Severed # 4 - Snyder, Tuft & Futaki

One way or another we’re all performers. Besides our attire, we also select a certain attitude to go with it, we act differently in front of our parents, our friends, our work colleagues. We’re actors, we’re performers.

We have already seen a travelling salesman, with sharp teeth and a hunger for the innocent, killing young boys and assuming new identities. Lately, he pretends to be a music entrepreneur, and although his performance completely fools 12-year-old boy Jack Garron, it does not convince Sam.

cover / portada

It’s all a matter of trust. Jack confides in this sinister salesman, and Sam doesn’t know how to open Jack’s eyes. “Guy invites us over, gives us beers and you call his boss about it? He’s just a harmless old man”, says Jack, almost oblivious to the fact that another seemingly anodyne man tried to rape him in the train before getting to Chicago. Sam has saved Jack many times, and it’s especially difficult for her to deal with Jack’s stubbornness. After a heated discussion, they end up forgetting the barriers that have kept them apart: Sam has always dressed up as a boy, but now that doesn’t matter anymore, as the two youngsters start kissing.

The salesman is a resourceful man, and posing as his own boss manages to lure Sam into a deathly trap. The salesman is the quintessential actor, but he’s also a man of deception, an evil force in human shape. It’s only fitting, then, to realize that only one clever performer can unmask another one.  

"He’s just a harmless old man" /
 "Es sólo un viejo inofensivo"

Sam, AKA Samantha, has long assumed the outfit and manners of a boy. When Judith Butler wrote “Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex” she came to a conclusion: sexuality is not only about how the human body performs certain acts; rather, it’s about bodies understood as always already gender indeterminate; consequently bodies are marked by gender, as well as race, sexuality, etc., and these categories are also destabilized within the perfomative. Sam has destabilized Jack’s world, not because of the kiss, but because of the fact that she came to him in the first place as a masculine individual, as a male friend, and suddenly, this girl who pretends to be a boy is kissing another boy, effectively disrupting the carefully orchestrated mise-en-scène.

Scott Snyder & Scott Tuft manage to combine horror elements with an interesting take on such complex issues as sexuality and performativity. Attila Futaki’s art is consistently good, although producing over 20 pages of gorgeous images each month seems to be a bit taxing, that’s why a couple of panels in this issue look slightly rushed. I have no obsession with punctuality, and if it takes Futaki an extra month or two to finish his work calmly I’d gladly wait for it. I’ve already pre-ordered everything so I know I’ll get it sooner or later.

If you want to read my reviews for issues 1-3, click on the following links:

Severed # 1: http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2011/09/severed-1-scott-snyder.html
Severed # 2: http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2011/10/severed-2-snyder-tuft-futaki.html
Severed # 3: http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2011/11/severed-3-snyder-tuft-futaki.html

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the fight / la pelea

De un modo u otro, todos somos actores. Además de nuestro atuendo, elegimos una cierta actitud, actuamos diferente frente a nuestros padres, a nuestros amigos o a nuestros colegas de trabajo. Y actuamos bien.

Ya hemos visto a un vendedor viajante, con dientes afilados, asesinar jovencitos inocentes y asumir nuevas identidades. Últimamente, finge ser un empresario relacionado a la música, y aunque su actuación encandila por completa a Jack Garron, un chico de 12 años, no es convincente para Sam.

Es un asunto de confianza. Jack confía en este siniestro viajante, y Sam intenta hacerlo recapacitar. "El tipo nos invita a su casa, nos da cervezas ¿y tú llamas a su jefe? Es sólo un viejo inofensivo", afirma Jack, olvidando por completo que otro sujeto aparentemente anodino intentó violarlo en el tren hasta Chicago. Sam ha salvado a Jack muchas veces, y ahora le resulta difícil lidiar con la terquedad de su amigo. Luego de una acalorada discusión, terminan olvidando las barreras que los han mantenido aparte: Sam siempre se ha vestido como un muchacho, pero eso ya no importa cuando los dos jovencitos empiezan a besarse.

