June comic books / cómics de junio

In May I picked Morning Glories # 18 as the best issue of the month. Now this time it’s a tie between Hit-Girl # 1 and Astonishing X-Men # 51. Hit-Girl was really great and I’ll write a full review on this first issue in due time. Astonishing X-Men, on the other hand, was a wonderful surprise. I had never read anything by Marjorie Liu and I absolutely loved her story. The fears and insecurities of Northstar as his wedding day approaches are intense and honest. Discrimination is also made evident as even some of the X-Men refuse to attend this gay wedding. Issue # 51 made me remember everything that I love about X-Men, as well as the whole concept of mutants, prejudice and heroism. Fantastic issue! Hypernaturals # 1 and Extermination # 1 were quite impressive, I’d really like to read more of these titles. The Boys # 67 and Unwritten # 38 were very good too. Finally, I really enjoyed the conclusion of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Century 2009, it has some amazing moments, like the one in which Mina and Orlando are walking down the streets and Mina says that she was used to poverty and hunger in the Victorian age but what she sees now is something else... people in 2009 feel kike there is no point to anything. And then Orlando says that's what happens when culture becomes irrelevant. That moment right there is just brilliant. I won’t say more because I’m always against spoilers, but let’s just say that I had a lot of fun with June’s comics. And now, without further ado, last month’s list:

ASTONISHING X-MEN #51
(W) Marjorie M. Liu (A) Mike Perkins (CA) Dustin Weaver
The wedding of the century!

BOYS #67 (MR)
(W) Garth Ennis (A) Russell Braun (CA) Darick Robertson
Covers: Darick Robertson Writer: Garth Ennis Artist: Russ Braun Colorist: Tony Aviña  The ghosts of the Legend's past rise to haunt him, and in a way so do MM's- as he catches up with his daughter and finds out much, much more about her recent mistakes than he bargained for. Meanwhile Hughie investigates the recent tragedy and end up in an unexpected showdown... with Monkey? The bodycount mounts in part two of The Bloody Doors Off.

EXTERMINATION #1 MAIN CVRS
(W) Simon Spurrier (CA) John Cassaday & Various We Lost. They Won. In the wake of an apocalyptic alien invasion, the world's greatest super-heroes and deadliest super-villains must form an alliance to prevent their own extermination. Two arch-enemies, Nox, a driven hero, and Red Reaper, a ruthless villain, form a volatile partnership for the greater good. The enemy of your enemy is your friend - but will they be able to ultimately put aside their bitter past to prevent global genocide? What happens when all the battle lines are redrawn and foes become unlikely allies in a desperate war for the fate of the very planet - and the outcome of a species? Written by Simon Spurrier (X-Club, Fear Itself: The Home Front, Wolverine: Dangerous Games), Extermination is a superhero survival story by an author that boldly explores the dark crevices of an entire genre.

HIT-GIRL #1 (MR)
Hit-Girl spins off into her own blood-soaked series by the sales-busting creative team of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. This story takes place between Kick-Ass Volumes 1 and 2 as Mindy McCready tries to settle into life as a regular school-girl, but wants nothing more than to be dispensing hot justice to the scum of New York City. Her mother and step-father think she's doing her homework, but in reality she's taken Kick-Ass on as her sidekick and is training him up to punch, shoot and stab ... just like Daddy would have wanted. A limited edition variant by Leandro Fernandez will be released for this issue, as will a Variant (artist TBD) & John Romita Jr. Sketch Variant, and a Blank Cover Variant. NOTE: Variant supplies limited. Consult your retailer for availability. Scheduled to ship 06/27/12.


HYPERNATURALS #1 MAIN CVRS 
(W) Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (A) Brad Walker & Various (CA) Francesco Mattina & Various This July...A UNIVERSE TREMBLES. It is the far future; the human race has finally colonized the galaxy, preserving an era of prosperity that's only possible because of The Hypernaturals. They're a celebrated, galaxy-wide superhero task force that keeps the peace. That is, until they all mysteriously vanish. Now, as the galaxy teeters on the brink of chaos, it's up to a group of retired and long forgotten Hypernaturals -- and their novice recruits -- to save the galaxy from complete destruction. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, the superstar writing duo behind ANNIHILATION and THE LEGION, launch an all-new original series that takes cosmic super-heroes to a new frontier. Experience the special preview issue of THE HYPERNATURALS this May and pick up the #1 issue this July!

LOEG III CENTURY #3 2009 (MR) (C: 0-0-3)
(W) Alan Moore (A/CA) Kevin O'neill
The narrative reaches its cataclysmic conclusion in London 2009. The magical child whose ominous coming has been foretold for the past century has now been born and has grown up to claim his dreadful heritage. His promised age of unending terror can commence, the world can now be ended, and there is no League, extraordinary or otherwise, to stand in his way. The bitter, intractable war in Q'umar crawls bloodily to its fifth year, away in Kashmir a Sikh terrorist wages a holy war against Islam that must push the world into a nuclear holocaust, and in a London asylum there's a patient who insists she has all the answers.

