Can you speak bocce?

Chapter 141: It feels like Barbie's last name should be Ferrari...

Dec 27, 2023

More Biopics Than You Knew You Needed!
Get Yourself Something Nice!
New Comic Book Day!
Mixtape!

Hello,

hope you’re having a nice week. I took it easy the last couple of days, which never feels that relaxing or good to me, but I’m trying to learn. We had our traditional family dinner of Peking Duck / Peking Wheat & Soy Protein, which is a favorite. I went for a walk in the woods which should have been a really chilly excursion but we don’t seem to have winters around here anymore. I read a lot of comic books, of course. And I tried to check some more 2023 movies off my list and managed to watch Maestro, Blue Beetle, Barbie, Ferrari, Dumb Money, Napoleon, and The Holdovers.

Watching seven movies in three days is very intense. Watching three biopics (four if you count movies about the lives of famous dolls) in three days is a fascinating way to examine how to tell a story. I’ll leave my opinions on which film is better aside because sometimes people in Hollywood give me money so I don’t like randomly insulting them, but I will say there is a lot to learn in the comparisons. Interestingly, Maestro, Napoleon, and Ferrari all forgo the usual exploration of the subject’s childhood and begin when they are somewhat to very accomplished. They are all better films for that. All three films are an exploration of troubled marriages, but only one chooses to really make that the film’s thesis. I found that all three films really attempt to show what made these men noteworthy, whether that was composing and conducting, politicking and warring, or designing and running a company, all of which are to varying degrees very difficult things to convey on film. And in that, they achieve varying degrees of success, but all three films are at their best when they take that swing and try to present greatness to us in a visual way, to explain why we should care about these men. And honestly I felt like all three films could have done it more. And while big name actors inhabit the titular roles in each film and are excellent, if I had to guess I’d think Carey Mulligan, Vanessa Kirby, and Penélope Cruz are going to be the ones winning more awards next year. Although, Hollywood always loves an impression of a famous person, so I could be wrong.

But what really struck me among the three movies was the difference in time and focus. Maestro uses a very wide scope of time to create a narrow focus on Bernstein’s marriage. Napoleon uses an equally expansive amount of time but manages a slightly broader focus on both his marriage and career. Ferrari is laser-focussed on a brief moment in his life but somehow manages to explore who he was so thoroughly somehow. It really does come down to a less vs. more approach between the three films. Less time vs. less detail, more character vs. more action, and on and on. I will add that the deaths in the movies about people who weren’t warmongering megalomaniacs were more affecting than the deaths in the one that was. I couldn’t help think if the Stalin quote- “One death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic.” What may or may not be true for genocidal maniacs seems somewhat likely for filmmakers.

Like all the much better film critics before me, when I start quoting dictators it’s time to move on. But I will just say, while I enjoyed all three movies, I do think they were enhanced by watching them in close proximity. I tend to approach art as if it were in a vacuum, a singular conversation between the work and myself. And while that is inherently untrue, it is the lens I was raised to look at things through. But there is something truly rewarding about comparing and contrasting similar works. It really helped make a lot of things clear to me that were not quite on the surface watch. Not only did I find myself thinking about each movie more, but I found myself approaching my own work and understandings of what compels me more. It was a fun way to watch and one I hope to do more of in 2024.

With the major gift giving holidays in your rearview, I know sometimes you didn’t quite get the thing you wanted. Or maybe you didn’t get anything. Sadly I can’t buy you a new car or send you on a vacation to some tropical island. I mean, I could. But I’m not going to.

But what I can do is help you get yourself something that I made for cheap. And that’s better than a car, right? This is my little year end thank you to all of you for the support, and my wish that you have a happy new year. Been meaning to read WE CAN NEVER GO HOME? Want to upgrade to a nice hardcover of 4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK? hoping to have more BATMAN or JOKER in your life? Missed out on a cool cover or the signed bookplate editions for WHAT’S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE?? Well, you’re in luck.

From now until January 1st, you can use the code TreatYourself at checkout on any item* from FurthestPlace.com for 50% off.

Click here to get yourself some stuff and use the code at checkout. Thanks again and happy new year!

*We can’t offer 50% off on the 7”s because those are for charity. But everything else is fair game.

Wednesday. New comic day. You know what to do.

DUKE #1 by Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Jordie Bellaire, & co. It’s no secret that I am a huge G.I. Joe fan. Huge, obsessive, crazed fan. So when a bunch of creators whose work I am huge fans of set out to relaunch the Joe universe I could not be more excited. Apprehensive, but excited. I am happy to say they came out swinging in a big, exciting, beautiful book that feels like classic Joe but refreshed for the modern era. Even if you’ve never been a fan this one is worth checking out. And obviously you should grab Tyler Boss’s awesome 5 connecting covers.

ENORMOUS by Tim Daniel, Mehdi Cheggour, & co. Giant monsters are so hard to do in comics. Especially if your name isn’t Geof Darrow, James Stokoe, Mike Mignola, or Daniel Warren Johnson. But Enormous does a great job of capturing all the fun of kaiju stories. The scope, the awe, and the human element underneath. This a really fun one.

BOOK OF BUTCHER #1 by James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera, & co. Team SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN head into their 5th year (!) with the exciting issue that sends Maxine down a path that will change everything we know. If you haven’t been reading the SIKTC books, this is a good place to start. But, honestly, go buy the trades and read it all. It’s so damn good and you deserve good things.

WON’T BACK DOWN Anthology edited by Trina Robbins. An anthology inspired by and about the fight for women’s body autonomy and healthcare in this country, legend Trina Robbins has put together an amazing lineup of creators to tell their stories. Names like Alison Sampson, Steve Leialoha, Ken Steacy, Barbara Randall Kesel, Yanick Paquette, Christopher Golden, Marguerite Sauvage, Gene Ha, Dave McCaig, Deanna Soukiasian, Grace Gordon, Jessica Balboni, Perl Barry, Jennifer Camper, Eve Furchgott, Jeremy Whitley, Lisa Sharkey, Dominike “Domo” Stanton, Tom Orzechowski, Amy Chase, Dani Coleman, and more. Profits from the book are being donated to Planned Parenthood. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe, what was once considered settled law has once again become a grave threat to the freedom and safety of women in this country. Support a book that both illuminates why that matters and helps fight back.

SPY VS SPY OMNIBUS by Antonio Prohias. I don’t consider Spy vs Spy the greatest comic strip of all time. That would either be PEANUTS, THE FAR SIDE, or CALVIN & HOBBES. I do consider it the 4th best comic strip of all time though, and that means it’s very, very close to as much fun as you can have while reading. A brilliant metaphor for the cold war, an absurdist take on cartoon violence, or just pure mayhem, Spy vs Spy is a classic in every sense and a worthy addition to any bookshelf.

Light week. Maybe a good chance to pick up a classic that you missed. My suggestion? Go read some LOVE & ROCKETS.