El viajante es recursivo, y finge ser su propio jefe para tenderle una emboscada mortal a Sam. El viajante es la quintaesencia del actor, pero también es un hombre de mentiras, una fuerza maligna con forma humana. Tiene sentido, entonces, descubrir que sólo un actor astuto puede desenmascarar a otro.

the kiss / el beso

Sam (es decir, Samantha) ha asumido por mucho tiempo la vestimenta y los gestos de un muchacho. Cuando Judith Butler escribió "Cuerpos que importan: los límites discursivos del sexo" llegó a una conclusión: la sexualidad no es solamente sobre cómo un cuerpo humano realiza ciertos actos; más bien, se trata de cuerpos entendidos como algo que ya tiene un género siempre indeterminado; en consecuencia, los cuerpos están marcados por el género, así como por la raza, la sexualidad, etc., y estas categorías se desestabilizan en lo performativo. Sam ha desestabilizado el mundo de Jack, no a causa del beso sino por el hecho de llegar a él, en primer lugar, como un sujeto masculino, un amigo, y de pronto, esta chica que finge ser un chico está besando a otro chico, erosionando la hasta ahora tan cuidadosa puesta en escena.

the salesman / el viajante

Scott Snyder & Scott Tuft combinan elementos de terror con una interesante exploración de temas complejos como la sexualidad y la performatividad. El arte de Attila Futaki sigue siendo bueno, aunque producir 20 páginas maravillosas cada mes debe ser agotador, quizá por ello algunas de las viñetas parecen ligeramente apresuradas. No estoy obsesionado con la puntualidad, y si Futaki necesita uno o dos meses extra para terminar su trabajo con calma, que así sea.

Si se animan a leer mis reseñas de los números 1-3, hagan click en estos links:

Severed # 1: http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2011/09/severed-1-scott-snyder.html
Severed # 2: http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2011/10/severed-2-snyder-tuft-futaki.html
Severed # 3: http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2011/11/severed-3-snyder-tuft-futaki.html

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode # 2 - Jordan & Moore

Ah, to be a teenager and fantasize about women or power… how could we not relate to that? When I reviewed the first issue of Strange Talent of Luther Strode I made a special emphasis on teenage fantasies versus adult fantasies, and now in the second issue, Justin Jordan shares his opinions about power fantasies (which means I either did a good job on my review or we planned this together).

Luther Strode is no longer a vulnerable nerd. He is no longer afraid of bullies, but his greatest fear now is to become as abusive as the kids that used to belittle him and harass him. Might makes right, goes an old saying, and as the school respects (and fears) Luther, he starts noticing the downside of power.

However, not all is bleak in high school life, and when Petra, arguably the hottest girl in town, starts seducing the shy teenager, we’re confronted with a different kind of female character. As Justin Jordan reminds us, in the old Atlas advertising, women were pretty vain and flimsy creatures that would only pay attention to guys with big muscles. That’s why the protagonist of those ads had to practice the Atlas method in order to be as muscled as a Greek titan.

Times have changed of course, and women can no longer be portrayed in such inconsequential fashion. Petra is a very strong and determined girl, and she’s completely the opposite of a damsel in distress. Luther’s clumsiness with girls doesn’t prevent her from taking the initiative. And that’s why she pays him a visit. Now, this is one of the funniest sequences I’ve read in a long time. Not only does she find Luther wearing nothing but (unconventional) underwear, but also teases him with a couple of really great jokes: “Well, I’m more a backdoor kind of girl”, Luther’s reaction to this witty anal sex reference is simply hilarious.

Strange Talent of Luther Strode magnificently recreates the awkwardness of high school, while maintaining a brilliant analysis on male fantasies and the dynamics of (super) powers. This original concept shines even more thanks to the fantastic work of Tradd Moore and Felipe Sobreiro, Moore’s pages are delightful and charming, combining a certain cartoonish vibe with highly detailed backgrounds and references to pop culture (check out Luther’s bedroom, it’s full of Superman posters, Star Wars memorabilia, etc.), and the dismemberment scenes are truly awesome… only a clever artist can make blood and guts look so gorgeous. Seems to me like the cover is a great homage to Byrne’s Superman # 10 (a story in which Superman loses control over his powers, starting with his x-ray visions and as a result he can’t stop seeing everyone in different levels of nakedness… why don’t they write stories like that anymore?). Once again, I’m thrilled to read such a wonderful miniseries. You should all give it a try. You really, really should. 