Astonishing X-Men # 51

MORNING GLORIES #19 (MR)
Lights Out. Nobody home.

my drawing (pencils and inks) /
 mi dibujo (lápices y tintas)

MMW UNCANNY X-MEN TP VOL 05 
(W) Chris Claremont, John Byrne (A) John Byrne & Various (CA) John Byrne, Richard Isanove The X-Men had fought many battles, been on adventures spanning galaxies and grappled with enemies of limitless might - but nothing could prepare them for the most shocking struggle they would ever face. One of their own members, Jean Grey, has gained power beyond all comprehension, corrupting her into the Dark Phoenix! Now, the X-Men must decide: Is the life of the woman they cherish worth the existence of the entire universe?! It's the definitive X-Men tale, painstakingly restored for the Marvel Masterworks. Also featuring the seminal 'Nightcrawler's Inferno,' a Wolverine/Wendigo brouhaha guest-starring Alpha Flight, the original version of X-MEN #137 in which Jean Grey lived, and the Claremont/Buscema Phoenix tale from BIZARRE ADVENTURES #27. Collecting X-MEN (1963) #132-140, X-MEN ANNUAL (1970) #4, PHOENIX: THE UNTOLD STORY and BIZARRE ADVENTURES #27.

SAGA #4 (MR)
(W) Brian K. Vaughan (A/CA) Fiona Staples
story BRIAN K. VAUGHAN art / cover  FIONA STAPLES    Welcome to SEXTILLION, a distant planet where even your darkest fantasies become reality.  See why everyone's talking about this hit new ongoing adventure from BRIAN K. VAUGHAN and FIONA STAPLES!

UNWRITTEN #38 (MR)
(W) Mike Carey (A) Peter Gross (CA) Yuko Shimizu
The weird cultists who worship Tommy Taylor are the chief suspects in a series of bizarre disappearances - and a young, relentless detective thinks she's found a way to crack the case. Plus, puppetmaster Madame Rausch is on her deathbed - but can she find the strength to pull the final strings?

WALKING DEAD #99 (MR)
(W) Robert Kirkman (A/CA) Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn
story ROBERT KIRKMAN art / cover CHARLIE ADLARD & CLIFF RATHBURN  'SOMETHING TO FEAR' CONTINUES! The unthinkable happens, as we all gear up for next month's monumental issue 100!
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En mayo elegí Morning Glories # 18 como el mejor cómic del mes. En esta ocasión hay un empate entre Hit-Girl # 1 y Astonishing X-Men # 51. Hit-Girl estuvo increíble y escribiré una reseña sobre este primer ejemplar próximamente. Astonishing X-Men, por otro lado, fue una maravillosa sorpresa. Nunca había leído nada de Marjorie Liu y me encantó la historia. Los miedos y las inseguridades de Northstar conforme se acerca el día de la boda son intensos y honestos. La discriminación también se hace evidente cuando algunos de los X-Men se rehúsan a asistir a esta boda gay. Este # 51 me ha hecho recordar todo lo que siempre me ha encantado de los X-Men, y todo el concepto de los mutantes, el prejuicio y el heroismo. ¡Fantástico número! Hypernaturals # 1 y Extermination # 1 fueron bastante impresionantes, me gustaría leer los siguientes números. The Boys # 67 y Unwritten # 38 estuvieron muy buenos. Finalmente, realmente disfruté con la conclusión de League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Century 2009 y es que tiene momentos asombrosos, como cuando Mina y Orlando caminan por las calles y Mina dice que estaba acostumbrada a la pobreza y al hambre en la era Victoriana pero lo que ve ahora es algo distinto... en el 2009 la gente siente que nada tiene sentido. Y entonces Orlando responde que eso es lo que sucede cuando la cultura se vuelve irrelevante. Es un momento brillante. No diré más para no arruinar sorpresas, basta decir que realmente me divertí con los cómics de junio. Y ahora, sin más preámbulos, la lista del mes pasado:

ASTONISHING X-MEN #51
 El momento más esperado: ¡La boda del siglo!

BOYS #67 (MR)
 Los fantasmas del pasado de la Leyenda lo acosan. Mientras, una inesperada lucha ocurre, y la cuenta de los cadáveres sube.

EXTERMINATION #1 MAIN CVRS
 La invasión alienígena comienza, y los más grandes súper-héroes y villanos deben formar una alianza para prevenir su propia exterminación.

HIT-GIRL #1 (MR)
Por fin, se revela la historia que sucede entre KICK-ASS volumen 1 y volumen 2. Mindy trata de adaptarse a su vida como colegiala, pero lo único que quiere es ajusticiar a la escoria de New York. 

