Iron Man - A Review

“Making of a Hero”
“One Man’s Legacy”

“Peace. I love peace. I’d be out of a job with peace.” –Tony

From the previews alone, you had a sense that Iron Man was going to be a different sort of comic book adaptation. The cast alone told me that the creators were playing for keeps: Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Terrence Howard (Jim Rhodes). Gwyneth Paltrow (Virginia “Pepper” Potts). Jeff Bridges (Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger). Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury--stay through the ending credits). Directed by Jon Favreau (Hogan). Even if you had no sense for who this super hero was, there was an inherent intrigue about this movie.

Tony Stark is a different sort of potential superhero. Visionary, genius, handsome, billionaire, winner of the lottery of life, he’s a modern day Renaissance man and playboy, the kind of man who has a deployable stripper pole in his private plane. Though there have been other millionaire super-heroes (Batman, Green Arrow, Blue Beetle – how else can they afford all of those cool toys), Tony Stark is truly a man who “has everything and nothing”: no core, no substance, and no one to share his life with. He battles his demons from budding alcoholism to living in the shadow of his father to the specter of corporate greed to his inability to develop meaningful relationships (he’s so narcissistic that whether he’s talking to a model or the technology around him, he’s really just talking to himself).

During a trip to Afghanistan to demonstrate his latest high tech weapons for sale, he’s captured by terrorists and mortally wounded in the process. His method of escape sets the stage for his alter ego.

Even in the comic book, the character of Tony Stark always struck me as a little one note and smarmy and the producers cast the right guy to play him. The story of Stark’s fall and redemption curiously echoes the tale of the actor portraying him, Robert Downey, Jr. He has wrestled with his own share of personal demons and finds himself on a comeback from the professional and personal brink. Despite being fast talking, glib, slick, and rehearsed, Downey, Jr makes these qualities charming, but also manages to humanizes the character.

“It’s an imperfect world, but it’s the only one we’ve got.” –Tony

The typical (super) hero origin story arc follows a simple trajectory: the first half of the movie is spent establishing the everyman (think Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man, Bruce Banner in the Hulk or Matt Murdock in Daredevil) with the second half of the movie spent in big budget effects proving that said man can climb walls, smash big things, or kung fu his way through armies of men (to the point where there’s no point in asking if so-and-so can play the hero, such as the endless Batman debates, but rather can they play the alter ego).

Like all great heroes, Tony Stark has an epiphany moment, that time when he re-evaluates his life. As the leading designer and dealer of weapons, the bulk of his father’s fortune, the empire he inherited and expanded, was built on war profiteering. Selling the sticks in a “he who has the biggest sticks keeps the peace” world, the movie quickly becomes a commentary on how easily “our” sticks fall into the hands we wouldn’t want. No supervillains per se, but rather facing off against corporate greed and terrorism, from all of the double dealing (passing around sticks).

“I shouldn’t be alive unless it’s for a reason.” –Tony

All heroes need a crossroads, or end of self, moment: when he looks in the mirror and realizes that he isn’t where he was meant to be, not doing what he was meant to do, not living how he was meant to live. Tony’s brush with death forces him to not only re-evaluate his life’s purpose and direction, but also to contemplate what his legacy will be.

“There is the next mission and nothing else.” –Tony

The movie, quite literally, is about the making of a hero. Like Batman Begins, it is more about the journey to establish the path of the new hero than a typical “spandex” string of fight scenes masquerading as a plot (see Spider-Man 3). First, the hero has to realize the system we are trapped in: the “empire,” with its values and its control and order, this social and governmental impotence easily steered by corruption and greed. Next the hero has to figure out their identity. What it means to be human, in his case, what it means to be Tony Stark. Then the hero has to define their mission, in his case, what it means to be Iron Man. At this point, the hero’s life becomes one of continual mission as they hones their gifts and work with their strengths and talents to fulfill that mission.

Tony: “Thank you for saving me.”
Yinsen (Shaun Toub): “Don’t waste your life.”

Funny and taut, Iron Man moves at a good clip, slickly re-telling his origin. It’s not the kind of super hero movie one might expect, especially if you’re thinking all there is to it is putting on the costume and getting to iron butt kicking. The move is both modern and relevant (and full of nerd moments: Jarvis, the X-Men’s Blackbird reference, S.H.I.E.L.D., the terrorist group calling itself the “ten rings” a la the Mandarin, not to mention the after the credits allusion).

I’m going to have to revisit my top ten favorite comic book adaptations list, though I’ll probably wait until the end of the summer considering that Wanted, The Dark Night, The Incredible Hulk, and Hellboy 2 are all coming out.


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Runaways – A Review

“Dead-End Kids”

Written by: Joss Whedon
Art by: Michael Ryan
Published by: Marvel Comics

Don’t ask me why, but picking up Runaways #25 sent a ripple of trepidation through me, reminding me of the comic book from the 1980s, Power Pack. It was a needless worry. Joss Whedon was born to write teams. Obviously he knows it because he keeps doing it. Buffy and her Scoobies. Team Angel. Serenity. The Astonishing X-Men. These series play to his strengths: the dynamics of interpersonal relationships, distinct voices, the sense of self-discovery. Whedon is all about the character journey which is rather critical in a book completely about characterization and the changes they must go through.

The premise of The Runaways is simple: a group of kids find out their parents are super-villains and run away. Picking up after Brian K. Vaughn’s run, issue #25 marks both a jump on point for new readers and a bit of a departure for older ones. On the run, our intrepid heroes find themselves in Manhattan, preparing to have dinner with the Kingpin of Crime. The dinner wrings out more in terms of introduction to these characters than a slugfest would have. They walk a tenuous line of trying to figure out if they are heroes or villains and the choices they make only continue to murky up those waters.

“She’s not pretending to be a woman; she’s learning to be a human. She’s trying to change. Become better ... She doesn’t fit in, great. Isn’t that what this group is supposed to be all about.” –Karolina

Most super-hero teams are about relationships, a sense of family that comes with the building of a sense of camaraderie and community. This is even more true of teenage heroes as they are at the fun stage of life where they already struggle with issues of self-image (many of them uncomfortable in their own skins), where they fit in the social order (made more complicated by them trying to get out of the shadows of their parents’ villainous history), wrestling with their idea of self-identity, and dealing with feelings of alienation.

Many teenagers find themselves outsiders because they’ve been burned by some community (family, a circle of friends, a church) and are tired of not fitting in, of being rejected, of not being accepted. They put up these “harsh”, abrasive fronts, of the mostly bark/little bite variety, that mask their insecurity. So they adopted this self-defense mechanism: “I am going to make myself an outsider, you’re going to treat me as an outsider, then I’m going to rage against you keeping me on the outside.”