First issue: http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2011/11/strange-talent-of-luther-strode-1.html
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Adolescentes que fantasean con conseguir mujeres o poderes... ¿Cómo no sentirnos identificados con algo así? Cuando comenté el primer número de “Strange Talent of Luther Strode” hice énfasis en las fantasías adolescentes versus las fantasías adultas, y ahora, Justin Jordan comparte sus opiniones sobre las fantasías de poder (eso quiere decir que, o bien hice un óptimo trabajo con mi reseña, o él y yo nos pusimos de acuerdo).

Luther Strode ya no es un nerd vulnerable. Tampoco lo asustan los abusivos, ahora su miedo es convertirse en alguien tan agresivo como los chicos que solían despreciarlo y humillarlo. El poder te permite hacer lo que te da la gana, y ese es justamente uno de los problemas más serios.

Sin embargo, no todo es sombrío en la secundaria, y es así como Petra, quizá la chica más atractiva de la ciudad, empieza a seducir al tímido adolescente. Justin Jordan nos recuerda que en los viejos avisos publicitarios de Atlas, las mujeres eran criaturas vanas y antojadizas que sólo prestaban atención a los hombres grandes y musculosos. Por ello, el protagonista de estos avisos debía practicar el método Atlas hasta ser tan musculoso como un titán griego.

Los tiempos han cambiado, por supuesto, y las mujeres ya no son retratadas de manera tan inconsecuente. Petra es una chica muy fuerte y segura, y es completamente lo opuesto a una damisela que debe ser rescatada. La torpeza de Luther con las chicas no la desanima. Y ella decide aparecerse en su casa. Por cierto, esta es una de las secuencias más divertidas que he leído en mucho tiempo. Luther está semidesnudo, usando apenas una ropa interior poco convencional, además, Petra le hace un par de bromas de primera: "Bueno, soy más una chica de puertas traseras", la reacción de Luther a esta ingeniosa referencia al sexo anal es simplemente hilarante.

"Strange Talent of Luther Strode" recrea magníficamente la inseguridad juvenil, mientras que analiza brillantemente las fantasías masculinas y las dinámicas de los (súper) poderes. Este concepto original brilla aún más gracias al fantástico trabajo de Tradd Moore y Felipe Sobreiro, las páginas de Moore son deliciosas y encantadoras, con un cierto aire caricaturesco pero con fondos sumamente detallados y referencias a la cultura pop (fíjense en la habitación de Luther, está llena de afiches de Superman, objetos de Star Wars, etc.), y las escenas de desmembramientos son asombrosas... sólo un artista astuto puede lograr que la sangre y los intestinos sean tan llamativos. Me parece que la portada es un homenaje al Superman # 10 de Byrne (una historia en la que Superman pierde el control sobre sus poderes, empezando por su visión de rayos x, y como resultado ve a todo el mundo en distintos grados de desnudez... ¿por qué ya no escriben historias así?). Me entusiasma esta nueva miniserie. Deberían leerla. Realmente deberían leerla.

Primer número: http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2011/11/strange-talent-of-luther-strode-1.html

November comic books / cómics de noviembre

Rodin Esquejo

And now it’s time to talk about November comic books: Kick-Ass 2 # 5 was even more violent and shocking than the previous issue, but that didn’t prevent Mark Millar from writing a couple of very moving moments. I loved it. The Kapow Guinness special was also a pleasant surprise, each frame has been illustrated by a different artist, and I had so much fun recognizing the styles of dozens of pencilers. As usual, Image titles have been quite good, and I’ll be reviewing a couple of them in the following days. Meanwhile, feel free to make suggestions about the titles that I should review first. And now without further ado, here you have November comics as per solicitations.

CALIGULA #5 (OF 6) (MR)
Cover: Jacen Burrows Writer: David Lapham Art: German Nobile  David (CROSSED) Lapham delivers another blood drenched chapter in the saga of the most feared Roman Emperor of all time, Caligula!  A young boy, once naive to the hedonistic ways of the Roman upper class, finds that the only way to kill a god is to learn all of its secrets.  But there is only so much slaughter and suffering that a soul can endure?even one bent on avenging the murder of his parents.  A modern master of horror, Lapham will take you into the darkest corners of the soul and reveal the madness within.  Hot new talent, German Nobile, illustrates this no-holds-barred ride down the road to Hell.  Caligula #5 is available with a Regular cover by Jacen Burrows, a Wraparound cover by series artist German Nobile, and a special Golden age of Rome retailer incentive cover.

