3 Things Before Bed - Happy Work Moment, Comics, and Art

[shadowkat]

1. Had a rather nice thing happen at work today, not one but both my bosses, the Director of Contracts, and his boss, Deputy Chief of Procurement - congratulated me on my write-up and negotiation for the company's headquarters building exterior rehabilitation design. They told me that I'd done an exemplary job and my negotiation was commendable. They could tell how hard I worked on it - and felt I had done a commendable job. (grins sheepishly). A little known fact? I am always a bit taken aback by compliments. I don't get them often. Used to criticism, usually can see the criticism coming a mile away. Critical people - tend to be very sensitive to criticism, because they are highly critical of themselves, partly as a defense mechanism. I'm always surprised by the compliments. And my bosses aren't prone to them, nor is my field, if you get one - it is earned by sweat blood and tears, as this project was.

2. Am somewhat on the fence again about the Buffy comics. I know, I know - I've told everyone I'm done and I most likely am. But the extreem reactions on flist have made me mildly curious. Two Spike/Spuffy fans adore the comic, while two hate it to pieces. Interesting. That said? I'm sooo over the Buffy/Angel relationship and that relationship trope, it's not even funny. Watching or reading it - right now at this juncture in my life's journey - is a bit like someone raking their nails down a chalkboard. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about this particular romantic trope that irritates me so much, except that it does. I can't read it or watch it. I find this development somewhat interesting, and bewildering, considering at the age of 28 - I shipped this particular trope HARD. I adored it to pieces. Now? I can't abide it. Why? It's not like I can link it to a failed romantic relationship - I can't. I'm guessing somewhere along the line I changed, my personality and my interests. It happens. But it is interesting - what changes and what does not, isn't it? Certain aspects of my personality haven't changed at all, while others have - or wait, maybe it's just certain aspects are more in prominence, while others have faded to the background out of necessity? I'm more analytical than I used to be, and more aware of sexism and racism than I once was. I'm also a bit less self-righteous (at least I hope so).

At any rate - I realized after reading issues 34-35 that I can't tolerate Buffy/Angel as a pairing - they gross me out. This is not a shock. I can't stand the Edward/Bella pairing either - it's why the books have 0 appeal, well that and the fact that they are so poorly written.
Stefan and Elena equally grate on my nerves, but somehow not as much - perhaps because Damon is snarking at them all the time? Also, Stefan is admittedly more attractive to me than Edward or Angela are. Less, shall we say, paternalistic and sexist? Same deal with Sookie and Bill - although I can deal with that better, partly because the writer is obviously making fun of it, and well they aren't the main focus, and I find them funny - because it's hard to get too invested in Sookie. Buffy on the other hand is a character that began to resonate with me in the later seasons, not so much in the early ones. So perhaps that is part of it? I care a great deal about Buffy...(shrugs) and her going for Angel, feels like regressing. It's like if I decided to get back involved with my ex-college boyfriend (who has nothing in common with Angel, he's actually more like Xander) - and just, eww. People do grow up, you know. Unless of course they are a character in a comic book, apparently. (Sad, because Buffy had grown up in the series. The comic has almost stripped away all the things I loved about the series, and kept all the things - I didn't like - the camp and silly and at times offensive sex jokes.)

We'll see. The posts I've seen have said interesting things about Spike/Buffy, Spike, Willow and Faith - the peaks my interest a bit. But I'm not sure I can endure the Angel/Buffy scenes to get to them. (IF this were a tv show? I'd just fast-forward through them, not sure that's entirely doable in a comic - couldn't do it in issues 34-35, I know, I tried.) The Spike series by Lynch on the other hand - looks appealing. He's such a self-loathing character with a great deal of bravado and surface cool. A good man, pretending to be a bad guy. And now, with his soul, incredibly confused. I adore Lynch's take on this character. Plus Urru's artwork is just beautiful. The preview pages made me want it now. (Stark contrast to the Buffy issue 36 preview pages which well, had the exact opposite effect. Jeanty just is not an artist that appeals to me. )

