#because it made me think of all those uncredited pieces of art

[just-a-regular-fan]

The video essay in question.

[wolffupdates]

Alex Wolff on 'Castle in the Ground,' Producing a Movie with Nicolas Cage and His 'Jumanji' Future

The actor also reveals the text his friend Cage sent him about playing Joe Exotic.

[This story contains spoilers for Castle in the Ground.]

At 22, Alex Wolff has already had a full 16-year career in Hollywood. From his supernatural horror hit, Hereditary, to his expanding role in the Jumanji franchise, Wolff has even written and directed his own film, The Cat and the Moon. Wolff’s latest role as Henry in Castle in the Ground checks another box that is consistent with most acclaimed actors as his grieving, opioid-addicted character required dramatic weight loss. Since he was already quite lean, losing 30 pounds took its toll on the New York native.

“I only had a couple weeks before I started shooting. I know that [my diet] just didn’t turn out very well, and it turned out to be super unhealthy at the end of it,” Wolff tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I had a lot of problems, but I’ve now found out since then that there’s some totally better, more healthy ways that you can do it. And a can of tuna and an apple is not that.”

At the end of 2019, Wolff wrapped production on Michael Sarnoski’s Pig, and the experience went so well that he’s already collaborating with one of his co-stars on another project. That co-star happens to be one Nicolas Cage.

“I have a movie that I’m going to direct that I wrote and I’m really, really excited about it. And without spoiling too much, Nic is actually producing it with me,” Wolff shares. “I’m going to be starring in it… But yeah, I’d say it’s a character drama with elements of thriller. It’s definitely a psychological drama.”

In a conversation with THR, Wolff discusses Castle in the Ground’s impact on him, his Jumanji future and the text exchange he had with Cage regarding Cage’s new role as Joe Exotic.

You lost 30 pounds for Castle in the Ground. Did you subscribe to Christian Bale’s Machinist diet of one apple and one can of tuna per day?

Oh God. Yeah, I’ve heard of that. I’ve heard of a lot of different diets. I mean, mine was really interesting because I only had a couple weeks before I started shooting. It was like two or two-and-a-half weeks. I know that mine just didn’t turn out very well, and it turned out to be super unhealthy at the end of it. I had a lot of problems, but I’ve now found out since then that there’s some totally better, more healthy ways that you can do it. And a can of tuna and an apple is not that. (Laughs.)

Does a character like Henry ever frighten you to the point of being more cautious in your own life?

Interesting. I think more than anything, it really made me have empathy for people who make bad decisions. More than make me not make bad decisions, it makes me have more empathy for the people who make these kinds of decisions with addiction and everything. I see them more humanly.

As Henry showed, one wrong choice can create a ripple effect that has complete control over you.

Yeah, it just seems like this kind of thing happens so quickly. That’s the scariest part of the whole thing. This can happen so quickly once you start dipping your toe in this pool of these drugs and this kind of lifestyle. You just get completely sucked in, swept up, chewed up and spit out.

When your characters go through a difficult experience and you have to play those feelings and emotions that come with the territory, has that ever prepared you, to some degree, for a similar experience in real life?

I think it’s more the opposite. I mean, there are certain eerie times when life imitates art, but it’s more that my life experience becomes applicable to certain movies and characters. I can do some transference, but I don’t really think that anything that I’ve done in a movie has prepared me for anything in life. What I’ve done in movies has been a collection of my own experience.

I loved the voicemail scene between you and Imogen (Poots). Did you guys rehearse that scene since the timing is so precise and comedic?

I love that scene. We didn’t do much rehearsal in this movie at all. It was pretty guerilla warfare. (Laughs.) We could just go for it. So, we may have run through it a few times, but really, the rehearsal was us just kind of figuring it out as it goes along.

At first, I thought Henry was angling for a romantic relationship with Imogen’s character, Ana, but then I quickly realized that he wanted to transfer the caregiving of his mother (Neve Campbell) onto someone else who was sick in her own way. Do you also think he was dependent on caring for a sick person, as opposed to some romantic fixation?

Maybe he had a crush or something, but I think it’s kind of deeper. He needed anything. He needed anything from her — whether it was romantic or to just be around her, I think he just needed somebody in his life to fill the void of his mom. I don’t think it’s as simple and as clean-cut as her replacing his mom, but I think it’s just that he needs something. He needs some family.

[This next question contains spoilers for Castle in the Ground’s ending.]

The movie ends on an ambiguous, full-circle moment, but given the unforgiving and relentless nature of the opioid crisis, I think history repeated itself in Henry’s mom’s bedroom. Was that your interpretation as well?

Well, I almost want to keep the end a secret for people who haven’t seen it. So, I kind of want that to be one of these big surprises. But I think you’re right. I mean, I’m thinking about it, but I think you’re right. He kind of gives into it eventually. I think he protests, but he lets her do it. I think it’s this moment where, yeah, it’s like history repeating itself. It’s like a prophecy or premonition that he’s going to end up doing it. I kind of want people going in, thinking that it’s going to go a different direction or thinking that it’s going to all come up daisies. You think it’s going to go that way, and then, I think it’s important that it’s like “nope.” It should end super hopeless and punishing because that’s how this actually ends. This is how these drugs usually end.

I loved how aggressively blunt Henry could be at times. He was pretty reserved for the most part, but he did not hold back when it came to Ana’s friends. For example, Tom Cullen’s character said to him, “You seem like a good kid,” and Henry responded, “Thanks, I kind of thought you were a piece of shit...”

(Laughs.) Yeah, I think it’s his only way of survival. I think he is shy, and I love that too. That was really a good element in the script, and I think we worked on beefing that up a little bit. He’s like a little boy, and I think little boys are like that sometimes. They put on a front of toughing it out, hence “I kind of thought you were a piece of shit...” But I think it’s also his way of giving and receiving love. I think it’s how he and Ana bond. I think it’s just his way of connecting.

Henry’s girlfriend, Rachel (Star Slade), had her own life while he was taking care of his mother. She was also going off to school soon. Was Henry’s decision to break up with her partially inspired by the fact that she didn’t need him as much as his mother or Ana did?

That’s interesting. That’s a really good question, but I didn’t see it that way. Maybe to a certain degree, but I would say that instead of her being more independent, I think it was about the fact that she was almost too good for him at a time when he couldn’t handle it. He couldn’t handle any kind of positive thing in his life. He wanted to be miserable. He wanted to follow the danger and follow his id, not what was healthy for him.

You started acting at six years old. Once you became old enough to make your own choices, did you ever sit down and assess whether you wanted to keep acting or not? Obviously, you made the right call, but sometimes, we hold on to things just because they’re all we’ve ever known.

I think about quitting acting every single day. I have a very love-hate relationship with it. The second I start a movie or when I’m not good in a scene, I’m like, “Fuck, I don’t want to do this anymore. This is hard.” You have to, in equal measure, be completely in love with it and need to do it. It feels like a need. It feels super deep and heartfelt.

Given the sad state of the world, have you done a screen test or chemistry read with another actor yet via Zoom?

Yeah, I’ve done a bunch of monologues and stuff with people, which has been really fun. I’ve been writing monologues and sending them to my friends, and I think that’s been really good. I’ve done some play readings on Zoom, but it’s not the same. It’s not great, but it’s okay. It’s better than nothing. The lag time is better than I actually expected, but it’s just still not perfect. It just isn’t.

