Comic Books

Although it might appear childish or make me look like a major dork, I’ve been a comic book fan for much of my life and even at age 28 I still avidly follow the stories. because I feel there’s so much more to the stories and characters than just an over buff individual fighting crime in spandex, but it has been so hard to try to explain this to my friends and family. Luckily I stumbled across an article/blog by James Rocchi of Cinematical.com and in this article he gives rather thorough explanation/analysis of the deeper meanings in some of today’s popular comic books and maybe now some of my friends and family can see why I still remain a loyal comic book fan.


1) The X-Men

What it's About: Genetic mutations have granted some individuals abilities -- some of which are almost like deformities or diseases, some of which are like next steps in human ability -- which lead to regular humanity hating and fearing them.

What it's Really About: Racism, homophobia, fear of the other -- Stan Lee himself has said that the battle between the good Professor Xavier and the more militant mutant Magneto is a stand-in for the differences between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, and it's no coincidence that The X-Men's comic book popularity soared in the '80s, just in time for a wave of identity-based politics to hit college campuses as kids realized it was okay to be "different" from the norm.

2) Superman

What it's About: Sent from a dying planet to safety on Earth, the last son of Krypton fights for truth, justice and the American way, defending his adopted home from all threats.

What it's Really About: Again, file under 'N' for 'Not a Coincidence': Supes was created by two Jewish newspapermen -- who knew what it was like to try and live up to the ideas of a culture that they could feel like outsiders from. Aside from the obvious Jesus parallels -- Superman is, after all, Jor-El's only begotten son, sent to save us -- Superman also reads as the ultimate immigrant saga: He may not be from here, but that just makes him strive all the harder to embody and defend the values of his adopted home.

3) The Hulk

What it's About: Bruce Banner's scientific work goes terribly amok, turning him into a rage-fueled behemoth, devoid of intellect but possessed of colossal strength.

What it's Really About: Jekyll and Hyde, Freud's Id -- The Hulk represents all of the worst fears about nuclear science embodied in one man. It's worth noting that in the original comics iteration, Bruce Banner was a nuclear weapons maker, whose accidental exposure to his own 'Gamma-bomb' unleashed The Hulk -- and turned him into an engine of destruction as unstoppable and nightmarish as the weapons he created

4) Batman

What it's About: Young Bruce Wayne's parents are gunned down by a petty criminal; heartbroken and longing for revenge, Wayne uses his wealth and resources to train and equip himself as Batman, a vigilante detective who hopes to stop crime.

What it's Really About: Batman isn't just a bridge character between detective fiction and the more colorful, caped creations of the superhero genre; he's also a wounded, haunted victim of circumstance who longs to try and put the world right. Batman also manages to represent anger and altruism -- while he punishes the guilty with blows and brains, his refusal to carry a gun means that he's more of an idealist than a thug -- and taps into our desire to kick ass from a moral high ground.

5) The Fantastic Four

What it's About: An extended family of friends, siblings and associates make a pioneering trip into space -- and, bombarded by cosmic rays, come back with freakish, powerful super-abilities.

What it's Really About: Camelot-era scientific optimism and space exploration meets soap opera, with a little bit of ancient elemental mysticism mixed in. In the comics, the Four were headed for the moon to beat the Commies; the kind of can-do, pioneer spirit that made America great, resulting in constant battles with the threats of a complex universe. With their bickering and feuding, the Four also add a super-powered spin to Tolstoy's famous observation that happy families are all alike, yet every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Finally, the super-powers on display also nicely correlate to the alchemical elements of earth, wind, fire and water

6) Wonder Woman

What it's About: An Amazonian Princess comes to Washington, D.C. to help America fight fascism and other enemies, armed with strength, skill and a lasso that can makes anyone in its bonds unable to lie; regrettably, if herself bound, Wonder Woman loses all her powers.

What it's Really About: On one level, it's full of feminist assertion and power; on the other hand, Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston, a psychiatrist who (along with his wife Elizabeth) dreamed up the Amazonian heroine. Marston has been credited with inventing an early version of the lie detector; add in his penchant for saying things like "The only hope for peace is to teach people who are full of pep and unbound force to enjoy being bound. ..." and it's fairly obvious Marston had some tie me up/tie me down issues.

7) Spider-Man

What it's About: Teenage science buff Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider -- and gains proportionate strength and speed, along with other abilities.

What it's Really About: Much as Superman might be construed as the ultimate immigrant, Spider-Man is the ultimate teenager -- harried, poor, clumsy with chicks. Add in the fact that, like most teenagers, Parker's concerns have to do with dating, juggling his time and always being short of money, and you have a superhero any teen can sympathize with

If you want to read the full article/blog by Mr. Rocchi, check out the link below.

http://www.cinematical.com/2006/05/19/cinematical-seven-x-meta-an-outsiders-guide-to-symbolism-in-s?src=AOL

Work Related

Although I told myself not to write about work related incidents, it's really hard not to when you spend 40 plus hours at a place and not to have some stories to tell or lessons to learn. This week I'd say I learned that appearaces can be decieving and I've got a story about my previous job at the nonprofit agency I used to work at, which in itself is another lesson. Did I lose you LOL.

