Lost_Johnny

To be fair, Constantine was messing around with non-demonic powered guys who can throw cars back in the pages of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing.

 

True... but there always felt something slightly pagan about the whole Swamp Thing thing and it did have a bit of class :icon_wink:

I'm being a bit unfair really - Robert Venditti does sound like a really good writer, I just can't see them being able to develop the character or stories enough (for me) within the restrictions that are inherent with the rebranding. I hope they succeed though, the politics of the situation are not Vendetti or Guede's fault and it's a brilliant opportunity for them.

Disturbs me a bit that he slightly resembles Gareth Southgate but maybe that's just me.

 

I think I'm going to skip - I don't think I can see past any story where he interacts with people who can fly or throw cars around... I suppose unless that revolves around some sort of paranormal/demonic power - which does sound a bit pathetic when I say it like that. Still I need a bit a gritty realism and at least one political attack on the Tories every arc.

 

Mind you last time I skipped was when I was pissed off that Jamie Delano was being replaced by Garth Ennis, which shows how much I know.

Late to the party again - just looking at Feb's solicitations and saw the bombshell, brought me back here to see the thoughts. Pretty much sums up the comics scene for me at the moment with a few exceptions. Bloody hell though no Hellblazer.... another peice of my world chipped away! Hope everyone is ok, sorry long time no see :) I'm up for celebratory pint in May if I can get down, if people don't mind me gate crashing after so long.

When I read The Devil You Know I mentioned that the nuances in the characters of Constantine Castor and Lucifer were more important than the similarities. In Vicious Circle, Castor's use of his friends is a lot closer to JC, but the central differences remain.

 

Castor is conceited. He thinks he is in control.

Constantine is arrogant. He knows he is in control.

Lucifer's narcissistic. He is in control.

Brown is autocratic. He is out of control.

Spot on with that analysis of the main characters mentioned in this thread! You're right that the small differences in each one make a world of difference to characters that would appear very similar at a glance - I just couldn't think how to sum that up briefly! I think Castor's flaws are the easiest to empathise with (eek there's that word again) for a general reader, his character feels more like the reluctant hero than the questionable motivativations behind Constantine, which is part of the different appeal of the two characters.

I've read them both and really enjoyed them. Don't want to make too much of the comparison between Castor and Constantine but the cynical bastard with a sarcastic edge, who uses biting one liners, is recognisable but the black humour is more obvious from Castor and works really well in the main.

 

Mike can certainly spin a yarn and the cliche of a book being a real page turner is totally fitting, I was up to 4am in the morning finishing the latest one as time just passed me by, not a boring section in either of them. I found the first one (The Devil You Know) slightly more enjoyable than Vicious Circle but only because I personally prefer spirits and ghosts to demons and monsters - I just find I can be spooked by a spook more than a scary big beast - but Castor weaves in and out of so many occult situations that he's going to end up meeting most of the denizens of the lower planes in each novel anyway. If I've got one small criticism it is that there are so many weaving threads that a few can start to telegraph where they're heading but in saying that it also means that, as a reader, you start to relax into a situation only for another plot aspect to suddenly blow up in your face, leaving you on the edge again, so maybe it's all part of the big plan! As said though they were both immensely enjoyable, my favourite reads of this year.

Stoke 5 Norwich 0.......... I am presently marinating my Stoke City beanie hat in preparation for eating it, after seeing Pulis turn us into a half decent attacking football team, we were actually good and yet again on loan Lee Hendrie shone out as the quality on the pitch, just hope we can hang onto our loan players past the three months

He’s tired of being played; he wants to be a player again.

Brilliant... is there a bigger reason behind this or has he just had enough? (now he just has to go and pick up the blue suit from the dry cleaners...)

Sorry reading back through you explained this at the time by saying he wanted to exert some control over his life. I guess what I'm trying to ask is what's the underlying reason though, or do we just have to wait to find out. I love the idea, it's where his character came from all those years ago but why push and interfere now, is it just purely that he's just had enough shit, enough feeling guilty or is there a more thought out moral basis? Why not just curl into a ball as he seems to be on the edge of doing so often recently?