“Regret? It is my meat and drink. My air, my everything. The faces fade, the names get jumbled, but regret … regret never ages.”

People want community, we’re wired for relationships, acceptance, a sense of identity and belonging. The thing is that we don’t often know how to do it or how intensive the work of relationships can prove to be. Some people need to runaway. They find themselves in poisonous circumstances where relationships are toxically entrenched and things could only hope to improve if folks go their separate ways.

Some people are serial runaways. When things get tough, they cut out, running away from their communities and circumstances because they (feel they) have made such a mess of things or burned so many bridges, that they have to leave. There are some positives to be found in this cheating of relationship development: leaving may put them on a different journey, allowing them to grow in different ways, on terms better suited for them. Not only that, but leaving also allows them to re-define themselves and their story so that one day they may be able to return to those communities and be able to say they are truly a different person.

An adroit mix of introspective dialogue and inner turmoil, Whedon sets The Runaways on slow burn which will hopefully lead to a much greater conflict. At least, that’s his typical m.o. That may be the only real criticism of the book: if you are familiar with the Whedon oeuvre, then the rhythms of this book will feel overly déjà vu-esque to you. His explorations of the inner workings of teenage relationships can’t help but evoke his Buffy heyday (and the Kingpin’s appearance reminded me of the Mayor in Buffy season 3).

Be warned: picking up Runaways because Joss Whedon’s name is attached to it will only make you want to go back and pick up the trades of Brian K. Vaughn’s run. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.


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The Forbidden Kingdom – A Review

“Lord of the Staff”

I have friends who don’t like movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers because they can’t get behind all of the flying kung fu fighters. Somehow they weren’t able to suspend their disbelief for such fighting sequences, however, if one of the protagonists been bitten by a radioactive spider, it would have been all good. In short, movies like Forbidden Kingdom are no different than a super hero movie, except with samurai gear and monk wear instead of spandex.


While it has been advertised as a vehicle that teams Jackie Chan and Jet Li (FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!), there is a plot attached to the movie and it revolves around Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano who basically does a Shia LaBeouf (Transformers) imitation as he plays Frodo in this adventure). Bullied Jason goes through the Gate of No Gate as part of his journey to return the divine staff of legend to its rightful owner.

Based on the Chinese epic story 'Journey to the West', The Forbidden Kingdom truly comes to life with Jackie Chan’s appearance and subsequent fight scenes, recalling his Legend of the Drunken Master role. After he shows up, it’s only a matter of time until Jet Li and we get what we paid to see. Granted, this vehicle is something we would have liked to have seen earlier in their respective careers, not when they are both a bit past their prime. They all but don long white, kung fu master beards in this one.

Like all great super hero team ups, there is a fan-demanded battle between the heroes, a misunderstanding, of course. Like all great kung fu movies, there must be a training sequence as our hero manages to learn a lifetime’s worth of kung fu in under a week. This one, however, is filled with laugh out loud moments.

The true story of the movie is the story Jason finds himself in.

“It is their opium.” –Jade Warlord (Collin Chou)

Jason finds himself caught up in the whispers of prophecy, the opium/hope of the people under siege by the ways of the ruling empire. The imperialistic power takes the form of the Jade Army, led by the Jade Warlord. The Jade Warlord is like the spiritual aspect to evil taking on a personal dimension in the form of "the adversary." This evil one is given dominion over the kingdom until the return of their great King.

In the meantime, the Monkey King challenges the reign of the Jade Warlord, his example and disobedience going against the ways of the empire. At one point, the Jade Warlord demanded that the Monkey King bow to him. Their battle seemingly ends with the Monkey King defeated for a time, trapped in stone, awaiting t seeker to find him.

“Go free yourself.” –Monkey King (Jet Li)

What’s interesting to note is that Jason’s quest isn’t for eternal life, the elixir of immortality, but that is a part of what he gains as a part of his journey. His seeking is the point, the end goal unto itself. In some ways, the gospel is analogous to the kung fu training he so desperately wants. It can be had by all, takes many forms, can be found by seekers, adapts to the culture and to circumstance of the seeker, Master and student walking side-by-side (in the way of discipleship) and ultimately, it frees the seekers.

In so pursuing, Jason becomes an instrument of prophecy despite the fact that “He’s not even Chinese.” He, the Silent Monk (Jet Li), the Lu Yan (Jackie Chan), and Golden Sparrow (Yifei Liu) form a band of misfits, yet it is so often how the gospel is carried forth, through flawed vessels. Such counterintuitive ways are how the ways of the empire are subverted. “Vengeance has a way of rebounding upon itself,” the Silent Monk warns. Violence and recrimination continue the cycle of evil, but the honesty of confession and forgiveness break the cycle. The key to defeating evil is truth and reconciliation; the power of forgiveness and love.

To be honest, the fight sequences are sometimes too cartoony. The special effects aren’t exactly seamless and you could practically see the guide wires during some action. When the effects over take the fighting, it robs the specialness of, well, the outlandish violence we come to expect from these movies. We still see flashes of what made these two kung fu movie legends great, in fact, The Forbidden Kingdom may make you want to go out and rent some of their classic movies. Still, it's quite the crowd pleaser of a romp.


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The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite - A Review

Written by: Gerard Way Art by: Gabriel Ba Published by: Dark Horse Comics
I had never heard of the rock band My Chemical Romance, so I was unfamiliar with Gerard Way when I picked up The Umbrella Academy. Granted, I’d have been a little wary of a rock star slumming in comics (it’s one thing for novelists or movie makers to do it – forgive my literary snobbishness), even if Way was a former intern at DC Comics.

The big picture of The Umbrella Academy is that some time ago, forty three children were born to mothers who showed no sign of pregnancy. Dr. Reginald Hargreeves adopted as many of these children as he could and formed the Umbrella Academy. Named 1-7, the seven maladjusted children, though trained to used their powers to be heroes, eventually go their separate ways only to reunite upon the death of their mentor in order to save the world.

The only way I can think to describe the book is Grant Morrison (think Animal Man or Doom Patrol Grant Morrison) meets Mike Mignola (Hellboy). There are two reasons for this comparison: the story and the art. Way crams many ideas into his story and characters, from the Eiffel Tower wreaking havoc on Paris, to robot zombies, to an orchestra whose music is literally a symphony of death. And that’s before you get to a super hero team whose every member carries with them the psychological damage of their institutionalized childhood.

In terms of art, Gabriel Ba’s (Casanova) intense and brooding art matches the melancholy that permeates the characters and book. The energy in his panels is like unfettered Mignola, managing to capture the absurdist elements to the story.

