Endsong

X-men Phoenix - Endsong
Greg Pak and Greg Land

One of the earliest memories I have with my brother and father is reading X-men comics – particularly how Jean Grey transformed into the Phoenix. I remember having a big box in which I would pretend to be my space ship and I’d imagine I was Jean Grey trying to pilot the shuttle back to the Earth’s atmosphere while being bombarded by radiation. Then I would emerge from the box as --- it would have been cool if I continued to pretend that I was Phoenix but by then I got bored and probably played another game.

Cut to 27 years later – more or less – and here I am still fixated on comics. I do not have an extensive collection because there were times when I didn’t have the money to buy any or my interests were on something else. But I now have the re-issue of the Dark Phoenix Saga and I was looking for X-men desktop wallpapers. I came across wallpapers about the Pheonix Endsong – it was a 5-part X-men saga by Greg Pak and illustrated by Greg Land released early this year. I bought the hardbound premiere edition two weeks ago and I just finished reading it. The illustrations were awesome – they were “realistic” enough to make you feel that you’re watching a movie. The story drew heavily from the events of the Dark Phoenix Saga – how the Phoenix (a force of nature that brings life and death – its power come from stars) took over Jean Grey and she caused the death of 5 billion people and she had to die or cause more deaths.

In Endsong, the Phoenix was brought back by the survivors of the people the Dark Phoenix destroyed to exact revenge. The force came back to Earth trying to find something that it couldn’t name and homed in to the Scott Summers of the X-men who was already in a relationship with Emma Frost (the White Queen – a former villain). The Phoenix resurrected Jean Grey (the panels on the resurrection was reminiscent of Buffy being resurrected by Willow and the rest of the Scobbies) – then the drama began. There’s were two love triangles: Jean-Scott-Emma and Logan-Jean-Scott - a perfect mix for a cry-fest for me. Yes, iyakin ako - at the last 6 pages I was really trying hard to keep my tears from falling into the comic book and messing it up! A yosi-break and a drink of water helped.

Though it was supposed to be the Phoenix’s Endsong – the writer left hints of a “sequel.” Some people have problems with the seemingly endless sequels but I personally would don’t mind – the possibility of another good story will keep me happy.

Sweet Dreams from the Dream King

I know.... this post is late...



Happy. I was thinking of what to write for this blog ever since my Marvel 1602 and Sandman: Endless Nights was signed by Neil Gaiman but I could only come up with one word: Happy. But I’ll try a bit harder…

When it was my turn I told him his books and graphic novels helped me cope with my work as a social worker. They saved me from possible breakdowns due to stress. He smiled and told me it was great for a writer to hear that and he said he wished me “sweet dreams.” And that’s what he wrote in his dedication on my Marvel 1602.

Neil was amazed at the “mad enthusiasm” of Pinoys. The crowd of course shouted louder and became as rowdy as geeks could be. Yes, Pinoys who read Gaiman are madly enthusiastic about him being here – we hung on to his every word; took pictures from all angles; laughed at his jokes (which were funny, mind you) – because we couldn’t believe that HE WAS HERE! In the midst of economic problems and political upheavals HE IS THERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US! Have you ever heard of a multi-awarded author visiting the Philippines for a book-signing event? NO! It’s so unbelievable that we might as well be trapped in one of the realms in the Dreaming. But I wouldn’t mind …. This is a sweet dream.

*****

Also an added bonus during the Gathering - while Neil was signing, music was blaring on the speakers. Suddenly the Magnetic Fields were on - if memory serves me right - it was "When you were my baby" from the Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees CD. Thor told me Neil listens to the Magnetic Fields so that organizers must have done their research. I love this album - it's so sad and full of drama but so low fi that in a way it was funny - like in Candy, Merrit wrote "I'll just go away somewhere and slowly loose my mind." Hehe!

Send in the Clone

House of the Scorpion
Nancy Farmer

When I bought House of the Scorpion, it wasn't because I knew it was good or that I read a review about it - I bought it because it was red. I didn't read any reviews before I read it I just hoped that my p300++ wasn't wasted. I wasn't disappointed. When I started reading it I ended up forcing myself to sleep at 3am.

The House of Scorpion is not the usual sci-fi with spaceships, dimensions, and temporal fluxes. It's a story about a part of Mexico's society in a possible future: between the US border and Mexico a new country has arisen. It was called "Opium" because it was literally an Opium farm. The drug dealers offered a deal with the US and Mexico - that they would plant opium farms in between them, not sell drugs to both countries, and be unmolested by both governments. In return, the opium farmers will police the borders and prevent anyone from crossing.

In the midst of this context, Matt was raised by the household cook of the most powerful farmer in Opium - El Patron. Matt was El Patron's clone. Generally, clones are considered to be animals at that time. The book is a narrative that follows Matt's developmental stages from early childhood to teen-age years. It's an interesting study of childhood that can be paralled to today's children in need of special protection or special circumstances. So maybe that's why I loved it so much.

Important

After making plans for Neil Gaiman's book signing tour on the 9th to the 11th of July, I just got told that I have to be in Bangkok for a conference on Violence Against Children and the particpation of children in the recovery and rehabilitation efforts of tsunami affected areas. I reacted with disbelief, they knew that Neil Gaiman was coming and that I made plans! But well, these are not people who read sci-fi, fantasy or graphic novels - they have no idea who Neil Gaiman is.

Other officemates were volunteering to go in my place but I'm the only one who has had experience in the field. Fuck. Boss told me that the conference was important and what was a book signing anyway. Well, it is important to me.