FLASH GORDON ZEITGEIST #1
Covers: Alex Ross (75%), Paul Renaud (25%), Francesco Francavilla (1-in-10), Wagner Reis (1-in-25) Writer: Eric Trautmann Artist: Daniel Lindro The year is 1934, a time of two-fisted swashbuckling, of fearsome threats and wild adventure-and of ever-growing threats on the horizon. Three valiant humans -- Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov -- are plucked from the Earth, traveling to the distant planet Mongo. Their exploits are legendary, battling the machinations and terror schemes of the dreaded emperor Ming, the All-Seeing Ruler of Mongo. But they did not fight alone? Written by Eric Trautmann (Vampirella, Red Sonja), from a story and designs by Alex Ross (Kingdom Come, Marvels, Project: Superpowers), and illustrated by Daniel Lindro.

GENERATION HOPE #2
Written by KIERON GILLEN Penciled by SALVA ESPIN Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL Variant Cover by GREG HORN 'The Future is a Four-Letter Word' The Fifth Light has destroyed Tokyo, which can't be good for the X-Men and mutant relations in general. Hope and her crew are in terrible trouble and it's looking like Cyclops and Wolverine can't get them out of it. Don't miss the shocking twists and turns of the new X-Book that everyone is talking about!

INVINCIBLE #84
story ROBERT KIRKMAN art / cover RYAN OTTLEY After all he's done, everything he's lived through... how does Invincible pick up the pieces and continue on as if nothing has changed® The answer is... he can't.

KAPOW GUINNESS
Plot by MARK MILLAR Written by PAUL CORNELL, Keiron Gillen & MORE! Art by FRANK QUITELY, DAVE GIBBONS, JOHN ROMITA JR., LEINIL YU,  JOCK, Olivier Coipiel, SEAN PHILLIPS, DUNCAN FERGRADO & MORE! In April 2011,  Mark Millar, Frank Quitely, Dave Gibbons, John Romita Jr, Leinil Yu, Paul Cornell, Andy Diggle, Jock, Duncan Fegrado, Sean Phillips and over fifty other comic-book creators joined forces with Kapow to break not one but TWO Guinness World Records - the fastest comic-book ever produced and the biggest number of creators working on a single comic. The Kapow Special stars Superior and was written, penciled, inked and lettered in less than 12 hours. PLEASE NOTE: All proceeds from the sales of this comic will go to Yorkhill Sick Children's Hospital in Scotland and the print-run for this book will be limited to just 10,000 copies. 32 PGS./Rated Mature

KICK-ASS 2 #5 (MR)
Written by mark millar. Pencils & Cover by john romita jr. For Dave Lizewski and the self-made superheroes of NYC, sh*t just got really real. The Red Mist, now known as the Mother****er, has assembled his own team of Toxic Mega-***** and they're striking the heroes where they're most vulnerable: Their loved ones. If Kick-Ass wants to put a stop to the supervillain rampage, he's going to need the help of Mindy McCready, the one and only Hit-Girl.
32 PGS./Mature …$2.99

MORNING GLORIES #14 (MR)
Run!

MUDMAN #1
It’s the first day back at school for Owen Craig, and it’s not going too well. He’s been run over, got detention, and his police officer father has been taken prisoner by armed bank robbers.
And now his body seems to be turning into mud…

PC CAST HOUSE OF NIGHT #1 (OF 5)
Kent Dalian (W), P. C. Cast (W), Kristin Cast (W), Joelle Jones (A), Karl Kerschl (A), Jenny Frison (Cover), and Steve Morris (Variant cover) Until recently, Zoey Redbird was an average high-school student worrying about grades, boys, and breakouts. But priorities have a way of changing when you are marked as a vampyre, enroll in the vampyre academy House of Night, and have to figure out a whole new social hierarchy, affinities for elemental magic, and physiological changes that make you crave blood. o The magical world of New York Times best-selling authors P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast comes to comics! Five million novels sold and legions of loyal fans!

