Thor #615 - Matt Fraction (w), PAsqual Ferry (a)
Tweeview: excellent start to new run. Art is superb, characters well rounded, dialogue sparkling. Follows on wonderfully
Matt Fraction's eagerly anticipated run on Thor begins, and it's off to a great start. Obviously, I have been waiting to get my hands on this since Fraction's Thor one shots, which were epic and seemed to really find the voice of the character naturally.
That's continued in this issue. In fact, all the characters feel fully formed, as most of the main cast is given a couple of layers within just one issue, and others seem to have interesting ideas set up before them.
The great thing about this issue if you've already been reading Thor is that it doesn't just start afresh. It builds and flows on organically from what Kieron Gillen has done on the book, including strands and character arcs that Gillen was exploring being continued here.
And yet, it remains a perfect jumping on point for new readers.
The story feels immediately epic and grandiose, whilst being filled with small human moments, and light, well-handled comedy. Easily some of Fraction's best in-house work, much like his run on Invincible Iron Man.
As for the art, Pasqual Ferry knocks it out of the park. Many of the panels and pages feel huge, with large vistas, flowing line work, and excellent story telling. It's topped off by some great colours from Hollingsworth, which feels much more like the colours were lavishly painted on digitally, instead of blocks of colours and tones. In fact, the deftness of the modern 'painting' technique manage to infuse the art with a sense of the new and the old, which is where Thor is always at its best.
The lettering from Workman is a great job, with perhaps onepossible exception. The new villains of the piece all have an odd white fuzzy thing (that's seriously all I can describe it as) in their speech bubbles. I found it so hard to tell what it was or why it would be there that it actually managed to pull me out of the story for a moment. If it turns out that this is on purpose and will be explained later, fair enough, but if it's some kind of artistic license, I really hope they drop it.
Overall though, this book is excellent, easily one of the best picks of my haul this week. In fact, it's only being trumped as my best by one ...story...and it's an odd choice, which I'll be getting to at the end.
True Blood #3 - Alan Ball (w), David Messina (a)
Tweeview: story a little clunky, and art too. It's great when Messina isn't working of photos, but ref'd panels are static
The True Blood comic is an odd thing; I find most liscensed comic books to be odd though. It's hard to tell if we're supposed to consider this canon. Fact is, I'm fairly certian Ball has said it is, but it feels like it shouldn't be.
It's possibly that on a comics page, the characters just don't come across as well as on the screen; dialogue often reads as forced, or plain bad. Similarly, the plot is a little clunky. In this issue, three rednecks appear from seemingly nowhere, and fight sequences end as quickly as they start. And the ending just feels sudden, almost like an 'oops, out of pages, ah well' moment.
However, it has it's moments. Occasionally, the characters feel like the ones we know and love, and in some cases lust for, and the mood and themes match the show well enough.
The art by David Messina is a bit 'clunky' too. The art seems to split into two types: art that is referenced from pictures of the cast and show, and art that is entirely Messina's free work. The free work is excellent, and dynamic, and the movement is palpable. But the referenced panels feel entirely static. They look excellent and spot on for the most part. Only when perhaps a character is smaller in the background to they look completely off.
All in all, this continues to move te story forward at a slow and slightly clunky pace, but it's hardly the worst comic around. I just can't help but feel it would have worked better as a Graphic Novel, and with Messina not referencing so much.
Avengers #5 - Brian Michael Bendis (w), John Romita Jr. (a)
Tweeview: Important plot element added, but otherwise straightforward middle issue. Pacing little too fast. Art is great
The problem with this issue is that it feels like a fairly standard middle of a run issue, but it's issue 5, and it's hard to see how this arc can be wrapped next issue in anything but a breakneck pace.
In fact, that accelerated pace is felt strongly in the last couple of pages of the issue. Bendis' pacing in New Avengers has been proving much better than here sadly.
That being said, it's not a bad issue. It's nostalgically reminiscent of classic Avengers/Marvel stories, with uneasy alliances being heroes and villains, but with Bendis' usual element of intrigue and modernity to it.
The main reason I had for picking this up was the apparantly important double-page spread in the issue hinting at possible future events within Marvel. Now, it by no means feels original: DC have already done this, twice or more, with Rip Hunter's whiteboards. This one equally feels like not just a big important plot element to this arc (though that in itself raises the question of why it's being introduced so late) but will also have intriguing things for fans of the rest of the Marvel Universe. Whether it's worth picking up for the $3.99 price tag if you don't usually read Avengers....probably not. And you certainly couldn't read this issue without the others.
