FRIDAY FIVE: Favorite Visual Media of 2017

That is a long way of saying "TV and movies" (even though most of these are TV shows). These are in no particular order, and, as far as the television shows, they're not particular to 2017.

Orphan Black
This show is a roller coaster. I came to it a little bit late, watching all of season 1 on Amazon Prime right after season 2 began. It took me a couple episodes to get into it, but once I did, I was hooked. The premise of clones fighting for their autonomy appeals to me as a sci-fi fan, and I love that it centers around women, but the biggest draw is Tatiana Maslany, who is incredibly talented. I've watched all 50 episodes, and I still find myself forgetting that one person plays all those characters. The show came to an end this summer, and it was one of the most satisfying series finales I've ever seen. I love that they took the time to wrap up the plot and then show us the aftermath and how each character is affected and moves on. I'm sad to see it go, but I love the five seasons it gave me.

Wonder Woman
I've been a big fan of Supergirl since the first season, and I've been waiting a long time for a female-led superhero story on the big screen. I loved the setting and story in this one. I was a little disappointed that Diana's entourage was all men, but I did like that they weren't all white men. I thought it was refreshing, too, that Diana's strength and power ultimately come from love. It turns the tired old tropes of "strength as isolation" and "women have to be like men to be strong" on their heads. Looking forward to the sequel, but I'm hoping it has more women in the ensemble and that, even though it takes place decades later, somehow keeps Etta Candy in the cast!

Broadchurch
I never mention mystery as one of my favorite genres because it never really occurs to me that it is, but recently, I realized that I read and watch a lot of them. It's partly the mystery and the satisfaction that comes with solving it (whether I guess the culprit correctly or not) and partly that I'm morbidly fascinated by evil. I like these stories especially, though, when the lead investigators, either professional or amateur, are intriguing. I'm not really a David Tenant fan (although he kind of won me over here, at least by season three), but I do love Ellie. In addition to the characters, I love the small-town setting and the seaside scenery, the music, and the way the writing lets the story breath.

The Great British Baking Show
Not only do I love baking, but I love how everyone in this show is nice to each other (except Paul. I could leave Paul). I don't want to be friends with anyone who doesn't like this show.

Dark Matter
There's not a lot I can say about this show that I haven't said already HERE. It's strong, character-drive science fiction that satisfies me both as a writer and a viewer. SyFy canceled it prematurely, and I'm going to miss it. I hope it lives on in a different form, and I hope I see the actors again on my screen very soon.






UPDATE: I can't believe I forgot Power Rangers. It was delightful, and I love it, and I've watched it over and over.

FRIDAY FIVE: Five Comics that Changed My Reading Life

I've had some issues lately with people driving a wedge between what they see as "important" research, information, and culture and the things I like and try to bring focus to. That's vague, I know, but what I'm trying to say is in reaction to being implicitly told that comics are juvenile, I'm writing this blog post to explore some of the reasons I enjoy them so much. So, here are five comics that have changed my reading life.

Pride and Prejudice
Getting into comics was daunting for me. Part of it was because the history of superheroes is so long that I didn't know where to start, but a lot of it had to do with being a girl. It was hard because every time I'd walk into the comic shop that was down the street from my college, I was always the only woman in there. That took some getting used to, but one way I did it was by finding something I really wanted to read. I've been a nerd for 19th-century lit since I was a teenager, so Jane Austen was a natural entry point into comics for me. Haven't read this one in a while, but it taught me that comics aren't all superheroes. There are lots of different stories for lots of different readers.

DC's Bombshells
I love the idea of superheroes, but I never knew where to start with reading them and it was hard for me to find any female superheroes outside of Wonder Woman and Supergirl (not that I don't like them--I love them--but it's nice to have more than two characters). Then a friend recommended this, and it combines so many things I love, namely history and a good number of women from the DC universe. This series plops them down in WWII. It jumps around to different story lines to introduce you to more characters and let you take a look at how the war affects different people in different places. And, obviously, I love the amount of girl power in this one.

