Saturday, September 30, 2017

"That dream is over." Star Trek: Discovery thoughts

Star Trek is back on television kind-of... CBS is releasing it via 'CBS All Access,' so that viewers have the convenience of streaming an online video which still has the network watermark defacing the bottom corner. Keep working on that prestige television!

I stumbled into the Star Trek franchise during the first season of Star Trek: Voyager. I had seen episodes and films here and there and thought it was all 'okay' but in 1995 I began making an effort to follow Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine regularly; over time I caught up on all I had missed. I lost interest during the 2nd season of Enterprise but eventually I did go back and see it all; heck, I've seen every episode of the animated program and the three J.J. Abrams films - I have seen everything Star Trek.

The new series is titled Star Trek: Discovery and is set about a decade before the original series. No real effort has been made to keep the visuals consistent with the original program, but that's acceptable. Maybe Kirk's Enterprise was last decade's model. CBS debuted the program with two episodes ("The Vulcan Hello" & "Battle at the Binary Stars") which together form a sort-of pilot. Actually, they don't do much to establish the series itself as the titular USS Discovery is not in either episode and most of the lead cast are not present either - the program's lead character, Michael Burnham, is featured and the episodes seem to exist in order to grant the character's backstory so as to inform her actions in the series itself. In a way, I guess this 'pilot' is really a prequel to the series?

Star Trek: Discovery has been a troubled production behind-the-scenes as its release has been repeatedly delayed. It has ultimately panned out well as the debut brought in the best ratings the franchise has seen in more than 20 years. However, the developer of the show and author of the debut, Bryan Fuller (himself a veteran writer of Deep Space Nine and Voyager) was ousted as showrunner early in production and Alex Kurtzman (writer of the first two J.J. Abrams films) assumed control. The program is certainly reminiscent of Abrams' Trek, what with having a lead character who has never been to Starfleet Academy yet is considered a natural leader and figure of destiny who is nurtured by their paternal superior officer; said lead character commandeers the starship; and the villains are vicious brutes.

I don't know how I feel about Discovery's take on Klingons. Perhaps there will be more nuance to come, but the first episode plays them as religious fanatics, which is not an interesting place to take them (thank you Trek, we've already got the Xindi). However, the second episode leans a little more into the idea of Klingons being xenophobic and authoritarian which would be in keeping with the tradition Enterprise began of using Klingons as a mirror to contemporary US culture (rather than as stand-ins for the Russians). I'd like it even more if the Klingons were using an appeal to Kahless as a means to stifle dissent among the ranks and so advance a populist agenda, but if you've read my recent political-themed posts on this blog that won't surprise you.

What did I actually like? Doug Jones is good as Saru, it's always neat to see Trek aliens who are physically unlike humans (note his hooves) and who bring a different cultural perspective in the grand tradition as Spock. I liked the ship designs, interior designs, costumes, props, special effects...

My problem with Discovery is Michael Burnham. I prefer Trek to be an ensemble program with episode-to-episode continuity but overall the ability to produce episodes which can stand on their own. I'm less-interested in a series where one character has central focus and the series tells a single story across the season (the 'prestige television' model). This is all complicated by the fact that I can't bring myself to care about Burnham. She's far too arrogant and removed in the debut episodes for me to appreciate her fall from grace; I was not absorbed in the tragedy of Michael Burnham because the show hadn't convinced me she was a person I wanted to see succeed. Her determination to launch a preemptive strike against the Klingons in the hopes of averting a larger conflict is such an odd note for her character to strike, because the mutiny fails within 45 seconds; we never learn whether her decision to mutiny was defensible and because that action is so controversial it further distanced me from her. If she had mutinied, attacked the Klingons, then learned it was the wrong decision that would be something meaty - she'd have definitely done something wrong which she needed to atone for. As it is, she violated the trust of her commanding officer but we barely knew her c.o. and the c.o. is dead an hour later anyway. (I'm also a bit unclear why the Klingons seem to hover around for an hour before engaging in combat; no matter the time or place, don't Klingons who are spoiling for a fight tend to simply launch into one? Why do they wait so long for Starfleet to get their heads together? What was preventing them from leaving, dropping a "catch you later" buoy as they depart?)

Too much of Discovery leans on informed statements. We're told about the deaths of Burnham's family; we're told she's emotionally compromised where Klingons are concerned; but we don't see her family's death and we don't get to know her well enough to form a basis for her typical emotional level. Compare to Deep Space Nine's pilot "Emissary" which opens with the death of Jennifer Sisko so that Benjamin Sisko's uncertainty about his future in Starfleet and his anger at Jean-Luc Picard are established for the audience.

But then again, I can't say much about what Discovery is like because these two episodes are just a preamble to the series proper. We'll see how it fares.

Friday, September 29, 2017

Merry Michaelmas!

Today is Michaelmas, the feast of St. Michael the archangel. Being named Michael I have had many opportunities to think about my namesake and what exactly he means to me.
Above: stained glass window or Christian hair metal album cover?

Most of the descriptions of the name Michael place it as meaning "Who is like God." The first place I saw that used had modified it slightly: "He who is like God." Yikes! That's a very difficult name to bear, being compared to the creator Himself! I am, to be sure, made in God's image (Genesis 1:27) but it's healthier to model oneself after Christ (who had a mortal form) than God himself (who is not mortal).

