brick by brick
this scene is wrapping pretty soon, and it’s been a marathon of a blood bath. but seeing as how there’s been alot of set up so far, so it’s nice to see a little payoff with plot development. funny thing is, since characters now have arcs, and their personalities are cementing, they’re starting to fight me a little with the plot as i saw it. but it’s coming together, and everything is feeling tighter as i go on. but, in another year i’ll be acting like i just finally figured it out then, so, who knows.
but, time to give virgil a little break. he’s had a rough go of it, time to pick on someone else a little.
speaking of bullying, here’s a movie very much worth your time. it’s…..
say someone floats a premise at you like ‘noirish detective story in high school’, best you can probably hope for is a veronica mars, which was a guilty pleasure of mine, but mostly cause i like seeing meathead jocks tasered. i digress.
Brick came and went before i was aware of it, and i think that lack of fanfare was reflected at the box office. nevertheless, it’s a fun detective story that had all the elements. the actors were relatively all age appropriate to play teens, and yet their performances didn’t feel like the forced, hammy over acting of westside story i remember seeing when i was in school. i didn’t act. i painted some of the set. like a big donut… for some reason. man, i can not keep on track tonight!
Joseph Gordon-Levitt looped back in time to play Brenden, an awkward loner cut off by friends, and dragged into something by an old flame. that old chestnut. but there’s alot going on. old noir slang, which i’m a sucker for, and a pace and a feel that really sticks with you.
i was surprised how much i liked it, and maybe that was in part, due to the lack of hype. so i’ll simmer down a little and not build it up to much for you. but i think i know why i keep going off topic, and that’s part of what i really liked about Brick. it reminds you of being in high school. it has the cliques, the drama kids, the jocks, the rich kids, and the hero is a loner. that resonates with alot of people, cause whatever you think you were, you probably felt like the loner at least a bit. with any luck, you weren’t involved in heroin slinging gangs though. but maybe… no judgements.
Just a “me too” here for all the praise on this page. This is such a unique work of art. When I try to think of something to compare it to, what comes to mind are things like Protege ( http://protegecomic.com/2011/08/28/pursuing/ ) or particular issues/episodes of Sandman or some of Gaiman’s darker one-offs. Maybe the Blade Runner movie. But the similarities are in things like “general feel”, quality/mastery of genre, or the depth of the world that is created so seamlessly that you don’t even notice your mind constructing it in the background.
But the work as a whole is one-of-a-kind.
i haven’t seen that comic before, but given your flattering comparisons, i’m in good company. thanks for the props! i’m glad you’re enjoying it, though now i have expectations to live up to! gaiman and blade runner…. the bar is pretty high, for quality AND originality.
Jason, this is the most exciting thing I have found online for a while. Keep up the good work. Remember; the unique graphics brings ’em in, your tight writing is what keeps people coming back!
wow, thanks so much for saying so. makes it worthwhile to know that i’ve struck a chord with so man people.
I’m very glad to hear that! Nothing I hate worse than getting really into something and having it go away.
You know you have well-written characters when they start fighting for control of the story. Good characters are probably the cause of most unfinished stories. Don’t let them win!
i think part of it is knowing when to listen to what a character would want. decisions would feel more reasonable then. but i have no intention of abandoning the story!