You were an uncredited partygoer in Cory Finley’s Thoroughbreds, and you just had a supporting role in his latest film, Bad Education, which is excellent. Clearly, Cory felt guilty over the size of your Thoroughbreds part, right?

(Laughs.) He better have! He better feel guilty. No, I was shooting Patriots Day like an hour away from where they were shooting Thoroughbreds, and I knew the producer. So, I came just to hang out, and they just threw me in there, which was fun. But yeah, he’d better feel guilty for not giving me a bigger part. (Laughs.)

In Bad Education, I was quite fond of your outburst after Geraldine Viswanathan’s character pressures your character to publish her exposé, but he’s torn because of his recommendation letter from Hugh Jackman’s character.

That was kind of a fun day because Cory doesn’t usually have people improvising, but I kind of just went for it.

Jumanji: The Next Level left things in a very tantalizing place as the Jumanji game world has returned to the real world a la the original Robin Williams movie. Are you intrigued by the possibility of your real-life characters acting alongside the avatar characters for a change?

Oh my God, yeah. That better happen. That would be so amazing. I want that. Yeah, I think it would be full circle. To come back to the real world.

I think you just came up with the title.

Jumanji: Full Circle? Yeah, it better be that. Jumanji: Full Circle, I like that. The idea of all the kids, The Rock, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover and everybody else in the real world makes me so unbelievably excited.

Recently, your name was on a very exciting list of actors in connection with a new movie from one of my favorite filmmakers, M. Night Shyamalan. Can you say anything about this?

(Wolff imitates static noise.) We’re going through a tunnel actually. Sorry, I’m going through a tunnel right now. There’s a tunnel in my house. Can you hear that? (Laughs.)

You’ve heard this quite a bit, but Hereditary’s car accident scene is one of the most disturbing scenes I’ve ever seen. Oftentimes, when the cast and crew know they have to shoot something dark like that, they find ways to keep the set as light as possible. Was that the case that day?

No, actually. That was not the case. For me, sometimes if they’re trying to make it too light, it’s kind of distracting. So, I sometimes have to just stay in the zone. I kind of just was wearing my headphones and trying to stay in the spirit of it. I think it’s sometimes too hard to completely jump in and out.

Did that scene mess with your head for a little while after shooting it? No pun intended.

(Laughs.) I think it did mess with my head in the moment. I think the whole movie was kind of difficult. It kind of stuck with me. I think that scene in particular definitely stuck with me at least for a few days. But I think that movie was like a constant attention-taker. I think it haunted me for a while.

This is a shameless question, but have you texted your friend Nic Cage about his brand-new role as Joe Exotic [of Tiger King fame]?

Of course, I have. Of course, I have. I said, “Are you playing Joe Exotic?” and he texted me back (Wolff imitates Cage.) “You bet your ass I am.”

It’s perfect casting.

When I first saw it, I said the only person who could possibly play him in a fictional world is Nic. I just feel like that guy is so larger than life, and anybody else would not be able to go there. Nic is the only person who can go there, I think.

Are you itching to direct again?

Yeah, man. I have a movie that I’m going to direct that I wrote and I’m really, really excited about it. And without spoiling too much, Nic is actually producing it with me. Yeah, I’m really excited about it.

Can you reveal the genre yet?

I would say it’s a character drama, and I’m going to be starring in it. I’m really excited about it. But yeah, I’d say it’s a character drama with elements of thriller. It’s definitely a psychological drama.

***

Castle in the Ground is now available on Digital HD and VOD.

[midzelink]

I’m gonna go ahead and put this under a cut, because it’s not exactly relevant to this blog, but it IS tangentially related to it and I thought it was too hilarious not to share here:

So, story time.  For those of you who saw the post I made about it, you’ll know that I made a Twitter as somewhat of a companion account to this blog (@midzelink over there, same as here), and it’s been an...interesting experience.  I generally didn’t like Twitter (and I still don’t!), but it HAS exposed me to some pieces of art and other media that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise, so I’m pretty grateful for that, at least.  Mostly, my Twitter is currently a dumping ground for posts I don’t think are Quality Enough for this blog, but I’ve also uploaded a lot of my GIFs there, and I’m hoping to help spread the word of Midlink Week with it here in just a few days.  Blah blah blah, et cetera, et cetera.

But one OTHER thing that being on Twitter has given me is an opportunity to see...people reuploading my GIFs!  This was something I didn’t really think would bother me all that much until I saw it action.  To make a somewhat long story kind of short, I saw two reuploads of two completely different GIFs - and though the first case was a Tweet with zero likes or RTs (that the user simply deleted upon my request), the second case was an artist with a hefty number of followers who then credited and followed me after I asked them to.  So, each incident ended fairly without any problems (I wasn’t hostile in either circumstance), and I’ve already taken it upon myself to start watermarking all of my graphics from this point forward to prevent this kind of thing in the future.

Fast forward about a week, and I see a Tweet on my timeline featuring a quoted Tweet that I for some reason am unable to view.  I switch over to my personal Twitter and see that it’s a Tweet from the account @GifZelda, which is an account with over 32K followers dedicated to, well...posting GIFs about Zelda.  Trying to view the account on my LoZ account yields this:

And my initial reaction is naturally, damn, what in the hell did I do?

So I do a bit of digging, and I find out that this account is following the really popular artist who reposted one of my GIFs (link to that Tweet thread).  On top of that, scrolling through their account, it’s painfully clear that they aren’t creating most (possibly any) of the graphics that they’re uploading; though it doesn’t appear they’ve reuploaded any of my stuff personally, they did RT that GIF that the artist reuploaded, and I recognize one of the GIFs they’ve recently posted as belonging to one of the GFX folks right here on Tumblr (whom I won’t name to keep them out of this).

Given the above info, I can only surmise the following:

Twitter user @GifZelda saw my completely valid request to receive credit for a GIF that I created in the replies of a Tweet they Retweeted

being an account comprised almost entirely of reposted and uncredited GIFs, they blocked me

Therefore:

Twitter user @GifZelda is a gotdamn clown and a coward

Like, damn.  Reposting GIFs is one thing - but blocking someone who hasn’t even interacted with you out of fear that they might do something as benign as ask for credit for a GIF they made if you end up reposting on of their graphics in the future?  The amount of disrespect this punk has for the people who make the very GIFs they pride their account on around  is REALLY freaking incredible, lmfao. 

And no, reposting GIFs isn’t nearly as bad as, say, reposting art - but these things still take time and effort, and it’s a hobby I’ve committed a lot of both to, considering I make literally $0 from it when all is said and done.  Asking for credit isn’t overstepping bounds.  It’s just the bare minimum, folks.

Anyways, as ridiculous as this whole situation has been, it IS pretty hilarious how blatant of an asshole this person is, and if they think blocking me on my LoZ account is gonna stop me from requesting credit should they ever repost one of my GIFs, they’ve got another think coming B)

[bob-artist]

Yeah, this is a huge pain.  To opt out of datasets, it looks like you have to edit each piece of art and check this box:

And the little question mark notes that they still can’t guarantee it won’t be included in a dataset.