The team has moments of greatness and moments of fractured dysfunction in its history. In many ways, it reminds me of the church. Ostensibly its mission is to help people develop their gifts in order to bless mankind; form people into heroes/the way of Jesus. Sometimes this formation occurs despite the institution itself (and its teachers/leaders) as much as sometimes the well-intentioned, but flawed institution can knock people from their course. Some potential heroes become damaged or otherwise fall away from their faith or calling.

It’s difficult to grow through disillusionment with an institution. It’s easy to fall into cynicism. A cynic is a frustrated idealist, with the emptiness they so often experience being a symptom of their inability to let go of their idealism. Most people are idealists at first but there must come a time in everyone’s lives when your ideals and your dreams must be measured against reality; where “what could be” and “what ought to be” is measured against “what is.” The false facades begin to crumble and those things which had been so solid and so true are not able to withstand the crush of practicality. What do we do when this happens? Even the best of people are but flawed vessels, yet flawed vessels are the only kind of person God works through. To quote Miroslav Volf, “I am not a Christian because of the church, but because of the gospel. However, it was only through the broken church that I received the gospel. Because of the gospel, I participate in the church.”

Sometimes the structure of our Umbrella Academies need to be torn down and rebuilt in order to make the necessary changes, to balance reality with ideals. They need to get back to the core of what they were meant to do and be about. This is the beginning of a new adventure, an uncertain time fraught with error and, simply speaking, new mistakes must be made. If there is to be any room for growth one cannot be afraid of their own fallibility. Mistakes mold and shape us if we learn from them. The lessons rarely come easy and at times can be quite frustrating. Heroes take up the challenge.

The ending of the series didn’t quite pull together, wrapping a little too neatly (as if Way had written himself into a corner yet didn’t want to trash any of his precious creations). On the positive side, The Umbrella Academy bubbles with refreshing creativity. A juggernaut of ideas thrown at the reader (and heroes)—both vaguely dark, yet incomplete—with equal parts angst, sadness, and heart.


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Ultimate Human – A Review

“Redemption Story”

Written by: Warren Ellis
Art by: Cary Nord
Published by: Marvel Comics

Bruce Banner (the Hulk) and Tony Stark (Iron Man) are the “two halves of the push to post-humanity.” Both brilliant scientist, yet one has a lifetime mired in failure as much as the other has had success. So, in Ultimate Human, Bruce Banner has come to Tony Stark in the hopes of finding a cure for his condition. Warren Ellis begins to do for the Ultimate version of the Hulk what Peter David did for the mainline version of him – explore what truly makes him the Hulk, psychologically and physically.

“I’ve been sick my whole life and had to fight for everything I ever wanted. And never got it. Never.” –Bruce Banner

Like Bruce Banner, part of us realize that we live in a “failure condition.” We largely sleepwalk through life, wondering what’s it all about, why we are here, what we’re supposed to do and be. The idea reminded me of the book New Way to be Human by Charlie Peacock and how we all begin with a Story, a Story that God steps into. The story has four major arcs:

Creation - The story of all that is right and good about people and the world. We were created in His image, related to God, in right relationship with Him, under His rule and agenda. We were his servant-representatives in the world, responsible for one another and stewards of creation. Made for community and unbroken relationships, we were also created not only with intelligence, but also with a free will to choose.

Fall - The story of what went wrong, what is wrong, with them. With our ability to choose, we were intolerant of mystery and the gaps in our knowledge. So we sought our own way, disconnecting ourselves from the rhythm of life set out by God, becoming alienated not only from each other, but God and creation. This turning away from God to your own assumption of living life is the very definition of sin.

“Save me.” –Bruce Banner

Redemption - The story of the mission to restore. God unfolds His relational Word, in conversation, in Laws, in history, and, ultimately, in Christ. He seeks to rescue His people and usher in His kingdom, a new way of living.
New Creation - The story of the completion of that mission. One day we’ll see the end goal of perfection, of new heavens and new earth. That is the hope in which we live.

So being the ultimate human begins with repentance, exchanging your old way of life for a new way. One where we know the story and then live out the mission, centering around one simple idea: “"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40).

Being the ultimate human is to participate in the story, embracing all aspects of life, but living with the goal of loving everyone and everything with holiness and imagination. It should impact how we work, how we play, and how we relate to one another; finding our redemptive mission in continuing the work He began to reconcile all of creation to Him.

Warren Ellis is great at playing in other people’s sandboxes. He respects the characters and fleshes them out even as he explores them in dark turns. The ultimate versions of these traditional heroes allows him to play with his full palette of science fiction tricks and jargon. The art mirrors the cinematic style that Ellis worked with during his run on The Authority, except this time it comes at the hands of a very capable Cary Nord. The book, like much of Marvel’s comic line these days, has the heady aroma of marketing opportunism (look for the trade paperback of this mini-series to come out in time for both the Iron Man and Hulk 2 movies), but Ellis keeps the story both interesting and relevant to the rest of the Ultimate universe.


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Ultimate Iron Man II – A Review

“Tech Run Amuck”

Written by: Orson Scott Card
Art by: Pasqual Ferry
Published by: Marvel Comics

Iron Man has never been one of those characters that especially appealed to me. He was a (drunk) rich guy in a tech suit and was rarely written in an interesting way. Most times, the character was only as interesting as his supporting characters. With Ultimate Iron Man II we have a darker take on the Tony Stark character.

For starters, this is a much more sci-fi take on Iron Man: Tony Stark’s mother infected herself, and her then fetus son, with a regenerative virus that turns every body cell into a neural cell capable of new growth. So his limbs can regrow and his brain is essentially distributed through his whole body. Plus, he has nanotech armor technology, the armor is a thin layer on top of the wearer’s skin, which allows him to control the Iron Man suit.

Under Orson Scott Card’s writing, we get to intricately explore the relationship between Tony and his father Howard. He weaves a tapestry of constant pressure and expectation as Tony has to live in the great man’s shadow with the burden of carrying on legacy. He attempts to both follow the example of his father while learning from his mistakes. It’s a delicate balance that can either free you to further greatness or it can spiral you into madness/self-destruction (and we see which way Tony is heading with his increasing dependence on alcohol).

Mostly, the part of the story that intrigues me most is Tony Stark as a government munitions developer. He has always been a part of the morally murky world of weapon design, essentially profiting from war, yet rarely has this aspect of his character been as relevant as it is these days. And that dark, cynical tone has crept into both the Marvel as well as Ultimate Universe depictions of the character.

