The ever eloquent host of the nerdwriter podcast spins a few really solid minutes dissecting and the design qualities and thought processes that went into creating and telling the story of art spiegelman’s Maus graphic novel. I think it’s well worth your time to listen to this and learn just a little bit of the process of creating comic art.
Even my apifanies usually filter through my sense of humor first.
But that doesn’t make them less profound … to me. 😊
ANOTHER MOMENT
Where muses sing
In black and white
By day or night
Whether wrong or right
Afraid I might
Miss flights … of fancy
Or shinning lights
That set me free
Yet hold me tight
In love and laughter
And HOPE so bright
Forever held within my sight
Reject the lows, pursue the heights
And if I fall may I alight
On clouds of,peace
Knowing …
I fought the fight
All the time living …
Where muses sing
— By Alex Simmons, October 2017 —
I’m sure you’ve heard writers talking about needing solitude or at least some form of peaceful silence to get their head in the right place to write.
Well, what’s good for some, is not always the rule for all. And frankly, finding a place that works for you is of prime importance when you’re creating worlds.
So here’s a short episode where Chris and I discuss that is one of my favorite places.
An interview with author, Christopher Ryan.
For most of us the motivation behind what we write varies from simply earning a salary to exorcising our own demons, to righting wrongs and saving humankind.
I often tell my students “… come from who you are and what’s important to you…” I feel if you can even implant some of that into your scripts or characters, you raised the bar from revisionism and flat stereotypes, to something engaging, enlightening and even informative.
In this two part episode, author Christopher Ryan talks about his methods and motivations for writing a type of sci-fi YA novel called GENIUS HIGH.
So sit back, react, and let us know what you think.
Here’s Part 1.
HERE’S PART 2
*Genius High is available on Amazon.com
Since the success of the early Marvel X-Men, Thor and Iron Man films a new wave of fans have discovered the Marvel Universe, naturally.
They’ve come to know Professor Xavier through the authoritarian voice of Patrick Stewart. Wolverine and charismatic Hugh Jackman and handsome Chris Evans skillfully brought Captain American boldly and ethically to life. Who is Iron Man but Robert Downey Jr.?
Spiderman had come before these others with Toby McGuire giving what I thought was a genuine vulnerable quality to Peter Parker. His films arrived almost like the comic book/film industry version of Lewis and Clark. Sent out into the wilderness to see what could be discovered, and what would make it a target.
And yes, we’d had Superman with Christopher Reeves, and two other actors (Christopher being my favorite, no disrespect to the others). And there’d been two Fantastic Four films … No comment.
Even more people have discovered Daredevil (more through the TV series than the 2003 movie), Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage on Netflix. The parade continued with Smallville, Arrow, Legends, Agents of Shield, Flash (1980s version and now), Supergirl, and soon to come, Black Lightening.
But the major money was and is being disseminated to and reaped from the silver screen. The first Avengers movie made over 4 billion dollars. One film … one of 2 thus far.
The DC Universe had been firmly established for over 70 years, and the world of Marvel for over 40 years. And now their creations were being consumed ravenously in one of the most expensive media arenas in the world … film.
But just because the audiences were flocking to the theaters to get their super fix didn’t mean they were equally voracious for the comics. In facts many new hero fans didn’t even know these characters had comic book history. Some others thought the books came later as if Batman and Detective Comics were merely new merchandising gimmicks because of a successful film.
I’ll add here my opinion that many of the early superhero films over the past 30 years, did much to either stimulate or mutilate characters’ origins, codes of conduct, costumes, and even powers or abilities. Often it appeared that the filmmakers didn’t trust or respect the source material.
Now I’m not a purist. I simply mean respect as in bring more quality not buffoonery to a project, or why do it.
Many adults and kids only know the origins of these characters via the film version which is often … altered to accommodate the medium … or some filmmaker’s concept of “making it better.”
So I ask the question are these films a blessing or a curse (though for many a lucrative one).
What do you say? Yes _____ No _____
Why? _________________________________________________
Do you read their comic book series? Yes _____ No _____
Have you ever read them? Yes _____ No _____
And is the audio-visual fix weakening literacy efforts and benfits?
