July Comic Books / cómics julio

July was a good month for comics. Out of the 17 issues I bought, I can say I enjoyed Witch Doctor tremendously, as well as the beginning of a new arc in Hack / Slash. Image’s new miniseries The Vault had a very interesting first issue. Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was absolutely great. Butcher Baker Candlestickmaker has everything I love about Garth Ennis; and the second issue of Fly was, again, a very pleasant surprise. Boom’s Elric sure seems promising, but not as much as Joe Hill’s new miniseries: Clockworks and The Cape, although with very different tones, these first issues hooked me since page one. And now, without further ado, here there is the complete list of my July comics (as per solicitations):



100 PENNY PRESS WORMWOOD GENTLEMAN CORPSE #1
Ben Templesmith (w & a & c) Ben Templesmith, 30 Days of Night and Fell co-creator, brings his beloved creation Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse, back in an all-new miniseries this month. And for just a single dollar, you can also experience the first issue of Wormwood's initial miniseries and see just how the little corpse-possessing worm got his start.
 BOYS BUTCHER BAKER CANDLESTICKMAKER #1
Writer: Garth Ennis Penciller/Inker/Covers: Darick Robertson The story of Billy Butcher, the Boys' mysterious leader, is told at last. From the backstreets of London's East End to the carnage of the Falklands War, from the heights of love to the depths of tragedy, the most violent man in comics reveals the terrible nature of the forces that drive him. And when he's done, he'll be ready... to finish things once and for all. MATURE THEMES

CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
Written by ED BRUBAKER Pencils & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN Variant Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL Variant Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR. Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS Movie Variant Cover also available Blank Variant Cover also available Bestselling Cap writer Ed Brubaker and superstar artist Steve McNiven bring you the next huge chapter in Steve Rogers life, and it's a perfect jumping-on point for fans of the Cap movie. A funeral for a fallen friend turns into a race against time as the original Captain America makes his explosive return! 32 PGS./Rated T+


ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #1
(W) Chris Roberson (A) Francesco Biagini (C) Francesco Mattina, Benjamin Carre Afterword by Neil Gaiman! For 40 years comic fandom has thrilled to the exploits of Elric since his introduction in Marvel Comics' Conan the Barbarian in the early 1970s. Neil Gaiman called Elric's creator Michael Moorcock 'my model for what a writer was' while Warren Ellis said he is one of the 'eight core sites in my creative genome.' Now the godfather of the Multiverse teams up with hot New York Times bestseller Chris Roberson (Superman, iZombie, Stan Lee's Starborn) for an ongoing series that sees a crisis break out across multiple worlds with Moorcock's other two most famous fantasy franchise characters, Corum of the Scarlet Robe and Dorian Hawkmoon! The workings of Fate are being tampered across the Multiverse, upsetting the Cosmic Balance. Elric is on a quest to restore The Balance and save the Multiverse from ruin! Elric, Corum, and Hawkmoon are forced into action far and wide, but will they fight on the side of Law... or Chaos?


FLY #2 C CVR ERIC J (MR)
Written By Raven Gregory Artwork By Eric J Colors by Michael Garcia Cover C By Ale Garza If your fix on superheroes isn't being whetted by the Big Two, take a taste of Raven Gregory's FLY. One dose and you'll be hooked. - Aint it Cool As a teenager Eddie Patron had thought he'd seen it all. That is until his nerdy friend Francis Keiser introduced him to the drug FLY. Now the sky's the limit and Eddie is about to be introduced to a whole new world. A world that is not without it's consequences. From the mind of the writer of Image Comics THE GIFT, Zenescopes WONDERLAND TRILOGY and THE WAKING comes Raven Gregory's latest tale of suspense set in a world where superheroes aren't really heroes at all... How far would you go to FLY?


HACK SLASH #6 CVR B BELLEGARDE (MR)
story TIM SEELEY art DAN LEISTER cover A DAN LEISTER & RACHELLE ROSENBERG cover B NATE BELLEGARDE 'FAME MONSTER,' Part One Every time Cassie falls asleep, she dreams of another celebrity murder. And when she wake up, she finds it has actually happened! The cast of 'Douche Beach,' the Pouperheus Sisters, Lady Art Projekt, even teen heart throb Kendall Schipp and his millions of 'Worschippers'... none are safe from the Fame Monster!


HAUNTED CITY #0 CVR A RYAN
Peter Johnson - Writer / Michael Ryan - Art / Peter Steigerwald - Colors In the corners of our minds, we find ourselves asking? who protects us from the unknown® Detective Tom Whalen is a 'lifer' on the force, as well as a veteran of the decrepit streets of New York City?along with all the freaks that come with it. Yet, the city might not be anything close to what he thinks it is, in fact-it might just be far worse than he ever imagined! Journey through the supernatural origin and expansion of America's most famous metropolis, New York City, in this introductory HAUNTED CITY zero issue that will uncover those which dwells in the shadows of the paranormal, and also reveals why Detective Whalen may not be able to survive the city he's spent his entire life protecting. Aspen Comics proudly teams up with producer and director McG's Wonderland Sound and Vision to bring you this all-new story that sets the stage for the brand-new HAUNTED CITY #1 issue heading your way next month. Make sure to get in on the ground floor of this incredible new series that's set to take comics and Hollywood by storm! Complete with an additional sketchbook section, never before seen art, and a stunning cover by series artist Michael Ryan, this special #0 issue is not to be missed!


JOE HILL THE CAPE #1 (OF 4)
Joe Hill & Jason Ciaramella (w) o Zach Howard (a) o Howard, Nelson Daniel (c) A line has been crossed. After years of failure, Eric has finally found something he's good at, and is determined to let the world know. The follow-up to December's critically acclaimed, quickly sold-out one-shot, this new miniseries is again written by Jason Ciaramella and Joe Hill, with art by Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel. Explore your dark side.


