Why Should I Read... Chronicles of Wormwood

From a very early age, I was sent to Sunday School. I learned about Christianity, God, Jesus and the Bible. I learned about genesis and revelations and everything in between. I can't remember a point where I ever believed any of it, but I enjoyed the stories. The stories were great.

Skip ahead a few years, and instead of the writings of a bunch of dusty, desert dwelling gents making up random stuff to control the masses, I'm reading the scriptures of Garth Ennis. Instead of King James, the publisher is Avatar Press... And the stories? They got upgraded.

Ennis is probably best known for Preacher, his sprawling epic centred around the Reverend Jesse Custer and his battles with God. (See "Why Should I Read... Preacher?") Chronicles of Wormwood is another take on the Christian mythology, a little more modern, with an extra juicy dollop of grown-up humour. For me, that's the first thing that grabbed me about these books. Ultimately, faith and all of it's trappings are a serious business for those that have them. If you aren't a person of faith, then the tales that others believe in can seem ridiculous. Ennis takes this premise and turns it neatly on it's head, by asking a simple question; how ridiculous would it be if this crap were real?

The answers he gives are varied and numerous. There are jokes steeped in the beautiful irony of existential life, and there are knob gags. Ennis has always worked with juxtapositions for emphasis and Chronicles of Wormwood is no exception. The story shifts from the justification of humanity as discussed by the Devil and the AntiChrist, to the relatively workaday arguments about popular television production. Oh, and there are knob gags. There are meanderings from the end of a relationship, to the end of the world. Did I mention the knob gags? There are a frankly spectacular array of knob gags.

Bringing life to phallic fun is artist Jacen Burrows. Burrows draws with a distinct if not unique style, well suited to Ennis. The two have worked together regularly since 2002, when Burrows became a house artist at Avatar Press. This extensive working partnership allows Burrows to reflect the guttural nature of Ennis's writing. When the intensity of the book increases, Burrows matches it wonderfully, creating images which are visceral, both figuratively and literally.

The most alluring thing I found in Chronicles of Wormwood was the humanisation of the AntiChrist. As the central character, the story obviously revolves around him, but almost in a double helix. As with the other juxtapositions of the book, there are two areas of Wormwood's life at constant conflict. There is his desire to step away from the ultimate responsibility laid out for him by his father; Wormwood should be the instigator of the end of the world. He believes that humanity should be left to their own devices, so views Armageddon with apathy at best. This leads to conflict with his father but this is portrayed in a a very human way, as any son would struggle to live up to the expectations of an overbearing parent.

In his more regular life, Wormwood struggles again, as his very human character frailties threaten to tear his life apart. He makes terrible choices, and regularly hurts those he cares about. As the reader, it's possible to be left wondering whether this is simply the failings of a young man, or if his parentage is creeping in. The book then appears to mimic you, as Wormwood wonderfully begins to do the same.

Chronicles of Wormwood is a very fun, but insightful look at the end of the world. It's funny because it's not true... Or is it?

Chris Boyle is glad that you get a free pass on jokes about Star Wars nerds.

Why Should I Read… Barry Ween, Boy Genius?

When you are young, the world is a fantastic place. There are monsters under the bed, fairies at the bottom of the garden, dinosaurs at the park, and grown ups are just too stupid to see it. Every new sight, sound and smell is the first clue to a new adventure that's waiting to be had, just by you. Essentially, you are the centre of the universe, and it's bloody great. Then you get old. School gets hard, then you have to get a job, and that gets hard, and then you have to get a place to live, and a car, and a relationship, and life continues to kick the snot out of you until you forget what it is to be a kid.

Then, if you're lucky, your local purveyor of stories will press this book in to your world-weary hands, you will read it and you will remember.

Barry Ween, Boy Genius is the product of the mind of Judd Winick. Winick has received praise from the likes of Garth Ennis, Jeff Smith and Brian Michael Bendis for Barry Ween. He does have direct ties to DC and Marvel having written for both, so it's not surprising that some of the comic world's heavyweights have been exposed to and subsequently lined up in support of Barry Ween. So if I'm writing this, what the hell can I say that would persuade you to pick it up if their comments don't?

I am not here to give you sound bites. I am not a creator of blurb. But there really is something I can only describe as magical about Barry Ween. It has the same feel as many kids TV programmes from my youth; a child who the world sees as normal while the viewer sees as special. Barry is the most intelligent human ever, and thus uses his knowledge to invent the scientific marvels from all your standard sci-fi plots. Nothing untoward so far. Barry has a friend and sidekick, who only just understands what's going on, and only just stays out of harm's way with Barry's help. Again, staple stuff from kids TV programmes, comic strips and story books. Barry Ween is drawn like a kids book, it's very reminiscent of Calvin & Hobbes (which it is unjustly compared to constantly, so ignore that!) or any Beano or Dandy strip ever. But unlike every kids TV programme or book, Barry and his co-characters swear like they were raised in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen. It's certainly not gratuitous, and it's done skilfully and for appropriate affect - less of the "dropping the f-bomb" and more like "shots from the f-sniper". Either way, this book is certainly taking no prisoners and isn't apologising either. Real childhoods have swearing, by the way. Real kids discover swearwords and use them like they invented them, as soon as their parents are out of earshot. Winick knows this, and although at first it simply seems like a comedy tool, after reading you realise there's so much art in the writing, that in fact he's off-setting the over-the-top plots with some 'real' realism.

