More 300 views
You know something’s become a cultural phenomenon when it’s used as a springboard for humor pieces, on the assumption that viewers and readers will "get it" because the source material has become firmly embedded in our collective consciousness. So it was with great amusement that I read Dr. PZ Myers’ take on 300 wherein he reveals that the movie is really about "a retelling of the creation-evolution struggle!" Next up, his similar interpretation of Grindhouse!
On a more serious note is artist Chris Weston’s I Hate 300 analysis, in which he pulls no punches in finding the movie "the most racist, homophobic and conservative film that I’ve ever had the misfortune to endure." Weston later confesses that it took him about a week to get over the experience, so for good or ill the movie seems to be making quite an impact.
Any movie that pisses off the head of Iran can’t be all bad.
OK, we meet the evil Gur Khan, the Mexican Wrestler who has come to lead a group of bandits in the Himalayas. Now, I'm confused. Didn't Li hold up the medallion and shout, "Master, I have it! It's finally ours," on page 5? If Gur Khan was there at the attack, wouldn't he have immediately seen that Li had only recovered half the medallion and continued to search the bodies? OK, it was too cold and the wind was blowing too hard for Gur Khan to notice the half medallion at the scene of the massacre. He had to wait until they were back in the bandit's nice warm cave to strip down to his furry boxers and inspect the coin. Li was pretty good with a sword on page 5, but he just cowers and let's his head get lopped off by Gur Khan on page 11. If this was some kind of ritual, subservient, "I offer you my life," kind of gesture on the part of Li, why do his brother bandits seem so shocked? And Gur Khan's idea of motivating his men, "Find me the rest of the medallion or you will all suffer the same fate," well that's the kind of motivational speech that will get your roast yak flavored with rat poison or get you tucked in at night with with a dagger between your ribs. Didn't Li have any friends? Poor Li.Li's beheading was very graphic, especially his blood-gushing head rolling to the front of the panel. What vantage point is that from? The gore-reveling spider-cam? I did think the splash of blood across Gur Khan's mask was a nice touch, he's marked as a bloody tyrant. I missed that touch on the next page.So there are two halves of the medallion. Ta Moa was carrying both? One is lost to the bandits and Gur Khan is patiently desperate for the other half. The monks don't seem too worried about losing or getting back the first part. They are only worried that Gur Khan will get the second. Why not just destroy the other half?There were also two baskets that got tossed down the mountain, but we only know what happened to one. Hmm. Maybe the other baby is being raised by wolves.You've established some characters, some conflict and there still are some mysterious unanswered questions. Things are picking up. The narration seemed less intrusive too. I grasp for the next chapter that I have looked forward to continue.
I am greatly enjoying White Viper and will look forward to reading it each week. I, for one, have enjoyed not having the whole strip spelled out to me in the first few pages. There should be mystery, creativity, and we should have numerous questions each week concerning what is important and in what direction the strip is going. That is what will continue to intrigue us, keep us on our toes, and make us coming back for more. Of course the art work is fantastic and also will draw us back to the strip week after week. Thanks to the whole team. I love it!