The Long Awaited First Post

A few words about graphic novels:

So for the past year or two I have been on a graphic novels kick.  For those of you who don't know what I mean when I say "graphic novels" I suggest two things: wiki-ing the thing, and then reading Scott McCloud's brilliant essay (in graphic, sequential form obviously) "Understanding Comics".

This recent kick, I think, is owed in large part to the general dissatisfaction with, and interest I have in, both visual and literary art forms.  I think that the two are wonderful in their own right but each lack a little something for me that comics/graphic novels have managed to capture and put to use.  I am not suggesting that a Sunday Spider-Man strip holds a better narrative than Joyce, or that it has more a more powerful visual effect than the Mona Lisa, but in terms of complete representation of a narrative, I find the combination of words and images, pictures and dialogue, to be rather satisfying.  Now, before I branch off into a rant on the aesthetics of the graphic novel form, I will say something about one graphic novel in particular.

Logicomix.  It is a bio-graphic-novel on Bertrand Russell, created by the team of Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos. and Annie Di Donna.  The former two, the writers, the later, the artists.  Before I get into a discussion of the actual text, I want first to highlight the art of Papadatos and Di Donna.

As in most graphic novels, the art is intended to reflect an enhance upon the tone, mood, feel, and the actual look of the setting.  I found the drawing and color work of this team to be dead on.  When dealing with a man like Russell, a noted mathematician and philosopher a man of the mind above all else, it is the tone, the abstract feel of the man's narrative becomes the charge of the artist, especially when the overall goal of the work is to provide a (quasi-) usable biography of one of the most important thinkers in modern Western civilization.  In Logicomix the team hit it out of the park.  Using hard, bold and well defined lines their art mirrors the hard, logical, and sometimes terrifyingly cold thought process of their subject.  For a man obsessed with (as the authors describe it) "An epic search for truth" gray areas and blurry lines are simply out of the question.  That is not to say, however, that the art is flat and as predictable as syllogism, rather it is bright and alive.  The characters are richly colored and full of expression, and the depictions of the authors' walks through Athens is both visually pleasing and innovative. 

As for the story: I am no logician, mathematician, Brit, or mad man.  The character's were initially hard for me to access and feel for.  It took some time for me to get into the story, especially given the structure of the early chapters.  That does not mean, especially considering the 5 hours total it took me to plow through this (relative to the genre) behemoth, that it is not an expertly constructed graphic narrative.  The story is wonderfully framed.  The story (the actual story.  There are some authorial editorials which, although insightful and useful in the telling of the story, slow it down more than anything.) is framed in the context of Russell giving a lecture at the dawn of WWII, and the story of his life is told within the space of the lecture hall, but rarely stays in the "moment" of the narrative at all.  I find this technique, the story being told within/through another story to be brilliantly employed, and (honestly) not Inceptiony/Annoying.  The story moves naturally through the man's life and treats his work and professional life with the respect and (more so with the personal side) discretion which keeps the story on track and away from cheap thrills.

My favorite part of the novel was the way in which (at this point in the novel) the creators show the relationship between Russell and his contemporaries and students alike (David Gobel, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Alfred Whitehead, Georg Cantor especially). Because the authors were creating a narrative of an un-common mind for common consumption, they were forced (thankfully, and by their own admission within the novel) to focus on the human side of their subjects, the passions that motivated them, rather than the professional minutiae which confounded them.  By bringing his competitors and protege's into the narrative mix, the characters and plot are enriched and enlivened.  Wittgenstein's Tractatus is given a face, as are Whitehead, Moore, and the women in his life.  This, I feel, while leaving much to be desired for the logician or philosopher among us, creates a much more compelling and inclusive narrative for the (as Russell's character says) "layman" in the audience. 

Overall: great stuff.  Would I recommend? Yes.  While at times the story gets bogged down in the conceptual world of Russell's work (which, if it didn't, would be a shame and waste of time), if you have the mind for it and the patience for some symbolic logic, read.

Hello, All.

   So here it is.  My first blog posting.  A little late in the game though it might be, better late than never.  Here's the basic idea for this blog.  I want to write about my culture as it happens.  So with that in mind, I set out to throw something up on here at least once a week that is relevant and influential to the culture of our times.  If I were you I would expect to see some thoughts on everything.  These thoughts may include and may not be limited to music, books, movies, sports, news, shameless plugs, self promotion, and hopefully something of value along the way.

 I don't have much more right now, but after this weekend I will be posting on the East Coast leg of the Mad Decent Block Party 2010 series, which kicked off last weekend in Philly with one hell of a concert, party, whateveryouwanttocallit and will be followed with part two going down in New York City this Saturday the 7th.  While early reports and rumors have the NYC edition pegged to be a little weaker on the line up side than the Philly version, I haven't been to the Apple in a while and am sure it will be a blast, and hopefully one worth reading about.