“Look, it was a lesson you needed to learn. You’re not stupid, you’re just young.” –Howard Stark

As human beings, we are hard-wired for relationships. We are relational creatures gifted with many of the ease of lifestyle that technology affords. Yet we face the constant danger of being isolated by that very same technology. Counter intuitive though it may seem, considering how instantly reachable we are now (with our cell phones and text messaging; always plugged in to instant message, check e-mail or surf the web). Blackberries, iPods, Game Boys – our lives have accelerated and we’ve become over-stimulated. Technology can become our armor against the world.

At the same time, we interact with the world in new ways. Form online communities (multi-player games and message boards), have virtual relationships (chat rooms), and we can communicate with those thousands of miles from us as if they were around the corner.

Technology is what you make of it, as we try to find meaning and make sense of our increasingly postmodern world. We are less socially connected, our social networks being tethers of 1s and 0s. We will still and always have a need for the real over the virtual. We still need a human connection.

Orson Scott Card keeps Ultimate Iron Man II light with plenty of witty banter. The art is serviceable, but I’m not a fan of Pasqual Ferry’s panel construction. Each panel focused so tightly on the person in the foreground, with little to no details in the background, it was like looking at a series of cameo photos. Still, overall, the story has a lot going on inside it, with layers of political and corporate intrigue. It will be interesting watching the story develop over time.


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Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles – A Review

“O Mary Don’t You Shoot”

The latest trend in Hollywood has been to re-tread nostalgic favorites, thus the return of Transformers, Rocky, Rambo, and Knight Rider (which threatens to become a series in the Fall). It makes sense: the properties have immediate name recognition and a built in audience, however, that alone isn’t enough (see Bionic Woman). However, I don’t think Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles will be sharing the problems of Bionic Woman.

For a start, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has a well thought out mythology and the writers know where they are going with the show. It’s a simple premise: a mother and son on the run from robots from the future who are out to kill him before he grows up to become the rebel leader savior he’s destined to become. But the duo has their own robot protecting them in their travels.

Though the series picks up after T2, the second in the movie franchise, it avoids a lot of the continuity issues of T3 by time jumping ahead to present day 2007. This allows them to fulfill the words spoken in T2 about them writing their own destiny (and the show becomes the default T3).

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has a strong cast. Lena Headey (300) steps in as Sarah Connor, in the role Linda Hamilton made iconic. Add Thomas Dekker (Heroes) as John Connor and Summer Glau (Serenity) as the Cameron, the good Terminator, you have a cast that isn’t exactly a collection of strangers to genre work.

“Come with me if you want to live.” –Cameron

These are the first words the protective Terminator uses to introduce itself to either Sarah or John Connor. To draw a Biblical connection, we have the Terminator essentially functioning as the angel Gabriel in the story. He both announces Sarah and John’s role in the greater story of prophetic history, but serves as a guardian spirit.

“I’m not who they think I am. Some messiah.” –John

In a lot of ways, John’s story is parallel to that of Clark Kent’s in the series Smallville. Both are Messianic figures who have yet to come to terms with their future greatness and struggle with the idea of getting there. In the future, he will lead a war against a system programmed to destroy the world, so their present day adventures revolve around trying to prevent the future Fall of humankind, even though they know they won’t.

John constantly questions himself and his destiny (“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be? A hero, isn’t that who I am? If it’s just going to sit inside me, if it’s just going to sit in my gut, then what are we doing? What’s the point?”) even as he slowly comes to terms with it. Hopefully John Connor having the initials J.C. wasn’t too subtle for people.

Also in a way, John communes with himself. His older self sits in some future realm, yet still aids his present self by sending messages, Terminators, and other rebel helpers to help him along his journey. Yet it is not John’s story that I think the biggest spiritual connection lies, but rather with his mother’s.

“Would he know my love runs through him like blood?” –Sarah

Sarah Connor assumes the role of Mary in the story of the one day messiah of humanity. She is the one who will teach him to become the soldier and leader he will become. She is the primary guiding force who helps him come to terms with his destiny. As much as she likes having no name, no story, as they move about in their adventures, it is her love, a mother’s love for her son—and her, in turn, fighting for him—that the show revolves around. Because she knows he has a destiny/mission/ministry to fulfill.

Debate rages around the issues of Mary (from her Assumption to her Immaculate Conception to her role as co-redeemer). In the Protestant rush to downplay her, we often overlook the vital role she had to have played in Jesus’ life, beginning with the fact that she carried the God-man in her womb. She was mother to the Savior. Hers was the voice that shaped him, taught him, disciplined him (we see that she at least got on him for tarrying too long at Temple), and helped him come to terms with his messianic consciousness.

Her role was huge in the Story we find ourselves in and she did play an important part in the story of redemption. So all respect is due.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is smart and entertaining, the epitome of how to reinvigorate a franchise. As both messenger and protector, Summer imbues Cameron with a likeability, warmth, and sly humor despite her robotic role. It’s not easy to raise a teenage boy these days, especially while being stalked in a battle between good and evil. And Sarah is one mother you don’t want to cross. Put simply, This. Show. Rocks.


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My Name is Earl - A Doubting Faith

“Bad Earl”

“After everything that happened, Karma had me pretty confused.” --Earl

Entering its third season, My Name is Earl spent much of the season following Earl’s misadventures in prison. A lot of his life prior to finding out about and following the ways of “Karma” were spent breaking the law and showing up on episodes of Cops. However, Earl was imprisoned for trying to do right by his ex-wife, Joy. This led to a string of largely mediocre episodes, but watching Joy and Darnell lead a church service (“Oh Jesus you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind, hey Jesus!”) was a series highlight. The episode “Bad Earl” follows Earl’s crisis of faith, what some call a “dark night of the soul.”

As a scientist, a writer, and a practical theologian, intellectually speaking, faith hasn’t come easy to me (the question of faith has always hiccupped my spiritual journey). Some days I find myself wondering if I’m even a Christian. You pour yourself into people, befriend them, only to have them turn on me and/or leave the faith. It can be disheartening and you wonder if maybe you’ve gotten everything somehow wrong.

Some people find the prospect of doubt in one’s faith akin to leaving the faith entirely. They stand firm on “knowing” and “certainty” and “assurance” which can be understandable because people hate the idea of not knowing. Truth shouldn’t fear critical examination, and while there may be a point where you end up questioning for its own sake, every now and then it can be a healthy thing to question and re-evaluate our worldview.

Faith can be a relatively simple math problem: History/evidence + personal experience + intuition = faith. The personal dimensions to our faith, however, can be outlined in three phases: discovery (the kingdom of God/way of life), acknowledgment (this is true), and then reckoning (wrestling with it). Sometimes it seems like we chase after God and He’s playing hard to get. Paradoxically, or at least somewhat counter-intuitively, we can still draw closer to God through times of doubt and questioning.