But what does it mean to state that this archangel is "like God?" That's an extremely high position to place an angel upon, considering they are God's servants & messengers and not at all his equals. Christ alone can claim to being "like God" for he was God. So what's up with this statement?

Recently I've come to hear the definition of Michael is actually a question: "Who is like God?" Which is a rhetorical question as the answer is, "none." The phrase appears in the Bible here and there: "Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?" (Psalm 113:5-6). That, to me, seems to be the true definition of my name - something contemplative, philosophical and revealing of God's nature - rather than the mere flattery with which the name is usually accorded.

Enjoy a Michaelmas carol!

Thursday, September 28, 2017

"So then, no more boasting about human leaders!" (1 Corinthians 3:21)

"It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it." - Billy Graham, 1981

Following up on my earlier disappointment at the state of partisan behaviour in the church, I'm going to blog about one particular Christian leader who has been displaying an archly partisan perspective: Franklin Graham. Although I am not of his nation nor his denomination it is not easy for me to criticize him - his father, Billy Graham, is a person I have great respect for; Franklin's organization Samaritan's Purse has done good work; I have myself assisted Samaritan's Purse and seen first-hand some of the results of their work; further, he has been a friend, missional aid and/or source of inspiration to family members and fellow parishioners.

However, I hadn't spent much time actually reading Franklin Graham's messages. When I began to see some of his Facebook posts and the reactions to them I made a point to dig back into his Facebook posts to see more of what he had been posting. Over the course of 2017 I've noticed he uses Facebook to promote Samaritan's Purse's work, to react to various terrorist acts or natural disasters, post anti-LGBTQ & anti-abortion messages and occasionally to spread the word about other people's Christian testimonies. However, most of his posts are political in nature and he comes down very firmly as a conservative - again, firmly. He's certainly able to criticize the Republican party (such as admonishing them over their failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act) but he never criticizes Donald Trump. On the other side of the aisle he frequently targets liberals: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Nancy Pelosi, even Canada's Justin Trudeau.

Some of the Christian leaders who meet with Trump have recently resigned because of his rhetoric; one of those who remained justified their position stating: “Why would I abandon someone now? I wouldn’t do that to someone in my congregation." But in Franklin Graham's posts about Trump time and again there is no sense that he sees himself as being in a position to help soften Trump's rhetoric or bring healing to a man who is quite clearly in need of it; Franklin's Trump posts are 100% supportive of the President regardless of what he has been saying or doing.

Repeatedly he has rejected the idea of Russian efforts behind Trump's election: "This whole debate about Russia influencing our elections is a giant smokescreen. The progressive socialists had plans for our country and Donald J. Trump disrupted those plans. ... They also want to keep the American people distracted. They would rather see the country spiral downward than for problems to be fixed."

On the matter of Trump's tax returns Franklin has been staunchly on Trump's side: "The President hasn't asked for my advice, but I would say-No way! Even if these were published, the average American ... wouldn't be able to understand them. ... It would just be another distraction, and a media frenzy, which is exactly what his enemies want."

After students at the University of Notre Dame walked out of Mike Pence's commencement address, Franklin angrily suggested the students should have had their diplomas torn up. "They knew well in advance who was going to be speaking at their commencement; and if they didn't like it, they shouldn't have come."

Franklin applauded Trump for blocking transgendered people from serving in the US Military: "As Americans, whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, we should celebrate when our leaders do the right thing for our country. President Obama's policy on this was a mistake."

While Franklin did express compassion for the woman killed in Charlottesville on August 12, he furiously rejected the idea that Trump bore any responsibility for this: "Really, this boils down to evil in people's hearts. Satan is behind it all."

After Donald Trump told the United Nations: "Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime." Franklin reacted: "President Donald J. Trump's address today to the United Nations General Assembly may have been one of the best speeches ever given to that body. It made you proud to be an American."

Here's three which were particularly frustrating to read:

The double question marks which open his statement seem to indicate sarcasm (perhaps incredulity?) which is not a promising way to open his response - here is a Democrat bringing God into politics yet Franklin seems to treat her as an interloper. Then he performs a weird act of cognitive dissonance: "God gave us the earth to use, and we are called to be good stewards of it and use it wisely. I hope Nancy Pelosi will be concerned about what really dishonors God-and that is sin." These two statements are not in agreement with each other, or at least not in the sense he intended; the entire debate about climate change is whether we are being good stewards of the Earth. If we are not, then we have sinned. "I have the right to do anything," you say — but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything" — but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others." (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

Next up, Franklin Graham on the "Muslim ban":

Franklin opens well by pointing to the cooperative work Samaritan's Purse does throughout the world and points to the model of the Good Samaritan as Jesus taught it. Then, he leaps away from Jesus and assumes a position which Christ evidently cannot support: "Just because we give medical care to ISIS fighters doesn't mean I would want to allow any one of them to immigrate to the United States. That would be crazy." How is it compatible for the Good Samaritan lesson to end with a call to close our doors to people in need? In this statement he turns from Christ's words to repeat the usual Conservative talking points (these talking points tend to ignore that there is already a multi-year vetting process in place). Here are some words of Christ's which I can apply: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." (Matthew 16:23)

Finally, his remark on Neil Gorsuch:

Surely the prayer should be "God's will be done?" (Matthew 26:42) Speaking of Liberals ("socialists and progressives" as he typically dubs them) in such an adversarial manner - to pray against them by name - does nothing to heal his nation's divisions.