HYPERNATURALS #1 MAIN CVRS
 En un futuro lejano, la humanidad ha colonizado la galaxia, y la prosperidad es mantenida por los Híper-Naturales. Hasta que todos se desvanecen misteriosamente. Ahora que la galaxia está al borde del caos, los Híper-Naturales deberán reclutar y entrenar a un grupo de novicios.

LOEG III CENTURY #3 2009 (MR)
 La narrativa alcanza su impactante conclusión en Londres, en el 2009. La ominosa llegada del niño mágico que fue predicha el siglo pasado ha ocurrido, ahora él ha crecido y reclama su terrible herencia. La era prometida de terror sin fin puede comenzar, el mundo puede terminar, y no hay ninguna Liga, extraordinaria u ordinaria, que pueda enfrentarse a él. 

MORNING GLORIES #19 (MR)
 Las luces están apagadas. No hay nadie en casa.

MMW UNCANNY X-MEN TP VOL 05
 Guión y dibujos de Chris Claremont & John Byrne.

SAGA #4 (MR)
 Bienvenidos a un planeta en el que los deseos se hacen realidad.

UNWRITTEN #38 (MR)
 El extraño culto que idolatra a Tommy es el principal sospechoso en una serie de bizarras desapariciones.

WALKING DEAD #99 (MR)
 “Algo que temer” continúa. Y lo inesperado sucede.

El Capitán de los Cielos Intermedios - Fito Espinosa (Polifonía)

Borstal Boy (2000)
Directed by Peter Sheridan

Brendan Behan is a young Irish that understands the consequences of his actions when it's too late. Carrying explosives for the IRA, Brendan is apprehended during the first sequences of Peter Sheridan's film.

Here there is clearly a disruption between the boy's wishes and his actions. For undisclosed reasons he has perpetrated a most dire action against the integrity of the United Kingdom. Or he has had such a purpose, anyway. How far can one go when insurgence seems to be the only way out? In a troubled time, in a troubled Ireland, Brendan Behan risks everything and he fails.

He is arrested and sent to Borstal, to become yet another Borstal boy in a most peculiar penitentiary facility. Deprived of his liberty, he treats Charlie Milwall with hostility, although later he will develop an intense friendship with this young inmate. 

Estupenda edición de Polifonía

Behan is blinded by ideology. After all ideology is nothing more than a social construction which pertains many ambits of society. One could talk about the heterosexual normative as an ideology so strongly rooted that seems impossible to vanquish. In this case, the most obvious ideological weight comes from the ties Brendan has with the Irish Republic Army.

Además de la dedicatoria, Fito dibujó para mí este fantástico barco-avión

Authors as diverse as Daniel Bell and Albert Camus have written about the end of ideologies. Ideology can blind people and will always be influential in the way they see the world, regardless of the positive or negative outcome of this process, ideology is a perception of the world that leaves as strong a mark as one's own body or personal history. It's then logical that Brendan struggles to be faithful to the IRA's ideology failing over and over again.

Una de las muchas escenas encantadoras del libro 

Ideology also blinds Brendan when it comes to his true feelings. He tries to convince himself that he loves the warden's daughter. That is why at first he angrily repels Charlie's harmless advances. But then, very slowly, he starts to give in. They share one precious intimate moment before some prisoners attempt to abuse the warden's daughter. As a result Brendan has mere seconds to decide who he should protect. Must he embrace the norm, id est, heterosexuality or could he accept the forbidden, id est, homosexuality? Once again he denies his true self, and in doing so, he forever condemns Charlie to oblivion. Just as in the beginning of the film, Brendan will fully understand the consequence of his decision only when it's too late to change it. When he realizes there is nothing left to do, he truly opens his eyes. Ideology has fallen apart: his allegiance to the IRA is over, as well as his relationship with the warden's daughter. Brendan is at last, literally and metaphorically, free. 

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De izquierda a derecha: Pepe Recoba,
 Paul Martin y Luciano Mazzetti

El día jueves tuve tiempo suficiente para acudir a dos interesantes muestras, ambas en San Isidro. En primer lugar pude ver las maravillosas ilustraciones de Fito Espinosa, talentoso artista limeño que ha sabido poblar nuestra mente con ideas curiosas, extrañas, insólitas y, sobre todo, muy creativas. 

Así, la galería Atípico, reunía los mejores grabados, cuadros y esculturas de Fito. Esta también fue la noche del lanzamiento del libro "El Capitán de los Cielos Intermedios", en una bellísima edición en tapa dura. Menos mal que Gabriela Ibáñez, mi amiga y fundadora de Polifonía Editora, me pasó la voz a tiempo. 

El jueves 12 de julio también se inauguraba la muestra  “A veces me dan ganas de nacionalizarme culebra” en la Galería Vértice, una instalación interactiva de videoarte de Mariana Tschudi. Sin duda, una propuesta novedosa que romperá más de un esquema. Allí me encontré con Lucía Pardo, a quien conocí el mes pasado en la misma galería, en la muestra Paisajes Imaginarios II de Vivian Wolloh.

my inks / mis tintas

Ayer sábado Fito estuvo firmando libros en este mismo espacio, así que nuevamente estuve allí y en la noche me reuní una vez más con Gabriela, Ximena Basadre y Jaime Bryce, mis mejores -y únicos- amigos de la facultad de literatura de la PUCP (sólo faltó Gabriel Meseth, y eso que había prometido estar allí).

