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.