KIRBY GENESIS #2
Writer: Kurt Busiek Penciller/Inker: Alex Ross, Jackson Herbert Covers: Alex Ross (main), Ryan Sook (1/10) The Midnight Swan is on the loose! The Wanderer has reached Earth! The Godrealms are opened, the Lightning Lady is freed, and dark alliances are formed that even Silver Star and Galaxy Green may not be able to stand against. And in the middle of all this, one young man searches for his lost friend -- only to run afoul of Thunderfoot, the Half-Human. The explosion of cosmic wonder and unbridled adventure ramps up, as Kirby: Genesis continues! Also featuring Captain Victory, Dragonsbane and the Mythics, the Pioneer Two and more!


LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN CENTURY #2 1969
CHAPTER TWO takes place almost sixty years later in the psychedelic daze of Swinging London during 1969, a place where Tadukic Acid Diethylamide 26 is the drug of choice, and where different underworlds are starting to overlap dangerously to an accompaniment of sit-ins and sitars. The vicious gangster bosses of London's East End find themselves brought into contact with a counter-culture underground of mystical and medicated flower-children, or amoral pop-stars on the edge of psychological disintegration and developing a taste for Satanism. Alerted to a threat concerning the same magic order that she and her colleagues were investigating during 1910, a thoroughly modern Mina Murray and her dwindling league of comrades attempt to navigate the perilous rapids of London's hippy and criminal subculture, as well as the twilight world of its occultists. Starting to buckle from the pressures of the twentieth century and the weight of their own endless lives, Mina and her companions must nevertheless prevent the making of a Moonchild that might well turn out to be the antichrist.


LOCKE & KEY CLOCKWORKS #1 (OF 6)
Joe Hill (w) o Gabriel Rodriguez (a & c) Colonel Adam Crais's minutemen are literally trapped between a rock and a hard place; in the first days of the Revolutionary War, they find themselves hiding beneath 120 feet of New England stone, with a full regiment of redcoats waiting for them in the daylight... and a door into hell in the cavern below. The black door is open, and it's up to a 16-year-old smith named Ben Locke to find a way to close it. The biggest mysteries of the Locke & Key series are resolved as Clockworks opens, not with a bang, but with the thunderous crash of English cannons.


MARKSMEN #1 (OF 6)
story DAVID BAXTER & DAVE ELLIOTT art JAVIER ARANDA, GARRY LEACH & JESSICA KHOLINE OF IMAGINARY FRIENDS STUDIOS cover TOMM COKER Sixty years ago the oil ran out and debts were called in. Civil war followed that splintered America into warring fiefdoms. New San Diego is a technocratic utopia that offers the last bastion of peace and prosperity, provided you live within its walls. Drake McCoy is its best protector. McCoy, an expert marksman, defends the city from the numerous threats in the wasteland outside the walls. But when the oil rich Lone Star state sends a powerful army to steal New San Diego's energy technology, even Drake's leadership and skill may not be enough to fend off the siege.


NETHERWORLD #1 (OF 5) CVR A (MR)
Top Cow Productions, Inc. and Heroes and Villains Entertainment present the next evolution of supernatural noir! It's the message on the walls. It's the feeling in your gut. In this city, 'We are all lost.' Ray certainly is; a former cop turned private eye and junkie, haunted by his past in a city with no sun and no hope. A beautiful woman and a slick criminal both offer him the same job: Find a girl named Madeline and bring her to them. Ray doesn't want the job, but he can't just leave this girl in the middle. Thrust into the city's twisted underbelly, Ray will unveil Netherworld's darkest secrets and come face-to-face with his past. Beware, Ray. If you seek the truth, you just might find it. From masters of supernatural terror Bryan Edward Hill and Rob Levin (Pilot Season: 7 Days From Hell, Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box) and the art team of Tony Shasteen and colorist JD Mettler (Witchblade: Annual, Stephen King's Talisman) comes a haunting supernatural noir epic like nothing you've ever seen before.


RED WING #1 (OF 6)
To stay alive in the future, the best fighter pilots in the world not only have to perfect their skills and master their aircraft, they also have to know how to travel through time. Brought to you by award winning writer JONATHAN HICKMAN and possibly the best new talent of the year, NICK PITARRA, the Red Wing is the story of the greatest battle in the history of the history of three worlds.


VAULT #1 (OF 3)
story SAM SARKAR art GARRIE GASTONNY color SAKTI YUWONO cover BAGUS HUTOMO A small team of treasure hunters struggles to excavate a dangerous and legendary treasure pit before a massive storm hits Sable Island, the 'Graveyard of the North Atlantic'. Equipped with all the latest technology, the scientists believe they are prepared against all of nature's fury, but nothing can prepare them for what they are about to unleash from The Vault.


WALKING DEAD #87
story ROBERT KIRKMAN art / cover CHARLIE ADLARD & CLIFF RATHBURN / BW We learn to carry on without them. RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES


WITCH DOCTOR #2 (OF 4)
story BRANDON SEIFERT art / cover LUKA KETNER Another foray into medical horror from ROBERT KIRKMAN's Skybound Originals line! Is your baby really your baby - or is it a camouflaged monster that's feeding on you while you sleep® An infestation of Cuckoo Faeries is spreading through the nurseries of Arkham, Oregon, and it's up to Dr. Vincent Morrow, the Witch Doctor, to stop it! So why doesn't he want to bother® Plus: Shark cage diving with sea monsters!

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Julio fue un buen mes para los cómics. De los 17 ejemplares que compré, puedo decir que disfruté tremendamente con Witch Doctor, así como con el inicio del nuevo arco argumental de Hack / Slash. La nueva miniserie de Image, The Vault, tiene un comienzo interesante. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen de Alan Moore fue absolutamente genial. Butcher Baker Candlestickmaker condensa lo que más me encanta de Garth Ennis; y el segundo número de Fly fue, de nuevo, una muy placentera sorpresa. Elric de Boom parece prometedor, pero no tanto como las nuevas miniseries de Joe Hill: Clockworks y The Cape, aunque con tonos muy diferentes, estos primeros números capturaron por completo mi atención desde la página uno. Y sin más preámbulos, aquí va la lista de mis cómics de julio:


100 PENNY PRESS WORMWOOD GENTLEMAN CORPSE #1
¿Cuál es el origen de esta criatura capaz de poseer cuerpos?


BOYS BUTCHER BAKER CANDLESTICKMAKER #1
Esta es la historia de BILLY BUTCHER, el misterioso líder del grupo. Desde los callejones del bajo Londres, a la carnicería de la batalla; de la cumbre del amor hasta los abismos de la tragedia, todo es revelado al fin.


CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
El funeral de un amigo se convierte en una carrera contra el tiempo en el explosivo regreso del Capitán América original.


ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #1
Una crisis amenaza con destruir múltiples mundos, amenazando la balanza cósmica. ELRIC buscará la ayuda de CORUM, el de la túnica roja, y DORIAN HAWKMOON para restaurar el equilibrio, ¿a favor de Caos u Orden?


FLY #2 C CVR ERIC J (MR)
Como adolescente, Eddie pensaba que lo había visto todo. Hasta que su amigo Francis lo introduce en el consumo de la droga FLY. Ahora el cielo es el límite y Eddie pronto conocerá un mundo absolutamente nuevo.


HACK / SLASH #6 CVR B BELLEGARDE (MR)
Cada vez que CASSIE duerme, sueña con el asesinato de una celebridad. Y cuando despierta descubre que, de hecho, así ha sucedido.


HAUNTED CITY #0 CVR A RYAN
Tom es un veterano detective en las decrépitas calles de New York. Sin embargo, la ciudad no es lo que él cree que es. Empieza el viaje que narra el origen de la sobrenatural expansión de la metrópolis más famosa de América.


JOE HILL THE CAPE #1 (OF 4)
Una línea ha sido cruzada. Después de años de fracaso, Eric finalmente ha descubierto para qué es bueno, y todos sabrán qué es.

KIRBY GENESIS #2
El Cisne de Medianoche ha escapado, El Errante ha alcanzado la Tierra, los Reinos Divinos están abiertos, la Dama del Rayo está libre, y ni siquiera Estrella de Plata y Galaxia Verde podrán enfrentar las oscuras alianzas que se han formado. Y en medio de todo ello, un joven busca a una amiga perdida…


LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN CENTURY #2 1969
En la vorágine psicodélica de Londres durante 1969, el ácido es la droga que todos eligen. Los bajos mundos se sobreponen uno encima del otro. Los viciosos gánsteres de los bajos fondos londinenses entran en contacto con una ‘contracultura subte’, de místicos y medicados hijos de las flores o amorales estrellas del pop al borde de la desintegración psicológica y con interés en el satanismo. Alertados sobre una amenaza sobre la orden mágica que investigaron en 1910, una moderna MINA HARKER y su menguante liga de camaradas intentarán navegar por los peligrosos rápidos de la subcultura hippie y la criminal, al igual que el mundo del crepúsculo de los ocultistas. A punto de ceder por las presiones del siglo XX y por el peso de sus propias vidas inmortales, Mina y los suyos deben evitar a toda costa el nacimiento del Niño Lunar, que bien podría ser el anticristo.


LOCKE & KEY CLOCKWORKS #1 (OF 6)
En los primeros días de la guerra revolucionaria, los hombres de Adam Craig se encuentran escondidos bajo 120 pies de piedra de Nueva Inglaterra; y un regimiento de chaquetas rojas los persigue. Con las puertas del infierno abiertas, Ben Locke deberá encontrar la forma de cerrarlas.


MARKSMEN #1 (OF 6)
Hace sesenta años el petróleo se acabó y las deudas mundiales fueron cobradas. Una Guerra Civil despedazó Norteamérica. Ahora, Nuevo San Diego es una utopía tecnocrática, el último bastión de paz y prosperidad para aquellos que viven al interior de sus muros. Con una perfecta puntería, Drake protege a la ciudad de las numerosas amenazas que vienen de afuera. Hasta que el estado petrolero de la Estrella Solitaria manda un ejército.


NETHERWORLD #1 (OF 5) CVR A (MR)
El mismo mensaje se repite en las paredes “estamos perdidos”. Al menos para un ex policía que ha caído en desgracia, así parece ser.

RED WING #1 (OF 4)
Para permanecer vivos en el futuro, los mejores pilotos del mundo no sólo deberán perfeccionar la navegación sino también el viaje temporal.


VAULT #1 (OF 3)
Un pequeño equipo de buscadores del tesoro excava en un legendario pozo antes que una peligrosa tormenta los alcance. Armados con tecnología de punta, están preparados para todo excepto lo que encontrarán.


WALKING DEAD #87
Aprendemos a sobrevivir sin ellos.


WITCH DOCTOR #2 (OF 4)
¿Es tu bebé realmente tu bebé? ¿O es un monstruo camuflado que se alimenta de ti mientras duermes? Doctor Morrow versus la plaga.

July films / Películas julio (2011)

Compared to other months, the amount of films in July was considerably lesser… I guess that’s what happens when I stop focusing on short films. Anyway, I did manage to find many interesting things. Let’s start with “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2” (2011) directed by David Yates, a film that had a profound emotional impact on me, as I commented on my previous post (go and read it now if you haven’t already); the all-star cast includes Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, etc. Another extraordinary movie, although completely different from the “boy who lived” saga, was “Scream 4” (2011); it’s hard to believe I saw Scream 1 fifteen years ago. Yes, director Wes Craven redefined the horror genre then and he does it again here. I don’t know if the nature of the world has become more perverse now than it was in the late 90s (for Jacques Lacan a perverse individual is the one who assumes the position of the object-instrument of the "will-to-enjoy" -volonté-de-jouissance- which is not his own will but that of the big Other), but let’s keep in mind that sometimes all that seems to matter to some people is the amount of Facebook friends or twitter followers they have, or how many hits do they vids get on YouTube. Quality is no longer relevant –if it ever was– but if in the past that wasn’t evident it is now: If the possibility of living in an openly perverse society –according to poststructuralist theories– isn’t horror then I don’t know what is.  