In reacting against Jemele Hill's tweets about Trump, Franklin Graham bemoaned "This liberal progressive socialist is trying to feed the divisive fire of racial hatred and undermine President Trump as he works to bring positive change for America." Indeed, he frequently calls out Liberals for being "intolerant" and "divisive." I can imagine that's a difficult matter for those in Samaritan's Purse who identify as Liberals. Myself, as a centrist, am sympathetic to some of Franklin's political concerns - but I am uncomfortable seeing a religious leader speaking in such a brazenly partisan matter. Much of what is said at the pulpit in churches can be considered political, but if my pastor began openly advocating for one political party at the expense of the others I would begin looking for another church - even if my pastor were speaking on behalf of a political party I identified with. My congregation contains Conservatives, Greens, Liberals, New Democrats and more - I like that. I like that our unity in Christ is stronger than any political beliefs.

There definitely are people promoting division and intolerance in the USA; unfortunately, one of them is also one of his nation's most influential Christian leaders.

"So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s." (Matthew 22:21)

Monday, September 25, 2017

Happy National Comic Book Day!

As today is National Comic Book Day it seems appropriate to pause and consider one's thoughts towards that medium. Comic books have been frequently disparaged in our society but the recent huge appeal super hero films have obtained in Hollywood motion pictures have granted the super hero genre - and thereby, comic books - a familiarity and prestige they have often lacked, to the point that the super hero film's 'cinematic universe' style is what every Hollywood studio now seeks to exploit.

Comic books have used every possible genre type in their pages, but super heroes are the one genre which comic books themselves gave birth to; for virtually every other genre represented in comic books there is a clear source of adaptation from another medium, be it prose, film or dance. When Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 he was essentially the first super hero - or at least the first character whose attributes fit those we came to associate with super heroes: he was powerful, wore brightly-coloured tights and used his power to help the defenseless. As the super hero genre came from comic books it makes sense that they dominate the medium...

...To the extent that the medium persists, that is. Super hero comic books hit a peak thanks to World War II as many of them (such as Captain America) were created specifically to combat Hitler. With the war's conclusion, the heroes struggled to define their goals and audiences lost interest. The genre picked up some steam in the 1960s and finally broke out in a big way due to the hit 1989 film Batman, but within a decade of that picture the industry nearly slit its own throat as a speculator-based comic book economy crashed; comics retreated to their familiar niches.

Today, sales of super hero comic books are in a state of constant decline as the corporate owners try desperately to reignite interest in the characters by changing their powers/origins/genders/ethnicities, only to eventually succumb to the inherent entropy of the audience. The arrival of a Captain Marvel motion picture has a large number of fans stoked; meanwhile, the character's comic book has been on life support for years.

Perhaps the super hero comic book business has become too insular, too repetitive, the same ideas played out over and over by increasingly jaded creative teams to an increasingly jaded audience. Perhaps it could be instructive to look back to where the genre began, to the creators who originated the super hero tropes which are now being subverted, deconstructed or taken for granted. The early super hero comic books were crudely made and would happily cannibalize each other's ideas even as today's arguably do. But for Captain America's creators Joe Simon & Jack Kirby you see a hero designed to face a real threat - not a metaphorical/allegorical stand-in for that threat either - Captain America was created as a response to Adolf Hitler.

This is true as well of Joe Shuster & Jerry Siegel when they originated Superman. Look to the first appearance of Superman and you find a hero very concerned in the issues of the time for the prewar US. In Action Comics #1, Superman has four separate unconnected adventures in a mere 12 pages! First, he prevents an innocent person from being executed; second, he rescues a woman from her abusive husband; third, he battles organized crime; finally, he combats war profiteers.

The concerns of the USA in the late stages of the Great Depression are not the same as those which we have today. In some ways, super hero comic books of today are still grappling with issues of late 1930s USA, such as their conception of organized crime or foreign wars. But even there in Action Comics #1, Superman was concerned with upholding legal justice (preventing an innocent woman from being executed) and social justice (turning the tables on an abusive husband).

At times I wonder if super hero comic book creators can see the trees from the forest. In the past, there was certain content which super hero comics could not (nor should have) addressed directly, but today there is no particular subject matter which ought to be avoided, particularly as the super hero genre is read overwhelmingly by adults, not children. At one time, it made sense to discuss racial troubles through the metaphor of mutants, as the X-Men did; but today's issues surrounding race would be better served by telling stories about those races and their difficulties.

If you want to write a super hero comic book but don't want your voice to be lost in the throng of a hundred other voices, this is my advice to you: Write about the time and culture which you live in. Do not think that the problems of today cannot be overcome because, after all, Simon & Kirby witnessed the fall of Hitler. In spite of it all super heroes have a capacity to inspire audiences, even the jaded Wednesday warriors at your local comic book shop.

My sincere thanks to Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster for granting comic books a character, a genre and a whole system of tropes which have kept this lovely medium afloat over the last 80 years.

Monday, September 11, 2017

About partisanship in the church

I'm not a terribly political person. I identify myself as a moderate or centrist - that is, I do not identify myself as a supporter of any particular political party. Since I came of age as a voter I have voted for four different parties in federal elections (which is easily done here in Canada). To those telephone pollsters I am one of those 'undecideds' who make up their figures.