Anyway, Earlier this year, I was really strugling with my current job. I was getting very stressed out because I was just not catching on as fast as my peers and I guess I just really wasn't confident in myself/knew what I was doing. There came a point in February where I really just wanted to throw in the towell and just quit, but one of my coworkers helped me through things and she convinced me to stick things out. She was an older lady in my section and she had worked there for two years and had extensive experience working in the social services field. She was very friendly and was always available to give me advice/assistance when I felt my superviors weren't being patient. She always seemed to be on top of her cases and was well liked/respected by her peers, but I'd find out that was not the case last week. Last week, she just quits without notice. Although I was able to say goodbye to her and write her a sappy message in a good-bye card, I didn't quite understand why a woman who seemed to on top of things would just quit all of a sudden? Anyway, I'd come to find out that she really wansn't on top of things and her caseload was screwed. For example, many of her cases had not been touched/worked on in over 21 plus days, things were poorly organized, and she just made some poor development decisions. I'd was assinged one of her many cases and I literally have to start things over again. I felt so embrassed calling the claimant to intorduce myself and to say that the previous case worker had fouled things up and I've got to fix things. etc.... I also feel very duped. I had a LOT of respect for this woman and aspired to be like her because she appeared to have everything together. Anyway, I truly did learn that appearances can be very decieving.

As for my previous job, I'd get an e-mail from a former co-worker stating that an individual got fired for theft. I'd find out it was one of the women who about a year ago I caught talking trash/gossping about me in the lunchroom. I can't say that I'm too shocekd because she was a very shady person and she had a very two faced/shitty attitude about her, but I will admit I'm kinda happy to learn she did get fired. I'd really love to just gloat about it and call UCP to say "I told you so" because I did file greivances about her prior to quitting. Anyway, I figure I'll be the bigger person and after this blog I'll let things go, but it just goes to show that when a person does/says nasty things, it really does come back at them.

All in all, I figure I'll try not to look up to other people and just try to find the strength within myself as I've learned a person may appear to have it all together, but in reality be worse of then yourself and I'm gonna make a point not to say or do horrible things because it really will come back to get me in some way shape or form and I'll end up as the subject in someone else's blog.

RENT

Although RENT has been on Broadway for quite some time and the show has been showing in DC and Baltimore on and off, it wasn't until this time last year that I'd fall in love with RENT and it wasn't until last night that I'd finally get the chance to see it live in DC.

Before last year, I'd say I had a rather ignorant view of RENT thinking it was just a play about people dying with AIDS. Althougth AIDS is a very serious problem, I guess you could say it wasn't something I really thought much about beyond knowing how it's spread and that one of my favorite singers (Freddie Mercury) died from it. My first exposure to rent would come in the form of listening to the original Broadway soundtrack, while volunteering with my UCP clients at a local AIDS organization called HAVEN. While we were stuffing envelopes with flyers, the soundtrack played in the background and after hearing the signature song "Seasons of Love" I was hooked. I really liked the message of the song about how do you truly measure a last year of life and I thought of myself if I were ever in such a situation how would I be. Anyway, after listening to the soundtrack I'd learn that there was so much more to the play than just peopole dying of AIDS. I'd learn the play is about LIFE and making the most of one's life no matter how long or short it may be.

Shortly afterwords, I quickly bought my own copy of the soundtrack and listened to it religiously. I then wanted to see the play ASAP. I found out it was showing in DC, but sadly the show sold out and it looked like I would not see RENT live for the forseeable future. Later that year, I'd find out RENT would be made into a feature film featuring most of the original Broadway cast from the soundtrack. On opening weekend a group of friends and I went to see the movie and I LOVED it. I now had a visual picture to match the wonderful musics. The movie made me laugh, cry, and everything in between.

As for finally seeing the play, my friend, Nick, had a B-day in March and being a fan of RENT as well, he asked his mother to get him tickets to see RENT. Knowing how much of a fan I am and all the things I've done for him, I was his first and only choice to go with him. Although it had the stipulation of me driving to and from DC (or at least the metro station), but I didn't care because I figured that bit of gas money and wear/tear on my car would be worth it.

I'll admit I was a little bit skeptical abuot seeing RENT preformed by people other than the original Broadway cast I had grown to love. Would they sing as good? Will they look differnt? Those were questions that were on my mind before the show started, but once things started I didn't seem to care anymore because they were GREAT. It's really hard to explain, but it truly was a magical experience seeing it live like that. I am so thankful that Nick considered me to go with him and now I feel as if I've experienced everything there is to seeing RENT. I guess now I just have to apply the lessons and to remember there truly is no day but today!