Maus
I finally read Maus. It’s a graphic novel split into two books, although you can find them in one, in which the comic artist portrays himself as trying to understand his father’s past. His father was a Polish Jew who survived the concentration camps during World War II. This book is not just about his father’s experience, but also about the artist’s experience with his father.
The graphic novel is truly a survivor’s tale: the father’s and the son’s. If you think comics are just for kids or the child at heart think again and read this semi autobiographically comic. Spielgelman uses the art form of comics to the fullest. The Germans are depicted as cats while the Jews are mice. There are also a few times in which the people are depicted in human form to separate to reality of making the comic and the comic itself. The use of exaggeration available to comics also helps with the storyline. The art is the basic black and white with square boxes that many comics have and its easy to follow.
If you’ve read Maus what do you think about it?
Kagehime
The Manga Bible
I just read The Manga Bible: From Genesis to Revelation by Siku and Akin. I liked it. It doesn’t go into too much depth considering that its the entire bible in one volume that around 200 pages. But because it doesn’t go into depth the reader is able to see the progression of time and the cyclical nature of how the Jews would believe in One God then be led astray and how they were brought back again. It also shows the similarity between the types of people chosen by God. No one was flawless.
And Jesus is awesome in here (not that he’s not awesome everywhere else), but I think people have a tendency of showing Jesus as kind of soft. In this book he’s definitely kick ass. And when he think about it he probably had to be. He lasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights, turned down the devil, knocked some sense into the Pharisees, the list goes on.
The manga bible provides a slightly different point of view than what you’re probably used to, but there are many points of view when it comes to understanding the bible.
Kagehime
Comics in Songs
Here are a few songs that have some mention or connection to comics. Comics aren’t just used for the movies (which recently there have been a lot of comics turned into movies), they’re in songs too. I think all three of these are good songs.
Feel it in the Air Beanie Sigel Mentions spidey sense
Snoopy vs. The Red Baron The Royal Guardians from 1967.
Transformer Gnarls Barkley Cee-lo’s got a real alter ego. Ever hear his other songs when he’s not Gnarls Barkley?
Go go gadget Gospel Gnarls Barkley Inspector Gadget
If you have anymore comics in songs references please comment and tell me what you think about these songs. I know there are a lot out there and I only listed a few.
Kagehime
Mad Dog Love
Some people have mad dog love which I would necessarily disagree with if they aren’t being treated better than humans or taking their places. Seriously dog spas (and I’ve never been to one. I’m jealous of dogs!), frozen treats in the people section, doggie root beer, doggie tea shops…the list goes on.
I saw a show on TV like the super nanny but for dogs and on one epsiode a couple spoiled their dog to the point where their son complained that the dog was eating better and was treated better than him in general. Then there are the dogs that inherit millions and millions of dollars (again I’m jealous of dogs).
And the sad thing is dogs don’t care as long as they aren’t hungry what they are eating. An SNL skit from the other day featured a man giving his dog garbage in order to save money during the recession and of course the dog ate it.
I think that this mad dog love is part of what keeps the heat on Michael Vick. Of course dog fighting is stupid, petty, and mean, but seriously there are football players and others who have done terrible things to people and haven’t gotten so much anger directed at them.
What do you think about mad dog love?
Kagehime
Kanye a bear without Honey
Seems like Kanye’s not taking the break he said he would. Seems he threw a hissy fit over some chicken while backstage at a charity event. I hope he gets some rest before the Kanye+Gaga tour that starts in November. Before the VMAs I think they were planning on starting it in October, but moved it back, I thought for some rest, but it doesn’t look like that.
As for Kanye’s outburst, although I think they are annoying, sadly I think that’s the reason I know about him really. I think this goes for a lot of people unfortunately. Can you imagine Kanye without outbursts?
Kagehime
CNN’s reporting of Obama
I seriously feel like CNN’s reporting of Obama’s first 100 days and then his second one hundred days is a final countdown. No other president was so scrutinized by the media. Although at the same time no other president has used the media so much and so effectively at the same time. It just scares me to hear numbers that sound like a countdown associated with Obama. What do you think about this?
Kagehime
For a mailbox seriously?
Those blue mailboxes that sit out cost the post offices money, so post offices are taking them down in some places. And as less people send out snail mail the less services can be rendered. Some people in the town of Otisfield, Maine are even willing to chain themselves to keep these mail boxes, which I find ridiculous, but people do need to send their mail out. Often the mailboxes are not far away from the post office, but sometimes they are in places that that actually greatly help people such as in Otisfield which doesn’t even have a post office. I think that mailboxes can be taken down where they’re just in front of a post office, but a town without a post office should have a place to sent their mail. What do you think? Do you think this is legitimate or just hilarious?
Super Clinton
This is old news now, but I think the comic is still relevent and hopefully you’ll like it. After Bill Clinton helped free the two journalists in North Korea the media began to treat him like superman and before they mostly complained about him. And then there was a lot of talk about sealing his legacy. I guess the media’s saying Clinton’s going to be considered one of our best presidents whether he was or wasn’t. What do you think?
Kagehime
