5/07/2006
Stretch
I've been reading Jack Cole's Plastic Man series which appeared in Police Comics from 1941-1943 as republished in the DC Archives Editions in 1998. The art is really peculiar and yet obviously inspired by legendary artist Will Eisner who was doing The Spirit for Quality Comics at the time. Plastic Man and Jack Cole share such a singular story that Art Spiegelman and Chip Kidd produced a book on the subject: Jack Cole and Plastic Man : Forms Stretched to Their Limits
Reading the series I found my own weird encounters in Plastic Man's world.
One of the first oddities I came across was that Plastic Man in the guise of his gangster alter ego, Eel O'Brien takes a trip to Ottawa, Canada to pick up some narcotics in a hearse. Remember this was a kids comic book sold in any pharmacy or corner store in 1941.
In one scene a dykish villian, named Brawn, hops up, Plastic Man as Eel O'Brien, on Mary Jane, which turns him into a psycho killer.
The appearence of women in these comics is notable. Brawn was a cigar chomping muscle bound lady with an army of svelte young female thugs.
Here's a scene where a criminal on the run who declares that he detests "Modern Women". It appears that a modern woman is one who smokes and approaches a man with desire.
This next image illustrates how words change in meaning over time. Calling a woman a 'snatch' has a different association attached to it now than it does here in the 1940s as a pick-pocket.
A few scenes of Plastic man taking on female form appear
In this one he purposely tries to attract men sexually in order to distract them. Then he transforms into what I assume is a stereotype of a gay man circa 1941.
At the time Pinball was seen as a front for organized crime and thus a sordid activity associated with gambling. It was a pariah for a time just as much as drugs still were and still are. Also note worthy is that the pinball czar has a 'foreign' accent.
Funny now gambling and narcotic video games are par for the course.
This final scene is just bizarre. Just look at it and imagine that you are 8 years old. Your father or mother takes you into the phaarmacy maybe buys you a soda at the fountain and you get a comic book for a dime from the rack. It's Police Comics No.6. In it you see this
Reading the series I found my own weird encounters in Plastic Man's world.
One of the first oddities I came across was that Plastic Man in the guise of his gangster alter ego, Eel O'Brien takes a trip to Ottawa, Canada to pick up some narcotics in a hearse. Remember this was a kids comic book sold in any pharmacy or corner store in 1941.
In one scene a dykish villian, named Brawn, hops up, Plastic Man as Eel O'Brien, on Mary Jane, which turns him into a psycho killer.
The appearence of women in these comics is notable. Brawn was a cigar chomping muscle bound lady with an army of svelte young female thugs.
Here's a scene where a criminal on the run who declares that he detests "Modern Women". It appears that a modern woman is one who smokes and approaches a man with desire.
This next image illustrates how words change in meaning over time. Calling a woman a 'snatch' has a different association attached to it now than it does here in the 1940s as a pick-pocket.
A few scenes of Plastic man taking on female form appear
In this one he purposely tries to attract men sexually in order to distract them. Then he transforms into what I assume is a stereotype of a gay man circa 1941.
At the time Pinball was seen as a front for organized crime and thus a sordid activity associated with gambling. It was a pariah for a time just as much as drugs still were and still are. Also note worthy is that the pinball czar has a 'foreign' accent.
Funny now gambling and narcotic video games are par for the course.
This final scene is just bizarre. Just look at it and imagine that you are 8 years old. Your father or mother takes you into the phaarmacy maybe buys you a soda at the fountain and you get a comic book for a dime from the rack. It's Police Comics No.6. In it you see this
5/06/2006
Recognition
Prime Minister Harper acknowledged in an official statement yesterday the Armenian genocide of 1915. This is the first time that the government has done so. The Turkish government denies (against all evidence) that the genocide ever occurred.
I think that it is important that Canada took this step. eventually Turkey will have to deal with this horrible part of history instead of threatening any country or individual who speaks about it.
I think that it is important that Canada took this step. eventually Turkey will have to deal with this horrible part of history instead of threatening any country or individual who speaks about it.
5/05/2006
B-Movie
Another random Movie title generator. This time bulit around B-Movie Titles. These are movies I want to see:
Spirit Gallows
The Subhuman Need of Sinbad
The Macabre Castle of Flowers
The Black Attic of Urges
The Insane Tomb of Santa Claus
The Room of the Screaming Dream
The Flesh-Eating Dreams of Tarzan
The nice thing about this random generator is that the titles actually do sound like B-Movies. Sometimes in fact I could swear I've seen the movie.
Spirit Gallows
The Subhuman Need of Sinbad
The Macabre Castle of Flowers
The Black Attic of Urges
The Insane Tomb of Santa Claus
The Room of the Screaming Dream
The Flesh-Eating Dreams of Tarzan
The nice thing about this random generator is that the titles actually do sound like B-Movies. Sometimes in fact I could swear I've seen the movie.
Movie Maker
Randomly generated movie pitches from Rob's Amazing Movie Maker.
* An inept bungling criminal and an Amish Teen discover that their father is actually Santa Claus.
* A handsome, but obsessive boyfriend and Kevin Bacon move to the big city to start a new life together.
* An Autistic genius and the head of the CIA discover frozen neandrethal while digging a swimming pool in the back yard.
* A group of skilled, yet witty archeologists and a posse of outlaw cowboys eat and drink in a coffee shop and talk about popular culture.
* A teenage hacker and a Japanese Lawyer do battle with computer animated monsters.
* An inept bungling criminal and an Amish Teen discover that their father is actually Santa Claus.
* A handsome, but obsessive boyfriend and Kevin Bacon move to the big city to start a new life together.
* An Autistic genius and the head of the CIA discover frozen neandrethal while digging a swimming pool in the back yard.