SECRET AVENGERS #19
Written by WARREN ELLIS Pencils by MICHAEL LARK Cover by JOHN CASSADAY Marvel Comics 50th Anniversary Variant. RUN THE MISSION. DON'T GET SEEN. SAVE THE WORLD. In the decadent and crumbling city of ANIANA, in the Eastern European country of SYMKARIA, a local drug lord is planning to sell something mysterious to the Shadow Council.  The Secret Avengers cannot risk that, or an interception after the fact -- they must get to the drug lord before the handover, and take whatever the goods are.  Their covert mission uncovers something utterly unexpected, ancient and terrible and a threat to the entire world... 32 PGS./Rated T+

SEVERED #4 (MR) 
“STEALING HOME” A young ambitious runaway encounters a travelling salesman with sharp teeth and a hunger for the innocent.
SCOTT SNYDER (American Vampire, Batman, Swamp Thing), SCOTT TUFT and ATTILA FUTAKI (Percy Jackson) are back with 2011’s most terrifying horror series. SEVERED.

THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #2
Suspended from school for putting a bully in the hospital, Luther spends his days figuring out his newfound abilities and getting to know Petra, his new girlfriend. Unfortunately, it’s not going to last long with The Librarian killing his way toward Luther and those that he loves.

UNCANNY X-MEN #543
No one can stop Colossus! The Juggernaut has become Kuurth, Breaker of Stone, one of the Worthy. Now more powerful than ever, one of the X-Men’s greatest enemies rampages through San Francisco. To stop him, Colossus makes a deal with the demon lord Cytorrak—the being that imbued Juggernaut with his power. Can this deal be one Colossus can back out of at the fight's end? Prepare for the clash of two unstoppable forces! Part 4 (of 4).

UNWRITTEN #31
The game-changing, twice-monthly epic called "Tommy Taylor and the War of Words" begins now! Tom Taylor goes to war against the cabal that has tormented, imprisoned and tried to destroy him – and it's far more than just a war of words! To have a hope of winning, Tom must use every weapon he can get hold of, but even storybook magic carries its own risks. And for a story unlike any you've ever seen, one issue a month isn't enough! In the special, standalone .5 issues, Tom's crusade plays out against the backdrop of the cabal's sinister secret history and delves deep into the dark past of some of the series' major players. When it's all over, very little will remain Unwritten."

WALKING DEAD #91 (MR)
Andrea still mourns for Dale.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #44 (MR)
Everything is changing – starting now! It’s all been leading up to this, folks! Nobody is safe. Nothing will ever be the same. The biggest, most explosive story-arc in the history of this series starts right here, in this issue.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #45 (MR)
It’s all been leading up to this. No one is safe. Not even our hero, Rick Grimes.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #46 (MR)
The bloodbath continues. No one is safe.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #47 (MR)
Mother and Child. No one is safe.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #48 (MR)
Dead and buried.

WITCH DOCTOR #4 (OF 4)
story BRANDON SEIFERT  art / cover LUKAS KETNER  It's Dr. Morrow's toughest challenge yet: a magical malpractice hearing!  Mystics Without Borders wants answers.  Why did the case of the 'Patient from the Black Lagoon' go so wrong® What's the biological secret of the Deep Ones, and their connection to the 'Great Old Infections'® And how do you fight an epidemic that's turning people into fish-people® Find out, in the finale of the debut miniseries from Robert Kirkman's Skybound Originals line! 'WITCH DOCTOR has the potential to be the next great horror story in the comic industry.' - Bloody Disgusting.
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¡Cómics de noviembre! Kick-Ass 2 # 5 fue más violento e impactante que el número anterior, pero además Mark Millar escribe un par de momentos realmente conmovedores. Me encantó. El especial Kapow Guinness fue una simpática sorpresa, cada viñeta es ilustrada por un artista diferente, y me divertí mucho indentificando los estilos de docenas de dibujantes. Como siempre, los títulos de Image fueron bastante buenos, así que reseñaré un par de ellos en los próximos días. Mientras tanto, siéntanse libres de sugerir qué títulos debería comentar en primer lugar.

CALIGULA #5 (OF 6) (MR)
Un nuevo y sangriento capítulo comienza: un joven inocente, desligado de los modos hedonistas de los nobles romanos, descubre que la única manera de matar a un dios es encontrar todos sus secretos.

FLASH GORDON ZEITGEIST #1
El año es 1934, una época de aventuras y peleas, de temerarias hazañas y amenazas en el horizonte. Tres valientes humanos -- Flash Gordon, Dale Arden y el doctor Hans ZARKOV van de la Tierra hasta el planeta Mongo.

