Marineman, Box Summary, Free Solo

Manhattan Projects started Image box 2.  Box 1 recap:

Box Summary:

Time Spent Reading: 22 hours, 5 minutes

Issues Read: 174

Issues Cut: 20

Highlights (Good or better): Civil War II 0-8, Batman: White Knight

Project Summary:

Time Spent Reading: 12 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes

Issues Read: 2391

Issues Cut: 303

Free Solo

This documentary made me feel things I have never felt before.  Watching Alex Honnold climb the 3000-foot El Capitan in Yosemite with no ropes produced actual physical reactions in my body.  My hands were tingling the entire time in sympathetic tension as his chalk-stained fingers clung to barely imperceptible cracks in the rock face.  The camera shots took my breath away as I got a sense of just how far off the ground he was climbing and just how vertical the walls were.

“Insanity” isn’t the right word to explain what compels Honnold to do this.  But free soloing is so far away from the spectrum of what I’d be willing to do with my life that it just about feels like it.  In the movie, he says something to the effect of, “Being happy and cozy never resulted in anything good happening.” Which, first of all, is an interesting take on his girlfriend’s POV, and also makes me wonder how they are possibly compatible as a couple.  And secondly, makes me glad that there are people like him in this world so that I can watch truly amazing feats of accomplishment from my cozy seat in the theatre.

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: Yes

Would buy on DVD: No

Rating: Good

Marineman 1-6

A totally unexpected offering from Ian Churchill.  I’m used to him looking like this:

All very modern with a ton of detail.  And now he gives us this:

Nothing but simple, bold curves and no cross hatching.  It’s very Ed McGuinness:

It a simplicity that mirrors the all-ages nature of the title.  Which isn’t a bad thing at all - This is a fun comic with a by-the-numbers story that manages to work despite its roteness.  The earnestness of its execution gives it a charm that I positively responded to. Examples:

It's got a shark punch!

Very impressive entrance.  And on the USS Obama, no less.

Marineman doing his best Captain America impression.

A wonderful palette cleanser from the usual stuff that I read.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good