“I’m pretty sure this Karma thing doesn’t exist.” –Earl

The Christian story on its face can seem ridiculous: God, this completely Other—sometimes seen as an imaginary friend, sometimes as the Creator—becomes flesh and blood, born of a virgin. This story unfolds in the context of angels, miracles, and fulfilled prophecy, only for him to die as so many had before and after on a Roman cross and then rise from the dead.

The journey of knowledge begins with an assumption: atheists begin with human reason (“I know through my reason, I know because I’ve reasoned that”); people of faith with theirs (“The Bible is the word of God because it says it is”). Oversimplified, I know, but minds of inquiry and genuine intellectual curiosity can journey together.

Doubting proves thought. How you arrive at truth, the contemplation of your own existence, demonstrates our ability to think and reflect. In the Christian tradition we typically draw on four sources: Scripture (the Bible), the historic church tradition (we learn in community, with time merely being a dimension to community), reason (both intuitive and deductive), and personal experience.

“I’m sick of people expecting more from me. How come I always have to act better than everyone else?” –Earl

Earl had certain expectations of his faith, a sort of “prosperity Karma”. Faith was almost like an investment scheme: after two years of doing good, things were supposed to be better, not worse. Things didn’t seem fair and we find ourselves (intellectually/behaviorally) spiraling. We can get so hung up on the possibility of missing the mark that we miss the point of being here. We end up asking the wrong questions (“Am I saved and thus ‘in’” vs. “Am I living in the way of Jesus?”).

The whole world is blessed and God is at work in all of us, working out His kingdom plan. Ironically, it’s Randy, Earl’s dimmer-witted brother, who stumbles over the secret to getting back on track: “Maybe you should go ahead and do something on your list. That always makes you feel better.” His list was his “Scriptural” guide for missional living. Living out one’s faith, the parts you clearly understand and know to be true, doesn’t make the questions irrelevant, but it certainly puts them in perspective. I may not be able to exegete every passage in the Bible, but I can grasp the concept of “love others as yourself” or “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
“I had no idea where I was going to, but I knew where I was going from … but Karma came looking for me.” –Earl

In the silence, God is there, or, in Earl’s words, “I thought Karma was dead, but she was just laying low.” You can turn your back on Him, but He won’t turn His back on you. And sometimes we need the silence in order to learn, if only to learn to listen. Having a life of faith means accepting the difficulty of living between paradoxes; it means getting rid of the arrogance and judgmentalism because you don’t have all of the answers. Having a doubting faith isn’t an easy road to walk. It can be filled with many dark nights and the weight of unanswered questions can sometimes be unbearable. But if you let it, a doubting faith can leads you to having to recommit to the journey daily. In the end, that’s all we can ask from our faith. As T.S. Eliot said, "Doubt and uncertainty are merely a variety of belief."


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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – A Review

"A Bloody Parable"

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, based on the Stephen Sondheim's 1979 musical, tells the infamous story of Benjamin Barker, who returns to London as Sweeney Todd to set up a barber shop in order to exact his revenge on those who wrongly imprisoned him. The legend of this partnership between love-robbed vengeance seeker and the widowed baker, Mrs. Nellie Lovett, who assisted him by grinding up dead customers into meat pies has been around for over 150 years.

This proves not so odd a subject/plot for a musical as it had a bit of a grand guignol vibe to it. And for director, Tim Burton, it combines a lot of his favorite elements: his life partners (figuratively) Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean) and (literally) Helena Bonham Carter in the lead roles; the ghoulish and macabre, replete with 19th century London as an industrial Gothic backdrop ; the fantastic (forget the cannibalism, he has the entire cast doing their own vocals); and love, no matter how perverted. With their ghastly pale make up, the leading duo makes the movie seem like a live action Corpse Bride except with more blood. Much more blood.

Perhaps the grimness of the subject matter is simply easier to take with impassioned lyrics set to alternately sweeping and brooding melodies.

“That man is dead. The name’s Todd. Sweeney Todd and he will have his revenge.” –Sweeney Todd

As a barber framed for a crime he didn’t commit, imprisoned for 15 years, by a judge (Alan Rickman) who lusted after his wife, the story has parallels to the Biblical story of David and Bathsheba. In it, King David is struck with lust for the wife of one of his top lieutenants, Uriah. After bedding the man’s wife, David wrongly has him sent to the front lines of a war in order to have him killed. So, Sweeney Todd would be the equivalent of Uriah surviving the attempt on his life then going after David … if Uriah could give a proper shave.

In truth, Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a parable on forgiveness, or rather, how hate can consume you if you can’t find a way to move past it. Someone once said that “refusing to forgive someone is like drinking poison, and expecting the other person to die.” Sweeney Todd, consumed and twisted by hate, lives this out to the bitter end.

“The mystery of the world. Learn forgiveness and try to forget.” –Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd’s simple theology is laid out like this: “There’s a hole in the world,” “It’s man devouring man,” and that “we all deserve to die”. Though he recognizes the broken/fallen state we find ourselves in, as well as our own culpability for the choices that we make, in his paradigm, there is no hope for redemption. No color, no love, no joy in his gray, cruel world; a world without forgiveness. He is trapped in a prison of his own hatred and though he seeks to be free, both of his past and of his nightmare life. For him, there is salvation only in spilt blood, except that he who is spilling others’ blood.

The mystery of Christ’s work on the cross models the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is neither easy nor simple. Through forgiveness we let go, we join with divine grace, and are called into a new life of wholeness. Forgiveness brings closure, allowing us to let go and begin the process of healing. Ultimately, forgiveness grants us peace, perhaps even getting to the point where we can even pray for our enemies and those who did us wrong. (Though there is something to be said for the not often talked about imprecatory prayers.) Forgiveness forms you into someone who is free, whereas, to not forgive, to hold onto the hate and the pain, continues to distort and punish you.

“Think on your sins.” –Judge Turpin

You’d think serial murders done to sweet ballads would be more disturbing than they are in this movie. With necks being slit, flesh ground into hamburger—all set to jaunty tunes, Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street is perfectly suited for those who thought Friday the 13th would’ve been better as a musical. The movie has lush production, an exhilaration in the film-making, and acting so good—from the lust-frenzied judge to the huckster Italian barber, Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat)—it brings out the macabre humor underlying it. What happens must happen, we know that going into this dark revenge tragedy; but the pleasure, if that is the right word, lies in watching the melodrama unfold.


