The Path of Strife

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Review: No Longer Human by Ito & Dazai

Plagued by a maddening anxiety, the terrible disconnect between his own concept of happiness and the joy of the rest of the world, Yozo Oba plays the clown in his dissolute life, holding up a mask for those around him as he spirals ever downward, locked arm-in-arm with death.

Though it doesn't position itself as such, I would still love to describe No Longer Human as a moral tale of some sorts. The work here lays bare some of the less-trodden (at least in fiction) paths on the nature of human interaction - with the world and within ourselves.

Not many fictional works espoused the demerits of self-subjugation and false humility. No Longer Human, through its protagonist, lays bare the downfall of raising other people's opinions above yours, not following your own intuition, and the societal hypocrisy that surrounds politics and culture.

The art, drawn by the famous mangaka, Junji Ito, is suited to the themes. It is easy to see why he is regarded worldwide as one of the masters of the horror genre.

Everyone Has A Good Level Of Discernment If They Choose To Exercise It

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Review: Little Bird by Poelgeest & Bertram

With the same limitless scope as Star Wars, and the social-political explorations of A Handmaid's Tale, LITTLE BIRD tells the story of a young resistance fighter battling against an oppressive American Empire while searching for her own identity in a world on fire. A gorgeously illustrated epic where one girl risks everything to save her people, their land, and the freedom they so desperately deserve.

I think one of the strengths of fiction is in that it can use symbolism to makes its point to a great effect. The medium does not have to entrap itself with the rigidity of reality in terms of rules, language, and cliches. Because of that, fiction is able to make good points about the real world that non-fiction finds very hard to make.

For example, Goerge Orwell's Animal Farm taught a good lesson about the politics of that time without pretzelling itself with terminologies that would give too much away about what it was talking about. In short, you could enjoy the tale without any political commentary.

Unfortunately, Little Bird fails this test. The point the graphic novel was trying to make - the evils of blind nationalism, power, and religion, falls flat in the sense that there is no cloaking of words, no fallback on symbols, no employment of what makes fiction great. The venom of the writers towards what they consider vices and injustices are made too plain on the page. This error makes enjoying Little Bird quite hard for people they might be trying to reach

The art is lovely. Spectacular in many parts. But the story lacks the maturity the art deserves.

How We Choose To Carry Our Burdens

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Review: Basquiat - A Graphic Novel by Paolo Parisi

"Cool, talented and transgressive, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life is just as fascinating as the work he produced. Delve into 1980s New York as this vivid graphic novel takes you on Basquiat’s journey from street-art legend SAMO to international art-scene darling, up until his sudden death. Told through cinematic scenes, this is Basquiat as seen through the eyes of those who knew him, including his father, Suzanne Mallouk, Larry Gagosian and, most importantly, the man himself. Basquiat is a moving depiction of a troubled artist’s life for those interested in both the art and the man who made it."

Those who love Basquiat's art style will want to read this one. For those looking for inspiration or philosophy behind his work... those might come up disappointed. For while there was a desire to be counterculture and question societal values via his art during his early days, the book seems to indicate that Basquiat in his latter career stage was obsessed with fame. This led him down a few crooked roads.

This book also sheds light on those who tried to take advantage of Basquiat, the racism he faced and how the art world works in general.

While I love the historical side of this book, I find the Basquiat's story not to be as unique as I was expecting. He was a talent that got lost in drugs and booze... became taken over with fame and overwork due to the overwhelming influence of people who had no interest in him.

The book is an interesting read, though. Recommended for though in love with anything that has to do with art and similar creative endeavours.

Branding Ourselves

Review - The Great Man: The Ogre Gods by Hubert and Gatignol

“Lours is an aging leader of a passionate rebel clan who seeks to defend their traditions and territory from those who would take it from them, including the Chamberlain of the nearby kingdom and the giant Ogre Gods who rule above them. When he comes across a fleeing giant barely taller than a bear, he brings the wounded curiosity into their camp and nurses him back to health with plans that could help them define a new order. But this tiny giant has an agenda of his own -- young Petit has the wellbeing of his human love at the forefront of his priorities, and she has become an unwitting pawn in the Chamberlain's wicked plans…”

The Great Man: The Ogre Gods (Book Three) by Hubert and Gatignol is that kind of book makes you feel smart by just reading it. If you love a book with Game of Thrones-like strategy, both on the battlefield and in politics, then you will love this series.

Also, The Great Man: The Ogre Gods has an unusual attribute for a graphic novel. While the main story is in the normal comic form, all the flashbacks or backstories are done in a prose format. I was surprised at this, but I learned to enjoy the prose. It felt like reading a codex in an RPG game.

The art is a strange one - so simple, yet conveys so much about the landscape. It is a unique component of the story.

All in all, The Great Man: The Ogre Gods, is an interesting read. You do not need to have read the other parts to enjoy this volume. If you have the opportunity, buy it.

The Degradation Of The Justice System

The Limits Of Reality-Distortion Fields