Monday, June 30, 2003

Found Long Story; Short Pier today, and what a nice find, in particular this post which tackles the issue of 'Why you don't read comics'. That particular post includes a long essay that was published first five years ago, but which is a really fascinating read nonetheless, if you're into comics.

I love comics. Quite often when I say that, people look at me all askew as if to say 'But I thought you were intelligent?', and then I'm forced to come back with the response 'No, don't think of them as comics, think of them as literature with pictures' at which point whomever it is that I'm talking to will look at me with that 'Oh… Right…' look and I will realise that I've just slipped several miles in their estimations and will be forced to bring up the subject of the search for the Higgs Boson in order to prove that I do have two brain cells to rub together after all.

Unfortunately I've never had the resources to pursue my love of comics as much as I would have liked (an old tale, but true), but personally I don't think you can beat Sandman or Hellblazer in terms of just amazing story telling and fantastic artwork. There are issues of Hellblazer that I find it hard to read, because I just get too emotional. I suppose it's no coincidence that I have also had slight crushes on both Morpheus and Johnny Constantine (the two lead characters from Sandman and Hellblazer), but I believe that just goes to prove how beautifully characterised they are, how real, how fully fleshed out.

It's been a while, though, since I've had the money to go and buy comics. I never was good at the whole monthly thing – I have a crap memory for things like that – so have always tended to go, after the fact, for the graphic novel collections instead. Besides, their just nicer things to hold in your hands. However, that is going to change just as soon as Neil Gaiman's 1602 comes out. For once, I'll put the effort in to actually locate each issue as it comes out, or I'll take a sub out. Either way, I'm looking forward (hopefully in August) to getting my mitts on the first brand spanking new comic I'll have bought in years.

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Omg, what a match! That was quite astounding. Nail biting, edge of your seat, screaming at the tv fantastic tennis. I feel really quite elated that Tim has got through, after what was a real tough match.

Tim took the first set pretty easily – Nalbandian really didn’t get into his stride at all in the first set. Second set didn’t go quite Tim’s way, and the third. Well, that was like putting the Pamplona Bull Run through the Wedgwood factory – just breakages everywhere. Tim broke Nalbandian six times, but Nalbandian kept breaking back and Tim had to fight to take that set.

Tim kept his intensity fairly high, but his first serve percentage took a dive and aces were few and far between. That said Nalbandian doesn’t have a strong serve either, and Tim took advantage of that. At times Tim seemed to lose focus a little, but just when things looked a bit iffy, he found that extra energy to put one past Nalbandian.

In the end, the score was 6-2 6-7 7-5 6-3, with the crowd and, I suspect, most of the UK screaming in jubilation.

I have to admit, actually, I couldn’t sit down through most of this match. It was such a nail-biter, so intense. I was trying to cook dinner at the same time (which is bloody difficult! I’m surprised it didn’t burn!), so I was on my feet all the time. I never, ever vocalise at the TV, but I just couldn’t help myself – my neighbours must have wondered what the hell was going on, there were so many yells of ?Yes! Yes! Come on! Come on Tim!! Yes! Ooooh? Focus! Just focus! Come on – an ace! An ace’d be really good now!?.

Fflwff was looking at me, really quite concerned at this uncharacteristic outburst.

In other Wimbledon news, Agassi’s out, and so’s Srichaphan. Tim’s next opponent will be either Grosjean or Ferrero – they didn’t get to finish their match, so will have to play tomorrow. That’s good for Tim – he’ll have a day off, his next opponent won’t. At the moment Ferrero’s leading, but that could all change.

Roll on Wednesday.

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