I'm actually more opinionated about politics in the USA than I am in Canada; I try not to be, being very conscious that I am not a citizen of that country and I should be guarded when I speak about their political situation. Still, here I am today, about to write about US politics. I'm doing so not for the sake of the USA but because of encounters I have had with fellow Canadians on these issues.

Being a fairly unpolitical person I don't often share political messages on my Facebook page but a friend shared an amusing link entitled A Christian Defense of Donald Trump and I thought it funny enough to share with my own friends. This brought condemnation from one of my personal friends who took exception to my making fun of Trump and, rather than rebuke me in person or via email or personal message, spoke his mind there on my timeline. Said friend was a fellow Christian and told me I should be praying for Trump instead.

My friend was correct that mockery was not the most Christian way of responding to that situation. But it was a difficult message to receive because of the source - because this friend of mine was himself one whose Facebook timeline was full of political messages reposted from elsewhere, collectively espousing a pro-right wing/anti-left wing message, along with many climate change denial posts. The sense I had was not so much that my behaviour was being called out on Christian grounds but on partisan grounds. Upon reflection I was further troubled that in the week we had this confrontation I had celebrated my birthday but received no birthday greeting from him; I was serving in the mission field in Angola yet had received no encouragement from him; is this what Christian fellowship looks like?

There is no particular case for Christians being majority right-wing. Truly, we ought to be divided 50/50 - half of us on the right, half of us on the left. Yet we unmistakably tend towards the right. Why? According to James 1:27: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." The message of looking after "orphans and widows in their distress" is an attitude which those on the left are in favour of, whereas the right-wing tends to advocate for self-sufficiency. There are also the words of Jesus himself in Matthew 25:34-36: "‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’"

Still, Christians tend towards the right; the right, of course, includes those parties which are against abortion, against gay marriage and other such issues which - for so many Christians - are a political deal-breaker. I understand why so many of my fellow Christians vote on the right-wing; heck, as a centrist I'm empathetic to their reasons (the four parties I've voted for have included the Conservative Party).

But Donald Trump is not a particularly right-wing candidate (except in that xenophobia and white nationalism seems to be a hallmark of the right-wing). He does not hold to any particular Christian ideals about charity or forgiveness towards others and has only paid a bit of lip service to the anti-abortion lobby. And yet so many Christians in the USA voted for him and many Christians here in Canada seem to feel they ought to support him as well because he represents right-wing interests. This is the partisanship which upsets me.

When Barack Obama was US President I saw many of my Christian Canadian friends criticizing him. I also heard a rant from one who accused him of being a secret Muslim (yes, such people exist even here). This too, seems to have been mere partisanship; I repeatedly saw in Obama a Christian man who was attempting to live up to Godly ideals in the midst of a compromising, pragmatic position. He was still vilified by Christians, simply because he came from the left-wing.

This, then, is why I originally shared the link to "A Christian Defense of Donald Trump." For a joke where the punchline is literally nothing it reveals a truth about we Christians and our willingness to adhere to dogma rather than the Holy Spirit. So many Christians clicked on that link anticipating an essay which would draw from scripture in order to explain why so many of their fellow believers supported that man. The joke is that there is no defense, but many - such as my friend - do not find that funny and are all-too eager to leap to his defense. I would be astonished - but also very pleased - if I saw this friend come to the defense of Rachel Notley or Justin Trudeau on the same basis he did Donald Trump, instead of making a false idol out of 'Team Right Wing.'

My friend once told me one of his favourite things about Jesus is that he was boldly confrontational, that he did not bow to the conventions of his time and would sharply criticize those in positions of power. And yet, when it comes to a right-wing politician, my friend suddenly became very upset at the idea of criticizing our world leaders. He's right, we are called to pray for them. But more than that, I agree with those leaders in the church that the rise of Trump amongst right-wing Christians speaks to the need for revival - and this revival is needed not only in the USA but here in Canada as well.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?" - Matthew 5:43-47

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Rest in Peace Len Wein

In 2015 Herb Trimpe - artist of the first appearance of Wolverine - passed away. Sadly, the author of that comic book has likewise joined him.

In March of this year Bernie Wrightson - artist of the first appearance of Swamp Thing - passed away. Sadly, the author of that comic book has likewise joined him.

His name was Len Wein. I met him once at a comic book convention. As I grew up primarily a fan of Marvel Comics and Wein had stopped working for them by the mid-70s I wasn't exposed to much of his comic book work. Still, during his time at Marvel in the 1970s he made some tremendous additions to the Marvel Universe: Wolverine, the 'all-new, all-different' X-Men team members Nightcrawler, Storm, Colossus & Thunderbird, and that fondly-remembered hero of the hoodoo Brother Voodoo.

While I haven't experienced much of his writing for DC beyond a handful of Swamp Thing comic books he did, of course, cast a large shadow over DC, such as serving as editor on Watchmen, the most influential comic book of the 1980s. He also became a television writer as his creations Swamp Thing & The Human Target were adapted into TV series. He wrote a fun episode of that great Canadian animated program Reboot ("Between a Raccoon and a Hard Place") and a few episodes of the 1990s X-Men and Batman animated programs.