And it looks like, to opt out of prompts, you also have to use an obscure Google Docs form, and for that you need to have social media accounts listed in your DA “about” page and provide a link to a comment you made on one of those accounts about your DA account. 🙃

Here’s the DA page with the link to the DreamUp opt-out form:

https://www.deviantartsupport.com/en/article/what-steps-does-deviantart-take-in-order-to-protect-artists-from-being-uncredited-when-referenced-in-ai-art-creations

I find all of this confusing since I haven’t been on DA for ages, so I encourage y’all to read through DA’s documentation and also tell them what you think, and give yourself some time and space to decide what you want to do with your art and account.  This is BRAND NEW - that DA post is from 3 hours ago on today 11/11, as of me typing this.  Don’t feel pressured to jump to any permanent decisions until you know for sure it’s what you want.

I’m holding off on deleting anything because I don’t want to lose the little SEO credit I get from my 10-year-old DA crap.  That might change in the future depending on how this develops.

fyi deviantart announced they're doing ai generation using uploaded creations on the site

All creations are automatically opted in to be used in the program, so if you want to opt out you have to do it manually one by one :/ :/ not even mentioning what this means with creators who have passed away with their creations on the site...

overall a real scum move. I only have a few old pieces up there so im just going to be deleting my stuff from the site. I feel so bad for artists with hundreds of art pieces on there having their stuff stolen like this...

[fibula-rasa]

The Vamps — Part Two: Theda Bara and the Star Image

Theda Bara was born in the shadow of the Egyptian pyramids–the daughter of a French actress and an Italian sculptor. Her betrothed is a skeleton.

Theodosia Goodman was born to a middle-class family in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the daughter of a Jewish haberdasher.

In the early years of the film industry, there were no stars. Film producers knew that allowing for name recognition would empower their performers to make demands–like greater pay. So, the performers in films were routinely uncredited. Around 1910, that began to change. When The Biograph Girl, as she was known, moved to a different studio, her name was finally made known to the public: Florence Lawrence.

An aside: If this seems wild to you, think about modern television commercials. Before he jumped to a different company, how many people repeated the phrase “Can you hear me now?” without knowing the actor (Paul Marcarelli) from the Verizon commercials? Nowadays, what with google and social media, this isn’t quite as common but, still, How many people know the names of those Sonic guys (who are clearly in purgatory btw) but know their gags well? (Their names are T.J. Jagodowski and Peter Grosz.)

Once Florence Lawrence became The First Movie Star, it didn’t take long at all for the trappings of the star image’s constructed reality to develop. Movie fan press began covering the “private lives” and habits of performers. Studio employees built biographies for film performers that better matched their on-screen personas than their actual background. The performers themselves were variably complicit in the smoke and mirrors act. That’s not to suggest that everyone accepted these tales as the gospel truth. Much of the gossip press and movie fans simply had fun with it. That’s right, smarks are as old as kayfabe.

Theda Bara’s burst onto the screen in 1914 was an immediate draw. As the concept of film stars was crystalizing the film star’s image was intentionally muddled with the characters that they interpreted for the screen. In Bara’s case, Fox studios started fleshing out Bara’s Vamp pedigree. The Vamp archetype itself had taken form over the past decade [see Part 1], but Bara would give life to the paradigm. That first biography above is what was reported to the fan press by Fox’s press agents. The skeleton boyfriend was suggested by the copy to accompany a promotional photo shoot where a scantily clad Bara drapes herself beside a prone skeleton. The ties to Spiritualism are clear. Death was by no means a finality to Bara’s romance.

Bara swiftly became one of the biggest stars of film in the teens–alongside Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford–The Vamp, The Tramp, and The Sweetheart. As movie fandom grew and the Los Angeles colony of filmmakers coalesced, concerns arose about the real, unconstructed lives of the performers. For Vamp types in particular, the question of their IRL morality was important to address in order to maintain their popularity. If anyone actually believed Bara was a sex-crazed goth, that could spell trouble for her career as the public began to care about film-star morality. In a May 1918 issue of Photoplay, Bara was asked about her morality to which she responded:

‘People write me letters,’ she said smilingly; ‘and they ask me if I am as wicked as I seem on the screen. I look at my little canary and I say “Dicky, am I so wicked?” And Dicky says, “Tweet, tweet.” That may mean “yes, yes,” or “no, no,” may it not?’

Coy and quirky answers aside, Bara continued to be a popular draw for Fox. In 1917, she took on the ultimate Vamp role, Cleopatra. The film is now believed lost, but at the time, it was her biggest hit. As her contract with Fox was running down, Bara began to campaign for non-Vamp roles. After that contract expired, that’s what she tried to pursue. It didn’t really work out and she eventually opted to retire from acting in 1926.

Bara made forty films in her roughly twelve-year-long film career. Unfortunately, only a handful of her films are still extant. So, how has Bara’s image persisted so strongly more than a century after her debut when there’s so little of her work for admires to engage with? Well, there’s a lot of potential answers to that question.

For one, the character of Theda Bara, the film star, was very well-limned and much of that promotional material has survived. The photographs and accompanying promotional copy paint a vivid picture that people still respond to today. I can tell to you that, as a teen, when I was encountering Bara’s photographs in a book I was immediately dedicated to seeing her films. The heartbreak that came with discovering how few of them exist and were readily available to watch in the late 1990s was real. It’s a story that’s still repeated today.

Bara’s acting style probably contributes to her persistent popularity as well. She was part of an acting tradition that involved the repetition of specific expressions and gestures to interpret a characters’ emotions. This style translates beautifully into still photographs. It’s not a stretch to suggest that it’s easier with Bara than many other lost film stars to extrapolate what their films and performances were like.

Also, Bara herself lived on, continuing to play with her image–even parodying herself in her final film appearance in 1926.

Additionally, by chance, one of Bara’s most popular surviving films is A Fool There Was (1914), the film that officially solidified the Vamp archetype. From the material we have, film fans and scholars can use Bara handily to build narratives about the emergence of the star system and fan interaction. So, Theda Bara, The Vamp, has lived on regardless of the dearth of surviving film. Feels pretty Spiritualist in itself, eh?

Learn How to Get the Look BELOW THE JUMP

The Costume

To build yourself a Theda Bara costume, this are the key elements I would focus on:

The Makeup

Bara did her own makeup and costuming for many of her films. It was common practice at the time. So, like later-Cleo Elizabeth Taylor, Bara’s makeup is pretty consistent across her films. Authenticity be damned though, because you are making a costume for fun in 2018, not to be photographed on orthographic film in 1918. I chose maroon-red for my eyeshadow because I thought it would be more striking and, in black and white, would photograph darker than a cooler shade.

The key shape is curvy, elongated eyeshadow in a single color, well blended into a dark liner shade. Bara has pretty round eyes, so you’ll likely want to line your waterline with a lighter shade–white if you wanna be really striking, a nude lighter than your skin tone if you wanna play it low key. Your eyebrows should be straight and drawn out as long as the eye makeup.

The lip shape is small, but not a pucker-pout. Focus on the sharpness of the cupid’s bow. I chose a color in harmony with the eyeshadow, but any deep red or pink would do.

Blush and contour? Skip it. First because you need to cherish the gothy pallor. Second because it would look incongruous with this makeup style. Film stars of the era didn’t typically wear rouge because, on film, it would come off as a deep shadow. The gaunt look wasn’t very fashionable.

