Random Thoughts

So the other day, for the first time ever, I actually read one of my blog posts (excerpt seen above). (This also explains all the typoes.) But I saw that “WordPress” up there and I knew that I’d never write something that cringe-worthy. And indeed:

See? In that test, there’s only one capitalised character in the word, and I’m not sure that I’m able to actually write that word here, so let me paste it in like an image: . See? Only the first character in the word is capitalised and not several, like some illiterate pendant would do.

So there’s some code in somewhere that rewrites that into . I.e, if I write (let’s see whether this goes through) “W o r d p r e s s”, there’s some code in WordPress to reformat that into “W o r d P r e s s” which apparently can’t be disabled (or at least it seems that way after going through a few menu items in the admin interface).

I object to this censorship! SO MUCH. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE

I quote Cory Doctorow’s revolutionary essay:

This year, I resolve to minimize my use of incaps when writing about commercial products and companies. An incap changes a word into a logo, and has no place in journalism or commentary — it’s branding activity that colonizes everyday communications. It’s free advertising.
So: “Iphone,” not “iPhone” and “Paypal,” not “PayPal.”

I don’t know whether the Automattic Censorship Committee will allow any of those brands to be displayed how they should be, i.e., without InCaps, but I guess we’ll see.

Finally a day for reading comics. And for music today: 1972 only. Or possibly also a bit of 1973 if I run out of 1972.

David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

11:14: Death of Copra #1 by Michel Fiffe (Image Comics)

The end of Copra is here. I don’t know how long this series has been running? I think I’ve basically got, like, two thirds of the issues, and I’ve read them in random order, so the entire thing is kinda abstract to me… but really enjoyable. I should get my act together and read it all in the proper sequence one day. Perhaps after this series is done?

Is that a little Keith Giffen homage?

Anyway, as usual I have no idea what’s going on, and as usual, I don’t mind — I like it. Of course Fiffe’s artwork is a major attraction, but being this confused just makes it more intriguing.

11:28: Metamorpho #1-2 by Al Ewing/Steve Leiber (DC Comics)

I’ve been reading some old DC comics the past few months, but not old Metamorpho comics yet. But I vaguely remember it kinda fondly? It was Ramona Fradon, right?

I’m not one to buy a comic just because of the characters involved, though, but this is written by Al Ewing, who’s usually a reliably amusing super-hero writer.

They’re going for a 60s feel here — dense, loopy stories, and done-in-one-issue plots.

I’m not totally convinced, though. It’s amusing, but is it exciting? I dunno… Well, I think I’ll keep reading it, but I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed.

Joni Mitchell: For The Roses

11:55: Boxes 3 edited by Steven Ingram

I got this from here.

Wow, that’s a perfect recreation of how Aline Kominsky draws hair. Fun story, too.

There art in this anthology is very varied, and pretty good. Many of the stories aren’t all that interesting, though — they feel like they need more work.

Genesis: Foxtrot

12:18: Tokyo These Days 3 by Taiyo Matsumoto (Viz)

Oh, right, this is the series about an editor heroically putting together a comics anthology.

I like it — the pacing is nice and the artwork’s sometimes gorgeous.

But it also veers dangerously close to fan service — it’s like a daydream a comics fan might have about how they’d put together the perfect comics anthology and then… then… something.

I like it, though.

13:12: La Poderosa #1 by Powerpaola (2d cloud)

I got this from here — 2d cloud is publishing again, and everybody rejoices. I think!

This is about a European visa snafu.

It’s told in a kinda meandering but attractive way. Hopefully there will be more issues.

Sandy Denny: Sandy

13:20: Egirl Magazine #1 edited by Katherine Dee (2d cloud)

This curious magazine is about the history of egirls, mostly focusing on 4chan and related sites.

And… it’s interesting, but my main take-away is that somebody has spent way too much time on sus web sites.

13:37: East District by Ash H. G. (2d cloud)

This is a compelling read.

It’s kinda a zombie story, but also kinda not — it’s dream-like and seems very open for interpretation. Which I won’t! Interpret, that it. It’s ace.