Barry Ween is a wonderful set of juxtapositions, and the real versus the unreal is just one of the most obvious. The second of which is my personal favourite though; there is a real clash of humour and poignancy that makes this more that a good comic, it makes it a great story. Winick is able to show you the funniest moments of a child that's smarter than everyone else. Things like Barry Ween and his best friend chasing down a stoned Bigfoot intent on eating Barry's parents because he has the munchies. Winick is also able to give you just five panels that instantly show you the utterly heartbreaking loneliness that is a 10-year-old boy who is the most intelligent being alive. The harsh reality of his situation is stark contrast to the unrelenting savagery of the humour, but somehow both are showcased with equal mastery. It left me with the same feeling you get when shown close up magic - you're not sure how it was done, by damn it you can't help but be impressed.

So why should you read Barry Ween? It's a surprising gift of a book. It gives you more than a story. It gives you emotion, it gives you laughter, but I think that most of all, it gives you youth. That's a lot for a book, don't you think?

Chris Boyle is looking forward to the day when his infant son can take over the world...

The Watcher - Men In Black 3

Agents J and K are back! It’s been ten years since we last saw the agents in black who secretly protect the Earth from a constant alien threat. Once again directed by Barry Sonnenfeld the third movie in the MiB series starts with the introduction of Boris the Animal ("It's just Boris!") played by Jermaine Clement from Flight of the Concords fame. It’s nice to see him in such a contrasting role compared to his normal comedic self. When we first meet Boris the Animal he is being kept prisoner in Lunamax which is a penal facility on the moon designed specifically for him. Of course he escapes and plans to get revenge on the man who put him there - K (Tommy Lee Jones).

Back in MiB headquarters, J and K and its other members are mourning the loss of Agent Z (excellently portrayed by somewhat disgraced Rip Torn in the previous two installments), now running things is Agent O (Emma Thompson). I personally think it's a shame that Z couldn’t return as I always felt like he was an integral part of MiB universe.

Boris the Animal plans to return to the year 1969, stop his arrest and kill Agent K in the process. So it's up to Agent J (Will Smith) to go back to '69 before Boris arrives and stop his nefarious plans. In order to do this J has to ‘time jump’ which literally involves jumping off something really high (and no I don’t mean while stoned!). The visual effects involved in this really lend to the 3D depth effect as when J is falling he actually falls through different time periods, I enjoyed this more than most other recent 3D additions to movies.

 

Once successfully back in the Sixties, J manages to find Boris but is actually apprehended before he can succeed in killing him. By whom? The young Agent K! Josh Brolin portrays the young K wonderfully, he manages to capture Tommy Lee Jones’ performance, mannerisms and voice so much so I couldn’t believe it wasn’t actually him at first! Because of J’s alien tech he is taken back to MiB headquarters and interrogated by K, he seems friendlier but doesn’t trust J. It eventually takes the truth, that J is in fact from the future for K to believe him. While on the hunt for clues they go to ‘The Factory’ and meet Andy Warhol who is secretly the great Bill Hader in disguise and an alien called Griffin (Michael Stuhlbarg).

Griffin has a unique skill - he can see alternate dimensions simultaneously and thus predict the future, which helps! He informs the agents that in order to deploy the ArcNet (a shield to protect earth from the Bogladites - Boris’ species) they would have to attach it to the top of Apollo 11 before it is launched the very next day.

J, K and Griffin make their way to Cape Canaveral on massive rockets of their own! Security make things difficult once they arrive but with the help of Griffin and his talents they get escorted to the launch gantry to reach the rocket's top. Not only is Boris the Animal there ready to stop them but so is his other self - double trouble! Both agents battle their own Boris and finally succeed in deploying the ArcNet.

Certain things in this film do not quite feel right, the lack of Z in both the present and the past, K’s relationship with O (why isn’t this mentioned in the future?) and both Smith and Jones feel like they are just going through the motions. That said I did enjoy it! About the same level as the previous outings, the third movie is worth watching for the gross effects and fun 3D as well as some brilliant performances by the supporting cast - Michael Stuhlbarg, Bill Hader and of course the star player Josh Brolin.

Defend the galaxy, learn its secrets and remember just look into the light... *FLASH!*

Stefan Harkins is still sniggering at the use of the word 'penal'!