The Hair

You have lots of freedom here. Bara had long, thick, and curly hair but as bobs became more fashionable, she often pinned it up into a messy faux-bob. The latter is what I went with. I brushed and pinned the hair on the crown of my head forward to make an era-appropriate pouf.

Head gear is a good choice. I actually pinned a necklace into my hair but if you have any art-nouveau or ancient-Egypt inspired pieces, you’re set. It might sound a little wild, but a dead flower crown would be so on brand.

The Clothes

Scanty. The most important skin to flaunt is around your neck and collar bones. For dress/skirt length, you should go close to floor-length if possible. The fabric should ideally be drapey and/or gauzy. Now, if it’s cold where you are around Halloween, an extra-large scarf would be a good call.

Read Part One

Part Three: Pola Negri & Exoticism coming Thursday!

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers #197: Prelude of the War-Devil!

July, 1980

Lets keep this biweekly Avengers fest rolling. Because that’s what fests do. They roll.

The cover this time is going for that “here’s a bunch of things what happened here” approach, with some FILTHY LIES.

Also, Jarvis seems to have taken Vision’s job as tiny logo mascot. I am Okay with this.

So in this issue apparently: the Avengers will get stuck in an elevator because Real World Problems can happen to them too. I’d like to see Superman stuck in an elevator. No, really. I would. How would that even work? The man can tear apart moons and fly. We also see an outside shot of the Avengers Mansion but I doubt that will happen. We see Wonder Man and Beast mobbed by women so Beast’s sexy, sexy blue fur continues to work its odd aphrodisiacal magic. We see Ms Marvel having a romantic walk on the beach with Scarlet Wanda. And we see the silhouette of the titular WAR-DEVIL.

So clearly a lot going on here.

Last time though. Last time: The Avengers jut got back from a three-parter where an escaped mental patient turned out to be a clone which led the Avengers to shut down a secret academy for training henchmen, goons, and mooks and fight Taskmaster for the first time. Jocasta Did A Thing and now the Avengers have realized they’ve been ignoring her and promise to try to do that less.

Also, further back, Scarlet Witch decided to take some soul-searching time off of the team after taking some soul-searching time in Transia. Her asking for more vacation time sparked a huge blowup by Agent Gyrich that eventually led to the Avengers being freed his heavy yoke. So good job, Wanda. I bet nobody has ever enacted such lasting change just by asking for a vacation.

We start off and I am immediately proven wrong when the big issue starting splash page is an outside shot of the Avengers Mansion.

What a fool am I.

But what a fool is climate. Because the Taskmaster was defeated earlier in the day according to the caption boxes but its a bright sunny day when it had been snowing when the Avengers left to chase Wasp who was chasing Selbe, the aforementioned clone.

New York weather is a mystery.

Also a mystery: the inkers for this issue because they go uncredited.

The establishing shot of the Avengers Mansion was just a comedic transition when an annoyed exclamation zooms in to show the Avengers all trapped in an elevator.

Beast is annoyed that such a mundane problem would happen to them and shudders if word got out to the Daily Bugle. And also its kind of crowded. For some reason all the Avengers decided to take the same elevator.

... Maybe they exceeded the weight limit? I’m sure it must have higher tolerances than normal elevators but you packed ‘legally an appliance’ Jocasta, built like a gorilla made of muscle Beast, and ‘wears a suit of armor’ Iron Man in the same elevator car.

Vision decides to do the thing he’s capable of doing and just intangibles out of the elevator car to free up some space.

And he gets kind of a phrase-catcher situation here as Beast thinks, in the manner that people often do, that the Vision’s ghosting still gives him the creeps no matter how often he sees it.

Poor Vision. He’s demonstrated time and again that he is a real boy with feelings who wants to do good and even his allies think he’s creepy.

Anyway, Wasp, Yellowjacket, and Ant-Man decide to help out with the space issues too by shrinking tiny-size.

Ant-Man even climbs onto Iron Man’s shoulder so he can give his considered opinion as an electrical engineer as Iron Man tries to fix the elevator panel.

Which I guess means the problem is in the electronics and not the pulley or cable or anything.

I don’t know how elevators work so I must assume its magic and physics making an abomination baby.

Wonder Man, who has mild claustrophobia from years spent dead in a coffin, suggests just OH YEAH’ing out of the elevator.

But the Avengers are somehow WAY over-budget for repairs this month. SOMEHOW. (I bet its Wonder Man’s fault)

Anyway, no need to put some red in Tony’s checkbook. Iron Man just found and fixed the problem so the elevator is on its way again. The one page and change nightmare is finally at an end.

I’ll note that Ant-Man did not give a single piece of electrical engineering expertise the whole time he was on Iron Man’s shoulder. I think he just wanted to ride on his shoulder.

When the elevator reaches the ground floor, Jarvis is there to greet them with seltzer and aspirin because Vision told him what had happened and Jarvis is considerate like that.

And a little jowlier than usual. He looks a bit Hitchcockian. Might be from the change in art team.

Jarvis also has phone messages that came while the Avengers were gone and/or stuck in an elevator.

Someone called to ask to do an interview with Captain America and a Ms Zimmerman called for Beast.

Beast reveals that he has set Wonder Man up on a date. In the same panel that we see Wonder Man grabbing the entire bottle of aspirin. He tries to get Beast to talk this over but the excited blue friend is already sprinting out of the room.

Captain America tells everyone else that they have forty-five minutes to shower and change into fresher clothes (except you, Jocasta. You’re naked) because he’s calling for a debriefing session.

And then in the most dramatic panel possible without a lightning strike, Jarvis thinks to himself:

Jarvis: “Oh, dear, and the coffee percolator broke down this morning! Will they ever forgive me?”

Seriously. This panel needs a dramatic sting.

MEANWHILE, at Stark International Detroit, a Dr. Cowan and Mr. Karnowski talk about a project almost being done. Tomorrow final testing will begin.

On RED RONIN!

I guess the titular War-Devil.

Red Ronin had to be rebuilt after its head was severed by “those awful mega-monsters.”

So lets unpack some stuff. Red Ronin is a giant robot. Which was built in a collaboration between Stark International and Japanese scientists. For SHIELD. With the intention of fighting Godzilla.

SHIELD had an anti-Godzilla giant robot.

Just let that soak in. SHIELD commissioned a giant robot. To fight Godzilla.

Amazing.

Anyway. Mr. Karnowski commiserates with Dr. Cowen that he put so much of himself into the restoration project that giving it up to the test team tomorrow will be like giving up his own child.

But Dr. Cowen reveals that he doesn’t intend to give Red Ronin up to anyone. A statement he punctuates with a wrench to the back of Mr. Karnowski’s skull.

I knew I couldn’t trust a comic book character with a shitty soul patch. Even though I could only see it on the same page that he revealed his treachery.

We’ll revisit this treacherous bad facial hair man later.

Lets check in with Cap using the most ridiculous exercise equipment imaginable.

Look at that thing. What even is that. Does it revolve in some way? Do you pull it? Which muscle groups does it work?

Anyway, Iron Man comes in to interrupt Cap’s exercise routine as he so often do, apparently. And he brought Jocasta because the thing he wants to talk to Cap about is promoting her to full Avengers status since she’s helped out so much lately.

