Flock Together

A couple of weeks ago on this site, a few of us got to talk about diversity in genre fiction. In the climate we find ourselves in this week, affirming that embrace of diversity seems particularly important.

We don't really address electoral politics on this site, but certainly a couple of elections in the United Kingdom and United States have touched on an ongoing discussion within genre circles — that of increasing diversity and the response to it.

There are so, so many reasons why genre fiction, movies, comics are great. As much as going to a made-up world can be an escape (and it certainly can be!) from the one we live in — which is often scary and confusing, hurtful and unfair — genre stories, regardless of medium, can be an invaluable lens through which to look at and understand our own, real world and our lives in it. For me, Slaughterhouse-Five, about a man who comes "unstuck in time," forever changed the way I exist in the world.

But beyond that, it can give us a community. Fandoms built around genres, or shows, or movies have given people real and virtual communities around the world. If you're a guy who's terrified of letting anyone in your small town know you like My Little Pony, you can commune with people across the country who are just as passionate about it as you are, and won't judge you for digging it. I can tell you that, for me, lining up in a queue that stretched down the block and around the corner to see Bubba Ho-Tep let me know that I may be weird, but I was not alone in wanting to see a movie where old Elvis fights an ancient mummy who sucks souls out of retirees' butts. And this site, and our team of multi-national writers, only exists because we all geek out over genre stories, comics, games, what-have-you.

Speculative fiction can give us community, and it can give us a voice. If you have a story to tell, I want to affirm that it matters. It may not be good...I mean, you might not be a very good storyteller. Most people aren't. But that doesn't mean your story doesn't matter. Are you struggling with your identity? Tell your story. Are you excited by things that blow up? Tell your story. Do you feel like you don't fit in? Tell your story. Do you feel like your way of life is disappearing and you don't know what the future looks like? Tell your story. Are you scared? Tell your story. Because you are not alone in any of those things, and if you put your characters in a spaceship, or on another planet, or give them a magic staff, we'll read that shit. And other people who want to write the same kind of stuff will be your beta readers and give you notes for no other reason than we are nerds of a feather.

And finally, these stories can give us hope. There's a lot of dystopian sci-fi and grimdark fantasy, and that all has its place. But there is also the aspirational. There is Star Trek and there are visions of worlds and lands and times that have solved the problems we are still grappling with. These stories can give us visions of better worlds that we can strive to make ours look like. And that's not nothing.

A lot of people are worried right now. I'm worried. I feel like I'm outside, looking in at something I don't understand at all. But I'm a nerd, and that means I've got experience with this feeling. It's different this time, I won't pretend it isn't, but I know that I'm not alone, and you are not alone, and we may not be able to protect each other all the time, but we can embrace each other, and that's not nothing, either.

Besides, if "normal" is what we've seen in these elections, give me different.

Posted by Vance K, cult film reviewer and co-editor of nerds of a feather, flock together since 2012. Folk singer and Emmy award-winning producer.

Microreview [film]: The Zero Theorem, directed by Terry Gilliam

To quote Keanu Reeves from practically any movie…whoa.

Gilliam, Terry, dir. The Zero Theorem. 2013. Film.

I’ve seen Brazil, and Twelve Monkeys, and pretty much everything else that Gilliam has created, because (like one of the Bobs from Office Space) I have to tell ya, I’m an honest to God Michael Bolton Terry Gilliam fan! So I went into The Zero Theorem with high expectations, not only for something visually lush and quirkily entertaining, but also something measurably different from the rest of Gilliam’s oeuvre. The first two? Check. The third? Not so much. And thus my reaction to the film resists easy polarization into the totally ‘love’ or ‘hate’ categories, and ends up somewhere north of the middle.

