Fuck You, Kanye West is Still Awesome AKA My Review of "The Life of Pablo"

I hear so much chatter about Kanye West. Everyone has an opinion on how terrible he is. Taylor Swift gets applauded for throwing shade at him in her acceptance speech for Album of the Year (which by the way, totally robbed Kendrick Lamar), the media mocks him as a rude narcissist, and yeah his own behavior doesn't do him any favors, but you know what?

Fuck you, Kanye West is still awesome.

"The Life of Pablo" proves he still rocks, warts and all. I'll admit I had some concerns, but when I saw him drop his verse in an SNL skit this last weekend (that is on the album too as, "I love Kanye,") I knew that behind all the media-nonsense of his marriage to Kim Kardashian, making outlandish statements, and etc. that the genius-Kanye West was still lurking in there with usually more visible jerk-Kanye West. Here's the skit:

UPDATE: It seems the video got taken down. My apologies. NBC's official site might have it though?

  "Yeezus," was a solid piece of work but felt more disjointed and lacking than anything. While "The Life of Pablo," may not be at the level of his debut, "The College Dropout," or his arguable masterpiece, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," this is a great piece of work. Do note that I had to get a trial subscription to Tidal that came with a free Beyonce track to listen to, "The Life of Pablo," as it currently can only be found (legally) on that site, so will someone please remind me in the next 90 days to cancel it in order to avoid being charged? Seriously though, that is kind of a hassle, but I'll go through a lot to get to hear Kanye West kill it on the track more than not.

Keeping with the trend of West dealing with his issues through music (and often showing the vulnerability his critics who don't listen to his music say he lacks), "The Life of Pablo," is messy, at times abrasive, and as often unsure of itself as it is cocky. As West states on the track, "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1," in regards to attention he gets, "Everybody goin' say something/I'd be worried if they said nothing."

Some solid verses from Kanye on, "No More Parties in L.A."

West of course brings in a litany of collaborators, with some turning in incredible verses (Chance the Rapper on the first track, "Ultralight Beam," is a treat), and other's seeming criminally under-utilized (Andre 3000 simply provides background vocals on, "30 Hours," despite my praying he would bust out a rap too). If anything, at times West runs the risk of being upstaged by the amazing talent he brings in to work with him, with Kendrick Lamar's dazzling verse on, "No More Parties in L.A." rivaling West until he makes sure to match wits with lines like the ones in the image above.

The sound and isn't as electronic as the critically-divisive, "808s and Heartbreak," or the grinding and almost-mechanic sounds of, "Yeezus," but there are for sure blasts of that harsh lo-fi in between the soul-samples and occasional softer instrumentation ("Feedback," has screeching sounds that live-up to the title for sure). Not every track is breathtaking, with the song,  "Highlights," feeling auto-tuned to death and like it just wants to meander around before concluding (making it interesting West performed it first on the recent SNL as its so drab). "Fame," isn't that great for me either, but that is more because I really dislike Rhianna than anything else. Still, so much is just so good that the occasional clunker can be accepted.

Kanye West may behave like an asshole and be, rude, self-obsessed, and all those other bad things, but at the end of the day he's still a musical genius--so I apologize if my post's headline was a little harsh, but the whole album seems to be yelling the same thing--"Fuck you, I'm still awesome, regardless of all the other bullshit." So yes, I do in fact love Kanye in the manner of how Kanye Loves Kanye.
5 out of 5 stars.

Abhay Khosla's 4-Part Review of Comics in 2015 is a Sorely Needed Drubbing of an Industry that Rarely Receives It

One of the debacles discussed by Abhay

On The Comics Journal is a four-part piece of critcism from Abhay Khosla so amazing, so hilarious, and so God-Damned needed that I don't recommend you read it, I request you do it.I cried as often as I laughed while reading these, and bet you will too. As Abhay himself points out in the pieces, the comic industry is so wrapped-up in itself that even the mere suggestion that it is doing something wrong (be that behaving in a questionable manner, allowing harassment to occur, or otherwise sucking at P.R. in general) is taken as a huge affront and insult. I mean, how dare you hurt the comic-book industry and its precious feelings, comics are a legitimate art-form worthy of criticism! How dare you act like they aren't, until you act like they are but say something disliked, in which case, how could you?