Morning Glories
My feelings about Nick Spencer aside, this title sucked me in. I picked up volume one at the comic shop on a whim. By the time I finished it, I was itching to get my hands on the next volume. (And I'm currently contemplating reading it all again.) Like Pride and Prejudice, this isn't a superhero comic, though people have strange powers and there are unexplained phenomena. The approach to storytelling in this series is interesting and roundabout--a lot of secrets and questions and little answers that get you reading in hopes of bigger answers. It makes for a fast read. While ultimately, I was disappointed in the lack of resolution, I'm still hanging on and waiting for the day Summer Vacation #1 drops because Casey remains one of my favorite comic characters.

The Legend of Wonder Woman: Origins
By now, I've read a good number of Wonder Woman comics, and, honestly, they don't thrill me too much. I hardly ever get beyond volume one. But this one is heads and shoulders above the rest. The art is gorgeous, the storytelling is lovely, and de Liz makes great use of Etta Candy. The story makes use of Diana's long history while still making it feel fresh and exciting. This is just a joy to read and demonstrates that comics can be accessible to a wide audience.

Monstress
Listen. I can't even explain this comic. It is so. good. The art is stunning. Stunning, people! (And yes, I love this so much that I can't really be coherent.) But the characters? Also stunning! They're complex and move through a richly detailed world, and Maika is one of my favorite kinds of characters--damaged and prickly and in possession of a big heart. Kippa and Master Ren are also standouts for me. Just . . . I can't even explain what this is about. Please just go read it. The next issue comes out in January, and I think I'm going to start reading them issue-by-issue because I can't wait. I cannot wait.



In conclusion, I believe value is what you make of it. I've learned things--about comics and about fiction writing and about life--from each of these titles and from many more. Popular culture is valuable even when it's not being studied simply because people enjoy it, and that's that. But if you want me to prove it with a twenty-page paper, I will for sure do it.

FRIDAY FIVE: Wonder Woman

So, I saw Wonder Woman for the second time the other night. Because there have been a ton of reviews already and I'm not sure if anyone would care to read it if I wrote one, this is more a list of things I found AWESOMELY COOL about it.

Themyscira
I want to live on a beautiful island that frees me from the patriarchy and where Robin Wright teaches me how to be a badass. Also, the wildlife! The cow that witnesses Diana's jump across the valley to retrieve her weapons amused me, and I loved the goat watching teenage Diana spar with Antiope, but my favorite were the white peacocks.

Diana's relationship with Hippolyta
One thing I dislike is when writers confuse 'fighting' with 'conflict.' They end up writing shouting matches and physical violence when conflict can be shown in other ways. So when Hippolyta found Diana and Steve before they left the island, I braced myself for something similar. And when it didn't, I knew I was in good hands. Instead of a shouting match or even an actual, physical fight, Hippolyta wants to know if Diana knows what she's getting into and then says, "You have been my greatest love. Today, you are my greatest sorrow." The moment beautifully encapsulates their mother/daughter relationship. Hippolyta knows she can't keep Diana on Themyscira because she's meant for greater things, but she also can't and won't hide her heartbreak at the prospect of losing her.

Diana's relationship with Antiope
First of all, Antiope's amazing. I need all kinds of Antiope backstory. I need to know everything about her, especially her years mentoring Diana because we only get a glimpse of it in the film even though it's such a formative relationship. And it's important to depict that relationships between women can be supportive and nurturing.

Etta
I wish there had been way more screen time for Etta, but what we got was pretty amazing. She's funny and welcomes Diana immediately, and she delivers the most meta line that takes a shot at a well-worn trope: "Specs. Suddenly she's not the most beautiful woman you've ever seen." This movie is filled with rich little moments, and all of Etta's are completely endearing, especially the one where she just rolls with Diana entrusting her with her sword and shield. I respectfully request of Patty Jenkins a sequel set in the roaring 1920s with Diana and Etta tearing down gender expectations while saving the world.

No Man's Land
As far as I'm concerned, this sequence is iconic. It is the bar by which I will judge every superhero movie from now on, and it's made even better by Rupert Gregson-Williams's score, which you can listen to on Spotify. For the first time, I watched a woman be the hero rather than just part of the ensemble (and usually the smallest part at that). And not only was she the most powerful figure on the screen, but her power came from love. She loves the world, and she loves mankind and wants to protect them from war and pain, even if they don't always deserve it. In a world that seems to get meaner with each passing day, seeing a protagonist driven by love matters, and that's why I'm looking forward to watching this one again and again and seeing what the second movie brings.