In many ways Wein hasn't been given his due by comics; I understand DC treated him fairly well over the decades, but when you consider he co-created Wolverine and the all-new all-different X-Men, even though he ultimately didn't have much to do with their eventual success (Chris Claremont being the one who turned those characters into Marvel's top stars), as the originator of them it feels like the name Len Wein should be spoken of in reverance. Wow! There goes Len Wein! Instead, my personal memory of Wein will be the time I met him at a convention: he was napping at his table because no one was interested in meeting him.

Rest in peace Mr. Wein.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

The Death of the Author Struggle

"I caution people against meeting writers whose work they admire. Once you find out the guy's a slob in real life, how can you not let that color your impression of his work?" - Mark Gruenwald

Recently, Joss Whedon's ex-wife has spoken out about how he treated her during their marriage, particularly about his conducting affairs with younger women in his employ and emotionally manipulative behaviour towards her. This has caused some hand-wringing amongst Whedon's fanbase as they try to come to terms with the legend of Joss Whedon they themselves eagerly fed versus the reality of Joss Whedon.

The Death of the Author theory is just that, a theory. As much as we claim we can separate the work from its artist, we truly can't. If we could, we wouldn't spend quite so much time delving into documentaries and biographies of famous artists, would we? But I suppose this is a lesson every generation has to learn about its heroes and in the age of the internet it is a lesson which is disseminated much more speedily. There was a time (say, 20 years ago) where you could be a huge fan of Roman Polanski's films yet be entirely unaware of the controversy surrounding him; now, simply printing his name online is guaranteed to provoke a discussion of his statutory rape charges. Once you learn that about him it's up to you to figure out how you feel about his art; does it make a difference to you, or doesn't it?

It was about 20 years that one generation of fandom was disillusioned in its adulation towards George Lucas. As Star Wars fans struggled to come to terms with the prequels and how they felt about Lucas, many migrated their devotion to the then-rising star Joss Whedon. Although for about a decade he was just a cult TV series writer, he seemed to hit upon everything fandom valued: sharp dialogue which was lathered in sarcasm and deep cuts from popular culture; a genuine affection for many pop culture works; a particularly strong emphasis on female empowerment.

Time will tell how he will be remembered; it ought to be enough that he put his name on some works which people have a fondness for. In Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry is widely-beloved not so much for any of his personal beliefs or even particular scripts he authored but because he was the first to conceive of Star Trek. So Whedon is assured to be well-thought of in the future as people will continue to enjoy Firefly et al. He also directed one of the most successful film of all time (The Avengers, in case you forgot) so he's guaranteed to be remembered in histories of popular culture of the 21st century.

What I am observing is a fanbase which feels personally betrayed by these allegations; George Lucas was simply a man who helped tell some good stories until - uh-oh - he didn't. With Whedon, there was an ethical component: people looked to him as a moral teacher -- which means you've got problems if you're looking to popular culture to orient your moral compass.

Personally, I like it when my values are reflected in the media I consume. On the other hand, I like media which challenges my values as well, to a certain degree; I can handle a bit of Steve Ditko's Objectivism, Robert A. Heinlein's freaky free freedom or Mad Men's narcissism, although each of those three have inevitably tested my tolerance. I think what I've most responded to in Whedon's work has been his existentialist philosophy, which doesn't perfectly mirror my own but strikes along similar lines.

It is fallacious to think that any human could be a great moral teacher - people will let you down sooner or later; that's the cynical response to the fall of Whedon. However, I'm not comfortable leaving it there. Occasionally there are creative people who have been exposed from behind the curtain and not found wanting. Above I quoted Mark Gruenwald, about whom there seems to be not a single negative anecdote; his work certainly isn't above reproach but his personal life appears to have been a honourable one; my favourite comedian Jack Benny is another whose personal life holds up under scrutiny. Yes, we each have our failings, but some skeletons loom larger than others; not every creative person has a Polanski-esque skeleton in their closet, but if you're placing your hope in a creative person it might be best for you to imagine that they do.

"It's my estimation that every man ever got a statue made of him was one kind of sumbitch or another." - Mal Reynolds, Jaynestown

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Defenders season 1 (2017) Creator Credits

Here's my latest attempt at assigning credit for the elements seen in Marvel Cinematic Universe programs. This time it's the Defenders, a show which has... pretty much nothing to do with the comic of that name. The full list of MCU creator credits is here.

Frank Miller: creator of Elektra, Matt's college girlfriend; Elektra becoming an assassin who wields two sai in battle while wearing a red costume (Daredevil #168, 1981); of the Hand, a clan of evil ninjas who battle Daredevil and Elektra (Daredevil #174, 1981); of Stick, Matt and Elektra's mentor (Daredevil #176, 1981); of Stick training Matt how to use his powers (Daredevil #177, 1981); of Elektra dying in Daredevil's arms (Daredevil #181, 1982); of the Hand's ability to mystically resurrect fallen warriors (Daredevil #187, 1982); of Stick's order and their war against the Hand ninja clan; of Shaft, a member of Stick's order who battles the Hand (Daredevil #188, 1982); of the Hand seeking to make Elektra their chief warrior and resurrect her; of Stick and Shaft dying in battle with the Hand (Daredevil #190, 1982); co-creator of Turk as a recurring foe of Daredevil (Daredevil #159, 1979); of Josie's Bar, a dive bar in Hell's Kitchen tended by the titular Josie (Daredevil #160, 1979); of Murdock wearing stubble in both of his identities (Daredevil #228, 1986); of Sister Maggie, a nun who cares for Daredevil in her mission (Daredevil #229, 1986)