She’s basically been like Hercules, crashing on the Avengers’ couch despite not being an Avenger but also she hasn’t been eating all of their grapes because she does not eat. So she’s automatically a better house guest for that reason.

Cap thinks its an excellent idea and decides to bring it up at the next regular meeting (as opposed to a debriefing session) and Jocasta runs off to tell the others.

She manages to emasculate Cap by effortlessly lifting the exercise equipment out of the way and exclaiming it isn’t very heavy rather than just walk around it.

Captain America: “‘Not very...?’ *Sigh* I think maybe I’ve had enough exercise for one day.”

Iron Man: “Could be, Cap. Could be.”

Look, Cap. Self-improvement is admirable. You can’t let yourself be discouraged just because you’ll never become a beautiful robot no matter how much weight you lift.

Meanwhile, the greatest and most dramatic plot point in this whole issue is solved.

Vision solves the broken percolator issue by heating it up with his Solar Beam, ensuring that the Avengers have coffee at their meeting and don’t hate Jarvis forever for something out of his control.

Hooray Vision!

Jocasta rushes in to tell Jarvis and Vision that she’s going to be nominated as an Avenger. And then fishes for what Vision thinks about that.

He tells her congratulations. In his most Spock-esque stoic pout.

She realizes that he’s still feeling feelings about Wanda’s absence and says that if she, Jocasta, becomes an Avenger, she, Jocasta, will be around a lot more in case Vision needs anyone to talk to.

Vision broods moodily out the window and tells her he’ll keep that in mind.

“The words that flow from the synthozoid’s lips are hollow, as if each sits lonely, isolated within its own syntax. And they are cold...”

... I think Jocasta has maybe feelings for Vision. Why do potential love triangles keep happening to him??

I mean, I can understand why Jocasta is drawn to him. She tried in an earlier issue to establish a bond with him as they are both robots but then she tried to sympathize with his feelings so he yelled and broke stuff while claiming he had no feelings.

Out of everyone, he is the most able to empathize with her situation but also the least likely. Because he is wrapped up in himself.

If Jocasta has Wasp’s feelings, she might also have feelings for Yellowjacket without being able to do anything about it because he’s with Jan. Although later on, after Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne divorce, Jocasta does date Hank for a while. Who she views as the god of robots rather than any direct familial relation. Which doesn’t strike me as a good foundation for a lasting relationship but maybe she just wanted to make out with god for a while.

I think Jocasta also dates Aaron Stack for a bit but I don’t know what they have in common aside from both being robots.

Anyway, we cut to a cold New Jersey beach where Wanda has rented a cottage so she can sort out her life, think about what she wants, and to be alone.

And then Ms Marvel shows up to give Wanda unsolicited life advice.

Because Carol Danvers.

Ms Marvel: “I hope you don’t mind my being here, Wanda. But I believe I understand what you’re going through -- and I thought you might want some advice from a sister Avenger.”

Its apparently common knowledge that one of the things Wanda took a thinking vacation to think about was whether she wants children.

Ms Marvel: “But just consider what that would do to you career as a super heroine. You’d have to focus so much of your life on a single individual, an infant, and at the expense of an entire populace that looks to you for protection. You’re a vital person, Wanda, one that half the women in the world would probably kill to be. Surely you find that more ‘fulfilling’ than any silly stereotype of having a baby?”

...

.......

These are important issues to consider when deciding as a superhero whether to have a baby or not and while Wanda doesn’t agree with Ms Marvel’s reasoning she has been considering these issues and come to the same conclusion.

But still. Geez. This feels like the writers’ piling more straw onto the straw feminist characterization that they’ve given Ms Marvel recently. I’m not familiar with her solo series. Maybe she was always like this. But she seemed chiller in her earlier Avengers appearances. Back in those crazy days during the Korvac Saga.

Also, I know that Avengers #200 looms on the horizon. This feels like karmic set-up and that makes me angry.

There’s this trope called the law of inverse fertility which basically means that in fiction the more you want a child the less likely you are to get one and vice versa.

So Ms Marvel giving a big speech about how having a baby is stupid compared to saving the world and then getting a mysterious pregnancy at the end of this issue... It just feels vindictive.

Ugh.

Anyway.

Scarlet Wanda: “When the Vision and I first married, we decided against having a family, figuring it wouldn’t be fair for a child to have parents who might be killed at any time by just doing their jobs. But with all that’s happened lately concerning my own parents, and with my brother’s impending fatherhood, I had second thoughts. That is, until I was able to put my responsibilities into perspective. Which means that while I’d dearly love to have a child some day, I realize that my life as an Avenger -- and the love I share with the Vision -- are what really matter now.”

In fact, her mind made up, Wanda was even about to return to New York when Ms Marvel stopped by with her unsolicited advice.

But suddenly, Ms. Marvel feels dizzy and collapses.

MEANWHILE, another outside establishing shot of Avengers Mansion!

Iron Man actually arrived ten minutes early for the debriefing. He wanted to send a summary of the battle with Taskmaster to the Fantastic Four so they can be on the lookout for any more goon academies.

But also: he wanted to talk to Cap before the meeting.

He finally tells Cap of the soul-searching he has been doing and how he has decided to step down officially as Avengers chairman.

Humorously to me, Cap immediately asks if it was because of something he did but Iron Man says that he just needs to spend more time helping his boss Tony Stark WHO IS DEFINITELY NOT HIM with his problems.

This comes as a shock to Captain America who thought he was only replacing Iron Man as chairman temporarily but since his mind is made up, Cap says he’ll schedule an election meeting as soon as possible.

And then time for the debriefing meeting. Or rather the post-debriefing meeting.

An hour passes so we don’t actually have to watch what a debriefing meeting consists of but apparently it involves relating, collating, and recording data and impressions from their recent battle.

None of these people know how to sit in a chair. Look at you, Cap. Why do you have one foot up on the chair? Iron Man... you are on the complete opposite side of the room as your chair and the meeting hasn’t been adjourned until this panel. Jocasta... don’t lurk over someone like a creeper. And Beast... just don’t.

Cap tells everyone that he’ll circulate a memo about the election meeting in a day or two because in an organization where you count all the members on two hands, official memos are definitely required.

And also, how come we haven’t seen any of these memos?

I would absolutely love to see some official Avengers memos about.... fridge use and appropriate dress code and stuff. Make it happen, Marvel.

With the meeting adjourned, its time for R&R so Beast tells Wonder Man to get dressed in his “stepping-out duds.” Wonder Man says he’s never been lucky with blind dating but Beast bets he’ll have the time of his life “even if you aren’t covered with blue fur!”

He knows! He knows the secret of his own success with women! Its canon! Women in the Marvel Universe love blue furry guys!

See also: Nightcrawler.

Nearby, Ant-Man thanks Yellowjacket and Wasp for keeping his secret identity a secret and then takes off on flying ant. Although he goofuses that up a little and ends up dangling from the ant’s leg as it flies off.

Yellowjacket tries to excuse himself to go back to his lab and do science but Wasp makes him an unstated (but probably sex related) offer that can’t refuse.

Evening strikes and we get to see the double date that Beast set up was at a 60s rock revival at Madison Square Garden.

It makes perfect sense. Its music that Wonder Man is familiar with and anyone that goes to a 60s revival probably likes old stuff thats stuck in the past.

The double dates show up: Melissa Zimmerman for Beast and her friend Candy Brown for Wonder Man.

