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Books/Manga/Movie Recs: Lots of Ladies Edition!
Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 02:15 pmIn Books:
Are You My Mother?, By Alison Bechdel: I actually finished this book a while back, but I've been grappling with it ever since I read it. It's not an easy book, yet I read it fairly quickly, over about three or so days. I remember my initial gut reaction having to do with my resolution to NEVER ask any child of mine under the age of about 20, point blank, if they love me or not. (I have read about this twice now, once in a fictional situation, and once in this auto-ficto-biographical situation, and it never leads to anything good for anyone involved.) But, of course, there's more to this book than that moment, and that sad bit of meaningful narrative. ( More, with spoilers: )
I do highly recommend this work. I don't think it's just another half of a story; it's a complete piece of work that stands on its own. There is an awkward distance to parts of it (and I'll be the first to admit that the amount of theoretical writing in it made me pause), but it's a narrative that needs to be brought into the open carefully for both artist/writer and reader.
Dracula, words by Bram Stoker, pictures by Becky Cloonan: I've written before about how much I love Becky Cloonan's artstyle; she has a wonderful sense of composition and character and her pages are always dynamic, even when the characters aren't engaged in intense action. This illustrated version of Dracula allows her to imbue the characters with more personality and soul than Stoker's original version does. Mina and Jonathan's love story, in particular, becomes more touching with illustrations, and Mina's evolution from sweet, virginal lady into sadder but wiser girl also rings much more true. Cloonan's illustrations also highlight the sexual aspects of the story, but without over-sensationalizing the people and acts involved. The color palette of black, red, and midnight blue is lovely and fits the mood of the book. I'm a little less sure of the quotes superimposed behind the text, but it's not on every page, and I see what the designers were going for.
In Comics:
Skeleton Key, Color Special One Shot, by Andi Watson: I grabbed this way back on Free Comic Book Day, without knowing that it was part of a larger series. Thankfully, the adventures of perpetually lost schoolgirl Tamsin, kitsune Kitsune, and adorable unnamed sidekick Raccoon are immediately accessible and sweet. It's like Doctor Who meets Onmyouji, with a twist of Lost. I can't wait to pick up the others now!
In Manga:
Hidamari Sketch/Sunshine Sketch, Volume 6, by Ume Aoki: This story continues to be slowly paced and character-driven. However, given that Aoki is steering two of her main characters towards graduating and changing the entire structure of the plot with that development, I don't blame her for the slow pace. I was glad that these two characters, Hiro and Sae, got a lot of character development in this installment, because they certainly do need it in order to make their inevitable departure properly emotional. Yuno and Miyako continue to anchor the plot, and it's nice to see that Yuno is cutting down on the self-deprecating dialogue as her confidence in her artistic abilities grows. I'm looking forward to #7.
At the Movies:
Brave: It occurs to me now, having just written about Alison Bechdel, above, that in some ways, Brave is AYYM?-lite. Well, not exactly. It's definitely wrestling with similar facets of the same issue, but it's a Disney movie, and so a lot of the thornier problems are ignored. But that's no reason to skip it; it's still a strong piece of filmmaking and is notable, if for no other reason, for having a princess in it who doesn't want to be a princess. (And having a Queen who actually wields power!) It's also notable for gorgeous textures and landscapes. Every piece of cloth, every stone and tree in the forrest, every strand of hair in this movie, I could imagine what touching them would feel like, and it was beautiful. But overall, I really liked this movie because its message was so strong: you can't change people into something they're not, but you can change your expectations of them, and by extension, your relationships with them. It was quite lovely, really. And it made me wish I had a small girl who I could take to this film, so that we could talk about what it was all about. :)
Are You My Mother?, By Alison Bechdel: I actually finished this book a while back, but I've been grappling with it ever since I read it. It's not an easy book, yet I read it fairly quickly, over about three or so days. I remember my initial gut reaction having to do with my resolution to NEVER ask any child of mine under the age of about 20, point blank, if they love me or not. (I have read about this twice now, once in a fictional situation, and once in this auto-ficto-biographical situation, and it never leads to anything good for anyone involved.) But, of course, there's more to this book than that moment, and that sad bit of meaningful narrative. ( More, with spoilers: )
I do highly recommend this work. I don't think it's just another half of a story; it's a complete piece of work that stands on its own. There is an awkward distance to parts of it (and I'll be the first to admit that the amount of theoretical writing in it made me pause), but it's a narrative that needs to be brought into the open carefully for both artist/writer and reader.
Dracula, words by Bram Stoker, pictures by Becky Cloonan: I've written before about how much I love Becky Cloonan's artstyle; she has a wonderful sense of composition and character and her pages are always dynamic, even when the characters aren't engaged in intense action. This illustrated version of Dracula allows her to imbue the characters with more personality and soul than Stoker's original version does. Mina and Jonathan's love story, in particular, becomes more touching with illustrations, and Mina's evolution from sweet, virginal lady into sadder but wiser girl also rings much more true. Cloonan's illustrations also highlight the sexual aspects of the story, but without over-sensationalizing the people and acts involved. The color palette of black, red, and midnight blue is lovely and fits the mood of the book. I'm a little less sure of the quotes superimposed behind the text, but it's not on every page, and I see what the designers were going for.
In Comics:
Skeleton Key, Color Special One Shot, by Andi Watson: I grabbed this way back on Free Comic Book Day, without knowing that it was part of a larger series. Thankfully, the adventures of perpetually lost schoolgirl Tamsin, kitsune Kitsune, and adorable unnamed sidekick Raccoon are immediately accessible and sweet. It's like Doctor Who meets Onmyouji, with a twist of Lost. I can't wait to pick up the others now!
In Manga:
Hidamari Sketch/Sunshine Sketch, Volume 6, by Ume Aoki: This story continues to be slowly paced and character-driven. However, given that Aoki is steering two of her main characters towards graduating and changing the entire structure of the plot with that development, I don't blame her for the slow pace. I was glad that these two characters, Hiro and Sae, got a lot of character development in this installment, because they certainly do need it in order to make their inevitable departure properly emotional. Yuno and Miyako continue to anchor the plot, and it's nice to see that Yuno is cutting down on the self-deprecating dialogue as her confidence in her artistic abilities grows. I'm looking forward to #7.
At the Movies:
Brave: It occurs to me now, having just written about Alison Bechdel, above, that in some ways, Brave is AYYM?-lite. Well, not exactly. It's definitely wrestling with similar facets of the same issue, but it's a Disney movie, and so a lot of the thornier problems are ignored. But that's no reason to skip it; it's still a strong piece of filmmaking and is notable, if for no other reason, for having a princess in it who doesn't want to be a princess. (And having a Queen who actually wields power!) It's also notable for gorgeous textures and landscapes. Every piece of cloth, every stone and tree in the forrest, every strand of hair in this movie, I could imagine what touching them would feel like, and it was beautiful. But overall, I really liked this movie because its message was so strong: you can't change people into something they're not, but you can change your expectations of them, and by extension, your relationships with them. It was quite lovely, really. And it made me wish I had a small girl who I could take to this film, so that we could talk about what it was all about. :)