Artwise, Romita Jr. continues to produce some fine work, not his best, but pretty solid, with some fantastic spreads. He feels like a good fit for this book as he can produce good work like this, that can tell a story plainly and well, on a fast turnaround, which frankly this arc certainly needs to keep interest.
Uncanny X-Men #528 - Matt Fraction (w), Whilce Portacio (a)
Tweeview: nice story progression. Finally some Northstar&Dazzler action. Art sometime sparse and but effective
The story of the Five Lights is progressing well. So far, I haven't been that excited wih Fration's X-Men work. It has it's spectacular moments (Utopia) and it has it's slow and not very spectacular moments, not bad, just not amazing (the Sisterhood and Predator X arcs).
However, I think what's needed to properly understand those slow moments is to really view the run so far as a whole. The stories Fraction has been weaving seem to be very different themes than usual X-Men stories: instead of just focusing on how hard it is for people persecuted for being different, we see people and societies struggling with ideas of change. Similarly, the effects of fame and being thrust into the spotlight on these people and groups. This thematically links with what Morrison was doing in his stellar New X-Men run; though unlike Morrison who introduced these themes to look at the same classic X-Men stories from a new angle, Fraction focuses on these new themes with the characters.
Classic style X-Men stories then are now being told in the other X-books, but Uncanny is dealing with a very different theme, and is having to do so on a broad scale, across whole arcs. The book itself is changing just as much as it's dealing with the concept of change.
Thus, if we look at it like that, as well as being a good issue in and off itself with interesting character moments and good progression of individual character arcs and intrigue; it's also a great story progression for the overall theme, especially evidenced in some dialogue beteen Hope and the newest Light, and a scene with Northstar and Dazzler.
And another thing, FINALLY some Northstar/Dazzler action! We got a tease in a previous issue, but since then this 'tag team to watch' have essentially just run around in the background if they appeared at all in the main book. Finally here we see them bantering away at each other, a gay and his glamorous fag hag, as they kick ass! And it's brilliant to see them! There needs to be more. Hell, if it were up to me, they'd get their own mini. But offering the chanceto shine, in Uncanny of all places, is great to see.
The art by Whilce Portacio...well, I'm not the biggest fan of his superhero work. I think he works fine doing grim 'n' gritty and horror, but superhero not so much. But it does the job. The story progression is easy to follow and clear. However, some of his panels and pages are sparse, with blocks of bare colour or characters and action all appearing to one side of the panel. Also, there are a couple of occassions where the anatomy is way off (in one panel, Emma Frost looks like a butch man with fantastic tits). But as I said, it works. It tells the story and does so well, it may nt be the prettiest to have graced the book, but it damn well gets the job done. Plus, it's some of Portacio's best on the title so far, so it feels like he's getting more of a feel for the characters now.
Jimmy Olsen's Big Week: Action Comics Co-Feature part one
Available for free on the DC App - Nick Spencer (w), RB Silva (a)
Tweeview: it's free! It's funny. It's smart. It's pitch perfect. And the art is superb. RB Silva is a revelation!
Now this is the odd one. Odd because this has been my favourite bit of comic book picked up today...and it was done online, or rather on my phone, for free, and is technically a back-up feature, not a main event. Yet it hands down beats the full comics I spent cash on this week.
Jimmy Olsen can be a fun character. Grant Morrison showed how quirky and insane and wonderfully entertaining he can be in All Star Superman....however, in the main DC Universe, he's not handled quite so well lately. In fact, in Countdown he was used pretty badly.
However, Nick Spencer gets him. He gets the concept of following Superman's powerless 'best pal'. And not only does he know what made the concept great and fun and quirky in the past, but he knows how to update it and make it modern yet essentially stay true to the original idea.
Also, the DC Universe finally has it's Chloe Sullivan. She's smart, she's sassy, and she's quite literally Jimmy's answer to Lois Lane. He even gets his answer to Lex Luthor.
And I think that this is going to be one of the fun things about this story: if Superman is meant to make us realise our potential and live our lives a bit more bravely and optimistic like him, then Jimmy Olsen is the Everyman Superman. He may take a little time to realise it, but this guy can save the day when he sets his mind to it.
The Everyman thing is important: we instantly connect with Olsen and root for him, and understand him. He's likeable and geeky and funny, and he's just this gawky adorable guy you wanna see win (but kinda wanna see the mishaps along the way too).
The art is stunning. RB Silva is a revelation to me, being completely unfamiliar with his work. His art looks a cross between Olivier Coipel and Ryan Sook, and all the characters and settings look great! In fact, that's part of what makes this 10-page comic more enjoyable than the full comics; I spent time pouring over each panel admiring the craftsmenship and artistry, on my tiny iPhone screen.
