Sunday, October 31, 2004

1602 marshmallows

Omnia mutantut, nos et mutamur in illis

Everything changes and we change with it. These are words from Neil Gaiman's and Andy Kubert's comic, 1602.
What happens when our beloved Marvel heroes, such as Spiderman, Daredevil, Captain America, Hulk, the X-Men, Nick Fury, Dr. Strange, and the FF instead of originating in 20th century America, existed in a 17th century England?
Gaiman change our vision of Marvel Universe in these absolutely ingenious comic series. An accurate historical setting of Queen Elizabeth's reign combined with the appearance of men and women with superhuman powers and the mystery surrounding a strange weather that
could lead to the end of the world, makes this comic and absolute bliss to read.

1602 is filled with fantasy, intrigue, mystery and action. But things do not end here. Gaiman also finds the time to explore religion and how it can misguide and repress people; he questions how much should someone compromise their principles in order to adapt to a new world? ; Is it ok to make a deal with evil in order to achieve a greater good? What happened with the America that started out as a place of democracy, where anyone, no matter how different could live safe. In
peace?
For me, one of the greatest characters of all time is Charles Xavier ( or as Gaiman would write "Carlos Javier"). He's a man with vision. With a dream. He has the power to conquer, to destroy, but he uses it to defend, to build. Xavier might be part of a comic book, and his dreams
involve mutants. But the truth is that his message goes beyond that. We are talking about real world now, kids. About tolerance. About respect. About finding a New World, an America (an by that I don't intend it to be a continent or a specific place) where we can begin to act as civilized people and stop killing each other. Stop killing with actions. With words. With hate.

So, sue me. I got into this annoying idealistic mood. And yes, I loved every bit of 1602. You can just love it by the look of it, by the art, the beautiful dance of colors and images. Or the story might take you to a parallel universe where superheros inhabited earth. Or you might
combine all of this and besides having a great time living a great adventure, you can also meditate about what everyone's country should be. And when you start thinking that the world is just as it is and that you cannot do anything about it, just remember what our smart Dr.
Arroway said in the movie Contact:

The world is what we make of it.

Everything did change. We didn't had another Sandman, (and as Gaiman points out that's good because he didn't intended it to be) Instead we have a great, intelligent vision of the Marvel Universe and of our own world. Thank you Neil. Now go on sinners, go on and meditate what I've said as you eat all the candies you got from Halloween. Bon appetit!