GENERATION HOPE #2
El futuro es una palabra de cuatro letras… La quinta luz ha destruido Tokio, Hope y los suyos están metidos en un buen lío.

INVINCIBLE #84 
Después de todo lo que ha hecho, todo lo que ha vivido, cómo podrá INVINCIBLE reunir lo que queda y seguir como si nada hubiese pasado.

KAPOW GUINNESS
Más de cincuenta autores participan en este ejemplar, el cómic creado a mayor velocidad de todo el mundo. Todo un récord mundial.

KICK-ASS 2 #5 (MR)
Para Dave y sus colegas de NYC, las cosas se van a la mierda. El némesis de Dave ha reunido un equipo despiadado que ataca a los héroes donde más son vulnerables: sus seres queridos. ¿Ayudará HIT-GIRL a Dave?

MORNING GLORIES #14
Es la hora de huir.

MUDMAN #1
Es el primer día tras su regreso al colegio y a Owen Craig no le está yendo nada bien. Ha sido atropellado, castigado; su padre ha sido tomado prisionero por criminales. Y ahora su cuerpo se está convirtiendo en lodo.

PC CAST HOUSE OF NIGHT #1 (OF 5)
Hasta hace poco, ella era una estudiante de secundaria normal; sus preocupaciones eran las notas, los chicos y las rupturas. Pero las prioridades cambien cuando un vampiro te marca, cuando ingresas a la academia de la Casa de Noche, y cuando tienes que descifrar una nueva jerarquía, afinidades hacia elementos mágicos y cambios fisiológicos.

SECRET AVENGERS #19
Cumplir con la misión. No ser vistos. Salvar el mundo. En una decadente y ruinosa ciudad de Europa del Este, un traficante planea vender algo misterioso al Concilio de las Sombras. Los Vengadores deben impedir esta venta, y en esta misión secreta descubrirán más de un secreto.

SEVERED #4 (MR)
Un fugitivo joven y ambicioso se encuentra con un vendedor viajante que posee dientes de tiburón y ansias por la carne inocente.

THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #2
El colegio lo suspende por mandar a un abusivo a un hospital. Luther dedica un día entero a descifrar sus nuevas habilidades y a conocer a Petra, su nueva enamorada. Desafortunadamente, lo bueno durará poco.

UNCANNY X-MEN #543
¡Nadie puede detener a COLOSSUS! JUGGERNAUT se ha convertido en el destructor de la roca. Ahora, más poderoso que nunca, uno de los más grandes enemigos de los X-MEN devastará San Francisco.

UNWRITTEN #31
Tommy Taylor y la Guerra de los Mundos comienza ahora. Tommy Taylor se enfrenta contra la cábala que lo ha atormentado, aprisionado y herido. La única esperanza para ganar es utilizar todas las armas posibles, pero incluso la magia de los libros conlleva riesgos.


my final version / mi versión final

WALKING DEAD #91 (MR)
Andrea todavía está de luto.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #44 (MR)
Todo está cambiando. Nada permanecerá igual.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #45 (MR)
Nadie se salvará, ni siquiera Rick.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #46 (MR)
El baño de sangre continúa.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #47 (MR)
Madre e hijo están en peligro.

WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #48 (MR)
Muerto y enterrado.

WITCH DOCTOR #4
Este es el más grande reto del Doctor Morrow: una auditoría mágica sobre mal praxis médica. Los Místicos Sin Fronteras quieren respuestas. ¿Qué salió mal en el caso del Paciente de la Laguna Negra? ¿Cuál es el secreto biológico de las criaturas de lo profundo? ¿Y cómo combatir una epidemia que convierte a la gente en gente-pez?

Penelope Montagnii - Paz Centenario (Barranco)

"A Flight of Angels" (Vertigo)

“What is evil? True evil? What quality is it in another human being that makes us shrink from them in terror? Not, surely, simply the capacity for violence. A killer’s murderous blow, the angry stamp of a boot, a madman’s rage – vicious, perhaps, but truly evil? Most of us would say no. These are acts motivated by passion, and passion is something we understand, something we are all capable of. No, what chills us to the marrow – a thing so alien that it seems a perversion of all that is human – is violence without passion. The killer who destroys his prey with emotionless efficiency. Cold and calculating, with him there is no reasoning, and between us there can be no meeting point. We know he exists. We call him monster, and we pray that his merciless gaze never falls upon us”. John Wagner. From 2000AD prog 1570.