Frankly, as if you really need another reason to be picking up Paul Cornell's Action Comics anyway, but if you still need convincing download this on the DC app and be blown away. A bloody great pick!
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Movie Review: 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'
Yes, I went to see it. I had to review it. If only to forewarn all you lovely readers out there (yes, all five of you) about how bad a film this is, as I have done the previous films in the past.
However, I have to break with tradition. As much as it burns me to say this...like the sun burning the skin of a REAL fucking vampire...but Eclipse is actually, bizarrely, and unexpectedly, better than the first two films.
This is much like pointing out that breaking one's cock is better than getting it bitten off, of course. Ultimately, you'd rather not ever experience either. But new director David Slade has managed to answer the silent prayers of all those teenage boyfriends dragged along to two hours of simpering, mind-numbingly painful 'romance' by their brainwashed other-halves; he's made the film marginally more watchable.
This seems to be mostly done by vastly improving upon the action sequences and special effects; by making the soundtrack less obtrusive; by toning down the ridiculous dialogue (although there are still some howlers in there); and by offering the far more interesting background characters a chance at some backstory.
That last part is a bit of a double edged sword, however. By creating some genuinely interesting backstories for characters such as Riley, Rosalie, Jasper and the wolf clan, it only serves to point out how boring the main love-triangle and it's participants are. Add to this the fact that each of these origin tales is choppy, and cut far too short, and you wind up with five minutes of relief at a time. Hopefully spaced out perfectly to prevent the ever-suffering boyfriends from tearing off their own genitals to bash out their eyes and clog their ears.
Furthermore, these backstories initially, to a non-TwiHard, come across as flying in the face of previous continuity, and sometimes leave the viewer confused. Easily rectified if we could continue to follow these characters and be reminded where they fit in with the general mythos of the world, bt this simply doesn't happen. Meaning the film is technically inaccessible to anyone without a pretty strong familiarity with the source material.
The dreadful, mysoginistic, dangerously opinionated source material.
Now, these good points aside, the film still, as a whole, is rubbish.
The main thrust of the plot is drivel, and seems to serve to do nothing more than push ever onward the theme that sex is incredibly dangerous and will ruin your life irrevocably. The leads are mildly more charming this time, though Edward continues to come across as a abusive, controlling boyfrend, Bella is a simpering, nymphomaniac cocktease (yeah, it's astonishing that she can be both a nympho and a cocktease frankly) and Jacob, who was bearable before if not in fact likeable, actually comes across worse, being arrogant and a boiling pot of rage ready to go off at a moments notice.
The plot is as littered with holes as ever. Why should I give a damn about the supposed threat of the Volturi? Only one seems to have any powers, and that is simply she can make one person feel intense agony at a time...the Cullens have a mind-reader, a psychic, a powerhouse, a speedfreak and a former Confederate Army officer on their side FFS. They could easily take Dakota Fanning and Daniel 'delivers lines like a tinny Colossus' Cudmore is a fight. So where is the threat?
Bryce Dallas Howard is sadly underused, as I think given more time she could have been a very threatening Victoria. but given that she has just joined the cast, and has no time to get a feel for the character, it really comes across in her portrayal. In fact, there are a few moments she poses, and I swear you can see her being reminded of her lines in the reflection in her ridiculous contact lenses.
(Plot Hole Moment: the 'vampires' all have deep red, or bright yellow, eyes....and yet they go to school and no one says, "What the holy fuck is up with your eyes, dude?!")
Also, I think we're supposed to feel something for Bree Tanner. However, she has all o two lines in the whole film, and is seen for one minute intervals at a time. She's portrayed brilliantly by Jodelle Ferland, one of the best child actresses in Hollywood, but her character just isn't given the screen time to make any of us feel for her, making her presence scream 'cannon fodder'.
Kristen Stewart, for me, came across as mildly more likeable, although she is still the worst heroine ever committed to film/book. And Robert Pattison, with his one note acting, actually manages to come across as kind of sinister in this.
So as ever, I have to declare this film atrocious. Not as atrocious as the first two, but your money could be better spent watching better vampire films, or True Blood.
Avoid if you can, but if not, rest safe in the knowledge that it's a little bit better. In other words, you won't be trying to swallow your own fist in a desperate attempt the crush your own heart by the second act. ...Maybe by the third....
However, I have to break with tradition. As much as it burns me to say this...like the sun burning the skin of a REAL fucking vampire...but Eclipse is actually, bizarrely, and unexpectedly, better than the first two films.
This is much like pointing out that breaking one's cock is better than getting it bitten off, of course. Ultimately, you'd rather not ever experience either. But new director David Slade has managed to answer the silent prayers of all those teenage boyfriends dragged along to two hours of simpering, mind-numbingly painful 'romance' by their brainwashed other-halves; he's made the film marginally more watchable.
