruption is what has led the Republican party astray. It's what has killed over 3,000 troops in Iraq, it's what killed hundreds of Katrina victims in New Orleans, and it's what has wasted billions in fraud from no-bid contracts. It's what has led to the despicable crime against our veterans at Walter Reed hospital. Take your party loyalty and shove it up your ass, Mr. Buchanan, right up there with your racist screeds against hard-working immigrants and homosexuals. In short, you are just as responsible as President Bush for all the lives lost to his administration's fuckups, as is anyone who voted Republican in 2004 despite his policy's failure in Iraq. You made Bush what he is today.
The book is an interesting read, but only for those who don't already drink the Kool-Aid Buchanan has been swigging for years. Otherwise, readers might be tempted to vote McCain in 2008. If that happens, the right will really go wrong and nothing will be able to bring them back.
Labels: Bush Administration, Literature, Politics, Privatization
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 9:30 AM
1 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|
An Uncivil Mess
Posted on
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
by Gary A. Ballard
Hear now the wails of a long-suffering comics fan. Comic books are the wellspring of my writing, the very fountainhead of most of my creative inspiration. Since I was six years old, and was given a Batman comic by my parents, I've been enraptured by the serial comic narratives. I've written my own unpublished comics, and I've read comics all through the decades since that first comic. When I see a comic narrative like the latest Marvel gimmick event Civil War come so horribly unglued as it has, I feel a duty as a font of Marvel Comics trivia to speak up. Civil War #6 and Civil War Frontline #10 together represent a depth in comics that hasn't been plumbed since the invention of the gimmick foil cover.
For a few years, at least since the beginning of Avengers Disassembled (the point at which everything started to go wrong in Marvel land narratively speaking), continuity has taken a back seat to everything else, especially if everything else boosts sales. I don't just mean the typical definition of comics continuity, which involves pedantic twaddling over the merest of minutiae of a character's costumes, or the fruitless trivia over what issue Captain America first fought Doctor Faustus. No, Marvel's biggest problem was that well-established characters were not even being consistent with themselves.
The Scarlet Witch becomes this universe-altering schizophrenic with no qualms about murdering her husband, friends and Hawkeye. Then Quicksilver makes her create an entire other world in House of M where mutants rule. In the wake of that event, Quicksilver suddenly becomes a child-kidnapping lunatic who steals the birthright of another race and begins handing it out like candy to former mutants. Even in his long-past evil mutant days, Quicksilver just isn't that type of guy, no matter how arrogant an ass he can be. In fact, over many years, he's rebelled against that type of attitude, the attitude of his father, Magneto. And now in Civil War, we are being told that Tony Stark is really just a fascist in playboy's clothing. According to both these books, there is some secret Stark is hiding which explains it all and it's so simple, no one can believe they didn't see it before.
Now, I'm well-versed in the kinds of secrets comic book heroes have which lead to their actions taking so drastic a turn as this. They usually involve some form of mind control, whether it be from alien parasite, Skrull body snatching, telepathic domination or if we are to believe the Scarlet Witch's reversal, going batshit insane over offhanded comments around the pool. What is unfortunate for Marvel and the writer Mark Millar, to use any of those explanations would cheapen the massive negative impact that Civil War has had. And if we are then told that Stark's done all these things to make more money, that rather pedestrian explanation would seem even more ridiculous in the Marvel universe than the more science-fictiony super-hero MacGuffins mentioned above.
What makes Civil War worse is the ham-fisted parallels to current headlines. I can't help but draw correlations between Stark and the Cheney/Haliburton duo of no-bid contracts for Iraq. The Negative Zone prison and its permanent/not permanent status is entirely too obvious a reference to Guantanamo Bay and its illegal military tribunals. And if I never hear a super-hero being referred to as a "person/weapon of mass destruction" again, it'll be too soon. Political commentary in comics or any literature works best when its subtle. These attempts are not subtle.
But all that could be forgiven if the story was worth reading. But it isn't. The characters not only do not act consistent from book to book, they don't even act like they have for 40-something years. Captain America works with the Punisher. Iron Man sends known mass murderers like Venom to attack former allies. Reed Richards makes clones out of a fucking Thunder God's DNA, then when said Thorbot kills one of Reed's friends, Reed just tinkers with Thorbot's head and sends him out again. Reed and Pym create super-heroes from scratch. These actions might be acceptable in a "What If?" story, but here they just feel forced.
The artwork for the main Civil War book is quite pretty, but it symbolizes something that's been bugging me about comics. I gather that the artist chose to use a rectangular shape to most of the panels to evoke the feeling of watching a widescreen movie. While this might give the comic a more cinematic feel, it also minimizes the amount of acceptable dialogue that can fit on the page. What little dialogue there is squeezed, and all issues of the book feel lightweight, as if they were written on two-pages of plain white paper. In short, the plots feel like editorial memos with dialogue attached, customized to fit within the confines of a graphic novel. Perhaps that sells better in bookstores but for monthly comics, I feel short-changed. When comics cost $3, I feel positively violated. Marvel is not alone in this practice, but to pay those prices for what is a narrative inhalation is galling.