En fin, además de mostrarles la edición autografiada del libro y una viñeta que acabo de terminar de dibujar quería preguntarles si han visto algún capítulo de “La buena vida” programa de Plus TV que va de lunes a viernes a las 7pm. Los lectores asiduos del blog recordarán que en mayo escribí mis primeros guiones para la televisión, precisamente para este programa, y que asistí a la grabación del episodio piloto, una experiencia sin duda muy divertida. Si han visto el programa me encantaría escuchar sus opiniones. 

The Secret Service # 2 - Mark Millar & Dave Gibbons

Gary is 17 years old and he has already committed some crimes with a gang of underage delinquents. His underprivileged background and his lack of education would seem to condemn him to a lifetime of jail. However, his uncle Jack uses his influences to keep him out of prison. 

Jack is a spy working for the British Crown, not unlike the famous James Bond. He’s in the middle of an important case, but he also wants his nephew to train as a spy. So far, this kid has seen nothing but the ugly aspects of reality. If his personality is a result of his environment, then the general processes of identity development can depend on many factors. There is Freud’s superego (in this case, Gary feels guilty for the miserable life of his mother and brother), Klein’s multiple internalized part objects (Gary’s ambivalence), and Fairbairn’s central ego, libidinal ego, and anti-libidinal ego (the opposing needs and urges that are in constant turmoil inside the teenager’s head). But there’s something else about identity formation and delinquency. 

Gary has been abused by his godfather a few times. And children who experience an abundance of abandonment, rejection and/or criticism develop corresponding internalized punitive objects. Thus, for Gary, violence and anarchy are the lens through which he views the world. But at the same time, that’s how he perceives himself, like a worthless and despicable boy. There is also an evident link between adolescent identity formation and gang affiliation: an inchoate sense of self creates in Gary an insatiable need for acceptance, rules, and boundaries. Therefore, gangs, though destructive, provide the pathological substitute for that which was absent in childhood. But now that uncle Jack is part of his life, he will provide the kid with a whole new set of rules and limits.

Gary’s godfather thinks the boy is hopeless. Hopelessness denotes ineptitude, while helplessness implies hope is not yet lost. Gary is, indeed, helpless, but his apparent clumsiness and impotence come from his own insecurities and fears. It’s quite interesting to observe that in the opening pages of this issue, Millar describes a weapon that effectively disrupts personality and replaces logical thinking with pure violence and hostility. Will the same thing happen to Gary or will he eventually fight against the criminal mastermind behind such nefarious invention?

Dave Gibbons once again proves why he is one of the most sought after artists in the industry. His pages are an example of sequential narrative, clear and dramatic, intense and well-crafted. Just the cover alone is quite an amazing piece of art. Andy Lanning inks Dave’s pencils, and I think he does a terrific job. Same goes to Angus McKie, colorist extraordinaire. Matthew Vaughn (director of Kick-Ass and X-Men First Class) is the co-plotter of Secret Service, and I think he could do a fine job with this property if it is to be turned into a movie. 

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Gary tiene 17 años y ya ha cometido algunos crímenes con una pandilla de delincuentes menores de edad. Una baja extracción social y la falta de educación lo podrían condenar a una vida en prisión. Sin embargo, su tío Jack utiliza sus influencias para mantenerlo lejos de la cárcel.

Jack es un espía que trabaja para la corona británica, al igual que el famoso James Bond. Está en medio de un importante caso, pero también quiere que su sobrino se entrene como espía. Hasta ahora, este chiquillo no ha visto nada excepto el lado desagradable de la realidad. Si su personalidad es un resultado de su entorno, entonces el proceso general de desarrollo de la identidad dependerá de muchos factores. Está el superyó de Freud (en este caso, Gary se siente culpable de la vida miserable de su madre y su hermano), los múltiples objetos-parte internalizados de Klein (la ambivalencia de Gary), y el ego central, el ego libidinal y el ego anti-libidinal de Fairbairn (las necesidades y urgencias en constante oposición al interior de la cabeza del adolescente). Pero hay algo más sobre la formación de la identidad y la delincuencia.