Seriously though, Abhay's huge mega-essay is something sorely needed and absolutely hilarious seeing as Abhay is arguably one of the funniest people in the world who writes about comics (along with Tucker Stone). I love comics, I truly do. Sometimes the industry and what it puts out just makes me place my head in my hands and let out a long sigh though.

It Was Wishful Thinking to Believe Kendrick Lamar Would Win Album of the Year at the 2016 Grammys

Prologue: Watch Kendrick's performance at the Grammys here.

Main Rant: First things first, Kendrick Lamar's album, "To Pimp a Butterfly," is album of the year, no ifs, ands, or buts. Many agree (who aren't mad about it) that he gave the only performance that really mattered at this year's Grammys. From the start with his appearing in chains and singing his song about the ingrained racism within our country--"The Blacker the Berry"--Lamar was intense, unafraid to make a point, and basically the opposite of everything that's wrong with the Grammys and Taylor Swift--e.g. "Sanitized, Self-Congratulatory, and Safe."

It truly was was wishful thinking to believe he would win Album of the Year. Sure, winning Best Rap Album was a foregone conclusion, but to see someone who so unabashedly stands-up and speaks truth-to-power through incredible music would have been amazing. The closest to that kind of moment we got was when Kendrick took to the stage for his aforementioned first song, seguing into, "All Right," and concluding with a new song where to CBS' credit they did some amazing camera-work with their close-ups on Kendrick's intense movements and words.

Kendrick Lamar created a masterpiece in the form of, "To Pimp a Butterfly," but it seems the Grammys would rather not give it the highest form of recognition when something relatively tame and pleasant like Taylor Swift is another option. At least I can look back fondly on one time the Grammys did get it right, giving Album of the Year to OutKast for their masterpiece, "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below."

V-Day Four-Way Part 4: Sex Positivism as Illustrated via the, "Smut Peddler," Anthology

Four-Way Part Quatre

Today I've discussed comics that are violent and raunchy, comics that delve into the male Id, pieces that explore the ugly within the erotic, and I thought it would be nice to end on a more positive and happy note by discussing the, "Smut Peddler," anthology published by Iron Circus Comics. This is a fantastic series featuring a large number of creators (mostly women) creating hot smut that also is sex positive!

What exactly sex-positive means could be taken various ways, but basically the Smut Peddler anthologies (there was a 2012 and 2014 edition, plus a Kickstarter just concluded for two new comics within that line) present sex as what most of us hope it to be: Fun, enjoyable, consenting, and arousing! An inclusive series, the "Smut Peddler," comics have always included a variety of genders and orientations getting-it-on with gorgeous artwork by talents both better-known and mostly unknown.

I own the 2014 edition (bought it at the most recent Project Comic-Con!) and found it to be a book of gorgeous artwork, fun stories, and basically what the subtitle declares it to be--"A superior Pornucopia for classy dames (and the forward-thinking gentleman)." All the titles I've discussed have been fascinating to cover this Valentine's Day and I hope you had a wonderful February 14th too!

V-Day Four-Way Part 3: Heather Benjamin Masterfully Expresses the Ugly Within the Erotic

Four-Way Part Trois

Note that basically none of these links are safe for work, even if this article is.

I am of course always scouring the web for interesting artwork, writing, comics, etc. I stumbled across this fascinating interview with artist and comic-maker Heather Benjamin, and proceeded to take a trip into the horrific, and erotic world that is her website. One of Benjamin's earlier works was titled, "Sad Sex," and occured over a number of issues. Benjamin says herself in an older interview that she isn't concerned with having specific story-lines or such, almost making me think of her work less as comics and more as artwork-pieces that are occasionally sequential. Any sort of, "Plot," isn't important here though, because I think (and Benjamin herself confirms in the same just-linked interview) that it's really about the emotions--"...and I also like to not be too straightforward. I do enjoy just picking one feeling or moment or whatever that I’m trying to focus on and just ornamenting it and reworking it as a single drawing. It’s definitely a weird emotional process for me to go through, and I feel almost like, cleansed of whatever fucked up thing was totally bothering me by the time I’m done hashing it out. At least for a little while."

