The Shakespearean Marvel

When it comes to Bob Chipman, I find myself of two mindsets. The first is the “bad hot-takes” Bob Chipman, riddled with racism and ableism disguised in progressive rhetoric. I see that frequently in his Tweets, hence why I don’t Follow him on Twitter. The other’s the “insightful analyst” Bob Chipman, which has only grown stronger with time. Both of these come into conflict regularly, leaving me with mixed feelings.

As uncomfortable as Bob can be, and I’ve criticized him before, I find his insights into general culture are pretty spot-on. Case in point: last week he put out an episode of The Big Picture that touched on a particular moment in The Avengers: Endgame, Captain America wielding Mjolnir for the first time, and the reaction it received at a live-screening of the film. It seems so weird that such a trivial detail would warrant that reaction, but he argued that it was inevitable. To paraphrase, Marvel movies are the modern-day equivalent of Greek theatre/Shakespearean theatre on the big-screen. Fancy that.

Bob made his case, and succeeded, but it got me thinking about how true that was. I’ve heard plenty of comparisons about The MCU on both sides of the fence, but never one to Shakespeare. I’ve heard “action serials”, “popcorn fluff” and, in the worst-case scenario, “brainless, trashy garbage” uttered in the same breath as them, but Shakespeare? Well…yes. I think that’s apt.

Let me explain.

William Shakespeare is held in high-regard now by academia, sometimes for the wrong reasons, but he wasn’t always considered “high art”; in fact, to paraphrase Bob again, in Shakespeare’s day you’d be hard-pressed to make that case. He was commoner’s trash! Schmaltzy slop for the everyday man! A maestro of bodily sounds, sexual depravity, and other traits that, by today’s standards, would be pretty juvenile! Sure, he wrote his plays with royalty in mind, one of his works centred around an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth I, but he was pretty “lowest common denominator” when compared to his peers. Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe, was more-sophisticated than anything Shakespeare wrote!

Even as a Shakespeare fan, I take issue with many facets of his work: Hamlet has too many existential quandaries. King Lear has a famous scene that’s uncharacteristic of his prose. The Two Gentlemen of Verona’s a lot of build-up to an awful pay-off, hence why I don’t like it. Coriolanus has his hardest protagonist to care about, as he’s not even likeable in an unlikeable way, and it ends on an anticlimactic note. And while I understand its appeal with younger audiences, I think Romeo and Juliet’s over-exposed.

But you know what? It doesn’t matter. Enough people resonate with Shakespeare that, even if not everything he’s written lands with me, I can overlook his shortcomings and appreciate the spectacle. Because it’s definitely spectacle. You don’t study Shakespeare, you experience him. His plays aren’t meant to be read, though reading them is definitely worthwhile, they’re meant to be seen. Whether on-stage or the big-screen, Shakespeare’s best-enjoyed in the presence of an audience.

And give him credit: centuries later, Shakespeare’s stood the test of time! Whereas works like Doctor Faustus are niche now, Shakespeare’s graduated to high-art (for some reason). He’s also become the basis for many great adaptations, including West Side Story. He’s endured, for better or worse.

All the more reason why Marvel films, which take inspiration from Greek and Shakespearean theatre, have such a lasting influence on the culture of our times. They’re, quite literally, the Hamlets or Julius Caesars of today. They also share many of the shortcomings of Shakespeare’s work, a complete lack of subtlety the big one. And while there are far better movies in the comic superhero format, at the same time you’ll never top the euphoria of seeing Captain America wield Thor’s hammer for the first time, or the crushing low of Tony Stark’s death, without the history that The MCU was building up to for 11 years.

So yes, I think that Bob was spot-on here. I also agree that, 50 years from now, The MCU could potentially acquire the “elitist” status that Shakespeare has in the centuries since his passing, even if the intricacies of canon get lost to time. But if that’s not convincing enough, think about it this way: you watch Stanley Kubrick, since he’s so brilliant, but you live Steven Spielberg, since he’s so populist in nature. Kubrick might technically be the better filmmaker, but Spielberg’s the more-accessible one. And if the two could still be friends and respect one another’s craft, then I think that says it all.

Look, I don’t always agree with Bob Chipman. I don’t always like Bob Chipman, either! He can be grating, insensitive and ableist, and sometimes all at once. But the fact that he can also nail down the cultural zeitgeist of a particular subject speaks volumes. He doesn’t always get it, but when he does? *Chef’s kiss*

Ultimately, you have a choice: you can recognize that Bob Chipman’s a troubling figure with occasional bouts of wisdom, or you can look at his Tweets and not care because he’s ableist. Or you can take the ableist route yourself and fat-shame him, which many people do. It’s up to you.

IRDulogy

On April 17th, 2018, 2 years ago today, Infinite Rainy Day, the Blogger site that I couldn’t shut up about, closed down. Its closing entry, about a niche video game, was its last. Speaking personally, this was a sad moment. I’ve always been fascinated with writing, but this time was different. This hit hard. If anything, it was because I was also its most-frequent contributor.