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Dexter – A Review

“Hannibal the series”

Many of us suffer from compulsions—from smoking to drinking to promiscuity—some more self-destructive than others. We look at a character like Monk and see the bundle of neuroses that leads to him trying to control his reality by trying to maintain a strict sense of order to it. On the opposite end f the spectrum from Monk is Dexter.

Put simply, Dexter is a serial killer that preys on serial killers. Based on a crime novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall, Six Feet Under) is the kind of witty, intelligent, handsome, oddly charming brand of serial killer we’ve become fascinated with every since the popularization of serial killers with the advent of Hannibal Lecter. The self-aware monster. At an early age, his father, then a cop, recognized his son’s sociopathic tendencies and developed what he dubbed the “Code of Harry”* which would allow him to function in day-to-day circumstances.

He works as a blood splatter analyst for a crime lab in the Miami-Dade police department (yes, essentially tucked away within C.S.I. Miami). While the police track the various serial killers, Dexter is along playing cat and mouse with them. Thus combining our insatiable consumption of both serial killers and police procedurals, especially of the C.S.I. variety. Originally developed for Showtime, the show has been slightly edited so that it can be broadcast on network television.

“I don’t know what made me the way I am but whatever it was left a hollow place inside.” –Dexter

Our culture has a fascination with serial killers, having long mythologizing them. Whether caught up by the charming face evil often wears or a simple fascination with the brutality we are capable of inflicting upon one another, within them we seek dark reflections of ourselves. Call it sin or our nature, it’s like we realize that there is something fundamentally broken about us. Sometimes this brokenness evidences itself in ways both sick and criminal. Evil has many guises, yet there are those who have to figure out the pattern of brokenness.

“I’m a very neat monster.” –Dexter

Dexter clearly is psychotic, incapable of human interactions and feelings, but he fakes them well. He remains ever guarded beneath his façade of relative normalcy, controlling the chaos his urges dispose him to. For him, the blood tells the story of seeking justice, balancing the world’s books.

The Code of Harry are the tenets of his belief structure that provide his moral compass, such as it is. However, they do point to the reality of his life: there is real, undeniable evil; and it must be recognized as well as confronted. The laws help him fight his urges, to not only channel them, but use them ostensibly for good. Depicting the dark side to our nature, serial killers specifically remind us that evil death is all around us in the form of each other, lurking in the ordinary.

What we identify with is a damaged person struggling to do the right thing (as close to the right thing as he knows), despite his nature/inclinations to do otherwise. Since he kills only those who “deserve” it, we are allowed to root for him and for his victory in his struggle.

Considering the level of gross out currently seen on network television (see Bones or Criminal Minds), the graphic nature of Dexter isn’t nearly as shocking as it should be. A few things lost in translation, such as the occasional jarring epithet, “mother lover”. Watching Dexter juggle the relationships that give him the veneer of humanity—his love for his sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) and his just as broken, except in a different way, girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz)—makes for compelling television, both gruesome and gripping, with a leavening dose of dark humor.




* “Remember this forever: you are my son, you are not alone, and you are loved.”

The Code of Harry basically boils down to six points: 1. Killing must serve a purpose, otherwise it's just murder. Killing innocents is never allowed. 2. Always take time and make sure you have the right person. Be sure. 3. Blend in -- maintain appearances. Fake emotion and normality to fit in. 4. Control urges, and channel them. 5. Be extremely careful with the killing and more importantly the preparation. Preparation is vital, no detail can be overlooked 6. Most importantly, never get caught.


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The New Adventures of Old Christine – A Review

“The Passion of Christine”: The Hole of Intimacy

Traditional sitcoms have a built in “seen that” quality to them that often acts as a black hole for ideas, originality and performances. Thankfully, some sitcoms break, or at least stretch, the mold (Arrested Development, Scrubs, The Office, even It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) while others do the best they can within genre expectations (The Big Bang Theory). The New Adventures of Old Christine falls into the latter category.

The not-nearly-as-old-as-we’re-led-to-believe Julia Louis-Dreyfuss portrays an older (all of 45!) mom suddenly single again and navigating the changed landscape of the singles scene. Rounding out the ensemble of tropes, I mean, stock characters are her ex-husband, Richard (Clark Gregg); the “new” (READ: younger) Christine (Emily Rutherfurd); 8-year-old son, Ritchie (Trevor Gagnon); and her live-in brother (Hamish Linklater). The show is a love letter to an undervalued demographic: fortysomething women (read: the Desperate Housewives demo).

“I wish I could take credit, but God did that.” –Marley (Tricia O'Kelley)

The adventure that Christine is most often on is the one to fill the hole of intimacy inside her, to quell the stabbings of loneliness. True intimacy is often elusive. Let’s face it, we have this need, this void, for intimacy that our culture has taught us to fill with all sorts of things that fall short of truly filling it. Money. Marriage. Sex. Parenthood. Success. Food. (Don’t tell me you haven’t tried to fill the pain of a break up with a cheeseburger or some ice cream. Or both.) All because the desire to know and be known is a universal desire, one hard-wired into us.

We are hard-wired for intimacy; we’re relational beings. Augustine spoke of a God-sized hole within each of us - essentially it is that built-in need for intimacy. Just as there was an intra-Trinitarian intimacy within the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) before creation, so–as His image bearers–do we share this need for intimacy. The pursuit of intimacy is similar to our pursuit of God. We seek that communion, that connection with him as well as with others. God created us with a yearning for relationships from the beginning (Genesis 2:18), from the moment He said “‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’”

Julia Louis-Dreyfuss carries Christine’s litany of foibles like proud armor, on the one hand a dervish of physical comedy on the other, a “more urbane than thou” devilish wit. Tormented by gossiping moms, her own self-image, and, well, the “new” Christine, The New Adventures of Old Christine mines its share of laughs. However, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss is so much better than the scripts, she alone makes the show better than it ought to be. Brief stints by Wanda Sykes (Evan Almighty) and Blair Underwood, the instant fixer uppers of shows, demonstrate a willingness to get behind the show and lighten her comedic load. This is good because there are a lot of “Christines” out there.


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A Spiritual Perspective on Pop Culture?

“Whenever we meet heathen writers, let us learn from the light of truth which is admirably displayed in their works, that the human mind, fallen as it is, and corrupted from its integrity, is yet invested and adorned by God with excellent talents. If we believe that the Spirit of God is the only fountain of truth itself, we shall not reject or despise the truth itself, wherever it shall appear, unless we wish to insult the Spirit of God.” –John Calvin

Is pop culture a worthwhile read? I get this question fairly often, the thinking behind it being that we (I’m dragging my fellow reviewers at Hollywood Jesus into this) are glorifying movies that shouldn’t be glorified or have no redeeming spiritual value.