El padrastro de Gary ha abusado de él varias veces. Y los niños que experimentan una abundancia de abandono, rechazo y/o críticas desarrollan los correspondientes objetos punitivos internalizados. Por ende, para Gary, el mundo es percibido a través de la violencia y la anarquía. Pero al mismo tiempo así es como se ve a sí mismo, como un chico inservible y despreciable. Hay también una relación evidente entre la formación de la identidad del adolescente y la afiliación a una pandilla: un sentido de sí mismo incipiente crea en Gary una necesidad insaciable de aceptación, reglas y límites. Por lo tanto, las pandillas, aunque destructivas, proveen el sustituto patológico de aquello que está ausente en la infancia. Pero ahora que el tío Jack es parte de su vida, él le proporcionará al muchacho un nuevo conjunto de reglas y límites.

my drawing from pencils to inks / mi dibujo de lápiz a tinta

El padrastro de Gary cree que el chaval no tiene esperanza. La desesperanza denota ineptitud, mientras que la indefensión implica que la esperanza aún no está perdida. Gary está, de hecho, indefenso, pero su aparente torpeza e impotencia vienen de sus propias inseguridades y temores. Es bastante interesante observar que en las páginas iniciales de este número, Millar describe un arma que de hecho distorsiona la personalidad y reemplaza el pensamiento lógico con violencia y hostilidad puras. ¿Lo mismo le sucederá a Gary o eventualmente luchará contra la mente criminal detrás de tan nefasto invento?

Dave Gibbons nuevamente demuestra por qué es uno de los artistas más buscados de la industria. Sus páginas son un ejemplo de secuencialidad narrativa, limpia y dramática, intensa y bien ejecutada. Sólo la portada es ya asombrosa. Las tintas de Andy Lanning funcionan muy bien sobre los lápices de Dave. Y Angus McKie hace un extraordinario trabajo con los colores. Matthew Vaughn (el director de "Kick-Ass" y "X-Men: First Class") colabora con el argumento, y creo que él haría un gran trabajo si es que "Secret Service" termina convirtiéndose en una película.

New Deadwardians # 3 - Dan Abnett

Chief inspector George Suttle has to resolve the strangest mystery he has ever faced: the inexplicable death of a vampire that, by all means, should not be dead. But what is the nature of life and death when we’re talking about immortal creatures that feed on human blood and cannot survive the sunlight? 

Dan Abnett has created a truly complex and surprising world. This is London in 1900, and royalty has recurred to vampirism in order to trample the endless hordes of living dead that were about to overrun the capital of the British Empire. These zombies, these ‘restless’ are now outside the fences of the city, and the normal human beings are the working class that must pay obedience to a vampiric aristocracy.

Suttle is a competent detective and so he has found a clue about the murder he is keen on resolving: a brothel in Zone B, the urban ghetto populated entirely by normal human beings. After talking to a prostitute Suttle shares with her a rather odd confession about his past, before he turned into a vampire: “I was a healthy young man. I had desires. Passions. I had what I believe is known as a libido”. It has been decades since the last time George Suttle experienced sexual arousal, it has been decades since the last time he tasted a meal or had a dream. It has been so long that sometimes he can’t even remember the pleasure of dreaming or eating. The life of a vampire has deprived him of many of the things human beings take for granted. 

“You miss life”, explains the prostitute, the human life, that is. George Suttle and the rest of the noble men and women of London are now undead creatures. Does this mean they are no longer human? They have immortality and consciousness while the restless have endurance and insatiable hunger. Perhaps, in order to define inhumanity we should read Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, there the philosopher introduced a rather revealing distinction between negative and indefinite judgment: if we want to negate a statement such as 'the soul is mortal' we have two options. We can either deny the predicate ('the soul is not mortal'), or affirm the non-predicate ('the soul is non-mortal'). A simple linguistic difference? It might look trivial unless you’ve seen a horror movie and you know that to affirm that someone 'is not dead' or 'is undead' are two entirely different situations. 

The protagonist of New Deadwardians is not dead, he is undead. But there is also an indefinite judgment, a third domain which undermines the distinction between dead and non-dead: the 'undead' (vampires in this comic book) are neither alive nor dead, and in this in-between places George Suttle finds only suffering. The monstrous 'living dead', the restless, are very much like him, not entirely dead, but not entirely alive either.

After three issues we finally see the main character as a man with weaknesses, as a man who was once human and can’t stop thinking about humanity. Here, there is also a difference between 'he is not human' and 'he is inhuman'. 'He is not human' would mean that he is an animal or an extraterrestrial creature, while 'he is inhuman' means something strongly dissimilar. The chief inspector doesn’t seem to be as inhuman as other British vampires, but he isn’t human anymore. He is marked by a terrifying excess which, although it negates what we understand as humanity, is inherent to human beings. And perhaps, precisely because of that, George Suttle is transfigured into a very tragic hero, someone that we can relate to, despite the unnatural condition of his existence.

The New Deadwardians # 1 & The New Deadwardians # 2  
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El inspector en jefe George Suttle debe resolver el más extraño misterio que ha encontrado: la inexplicable muerte de un vampiro que debería seguir vivo.  Pero, ¿cuál es la naturaleza de la vida y la muerte cuando estamos hablando de criaturas inmortales que se alimentan de sangre humana y no pueden sobrevivir a la luz del sol? 