This seems to be mostly done by vastly improving upon the action sequences and special effects; by making the soundtrack less obtrusive; by toning down the ridiculous dialogue (although there are still some howlers in there); and by offering the far more interesting background characters a chance at some backstory.
That last part is a bit of a double edged sword, however. By creating some genuinely interesting backstories for characters such as Riley, Rosalie, Jasper and the wolf clan, it only serves to point out how boring the main love-triangle and it's participants are. Add to this the fact that each of these origin tales is choppy, and cut far too short, and you wind up with five minutes of relief at a time. Hopefully spaced out perfectly to prevent the ever-suffering boyfriends from tearing off their own genitals to bash out their eyes and clog their ears.
Furthermore, these backstories initially, to a non-TwiHard, come across as flying in the face of previous continuity, and sometimes leave the viewer confused. Easily rectified if we could continue to follow these characters and be reminded where they fit in with the general mythos of the world, bt this simply doesn't happen. Meaning the film is technically inaccessible to anyone without a pretty strong familiarity with the source material.
The dreadful, mysoginistic, dangerously opinionated source material.
Now, these good points aside, the film still, as a whole, is rubbish.
The main thrust of the plot is drivel, and seems to serve to do nothing more than push ever onward the theme that sex is incredibly dangerous and will ruin your life irrevocably. The leads are mildly more charming this time, though Edward continues to come across as a abusive, controlling boyfrend, Bella is a simpering, nymphomaniac cocktease (yeah, it's astonishing that she can be both a nympho and a cocktease frankly) and Jacob, who was bearable before if not in fact likeable, actually comes across worse, being arrogant and a boiling pot of rage ready to go off at a moments notice.
The plot is as littered with holes as ever. Why should I give a damn about the supposed threat of the Volturi? Only one seems to have any powers, and that is simply she can make one person feel intense agony at a time...the Cullens have a mind-reader, a psychic, a powerhouse, a speedfreak and a former Confederate Army officer on their side FFS. They could easily take Dakota Fanning and Daniel 'delivers lines like a tinny Colossus' Cudmore is a fight. So where is the threat?
Bryce Dallas Howard is sadly underused, as I think given more time she could have been a very threatening Victoria. but given that she has just joined the cast, and has no time to get a feel for the character, it really comes across in her portrayal. In fact, there are a few moments she poses, and I swear you can see her being reminded of her lines in the reflection in her ridiculous contact lenses.
(Plot Hole Moment: the 'vampires' all have deep red, or bright yellow, eyes....and yet they go to school and no one says, "What the holy fuck is up with your eyes, dude?!")
Also, I think we're supposed to feel something for Bree Tanner. However, she has all o two lines in the whole film, and is seen for one minute intervals at a time. She's portrayed brilliantly by Jodelle Ferland, one of the best child actresses in Hollywood, but her character just isn't given the screen time to make any of us feel for her, making her presence scream 'cannon fodder'.
Kristen Stewart, for me, came across as mildly more likeable, although she is still the worst heroine ever committed to film/book. And Robert Pattison, with his one note acting, actually manages to come across as kind of sinister in this.
So as ever, I have to declare this film atrocious. Not as atrocious as the first two, but your money could be better spent watching better vampire films, or True Blood.
Avoid if you can, but if not, rest safe in the knowledge that it's a little bit better. In other words, you won't be trying to swallow your own fist in a desperate attempt the crush your own heart by the second act. ...Maybe by the third....
Monday, 21 June 2010
White Trash!
So, fantastic surprise on my way home from the day job today. The fantastic artist working on the group project I'm on, Stiffs, Mr. Gavin Mitchell has popped up a character design sketch for a character in a project I'm looking to get off the ground myself called Pride.
The character is called White Trash, a kinda Luke Cage/Iron Fist mix with a twist. The characters look is based closely on the stunning and cool model and pin-up artist, Trevor Wayne.
The character looks ace, and hopefully Mr. Wayne will love the likeness too.
That and a nice couple of compliments I've had today about the comic idea give me the verve to really push this project, so hopefully, watch this space and maybe you'll hear more soon.
In the mean time, here's the sketch. Totally go and check out Gav's blog, and Trevor's site too, as they deserve your attention!
Sunday, 20 June 2010
Slow Days (to the sound of vevuzuluhs)
So, today is one of those slow days where not much happens on the comic front. Or more accurately, from the perspective of the writer.