I don’t consider myself a Christian reviewer. One, because when the word “Christian” is used as an adjective, usually it’s the first red flag that we’re already off mission (yes, this goes back to my rantings about our Christian ghetto mentality). Two, because when I think of a “Christian Movie Review”, a certain kind of review comes to mind. We get the synopsis of the movie, followed by its rating, then descriptions of its violent content, sexual content (Boobies!), foul language, with a concluding judgment about its worthiness for family viewing. Counting cuss words and shots of exposed body parts (Boobies!) is no way to enjoy a movie nor do I think it should be our focus. So how do I approach writing “Christian” reviews?

I stand by the conceit that God is active in every culture. If that is true, we ought to be able to find redemptive elements almost everywhere in that culture. Slip into the mindset of thinking of yourself as a missionary to your culture. One of the first things a missionary ought to do is learn the stories of the culture. Granted, I consume a lot of pop culture (movies, television, comic books, books—but not music. Music has been dead to me since 1992. Nothing personal, it’s just that 1992 was the year music became noise and I realized I was on my countdown to yelling at kids to get off my lawn). But if we’re going to speak into a culture subversively, it has to be done contextually. We have to learn the language of the culture.

This sounds like a complete rationalization justifying how much time I spend in front of my television and it’s at this point that two Bible passages get thrown at me. Always in the spirit of Christian love and edification:

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

I understand the fear that comes with the freedom we have in Christ and the importance of “guarding ourselves” when it comes to being “of the world.” When I come at this verse, the words “but rather expose them” jump out at me. Exposing is the work of an artist. True artists pursue truth, truth about themselves, truth about life, truth about things after this life. I think it is important to engage the artist and what they are trying to do.

Again, this goes back to one of the cornerstones of being a missionary: respect the natives, respect the culture, respect the natives’ stories and seek to understand them, and look for redemptive analogies .

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” –Philippians 4:8

That verse bolsters sermon after sermon of justifying a retreat from anything that may taint us. There is even value in withdrawing from such things, for a time, until they got their spiritual feet under them and are better able to discern what’s good for them. How do we learn to discern them to “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” (I Thessalonians 5:21-22)? If I’m counting shots (Boobies!), that’s what becomes my focus. How is that spiritual?

I say this with all due caution and humility, as we mature, we, like the apostle Paul, can expose ourselves to culture, draw the good out from it, interact with it in such a way as to use it for redemptive purposes. Yes, we are called to be priests, to be set apart; but set apart, not for our own comfort and edification, but for a purpose: to join in Christ’s redemptive mission.

I am often saddened by the typical Evangelical reaction to films likening it to that of loud hypocrites. I think this becomes a self fulfilling prophecy of sorts: how often has a director seemed open to exploring spiritual themes until s/he crosses the Christian Moral Police and suddenly gets a bad taste in his/her mouth about religion?

Nor do I look at people and think “they may taint me with their worldly ways. Look at how violent he is or how much she cusses” and then retreat from them. Though too often, we as a church do that, too.

Stories resonate with us for a reason and there are redemptive elements in each of our stories. In all things, think redemptively, and let the renewing your mind be in finding God at work in the culture around us. I am reminded of how the Apostle Paul could walk around Athens, a city full of idols, and still find Jesus (Acts 17). Engage the artist, engage the audience of that artist, and let your words and deeds be salted with grace. Look for common ground, that’s how you start conversations. And with conversations, all things are possible.

“If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else, we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes, that is to say, like artists.” –Frederich Buechner


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Double Act – A Review

"Ghosts of a False Self"

Double Act is a well-written novella from British writing team, LH Maynard & MPN Sims (Shelter, Demon Eyes). As Cocker and Hass, Walter Coker and Charlie Hass were a successful comedy double act in the 1950s London theatre scene in the twilight of their career. Unfortunately, the straight man and primary writer, Charlie, dies of a heart attack, leaving behind his funnier partner to pick up the pieces of his career as well as investigate the strange happenings and mystery in the wake of the death.

A writing duo writing about a comedy duo works almost at a meta level as they explore the secrets of a fairly successful professional and personal relationship.

“But life can’t be lived on what ifs and if onlys. You make choices and stand or fall by the choices you make. Sometimes the choices are the right ones, sometimes not.” –Carol Butler

The sins of their past comes back on them, from love affairs to pride and jealousy, in the form of a mysterious figure/force. A long time and well known philanderer, Charlie Hass comes to be seen in a new light, a more honest light though it only demonstrates how often we know so little about the people in our lives.

The least mysterious part of the journey of these characters is how easy it is to fall into a spiral of sin. They both begin with a lie that they tell themselves, about each other as well as themselves (because we are all the put upon heroes in our own story). From there, they harden their hearts by degrees to what they know is right. Then they find themselves having to hide the secrets that won’t stay hidden very long because truth has a way of being found out.

“If that’s what you’ve been telling yourself over the years to absolve yourself from blame, then you’ve been living a lie.” –Carol Butler

We know that the best relationships are built on openness and honesty, but we find ourselves creating a “false self”, a mask we wear that becomes part of us, in order to interact with others and the world. This constructed self, is defined by what we do, by what we have, and by what people think about us – and most times is a lie. We believe this lie and try to fix it ourselves, essentially creating a self-salvation scheme as we continue going about trying to re-create ourselves to the world around us. As Carol, one of Charlie’s mistresses puts it, “Once you start holding things back, they build up into an unbreakable wall that’s impossible to break down.”

Charlie’s false self takes form, haunting those he left behind from beyond the grave. This “monster you created”, left unchecked, destroys any good left in him and in his life, and leads to acts of ultimate selfishness.

At its heart, Double Act is an old-fashioned ghost tale, so low-key and without gore, the horrific aspect of the layered story goes almost unnoticed. The authors weave an emotionally intricate tale through the use of a strong, melancholy narrative voice. All about tone and mood, Double Act relies more on its disquieting atmosphere and disturbing, deeply human characters, moreso than any supernatural aspects. Its flaw lies more in its abrupt, bitter, and ultimately less than satisfying ending. Until then, it delivers the around the campfire creepiness and a study of compelling intensity, cloaked in the familiar garb of a good ghost story.


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The Death of the New Gods – A Review

Written by: Jim Starlin
Art by: Jim Starling
Published by: DC Comics
Price: $3.50

“Rival Gods”

Let me start out by naming my bias: I have never been a Fourth World fan. The world of Jack Kirby that brought us the New Gods, the Forever People, I just never got into it. I found his artwork clunky and garish – I simply never got him. However, what was plain to recognize was the epic level on which he operated. His were cosmic tales, carefully constructing a pantheon of newly minted gods set against powerful storytelling. From John Byrne to Walt Simonson, different writers have come along to put their stamp on the huge mythology and mythology is the right word in every sense. Echoes of this story could be felt in his Marvel creation, The Eternals.