First of all, Gilliam still seems stuck—or to be more charitable, has chosen to remain mired—in the dingy yet somehow impossibly vibrant dystopian world-building/exploring he began with Brazil and continued in Twelve Monkeys. Indeed, The Zero Theorem is sometimes described as the tragic conclusion to the other two, forming a dystopian trilogy of sorts. Despite the heavy debt Gilliam acknowledged to La Jetée in Twelve Monkeys, that film visually, and certainly cinematographically/editing-wise, resembled Brazil to a surprising degree considering how different the narrative content is. Perhaps then it is no surprise that The Zero Theorem, despite no acknowledged debt to any other film or source, feels at times like an eerily close cinematographic echo of Twelve Monkeys.

Space is hella cold, brah!

That's weird, I thought the only one who looks like me is Joseph Gordon-Levitt!

What’s wrong with that? You might be wondering, and in general I agree—Twelve Monkeys was a glorious and entertaining film, so Twelve Monkeys 2.0 might be wondrous indeed. Unfortunately, The Zero Theorem feels more like Twelve Monkeys 0.7, if that makes any sense. Much like Ozu Yasujiro’s Ohayo (Good Morning) versus Umarete wa mita keredo...(I Was Born, but…) (since if the latter had never been made, Good Morning would probably be accepted as the comedic masterpiece par excellence of the great Japanese auteur), if there had never been a tragicomic tour-de-force like Twelve Monkeys (or, arguably, a Brazil) this film would have elevated Gilliam to full-on auteur status, and people would be writing their dissertations on its use of color or its Marxist dystopian vision or whatever. As it stands, though, it just feels like a slightly weaker echo of the earlier work.
 Still, I enjoy hearing echoes of things I love, so it’s certainly fair to say that The Zero Theorem is worth watching, and an enjoyable experience both to see and to contemplate afterwards. The cast, led by Christolph Waltz, is absolutely fantastic (my favorite is the werewolf from Harry Potter!), and the script is witty enough, to be sure. You just shouldn’t expect the same level of stunnitude as came from Twelve Monkeys or Brazil.
  The Math:
 Objective assessment: 8/10
 Bonuses: +1 for first-rate performances from pretty much the entire cast
 Penalties: -2 for being Twelve Monkeys lite

Nerd coefficient: 7/10 “super enjoyable, but not as much as Twelve Monkeys or Brazil”

 This has been a cinema-themed public service announcement by Zhaoyun, longtime purveyor of the finest dystopian sci fi in filmic or written form and main cast member (i.e., regular contributor) at Nerds of a Feather since 2013 (as Fin Raziel says in Willow: has it been so long?)

Yes it has, Fin Raziel--yes it has.

A Message From The Hogwarts Sorting Hat

Illustration: Jim Kay

In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach!"

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might someday be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale. 

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name,"

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same." 

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A House in which they might 

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him,

And those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew, 

Thus the Houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears. 

The Houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with dueling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend 

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they once were meant to be. 

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into Houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song: 

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting

May not bring the end I fear. 

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you....

Let the Sorting now begin.

- J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix  

Thursday Morning Superhero

If you are anything like me you need a good escape from reality.  Fortunately there are quick a few nifty comic books out this week that will provide you a brief break from the madness.  It is always a good feeling to escape with some classics.

Pick of the Week:
Captain America #7 - The fist issue in a new arc is upon us and is a safe jumping on point for those who may have turned their back on Captain America when Nick Spencer turned him into a Hydra agent.  He isn't really a Hydra agent, but thanks to a cosmic cube he believes that he has always been working for Hydra.  In the new arc, Cap is once again trying to take down the Red Skull.  Despite working for the same team, Captain America feels that he would be a much stronger leader and could take Hydra to new heights.  Thus begins Captain America teaming up with some unexpected partners in his quest to gain control of Hydra.  Good stuff.

The Rest:
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Adventures #1 - This week we were gifted with another fun DC/IDW crossover between two of my favorite fandoms.  It seems that the portal in New York has once again been activated and is pulling villains out of Arkham Asylum and dropping them in the sewer.  Last time saw the Turtles in Gotham, this time the Dark Knight is going to visit the Big Apple. The shift in scenery has led to a shift in tone, as this series is off to a lighthearted start.