* A group of skilled, yet witty archeologists and a posse of outlaw cowboys eat and drink in a coffee shop and talk about popular culture.
* A teenage hacker and a Japanese Lawyer do battle with computer animated monsters.
Poem Generator Does Leslie
Songs to him as well. I think
about the sidewalks, which then
gets washed away with any
luck
by speaking,
be it Stephen
Colbert at Wellesley too.
Pictures at home.
Boulder is a glacier.
Enjoy
that novel
got kicking around in the spring...
about the sidewalks, which then
gets washed away with any
luck
by speaking,
be it Stephen
Colbert at Wellesley too.
Pictures at home.
Boulder is a glacier.
Enjoy
that novel
got kicking around in the spring...
The Poem Generator
the backroad. a problem with vibrant
buds of the blackness, on the
return of many things: Of
those golden hourswhoseperfection is
being removed.
this house is of dialogue to
Globe and kings, And fury the
forgotten ape
the lecture was blue, the highway is
important. I
laughed when
all wore masks and
why the information
comes
the gift of a
den, a spare tire
strapped
to feel
free to know
A poem(?) constructed from The Glob and Wail by Rob's Poem Generator
buds of the blackness, on the
return of many things: Of
those golden hourswhoseperfection is
being removed.
this house is of dialogue to
Globe and kings, And fury the
forgotten ape
the lecture was blue, the highway is
important. I
laughed when
all wore masks and
why the information
comes
the gift of a
den, a spare tire
strapped
to feel
free to know
A poem(?) constructed from The Glob and Wail by Rob's Poem Generator
Who Was That Masked Man? Woman?
One of the things I dislike about internet comments, and of which I am guilty of participating in, is the practical anonymity of comments. I think that this damages discourse as responsibilty for what one says in both tone, impact and factual content is frequently discarded. Imagine if you were at a lecture or seminar and the audience all wore masks and a constantly rotated in and out of the room while the lecture was ongoing.
It comes down to an equation of credibility (ie truth, justification, ratiocination) and accountability two principles that underlie theories of democratic practice following the age of reason. My thoughts on this come from my experience reading the comments attached to Globe and Mail and Washington Post articles. One of the things about journalism is that it is supposed to be accountable for the information it provides. I love hearing other peoples thoughts and opinions and am certainly not against comments. I do however have a problem with the lack of accountabilty that allows people to feel comfortable to mislead, be lazy, and generally lower the level of dialogue to tosssing out epithets and disinformed opinion.
Feel free to comment.I would be interested to know what others think about the matter.
It comes down to an equation of credibility (ie truth, justification, ratiocination) and accountability two principles that underlie theories of democratic practice following the age of reason. My thoughts on this come from my experience reading the comments attached to Globe and Mail and Washington Post articles. One of the things about journalism is that it is supposed to be accountable for the information it provides. I love hearing other peoples thoughts and opinions and am certainly not against comments. I do however have a problem with the lack of accountabilty that allows people to feel comfortable to mislead, be lazy, and generally lower the level of dialogue to tosssing out epithets and disinformed opinion.
Feel free to comment.I would be interested to know what others think about the matter.
5/03/2006
Flogging a Dead Horse
Flog away. Veteran journalist Robert Scheer has reported in depth on every administration since Nixon. He had the following to say about the Bush administration
"They don't care about facts, logic or consequences. They are the most cynical people that I've ever encountered in politics...I don't think I've ever seen that kind of cynicism before, and I'm the guy who interviewed Richard Nixon."
"They don't care about facts, logic or consequences. They are the most cynical people that I've ever encountered in politics...I don't think I've ever seen that kind of cynicism before, and I'm the guy who interviewed Richard Nixon."
Watching Chicks
The Eagle webcam is getting around 10 million hits a day. According to the Guardian it's a world wide web wonder.
May Musings
Yesterday morning was one of those golden hours whose perfection is measured in proportion to their rarity. Birds sang, the sky was blue, the air an impossible mixture of briskness and languidity. I felt recharged and decided to go out nowhere in particular. The streets so long morbid corridors of ice were now lined with vibrant buds of green, cream, rose and coral all set against the clear blue cape of a spring sky.
It's taken me a while to settle into my new home but yesterday I felt sure that it was my home. The most immediate change is the amount of light. This house is full of light whereas the other apartment was more of a bunker, a den, a burrow.
Natural light is important. I work better and longer, my head is clearer, I have more energy and greater focus.
On the way home I walked past the old apartment. The sun had disappeared by this time and the air was chilly. Two young men on unicycles went by, one with a spare tire strapped to his back. I laughed when I saw them enter my old apartment building. I like to think that two unicyclists are living in my old place.
It's taken me a while to settle into my new home but yesterday I felt sure that it was my home. The most immediate change is the amount of light. This house is full of light whereas the other apartment was more of a bunker, a den, a burrow.
Natural light is important. I work better and longer, my head is clearer, I have more energy and greater focus.
On the way home I walked past the old apartment. The sun had disappeared by this time and the air was chilly. Two young men on unicycles went by, one with a spare tire strapped to his back. I laughed when I saw them enter my old apartment building. I like to think that two unicyclists are living in my old place.
5/01/2006
May Day/Beltane/
It's that time of year again when all the world forgets the wickedness of the past year and dances around a great bonfire or pole to celebrate the gift of procreation and the return of our friend the sun. Hah you think I'm making that up? Only in part. Today is Beltane a day of festivity marked by contemporary pagans and said to have originated in the British Isles. May Day celebrations go on all over Europe but became associated with Communism in the 20th century and fell out of favour in the United States.
Some Beltane revellers
Some Beltane revellers