Dan Abnett ha creado un mundo verdaderamente complejo y sorprendente. En este Londres de 1900, la realeza ha recurrido al vampirismo para aplastar a las inacabables hordas de muertos vivientes que están a punto de asolar la capital del imperio británico. Estos zombis, estos 'seres que no descansan', están ahora al otro lado de las rejas de la ciudad, y los seres humanos normales son la clase obrera que debe obedecer a la aristocracia vampírica.

Suttle es un detective competente y ha encontrado una pista sobre el asesinato: un burdel en la Zona B, el gueto urbano poblado enteramente por seres humanos normales. Luego de conversar con una prostituta, Suttle comparte con ella una confesión sobre su pasado, antes de convertirse en un vampiro: "Yo era un joven saludable. Tenía deseos. Pasiones. Tenía lo que creo que es conocido como libido". Han pasado décadas desde la última vez que George Suttle se excitó sexualmente, han pasado décadas desde la última vez que saboreó una comida o logró soñar. Ha pasado tanto tiempo que a veces ya no puede recordar el placer de soñar o comer. La vida del vampiro lo ha privado de muchas de las cosas que los seres humanos consideramos como constantes.

my sketch / mi boceto

"Extrañas la vida", le explica la prostituta, y se refiere a la vida humana. George Suttle y el resto de los nobles londinenses son ahora criaturas no-muertas. ¿Significa que ya no son humanos? Tienen inmortalidad y consciencia mientras que los 'seres que no descansan' tienen resistencia y un hambre insaciable. Tal vez, para definir la inhumanidad deberíamos leer la "Crítica de la razón pura" de Kant, allí el filósofo hace una distinción entre un juicio negativo y uno indefinido: si queremos negar una afirmación como "el alma es mortal", tenemos dos opciones. Podemos negar el predicado (el alma no es mortal) o afirmar el no-predicado (el alma es no-mortal). ¿Una simple diferencia linguística? Podría parecer trivial a menos que hayan visto películas de terror y sepan que afirmar que alguien 'no está muerto' o 'es un no-muerto' son dos situaciones del todo distintas.

El protagonista de "New Deadwardians" no está muerto, es un no-muerto. Pero también hay un juicio indefinido, un tercer dominio que subvierte la relación entre muertos y no-muertos: los no-muertos (en este cómic los vampiros) no están ni vivos ni muertos, sino en un 'entre dos mundos' que hace sufrir a Suttle. Los monstruosos muertos vivientes, los 'seres que no descansan', son parecidos a él, no están enteramente muertos pero tampoco enteramente vivos.

Después de tres capítulos finalmente vemos al personaje central como un hombre con debilidades, como un hombre que fue humano alguna vez y que no puede dejar de pensar en la humanidad. Aquí, también hay una diferencia entre 'él no es humano' y 'él es inhumano'. 'Él no es humano' significaría que es un animal o un extraterrestre, mientras que 'él es inhumano' significa algo muy distinto. El inspector en jefe no parece ser tan inhumano como otros vampiros, pero ya no es humano. Está marcado por un aterrador exceso que, aunque niega lo que entendemos como humanidad, es inherente al ser humano. Y tal vez, precisamente por eso, George Suttle es transfigurado en un héroe trágico, alguien con quien nos identificamos, a pesar de la condición nada natural de su existencia.

The New Deadwardians # 1 & The New Deadwardians # 2  

300 POSTS

137,918 visits. 1,600 comments posted. 345 followers. And 300 posts! Indeed, it’s almost 2 years of relentless efforts bringing you the very best comic book and film reviews, as well as the occasional art section featuring my works or works by renowned artists. When I started this blog I didn't expect much, and in almost no time it became my main venue to express my opinions about everything that I enjoy reading or watching. 