3. Which brings me to my decision to start drawing and painting again - specifically people in different scenarios. I've drawn people since I was about 6. My father used to do it - he was a cartoonist in school and had applied to RISD - Rhode Island School of Design (but didn't have the money or grades to get in, any more than my brother did - although we got the last laugh, since kidbro and sisinlaw got to teach several classes there, sisinlaw's folks went there - her father roomed with Andy Warhol. I kid you not. My neice has Edie Sedwick's stuffed swan.)
When I draw - I'm most interested in capturing a person's face or expression, particularly their eyes. I've been known to spend hours drawing nothing but eyes. Love to draw eyes. I'm an eye girl. Also adore faces - but interesting faces.

For example there was this guy sitting on the subway home, asleep, not particularly attractive, but he had an amazing face. A sharp nose, and angular chin with high cheekbones, thin, with black hair, and pearl white skin. He was wearing a black t-shirt and white shorts. The sharpness of the nose, almost hooked - fascinated me. I wished I had a sketchbook or a camera. Then I looked to my right - and there was this black woman, with glasses, and I just wanted to draw her too. Desperately.

So, when I picked up my prescription from the local CVS, I also picked up the collector's mag, People - Great Lives Remembered - because it had some great photos that I could play with. One has Audrey Hepburn standing with a cluster of balloons. Another is of Rudolph Nurvey dancing.
Currently, I'm working on drawing and painting a bunch of children that I took pictures of while on a Duolos Trip in Juarez, Mexico - way back in 1986. I finished the sketch tonight, and will start painting them this weekend. Last night I finished another sketch of my neice standing in a grove of grass and flowers. Plan on painting that this weekend as well, since I'm less than satisfied with the last painting I did of her.

Don't know if I will share these online or not. People are so critical. You know? And there's two things that I don't wish to receive criticism on at the moment - my art and well whatever I post online. I know I'm critical of cultural things and have been critical of fanfic in the past, but I try not to be critical of people's posts. Hope it's not too hypocritical of me to request a moratorium on criticism of what I post in my lj? Maybe it is. (shrugs) In which case, maybe I should not post my art here?

Speaking of criticism - I think the reason I don't like George Jeanty's art - is he doesn't show enough distinction between faces, and he doesn't pay enough attention to the detail of a face. Urru has a fluidity to his art that I sort of envy. His characters appear to actually move, while Jeanty's feel flat to me and one-dimensional. To me, there's a cartoonish aspect to Jeanty's art that doesn't quite jibe with the story. It almost belittles it or diminishes it. Diminish may be a better word for what I'm attempting to express here. Syntax - not always my strong suite - the internet has torn my writing apart on more than one occasion regarding word choice and syntax - and I don't always agree with them, but have heard the critique often enough to be wary of getting it again. (Memory of an elephant, my grandmother used to accuse. And it doesn't always serve me well.) At any rate - Urru's art in contrast - is like looking at a painting or a dance of color and line across a page. There's so much going on in his drawings. While Jeanty will just hint at background, Urru fills it in, including comedic touches. The two are very different, one feels almost cartoonish in style, a la Charles Schulze or the Sunday Morning Comics, while the other feels like a graphic novel or illustrated book. Not a mere suggestion.

Backing up a bit - I can't do what Urruh does. I envy him a great deal - if I could do that, I'd be an artist or would have pursued it. (And part of me wonders if I had pursued it seriously if I could have come close...I doubt it. ) I can however do what Jeanty does and have done so, way back in junior high school and high school. Illustrated a story in French for a French class in the 10th grade. But Frank Urru of the Spike comics is beyond my abilities. It's sort of like...being able to sing, and you've listened to say someone like James Marsters or Hugh Jackman, and then gone to see...well, Luciana Pavrotti or Marie Callas or Renee Fleming or Barbara Streisand. Someone who blows you away and you think, damn, I can't do that.