Benjamin can make artwork that is extremely pretty, as the less-explicit images on this post illustrate. What she truly excels at, however, is taking something generally pretty (or at least, "Hot,) like sex and making it incredibly ugly. Something we as humans often ignore is that sex many times isn't that gorgeous, so-to-speak. It is sweaty, noisy, and has a lot of fluids and emotions mixing together. Benjamin expresses this with her pieces discussing the guilt of masturbating to the thought of a friend's boyfriend, or arousing and disturbing the reader with the cover to her latest collection of work, "Romantic Story," as it features a woman spread-eagle with ants crawling all over and around her. Even a cliché sweet scene of a man and woman about to kiss takes on a more twisted motif with the introduction of insects crawling about.

Heather Bejamin's pieces evoke a strong reaction from the viewer. Some may only feel disgust and confusion, others may see a twisted beauty and want to explore her work further. Good art has that impact which makes you feel, and Benjamin's illustrations definitely do such a thing, especially when exploring the hideous within the sexy. I would recommend checking her website out and purchasing her works if you find yourself as intrigued as I have been by her artistry.

V-Day Four-Way Part 2: The Male Id Within, "Terror Assaulter: One Man War on Terror"

Four-Way Part Deux

As a part of my Valentine's Day, "Four-Way," of posts I now present some thoughts on the portrayal of the male Id within Benjamin Marrra's, "Terror Assaulter: One Man War On Terror," or "OMWOT," for short. There have been many reviews of the comic spread around the internet, mostly positive and showing an affection for its darkly violent and sexually-charged satire (like the earlier-discussed, "Fukitor," it is really obvious Marra has his tongue thoroughly in-cheek for this comic, but it works a bit better here). The plot essentially is that there is a division of agents known as Terror Assaulters who were created by the United States government in response to 9/11 and they exist to keep the nation safe no matter what. This leads to a whole lot of fighting, shooting, and fucking.

If "OMWOT," were written as a serious piece the reader would think it came from the mind of a sex-obsessed thirteen year-old who desires to be, "Edgy," by working in some politics between the gunplay and penetration. Marra seems to have taken the rawest form of the male pyshce and spilled out on the page for everyone to observe in a mixture of bemusement and disgust. One interesting element is that our main character, the One Man War on Terror is happy to have sex with men or women. He doesn't have a sexual orientation, he just is pure sexuality, in all its fluidity and desire. He'll kill men or women, and fuck men or women, all in the name of our God-blessed America, motherfucker!

Continuing this concept of a simplistic-yet-clever writing style, the comic will often have characters declare aloud the action they are taking--even though Marra's art makes it quite evident. There is plenty of, "You shot me in my [body part]," or our character describing the next action he's going to take during sex. Oh, and the running gag of the OMWOT stating, "Let's just say..." before making a threat or a statement that doesn't even need that first part of the sentence seems like something that should get old, but strangely doesn't.

Marra of course often makes satirical comics (my big article on, "Gangsta Rap Posse," being one example), and that is on full display here, and man-oh-man does Marra really represent fascinating warped versions of reality through his works! It is scary how much this is like the meant-to-be-taken-at-face-value, "Holy Terror," with its heroic image of the white American man shooting-up foreign threats, having some sex (with a man or woman with the OMWOT), and then we roll credits while a childrens' choir sings, "God Bless America," in front of the Statue of Liberty.