Other interesting films that tackle the subject of human depravity and unethical actions are Stephen Frears’ “Dangerous Liaisons” (1988) and Ingmar Bergman’s “The Serpent’s Egg” (1977). The first one deals with the plots and conspiracies within the nobility in France in the 18th century, adapting the novel of Choderlos de Laclos (which has been thoroughly analyzed by several literary critics). The second one takes a particularly interesting moment in history: 1930s Germany and the economic crisis. It is important to see the level of poverty and human misery that the German people had been suffering to understand the rise of Adolf Hitler. With the largest inflation in human history (apparently the second one would be the Peruvian debacle in the 80s), a couple must struggle to survive, and as they are completely desperate they have no other choice but to take part in an experiment done by scientists that could have perfectly embraced the Nazi approach.

In the same line, Vittorio De Sica’s “Ladri di biciclette” (1948) is a true classic of cinema. A father and his son must look for their stolen bicycle; without it the father will lose his job, and without his job the family could very well starve to death. Italy was going through serious financial problems after WWII and this masterpiece recreates the people’s despair. Eloy de la Iglesia’s “Navajeros” (1980) is based on the life of popular youth delinquent El Jaro, who has become a legendary figure by escaping from the cops all the time, until one night he is caught by a drugs dealer that plans to have him sodomized. Focused entirely on Spain’s outcasts, the movie succeeds by portraying the dead-end lives of young boys and their miserable urban background. 


The strenuous conflict between youngsters and the law can be exemplified in two films. In “Swing Kids” (1993), a group of teenagers defy the laws of a Nazi-ruled Germany by listening to swing music (deemed as Jewish-influenced music and therefore forbidden); Christian Bale and Robert Sean Leonard (Dr. Wilson from House MD) have stellar roles in this dramatic movie. On the other hand, Jacques Audiard’s “Un Prophète” (2009) begins with a young Arab’s first day in prison and his experiences: how he attempts to escape from those who would try to sexually abuse him, and how eventually he manages to become a powerful druglord. Intense and haunting, this is truly an unforgettable story.  

On the comedy front, this month I was glad to see Bill Murray, always a great actor, in “Caddyshack” (1980), a harmlessly fun, golf oriented flick; and “What About Bob?” (1991) a very amusing story about a patient absolutely obsessed with his shrink. My favorite Bill Murray’s film continues to be Lost in Translation which is highly ranked on my top 100 list, but his non-dramatic acting is delightful (for example, in Zombieland). 


David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart” (1990) might very well be one of the craziest love stories ever; taking the basic topics of romantic drama Lynch unravels them and reinvents them along with outbursts of violence in a world of criminals and persecution; the result is a very unique film, but then again, when it comes to Lynch everything is always about originality. “Unmade Beds” (2009) directed by Alexis Dos Santos shares a few traits with his first cinematographic project, Glue (you can read a review on it here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0484039/usercomments and if you consider it good enough please vote for it); a fatherless 20 year-old kid has embarked upon a journey, an existential journey if you will, exploring not only London but his own sexuality as well. The director takes an experimental and moody approach that works quite well for most of the movie. Centered on another young man devoid of fatherly figures, “HerzHaft” (2007) approaches a most delicate subject: the illegal sexual relationship between a 15 year-old high school student and his sports teacher. I also saw “Lucky Bastard” (2009) which was a bit of a letdown.


This has been quite a French month too. Christophe Honoré’s “Ma Mère” (2004) brings up one of the most discussed taboos in history: incest. In this case, a young man and his mother get so intimate after the father’s death that they eventually end up having sex with each other. This isn’t, however, a simple Oedipal cautionary tale as it’s based on Bataille’s literary work, Bataille is considered one of the most brilliant contemporary French authors, although he has been misunderstood by many; in his work sex and mysticism work together along several deconstruction theories. If only for that, for the bravery of cinematographically adapting Bataille’s novel, this is worth watching. Sexuality is also a fundamental aspect of Frank Guérin’s“Un Jour D’Eté” (2006), as two high school boys share intimate moments only to drift away before one of them dies accidentally (played by Théo Frilet, who is no strange to gay themed productions such as Weekend a la campagne and Plein Sud). The surviving teenager, riddled with guilt, must now try to cope with the loss of his best friend while at the same time accepting the fact that he might experience a strong sexual attraction towards another high school boy. 


For the past couple of months I’ve reviewed a number of Pascal-Alex Vincent’s short films. Now it’s turn to pay attention to his first full-length film “Donne-Moi La Main” (2008): Antoine and Quentin are twins. Relationships amongst brothers are always complicated, there is much love and hate, constant conflicts, but usually nothing escalates as dangerously as it happens in Donne-Moi La Main, perhaps the unspoken homosexuality of one of them acts as the catalyst of disaster. For a more in depth analysis you can read my review here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0877700/usercomments and you can also vote for it. For a short scene you can check my YouTube account here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKbBZf5Chh4  


Cyril Legann’s “Chemin de Croix” (2008) takes place during a day, a particular day in which a teenage boy is kidnapped by a young criminal (played by Johan Libéreau, who has worked in other movies of gay interest such as "Les Témoins" and "Douches froides"). As the two of them spend the night together they develop a very unusual bond, and after a matter of hours they are already sleeping together. Finally, Olivier Ducastel & Jacques Martineau’s “Ma Vraie Vie à Rouen” (2002) is centered on a 16 year-old boy who loves to dance and skate on ice; he gets obsessed with filming himself and others on a daily basis, after posing naked in front of his camera and trying to convince his best friend to do the same, he soon realizes that there is a reason why he’s never been interested in girls. For a short scene you can check this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-U2X9rr2Rc  
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En comparación a otros meses, en julio no ha habido tantas películas (supongo que en parte se debe a haber dejado de lado los cortometrajes) aunque igual me las arreglé para ver algunas muy interesantes. Empecemos con Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 (2011) dirigida por David Yates, que me causó un gran impacto emocional, tal como comenté en el post anterior (si no lo han leído, háganlo ahora); el elenco es de primera:  Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, etc. Otro film extraordinario fue Scream 4 (2011), es difícil creer que ya han pasado quince años desde que vi Scream 1. Sí, el director Wes Craven redefinió el género de terror a fines de los 90s y ahora vuelve a lograrlo. No sé si la naturaleza del mundo es ahora más perversa que hace década y media (entendamos lo perverso tal como lo define Jacques Lacan: el perverso es el sujeto que asume la posición de instrumento de la voluntad de goce del otro -volonté-de-jouissance- anulando su propia voluntad en aras de un gran Otro), pero no debemos olvidar que a veces, para algunas personas, lo único que importa es la cantidad de amigos que tienen en Facebook o seguidores en twitter, o la cantidad de clicks que consiguen en sus videos de YouTube. La calidad ha dejado de ser relevante -si es que alguna vez lo fue- pero si antes esto no era evidente ahora sí lo es: Se me ocurren pocas cosas más terroríficas que la posibilidad real de vivir en una sociedad abiertamente perversa.