Daredevil #13 - Muse has to be one of the most interesting villains I have read in some time. While this issue didn't include much Daredevil, it was a thrilling ride as Blindspot made the choice to save some lives even though it meant pursuing Muse solo.  Charles Soule has really brought back a dark tone to this series and it has been a breath of fresh air.  This issue is a high octane ride that has me clamoring for the next issue.

The Avengers #1.1 - In a fun throw back title from Mark Waid, Captain America is "leading" a new team of Avengers.  Wasp, Iron Man, and the others needed a break and have assembles the trio of Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver to lend Cap a hand.  The public isn't too keen on enlisting people who once worked for Magneto and the team has some issues with chemistry that make their first test a challenging one.  Looking forward to reading what Waid has in store for this rag tag group.





POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012. 

The Best & Worst SFF Governments

Every now and then (read: all the stinkin' time), there is some controversy in SFF and comics about how they should be a-political. This is usually the result of something in those worlds pushing forward, and conservatives trying to protect "the good old days" or some such. I reject the notion that SFF & comics are not political, indeed, that they even can be. Even if you're not trying to make a statement, anything you create will naturally reflect one's own views and beliefs.

Since SFF inherently involves visions of the future or alternates realities, there are governments there. Sometimes they are very good to show what humanity can be, or very bad to show... the same thing. Today is a Presidential Election here in the You Ess of Eh, and, frankly, it's terrible and terrifying, so I thought we'd retreat into fiction to look at some of the best and worst governments out there (NOTE: I have not seen every movie, read every comic, or read every book, though not for lack of effort. So if you disagree, awesome, add it in the comments. This is just for fun).

The Best:

The Federation, Star Trek. This seems like the obvious one. The Federation is great for a whole slough of reasons, but primarily because is really does show the best of humanity, and what can be achieved if everyone works together and accepts one another. Also, bad ass spaceships, obviously.

Vote Spaceship

Gondor, Return of the King. Under Aragorn, after Sauron has been defeated, just so we're clear. Gondor went through some stuff, didn't they? Denethor was worse than useless, Faramir (book Faramir) was awesome, but Daddy loved Boromir, so he got shoved to the side. BUT, Aragorn took over, evil was gone and good times again in Gondor. Tell me you don't want Aragorn as your king, and Arwen (BOOK Arwen) as your queen.

The Worst:

The Old Republic, Star Wars. Wait, you're saying. They had Jedi and united the galaxy and were basically awesome. To which I say: oh, yeah? The Jedi sucked and were ineffective, unable to keep the peace or see threats in their own midst. The government was so bloated and weighed down by corporate influence, it allowed itself to be taken over by a scheming, selfish, wrinkled idiot from within. Do you see a parallel?

Immortan Joe, Mad Max: Fury Road. You could throw any number of dystopian governments on this list, since they all basically exist to highlight extreme class disparity. Most of them, though have the governing class outfitted in fancy garb and eating the best food, and, hey, I get it and it works for those stories. The problem, is that actually appeals to a certain class of people, who want their own happiness, no matter the expense to others. The difference with Joe is, his life is crap, too, just a little less crappy than those he oppresses. His chest is covered with metals and decorations - of his own making and award. His children are deformed and power hungry and delusional, just like him. He has a collection of women, which he thinks represents his prowess, when in fact, they hate him. And while he fancies himself all-powerful, in fact, he relies on others who are richer, smarter and more powerful than he is. Sadly, there is no such parallel in real life, and we should all be glad of it. Oh wait.

