Soap opera prime time used to be between 10 am and 2 pm, Monday through Friday. My grandma loved her stories, and she watched hem religiously. Over the summer, during a 2 or 3-week window when we weren't forced to go to camp in Wisconsin, the grandkids ended up at Granny's house. We all knew that when Granny's stories were on, no bullshit would be tolerated. She told us this daily. We had a routine: granny made breakfast and left a tray of sandwiches on the counter. If we were lucky, she'd leave a dollar so we could visit the corner store. Granny let me join her on the couch because I was quiet and apparently appreciated her soaps as much as she did. All My Childen can on first, followed by As the Wolrd Turns. I usually left before General Hospital because it came on at 2. As granny watched, she would huff and puff and curse at the floor model TV screen. After the last soap, she would go to the kitchen, get on her wall phone and "discuss" the day's episode with her friends. Granny would say things like " can you believe what the m@#$%$# B@#@! did?" and " Ima lose my religion if Erica ( Erica Kane from All My Children) marry that dumb piece of S@#$!" Anyway, you get the picture. Soaps were high drama, and the inevitable cliffhanger always worked my Granny into a lather.
The heyday of soaps has longs passed-- I'm not sure they even come on anymore. But. no worries because serialized drama and angst seem present in everyday life without the manufactured world of stories. As the Worl Burns is a graphic novel that plays on the soap-opera ish world practices related to conservation and the environment. It's a tongue in cheek satirical look at the sad state of affairs of the government's environmental protection policies. Derrick Jensen, the writer, gives reader pointers on how to continue remaining in denial, and in doing so, how to effectively kill the plant and make it unsuitable for life forevermore. The book is an enjoyable read with pop culture references and Sally Field references galore " you do like my list. Oh you do, you do." ( Jensen pp 23) The writes dedicated the novel to their mothers, so I wonder if the two little piggy tailed girls are representations of their mothers as young women. There are suggestions, ideas, and solutions for would-be conservationists.
The novel jumps around a bit: first, the two young ladies discuss conservation methods. Then a Jesus like figure appears and speaks with a bird, frog and bathes in a stream Then the space aliens show up, bound for earth on a space ship. Later we see government officials discussing "sustainable methods" for getting richer. One of the funniest passages deals with the president being told aliens have arrived; he asks if they're from Mexico. Later, the novel takes a darker turn when vivisection is discussed. The would-be therapist says "I don't see any vivisection" while surrounded by horrific images. The take away is that if we don't see something, then that something doesn't exist.
As the novel progresses, heroines and allies emerge. People, plants, and animals take up arms and destroy the alien threat. The novel ends with a campy drawing of the two young girls, the christ-like man and a ton of animals.
As the Word Burns asks uncomfortable questions hidden within the guise of comics. In Understanding Comics, McCloud likens this to "words and pictures like partners in a dance," where "each on takes turns leading" ( McCloud 156) As the Wolrd Burns gives readers something substantial to chew on by "delivering a message" ( McCloud pp 179) about who we are, where we're going, and how we're going to get to the place where conservation concerns are taken seriously.
If Granny read As the World Burns, she would instantly look for a comparison between the As the World Turns and the novel. Shed find it alright: a cute, naked guy, an angsty discussion between friends, talking trees, Bunista a terrorist bunny, a spaceship full of aliens from space (not Mexico) and a golly -gee -whittaker- i - cant- believe- the- world - is- endin'- President. ( that's a too close for comfort comparison, by the way) . She'd probably look at me and say " What in the world was that bulls#@!?" I'm not sure myself Granny, but the novel answers the question of what's next in a wordless, not quite utopian image with flying birds, rolling seas and weapons-- and there's your cliffhanger. We're all going to have to wait until the next episode in the continuing, unfolding saga of the environment.
Jensen, D. As The World Burns Seven Stories Press, 2007
McCloud, S. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art Harper, 1993
The heyday of soaps has longs passed-- I'm not sure they even come on anymore. But. no worries because serialized drama and angst seem present in everyday life without the manufactured world of stories. As the Worl Burns is a graphic novel that plays on the soap-opera ish world practices related to conservation and the environment. It's a tongue in cheek satirical look at the sad state of affairs of the government's environmental protection policies. Derrick Jensen, the writer, gives reader pointers on how to continue remaining in denial, and in doing so, how to effectively kill the plant and make it unsuitable for life forevermore. The book is an enjoyable read with pop culture references and Sally Field references galore " you do like my list. Oh you do, you do." ( Jensen pp 23) The writes dedicated the novel to their mothers, so I wonder if the two little piggy tailed girls are representations of their mothers as young women. There are suggestions, ideas, and solutions for would-be conservationists.
The novel jumps around a bit: first, the two young ladies discuss conservation methods. Then a Jesus like figure appears and speaks with a bird, frog and bathes in a stream Then the space aliens show up, bound for earth on a space ship. Later we see government officials discussing "sustainable methods" for getting richer. One of the funniest passages deals with the president being told aliens have arrived; he asks if they're from Mexico. Later, the novel takes a darker turn when vivisection is discussed. The would-be therapist says "I don't see any vivisection" while surrounded by horrific images. The take away is that if we don't see something, then that something doesn't exist.
As the novel progresses, heroines and allies emerge. People, plants, and animals take up arms and destroy the alien threat. The novel ends with a campy drawing of the two young girls, the christ-like man and a ton of animals.
As the Word Burns asks uncomfortable questions hidden within the guise of comics. In Understanding Comics, McCloud likens this to "words and pictures like partners in a dance," where "each on takes turns leading" ( McCloud 156) As the Wolrd Burns gives readers something substantial to chew on by "delivering a message" ( McCloud pp 179) about who we are, where we're going, and how we're going to get to the place where conservation concerns are taken seriously.
If Granny read As the World Burns, she would instantly look for a comparison between the As the World Turns and the novel. Shed find it alright: a cute, naked guy, an angsty discussion between friends, talking trees, Bunista a terrorist bunny, a spaceship full of aliens from space (not Mexico) and a golly -gee -whittaker- i - cant- believe- the- world - is- endin'- President. ( that's a too close for comfort comparison, by the way) . She'd probably look at me and say " What in the world was that bulls#@!?" I'm not sure myself Granny, but the novel answers the question of what's next in a wordless, not quite utopian image with flying birds, rolling seas and weapons-- and there's your cliffhanger. We're all going to have to wait until the next episode in the continuing, unfolding saga of the environment.
Jensen, D. As The World Burns Seven Stories Press, 2007
McCloud, S. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art Harper, 1993
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