ASH: ASH #67 - "Monstrous" (Manifest Destiny Part 3)

[Dave Van Domelen]

In article <1144383792.557971.276170 at t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
Tom Russell <milos_parker at yahoo.com> wrote:
>Sometimes, when I've read a story on RACC, it provokes thought in my
>own life.  And the latest issue of Dave Van Domelen's ACADEMY OF
>SUPER-HEROES (# 67), did just that.  Upon finishing it, my first
>thought was, when are all these giant monsters going to kick the shit
>out of each other?  Deep questions like that.

     Patience, grasshopper.  The super giant monster throwdowns generally
don't happen until later in the movie, leaving aside the beatdowns delivered
unto squibs (i.e. Bronzewing eating the sea serpent).

>And so, the question that this particular installment of ASH created in
>my brain, just as vital and deep as the mystery of when the monster
>shit-kicking would commence, is this: what is love?

     And what is love among giant monsters?  Does the earth truly move?

>The opposite of love is not hate but laziness, apathy, stasis: nouns
>the lot of them.  Love is kissing, hugging, cooking, cleaning, dancing,
>talking, laughing, singing, drinking, eating, -ing, -ing, -ing!: all
>verbs, all glorious, all love.

     Strictly speaking, those are all nouns as well.  The -ing ending makes
the verb into a class of noun called a gerund.  :)

>I'd like to think Dave for writing ASH # 67-- and all the wonderful ASH
>stories-- for giving me something to respond to here. 

     You're welcome.

> I don't know
>what Dave's own thoughts are on love, and I don't presume that they
>match Scott's; after all, looking at the poignant moment he gives Julie
>at the end of that scene--
>
>>     Without any more words, Scott gathered a few things in his carry-on bag,
>>threw on his trenchcoat against the winter rain that was now starting to
>>tickticktick on the windows, and left.
>>     "What did I do wrong?" Julie asked the silent walls.
>
>-- one could argue that Dvandom is on Julie's side.

     In the sense that the scene was in part inspired by how my first love
dumped me, yes.  I got the "I love you, but I'm not IN love with you" speech
from my as-of-that-moment-ex girlfriend, way back when (18 years, 10 days
ago...sheesh, it's almost the midpoint of my life-to-date now).

> I don't think Dave's
>necessarily on either side, but rather equally critical (and loving) of
>all his characters.

     In this case, yeah.  I'm not setting out to make either party look like
monsters, even as I parallel them WITH monsters.

>
>Except maybe the Leviathan.

     Awww, giant sea serpents need love too.  Not that it bears TOO much
contemplation.  

     ASH has a lot of relationship stuff in it.  Some couples stick together,
some don't, and some pairings don't even really get off the ground despite
readers hoping they will.  Political intrigue, science fiction, romance and
giant monsters...what more can you ask for?  :)

     Dave Van Domelen, would ask for some romance of his OWN, mind you....