Writing, Spawn, and Scientology

Well, it's been a while.

I've been writing quite a bit, and I'm on track to hopefully self publish my sf novel, tentatively titled "Diplomat to the Abyss", some time in March. I've had the flu so I'm a little off schedule, but I should be able to make it up this week.

Anyway, I've recently made my way through the first six volumes of the Spawn Origins tpbs. I bought the first from Amazon for around $10, and the rest of the volumes I got for $5 a piece at a nearby comic show a few months ago. The story has highs and lows, but I love the art by McFarlane, and later Greg Capullo. Annoyingly, some of the best issues are missing from the collection, not just Neil Gaiman's Spawn #9 and issue #10 featuring Cerebus the Aardvark, but important miniseries: Gaiman's "Angela" and Alan Moore's "Violator" and "Blood Feud". I've been able to get everything but the last in single issue form (I even found all three issues of Angela for $1 each at a local shop totally unexpectedly). For the price at which I picked up the trades though, it's hard to complain. I know more complete hardcover editions exist, but I'm not sure if they contain the miniseries or just #9 and #10. Those two single issues cost me $10 between them, or the cost of two of the trades at a show. I think I've made out quite well.

The series is a lot of fun in general. If anything I wish it were more over the top and less...broody. Also, I can't make heads or tails of the "devil" Malebolgia's plans for Spawn, and I think it's because McFarlane didn't really think that far ahead. Their is a hilarious moment in which the Violator is punished by Malebolgia for doing something that made no sense, and I really think it's because McFarlane realized it made no sense, after it was already written. There are a few really great story moments by McFarlane as well, such as when Spawn severely punishes an abusive father in typical badass hero fashion then leaves thinking everything will be fine. The reader is shown that the violence escalated after he left and things got much worse. But Spawn never knows, and even arrogantly references the good he did in a later issue.

Still, the series is at its best when focusing on over the top action between Spawn and evil dudes, be they demons, cyborgs, or other Image characters. Say what you will about '90s comic character design, in this book, it works. Maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough to be unimpressed, but every two page spread depicting a fight between Spawn and some massive...thing...made me smile like a kid. I look forward to reading more of the series. The only thing holding me back is that I'm a cheapskate. (But another comic show's coming up soon!)

On the book side, I just devoured Lawrence Wright's "Going Clear". It's a fascinating investigation of Scientology. Even if you've read other books on the subject, such as the completely free-and also excellent- "A Piece of Blue Sky" available here, you'll want to read this book. L. Ron Hubbard's life and the story of his legacy, the "Church", is powerful, absorbing, shocking, and heartbreaking. After you've read it, go to Scientology's official site and watch their impeccably produced introductory video featuring young and attractive people happily pondering their meaning in the universe. Knowing what Scientology actually is, the effect is utterly chilling.

Well, I guess it's time for me to jump back into Lord of the Rings...man, I am bad at reading fantasy.