Nanoreviews [books]: Nightshades, Spiderlight, Pride's Spell

Olson, Melissa F. Nightshades [Tor.com Publishing, 2016]

Melissa Olson's novella seems to be as much of a slightly lighter FBI procedural as it is about the paranormal urban fantasy, but she balances the two so well for me that as much as I always want to know more about the background, the vampiric details were teased out at just the right pace for me. Nightshades is very clearly the opening volume in a longer series (I hope) and I'll be down to read more. No frills, just solid storytelling.
Score: 7/10

Tchaikovsky, Adrian. Spiderlight [Tor.com Publishing, 2016]

I've somehow never read Adrian Tchaivosky before despite having a few of his novels (Shadows of the Apt) on my bookshelf for years as review copies. Tor.com Publishing's release of Spiderlight was a more bite sized opportunity to jump into a standalone and - it's compelling with a cast of really distasteful characters, the heroes I mean. It's very Tolkien-esque / standard epic fantasy feeling as the core of the novel, with heroes of the Light questing out to serve a prophecy and defeat the Dark Lord - except the heroes are collectively all assholes and not in the charming asshole sort of way. They're pretty shitty people. Despite that, Thchaivoksy's storytelling is compelling and he weaves a bit of a twist when the confrontation finally occurs.
Score: 8/10

Wallace, Matt. Pride's Spell [Tor.com Publishing, 2016]

When I introduced the Nanoreview review feature back in April, I led with my deep and abiding love of Matt Wallace's Sin du Jour novella series. Seriously, if you haven't read Matt Wallace stop what you're doing and go buy Envy of Angels. You won't regret it, and if you do, I really don't know what to say to you. Pride's Spell is just as absurd and viciously hilarious as the first two installments as Wallace brings the kitchen staff to Hollywood to cater....well, if I told you more I'd be giving the game away. Suffice it to say that the Easter Bunny and Cupid show up and whatever you're thinking, that's not what Wallace is doing here. It's Matt Wallace, he's brutal and just fucking brilliant.
Score: 9/10

POSTED BY: Joe Sherry - Writer / Editor at Adventures in Reading since 2004. Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2015, editor since 2016. Minnesotan.  

Microreview [video game]: Batman - The Telltale Series Episode 3: New World Order by Telltale Games

The Villains, Revealed

Reviewer's note: Welcome to the second part in our five-part series reviewing Batman - The Telltale Series, an episodic adventure game. Part one can be found here, part 2 here. This review will contains spoilers for episode 1 and 2!

Picking up after the fairly surprising ending to episode 2, episode 3 continues to tighten the vise on both Batman and Bruce Wayne. Though Falcone and Hill are gone, the antagonists that truly threaten Gotham are revealed; the Penguin, and the leader of the Children of Arkham. But in the real world, Bruce Wayne faces just as much pressure in his support of Dent and the revelation that his father was involved in much of Gotham's corrupt past and the institutionalization of Cobblepot's mother.

Episode 3 is very much like episode 2. More of Bruce's life crumbles around him, and you spend the bulk of it doing damage control. It's split fairly evenly between Bruce Wayne segments and Batman segments. There's a really thought-provoking segment that questions what Batman can do for the everyman. I love seeing that sort of questioning of the role of superheroes in the real world.

However, as we get deeper into the game, I'm starting to notice some of the seams in the story. The decision between Dent and Catwoman near the end of episode 2 seems to be one of those illusory choices that come with offering two obviously different choices that lead to the same outcome. I chose Catwoman over Dent, but given the way episode 3 plays out, it would have to be a radically different structure if I had chosen Dent instead. This is not a complaint per se, but something we live with in Telltale games.

While I continue to enjoy the game and look forward to the next episode, they still haven't ironed out the performance problems. There's one scene in particular that got real choppy. It still doesn't make sense.

In classic Telltale style, episode 3 ends with another significant cliffhanger and teases an episode that I'm very much looking forward to. Despite the technical problems, Batman - The Telltale Series Episode 3 is great and it would take a really particularly bad episode to spoil the whole series at this point. 

The Math

Baseline Assessment: 7/10

Bonuses: +1 asks tough questions of what Batman does for average citizens

Penalties: -1 some weird frame rate hiccups (continuing)

Nerd Coefficient: 7/10 (an enjoyable experience, but not without its flaws)

***

POSTED BY: brian, sci-fi/fantasy/video game dork and contributor since 2014

Reference: Telltale Games. Batman - The Telltale Series Episode 3: New World Order [Telltale Games, 2016]