Comments

[candleanfeather.livejournal.com]

I'm happy that the value of your work and your competence got acknowledged by your bosses, it's almost as important as the paycheck and in some cases I'd say even more.

In regard to Buffy n° 36 the reviews I've read have made more interested than ever to the point where I'll probably buy the last arc (won't do it for the entire series though because it's not compatible with the place I have in my flat. :-))About Buffy's characterization I've read several times now the word regression and it's probably spot on, for me there's an evident link with the going back to the beginning theme running throughout the comics; I'm more and more tempted to read this story like some sort of psychoanalysis for Buffy (and regression is part of the process) to get rid of her traumas. From this POV, the Buffy/Angel ship has probably sailed (not that I think Whedon will completely eradicate it, nor do I think she'll resume her relationship with Spike and to be franck I don't really care about this possibility). Have you read Maggie's last post: it's brilliant and she's probably onto something solid. I'd rec you Local_Max post too, another brilliant analysis that looks at the symbolism in the album and believe me that makes a lot of sense.

Have a good day and hopefully enjoy the metas if you haven't already read them.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

Understand the space issue - I'm slowly getting rid of all of my comics - they were taking over the corner of my bedroom.
It's the reason that I got a Kindle finally - I don't have space to keep collecting books that I may or may not read.

The interesting thing about the Buffy reviews - is that people who are into meta - are enjoying them more or less. At least that's the current pattern that is emerging in the reviews. I'm willing to bet aycheb will also write a glowing review. As will stormwreath - those are the only two meta writers, besides myself, on flist that haven't done so yet. Meanwhile, the readers who connect to the show on a far more emotional level and strongly ship either a character and/or pairing hate the comics or just aren't enjoying them. And those who are into plot and entertaining story? Same problem - they aren't entertained. They see the flaws. Which makes sense actually, because the comics aren't working on an emotional level, but are to a degree on a purely intellectual or meta one. In other words - I think the comics are working better for people who see them as a puzzle we have to solve than an emotionally satisfying story. Which is interesting. I doubt it's intentional, but it is certainly interesting.

[candleanfeather.livejournal.com]

You're probably right about the divide. For myself, meta is what I enjoy the most.

About the comics not working on an emotional level at least for a great number of people, I agree and wonder if it would have worked better with real actors to give life to the characters. Whedon was probably very conscious of the necessity to translate the emotions of his characters and it's why he choose Jeanty to do the drawings. But Jeanty is confronted to an impossible task. All in all, Whedon's writing works possibly more completely when executed in a media like TV, where the actors can retranslate all the necessary nuances. There's also the fact that Whedon's writing seems to have evolved towards a more dry intellectual work if Dollhouse is any indication. And then there's also the fact that the situations where he has put his characters are really outrageous. Not everybody tastes that sort of humour or satire. His work would certainly have benefited from someone keeping it more grounded, which S Allie wasn't able to do.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

I don't think it separates out quite so cleanly between meta and emotional enjoyment. Since I do both, I emotionally connect to the characters and I enjoy the story for its resonance of meaning.

But I will say that the current storyline is one that makes you increasingly frustrated with Buffy and Angel--which I think is the point. Since everyone else in the story is also seriously frustrated and annoyed with Buffy and Angel.

I will say that I really enjoyed Buffy and Spike's interaction on an emotional level. And I felt the same about the Chain. About issue #28 in Retreat. About Renee's death and Xander's breakdown. I even feel an emotional connection now with the Buffy and Satsu storyline.

Part of the challenge is a negative reaction to the art. The style is very offputting to a lot of people--where as I like it more than half the time. So if as a reader you're busy sneering at what everyone looks like and thinking they aren't the real characters--how would you have an emotional connection to them?

Emotional journeys rely on suspension of disbelief and the art is a huge problem for many of the people who I see disliking the comics. Then you have the OTT moments like Mecha!Dawn and superpowered Willow flying (which she did in the show, but the comics can actually show it so it's more of a big deal now).