Otras cintas interesantes que manejan el tema de la depravación humana y las acciones no éticas son Dangerous Liaisons (1988) de Stephen Frears y The Serpent’s Egg (1977) de Ingmar Bergman. La primera narra las intrigas y conspiraciones al interior de la nobleza francesa en el siglo XVIII, adaptando la novela de Choderlos de Laclos (que ha sido exhaustivamente analizada por diversos críticos literarios). La segunda desarrolla un momento histórico particularmente interesante: la Alemania de 1930 y la crisis económica. Es importante entender el nivel de pobreza y miseria humana del pueblo alemán para comprender el ascenso de Adolf Hitler. Con la mayor inflación registrada en la historia (la segunda mayor la tuvimos aquí en Perú, en la década de los 80s), una pareja debe luchar para sobrevivir, y al estar completamente desesperados no tienen otra opción que participar en un experimento hecho por científicos que encajarían perfectamente con la mentalidad nazi.


En la misma línea, Ladri di biciclette (1948) de Vittorio De Sica es un verdadero clásico del cine. Un padre y su hijo deben buscar la bicicleta que les ha sido robada; sin ella, el padre perderá su trabajo y sin trabajo la familia moriría de hambre. Italia pasó por una gran depresión económica tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial, y esta obra maestra recrea la desesperanza de la gente. Navajeros (1980) de Eloy de la Iglesia se basa en la vida del popular delincuente juvenil El Jaro, que se ha convertido en una figura legendaria al escapar siempre de la policía, hasta que una noche un narcotraficante, con la intención de sodomizarlo, lo atrapa. Enfocada enteramente en los marginales de España, la película tiene éxito al retratar las vidas sin rumbo de los chavales y su miserable entorno urbano.


El conflicto entre los jóvenes y la ley encuentra lugar en otras dos producciones: En Swing Kids (1993), un grupo de adolescentes desafían las leyes de la Alemania nazi al escuchar música swing (tachada como producto judío y por tanto prohibida); memorables papeles de Christian Bale y Robert Sean Leonard (Dr. Wilson de la serie House). Por otro lado, Un Prophète (2009) de Jacques Audiard empieza con un joven árabe en su primer día en la cárcel: tendrá que aprender a escapar de aquellos que quieren abusar sexualmente de él, y terminará como un gran narcotraficante. Intensa y evocativa.


En cuanto a comedias, este mes me alegró ver a Bill Murray en Caddyshack (1980), diversión inofensiva; y What About Bob? (1991) una historia bastante chistosa de un paciente obsesionado con su psiquiatra. Murray tiene la cualidad de ser genial en dramas (Lost in Translation) y también en comedias o parodias (Zombieland).


Wild at Heart (1990) de David Lynch bien podría ser una de las más enloquecidas historias de amor; Lynch toma los tópicos habituales para desarmarlos y reinventarlos, y agrega estallidos de violencia en un mundo de criminales y persecución, la originalidad es la divisa de Lynch después de todo. Unmade Beds (2009) de Alexis Dos Santos guarda similitud con su primer proyecto Glue (pueden leer mi reseña aquí http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0484039/usercomments y también pueden votar por ella); un chico de 20 años, sin padre, se embarca en un viaje (un viaje existencial) y se dedica a explorar Londres y su propia sexualidad. Protagonizada por un alumno de secundaria, también sin padre, HerzHaft (2007) describe la ilícita relación sexual entre el menor y su profesor de deporte. También vi Lucky Bastard (2009), un poco decepcionante.


Este ha sido un mes bastante francés. Ma Mère (2004) de Christophe Honoré ahonda en uno de los tabús más explotados: el incesto. En este caso, un joven y su madre empiezan a tener relaciones sexuales tras la muerte del padre. Sin embargo, al estar basada en la obra literaria de Bataille esta no es una simple historia sobre el complejo de Edipo; Bataille es considerado uno de los más brillantes autores franceses contemporáneos, en su trabajo el sexo y el misticismo dialogan con la corriente teórica de la deconstrucción. La audacia de adaptar una novela de Bataille es razón suficiente para ver Ma Mère. La sexualidad también juega un papel fundamental en Un Jour D’Eté (2006) de Frank Guérin; dos muchachos de secundaria comparten momentos íntimos y terminan distanciándose poco antes que uno de ellos muera (interpretado por Théo Frilet, quien ha participado en producciones de temática gay como Weekend a la campagne y Plein Sud). Con sentimientos de culpa, el otro chico deberá aceptar la pérdida de su mejor amigo al mismo tiempo que experimenta una fuerte atracción sexual por otro joven.


