In Vladimir Nab0kov’s most famous controversial book, the main character goes through three distinct phases: the approach, the act, and the fallout.
This is often the storyteller’s thing, but I firmly believe there is a forth phase available to all humans: transcendence. We learn from our own story and we change. We change, we become free, we transcend. Or we can transcend, at least.
Anyway, I’m trying to tell this story with Mike; trying to describe the forth phase. Tolkien wrote about it with Gandalf – he toiled, he acted, he fell. And then his story really begins. Then he really kicks ass. The forth phase hits, and he becomes free, connected to all things, kicking ass becomes effortless, part of his being. Gandalf the white in all his wounded glory.
And if this fourth phase is available to all humans, what does it take? What does it take for us to move on from Nab0kov’s miserable, isolated, guilty cycle-of-three? What do we have to do?
Good question.
Thanks.
You’re welcome.
Don’t mention it.
Sorry, I’ve gone a bit wrong. Anyway, this next comic is the first time I’ve ever tried to write without making it accessible – I haven’t tried to simplify things so more people understand it, haven’t tried to explain the same thing in three ways for different character-types to pick it up in their own way, I’ve literally just written it as I fancied writing it. So it’ll be really interesting what people make of it. It feels much more cloying, more hidden-poetic kinda vibe than anything I’ve done before. There’s references to the Republic (ethics), Odyssey (struggle vs. home), Shakespeare (some of Caesar’s juicier quotes), and the usual smattering of 80s and 90s pop culture. I’m even wondering if I can crowbar a Katy Perry lyric in there haha! So that’s nice. I guess!
Just working on the final bunch of scenes, will keep you all updated but as a rough guess I think it’s still going to be a few weeks to a month before it’s out 🙂