Perhaps this story can be wrapped up satisfactorily. But given that plans have been announced for new books, including a Defenders book masquerading as a New Avengers book, all of which will take their queues from Civil War, I don't think the series will wrap up with any sort of finality. No, we'll be stuck with another disappointing Bendis-who-is-the-mystery-hero-in-Ronin's-costume graphic novel, and a whole lot of narrative dead ends. I hope the sales are good, because Marvel's brands have been ruined by this whole cycle.
For a few years, at least since the beginning of Avengers Disassembled (the point at which everything started to go wrong in Marvel land narratively speaking), continuity has taken a back seat to everything else, especially if everything else boosts sales. I don't just mean the typical definition of comics continuity, which involves pedantic twaddling over the merest of minutiae of a character's costumes, or the fruitless trivia over what issue Captain America first fought Doctor Faustus. No, Marvel's biggest problem was that well-established characters were not even being consistent with themselves.
The Scarlet Witch becomes this universe-altering schizophrenic with no qualms about murdering her husband, friends and Hawkeye. Then Quicksilver makes her create an entire other world in House of M where mutants rule. In the wake of that event, Quicksilver suddenly becomes a child-kidnapping lunatic who steals the birthright of another race and begins handing it out like candy to former mutants. Even in his long-past evil mutant days, Quicksilver just isn't that type of guy, no matter how arrogant an ass he can be. In fact, over many years, he's rebelled against that type of attitude, the attitude of his father, Magneto. And now in Civil War, we are being told that Tony Stark is really just a fascist in playboy's clothing. According to both these books, there is some secret Stark is hiding which explains it all and it's so simple, no one can believe they didn't see it before.
Now, I'm well-versed in the kinds of secrets comic book heroes have which lead to their actions taking so drastic a turn as this. They usually involve some form of mind control, whether it be from alien parasite, Skrull body snatching, telepathic domination or if we are to believe the Scarlet Witch's reversal, going batshit insane over offhanded comments around the pool. What is unfortunate for Marvel and the writer Mark Millar, to use any of those explanations would cheapen the massive negative impact that Civil War has had. And if we are then told that Stark's done all these things to make more money, that rather pedestrian explanation would seem even more ridiculous in the Marvel universe than the more science-fictiony super-hero MacGuffins mentioned above.
What makes Civil War worse is the ham-fisted parallels to current headlines. I can't help but draw correlations between Stark and the Cheney/Haliburton duo of no-bid contracts for Iraq. The Negative Zone prison and its permanent/not permanent status is entirely too obvious a reference to Guantanamo Bay and its illegal military tribunals. And if I never hear a super-hero being referred to as a "person/weapon of mass destruction" again, it'll be too soon. Political commentary in comics or any literature works best when its subtle. These attempts are not subtle.
But all that could be forgiven if the story was worth reading. But it isn't. The characters not only do not act consistent from book to book, they don't even act like they have for 40-something years. Captain America works with the Punisher. Iron Man sends known mass murderers like Venom to attack former allies. Reed Richards makes clones out of a fucking Thunder God's DNA, then when said Thorbot kills one of Reed's friends, Reed just tinkers with Thorbot's head and sends him out again. Reed and Pym create super-heroes from scratch. These actions might be acceptable in a "What If?" story, but here they just feel forced.
The artwork for the main Civil War book is quite pretty, but it symbolizes something that's been bugging me about comics. I gather that the artist chose to use a rectangular shape to most of the panels to evoke the feeling of watching a widescreen movie. While this might give the comic a more cinematic feel, it also minimizes the amount of acceptable dialogue that can fit on the page. What little dialogue there is squeezed, and all issues of the book feel lightweight, as if they were written on two-pages of plain white paper. In short, the plots feel like editorial memos with dialogue attached, customized to fit within the confines of a graphic novel. Perhaps that sells better in bookstores but for monthly comics, I feel short-changed. When comics cost $3, I feel positively violated. Marvel is not alone in this practice, but to pay those prices for what is a narrative inhalation is galling.
Perhaps this story can be wrapped up satisfactorily. But given that plans have been announced for new books, including a Defenders book masquerading as a New Avengers book, all of which will take their queues from Civil War, I don't think the series will wrap up with any sort of finality. No, we'll be stuck with another disappointing Bendis-who-is-the-mystery-hero-in-Ronin's-costume graphic novel, and a whole lot of narrative dead ends. I hope the sales are good, because Marvel's brands have been ruined by this whole cycle.
Labels: Comics, Literature
Read more!
posted by Gary A. Ballard @ 9:31 AM
0 Comments
|
|
Save This Page
|