13:49: Comic Odyssey #1 by Raymond Salvador (Venus Comics)

This is very stylish.

I guess it’s conceptually similar to All-Time Comics? I.e., it’s emulating older comics in a quite serious way, but also not quite. There’s apparently about half a dozen different comics from Venus Comics…

The second story in this issue is especially intriguing.

Neil Young: Harvest

14:06: The Shriekers and Pebbles #2-3 by Molly Colleen O’Connell

Oh, I love this.

It’s kinda gripping.

The final issue here is a strange dream-like thing… I like it.

Lal & Mike Waterson: Bright Phoebus

14:44: Death Spark 2 edited by Thomas Campbell (Comics Blogger Books)

This anthology has this all-star cast.

There’s a mix of shorter and longer pieces.

It’s extremely varied in approach, but it’s a cohesive read anyway — it’s got a kind of tonal unity going on.

Brilliant anthology.

And now I have to run some errands I forgot that I had to do. Be back in a couple hours.

Lou Reed: Transformer

16:50: Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout (First Second)

Oh, c’mon. That didn’t happen.

OK, this artwork doesn’t do anything for me. I mean, I like the general style, but the deadness of the pad-drawn line is offputting.

The collages with real pictures work quite well, though.

Oh, the story? The frame is a woman in the present who’s trying to find out the history of her (Jewish) grandmother, but the bulk of the book is about these heroic Dutch resistance fighters, who are being all heroic and Dutch and saving everybody. And also making art! Because art’s important!

It’s a very confusing mix — when you do this kind of thing, the person doing the investigation usually discovers the history, and then we (the readers) learn it, too. Instead what we’re getting here in the WWII-set sections are things that are never “uncovered”, so it seems totally unmotivated.

There’s also a “Greek chorus” kind of thing provided by the blackbird, who constantly oversees everything (and which may even be *gasp* god (or something)).

Kraftwerk: Kraftwerk 2

Which makes things like this inexplicable: One of the heroic Dutch people have been made by the Nazis, so he asks for cyanide to kill himself. The other heroic Dutch people refuse him the poison, and the blackbird says “YOU MUST NOT, Emma”… and then a few pages later, he’s arrested, tortured, gives up the entire Resistance scheme, which means that a bunch of them are killed and they can no longer help.

So… is the blackbird supposed to be… SATAN!?!? IS IT SATAN

As you may surmise, I’m a bit annoyed with this book for children. I know! It’s not meant for me! Still, it’s a fucking annoying book, on all levels. Or as Kirkus puts it: “Powerful, moving, and utterly unforgettable”, or Publisher’s Weekly: “a powerful testament to art and its ability to foster change and connection”.

Yes: Close to the Edge

17:47: Daisy Goes to the Moon by Rick Geary from a novel by Mathew Klickstein (Fantagraphics)

As mistrusting as I am, I assumed that this was just a gag (I mean, the cover says that it’s written by somebody else, but nope — Daisy Ashford did exist.

OK… so I’m guessing this is written in the style of those books by that nine-year-old? So it’s faux outsider, basically?

I love Geary’s artwork, and would read anything he illustrates, but this just doesn’t quite work. The story is pleasantly loopy, and there are several sequences that are great, but…

I mean, it’s fine. I enjoyed it.

18:18: Chickenpox by Remy Lai (Henry Holt)

I don’t know whether this is autobio — it’s about a girl that has four younger siblings and has to stay cooped up in the house for a week with chickenpox — but it feels almost supernaturally well-observed.

The kids’ logic feels so right on, or at least from what I dimly remember. Did Remy Lai take a lot of notes when she was a kid? (Oh! Remy… that’s the name of the most annoying sister!)

It’s really good! It’s funny, it’s interesting (we get a lot of details about Indonesian culture), the storytelling beats are on point, and it’s unexpectedly moving. It’s a complete success at what it’s trying to.

(Although some people may be grossed out about all the details we learn about chickenpox.)

Matching Mole: Matching Mole