This isn't a comic that you read. It's a comic that you open the cover of, and it proceeds to slap you across the face with its dick, yell, "America, bitch!" and then emesh you in a primary-color nightmare of pistols, pussy, and politics. Benjamin Marra has made something that is a less a comic than it is an illustrated horny and angry subconscious . That is a good thing, and makes, "Terror Assaulter: One Man War On Terror," wholly worth reading.

V-Day Four-Way Part 1: Fukitor and the Question of if Being Tasteless Just to Shock People is Still A Form of Social Commentary

Four-Way Part Un

Please note that most links are not safe for work, even if this article is
Let's kick-off the posts on this day of love and romance by talking about one of the more nasty and horrific comics out there--"Fukitor."

From creator Jason Karns comes a series that has spurred much debate on what exactly it constitutes. This is a comic the creator doesn't want taken seriously, so is it satire? What is it mocking though other than the fact that many human beings are terrible people? Almost every page drips with blood and entrails, with the violence only being rivaled in  quantity by the breasts and dicks. Back when The Comics Journal even mentioned, "Fukitor," it lit a fire in the comments section, followed by the owner of the TCJ--Fantagraphics--then being able to have its cake and eat it too by releasing a collection of the series  (which I purchased back when it came out in 2014)on its then-new small-press imprint, FU Press, followed by then having the TCJ post a review of the collection that was harsh on it; I ain't gonna hate though, because they could have just as easily told a reviewer to say some glowing things about the comic in hopes it would spur more sales (or would saying this is a mean-spirited and ugly series be more of a selling-point? Hm).

A comment on how the U.S. views foreign entities...maybe?

It isn't hard to find someone who hates this series on the web, as well as much discussion about cultural context and where this comic falls on that spectrum. Basically everyone can at least agree, "Yeah, it looks pretty offensive and bad, plus it's supposed too," before the arguments start. As for what the debates entail, it all seems to basically come down to the question of if being tasteless just to shock people is in itself still a form of social commentary. To such a question I say, "Maybe? It depends," as it really can vary based on the situation. As for this particular comic, "Fukitor," I would conclude there definitely are some parts where it feels like Karns is maybe making a point, but so often that point is drenched in viscera and bodily fluids that it is all-but-unnoticeable.

"Fukitor," is a grotesque and lascivious piece of work, yet at the same time is also trying to insist how behind all the vulgarity that, "Hey, I'm really trying to making a point here!" That may be, but in the end, "Fukitor," is moreso just hilariously absurd than it is deep in any fashion. At least Karns is a good artist in the sense his hideous imagery looks appropriately awful. That counts for something, right?

Announcing The Valentine's Day Four-Way (of Posts)!

Getting Raunchy!

This Valentine's Day I wanted to give you, my reader, something special. For that reason I'm going to put up four posts that deal with sexuality, romance, and the like. I'm calling it my Valentine's Day Four-Way because I have never been one to pass on a saucy pun. After all the posts are up you can return to this one for a link to them all. For now though here's some, "Foreplay," in the form of me describing what the posts are about...

Part Un:
Fukitor and the Question of if Being Tasteless Just to Shock People is Still A Form of Social Commentary

Part Deux:
The Male Id Within, "Terror Assaulter: One Man War on Terror"

Part  Trois
Heather Benjamin Masterfully Expresses the Ugly Within the Erotic

Part Quatre:
Sex Positivism as Illustrated  via the, "Smut Peddler," Anthology

Film Friday: Deadpool

Guts and Giggles

I'll make this relatively brief as, "Deadpool," did just come out and I don't want to go and spoil a bunch. I saw it earlier this evening and shall share some opinions for those of you who are a bit curious about what I may have thought of the flick. Basically, I really liked it. It is one of the small number of R-rated super-hero movies and it earns that rating for sure. There is so, so much violence, a lot of swearing, and of course some scenes of sex and a dash of nudity. It also is really funny.

The jokes come fast and hard, and if that sentence had just been said in a this particular movie you can be sure good ol' Wade Wilson would have already made a dirty joke out of it. Ryan Reynolds brings his unique charm that walks the fine line of being too much and just enough with attitude, kind of like Deadpool himself in the comics actually. Oh, and if you're wondering if it has those little bits of humanity that make Wade someone the audience can relate to and care about, the flick does work a little of that into this too.

