Perfection, Poor-Parenting and Digging the Longbox

I'm thinking of the Seinfeld episode when Kramer, Jerry and Newman are arguing over which day(s) of the week have a 'feel,' answer: all of them, depends on the person. I feel August. In Vermont, August means the beginning of the harvest -- hot days (mostly), cool nights (always) and a feel of change around the corner. 

New comics come out all the time (thank Crom!), but I'll always cop a feel from August because that's when DC's 'New 52' kicked off and I wandered -- like a child, Donny, like a child -- back into the world of comic books. I've been writing a lot as of late and it has been too long between reprints, so my apologies for the dearth.

First, I hope you got a chance to read my review of Vertigo's Collider posted right here on this very blog. I really want this series to succeed. I have some issues with the execution, but not the overall concept and the art is exceptional. What can I say, support creator-owned comics.

Twitter is my go-to method to talk comics. Who knew the philosophical navel-gazing one can get into at only 140 characters a pop? I find co-writing articles so much fun because it allows for the 'Kirby Krackle' of conversation and for editing -- punctuation is a good thing.

My latest co-fabulation was with Taylor Lilley of Orbital Comics in London and one of the hosts of the Orbiting Pod podcast. We wrote about 'What Makes a (sort of) Perfect Mini-Series.' Taylor's comic book acumen is unparalled. Each time he sent me a response I could feel my sense of competiton rise. I hope Taylor and I can collaborate again and soon. This guy is so good, so smart and if he wanted to write about the merits of mainstream event books I might take the bait ... maybe.

The other collaboration I'm proud of was with Jessica Boyd who lent me her talents to write about daughters and X-Men. Jessica got me to understand it's less about the content and context and more about conversation and being present as a parent. If you're not a parent, read it anyhow for the genius that is Mrs. Boyd: 'Heroes Are Hard to Find, or 'Help!' My Daughter Wants Cape Comics.'

A few other team efforts from the usual suspects were Daniel Elkin lending his inestimable talents to a discussion of Eisner-winner (!) Becky Cloonan's Demeter. Elkin was also in on a review of Paul Pope's 'The Invincible Haggard West' along with Jason Sacks and Justin Giampaoli. I didn't fall as quick or as deep for this Pope like I did for 100%, Heavy Liquid or Batman Year 100. Jason, Justin and Daniel made me realize any Paul Pope is a revelation and Battling Boy will be no exception.

The other thing keeping me busy is 'Dig the Longbox' which continues to be a blast to write. My latest efforts have been about Hawkeye #1 (1983), The Tick #1, Planetary #13, Thor #126 and Cerebus #32. Special thanks to Read Comic Books' majordomo, Tyler Goulet, for his encouragement, support and foolish willingness to open any email from me with the word 'question' in the subject line.

As I write each 'Dig the Longbox' article I think a lot about 're-reading' comic books and why I don't 're-read' my comics often enough or at all. Hmmm, sounds like there's something there there maybe Taylor, Daniel, Jason, Jessica or Justin would like to follow me down yet another rabbit-hole.

The Professional

The latest 'Dig the Long Box' column went up this week at Read Comic Books. I reviewed one of my all-time favorite single issues, The 'Nam #8. I'm trying to approach this column with a little more transparency than some of my other writing which isn't easy for me. When it comes to 'I' statements in critical writing, 'I' am not a fan.

About a decade ago, I shot an interview with the journalist and novelist W.C. 'Bill' Heinz, if you've never read Heinz's The Professional -- the book Hemingway called, ''the only good novel about a fighter I've ever read'' -- by all means, go, read. Heinz talked for over three hours. He had a very deliberate way of telling a story. He started at the beginning and like the trained newspaperman he was, he took us through every detail. When asked about his role as a combat journalist in World War II, he spent twenty minutes describing leaving the port of New York for the war in Europe -- thank God we were there for a long-form interview, Mr. Heinz, bless him, did not speak in sound bites.

Heinz wrote about sports for the New York papers back when there were 10 dailies in New York with multiple editions. If it was a game played on a court, field, ring or racetrack, Bill Heinz wrote about it. And in his spare time, Heinz wrote novels like MASH, yes that M*A*S*H. He was a stud.

During our interview, Mr. Heinz used a phrase I'll never forget: ''prose poem.'' He was recalling an NIT game he had covered back when the NIT was ''the tournament'' for basketball and the NCAA was for chumps. So Heinz goes on about his prose poem, how beautiful it was, how elegant, how pure -- all this, mind you, about a basketball game. He hands the story to his editor, the editor reads it and looks at Heinz nonplussed. He hands it back to Heinz and says, ''yeah, yeah, fine, fine, Bill, but what was the damn score?'' In all that poetic prose, Heinz never gave the final score.  

I think about this story when I read on-line comic book and movie criticism. I'm all for a personal essay full of anecdotes, longcuts and obdurate opinions as long as said details add to the story; 'Montaigne' it up, all I ask is to give me the damn score.

The column on The 'Nam #8 starts with one of those 'hey-look-at-me-type' anecdotes' about the time I saw Platoon in the theatre. It takes me five 'graphs before I give the damn score, but so be it. FYI The 'Nam #8 is a yardstick by which all other comics should be judged. How's that for an endorsement?

I've gotten great feedback about the column, so far. It seems 'the kids' they like the personal touch. I'm curious to see if I can remain Mr. Cellophane as I continue the Long Box column or if I fall into my more comfortable mode as the detached (although passionate) critic. For now, I'm a be me.

A hat tip goes to Read Comic Books godhead, Tyler Goulet, a true professional, who continues to cheer me on in tweets and emails. Thanks, Tyler. Dig the Long Box #2: The 'Nam #8