As is usually the case, I think the truth of the matter falls somewhere in the middle of the people for and against the comics. I find a lot of overstating one side's case going on--and I say that because I've been doing that on both sides over the past year. If you don't like it, then you must hate it! And if you like it, then you must love it!

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Not everybody tastes that sort of humour or satire. His work would certainly have benefited from someone keeping it more grounded, which S Allie wasn't able to do.

I 100% agree. If the story could've been more grounded, it would've helped a lot. Some editing of those ideas where Whedon asks himself "sure, I can do anything I can imagine, but should I?"

[angearia.livejournal.com]

I think it's really the medium shift on top of the story becoming more OTT. And I'm not saying that people don't understand comics. It's just simply true that seeing SMG as Buffy is not the same as seeing Jeanty drawing Buffy--and that's a huge stumbling block. That coupled with the OTT moments means the story feels so clearly different and even moments that are good, because they're different, have this tendency to be rejected.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I mostly agree - it doesn't separate out that cleanly. It can't. People can't be neatly placed into slots and categories - no matter how much we wish to put them into them. ;-)

There is I think a spectrum...that applies. I know for example that there are people online who are enjoying the comics that do not care one way or the other what happens to Buffy. Or they are largely interested in her thematic journey...not so much the emotional one. While there are others, online, who are invested in acquiring some sort of validation from the writer (in this case Whedon) that whatever ship they are invested in is the correct one and "canon". (I think this group will never be satisfied, because the writer isn't interested in telling that sort of story. ) And within that group, there are people who realize they'll never get that validation, but would like at least an acknowledgement or explanation or resolution of their ship - one way or another. (Xander/Buffy and Riley/Buffy fans more or less got one. As did Satsu/Buffy fans. It's the Angel/Buffy and Spike/Buffy that are feeling a bit put-out, and understandably so. Although possibly less the Angel/Buffy - since they did get the whole space sex bit and the romantic googly eyes. As long as they ignore the subtext (which is so obvious, I think you'd have to go around with your hands over your ears yelling nah, nah, nah - to ignore it...but whatever.). )

And there's people like candlefeather and aycheb and stormwreath and my friend embers_log - who really don't care about that stuff.

It is also, as you state, to a degree a matter of personal taste, but it is also to an extent a matter of how you interpret what is presented. And considering the number of ways people have managed to interpret Xander's scene with the crueller in Once More With Feeling...

The art certainly is a factor and unfortunately an inconsistent one.
Some issues are better than others. I actually liked Jeanty's art in Turbulence. Despised it in issues 34-35 - where the proportions were so far off, that it was jarring. (This is where a good editor can really affect things. The editing in these comics is really bad - granted Dark Horse is a small house but, seriously, Fray and Those Left Behind, the Serenity comic - were far better.) So, apparently it is an issue by issue thing? I haven't read issue 36, so have no idea if the art is on par with Turbulence and the Willow one shot, or more like Meltzer's Twilight arc. (But I described above how I look at art and the veil that I view it through - this is admittedly going to be very different from someone who is new to graphic novels, hasn't read many comic books, and doesn't draw/paint people nor has tried to do a comic book themselves.
For the same reason - I might think James Marsters sings well, but
my pal, who has taken singing and was an opera singer - thinks he's atrocious and off-key. I'm comparing Marsters singing to what I can do, I can't sing at all. And I'm tone death to boot. )

And I think overstatement or the tendency for hyperbole - is often, not always, a way of expressing emotion. Something has pushed a button and we over-react to it. It may seem silly or inconsequential to an objective party, but to us, it is the end of the world. ;-)

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think that may be true for quite a few people - who are unused to the comic medium or find it difficult to relate to. It's not true for me - but I'm used to comic books and have seen far worse than Jeanty's renderings, along with far better. Scott McCloud's book Understanding Comics has interesting take on this - he assumes people all think the same, we don't. Some people will look at a Charlie Brown comic strip and think that guy can't draw and I can't make sense of this, none of the people look real, kids don't look like that, and where are the adults. While someone else, will relate to it. The tv series had more or less the same reactions - I have friends and family members who have never understood why I feel in love with Buffy. They found it unwatchable.