En los últimos meses he revisado varios cortometrajes de Pascal-Alex Vincent. Ahora le llega el turno a su primer largometraje Donne-Moi La Main (2008): Antoine y Quentin son gemelos. Las relaciones entre hermanos a menudo son conflictivas, pero nunca tanto como en Donne-Moi La Main; tal vez la homosexualidad de uno de ellos actúa como catalizador del desastre. Para un análisis más extenso pueden revisar mi reseña (y votar por ella) aquí http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0877700/usercomments y si quieren ver una escena corta pueden encontrarla en mi cuenta de YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKbBZf5Chh4  

Chemin de Croix (2008) de Cyril Legann se desarrolla en un día, un día particular en el que un adolescente es secuestrado por un joven criminal (interpretado por Johan Libéreau que ha trabajado en otras películas de interés gay como Les Témoins y Douches froides). Al pasar la noche juntos, un extraño vínculo nace entre ambos; y, en cuestión de horas, terminan durmiendo juntos. Finalmente, Ma Vraie Vie à Rouen (2002) de Olivier Ducastel & Jacques Martineau se centra en la vida de un chiquillo de 16 años que disfruta bailando y esquiando sobre hielo; se obsesiona con filmarse a sí mismo y a otras personas diariamente, luego de posar desnudo frente a la cámara y tratar de convencer a su mejor amigo para que haga lo mismo, pronto descubre que si nunca sintió atracción por las chicas es por una razón. Pueden ver una escena breve aquí http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-U2X9rr2Rc 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Sergio Camporeale

I read my first Harry Potter book in my last year of high school, or more precisely in our class trip. We traveled all the way to Mancora, thousands of miles away from Lima, and I was in what could be referred as ‘emotional turmoil’. The person I was in love with back then had decided to stop talking to me; and I was devastated. My friends back then lacked the subtlety that often –although not always- comes with maturity. Much of the trip was full with childish pranks and annoying moments, and thus I was forced to take refugee into Hogwarts, not unlike the young Harry Potter in ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’; I don’t know if it was the moment or if I was too sensible right then, but I remember myself crying at the end of the book. But fear not… those were good tears. Promising tears. 




That same year the first movie was released. I watched it and I really liked it. And so next year I read the second novel and I also watched the second movie. I tried to keep up with the books, but the last one I read was ‘The Order of the Phoenix’. I kept watching them as they came; and so this year, the final part of ‘The Deathly Hallows’ was released. I won’t say I was at my best when I saw it. Having no job and no money has taken a toll on me, that plus other personal issues made me feel –and forgive the redundancy- emotionally troubled. And then it came this story of young magicians and wicked wizards, in which most of the plot threads planted through the years would come to a resolution, and after a decade, I felt like I was getting some sort of closure, not to my current problems but to the ones that tormented me when I was 17 years old, which I deemed important at the time and now I see as trivial minutiae. I felt really moved and touched by the last Harry Potter film. And, again, I don’t know if it was the moment or what, but I found myself crying one more time. As the old saying goes “all good things must come to an end”, and perhaps the bad ones too.

Sergio Camporeale

And now I leave you with the work of Sergio Camporeale, who has a knack for mixing iconic comic book characters with other elements in his paintings. And also a special sneak peek into my artistic process, and the final page I come up with at the end. And at last but not least the picture that almost won in a photography contest. I took it with my old camera. What do you make of it?


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Work in progress / trabajo en proceso

Leí mi primer libro de Harry Potter en mi último año de secundaria, o más precisamente, en mi viaje de promoción. Recluido en Máncora, a miles de kilómetros de Lima, sentía que había dejado asuntos personales sin resolver: una pelea con alguien que, en esa época, significaba mucho para mí. En ese entonces, mi círculo más inmediato de amigos carecía de la sutileza que a menudo –aunque no siempre– llega con la madurez. El viaje estuvo lleno de bromas pesadas y situaciones realmente fastidiosas. Así que me sentí obligado a refugiarme en Hogwarts, al igual que el pequeño Harry Potter en ‘La piedra filosofal’; ignoro si fue el momento o si simplemente estaba muy sensible, pero recuerdo que la novela me hizo llorar… y asumo que fueron lágrimas positivas, reivindicadoras.

My finished page / mi página terminada

 El mismo año se estrenó la primera película. Fui a verla y me gustó mucho. Así es que al año siguiente leí la segunda novela y vi la segunda película. Intenté mantenerme al día con los libros, pero el último que leí fue ‘La orden del fénix’. De todos modos, he seguido viendo todas las películas; y este año se estrenó la última parte de ‘Las reliquias de la muerte’. No entraré en detalles pero algo de ese desasosiego escolar mezclado con problemas actuales se unía al hecho de seguir sin trabajo y con las reservas monetarias cada vez más exangües. Y entonces empezó esta historia de jóvenes magos y hechiceros malévolos, en donde terminaba lo que había empezado una década atrás. Sentí que por fin encontraba una solución, no a mis conflictos de hoy pero sí a los que me atormentaban cuando tenía diecisiete años, problemas que en esa época tenían un tremendo peso y hoy apenas califican como trivialidades. El último film de Harry Potter me conmovió, y de nuevo, no sé si fue el momento o qué, llegaron las lágrimas. Hay un dicho en inglés que se aplica aquí: ‘todas las buenas cosas deben terminar’, y quizá las malas también.      


Y ahora los dejo con la obra de Sergio Camporeale, a quien con frecuencia se le antoja incluir personajes icónicos del cómic en sus cuadros. También tienen un vistazo a los diversos pasos que me llevan a la versión final de una mis páginas. Ya para terminar, los dejo con una foto que tomé y que quedó finalista en un concurso. ¿Qué les parece?

Photography / fotografía

Exclusive preview

July is almost over. Good, because in August another one of my stories will be printed and officially released. This time, instead of two pages I have four, which means not only double the fun but also double the horror. A most talented Brazilian artist, Irapuan Luiz, has illustrated my script, and professional letterer Michelle Fiorucci has helped me too. It’s exciting to have a creative team for the first time in my life.

Claudio Gallina

And now, I’ll give you an exclusive preview of three pages from "The Fracture of the Universal Boy" by prestigious artist Michael Zulli. 

Michael Zulli

And, at last but not least, I offer you the preliminary versions of the second page that I did for Douglas Hahner, which will be released soon.