Roy Thomas: co-creator of Karen Page learning Matt Murdock is Daredevil (Daredevil #57, 1969); of Turk Barrett, a gangster who fights Daredevil (Daredevil #69, 1970); of Luke Cage, born Carl Lucas; Cage's enemy Shades; Cage used in a prison experiment which granted him superhuman strength and unbreakable skin; of Luke as a Hero for Hire in Harlem (Hero for Hire #1, 1972); of the Defenders, a team of super heroes (Marvel Feature #1, 1971); of Iron Fist, alias Daniel Rand, orphaned at the age of ten and raised in the city of K'un-Lun, where he trained in the martial arts to become their greatest warrior, passing every test and trial before him until gaining the power to channel his chi into his fist, making it superhumanly powerful; Iron Fist called a "living weapon"; Wendell Rand and Heather Rand, Daniel's parents who perished nearby K'un-Lun; K'un-Lun, a hidden city found in the Himalayas which exists within another dimension and only connects to Earth at intervals spaced years apart (Marvel Premiere #15, 1974); of Daniel Rand fighting the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying, an immortal dragon, and received a dragon-shaped brand on his chest from the dragon along with the power of the Iron Fist (Marvel Premiere #16, 1974)

Brian Michael Bendis: co-creator of Jessica Jones, a cynical, alcoholic, superhumanly strong private detective who was briefly a costumed super hero, now runs Alias Investigations; Jessica becoming involved with Luke Cage; Luke Cage with shaved head and goatee (Alias #1, 2001); of Matt Murdock as Jessica Jones' lawyer, coming to her aid when she is arrested on suspicion of murder (Alias #3, 2002); of Malcolm, the nearest person Jessica has to a secretary (Alias #6, 2002); of Jessica having a past with Killgrave which left her with PTSD (Alias #24, 2003); of the Night Nurse, a medic who treats superhumans (Daredevil #58, 2004); of Misty Knight and Luke Cage having a romantic relationship (House of M #3, 2005); of Elektra as the leader of the Hand (New Avengers #27, 2007)

Stan Lee: co-creator of Matt Murdock, a lawyer who also fights crime as Daredevil by using his superhuman sensory powers; Daredevil costume with horns on head and red lenses; billy club as Daredevil's primary weapon; Murdock partnered with his slightly overweight college friend Franklin "Foggy" Nelson at Nelson & Murdock law firm; Karen Page as Murdock & Nelson's secretary and object of affection to both men (Daredevil #1, 1964); of Daredevil's ability to detect lies (Daredevil #3, 1964); of Killgrave, a man who can control the actions of others through the sound of his voice (Daredevil #4, 1964); of Daredevil's red costume; of Daredevil's gimmick billy club which includes a cable line (Daredevil #7, 1965); of Matt becoming involved with Karen (Daredevil #8, 1965)

Chris Claremont: co-creator of Misty Knight and Colleen Wing as allies (Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #32, 1977); of Misty Knight's background as a police officer (Iron Fist #1, 1975); of Misty Knight suffering an injury to her right arm (Iron Fist #3, 1976); of Colleen Wing following the path of bushido and wielding a katana (Iron Fist #7, 1976); of Jeryn Hogarth, a lawyer who works for Daniel Rand (Marvel Premiere #24, 1975); of the Iron Fist as a title which many have held over the centuries (Marvel Team-Up #64, 1977); of Iron Fist and Luke Cage fighting in their first meeting as Iron Fist strikes him with his chi (Power Man #48, 1977); of Luke Cage's criminal record being cleared (Power Man #50, 1978)

Gil Kane: co-creator of Hell's Kitchen as locale patrolled by Daredevil (Daredevil #148, 1977); of Iron Fist, alias Daniel Rand, orphaned at the age of ten and raised in the city of K'un-Lun, where he trained in the martial arts to become their greatest warrior, passing every test and trial before him until gaining the power to channel his chi into his fist, making it superhumanly powerful; Iron Fist called a "living weapon"; Wendell Rand and Heather Rand, Daniel's parents who perished nearby K'un-Lun; K'un-Lun, a hidden city found in the Himalayas which exists within another dimension and only connects to Earth at intervals spaced years apart (Marvel Premiere #15, 1974)

Michael Gaydos: co-creator of Jessica Jones, a cynical, alcoholic, superhumanly strong private detective who was briefly a costumed super hero, now runs Alias Investigations; Jessica becoming involved with Luke Cage; Luke Cage with shaved head and goatee (Alias #1, 2001); of Matt Murdock as Jessica Jones' lawyer, coming to her aid when she is arrested on suspicion of murder (Alias #3, 2002); of Malcolm, the nearest person Jessica has to a secretary (Alias #6, 2002); of Jessica having a past with Killgrave which left her with PTSD (Alias #24, 2003)

George Tuska: co-creator of Luke Cage, born Carl Lucas; Cage's enemy Shades; Cage used in a prison experiment which granted him superhuman strength and unbreakable skin; of Luke as a Hero for Hire in Harlem (Hero for Hire #1, 1972); of Claire Temple, a physician who falls in love with Luke Cage; of Cage's foe Diamondback (Hero for Hire #2, 1972); of Mariah, an African-American woman who becomes a Harlem crimelord and fights Luke Cage (Hero for Hire #5, 1973); of Luke Cage exclaiming "Christmas" as an epithet (Hero for Hire #11, 1973)