Candy immediately latches onto Simon’s arm and says she loves strong men and Wonder Simon thinks that maybe this won’t be so bad after all but then a small child name Chauncey wanders over with popcorn and a balloon and he’s Candy’s son and also he recognizes Simon as Mr. Muscles.

And jumps on him and crawls all over him and tries to ride him.

Candy had to bring Chauncey to the date because the sitter cancelled. Also she’s divorced because her ex Myron just didn’t understand children so she dumped the bum.

Good for you, Candy.

Simon is less than thrilled though. And he whispers an implied violent threat to Beast.

Try to keep an open mind, Simon. Nobody likes getting stuff sprung on them or having children try to strangle them but think of it like this. She’s a single mom trying to get back out there after a divorce. And you’re a single dude trying to get back out there after being legally dead for years.

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, the less social people.

Iron Man comes into the TV room where Vision is slouching with amazingly bad posture watching something called Connections.

I guess Vision doesn’t have to worry about hurting his back with bad posture though. Lucky synthetic jerk.

The armored Avenger tells the android Avenger that he just heard from Wanda that she’s coming back. She had to take Ms Marvel to a hospital but as soon as she’s good to travel, she’ll return to the mansion.

Iron Man: “She hopes by tomorrow. She says she’s eager to see you. I, um, just thought you’d like to know.”

Vision: “That’s very considerate, Iron Man. Thank you.”

Iron Man: (Hmph. Anyone else would be jumping for joy to hear that his wife was returning after an extended leave. But not the Vision. I wonder if any of us will ever really understand him?)

Of course, what Iron Man misses as he turns to leave is the tiny smile that Vision gets when he hears the news.

I don’t want to judge too harshly. Vision is a hard guy to read. His emotions are either incredibly downplayed or explosive. But you’ve been allies and friends with this guy for years. Learn to read him and accept that he emotes differently.

Although it would be funny if Vision tried to express himself more clearly by yelling his emotions.

Like this.

So Vision smiled and a pile of angels got their wings, presumably. I guess issue over?

Wait. Dangit. There’s that... prelude to the War-Devil thing. And I guess maybe we should follow up on why Carol collapsed even though we already know through the bitter lens of hindsight.

So at Stark International Detroit, some security guards are doing a search because Mr. Karnowski and Dr. Cowan never checked out with the rest of the late shift.

They find an unconscious Karnowski stuffed behind some equipment and wonder where Dr. Cowan could be.

And then Red Ronin launches out of its silo.

Dr. Cowan talks to himself or maybe to Red Ronin about how he secretly altered the cyber-helmet that controls Red Ronin to only respond to his commands.

Dr. Cowan: “I-I was so scared. So very scared. I was sure all along that my secret work would be discovered. B-but now we’re one, Ronin, and we’re free to achieve our ultimate goal: the regrettable, but very necessary, instigation of -- WORLD WAR III!”

Okay. So. This guy isn’t behaving rationally. And he just stole a giant robot designed to fight Godzilla. To start World War III.

Less than good.

Meanwhile, a hospital in southern New Jersey.

Scarlet Wanda Frank finds Ms Marvel’s doctor and asks if she’s okay. The doctor believes she is but wants to run more tests.

Scarlet Wanda: “May I see her?”

Doctor: “Oh, definitely, she could use the moral support. For some reason, she seems to be taking the news of her condition rather badly.”

Scarlet Wanda: “‘Condition’...?”

Doctor: “Yes, though I don’t see why she should be upset. After all, nausea and fainting are quite common symptoms for someone who is -- THREE MONTHS PREGNANT!”

And we get to see Ms Marvel crying in a hospital bed.

Fuck you committee of writers and editors that decided on this plotline and intentionally or otherwise punished a feminist character who did not want children with a mysterious pregnancy. Fuck you.

I’ll talk a little bit more about the committee of bad ideas when we hit #200 but Jim Shooter said that everyone could blame him so fuck you Jim Shooter.

Terrible, terribleness of this plotline aside, I detect a new formula in this issue.

Like the Taskmaster arc, we’re starting with a slower initial issue with downtime and character beats for the Avengers while the problem that will fill two additional issues is teased.

Last arc it was sort of a mystery centered around Selbe which ended up just being a precursor to a bigger thing. Cloning for organ transplants revealed secret villain academies.

This time its a giant robot. That was built to fight Godzilla.

I kind of like this format. I don’t know if I’d like it if it kept just being three issue arcs back to back but I like the breather issues with character beats and Avengers R&Ring.

The Ms Marvel stuff aside, its interesting that as we approach issue 200, it does feel like there's a big shakeup due. There’s going to be a new Avengers chairman. Jocasta is up to be voted onto the team. Scarlet Witch will return.

The Ms Marvel stuff aside, I am excited to see what the book does in the upcoming future.

Follow @essential-avengers. I passed my 200th Essential Avengers post a ways back but I didn’t make a big deal about it. Because I forgot to keep track of the numbers what with annuals and crossovers. Maybe when I repost it on the essential-avengers blog I’ll remember to.

[splitshortsyeah]

Flying Lotus 'Cosmogramma'

- Matt Duelka

I hate to admit that college taught me quite a lot. Each month I reach into my pockets in an attempt to reclaim my dignity one monthly payment at a time, but it was worth it. What I’m not afraid to admit is that the ACTUAL COLLEGE INSTITUTION probably only took part in about 15% of my acquired knowledge during that time. I had the opportunity of taking part in some uncredited extracurriculars that made up for the other 85% that allow me to know how to stand on my own 2 feet without a crutch to lean on.

One of those opportunities that helped me get to the “head of the class” was a brainchild of my breadthen Chris Winn, called NotDrugs.com. I would be doing an ill service of trying to give you all a proper derivation, but it was a way for some college kids with ambition, who were into some shit, to talk about that said shit, in a way all that you wanted to talk about the prior stated shit. That freedom, but also the acceptance of whatever was outputted onto the platform, to be without a “cage” of traditional format that kept you too close to the ground was, well, quite exhilarating. It was, though, completely trial by fire, and I learned to be able to take the pat on the backs just as easily as I was taking the punches in the gut. Some shit worked, other stuff didn’t. There was no hiding in the back of the classroom. Front and center, the best way to earn those calluses.

Equal to having the ability to learn to swim by diving into shark infested waters, I also was able to watch others do the same. Just taking a step back and absorbing from the small cohort we had was just as valuable at times. One folk in particular wrote something that introduced me to an artist – and an album – that 10 years later, altered my auditory acceptance valve moving forward. Julian Williams was that guy, a friend to this day, and man -- F THAT DUDE.

Not really. But you get it.

May 12th, 2010, Ju dropped a banger, a Ju-Banger if you will, and introduced me to Flying Lotus. ‘Cosmogramma’ was released about a month earlier (April-ish) and it was his third album (‘1983’ was his first in ’06, ‘Los Angeles’ was his second in ’08). It’s hard for me to put into words what it felt like listening to ‘Cosmogramma’ for the first time, because I don’t think I was that into it. Saying something like that in 2020 makes me want to go back and kidney punch myself until organ failure – but maybe that’s a little harsh.