The story of the New Gods sounds deceptively simple: a planet called Urgrund was split apart millennia ago after the death of the old gods during their Ragnarok. The planet separated into two planets forever connected. New Genesis, a technological garden of Eden, ruled by the benevolent and wise Highfather and Apokalips, its dark twin of fire pits and foul machinery ruled by Darkseid. The dwellers of New Genesis live in close proximity to the Source, the primeval energy of the universe, guarded by The Wall, the Final Barrier between man and the Creator.

Jim Starlin has toiled in this wheelhouse before, most notable in the mini-series, Cosmic Odyssey. The Death of the New Gods picks up some of the plot threads left dangling from Countdown in which Lightray was killed off and Jimmy Olsen began investigating his death. He ends up witnessing the death of another Fourth World creation, Sleeze. Someone is killing off the New Gods.

It would be easy to see their story as part of the behind the scenes cosmic battle between the angels of New Genesis and the demons of Apokalips. However, I am more intrigued by the idea of Armageddon, the death of the New Gods.

“Though we don’t worship it … the Source is the cosmic force that holds our universe in order. It is omnipotent power with a nearly indecipherable intent.” –Darkseid

As I read through the Old Testament, one of the ideas that get lost in our modern and postmodern readings of it is that the people of the time seem to believe there are other gods. As the monotheism of Judaism and Christianity were taking hold, they did so within the paradigm of nations who worshiped pantheons of gods. Biblical faith—the narratives in the Old Testament—overlap and parallel the contemporary pagan religions. We have to do something with verses like “all gods bow down before him” (Ps 97:7).

In his book, God's Rivals: Why Has God Allowed Different Religions? Insights from the Bible and the Early Church, Gerald R. McDermott poses some challenging ideas. Maybe there are some real other gods, subordinate to God, much like angels and demons worshiped with misplaced faith. Maybe religions are communities of conversations each with some claim to truth that points to a greater truth.

“It is said the value of any quest is in the journey itself … seeking enlightenment is like playing recklessly with a double-edged sword. The truth can be a marvelous boon or a devastating realization.” –Darkseid

Religions, pagan or otherwise, are an attempt to get at some truth, be it of a greater reality, a better way to live, or ultimately God. If God is sovereign and can use all truths to point to Him, the various religions of the world must be within His Providence.

“The Source strives for the creation of a better universe … perhaps that all endings are but the beginning of something new.” –Himon

If we believe that all Truth is God's Truth, then any pursuit of Truth should lead to Him. God wants Gentiles to know Him and His people can learn from pagans and we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss other religions as "wrong". "Wrong" is the point. Coming into a relationship with Him is.

I can think of no more eloquent way to say this other than Jim Starlin is writing and drawing his butt off with this mini-series. The Death of the New Gods easily represents some of his best work in years. He understands the symbolic status of the New Gods, their depth, their pathos. Better than most comic book writers, whose stories you can feel being stretched to accommodate their eventual consolidation into trade paperbacks, Starlin writes for the individual issues, his ending panels propelling you into the next issue. The art is dense and detailed, an homage to George Perez in scope. I can’t wait to see what the end of the Fourth World gives rise to.


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Hulk – A Review

Written by : Jeph Loeb
Art by: Ed McGuinness
Published by: Marvel Comics

“IncREDible Anger”

Coming off of the World War Hulk comic event, the Hulk is popular enough for Marvel to attempt to have him sustain a couple titles, not including She-Hulk and other “Hulk Family” books. Say what you will about World War Hulk, it gave fans what they wanted, plenty of “Hulk Smash!” action (with enough semblance of a plot to string together issue after issue of said mindless smashing). Jeph Loeb (Supergirl) and Ed McGuinness bring us the Hulk, or more specifically, begin the mystery of who is the red Hulk?

The Hulk persona has undergone many transformations over the years, especially during Peter David’s epic run. It was like a split personality, originally appearing as gray during the first issues of the original title’s run (a personality revisited often by Peter David) and with varying degrees of intelligence. The promotional ads of a red Hulk has fans busy trying to figure out what the latest implication means. And this issue is more set up of the story than any sort of explanation.

We have Doc Samson (the Hulk’s gamma-powered, one time psychiatrist), She-Hulk, and General Ross investigating the latest outburst of violence, presumably from the Hulk, like some sort of gamma-specialized C.S.I. team. All evidence of the rampage points to the Hulk, with the disturbing revelations that 1) the Hulk is red and 2) it’s not Bruce Banner.

The Hulk persona is no more than a "rage-aholic," someone addicted to anger and rage. Be it some biochemical switch or the inner undisciplined tantrum-ing two year old of frustrated want, he simply wishes to rage. A lot. Everyone gets angry, many of us even let anger often get the better of us and do things we later regret. What separates us is how we choose to deal with those impulses of unchecked aggression. Some of us struggle with rage, either bottling it up, acting it out, or repressing it. That unpredictable behavior, that inability to express ourselves short of “Me Smash!”, be it verbally or physically, shatters relationships like so many buildings on a Hulk rampage.

We continue to burn with hatred and murder in our hearts and suddenly a just and wrathful God who would smite loathsome man with pain, suffering, humiliation and eventually death and eternal punishment makes sense to us. As if that was the end of the story.

Like an addiction, we must find a way to contain our inner Hulk, as it were. Wrestle with the underlying demons that undergird it, find appropriate ways to express that anger, or abstain from angry behavioral outbursts. Ultimately, we need to put aside our rage and hatred, to lose that trust in ourselves and our way and find somewhere else to place it.

We must continue to examine ourselves, acknowledge our mistakes and sins and hopefully realize that we don’t want to be that raging monster, hurting those in our path. Maybe realize that the path we are on wreaks destruction wherever we go. Maybe realize that we’re not smart enough, courageous enough, self sufficient enough or good enough to make up the rules as we go along. And as the journey of Bruce Banner/the Hulk demonstrates, this is easier said than done.

The issue looks great, something you’d expect from Ed McGuinness. There’s the obligatory gratuitous battle with the Russian version of the Avengers, the Winter Guard where he gets to shine. Loeb does his job by leaving all sorts of questions dangling without answers: is this Rick Jones? What happened between World War Hulk and now? However, this is by-the-numbers story-telling. We’ve seen this story done a bunch of times and just because the Hulk is red doesn’t mean much besides having a new action figure to market. Hopefully Loeb is setting us up for a major payoff, if not, well … meh.



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