The Scribe's Pen

Green Lantern #9 review

Geoff Johns builds suspense as more is revealed about Abin Sur and his relationship to the Indigo Tribe and the Book of Black. The Indigo’s power of compassion holds a potentially vile secret, one that puts them in an entirely new context. Lastly, the cataclysm that occurs at the end of the issue and its still mysterious connection to the machinations of the Guardians is a great reminder of why Johns’ Green Lantern is one of the best examples of the super-hero genre.

The art by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy was crisp and perfectly captured the shadowy and foreboding nature of Nok, the homeworld of the Indigo Tribe. The room that houses the Indigo Lantern was a beautiful and darkly colored space, conveying the tropical nature of Nok as well as the sense of urgency that spawned the Indigo Tribe.

I was reminded today that much of human behavior is driven by basic, primal impulses that likely echo earlier stages of our evolution. For instance, language affords us the capacity to reason, negotiate, debate, analyze, critique, amend, and so on. Yet, despite the enormous power that this tool affords, its much easier for some people to give in to adrenaline-fueled fits of rage. The inevitable destruction of such an emotion is paralleled by its inextricable links to the more basic, more belligerent methods of social control utilized by non-human animals. Clearly these tendencies have been retained despite our evolutionary journey, which begs the question of whether this gives us the choice to evolve further—beyond belligerence, or to devolve—to be beasts driven by aggression, struggling for primacy using the rudimentary instruments of violence, coercion, and intimidation.

Does the current multiculturalism of the comic book industry, particular Marvel and DC disrupt traditional assumptions of White normativity in comics?

I started teaching the South African Gum Boot Dance to a group of young people today. They were fast learners, and captured the spirit of resistance that the dance carries.

I wonder if there are any studies that look at the impact of environmental disaster and rising energy costs on highly unequal cities in North America. I’m trying to understand what happens in post-industrial communities, with increasingly rigid social strata, and failing institutions.

I had a great conversation today that clarified how I’d utilize a law degree in my work as an educational scholar. It would inform my work around policy advocacy, community support, and social justice. Though I have stated that my second career would be in physics, but I may have to reconsider. Perhaps the time machine and faster-than-light travel can wait a bit longer.

Age of Apocalypse #2 review

I read Uncanny X-Force 19.1 out of curiosity. Although I missed the Age of Apocalypse story in the 1990s tales of its depth and intensity linger to the present. So when X-Force traveled to the Age of Apocalypse during the Dark Angel Saga I was intrigued by this bleak, yet complicated world.

I picked up Age of Apocalypse #1 despite my abiding skepticism about this group of human rebels—the X-Terminated—and their seemingly futile struggle against Weapon X, the new heir of Apocalypse. It was a solid story. The mood of this devastated world and the resolve of the human resistance were flawlessly conveyed. Intrigued, yet still skeptical I waited for #2.

The second issue deepens the machinations of Apocalypse’s heir. Suppression of the remaining humans and the quelling of mutant malcontents remain high on Weapon X’s agenda. The inter-personal drama among the human resistance and their mutant oppressors is complimented by the complexity with which Jean Grey’s internal struggle has been portrayed herein.

My skepticism has been defeated. This book clearly stands among my favorite X-books for now. If David Lapham’s scripts retain their complexity and Roberto De’s art continues be evocative and moody then I can safely say that this represents a brave new frontier in the X-Men mythos.