Ju mentioned in his piece that FlyLo isn’t easy to take in immediately, or even after a few listens through. It’s jarring, and with ‘Cosmogramma’ specifically, arranged in a way that catches you off guard IMMEDIATELY if you aren’t ready. So even if you want to give it a chance, 30secs in most people might throw it away and not even try.

“They only thing I can describe it as is what Aliens would listen to while gliding through space.”

That was said 1 year ago, while at Danny George’s bachelor party. I had a few beverages and I thought everyone would collectively love to jam out to some ‘Cosmogramma’. I was very wrong.

Like I said, or like Ju said, it’s hard to declare it a gold medal winner off the bat if it’s a brand new sound for you. I didn’t give up on it though. I wasn’t sure why but there was something I wanted to like, and knew I could get into, but couldn’t figure out why it was so hard. So, I flipped back a few pages in the book of Flying Lotus and did my due diligence. I cued up ‘Los Angeles’ and checked myself into bootcamp.

‘Los Angeles’ is necessary in order to take in ‘Cosmogramma’. It’s still weird, still out there, but it comes at you with soft jabs and telegraphed body shots before the haymakers start to show up. It gives you time to warm up, like a mile or so jog, before the racing begins. It’s lovely, brings me smiles. I can lose myself in this album – walk from Battery park to the Cloisters, and not even remember if I had gotten dressed for the day yet.

The second half of ‘Los Angeles’ (probably by the time “GNG BNG” comes on, you should be lubed up and ready to go) is where things start to go off the rails (in a spectacular way) and you start to just fire away on all cylinders. And then by the time “RobertaFlack” hits – you can safely say to yourself “This shit SLAPS.”

That’s when you’re ready for ‘Cosmogramma’. When you are comfortable in the skin that ‘Los Angeles’ hardens around you, then it’s okay to press play and enjoy. Gimme Dat. And I received all of it. ‘Cosmogramma’ was a main stay in my arsenal. I had adapted my existence to welcome this unorthodox way of delivering deliciousness to my ear canals.

Before I dive deeper, I feel the need to be transparent and say if you’re looking for a track-by-track evaluation, I ain’t your guy. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to correctly identify specific tracks on any FlyLo album, because it’s too hard for me to step out of the zone while the record is revolving. I probably even recommend to never listen to a track out of context of the album. Just go ahead and take an hour out of your day, block it off in your calendar, and take a ride.

Okay.

Now fast forward with me for a scene,  if you don’t mind. It’s 2011, and we, me PLUS 6 others, are driving a minivan overnight to Ashville, NC. We were going for a 3 day walkabout, visiting different music venues that were showcasing different artists, all with the overarching theme of banging on the Moog (Yes, MOOGFest 2011). After the 16 hour journey, and a decision to “dust off the sleep deprivation and drink through it instead,” the seven of us blitzed our way through the day and night. Until we got to (our) main event.

We were sitting in the bleachers of the UNC-Ashville Arts theater taking in the artistic stylings of Moby (he wasn’t the main event) counting down the minutes on our watches until Flying Lotus was set to go on. Moby could only satiate our appetites so much, so we found the next venue – and a few drinks later – There he was.

It was energy I had never experienced before. It easily could have been the alcohol numbing my surroundings, but I felt if I was in a bubble and I was vacuumed off from the rest of the crowd. My senses were on overload. Usually when you are at a show, you are anticipating each song, or waiting for those few that you know you are gonna POP for. With FlyLo, I don’t get that. I want the experience from start to finish without even stopping to think about what “track” he might play next. I just enjoy being set in a trace and letting FlyLo take me on whatever trip he has planned for that show. And this was only just year 1 of my Flying lotus experience, but having the year top off with that show made me know I was in for the long haul.

Tim will say ‘Cosmogramma’ was peak FlyLo and he hasn’t done better since. I’d say FlyLo reached A peak with ‘Cosmogramma’ but hasn’t descended since. Just kinda stayed up there, peak-hoppin’, enjoying the scenery.

My wife calls it “noise”. And, sure, but you can say that about any music you disagree with. If the sounds aren’t soothing, it’s noise. With FlyLo, calling it noise, though is an easy way out. Because without any interest in the artist, or WANTING to understand what’s going on, you can call it noise and move on. But ‘Cosmogramma’, specifically, isn’t just unheralded noise. It’s strategically placed nodes meant to instigate foot tapping and head nodding, hip swaying. You listen to those opening, rambunctious sounds on the album and for me, I can feel my body, NOW, start to fall into rhythm, because it KNOWS what’s coming. When I said earlier that I ‘Los Angeles’ had a nice warmup before we got into the race, that was because my body was ice cold. When I play ‘Cosmogramma’ today, my body is already at room temperature waiting for the gun to go off. It only needs those opening 11secs before the race can begin.

Here’s a weird way to describe this album. It’s like watching The Shawshank Redemption on AMC, or TNT, or A&E (those are cable channels for my cord-cutting fans). Anytime I used to channel surf and land on that movie, regardless of where the movie was, I could sit and watch the rest – knowing exactly what I had missed, and knowing exactly where the movie was headed. And I would enjoy it, every time. I can do the same with this album. If a track ever randomly comes up, or a Spotify algorithm sends me something it thinks I like, I can listen to the song, know exactly where I am in the album, and know exactly where we should be headed.

Since MOOGfest ’11, I’ve seen FlyLo pretty much anytime he came around. And my emotional and neurological connections to the music haven’t changed. My dopamine levels are always at all time highs and I get to leave the outside world for a bit. And hopefully, I know have the ability to introduce Flying Lotus to a new audience, as Ju did 10 years ago to me.

I think back to NotDrugs a lot. This little exercise we decided to do streamlined a lot of memories about all of the content we produced and the ambitions we had. It was meant to live the life it lived, but I always wondered if we were able to keep it on life support for the few humps after 2010, what it could have been like. Would we have been able to impact the culture outside of the college bubble like we always wanted? How would our perspectives have changed on what we wanted it to be, and would new perspectives have been added to keep our finger on the pulse?

It’s hard to speak for Chris, or any of the other cohorts, but to me, it seems like NotDrugs was never just NotDrugs. It could have always been anything we wanted it to be. We made it what it was, just as a new group of folks have come together, sifting through the ashes, and coming out with some shit that they want to do.

I guess MSSC is NotDrugs.

[alisonsye]

Morning. This year I have had lots of people suggesting that I would make more money if I did limited edition prints of my work, which made me think I have not explained my process for a while. I do not print things. Partly because I don’t want to add anything new to the world (I use what has already been printed by someone else) and partly because of copyright infringement. My work is an amalgamation of other people’s images. I respect that. Each piece is a one-off. Donald’s pussy-grabbing hand (above, photographer uncredited) would have been much more visually pleasing if I had enlarged it slightly. However, it would have given me no pleasure, and that is why I make art, because it gives me pleasure. I like the feeling of the needle going through the newspaper, I like the way it smells. I like that somebody else took the newspaper onto a train and unknowingly left it for me. I like that this Picasso drawing is from a 1947 book (and has been through many hands) and not a photocopied version of it (I would have no reservations about sewing into an actual Picasso, by the way). I love everything about the making of my work, the end results are important, but not massively. I am not criticising anyone else’s methods, just explaining mine. There are many printers here, whose work and ethics I greatly admire. Nor am I criticising the people who suggested printing my work. For most people it would be a sensible solution, and I always appreciate those who take time to comment, even when I don’t agree. We must all find our own path. #picassoeditionsaimerysomogy1949 #artistsofinstagram #artistsoninstagram #artsanity #artistlife #picasso #labellehollandaise #donaldtrumppussygrab #alisonsye879

[houstonlocalus-blog]

Houstonian Tales: Josh Bosarge

Josh Bosarge. Photo: Uncredited/Facebook

  One of the best things about covering a music scene is meeting all of the interesting personalities that make it all up. When you get to know those within it, you should find a bevy of creative people who do more than just be in a band. In Houston it’s definitely no exception that most who make music have other creative endeavors that are worth looking into and exploring.  For LACE’s Josh Bosarge, music is just a small part of what he does.  With Calico Grounds, he’s published works by established artists like experimental filmmaker Jonas Mekas, to his own writings alongside many others.  Bosarge proves that if you’re willing to dig deep into your music scene, those who make it up are usually a wealth of creativity who have more going on than those of the typical day to day world.  