Yes _____ No _____
Or can these films be an additional tool for those attempting to improve reading and language skills.
(*Please leave your reply or response in the comments area below.)
One other question comes to mind. Should this film fever eventually dwindle and be replaced by the next media fad … What will this mean for all the changes that have occurred in response?
That would include not only the money being made for those owning the licenses, but also the careers of the performers, and the publishing houses consumed into their corporate hosts (like so much wriggling nourishment) to become IP departments.
What happens then?
I’d truly like to hear your thoughts.
Adios for now.
To champion full transparency (which seems to suggest I’m hiding tons of stuff from you), I will admit I’m still getting this post scheduling things down.
Seems I still a strong practitioner of “Doing” a ton of stuff, which doesn’t leave a lot of free time to report or reflect on it. But I’m working on it.
As I admitted in Part One (and repeated in Part 2) just before the summer friend and fellow writer Chris Ryan and I explored the question, “Have superhero TV and film projects consciously decided to sacrifice solid storytelling for flavor of the season styling?”
You’ve listened to Part 1, Part 2 by now, so here’s Part 3, the final piece of the puzzle. So give a listen and then let us know what you think.
For more on: Chris Ryan, Alex Simmons, and Tim Fielder
WHAT AM I …?
One of the places … Where the Muses Sing.
Yesterday, I made a promise to myself and I plan to keep it.
Note, I left our the words, “try,” or “attempt.”
See, I’m working on building up a few new habits. One of them will be to write for 20 minutes every day. Assignment or not.
How I write and what I write is inconsequential. Not that it isn’t important to me that I write something worthwhile. But I’m not going to judge what worthwhile means.
That’s primarily because I’m writing to strengthen my writing skills. To return my muscles to a place from which, I feel, they’ve drifted quite some distance.
And please don’t think I’m some sort of OCD perfectionist.
No. It’s just that within me there is a place of emotional satisfaction I try to reach with every creative thing I do. My acting, teaching, public speaking, cartooning … it covers all like a favored blanket or sweater.
It is the same with writing.
My mind will think about writing a particular piece for days. Eventually I’ll sit and I’ll write something new, or I’ll dabble with a project that I have been “working on” for several months. Or it might even be something that I put aside years ago.
But I’m not really writing it. It’s more like once again I’ve found some pieces of a puzzle … and thrown them into the box … but I’m not really trying to put them together.
And that’s partially because I’ve let so many other things get in the way of the writing almost every single day.
Yes, I do think of myself as a writer. Yet I don’t think of myself as the type who really feels compelled to grab pen and paper and chronicle adventures, or my daily experiences, or even to solve all of humanity’s social ills with words of heartfelt literary eloquence.
What I do believe is that I am a storyteller. I tell stories via writing. Sometimes I tell stories through cartoons that I’ve drawn. I tell stories by characters I’ve played on stage, or in film, or audio productions. I have an eclectic past.
Mostly though — since childhood — I’ve simply told stories with my voice. I sit with people and I tell stories riotously, quietly, seriously — take your pick.
So I am truly a storyteller, and sometimes I like to write them down. My plan is to write them more often, and with various tools and means.
Feel free to hold me to it. let’s support each other.
Tell me what creative challenge you face and how you face it.
That’s all. So go forth and be brilliant.
— Alex Simmons, 9/18/17 —
As I admitted in Part One, months ago writer Chris Ryan and I explored the question, “Have superhero TV and film projects consciously decided to sacrifice solid storytelling for flavor of the season styling.”
You’ve listened to Part 1, so now here’s Part 2 of our pursuit for that answer.
For more on: Chris Ryan, Alex Simmons, and Tim Fielder
A few months ago two of our team members, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan, explored the question, “Have superhero TV and film projects consciously decided to sacrifice solid storytelling for flavor of the season styling.”
Here’s Part 1 of their pursuit for that answer.
TTDS Returns: Story vs Style, Part 1
(*Recorded May 2017)
SimmonsHereAndNow 