137,918 visits & 300 posts /  137,918 visitas  & 300 posts

I think that the 300th post calls for a celebration, and coincidentally (I didn’t plan this, I swear it) today it’s also my birthday. I’m 28 now. So that doubles the amount of reasons to celebrate, and of course none of this would have been possible without the continuous support of my fellow readers. I’d like to thank each and every one of you, and most especially those who have generously shared their time writing comments on my posts: Michael Lapinski, Keith Philip Silva, casey jones, THE BOY, Nuno Amado, [Maxwell], Olvin Otero, Film Geek Bastard, LJ-90, ★MaRiBeL★, Damian, Christian Ingebrethsen, Critical +, Maxtian, César Hernández-Meraz, Guido Cuadros F.A., Javier, Alisha Residenc, chikito, david abraham basualdo silva, H. Jordan, Media Mentions, jaymcfly, Kin G. Haro, Kevin Tam, frank, Glenn Matchett, sdsichero, Dany, The Korinthian, Loot, S., Alejandro Salgado Baldovino, Marxe, Justo, Bongop, Yota, Slewo Oshana, Martin Gray, el baúl de efe, Iván Fernández Dávila, Jolan, José, Andreé Ferro, movie lad, Rodrigo Moral, Bruce, Jcrash, Daniela Ortiz, Erik...!!!, ludobit, Sergio Vázquez González, Bill D. Courtney, Lou Kou, Covalesky, Karen P. Smith, Éreber, Pedro López Manzano, Maese ABL, Edch, O. Douglas Jennings, Anna, Raúl Martin, Carlos, KPHM42, Elgart, Rob Wells, Luisa, Jimmy Fungus, Come At Me Bro, Aknaton, Billy Franco, Zap McBlowfist, Mo Sweat, Noe, Antonio Heras, Cinema Channel, Matthew Hurst, Marxe, Equusboy, Gonxalo Oyanedel, jh0n, Axis, marcosprior, supermarc, Andrés Eduardo Pío Chicué Sónico, Humbert C. Christopher, David Aspmo, jrc, Trickle Down BS, Korsgaard, Orang3, anonblog, Schafer, H A R R Y G O A Z, My 2 Pesos, BragonDorn, Juan Alarcón, MONO, Writer, Greg, Natalia Cuestas, Michele del Campo, Bruce, PAblo, James O' Callaghan, tristan, J.A.Rubio, MAK- God of Brutality, Rodrigo Castro, Pumara, Xas, °o.O_g뮧h¤n_Å£ë×¥û_O.o°, Charles R. Rutledge, Violeta Montiel, Jason Snyder, Kyoto, James Roberts, carlos lavida, :::X@Vy:::, Stephen Day, ATREYU, Uno, MAY ABDALA, Baxter's Briefs, joac, Seth, Lou Kou, Alexander, Obivalderobi, oscar, verbal, Chapulin Colorado, Warren C. E. Austin, Anwar, To Tipota, Cristian, Vaquero Jack, Dysyd, kafkiano, Jesús, Ricardo Sotomayor V., MRL, Camille Dewing, Saidi of the 90's, Anne, CAAAAAAT, Draw, David, John M. Coker, A.Maínez, Mario, JC, Aaron Beepat, colectivo adokin, Roy Bean, Roman Harrington, Salviano Adão, Noa, deWitt, BCNdays, Chamico, Bea Cepeda, Mariano Bayona Estradera, Jose Ramon Santana Vazquez, ψ Psimento ψ, Le Tonton Cinéphile, Okubo, Paco Hernández, Plomo, José Ricardo García Corcuera, João Amaral, El Pobresor Gafapasta, corsariosinrostro, Mariano, lagarto, Dr.Clones Monster Asylum, Dibujos Hombres para hombres, Top blogs, ¤¥rคtђเ£ℓ¤, FrAnCeScO, labaladadelmarsalado, Juanita, David Bird, Miky, KY, ScienceOfficerSmith, Bira, J. feat. J., pandesal, Martin Tin tin, ANTHRÔPOS, jonjuanjon, Rimanlo, Gustavo Racca, Getúlio FM, kh20111, Freakybatman, Samantha DeCarlo, Judy, Bertoff, Bertoff, Jayelet, pretha, BlackRose, Henrique Moura Paula Pinto, nixugong, gizosafe, Arandanofea, derekwc, juxafill, Currey, Peter Fong, Olabisi, victoria, *•..Vacío Mundanal..•*, Pipiripunk, Scotty, OZNA-OZNA, Carlos Carlinhos Getúlio, Riccy, Victoria Sahores Ripoll, The Inqueerer, Zea, GLX, Indie-underground-Gay, Mayma, Luna,  Alex Weir, Ana, un Hada al Sur del Mundo, Arald, caotico_jq, William De Baskerville, yosonico, funguy175, ATO'S MOVIE BLOG… and of course to all the anonymous people who have contributed to the debate. And finally a special salute to comic book authors who have read my blog such as Neil Gaiman (via twitter), Gianluca Pagliarani (Aetheric Mechanics), German Nobile (Caligula), Tradd Moore & Felipe Sobreiro (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode).   

Now let’s raise our glasses and make a toast!

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MAUS: Regalo de cumpleaños anticipado
(cortesía de www.nocreoqueseasreal.pe)

137,918 visitas. 1,600 comentarios escritos. 345 seguidores. ¡Y 300 posts! De hecho, son casi 2 años de incansable esfuerzo trayéndoles las mejores reseñas de cómics y películas, así como la ocasional sección de arte con mis trabajos así como con la obra de artistas de renombre. Cuando empecé este blog lo hice sin mayores expectativas, y en poco tiempo se convirtió en el espacio más importante para expresar mi opinión sobre todo lo que disfruto leyendo o viendo.  

