alias_sqbr (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
alias_sqbr) wrote2014-04-21 09:47 pm
alias_sqbr) wrote2014-04-21 09:47 pm
Swancon 2014 notes 1: Queerbaiting, Favourite comics, Magic Systems
So! I just came from Swancon. It was great! I may write some more coherent personal thoughts later, but plausibly not cos I don't have much interesting to say. What I do have are COPIOUS NOTES. So let's get started.
Queerbaiting:
I was really tired, my only notes are "Guy who makes Hannibal" (eg some creators try to add queer content and can't) and "Yuri?" (about cultural and gender differences about what is "normal" same sex behaviour and what is read as homoromantic/sexual)
Favourite Comics:
This turned out to be more about superhero comics than suits my personal tastes but other than that worked well. Maybe add a "favourite graphic novels/non DC and Marvel comics etc" panel next year :)
Places to get comics:
Comixology- an app. A la carte or subscription
Marvel Universe: subscription
Recs:
Civil war
Ballad of Halo Jones
Zenith (Xenith?) Very bleak
Hawkeye, Ghostrider: recent reboots
Dial H for Hero
Batwoman (until recently)
Doctor 13
Wonder Woman (recently)
Young Avengers
Jorney into Mystery
Changing Ways (zombies ;_;)
The Deep
Sandman
Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle
Ultimate Spiderman
One Punch Man
Berlin: City of Stones
The Tick
Magic Systems
I mostly enjoyed this as a compare and contrast between the 3 guests of honour: Jim Butcher, Anne Bishop and Isobelle Carmody. Jim was very jocular and cynical (and wordy), Anne focussed on having fun, and Isobel very earnest.
Their three answers to what type they use:
Like physics, but you have to believe it.
A kind which is interesting and fun.
A metaphor for human communication.
Harry Dresden is not a mystic, he's more like a plumber.
Humans are limited by knowledge, skill, ethics, belief, and ability. This should remain true when they have magic.
Magic and tech don't work togethger in the Dresden Files so Harry can't have a cellphone, making Jim's life easier. Except this led to world building consequences eg Harry needs to find a wind up clock.
Codex Alarra by Jim Butcher: everyone BUT the protagonist has magic.
Powerless protagonists need help which is harder to write (my note: ensembles???) Hard to make a good story.
Harry Potter-esque fantasy: you imagine yourself as part of the in-group who know the Secret Truth. (personally I don't, and am thus less of a fan of this genre)
Put in their own setting, Jim would abuse his power and Anne beg for protection from the nearest friendly looking (familiar? I forget her world building)
None of the writers have written geni/demon summoning etc, power always comes from within and/or hard work.
The talking skull Bob in the Dresden Files was added after a creative writing teacher told Jim not to have a "talking head" that said "As you know, Bob..."
Comparison on the cost of magic: Crystal Singer (lose memory), Lovecraft (lose sanity/soul), Knights of the ???/??? of the Coin (lose freedom or become corrupted)
Isobelle doesn't plan much in advance, gets surprised by the story and if she writes herself into a corner doesn't backtrack but just waits it out until she comes up with a solution. This...explains a lot.
Too many Jim Butcher fans asking off topic questions.
Queerbaiting:
I was really tired, my only notes are "Guy who makes Hannibal" (eg some creators try to add queer content and can't) and "Yuri?" (about cultural and gender differences about what is "normal" same sex behaviour and what is read as homoromantic/sexual)
Favourite Comics:
This turned out to be more about superhero comics than suits my personal tastes but other than that worked well. Maybe add a "favourite graphic novels/non DC and Marvel comics etc" panel next year :)
Places to get comics:
Comixology- an app. A la carte or subscription
Marvel Universe: subscription
Recs:
Civil war
Ballad of Halo Jones
Zenith (Xenith?) Very bleak
Hawkeye, Ghostrider: recent reboots
Dial H for Hero
Batwoman (until recently)
Doctor 13
Wonder Woman (recently)
Young Avengers
Jorney into Mystery
Changing Ways (zombies ;_;)
The Deep
Sandman
Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle
Ultimate Spiderman
One Punch Man
Berlin: City of Stones
The Tick
Magic Systems
I mostly enjoyed this as a compare and contrast between the 3 guests of honour: Jim Butcher, Anne Bishop and Isobelle Carmody. Jim was very jocular and cynical (and wordy), Anne focussed on having fun, and Isobel very earnest.
Their three answers to what type they use:
Like physics, but you have to believe it.
A kind which is interesting and fun.
A metaphor for human communication.
Harry Dresden is not a mystic, he's more like a plumber.
Humans are limited by knowledge, skill, ethics, belief, and ability. This should remain true when they have magic.
Magic and tech don't work togethger in the Dresden Files so Harry can't have a cellphone, making Jim's life easier. Except this led to world building consequences eg Harry needs to find a wind up clock.
Codex Alarra by Jim Butcher: everyone BUT the protagonist has magic.
Powerless protagonists need help which is harder to write (my note: ensembles???) Hard to make a good story.
Harry Potter-esque fantasy: you imagine yourself as part of the in-group who know the Secret Truth. (personally I don't, and am thus less of a fan of this genre)
Put in their own setting, Jim would abuse his power and Anne beg for protection from the nearest friendly looking (familiar? I forget her world building)
None of the writers have written geni/demon summoning etc, power always comes from within and/or hard work.
The talking skull Bob in the Dresden Files was added after a creative writing teacher told Jim not to have a "talking head" that said "As you know, Bob..."
Comparison on the cost of magic: Crystal Singer (lose memory), Lovecraft (lose sanity/soul), Knights of the ???/??? of the Coin (lose freedom or become corrupted)
Isobelle doesn't plan much in advance, gets surprised by the story and if she writes herself into a corner doesn't backtrack but just waits it out until she comes up with a solution. This...explains a lot.
Too many Jim Butcher fans asking off topic questions.
Zenith
I think the only reason I prefer Zenith is cos I read it first. Book 3 is my fave cos they have EVERY superhero the could find from British comics and then do horrible, horrible things to them (Violating a bazillion copyright notices on the way).
See me if you need to borrow it.
Re: Zenith
no subject
I kinda enjoyed the early parts of Zenith, but feel the end/alleged overarching theme of the series is crap and represents another of Grant Morrison's failed attempts to follow in Chris Claremont's footsteps.
But then Zenith is the closest I've come to feeling anything other than disappointment (at best) for Morrison's writing, so I'll admit to being highly biased.
Zenith is also very much a product of it's time, the late 80's/late Thatcher UK. This may or may not be a bad thing, depending on taste.
no subject
Anyway, thanks :)