What was Infinite Rainy Day, or IRD? It was an anime discussion/reviewing blog, one of many. But what set it apart was that it had purpose. The site, initially consisting of 7 staff, was a hub for material you’d “save for a rainy day”. It was content for when it was raining and you were stuck indoors. That was the appeal of its name, banner, layout and various podcasts.

IRD was my first serious writing position, even receiving a small sum for my posts. Before IRD, I struggled to make myself known online. I had a profile on ScrewAttack, where I was busy posting content, but my reach was limited. I didn’t have much of a following, and I wasn’t getting paid. I knew my IRD boss in passing, but we didn’t even have a working relationship. So when he petitioned for writers, I took a gamble and offered my services. IRD then officially launched on June 27th, 2014 with two pieces ready to go, both from other writers.

My first piece, the first in an incomplete retrospective on Digimon: Digital Monsters, released on July 2nd, 2014. My retrospective, all 4 entries, remains an anomaly. It was the most-similar to my ScrewAttack content, containing censored profanity, disjointed thoughts and long-winded summaries. That retrospective pushed me to my limits, exhausting me enough to abandon it after finishing my second entry on Digimon Tamers in the early-Fall.

It wasn’t until my next piece that I really got into a groove with my writing. In fairness, I’d had my worst Summer in recent memory: my dad had a massive heart attack that June, and the stress of whether or not he’d recover was weighing me down. Additionally, Israel was at war, which was also tiring. Even after leaving for Birthright, a trip I was initially hesitant to attend, having a routine wasn’t really on my mind. If anything, it was a low priority.

The situation improved by early-2015. It was in 2015 that I was promoted to assistant editor, which gave me keys to site editing and statistics. It was the year IRD kicked off, drawing some of its most-ardent fans and highest views. It was also when the writing staff was at their most-ambitious, churning out podcasts and blog entries galore. Life was good.

In 2016, to help keep up with demand, my boss added 5 new writers for Seasonal Reviews. At times, they even contributed to regular content. But I was insistent on constantly writing new pieces, so I did. And fans took notice, with yet another Views boom come Summer. If 2015 was when IRD got going, then 2016 was when the site peaked in quality. There was even enough momentum to revamp the site to its current model.

Unfortunately, such wasn’t to last. As personal stresses began taking their toll, my boss reduced the workload. 3 times a week was a lot, after all, so why not 2? That was more manageable. It even allowed the staff to pace themselves and work longer on their pieces. It was a fair compromise, but I still churned out content regularly.

Sadly, the stresses of life were becoming hectic. Staff began asking for time to focus on other projects, and by late-2017 the cracks were showing. As our site Discord server indicated, it was clear this wouldn’t last. Finally, in early-2018, my boss broke the news: IRD was closing up shop. The site would remain active for people to peruse, but it wouldn’t be around for much longer. I managed to shove in my last piece on April 10th, 2018, a week before the final post.

So what happened? Simple: we were too ambitious for our own good. Ignoring personal issues, which we all had, the site became a side-job most of us lacked the time for. If you look at the trajectory of posts, by late-2017 only 4 of us were regularly posting. By early-2018, that number dropped to 3. Of them, most were from me, as I had the most free-time. But even then, it was causing strain to keep up with content while writing for The Whitly-Verse, which sprung up to fill a need that IRD couldn’t.

In other words, IRD wasn’t practical anymore. Still, I wasn’t too upset. Writing for the site provided me with a source of spending money, as well as a chance to flex my creativity for a larger audience. IRD was also a stepping stone in the evolution of my style, one I initially had to modify to meet its limitations. I thrived there, and I’m grateful for the experience.

I sometimes wonder what’d have happened if IRD continued: would I have continued on with it? Would I be posting as frequently in The Whitly-Verse? Would I have worked up the courage to apply for my short-lived stint on Nintendo Enthusiast? But I guess there’s no point pondering any of that. For now, I can only look back at what was, and what was felt like a writing dream.

So here’s to IRD and its 447 posts, 149 of them from me (I’ve counted)! Here’s to its successes and failures, and to the lessons it taught me! Let’s pour one out for this bad boy, shall we?

My COVIDtine Routine

COVIDtine’s been tough on everyone. I think that’s safe to say without much repercussion. Between staying indoors, eating in because I don’t know who’s touched what, or having little to do, it’s easy to be more bored now than when my alma mater went on strike in 2008. At least then I could routinely go to restaurants and my then-local Blockbuster, something I can’t do now. But I digress.

I figured I’d share some stuff I’ve been doing, or attempting to do, to keep occupied. Considering that this’ll probably go on for a while, and possibly start up again in the Fall, I’ve gotta stay busy!

Building/streaming Super Mario Maker 2 levels.