My sketch for a new comic /
Mi boceto para un nuevo cómic 

Creo que el post 300 merece una celebración, y por esas coincidencias hoy también es mi cumpleaños (esto no ha sido planeado, de verdad). Tengo 28 años ahora. Así que eso duplica la cantidad de razones para celebrar, y por supuesto nada de esto hubiera sido posible sin el continuo apoyo de mis amigos lectores. Me gustaría agradecer absolutametne a todos y muy especialmente a aquellos que han compartido su tiempo generosamente al escribir comentarios sobre mis posts: Michael Lapinski, Keith Philip Silva, casey jones, THE BOY, Nuno Amado, [Maxwell], Olvin Otero, Film Geek Bastard, LJ-90, ★MaRiBeL★, Damian, Christian Ingebrethsen, Critical +, Maxtian, César Hernández-Meraz, Guido Cuadros F.A., Javier, Alisha Residenc, chikito, david abraham basualdo silva, H. Jordan, Media Mentions, jaymcfly, Kin G. Haro, Kevin Tam, frank, Glenn Matchett, sdsichero, Dany, The Korinthian, Loot, S., Alejandro Salgado Baldovino, Marxe, Justo, Bongop, Yota, Slewo Oshana, Martin Gray, el baúl de efe, Iván Fernández Dávila, Jolan, José, Andreé Ferro, movie lad, Rodrigo Moral, Bruce, Jcrash, Daniela Ortiz, Erik...!!!, ludobit, Sergio Vázquez González, Bill D. Courtney, Lou Kou, Covalesky, Karen P. Smith, Éreber, Pedro López Manzano, Maese ABL, Edch, O. Douglas Jennings, Anna, Raúl Martin, Carlos, KPHM42, Elgart, Rob Wells, Luisa, Jimmy Fungus, Come At Me Bro, Aknaton, Billy Franco, Zap McBlowfist, Mo Sweat, Noe, Antonio Heras, Cinema Channel, Matthew Hurst, Marxe, Equusboy, Gonxalo Oyanedel, jh0n, Axis, marcosprior, supermarc, Andrés Eduardo Pío Chicué Sónico, Humbert C. Christopher, David Aspmo, jrc, Trickle Down BS, Korsgaard, Orang3, anonblog, Schafer, H A R R Y G O A Z, My 2 Pesos, BragonDorn, Juan Alarcón, MONO, Writer, Greg, Natalia Cuestas, Michele del Campo, Bruce, PAblo, James O' Callaghan, tristan, J.A.Rubio, MAK- God of Brutality, Rodrigo Castro, Pumara, Xas, °o.O_g뮧h¤n_Å£ë×¥û_O.o°, Charles R. Rutledge, Violeta Montiel, Jason Snyder, Kyoto, James Roberts, carlos lavida, :::X@Vy:::, Stephen Day, ATREYU, Uno, MAY ABDALA, Baxter's Briefs, joac, Seth, Lou Kou, Alexander, Obivalderobi, oscar, verbal, Chapulin Colorado, Warren C. E. Austin, Anwar, To Tipota, Cristian, Vaquero Jack, Dysyd, kafkiano, Jesús, Ricardo Sotomayor V., MRL, Camille Dewing, Saidi of the 90's, Anne, CAAAAAAT, Draw, David, John M. Coker, A.Maínez, Mario, JC, Aaron Beepat, colectivo adokin, Roy Bean, Roman Harrington, Salviano Adão, Noa, deWitt, BCNdays, Chamico, Bea Cepeda, Mariano Bayona Estradera, Jose Ramon Santana Vazquez, ψ Psimento ψ, Le Tonton Cinéphile, Okubo, Paco Hernández, Plomo, José Ricardo García Corcuera, João Amaral, El Pobresor Gafapasta, corsariosinrostro, Mariano, lagarto, Dr.Clones Monster Asylum, Dibujos Hombres para hombres, Top blogs, ¤¥rคtђเ£ℓ¤, FrAnCeScO, labaladadelmarsalado, Juanita, David Bird, Miky, KY, ScienceOfficerSmith, Bira, J. feat. J., pandesal, Martin Tin tin, ANTHRÔPOS, jonjuanjon, Rimanlo, Gustavo Racca, Getúlio FM, kh20111, Freakybatman, Samantha DeCarlo, Judy, Bertoff, Bertoff, Jayelet, pretha, BlackRose, Henrique Moura Paula Pinto, nixugong, gizosafe, Arandanofea, derekwc, juxafill, Currey, Peter Fong, Olabisi, victoria, *•..Vacío Mundanal..•*, Pipiripunk, Scotty, OZNA-OZNA, Carlos Carlinhos Getúlio, Riccy, Victoria Sahores Ripoll, The Inqueerer, Zea, GLX, Indie-underground-Gay, Mayma, Luna,  Alex Weir, Ana, un Hada al Sur del Mundo, Arald, caotico_jq, William De Baskerville, yosonico, funguy175, ATO'S MOVIE BLOG… y por supuesto a todos los anónimos que han contribuido al debate. Y finalmente un saludo especial a los autores de cómics que han leído mi blog tales como Neil Gaiman (vía twitter), Gianluca Pagliarani (Aetheric Mechanics), German Nobile (Caligula), Tradd Moore & Felipe Sobreiro (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode).   

¡Levanten sus copas y hagan un brindis!