Some X-Men pop-up (as the non-stop ads have shown).

It really is remarkable this got made, a super-hero movie that relentlessly mocks other super-hero movies--even ones from different studios--and brings with it a near-relentless stream of unapologetic gore and swear-words. To think the creators of this film were able to say, "No," to making a PG-13 film that would quite possibly be not nearly as good is just amazing (and it appears to already be paying off and will be quite a profitable film indeed).

The movie isn't without flaw (the main villain is pretty bland), but the never-ending stream of usually-great jokes (some land with a thud, but most are solid) and superb action scenes gives us a film that is a bunch of fun, but also throws in a some of heart now and then too. I would recommend seeing, "Deadpool," if you love super-hero movies, or if you hate super-hero movies and want to see something that insults them...while actually being a really good version of what it is making fun of. Just please, don't bring your little kids to this. Seriously, if I see any news stories about, "Outraged parents," complaining they took their 6 year-old to a movie clearly advertised as a bloody and raunchy good time I will put my head in my hands and let out a loud cry for humanity.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

Some of My Favorite Comic-Creation Teams Part 2

...And We're Back!
There were too many people to limit myself to one article, so I now present part 2 of my favorite comic-creation teams!

More Creators!

Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie
No question this is a pairing that sets my heart aflutter whenever I hear about their newest joint-project. Whether imagining a world wherein music is magic ("Phonogram") making the, "Young Avengers" the best Marvel comic on the stands at the time it was coming out, or giving us Gods-as-pop-stars with, "The Wicked and the Divine," Gillen and McKelvie are two creators who just know how to bring the best out of each other. They both have done fine on their own solo projects or other pairings, but when these two minds get together? Stand back, because it's gonna be one Hell of a comic.

Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov
This is another case where many would put the writer with a different artist (making it Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon for their work on, "Preacher,") but I yet again have got to go with another option, Parlov, if no reason other than the sheer amazing stuff Parlov turned in with Ennis on some of his, "Punisher Max," run and the superb, "Fury: My War Gone By." Parlov's mixture of minimalism and stark brutality perfectly compliments the brutal stories of Ennis, be it the Punisher fighting for his life or Fury making his way through countless wars.

Ales Kot and Jordie Bellaire
Why? Because, "Zero," that's why. On that title Kot would often have an assortment of artists for different issues, but he always had Bellaire on the color-work to help give the at-first-glance conflicting art-styles a nice unified look. People often say that if a colorist is doing his or her job right you won't notice, but I say that's wrong. In my opinion if the colorist is doing his or her job right you notice because of how great the comic looks.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Now to close on a classic team, much like you can end a fancy dinner with a fine dessert wine. While us comic-readers often have a complicated relationship with Stan Lee and the question of how much work he did or didn't do, I think everyone can agree that he and his collaborators made some amazing stuff that has stood the test of time all the way to now. Despite all the folk he worked with though, I feel there is a teaming that made stuff even better than what Stan Lee and Steve Ditko gave us. That duo was the matching of Lee and Kirby. Without these two men and what they created together there simply would not be a Marvel comics, or at least not one as we know it today (a whole lot of characters would be missing for sure). A seminal pairing for sure.

Done!
There are the teams that immediately popped into my mind. I am sure there are many others I'll think of later and be mad that I forgot, or you may have a team that you're aghast at my skipping. Whatever the case, as these teams go to show, comics are often a collaborative art, and if working closely with others can make some of the amazing stuff that's been produced then I'm fully in favor of teamwork.

Note: I did not pair creators Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Brian K. Vaughn, Warren Ellis and etc. with anyone as they both have too great number of people they have created stellar work with to pick just one team. I know many folk have a preferred artist for those writers, but I just couldn't decide. That's the same reason I didn't put artists like JH Williams III with anyone either.