I’ve covered this in a previous post, but one of the ways I’ve kept busy, mostly during the beginning of COVIDtine, is by designing Super Mario Maker 2 levels on my Switch. I’d also test them out and share them on Twitch. It sounds mundane and repetitive, but it’s amazing how rewarding the whole experience is. I get to create, and I get to share. Simple as that!

But how does someone with no architectural degree manage to make complex designs? After all, I currently have 25 levels in my queue. Well, the game lays out everything in advance. All the tiles and templates are pre-programmed. You simply put them together and test them out, like a LEGO set. It’s all about trial-and-error.

Once finished, I upload the levels and share their 9-digit codes on Twitch. It takes a while before the levels are played, sometimes hours, but the anticipation gives me enough of an adrenaline rush to stay way up well into the AM. That’s not the healthiest for my internal body clock, and I see that when I wake up super-late the following morning, but I can’t help it! It’s addictive to make and share levels, which is why I’ve decided to focus on other endeavours. Endeavours like…

Writing online.

Arguably much healthier, writing is my go-to in times of stress. Whether it’s Tweeting to my Followers, or producing content for this blog, it’s allowed an outlet that I wouldn’t have been engrossed in otherwise. I have an overactive mind, one with lots of ideas, so writing’s therapeutic. I’m doing it right now! And you’re all reading it!

As for topics? They vary from mundane, which is what this is, to more general, which is what I usually discuss. Being tied down to nothing, I can tackle whatever I want on The Whitly-Verse. If I wish to discuss a movie and politics back-to-back, I can. And sometimes in the same piece. The sky’s the limit!

It helps that, knowing more about writing than when The Whitly-Verse first started, I can manipulate the algorithm so that obscure topics get more coverage than mainstream ones. This is the site where my second most-popular piece is on The Omer, which is starting again shortly. You can call that cheating, but I call it being practical. And who knows? I have plenty of ideas up my sleeve with my newfound free time, like…

Coursera.

I’ve mentioned it a few times on Twitter, but I guess it’s official: I’ve gone back to school. I’ve enrolled in a free course through The University of Michigan on novel writing. It was suggested by a family-friend when the teaching gig for Chinese students I was recommended fell through, and while initially hesitant, I’m enjoying writing my own, original fiction again. It’s something I haven’t done in years, and I’ve gotten rusty. Thankfully, I now have that venue.

What makes Coursera interesting is how self-guided it is. There’s no official deadline for any assignments, you simply have to make sure to finish them. Part of that involves giving feedback to the other classmates, too. Not only am I getting to reboot my YA science fiction story from years back, I’m also sharpening my critical thinking skills. Everyone wins!

As a final note, I’m loving my course professor. Not only is his voice soothing, but his instructions for every lecture are easy to comprehend. He’s given lots of freedom to his students, and it shows. He trusts us to be respectful and kind, even when being critical, which I like. He’s even allowed us to copyright our own work! And I discuss my progress with family, which leads to…

Family time.

One of the benefits, if you can call it that, of being in COVIDtine is that I’m spending more time with immediate family, both at home and online. It’s not like I didn’t spend time with them before, I live at home, but, save for Shabbat, they’d usually go about their lives. They’d either work, have meetings, or both. And I’m often out of the house to watch movies at the theatre. Even at dinnertime, when everyone’s together, I talk to my family for a half-hour at best, assuming we all eat simultaneously.

COVIDtine’s changed that. My dad and brother are still working, but they’re doing it from home. This means I get to see them more frequently, which allows me to talk to them more frequently too. It’s a luxury I’m being spoiled with. And I might start feeling overwhelmed.

There are lots of ways family time manifests: we rearranged the basement so that it’s neat and tidy, which was hard. I’ve gone on long walks with my brother on Shabbat. I’ve talked to my other brother over FaceTime, even conversing with my niece and nephew. I’ve also had a few Zoom chats with the extended family. And speaking of Zoom…

Zoom support networks.

Prior to COVIDtine, I had no idea what Zoom was. Since COVIDtine, I’ve not only downloaded it on my phone and computer, but I’ve used it as a way to connect with friends and co-workers. It’s great! Given that Zoom can host many people, it allows me to talk to them all at once. It’s a lifesaver for my sanity.

There’ve been several ways Zoom has helped me stay level-headed. For one, my courier job has “Tea Time”, where of all my co-workers congregate, twice a week. Two, my synagogue has pre-Shabbat and post-Shabbat ceremonies on Fridays and Saturdays. And three, I’ve attended various programs. All of these have helped.

Above all else, Zoom keeps everything in perspective. COVIDtine is tiring. It’s also incredibly stressful. Given how it’s been playing out, it might not let up for a while. Having Zoom, which has been my social interaction, as a regular part of my schedule, even if only for a few minutes at once, is amazing. (You can even download it here. The basic service doesn’t cost anything.)

And there you go: my COVIDtine outlets. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time!