Stiffs is momentarily out of my hands waiting on some details to come back. I've done some preliminary planning on some other projects, including tweeting (a pretty invaluable tool for new creators to mix and mingle these days) an editor I know to see if he'd be cool with me running a couple of ideas by him. This is not something I generally recommend doing, especially not unsolicited, but if you're lucky enough to know a creator/editor well who is willing to do it unofficially there's no harm in using what contact you have.
Aside from that, there's no movement. Having a big chunk of my day taken up by the day job (how else are you supposed to fund your endeavours?) can be problematic like that sometimes.
Of course, it could easily be that projects could be coming on leaps and bounds, that artists are intrigued to work with me and composing those tentative first emails now.
Well, we live in hope.
Stiffs is momentarily out of my hands waiting on some details to come back. I've done some preliminary planning on some other projects, including tweeting (a pretty invaluable tool for new creators to mix and mingle these days) an editor I know to see if he'd be cool with me running a couple of ideas by him. This is not something I generally recommend doing, especially not unsolicited, but if you're lucky enough to know a creator/editor well who is willing to do it unofficially there's no harm in using what contact you have.
Aside from that, there's no movement. Having a big chunk of my day taken up by the day job (how else are you supposed to fund your endeavours?) can be problematic like that sometimes.
Of course, it could easily be that projects could be coming on leaps and bounds, that artists are intrigued to work with me and composing those tentative first emails now.
Well, we live in hope.
Saturday, 19 June 2010
Stiffs!
So, I don't wanna go into too many details as yet as obviously, as mentioned before, the process of creating a new comic and getting it ready for pitch can be so tumultuous. But things seem so near completion now I had to say something (add that to the fact I really needed to update this blog).
So the comic that I'm working on with the ever fantastic writers Drew Davies and PJ Montgomery, with art by the permanently genius Gavin Mitchell and Adam Cadwell, has had yet another name change. It's only fair, and wise. It's out of respect to a far more amazing and established writer having already used a near identical title for a series at the beginning of the decade.
So anyway, now the comic is called STIFFS (a pun on the working stiffs and walking 'stiffs' that populate the story) and the pitch package is complete. We're waiting on a little something I cannot go into, and we have to print it out, and then we're sending it off to our publisher of choice, who will hopefully LOVE IT! ...everything's crossed now.
Anyway, for anyone who actually reads this blog, here's a look at a fantastic painted cover design by the surely-soon-to-be-huge Gavin Mitchell.
Always stunned when I see that.
Anyway, you can see more of Gav's work on his own blog, or on the recently updated Facebook page (which technically also let's you roughly follow the tumultuous journey this project has been on).
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Cardiff Gay Scene: A Return
A long time ago (okay, two or three years, but that’s an era to some people), I blogged about the state of the Cardiff gay scene and argued it could be seen as a microcosm of gay culture as a whole. The article was…scathing seems the right word, as I dismissed the scene as being stunted; not diverse enough to be of any use to anyone but the most vacuous of twinks.
I stand by that conviction.
But as I mentioned, two or three years is like an era to some, and there have been a fair few changes to the scene here in Cardiff.
In Cardiff these days, gays are now presented with a number of new venues and events. The gay scene is spreading itself across Cardiff, with Churchill Way and Charles Street seemingly competing for the title of gay street of Cardiff, and a new event that is increasing in popularity and numbers around the castle area. There is a tiny gay bar aimed at the more well off members of the community (i.e. old and with lots of disposable income) down the Bay, and the old standard gay pubs, The Golden Cross and King’s Cross (now named King’s X in an effort to make it seem all cool and stuff).
The most significant new event in Cardiff would have to be Hell’s Bent. HB is an alternative/indie/electro gay club night, the first of it’s kind in Cardiff. Well, the first successful one; King’s once had an Indie night, that didn’t last long, and which pretty much only played Indie music that had managed to make it high up the charts, obliterating it’s ‘alternative’ cred. Gay fans of punk, rock or more obscure indie still had nowhere to go. Thus, Hell’s Bent.
HB began life as a once a month club night at The Point, an old church (thus the name) and one of Cardiff’s best music venues until Cardiff Council decided it didn’t like the idea of a diverse music scene in Cardiff and caused it’s closure (a rant for another time, I assure you).
Now, HB continues to go from strength to strength. It is now held twice a month, once at Clwb Ifor Bach and once at Barfly, which just goes to show how much it is needed and wanted.
A gay night for all those who hate the gay scene, but gay enough for those that love it too, HB is exceptionally inclusive. No matter gender or sexuality, all are welcomed there, and the atmosphere as such is vastly improved over gay pubs and clubs in Cardiff’s scene. Overall, this leads to a more enjoyable night; no one feels judged or frowned upon, everyone feels welcome, even the straight mates of the gay patrons. And I’m not just saying this because I was featured in a picture with my ex in the Gay Times, when they wrote about the night.