The Fracture of the Universal Boy

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Julio está a punto de terminarse, y me alegra que así sea porque en agosto saldrá un nuevo cómic, en el que participo con –modestia aparte– una magnífica historia de terror. Si bien en las ediciones anteriores tuve que narrar una historia en sólo dos páginas aquí cuento con cuatro, que ya es una mejoría. Además, como habrán visto en posts anteriores mi guión ha sido ilustrado por el talentoso Irapuan Luiz, de Brasil; e incluso he sido favorecido con la colaboración de una rotulista profesional, Michelle Firorucci. Todo un lujo, bueno, al menos para mí, que nunca antes había contado con un equipo artístico.

Michael Zulli

A continuación les doy, en primicia exclusiva, tres páginas de THE FRACTURE OF THE UNIVERSAL BOY del prestigioso artista Michael Zulli. 

Y, para terminar, porque no podía ser de otra manera, les ofrezco las versiones preliminares de la segunda página de la historia que ilustré para Douglas Hahner y que aparecerá próximamente. 

My preliminary version / mi versión preliminar

My final version / mi versión final

Old Man Logan (by Millar & McNiven)

‘The Man Who Bought America’ was the title of a Captain America’s arc that referred to the Red Skull. Fifty years in the future, the man who owns America is no other than Red Skull himself. As president of the United States, and former leader of the villains that butchered the heroes half a century ago, the Nazi leader feels confident in the sovereignty of his land. He is aware that a handful of heroes might have survived but he knows they pose no threat.

cover / portada

That is, of course, until he finds out that his men have attacked Logan, ignoring the mutant’s healing factor. The surprise factor allows Logan to enter into the trophy room of the Nazi dictator, and after a brutal fight the Red Skull discovers that no Reichstag could exist for a thousand years, and in this case, not even for a century.

trophy room / sala de trofeos

The delivery job that begun in chapter one allowed us to see the state of the world. It was literary critic Todorov who said that journeys, of any kind, were one of the most used narrative devices in classic literature. 

Logan versus Red Skull

The mystery of the content of Clint Barton’s cargo is finally revealed: a case with 99 samples of the super soldier serum, which was to be used in an attempt to rebuild a superhero group. All that is now lost. And with a few thousands of dollars, Logan returns home. 

Wolverine

Although he arrives two weeks before the payment date, he finds out that the Hulk gang has viciously attacked his family. Filled with an ancestral rage, he decides to once again pop his claws. Faithful to the character’s trajectory, Millar gives us a Wolverine in full berserker mode. He single-handedly massacres the entire Hulk family, leaving papa Banner for last.

cover / portada

As the massacre takes place, much of the elements from the first issue are reused. The ‘fantasticar’ in which the Hulk gang appears for the first time is used as a bomb against the trailer park in which all the Hulk rednecks (or rather green-necks) live. One of the drivers of the ‘fantasticar’ is bitten to death by Logan. None of this would be possible without an artist as talented and devoted to detail as McNiven. Although, in this endeavor we should not forget the remarkable work of Dexter Vines as inker and the marvelous colors palette of Morry Hollowell. Sometimes people forget how important the work of an inker is, if someone wishes to compare McNiven’s work inked by Dexter Vines (Civil War, Old Man Logan) with McNiven’s work inked by himself, check out Nemesis, and you’ll see the difference.   


The ‘open ending’ of Old Man Logan is consequent with the series. After all, as it was announced in the beginning, this is not a future that can be automatically ‘fixed’ with a time machine. This is a future that must be lived. Logan knows that, and he knows that whatever changes he might plan, must come step by step. And isn’t that the way how things usually work?
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Fantasticar

'El hombre que compró Norteamérica' fue el título de uno de los arcos argumentales de Capitán América y se refería a Cráneo Rojo. Cincuenta años en el futuro, el hombre que es dueño de Norteamérica no es otro que el conocido tirano. Como presidente de los Estados Unidos y antiguo líder de los villanos que exterminaron a los héroes medio siglo atrás, Cráneo Rojo se siente confiado en su soberanía. Está al tanto del puñado de héroes que quizá sobrevivan, pero sabe que ninguno de ellos representa una amenaza.

Berserker rage / ira de berserker

Hasta que descubre que sus tropas, ignorantes del factor de curación mutante, han atacado a Logan. La sorpresa le permite a Logan entrar en la sala de trofeos del dictador nazi, y tras un brutal combate Cráneo Roja entiende al fin que ningún Reichstag podría existir por mil años, en su caso, ni siquiera por un siglo.

violent attack / violento ataque

La misión que se inició en el primer capítulo permitió que los lectores vean en qué estado se encontraba el mundo. Todorov, un crítico literario, afirmó que el viaje, de cualquier tipo, era uno de las estructuras narrativas más utilizadas en la literatura clásica. 

Logan versus Hulk

El misterio del cargamento de Clint Barton es finalmente revelado: un maletín con 99 muestras del suero del súper soldado, que debía utilizarse para reconstruir un nuevo grupo de súper-héroes. Ahora, todo esto está perdido. Y con varios miles de dólares, Logan emprende el retorno a casa.


Aunque llega dos semanas antes de la fecha pactada, su familia ha sido atacada por la pandilla de los Hulk. Dominado por una furia ancestral, decide sacar sus garras nuevamente. Fiel a la trayectoria del personaje, Millar nos remite a la ira de berserker de Wolverine. Tras masacrar a toda la familia Hulk, deja a papá Banner para el final.
Mientras la carnicería sucede, muchos de los elementos del primer número son reutilizados. El ‘fantasticar’ manejado por la pandilla de los Hulk es usado como una bomba que destruye el parque de remolques donde viven los descendientes de Banner. Uno de los conductores del vehículo es mordido por Logan. Nada de esto sería posible sin un artistan tan talentoso y atento a los detalles como McNiven. Aunque, en esta tarea no deberíamos obviar la gran labor de Dexter Vines como entintador y la maravillosa paleta de colores de Morry Hollowell. A veces, la gente olvida lo importante que es el entintado; si alguien quiere comprar el trabajo de McNiven entintado por Vines (Civil War, Old Man Logan) con trabajos de McNiven entintados por él mismo, pueden revisar Nemesis, y verán la diferencia.