 

Unrelated just wondering what series or mini series have impressed you most in the last couple of years? I notice you said that Mike Carey and John Paul Leon night be doing a one off special which is great as I love Mike's work and Winter Men with Leon's art has turned out to be one of my all time favourite mini series.

He’s tired of being played; he wants to be a player again.

Brilliant... is there a bigger reason behind this or has he just had enough? (now he just has to go and pick up the blue suit from the dry cleaners...)

Andy, congrats on getting the conjob (unless you were coerced or in dire financial straits - in which case commiserations).

 

I tend to find I enjoy Constantine's cynicism most when reading the comic, if I'm being honest it's probably because I'm very sad and feel I can relate to this aspect of his character - the truth of mid-life crisis... look I'm not boring ok, two kids and a mortgage but at least I can relate to a fictional comic book character who's a right cynical bastard! I was just wondering what aspects of Constantine's character appeals to you most, what's the main buzz when writing Hellblazer?

 

Anyway good luck with it, the synopsis for your first issue sounds right proper ace - oh and as you asked I love two issue stories (the Morrison/Lloyd one also being a personal fave) but really whatever it takes - a mixture is good - the unexpected etc.

Well fuck me... Stoke scored 4.... four and kept a clean sheet. I didn't see it so it's hard to know whether it was Leeds being utter shite or Stoke becoming the Brazil of the North Midlands! Actually my friend told me Leeds were shocking but that we played particularly well, with forgotten man Lee Hendrie the fulcrum of most of what was good.

 

All four goals were scored by players Pulis has bought in, either on Loan or as permanent signings, so I have to give credit to players and manager where due, as I have been quick to slag him off in the past... I still wait to be convinced that we've turned the corner but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Anyway we've got Roy's Rejects on Tuesday so I'm hoping our luck holds for a bit as it would be nice to do a number over them as well.

 

In other news Steve McClaren is said to be shocked at the level of criticism levelled at him after the England game..... so I'm guessing that understanding the football world and spotting the blindingly obvious are not part of his managerial strengths.

I was a bit underwhelmed by the whole Panarama football expose (transfer bungs) after all the build up. Big Sam and Dodgy Harry er well that was a surprise, still it will be interesting if there's enough on tape to file any charges but I think they can pretty much put the blame on others. I'm more hopeful of Chelski getting three points docked for tapping up the youngster from 'Borough.

 

And my dream of seeing Pulis disappear in a vortex of corruption emanating from Portsmouth and Rednapp proved to be as substantial as a free flowing attack from Stoke.

Bonus t-shirts to anyone who can spot the Constantine merchandise in the photo.

Warlord novel on the coffee table....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what's the picture prove anyway? You've shrunk and now can't reach the t-shirts or that once you've read all your Oracle manuals you'll get straight onto packaging the shirts up?

My argument is that besides Ellis' run, I wouldn't even call Hellblazer a horror title since Ennis' tenure.

I dunno I would still label it as Occult and therefore it could be shelved under a broader subject heading of Horror (and I'm a librarian so don't argue!)

Ellis was also having a dab at social (and political) commentary with Shoot and in some parts of Haunted.

My argument is that besides Ellis' run, I wouldn't even call Hellblazer a horror title since Ennis' tenure.

And I don't feel that Ennis' use of horror was particularly well-suited as social/political commentary. Ennis usually used scary demons and blood and gore.

A far remove from the psychological horrors of Jamie Delano.

I remember seeing an interview with Ennis where he stated that any use of political or social arguments was just another avenue by which a monster could be shoehorned into his stories.

No ideas what the problem with Carey or Mina is though: Carey had quite a lot to say about colonialism, among other things, and that last issue of Mina's everybody hated had certain undercurrents to it about events in London last year.

Agreed, but I think Delano shaped Constantine's character at the outset using social commentary, so it seems more integral to his tenure. Plus with the early stuff, if you tended to get a suited geezer in the late eighties then you tended to regard them as a yuppie until otherwise proven, so Constantine's early image was flying in the face of the greed associated with Thatcher.