Or maybe I am. If it was anything like the usual gay night, me and my then boyfriend wouldn’t have had our picture taken (okay, he might’ve for being very cute). Instead, some skinny, hairless, topless mainstream kid would have. You know the kind: they look like they’re maybe on something, and are probably pretty easy at the best of times anyway.
HB however embraces mainstream but celebrates the alternative, heard in the choice of music, seen in the mix of regular attendees and felt in the welcoming atmosphere.
There is also the fact that the crowd is a little different between the two locations it’s held at. The regulars pretty much attend both nights. However, Barfly seems to attract a younger crowd too, and the music slightly changes to reflect that. An example of fine DJing to be fair, to realise the change in audience and atmosphere. Both nights are incredibly welcoming and fun, and is a glowing example of the kind of variation the gay scene needs.
Of course, Hell’s Bent isn’t the only new addition. As I mentioned before, the gay scene has expanded exponentially on Churchill Way.
There have been three new additions to the street: 4Play, Wow, and Wow Deli.
Now, obviously, a deli doesn’t exactly do much in the sense of diversifying the scene, other than providing gay-prepared sarnies, but they are lovely, and I certainly recommend going. Wow, the bar/club next door, however, does.
The atmosphere in there is again very welcoming, with a good mix of young and old, skinny twinks and hairy bears, and Drag Queens aplenty. In fact, it’s a slightly different feel to most of the other bars in Cardiff, sitting somewhere between general let’s-get-shitfaced-pub and a show bar like Minsky’s.
The feel of all-inclusiveness is exemplified by the smallest detail that I only noticed there the other day: beneath the usual gay pride flag sticker on the door there is a Bear Pride flag sticker too. Which I honestly cannot say I have seen anywhere else in Cardiff.
4Play I can really say little about. I have yet to go, but have heard some second- and third-hand reviews, all of which are pretty mediocre. Owned by the same people as Pulse, I have heard it’s the exact same kind of night and club, but vastly smaller…which is a feat in itself, given that Pulse is reminiscent of a meat market.
The old standards too, I am glad to say, have changed, but only minutely. After three years they all run the same kind of events and special nights. King’s X still by and large attracts an element of gay culture that gives any straight ‘interloper’ evil glares the moment they step over the threshold, Pulse is the same monument to youth as always, and so on.
In fact, it’s only the subtle shift in the taste of gay culture as a whole that has caused the subtlest of changes. As a whole, gay culture seems to shifting ever so slightly away from the stereotypical skinny gay twink image, and this can be scene on the cover of most of the big gay mags out there. Instead, cover stars (and reader’s tastes) seem to be skewing more towards cubs, bears, athletes and boy-next-door types. In fact, even articles seem to focus less on waxing off all your body hair in some narcissistic-masochistic fashion trend, and more about trimming and taming body hair, but essentially keeping it.
The focus seems to be less on forcing yourself into some kind of manufactured aesthetic, and judging those who don’t do it; instead, it’s more about accepting what is more natural, including appearance and personality.
This can be seen more in some of the younger patrons of the gay scene: I stumbled into Pulse on what must have been some kind of student night, and was welcomed with a vision of hundreds of hairy, young University cubs. You can still hear the squeal of vapid queens over the throb of Lady GaGa (replacing Britney these days) but it’s a welcome change to the aesthetic.
In fact, Cardiff Gay scene as a whole is feeling a little bit more welcoming because of the more diverse selection of venues, events and people going out and enjoying that scene. It’s still not perfect: we still have nothing catering more to the Bear aesthetic (unless you count the Locker Room, but there are plenty of Bears who aren’t into saunas and sex clubs, I’m sure).
So Cardiff is no longer stagnant; it is changing slowly, but surely. And if you have avoided the gay scene in the past, fearing the judgemental glares of some vacuous, make-up caked queen, there are now options for elsewheres to be, or even feel like they are the minority, not you. The air is generally friendlier, and the Cardiff gay scene can only continue to get better and more diverse on this path. And I for one would welcome that.
I stand by that conviction.
But as I mentioned, two or three years is like an era to some, and there have been a fair few changes to the scene here in Cardiff.
In Cardiff these days, gays are now presented with a number of new venues and events. The gay scene is spreading itself across Cardiff, with Churchill Way and Charles Street seemingly competing for the title of gay street of Cardiff, and a new event that is increasing in popularity and numbers around the castle area. There is a tiny gay bar aimed at the more well off members of the community (i.e. old and with lots of disposable income) down the Bay, and the old standard gay pubs, The Golden Cross and King’s Cross (now named King’s X in an effort to make it seem all cool and stuff).