Farewell to arms / adiós a las armas

El final abierto de Old Man Logan es consecuente con la serie. Después de todo, como fue anunciado en el comienzo, este no es un futuro que pueda ser automáticamente arreglado con una máquina del tiempo. Este es un futuro que debe ser vivido. Logan lo sabe, y por ello cualquier cambio que planee debe llegar paso a paso. ¿Y acaso no es así como funciona casi todo?

Old Man Logan

Fifty years ago, all super-heroes were murdered. Everyone knows that, but nobody knows what was the villains secret weapon. Traveling throughout the United States, from Hulkland, to the kingdom of the Kingpin, and to Doom’s Lair, Logan and Clint Barton (AKA Hawkeye) have seen wrecked towns, skeletons of giants, decay, evidences that something very sinister and awful had happened. Now, it’s time to wonder exactly how it happened.

cover / portada

Clint asks Logan to confide in him, and Logan, either too desperate or to tired, decides to share his memories, memories he had long buried. A major plot twist takes place in chapter five, as Logan tells Clint what exactly happened the night Wolverine died, the night he sheathed his claws for the last time.

Enemies / enemigos

McNiven’s pages combine the aesthetic effort of the true artist with the violence and savagery required by the script. The brutal dance of bodies, the decapitation, the blood, the mutilation, it all conveys one greater image of death. Death is, after all, the remaining constant in Old Man Logan. As has been explained by psychoanalysts like Jacques Lacan, there comes a time in which real death, the biological extinction is not enough, and thus a symbolic death becomes necessary. That is why every culture in the world honors the death, and carries out specific rites in order to do so. What Logan has been trying to say all this time is that, by overlapping the usual order, he has summoned a symbolic death for his old self. Wolverine, the X-Man, the fighter, the “best there is at what he does” is dead. 

Wolverine unleashed / Wolverine desatado

As the journey progresses, Logan and Clint are aided by Emma Frost, the most powerful psychic of the world. Age has caught up with her, but she refuses to accept that and so projects an image of youth onto the minds of everyone in the Forbidden Quarter, near Doom’s Lair. Logan and Hawkeye get closer to New Babylon, and go through Pym Falls, just as Hammer Falls is the place in which Mjolnir fell down (as can be seen in the first post), Pym Falls is the avenger’s final ground.

Extraordinary composition / extraordinaria composición

Published under the ‘parental advisory’ banner, Old Man Logan portrays a cruel and harsh reality that could never be published in the ‘normal’ Marvel Universe. New Babylon (formerly New York City) is a haven for morally reprehensible businesses. The streets are swarmed by prostitutes, both male and female, as can be attested by the signs under Red Skull’s statue (in neon lights one of them says ‘girls’ and the other one says ‘boys’), and even a transvestite can be seen in one of the frames. 


What was Clint Barton’s precious cargo? And who can they trust in such a corrupted city?

Wolverine versus Bullseye

  
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Death of the X-Men / la muerte de los X-Men

Hace cincuenta años, todos los súper-héroes fueron asesinados. Lo que nadie sabe es qué arma secreta usaron los villanos para conseguir su cometido. Desde Hulkland a la Guarida de Doom, pasando por el reino de Kingpin, Logan y Clint Barton (Hawkeye) han visto ciudades destrozadas, esqueletos de gigantes, decadencia, evidencias de algo siniestro y terrible. Ahora, es el momento de preguntarse qué fue lo que sucedió.

cover / portada

Clint le pide a Logan que confíe en él; y Logan, tal vez por la desesperación o el cansancio, decide compartir sus memorias, recuerdos que había enterrado hacía mucho. Un importante giro argumental tiene lugar en este quinto capítulo cuando Logan le revela a Clint lo que sucedió la noche en que Wolverine murió, la noche en la que retrajo sus garras por última vez.

Emma Frost (White Queen)

Las páginas de McNiven combinan el esfuerzo estético del verdadero artista con la violencia y el salvajismo sugeridos por el guión. La brutal danza de cuerpos, las decapitaciones, la sangre, la mutilación, todo genera una fuerte imagen de muerte. La muerte es, después de todo, la única constante que permanece en Old Man Logan. Psicoanalistas como Jacques Lacan explicarían que la muerte real, la extinción biológica, a veces no es suficiente, y por tanto una muerte simbólica se hace necesaria. Es por ello que todas las culturas del mundo honran a sus muertos y tienen ritos funerarios. Lo que Logan ha intentado hacer todo este tiempo es, intercambiando el orden habitual, convocar la muerte simbólica para su vieja identidad. Wolverine, el hombre X, el peleador, ha muerto.

Pym Falls

En el transcurso del viaje, Logan y Clint son ayudados por Emma Frost, la más poderosa psíquica del mundo. La edad la ha alcanzado, pero ella se rehúsa a aceptar los años, así es que proyecta una imagen de juventud en las mentes de todos los que están en el Forbidden Quarter, cerca de la Guarida de Doom. Logan y Hawkeye se acercan a New Babylon, y atraviesan Pym Falls; al igual que Hammer Falls es el lugar donde Mjolnir cayó (como puede verse en el primer post), este es el último lugar que pisó el vengador.

New Babylon

Publicado bajo el sello de lectores adultos, Old Man Logan retrata una cruel y dura realidad que nunca podría ser publicada en una colección Marvel 'normal'. New Babylon (antiguamente la ciudad de New York) es un refugio para negocios moralmente criticables. Las calles están inundadas de prostitutas y prostitutos, como puede comprobarse por los carteles bajo la estatua de Cráneo Rojo (en luces de neón uno de ellos dice 'chicas' y el otro 'chicos'), e incluso un travesti puede verse en una de las viñetas. 


¿En qué consistía el valioso cargamento de Clint Barton? ¿Y en quién se podrá confiar en una ciudad corrupta?