CCLVIII - what makes a comic great

I love comics. Comics are that incredible interlace between action, expression, contemplation and speech, filled with colour, hand-drawn authenticity and freedom to draw, whether within or without the panel or filling the entire page. That wow moment when you hit a "centrefold", that action scene, or the beautiful, leather-and-mesh femme fatale drawn entirely across, even to the extent of pull out pages, I mean, that's comics. They come from an older time, too, and being drawn and filled by I think the quirkier characters and artists of the 70s or 80s, it feels like something precious handed down by an older generation of flat-out rebels: men who hated villainy, hegemony, smallness, and instead celebrated manhood, the strength of women, the underdog, the street champion against all odds. What makes a comic great? I think it's to do with the fact that it's immediately brought to your attention, opening a comic book, that there is something great in this world that has to be overcome, and the person you're reading about is just the person to do it, in his or her own way. And obviously, comic books are about the very, sexy, women.

I have a favourite comic character, the Batman. It's very simple why I like the Batman. The fact is, he doesn't have any super powers, but he uses his god damn brains to fight crime, and his will. Yes, sure, he has money, and Alfred, but you might think that he's still the Batman regardless. And come on, the villains he has! The very best, the Joker. There isn't a better villain. He's not exactly the anti-thesis of Batman. He's simply himself; he's out there to embody madness. Batman, in contrast, embodies something more concrete; he simply doesn't tolerate crime. Some say, Batman is an outlaw. I think that sort of misses the point. He has a moral compass which is 99% within the shape of the law, and the things he does in that other 1%, he regrets, I promise you. In some ways, he plays the Batman with sorrow. The Joker's glee, if you were to put it that way, is not really the point, it's just a symptom of his being the Joker. He doesn't need to entertain anyone, or even himself; he's past self-reflection. That's the incredible, magnetic thing about the Joker. He's a pure madman. How should I see it? It's like if you woke up in a dream world and you could do anything with absolutely no consequence or moral implication. Nothing. And you decided to say the hell with it, and you did whatever came to mind, all day and every day. That's what it means, I think. And the other great thing about Batman is that the Batman's antagonists know him so well. They gleefully mock and manipulate him in every setting. Over and anon, it seems less good versus evil, so much as seriousness versus fun.

I started with comics probably with Asterix and Obelix. I loved the Romans! They're so military and yet so frightened of Obelix. After that it was probably a bit of Vampirella, a tiny bit of Marvel. I'm not a Marvel fan, I'll be honest. I can't suspend my rationality enough to be one. The modern movies are too much, too. I sorta prefer the tragicomedy of the older films. I liked Sandman, I loved Watchmen on the second reading. League of Gentlemen was OK (in some ways, come to think of it, the Invisible Man is like the Joker in that he can do anything he wants and almost nobody can stop him). I don't own Superman, X-men or Spidey. I'm more of a thinking comic guy I guess; I like it when it's less explicit what's going on.

I also have this comic guy I like, he writes Achewood. Onstad. There's this other guy, Chris Ware, but he's a little bit too down for me. Achewood is it, though, to me it's basically the Simpsons of comic books. Thank god for Ray and Beef! They have to be the greatest comic book partners of all time. Ray is a completely un-selfconscious richboy fatcat, and Beef is basically a deflated balloon whizzing spirals on its way down, unless he's doing IT stuff or talking about a car, in which case he transforms into one of those geeks on Mythbusters. Onstad's thing is very obscure conversations featuring personas from history. Beyond the panels, he's gone through family, breakups, life, business, sadness, and still he gives and connects with his fans through the comics, now on Patreon. It's really good.

Again, what makes a comic great? I think consistency, and character. When I open a comic, recognise the stuff, the parts played genuinely, and the wow effect from the art, interpret the facial expressions, try to imagine what's unsaid, I think that's what makes the whole comic thing great. That's why, honestly, I don't think that comics make great movies, although they can make decent ones out of the comic characters. (Having said that, the old animated Batman series was incredible.) A comic is simply a series of panels. Once you change that, it's no longer a comic in the sense of what that concept is. The deliberacy of the snapshot by snapshot thing is gone, with all its subtext and subtlety. I like that, a lot.

CCLVII - the day will come, darling

(This too has become evidence! So I might as well reveal it.)

My darling,

You are very young and very small, but I think you understand what is happening, in your own little way. In any case, one day I will explain it all to you. My hope is that on that day you will come to peace as I have come to peace.

I understand now why my lawyer urged me to work hard at a reconciliation. It was the only way for me to see you all the time. I hope it's possible, but it depends on your mother. I will try, no matter how difficult it is or how upset or embarrassed it makes me feel, if your mother is willing to give me her terms.

Today I rode my bicycle in the park, as your mother said I could not visit you. I will visit you tomorrow. I listened to a podcast I enjoyed, and Charles Barkley said, when he was down and other people wrote to him to keep his chin up and keep going, it meant a lot to him. I started crying when I heard that, but I decided not to. It's a little odd in public, and I had to blow my nose. I think people think I don't cry. The truth is that I cry a lot when I'm sad. I am very sad to see you so little. I will keep my little chin up, and I will keep going. You are very young and one day we will be very good friends. We will be best friends, at least on my end.

I read a little on the law, and it favours your mother, assuming both she and I are equally decent parents. Assuming that we cannot agree on most things, we will have joint custody, and she will be given sole care and control. That means that you don't get to live with me until you are an adult. I want you to have the chance, if you think it's fun to. But because you are very small, I don't want to confuse you too much either. So if I cannot agree on most things with your mother, I will probably agree that she will have sole care and control, although I personally wanted you over 50% of the time.

I hope to have very amicable and very full access to you. It means that I can do things with you without restrictions. For example, we can go to Gardens by the bay, or to Changi. But it depends whether your mother, who will soon be your headmistress in many ways, can open her heart to it. I will try to persuade her.

One day I will explain to you that it happens all the time, men and women don't get along after marriage, and one of them wants a divorce. I didn't want it. But if your mother wants it, I am not going to stop her. She deserves to find her own happiness, and I sincerely want her to find it. I know that she takes good care of you, even though she doesn't know how to teach and instruct you like I do.

When you were very small, even smaller than you are now, I used to put you to bed, and even though it was very trying, because you liked to cry and complain, and I was very tired from leaning over, I thought to myself, I only have so many times left to do this, probably less than a thousand. I did not know that today that number is zero. But, my darling, I have come to peace with it.

One day we will both have to answer to you. You will remonstrate with me. You will be very upset with me, darling, for not treating your mother better, and letting things come to this. You will also be very upset with your mother, for taking you away from me. I will answer for what I have done, I promise. I hope your mother can too.

If you ever need me, baby, I will be there.