John Byrne: co-creator of Misty Knight's background as a police officer (Iron Fist #1, 1975); of Misty Knight suffering an injury to her right arm (Iron Fist #3, 1976); of Colleen Wing following the path of bushido and wielding a katana (Iron Fist #7, 1976); of the Iron Fist as a title which many have held over the centuries (Marvel Team-Up #64, 1977); of Iron Fist and Luke Cage fighting in their first meeting as Iron Fist strikes him with his chi (Power Man #48, 1977); of Luke Cage's criminal record being cleared (Power Man #50, 1978)

Bill Everett: co-creator of Matt Murdock, a lawyer who also fights crime as Daredevil by using his superhuman sensory powers; Daredevil costume with horns on head and red lenses; billy club as Daredevil's primary weapon; Murdock partnered with his slightly overweight college friend Franklin "Foggy" Nelson at Nelson & Murdock law firm; Karen Page as Murdock & Nelson's secretary and object of affection to both men (Daredevil #1, 1964)

Archie Goodwin: co-creator of Luke Cage, born Carl Lucas; Cage's enemy Shades; Cage used in a prison experiment which granted him superhuman strength and unbreakable skin; of Luke as a Hero for Hire in Harlem (Hero for Hire #1, 1972); of Claire Temple, a physician who falls in love with Luke Cage; of Cage's foe Diamondback (Hero for Hire #2, 1972); of Luke Cage exclaiming "Sweet Sister" as an epithet (Hero for Hire #4, 1972)

Sal Buscema: co-creator of Luke Cage as a member of the Defenders (Defenders #17, 1974); of Luke Cage exclaiming "Sweet Christmas" as an epithet (Defenders #24, 1975); of Iron Fist as a member of the Defenders (Defenders #62, 1978); of Luke Cage exclaiming "Christmas" as an epithet (Hero for Hire #11, 1973); of Spider-Woman, heroine Jessica Jones is based upon (Marvel Spotlight #32, 1977)

Len Wein: co-creator of Luke Cage as a member of the Defenders (Defenders #17, 1974); of Daredevil as a member of the Defenders (Giant-Size Defenders #3, 1975); of Daniel Rand fighting the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying, an immortal dragon, and received a dragon-shaped brand on his chest from the dragon along with the power of the Iron Fist (Marvel Premiere #16, 1974)

Larry Hama: co-creator of Daniel Rand fighting the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying, an immortal dragon, and received a dragon-shaped brand on his chest from the dragon along with the power of the Iron Fist (Marvel Premiere #16, 1974); of Colleen Wing, a Japanese woman, ally and sometimes love interest of Iron Fist (Marvel Premiere #19, 1974)

Steve Englehart: co-creator of Patsy Walker wanting to be a hero (Amazing Adventures #15, 1972); of Mariah, an African-American woman who becomes a Harlem crimelord and fights Luke Cage (Hero for Hire #5, 1973); of Luke Cage exclaiming "Christmas" as an epithet (Hero for Hire #11, 1973)

John Romita: co-creator of Luke Cage, born Carl Lucas; Cage's enemy Shades; Cage used in a prison experiment which granted him superhuman strength and unbreakable skin; of Luke as a Hero for Hire in Harlem (Hero for Hire #1, 1972)

Jason Henderson: co-creator of Colleen Wing as a member of the Hand (Shadowland: Daughters of the Shadow #1, 2010); of Colleen leaving the Hand (Shadowland: Daughters of the Shadow #3, 2010)

Ivan Rodriguez: co-creator of Colleen Wing as a member of the Hand (Shadowland: Daughters of the Shadow #1, 2010); of Colleen leaving the Hand (Shadowland: Daughters of the Shadow #3, 2010)

Doug Moench: co-creator of Iron Fist battling ninjas (Marvel Premiere #18, 1974); of Colleen Wing, a Japanese woman, ally and sometimes love interest of Iron Fist (Marvel Premiere #19, 1974)

Wally Wood: co-creator of Daredevil's red costume; of Daredevil's gimmick billy club which includes a cable line (Daredevil #7, 1965); of Matt becoming involved with Karen (Daredevil #8, 1965)

David Mazzuchelli: co-creator of Murdock wearing stubble in both of his identities (Daredevil #228, 1986); of Sister Maggie, a nun who cares for Daredevil in her mission (Daredevil #229, 1986)

Joe Orlando: co-creator of Daredevil's ability to detect lies (Daredevil #3, 1964); of Killgrave, a man who can control the actions of others through the sound of his voice (Daredevil #4, 1964)

Steve Gerber: co-creator of Luke Cage exclaiming "Sweet Christmas" as an epithet (Defenders #24, 1975); of Daredevil as a member of the Defenders (Giant-Size Defenders #3, 1975)

Roger McKenzie: co-creator of Turk as a recurring foe of Daredevil (Daredevil #159, 1979); of Josie's Bar, a dive bar in Hell's Kitchen tended by the titular Josie (Daredevil #160, 1979)

Gene Colan: co-creator of Karen Page learning Matt Murdock is Daredevil (Daredevil #57, 1969); of Turk Barrett, a gangster who fights Daredevil (Daredevil #69, 1970)