I have to keep reminding myself that people think differently and to be patient about it. Easier said then done. Since it can lead to all sorts of violent disagreements. ;-)

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Really, I'm saying even if the comic were the best comic ever, I believe there'd be a difficult hurdle for people to surmount because it's not a TV show and thus is different.

It's about this despising the different and also expectations. Or better yet, deird1's The Vegemite Effect (http://deird1.livejournal.com/67823.html). This is why I think some Spike/Spuffy fans are so upset about the reunion. It wasn't what they were expecting/anticipating and because it's different, it's not being seen for the opportunities it presents. And yeah, maybe it won't be Spuffy4ever as the message, but I get the feeling Spuffy is the REAL contrast to Bangels FANTASY.

There are fans (not Bangels obviously, but shipper neutral fans) out there who don't even like Spuffy who are saying, well, looks like Spuffy won the ship war. But so many Spuffy fans can't even tell that we got something good here!

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Oh, if you haven't checked it out already, you might want to read aycheb's review of issue 36. She compares it to old Hollywood movies. Referencing everything from Star is Born and Singing in the Rain to
That Awful Truth and well Star Wars and Charlie and The Chocolat Factory.

She compares the Angel/Buffy relationship to a tragic old school Hollywood romance - a la a Star is Born. And Buffy/Spike to the snarky romantic comedies of Gable and Lombard - It Happened One Night and That Awful Truth.
Where the leads four-play is actually sexual banter.

It's probably the most entertaining, not to mention shortest review I've read to date. And it sparked my interest.

There's four people I tend to rec to folks on my flist that still enjoy the comics: you, 2maggie2, stormwreath, and aycheb. I read both sides - to see the different interpretations. Then I try to figure out how it is possible to have such wildly divergent ones. LOL!

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Yes.

Whedon spent too much time on the outrageous bits and too little connecting the dots leading up to them.

My on-going frustration with the comics is that they left out things that would have explained motivation or made the story a bit more coherent, and instead took up space with a lot of unnecessary inside jokes about the comic book medium, film, television, and well comics. Jokes that are only going to be funny to someone who has read or written a lot of comic books. (I caught quite a few in the last three arcs, particularly with the covers - where they were coming fast and furious, but I could tell they went over the majority of fans heads.)

Rule one of writing professionally: Know thy audience! And I'm not sure they know theirs.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think you are correct there are fans who feel that way, but the vast majority of complaints I've heard - really aren't based on that.
The people who had troubles buying the comic reality in that manner, left the comics sometime around Long Journey Home. There are a few hangers on but very few....let's face it if you couldn't deal with the fact that Buffy just doesn't look like SMG in issue one, you aren't going to bother paying for issues 2-36.

But people like myself who have collected comics for years (I was into the X-men), don't really have that specific problem.

[atpo-onm.livejournal.com]

I think angearia makes a good point above in regard to watching SMG interpret Whedon's writing on the actual TV show, either by herself or interacting with aanother actor, and the fact that, at least for me, the comics almost never hit that level of emotional connection. I try not to expect them to do so, the medium being inherently limited that way, but it's still always there.

Take for example the "Cookie Dough" speech. Put that in the comic, word for word just as it was in the show, and it would sound ridiculous, because on a content-only basis it's very nearly a childish, stupid thing for a 20-something woman to say.

And yet, Gellar pulls it off. She somehow invests those words with her idea of Buffy's personality, and it comes off not only not stupid, but sweetly charming in this goofy way that works perfectly. It emerges child-like, and not child-ish, and we let her have this unguarded moment before the world ends once again.

Talk about a gift. I'm always kind of saddened that she hasn't chosen better films since her BtVS days. But, she's still young, so, who knows?

BTW, I'd be happy to see some of your art. Might be a good excuse to get a paid subscription (for the photo space) and then you'd get rid of the ads, too!

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. Exactly so! The writing that worked with actors doesn't quite work the same way without them.