  Free Press Houston: You’re not technically from Houston, correct?  Do you think growing up in a small town shaped who you are today?

Josh Bosarge: That’s right. I’m from Needville, Texas, a small country town about 40 miles outside of Houston. I think so, in a way that I knew it wasn’t the place I was interested in spending my time or life. From early on, it had this kind of overwhelming feeling of “this isn’t home.” It was a kind of tight-knit high school football city centralized around a feed store. You could look around and see families who have been there for generations, the father ran the local business, so now they run the local business, and their child will take over after. Seemed very dull, and I used that feeling to make it a point to create and find my own little corner.

  FPH:  You seem like a very tactile person, like someone who likes physical items over digital, would that be a fair assessment?

Bosarge: I would agree with that to an extent. I think the digital format is very important, especially for the punk community. It’s something I took for granted for a while for whatever reason. There is a certain comfort in physical formats to me. I love looking at cassettes on a rack, records on a shelf. I have begun minimizing recently, and trying to embrace having less. Maybe a decision I will regret later on, but I am a revolving door of starting things over.

  FPH:  For those who don’t understand, what’s Calico Grounds and where does the name come from?

Bosarge: Calico Grounds is an independent publishing house I operate. It focuses on small edition runs of booklets, music, prints, and other pieces of work. As for the name, it honestly has no deep meaning. Wish I had a better story. Just something that came into my head one day on a long drive.

  FPH:  What made you decide to start it up and how long has it been a thing?

Bosarge: I was writing quite a bit and John Baldwin, while working at Domy Books, which was like a second home to me, suggested releasing zines of my own. In 2009 I started to work with one of my closest friends Stephen Ashley and began running it as a curated press. I have continued Calico Grounds on my own since 2010. It’s given me the chance to select and feature artists and writers I enjoy, while getting to print their work with design I would be drawn to.

  FPH:  As someone who publishes books and zines as well as cassettes, how do you decide who you’ll work with and the run of items produced?

Bosarge: My decision-making is up in the air. I’ve gotten to debut a few people who have never had any printed matter, and further the collection of some well known artists as well. When it comes down to it though, I publish things that I feel like I would like to see. If you look through my “discography” you’ll see that it varies. Everything winds up somehow being linked to the punk community. Sometimes I get the urge to release something completely out of left field, or challenge an artist to put out a format that they have never worked with, or convince someone who doesn’t write but is full of great stories to finally put pen to paper.

  FPH:  Has there ever been an artist you approached to release something for but it just didn’t work out?  Do you have anything planned for release any time soon?

Bosarge: That happens often. For any number of reasons, sometimes ideas don’t pan out. I have never had a negative experience with an artist I have tried to work with. Sometimes the timing isn’t right. Sometimes missed connections lead to beautiful things. I was working on a collective book called “God Is Lonely In His Heavens.” It compiled many different writers into one release. Jonathan Shaw, Ross Farrar, Luc Rioual, Eric Paul, myself, and quite a few more including some Houston writers. There was a filmmaker I am a fan of submitting a story and he wound up becoming too busy for the project. A week before the deadline he got me in contact with Jonas Mekas. Jonas is an experimental filmmaker who started in the late ’40s/early ’50s who is very influential in the film world. Jonas and I would go on to publish “Letters, Etc.”, which is a collection of his personal letters to friends at the turn of the century. It’s very beautifully done and one of the releases I am the most proud of.

In the coming future I am toying around with some ideas. A booklet of selected lyrics from Juergen Gleue is on it’s way. Juergen is one half of one my favorite bands, 39 Clocks. This will mark the second time I have gotten to work with him. There are a few more zine/book ideas, as well as some musical releases, however I would like to move on to bigger and loftier things before I bring this thing to rest.

  FPH:  You’re pretty heavily linked to the punk and post punk scene.  What’s the number one thing people misunderstand about punk and DIY culture?

Bosarge: This is a difficult question for me, because I feel the DIY and punk communities are becoming more “understood.” The lines between genres become less solid and makes it easier for people to explore. More people are grabbing a microphone for their first time and feeling empowered or oppressed enough to speak their opinion. There is something to learn from every performance.  I don’t feel like there is anything new I can add to the conversation.

  FPH:  You sing in the band LACE, who will drop your proper full length with Seattle’s Iron Lung Records.  How did that come about?

Bosarge: A series of emails, really. Iron Lung is my favorite contemporary label, and were the first label we sent our demo to. Jensen Ward has been incredibly supportive and was the one to push for a full length. Their roster is unbelievable. Total Control, Diät, Gag, as well as one of the best punk bands I’ve heard this past year, Acrylics. They liked us enough to work with us, which of course is great. It’s very exciting and can’t wait for everyone to hear the LP.

  FPH:  You seem to really get aesthetic better than most people I meet in music, so much so, that I know a flyer is for a LACE show before I read it.  Do you think the fact that you publish things is how you seem to get how something should look better than most?

Bosarge: Thank you very much. I’m not sure what it is. I’ve always been a sucker for design, and I’m heavily influenced by old New Directions or Grove Press book covers, because I think it sets a certain mood. Nothing I design is incredibly original, but I would rather create something that I would like to see. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the art of DIY hardcore flyers. Things that are handdrawn to give a nod to the punk community of the past. It’s great, and there are plenty of people out there doing it now and doing a great job of it. I think the aesthetic we use represents us well though.

  FPH:  I know you’re a big Alan Vega fan, do you think people would be shocked to find out that you’re into him?

Bosarge: I would hope not! I hope the influence is plain to see. Alan Vega’s impact on me has been tremendous. He exuded this confidence and intensity that I could only ever dream of. I would watch videos of Suicide performances, and Alan is on stage in a shiny sequined coat or some leather jacket snarling like a caged animal. I love it. One of the smartest and most innovative characters in the music world. His death took a real toll on me. I think people would be more ‘shocked’ by my other influences I could cite. Ask me about my love of Tiny Tim some time.

  Bosarge definitely proves that Houston’s music world is made up of creatives who take things further than just the notes of their songs.  You can find the releases from Calico Grounds here and the music of LACE here.  While visiting both, make sure to catch LACE at Summer Breeze Vol. 1 on June 3 through June 4 at Walter’s.  The multi-day punk fest features sets from Dress Code, Amygdala, Army and many more for the all ages event.

Houstonian Tales: Josh Bosarge this is a repost