I loved Wagner’s introduction for this new Judge Dredd story, and something motivated me to write what could be considered one of my first scripts (well, sort of).

Top 10: Yellow Kid & Rocketeer homages 

DAN:

Dan’s reflection in the mirror seemed to sprawl all over the clean surface. Was he merely a vagrant kid as his mother seemed to suggest? Or something else entirely? He went downstairs. TV was on and he overheard the news: a killer slashing certain parts of their victim's body; an MO repeating itself; there were so many of this psychotic cutthroats populating the news lately. Was it not clear for him, was it not clear for him at all, that things were far more unusual than they used to be? This wasn’t a normal day.

This time, he would be prepared in case of another skirmish with Bob should come to pass: Bob, the boastful bully. As Dan grabs his backpack, he snoozes, and milk jets out of his nose. Ah, to be an American stripling in the 21st century. Oft he felt defenseless. If only he were a might-thewed warrior. If only Bob and the other idiots would stop teasing him at school. If only.

(…to be continued)

Oh, and before I start with my new review, I thought it'd be funny to show you a couple of references / homages from Top 10: The Forty-Niners.

Top 10: Popeye the Sailor Man, Captain Haddock & Corto Maltés homages

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Top 10: Clark Kent & Jor-El homages 

Ayer jueves hubo un sinnúmero de actividades en Barranco, además de la muestra Desenfranquiciados en Edith Sachs, la colectiva de Galería Wu Ediciones y la inauguración de Don Bosco, la recientemente restaurada casona barranquina, hubo un evento que eclipsó a todos los demás: la inauguración simultánea de cuatro establecimientos de lujo, recién construidos como parte del proyecto de Paz Centenario. 

Entre ellos están Gourmet Market, con una amplia cava de vinos e insumos gourmet; y diversas casas especializadas en exclusivos productos de diseño como Atelier, Casa Callpa y Kalyca.

No obstante, tal vez lo mejor de esta fiesta de lujo fue Penélope Montagnii, que reúne prestigiosas firmas de nuestro medio como Andrea Llosa, Alberto Patiño Núñez, Brix, Fito Espinoza, MDesign, Butzke, Black & Blum y Vaçide Erda Zimic. 

En Penélope puede encontrarse una amplia gama de productos para el hogar, y todas son creaciones únicas, originales, inimitables, los precios van desde 100 soles para un sujeta-puertas, hasta 700 soles por una silla, o 4200 soles por un sofá con tapiz bordado a mano. Lo importante es que todo lo que se exhibe en estas tiendas obedece a los más altos estándares de la estética y la creatividad.

Además de encontrarme con el editor de Art Motiv, José Medina, y Mariloli de Koechlin, estuve buena parte de la noche conversando con Hugo Alegría, y también hablé con algunos amigos de mi colegio como Juan Diego Capurro. 

Ante las interminables bandejas de champagne, que duraron desde las siete hasta las diez de la noche, hubo un momento en que no me quedó más opción que decir ‘no gracias’, me pasó lo mismo con las más de quince variedades de bocadillos gourmet, salados y dulces, que siguieron saliendo hasta el final del evento. 

my drawing / mi dibujo

Los lectores habituales del blog recordarán que rara vez me doy por saciado, pero en esta ocasión llegó un punto en que simplemente tuve que sentarme y rechazar las sugerencias de los mozos que se seguían acercando para ofrecerme más y más cosas.


Con un auspicioso comienzo, estoy seguro que estos locales progresarán y formarán parte de la ya variada oferta barranquina. Además, próximamente se inaugurarán en este mismo espacio nuevas tiendas, que completarán una propuesta en la que priman la sofisticación y el buen gusto. Salud por ello. 

José Luis Carranza - El reflejo de la muerte (Galería Enlace)

José Luis Carranza (óleo)

I used to work in the Ritz Carlton –Key Biscayne, in Florida, with people not only from the US but also from a number of countries in South and Central America as well as some European countries. 

In fact, I shared an apartment with four 'foreign' (or foreigner than I was) guys, one of them was from Korea and the other two were from Turkey. 