The most significant new event in Cardiff would have to be Hell’s Bent. HB is an alternative/indie/electro gay club night, the first of it’s kind in Cardiff. Well, the first successful one; King’s once had an Indie night, that didn’t last long, and which pretty much only played Indie music that had managed to make it high up the charts, obliterating it’s ‘alternative’ cred. Gay fans of punk, rock or more obscure indie still had nowhere to go. Thus, Hell’s Bent.
HB began life as a once a month club night at The Point, an old church (thus the name) and one of Cardiff’s best music venues until Cardiff Council decided it didn’t like the idea of a diverse music scene in Cardiff and caused it’s closure (a rant for another time, I assure you).
Now, HB continues to go from strength to strength. It is now held twice a month, once at Clwb Ifor Bach and once at Barfly, which just goes to show how much it is needed and wanted.
A gay night for all those who hate the gay scene, but gay enough for those that love it too, HB is exceptionally inclusive. No matter gender or sexuality, all are welcomed there, and the atmosphere as such is vastly improved over gay pubs and clubs in Cardiff’s scene. Overall, this leads to a more enjoyable night; no one feels judged or frowned upon, everyone feels welcome, even the straight mates of the gay patrons. And I’m not just saying this because I was featured in a picture with my ex in the Gay Times, when they wrote about the night.
Or maybe I am. If it was anything like the usual gay night, me and my then boyfriend wouldn’t have had our picture taken (okay, he might’ve for being very cute). Instead, some skinny, hairless, topless mainstream kid would have. You know the kind: they look like they’re maybe on something, and are probably pretty easy at the best of times anyway.
HB however embraces mainstream but celebrates the alternative, heard in the choice of music, seen in the mix of regular attendees and felt in the welcoming atmosphere.
There is also the fact that the crowd is a little different between the two locations it’s held at. The regulars pretty much attend both nights. However, Barfly seems to attract a younger crowd too, and the music slightly changes to reflect that. An example of fine DJing to be fair, to realise the change in audience and atmosphere. Both nights are incredibly welcoming and fun, and is a glowing example of the kind of variation the gay scene needs.
Of course, Hell’s Bent isn’t the only new addition. As I mentioned before, the gay scene has expanded exponentially on Churchill Way.
There have been three new additions to the street: 4Play, Wow, and Wow Deli.
Now, obviously, a deli doesn’t exactly do much in the sense of diversifying the scene, other than providing gay-prepared sarnies, but they are lovely, and I certainly recommend going. Wow, the bar/club next door, however, does.
The atmosphere in there is again very welcoming, with a good mix of young and old, skinny twinks and hairy bears, and Drag Queens aplenty. In fact, it’s a slightly different feel to most of the other bars in Cardiff, sitting somewhere between general let’s-get-shitfaced-pub and a show bar like Minsky’s.
The feel of all-inclusiveness is exemplified by the smallest detail that I only noticed there the other day: beneath the usual gay pride flag sticker on the door there is a Bear Pride flag sticker too. Which I honestly cannot say I have seen anywhere else in Cardiff.
4Play I can really say little about. I have yet to go, but have heard some second- and third-hand reviews, all of which are pretty mediocre. Owned by the same people as Pulse, I have heard it’s the exact same kind of night and club, but vastly smaller…which is a feat in itself, given that Pulse is reminiscent of a meat market.
The old standards too, I am glad to say, have changed, but only minutely. After three years they all run the same kind of events and special nights. King’s X still by and large attracts an element of gay culture that gives any straight ‘interloper’ evil glares the moment they step over the threshold, Pulse is the same monument to youth as always, and so on.
In fact, it’s only the subtle shift in the taste of gay culture as a whole that has caused the subtlest of changes. As a whole, gay culture seems to shifting ever so slightly away from the stereotypical skinny gay twink image, and this can be scene on the cover of most of the big gay mags out there. Instead, cover stars (and reader’s tastes) seem to be skewing more towards cubs, bears, athletes and boy-next-door types. In fact, even articles seem to focus less on waxing off all your body hair in some narcissistic-masochistic fashion trend, and more about trimming and taming body hair, but essentially keeping it.
The focus seems to be less on forcing yourself into some kind of manufactured aesthetic, and judging those who don’t do it; instead, it’s more about accepting what is more natural, including appearance and personality.
This can be seen more in some of the younger patrons of the gay scene: I stumbled into Pulse on what must have been some kind of student night, and was welcomed with a vision of hundreds of hairy, young University cubs. You can still hear the squeal of vapid queens over the throb of Lady GaGa (replacing Britney these days) but it’s a welcome change to the aesthetic.