New Casino Royale trailer...

I'm actually rather psyched. I've always kind of had a guilty pleasure out of the Bond movies, and this looks like a new take.

I lost interest in Bond movies towards the end of my teens but I've got to say that this second trailer makes the new one look like a decent thriller. I generally like Craig in most things I've seen him in so I might well give this one a go for a change.

I managed to get to see Tideland this weekend and I thought it was fantastic, not a universally held opinion judging from the audience. It dealt with some difficult subjects seen through the eyes of a young girl (about 12 I would guess). Basically as the daughter of two smack addicts the girl is introduced as trapped in a seedy world coping with looking after her parents during their vacations until her psychopathic Mother dies (right at the start). She and her more free spirited rock musician father (Jeff Bridges) then take off to follow his deluded dreams of travelling to Denmark (Jutland), via his Grandma's house out in the prairies.

In the girl's eyes this follows a path crossed somewhere between a dark Alice in Wonderland story mixed with Wizard of Oz. Her only friends seem to be a collection of dolls heads which act a bit like a split personality upon her until she meets a young man with a child's mental age, which may or may not be the result of brain surgery, and his paranoid and disturbing Mother. From there we deal with death, sexual awekenings and the legacy of abuse, which had a definite unsettling affect by viewing it through the eyes of a child.

You're basically taken on a ride through the fantasy world a child has created to survive the sort of trauma and situations which they would normally be either shielded from or at least have support with. Due to the child's eye view however, the situations tended to lurch from frivolity to terrifying but often these dark topics had a playful feel to them, while as an adult you could continue to see the sinister backdrop behind it all and for me this resulted in a compelling but uncomfortable film, which delivers you back to the reality you left almost gratefully.

 

I'm probably making it sound too deep, it's a typical Gilliam fairytale story crossing in and out of reality but the fairytale is just that bit darker this time.

Reina: Oh Andy lets forget all this football stuff - I love you!

 

Well I got to see my first Merseyside derby this weekend thanks to the blue half of the missus' family and it was a bit of a cracker (better than going to see Barnsley vs. Stoke at any rate). And my championing of Mr. Johnson for England will continue after this - he was bloody everywhere, awesome workrate and great vision. Apart from Gerrard, who was brilliant as ever, Kuyt looked the most likely for Liverpool after he was finally brought on (what's going on there? And where was Bellamy?) but Everton were well worth their win Osman was really good as well. Actually thinking about it - the whole of Everton's midfield battled well.

 

On the local front apparently Pulis (Stoke's manager), who you can probably remember I rate about as high as a jellied eel (that's not strictly true - I like jellied eels) was booed by Stoke fans after normal tactics saw us give away a two goal lead. The lastest shit he's been spouting is that because people from the Potteries are "Aard working honest salt of the earth types" we will forgive a team not playing exciting attacking football as long as all the players are working Aard and giving 110% - oh and all the problems have been caused by the evil foreigners from the previous board - that were admittedly nearly as shit as the new board (who were the old board before the old board if you get what I mean) but at least they weren't as devious as ths bunch of tossers!

I'm trying to remember what it felt like to read this for the first time, I came to it through a friend and had started reading during the The Fear Machine, so it wasn't the freshness that some would have got by starting at the beginning. But reading through it now I love the Faces on the Street introduction, it gives us some of the great basic concepts: betting on the exact time of Lyndon Johnson's heart attack, South London accent tinged with scouse, smallish fit looking fellow?? Don't know about that anymore. Anyway for me a great intro.

 

The urban scenes of London at the start are very evocative, the art appeals to me (although it is a bit inconsistent) but I've always enjoyed a scratchy type style to a polished look, so I guess that's partly why. The coloring is very different to today's style though, it looks as if they had a job lot of primary colours to get rid of - some of it works, some doesn't. I love the way Ridgway portrays rain soaked streets with lined reflections.

