A Distant Soil

I've been reading several collected volumes of A Distant Soil, which were in Morriset Library.

It's been years since I last read any of this. I had the first few issues of it, but couldn't find it anywhere after those issues. That was back in the 1980s - I remember it being a contemporary of Star Reach and Epic Illustrated (of which I once had a complete set), though that might just reflect Australian distribution of these.

Well! Nice to read the first three volumes of what is probably a four volume set, though volume 4 - Coda wasn't in the library at the time.

Gasp - what to say? The artwork both attracts and repels me. It is technically proficient, but reminds me (oddly) of both Curt Swan and Neal Adams, and I kept on thinking that the whole thing could easily be adapted as a manga. The story is really a power fantasy that is more token sf than anything else. What counts is the emotional integrity and development of the characters, rather than technological possibilities. The story could be told in a purely fantasy setting. In truth, it's an extended adolescent fantasy about being "special".

And yet, it was also compelling to finally read the story properly. I shall have to hunt down volume 4.

 

Epic Movie(s)

Went to Glendale today to see Epic Movie.

I have to say that pretty much the "best bits" were in the trailer. This is a "humour = rude stuff" film, where gags about pissing, pooing, fucking and farting (oh, and vomiting) are peppered throughout the movie. The whole point of the film is parody recent "Block Buster" films, but the treatment is pretty uneven. For example, "V for Vendetta" is referenced purely in the closing credits, as we see "V" dance to the score. It was worth waiting through the credits however - a credit of "Mel Gibson Double" is only explained for a segment that occurs in the middle of it.

Pretty cretinous overall, though I did laugh in places (and sitting in an air conditioned cinema was nice in this weather). I wish they'd have more of Willy and his factory. I also noticed that one or two of the original Oompa Loompas were recast as themselves!

What did look good were the trailers for Ghost Rider (Nick cage looks older but OK), and Rise of the Silver Surfer. I never saw the 1st Fantastic Four film, but the trailer makes it look good for an adaptation of the original Galactus saga. What didn't look so good was the short for Rocky Balboa. Er, if I was going to make that film, I'd have Rocky being the trainer of the next generation, not the contender.

Belated Announcement

I keep on forgetting to mention this...

Got my academic results back - I qualified for my Bachelor Visual Arts (Honours ), Class II Division 1. The graduation ceremony is on at the Great Hall at Callaghan Campus, 10:00am on 12th April, and I intend on going.

I was terribly terribly upset when I couldn't go to my Bachelor's ceremony a few years ago, as I had no money to buy/hire a gown, so this one is definitely on! Speaking of which, does anyone know of a pattern for the gown/hood in the Cambridge style? If I can make my gown up myself, I will!

He he - I can put BFA(Hons) after my name, now!

Dicebox

Been reading a few web comics lately, thanks to broadband. Some web comics, while great to look at, take so long to load, otherwise. Girl Genius is one of these, and so is Dice Box. I've long wanted to read this strip, ever since I read about it in Web Comics. Now I've started to, and the effect is like drinking a mature wine - it's an SF story done just right, where the two main characters (two itinerant women workers) are well developed, and the SF and backgrounds just are, rather than being thrust on the reader

Cool stuff (oh, and check out The Punishment done by a guest artist)!