Ed Brubaker: co-creator of Iron Fist taking the place of Daredevil (Daredevil #87, 2006); of the Iron Fist called an Immortal Weapon (Immortal Iron Fist #7, 2007)

Tony Isabella: co-creator of Matt Murdock's Catholicism (Daredevil #119, 1975); of Misty Knight, an African-American detective (Marvel Premiere #21, 1975)

Dan G. Chichester: co-creator of the Chaste, the name of Stick's order (Daredevil #296, 1991); of Daredevil wearing body armor (Daredevil #322, 1993)

Jay Faerber: co-creator of Iron Fist battling the Hand; of the Hand seeking to control Iron Fist's power (New Warriors #7, 2000)

Jamal Igle: co-creator of Iron Fist battling the Hand; of the Hand seeking to control Iron Fist's power (New Warriors #7, 2000)

Alex Maleev: co-creator of Night Nurse, a medic who treats wounded super heroes such as Daredevil (Daredevil #58, 2004)

Olivier Coipel: co-creator of Misty Knight and Luke Cage having a romantic relationship (House of M #3, 2005)

Marshall Rogers: co-creator of Misty Knight and Colleen Wing as allies (Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #32, 1977)

Pat Broderick: co-creator of Jeryn Hogarth, a lawyer who works for Daniel Rand (Marvel Premiere #24, 1975)

Jimmy Palmiotti: co-creator of Colleen Wing wearing a white jumpsuit (Daughters of the Dragon #1, 2006)

Billy Graham: co-creator of Luke Cage exclaiming "Sweet Sister" as an epithet (Hero for Hire #4, 1972)

J.M. DeMatteis: co-creator of Foggy Nelson learning Matt Murdock is Daredevil (Daredevil #347, 1995)

Khari Evans: co-creator of Colleen Wing wearing a white jumpsuit (Daughters of the Dragon #1, 2006)

Justin Gray: co-creator of Colleen Wing wearing a white jumpsuit (Daughters of the Dragon #1, 2006)

Arvell Jones: co-creator of Misty Knight, an African-American detective (Marvel Premiere #21, 1975)

Travel Foreman: co-creator of the Iron Fist called an Immortal Weapon (Immortal Iron Fist #7, 2007)

Michael Fleisher: co-creator of Jessica Drew's occupation as detective (Spider-Woman #21, 1979)

Jim Starlin: co-creator of Daredevil as a member of the Defenders (Giant-Size Defenders #3, 1975)

Carmine Infantino: co-creator of Spider-Woman's Jessica Drew identity (Spider-Woman #1, 1978)

Matt Fraction: co-creator of the Iron Fist called an Immortal Weapon (Immortal Iron Fist #7, 2007)

Ruth Atkinson: co-creator of Patsy Walker, a red-headed young woman (Miss America #2, 1944)

Frank Springer: co-creator of Jessica Drew's occupation as detective (Spider-Woman #21, 1979)

John Romita, Jr.: co-creator of Matt Murdock going to regular confession (Daredevil #267, 1989)

Jim Shooter: co-creator of Hell's Kitchen as locale patroled by Daredevil (Daredevil #148, 1977)

Marv Wolfman: co-creator of Spider-Woman's Jessica Drew identity (Spider-Woman #1, 1978)

Otto Binder: co-creator of Patsy Walker, a red-headed young woman (Miss America #2, 1944)

Ron Wagner: co-creator of Foggy Nelson learning Murdock is Daredevil (Daredevil #347, 1995)

Tom Sutton: co-creator of Patsy Walker wanting to be a hero (Amazing Adventures #15, 1972)

Joe Quesada: co-creator of Matt Murdock wearing red-tinted sunglasses (Daredevil #1, 1998)

David Michelinie: co-creator of Elias Wirtham, a physician (Amazing Spider-Man #344, 1991)

Ann Nocenti: co-creator of Matt Murdock going to regular confession (Daredevil #267, 1989)

Kevin Smith: co-creator of Matt Murdock wearing red-tinted sunglasses (Daredevil #1, 1998)

Ross Andru: co-creator of the Defenders, a team of super heroes (Marvel Feature #1, 1971)

Leinil Francis Yu: co-creator of Elektra as the leader of the Hand (New Avengers #27, 2007)

Erik Larsen: co-creator of Elias Wirtham, a physician (Amazing Spider-Man #344, 1991)

David Kraft: co-creator of Iron Fist as a member of the Defenders (Defenders #62, 1978)

Marco Checchetto: co-creator of Bakuto, a member of the Hand (Daredevil #505, 2010)

Ron Garney: co-creator of the Chaste, the name of Stick's order (Daredevil #296, 1991)

Michael Lark: co-creator of Iron Fist taking the place of Daredevil (Daredevil #87, 2006)

Antony Johnston: co-creator of Bakuto, a member of the Hand (Daredevil #505, 2010)

Scott McDaniel: co-creator of Daredevil wearing body armor (Daredevil #322, 1993)

Andy Diggle: co-creator of Bakuto, a member of the Hand (Daredevil #505, 2010)

Bob Brown: co-creator of Matt Murdock's Catholicism (Daredevil #119, 1975)

Jean Thomas: co-creator of Night Nurse; Linda Carter (Night Nurse #1, 1972)

Win Mortimer: co-creator of Night Nurse; Linda Carter (Night Nurse #1, 1972)

Sam Rosen: creator of the Defenders logo (Marvel Feature #1, 1971)