 

The story is great and it does feel strange to see a big monster so early up doesn't it. No holds barred exorcism and occult dealings stuffed in all the way through. I think Delano's talent shines through so quickly for me because he can hold together the central story of the AWOL demon, fit in the back story of the previous possession, introduce Constantine and large parts of his personality, hint at his Ghosts, have him in three different continents and still fit in a bit of social commentary - quotes about the empire, racist abuse, famine etc. and yet it flows really well, perhaps not for others though?

 

The prose within Constantine's introspective running narration is really fantastic as well, especially on the first few pages - something that I guess you take for granted so much that it is only this reading that has really brought it home to me...

 

Toothless gnawing of an early November Wind.

 

The streets are hardened arteries leading to the City's dead heart.

 

I inhale the City's breath -- rain-soaked diesel.

awesome

 

Negatives - Silk Cut?? Fer fucksake Jamie you could have asked anyone

 

Ok I'm probably on a nostalgia trip here and I'm often accused of over praising things I like, before having their flaws pointed out to me. So I'll see if anyone can knock my happy thoughts down a few pegs when I get back after the weekend.

Done. I'm going to be in Liverpool all weekend, so I may miss the action but hopefully the battle may still be raging when I return to give the definitive opinion

Got dragged along to see Wicker Man, one of my all time faves and everyone's assumptions were pretty much correct - For fucksake Why? The whole central conceit of the main character being a God fearing virgin is gone (replaced with the character suffering trauma induced mental instability and rejection) also gone is the totally believable island community, replaced by a Sisterhood of bee keepers who don't even dance around in the nuddie. Call emselves pagans - bah!

 

Skipped along happily to see Severance and to echo all and sundry a bloody good time was had by all.

 

I'm off to Liverpool this weekend and am lucky enough to coincide with Gilliam's Tideland, so should get to see it - although it's had some pretty lousy reviews but here's hoping. I'll let y'all know my opinions when i get back.

Happy Birthday to the Little Big Man! Hope he has a great time.

 

Three is such an ace age isn't it Charlie (I can remember it really well ) they have enough skills, blind confidence and stubborness to think they can do anything - I broke Gabe's heart yesterday when I had to explain to him that no matter how big he grew, he wouldn't be able to fly like Superman, I didn't want to crush his hopes but I was too worried he'd go for it out of the bedroom window.

I gave him loads of alternatives - he could fly helicoptors, race motorbikes (Nik is dead worried about that one) but as soon as she came home, he ran up to her burst into tears and sobbed "Daddy realised (his favourite word at the moment) I not fly like Superman when I big".

 

How's it all going with double trouble by the way? Did we ever find out the origins to Sam's name, I was hooked with anticipation.

Stoke succumbed to the 10 men of mighty Darlington 2 -1 in the League Cup tonight. To be fair quite a few Championship sides bit the dust, but Darlington were down to 10 men after 12 minutes - 15 minutes later we were 1 nil up... fuck it's going to be a long season.

Mark, what's the deal?

Well it's just a personal observation innit! I like his covers a lot but I much prefer the ones based in a urban setting (I guess by that, I mean Pub!).

 

Of course Denise knew what she was doing with the Praexis... well I hoped she did (cough).... it's all gonna come together I tell ya.

And Castor!

 

but an F- for your image posting skillls.

 

(what will really bake you mind is how I knew what you were trying to post even though I can't see it)

 

Copying an image URL isn't that mind-baking, is it?

 

No idea why that image didn't work. Neither did another five that I tried from various unrelated websites, but I thought it might just not be my PC displaying the images.

 

#http://www.jourdanton.k12.tx.us/elem/A%20.png

should have been

#http://www.jourdanton.k12.tx.us/elem/A%2b.png

 

you're probably still still to whacked out on mind altering substances like the rest of those young delinquents who invaded peaceful Staffordshire this weekend!

 

Castor - of course, but on second thoughts we don't really want ITV doing it do we? They'd probably pick Reg out of The Bill to play him!

I noticed earlier in the day that for some reason nearly all mentions of Morgan Freeman have been replaced by Condemned (they had Se7en on my list of recommendations). Am I missing something, is this some sort of joke, cock up, has Amazon been hacked or is Morgan in serious danger from a cyber stalker and I should write the screenplay now?