In fact, Cardiff Gay scene as a whole is feeling a little bit more welcoming because of the more diverse selection of venues, events and people going out and enjoying that scene. It’s still not perfect: we still have nothing catering more to the Bear aesthetic (unless you count the Locker Room, but there are plenty of Bears who aren’t into saunas and sex clubs, I’m sure).
So Cardiff is no longer stagnant; it is changing slowly, but surely. And if you have avoided the gay scene in the past, fearing the judgemental glares of some vacuous, make-up caked queen, there are now options for elsewheres to be, or even feel like they are the minority, not you. The air is generally friendlier, and the Cardiff gay scene can only continue to get better and more diverse on this path. And I for one would welcome that.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Okay, well, things don't always go to plan
So, okay.
My original idea for this blog has kinda fallen through. Not that the comic project has! (although it isn't called Zombie Death Squad anymore).
No, things got kinda crazy in my personal life, and everything kin of got on top of me and to try and help 'educate' people on the comics creation process seems totally inappropriate now. I am as much a learner as anyone else, and right now I don't know where I stand at all.
Broke, jobless, living at home and with few career prospects in my area mostly.
I was made redundant from my job at Borders bookstore in Cardiff on Christmas Eve last year, when the company finally ceased trading. It was kind of a shock, with little indication that it was coming before it was announced on national news...so the whole country, and even the world if they cared to look online, knew what was going on with my job before I did.
I guess lately I've been feeling...swept away. 2009 pulled the rug out from under me in a big way. I found myself bankrupt and redundant and living with my parents again all in the same year.
A mate and colleague of mine asked at the End of Borders Piss-Up we had on the last day how I stay so positive. I try to smile and be happy, because life is what you make of it. But if I'm entirely honest, deep down I've been kinda terrified.
I've been looking for work since then, and there really seem to be little to no jobs in the area. I applied for the last three I was eligible for Monday, waiting to hear on them now. What's more, they're call centre jobs, which I know full well I hate.
My creative said hasn't suffered too badly. I've had some great writing sessions wih the boys re: The Project. It's coming along in leaps and bounds again, even though it's had a dramatic overhaul. Plus, we had a very productive meeting with the great guys from Com.X comics, and Gav got to come down and meet all of us, some for the first time.
It's kind of happening in bursts for my solo stuff though now. I have some great ideas and I've been laying them out in pitches and starting scrips, but I'm so busy looking for a source of income that my writing slightly suffers. It doesn't get my full attention, and the stress is throwing up major blocks quite often.
So I'm gonna just write on this blog now. About anything. Just about what's going on in this mess I call a head. Just to keep me writing. Hopefully, I'll update more often that way too.
My original idea for this blog has kinda fallen through. Not that the comic project has! (although it isn't called Zombie Death Squad anymore).
No, things got kinda crazy in my personal life, and everything kin of got on top of me and to try and help 'educate' people on the comics creation process seems totally inappropriate now. I am as much a learner as anyone else, and right now I don't know where I stand at all.
Broke, jobless, living at home and with few career prospects in my area mostly.
I was made redundant from my job at Borders bookstore in Cardiff on Christmas Eve last year, when the company finally ceased trading. It was kind of a shock, with little indication that it was coming before it was announced on national news...so the whole country, and even the world if they cared to look online, knew what was going on with my job before I did.
I guess lately I've been feeling...swept away. 2009 pulled the rug out from under me in a big way. I found myself bankrupt and redundant and living with my parents again all in the same year.
A mate and colleague of mine asked at the End of Borders Piss-Up we had on the last day how I stay so positive. I try to smile and be happy, because life is what you make of it. But if I'm entirely honest, deep down I've been kinda terrified.
I've been looking for work since then, and there really seem to be little to no jobs in the area. I applied for the last three I was eligible for Monday, waiting to hear on them now. What's more, they're call centre jobs, which I know full well I hate.
My creative said hasn't suffered too badly. I've had some great writing sessions wih the boys re: The Project. It's coming along in leaps and bounds again, even though it's had a dramatic overhaul. Plus, we had a very productive meeting with the great guys from Com.X comics, and Gav got to come down and meet all of us, some for the first time.
It's kind of happening in bursts for my solo stuff though now. I have some great ideas and I've been laying them out in pitches and starting scrips, but I'm so busy looking for a source of income that my writing slightly suffers. It doesn't get my full attention, and the stress is throwing up major blocks quite often.
So I'm gonna just write on this blog now. About anything. Just about what's going on in this mess I call a head. Just to keep me writing. Hopefully, I'll update more often that way too.
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