It was a pleasant surprise to realize that despite our cultural differences we were able to get along just fine. I have to admit that I had never talked to people from neither of those countries, and it was very interesting to be part of a group of individuals from such different backgrounds.

It was important to be fluent in English, because the only way to communicate with men and women from countries like France, Rumania or Turkey was through a common language. Although some of them could speak Spanish at a beginner’s level, I guess being in Florida made it necessary; after all, many Hispanics reside in the sunny state.

José Luis Carranza (óleo)

I learned to keep an open mind about people that I would have normally considered as “different”. When I first found out that I was going to live with Turkish and Korean guys I have to admit that I was somehow preoccupied. 

However, after sharing my time with them I understood that we weren’t so different after all. 

After a few days I found out that we had things in common. For example, the Korean guy was a comic book collector just like I am. And a couple of the Turkish guys were very interested in computer games. There were differences between us, but I decided that none of those differences should cause any trouble between us. 

What I did was try to find what we had in common, to find something that could bring us together instead of focusing on the details that might have driven us apart. 

my sketch / mi boceto

My Turkish friends used to have a cup of tea every afternoon, very much like I suppose the British do; occasionally I joined them in this activity that seemed almost like a ritual. They used to go to bed early, so I avoided making noise. My Korean friend always had a lot of questions, he was amazed by everything, it was his first visit to the United States; I knew I had to be patient, and so I was, and I answered a lot of his questions.

And yet, here I am in Lima, Perú, and I'm still appalled by the level of hatred and intolerance that I see almost on a daily basis. Is it so hard for Peruvians to get along? Or is it just that I'm so naive to think that if I can make things work out between Koreans and Turkeys and Muslims then I can make things work here? Frankly, I don't know.
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José Luis Carranza (acuarela)

El día de ayer se inauguró “El reflejo de la muerte”, la última muestra del año de la Galería Enlace; en esta ocasión, los extraordinarios cuadros de José Luis Carranza nos recuerdan por qué es uno de los mejores artistas jóvenes del Perú. 

Carranza ya ha ganado importantes premios en nuestro medio, y pese a la fama y las posibles distracciones que podrían acompañar al éxito, ha logrado mantener la disciplina que todo creador necesita. Así, por ejemplo, el artista supo aprovechar su estadía en Francia para perfeccionar la técnica de la acuarela, y hoy presenta una serie de cuadros en pequeño formato en donde se aprecia un trabajo exquisito del color, y una refinación que sólo podría alcanzarse tras arduos años de empeño y que Carranza, no obstante, ha logrado en poco tiempo.

Sus cuadros al óleo, en gran formato, han sido siempre un ejercicio magnífico de la imaginación; también son la unión armónica entre una brillante mente creativa y unas manos hábiles, ágiles, que traducen la personalidad siempre lúcida e inquisitiva del propio artista. Basta mirar los cuadros de Carranza con un poco de atención para intuir todo el proceso de concepción: desde la planificación, el diseño de los personajes, la acción y los cientos de detalles que en lugar de adornar, refuerzan y enriquecen imágenes ya de por sí poderosas. El estilo de Carranza es único, ha logrado imprimirle vida a unos seres de ojos acuosos, musgosos, humor vítreo  a medio camino entre la podredumbre y la mesa de disección.

José Luis Carranza (acuarela)

Mi amiga Paola Tejada me presentó a Carranza en setiembre del 2010, cuando inauguró su muestra individual en la Galería Yvonne Sanguineti. Pero antes de esa ocasión, ya había estado siguiendo con interés su obra. 

Sí recuerdo que el espacio de la galería barranquina quedaba un poco pequeño para Carranza, por eso celebro que Roberto Ascóniga haya organizado esta muestra en Enlace, y me alegra ver la gran acogida de “El reflejo de la muerte”. 

El martes, Renzo Rey y yo llegamos tardísimo a Enlace, y por supuesto nos quedamos sin vino y sin catálogo, pero eso no nos impidió admirar con entusiasmo la obra de Carranza. 

Me encontré con muchos amigos y artistas, como Gabriela Gastelumendi, Asad López de Castilla, John Chauca, Marcos Palacios, Iván Fernández Dávila, Eduardo Deza, Roberto Cores, etc. 

Estaré a la espera de futuras muestras, estoy seguro que serán maravillosas.