Comments on: 31 Days of Seven Soldiers, Day 6 – Klarion #1 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/ Comic Book Resources Presents... Comics Should Be Good! Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:44:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jim Harbor http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/comment-page-1/#comment-864491 Jim Harbor Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:26:43 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/#comment-864491 I'd note that Judah isnt actually a bad guy, just a well-intentioned extremist who want to protect Limbo-town. I’d note that Judah isnt actually a bad guy, just a well-intentioned extremist who want to protect Limbo-town.

]]> By: Lynxara http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/comment-page-1/#comment-37212 Lynxara Mon, 08 Jan 2007 07:32:20 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/#comment-37212 Checking in again! This issue was unbearably rad. I really didn't find Klarion a snot at all, but I'm still close enough to my teenage years to remember that feeling of pure, unfocused rebellion and small-town repression. Klarion may rebel unpleasantly, even snarkily, but his wickedness is in a way delicious to experience vicariously. Toward the end, when he becomes the one person in Limbo Town who can discover the truth and face it, it really comes off as a triumph. He's a little bastard, mind you, but such an entertaining and identifiable little bastard. I can't quite agree with you on your points about religion in Klarion 1, because I really don't feel like Morrison was trying to do anything so trite as try to comment seriously on Christianity. I think this is more like his treatment of Intergang in 52 as a "crime religion"; it's simply the idea of a religion that does not even attempt to venerate good, instead explicitly venerating evil, crime, and all things bad. It's sort of the inverted religion that hysterical folks who get conned into thinking they were part of a Devil-worshiping cult go on about. It uses the forms of Christian mythology and faith, but only the form; the content is hopelessly disfigured and wicked. I believe it's supposed to be largely unsettling, seeing the bleakness of Puritan existence matched with a way of life and a belief system that is so absolutely horrible and bleak. Christianity at least preached salvation; Limbo Town's faith preaches the ultimate end of becoming a zombie slave and toiling until your body crumbles! I don't know, that's great stuff for a comic book evil from my point of view. Checking in again!

This issue was unbearably rad. I really didn’t find Klarion a snot at all, but I’m still close enough to my teenage years to remember that feeling of pure, unfocused rebellion and small-town repression. Klarion may rebel unpleasantly, even snarkily, but his wickedness is in a way delicious to experience vicariously. Toward the end, when he becomes the one person in Limbo Town who can discover the truth and face it, it really comes off as a triumph. He’s a little bastard, mind you, but such an entertaining and identifiable little bastard.

I can’t quite agree with you on your points about religion in Klarion 1, because I really don’t feel like Morrison was trying to do anything so trite as try to comment seriously on Christianity. I think this is more like his treatment of Intergang in 52 as a “crime religion”; it’s simply the idea of a religion that does not even attempt to venerate good, instead explicitly venerating evil, crime, and all things bad. It’s sort of the inverted religion that hysterical folks who get conned into thinking they were part of a Devil-worshiping cult go on about. It uses the forms of Christian mythology and faith, but only the form; the content is hopelessly disfigured and wicked.

I believe it’s supposed to be largely unsettling, seeing the bleakness of Puritan existence matched with a way of life and a belief system that is so absolutely horrible and bleak. Christianity at least preached salvation; Limbo Town’s faith preaches the ultimate end of becoming a zombie slave and toiling until your body crumbles! I don’t know, that’s great stuff for a comic book evil from my point of view.

]]> By: Matt Lazorwitz http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/comment-page-1/#comment-19585 Matt Lazorwitz Sat, 09 Dec 2006 15:53:39 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/#comment-19585 I think it's interesting which of ol' Solly's origins Morrison chooses (probably should have mentioned this with SS#0, but it just occured to me). The child molestor origin is a very recent retcon from the late 90s, while the older, and more traditional origin, the one always used in the DCU proper, is that rich old Cyrus Gold, the miser of Gotham, was either killed by robbers (Golden Age) or had gotten a whore pregnant, and her pimp killed him when he refused to pay them the protection money to prevent the secret from getting out, as old Cyrus didn't care (older Modern Age). The child molestor origin exists in only one comic previously that I've ever seen, an issue of Swamp Thing written by Morrison's old collabortaor Mark Millar, which focuses on the theme of hidden secrets, which ties in nicely with some of the themes of Seven Soldiers. I think it’s interesting which of ol’ Solly’s origins Morrison chooses (probably should have mentioned this with SS#0, but it just occured to me). The child molestor origin is a very recent retcon from the late 90s, while the older, and more traditional origin, the one always used in the DCU proper, is that rich old Cyrus Gold, the miser of Gotham, was either killed by robbers (Golden Age) or had gotten a whore pregnant, and her pimp killed him when he refused to pay them the protection money to prevent the secret from getting out, as old Cyrus didn’t care (older Modern Age).

The child molestor origin exists in only one comic previously that I’ve ever seen, an issue of Swamp Thing written by Morrison’s old collabortaor Mark Millar, which focuses on the theme of hidden secrets, which ties in nicely with some of the themes of Seven Soldiers.

]]> By: Greg Burgas http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/comment-page-1/#comment-19217 Greg Burgas Thu, 07 Dec 2006 23:27:08 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/#comment-19217 Yeah, I know it's not Solomon Grundy, but the first time we see him, we THINK it's Solomon Grundy! I should have been clearer about that. Yeah, I know it’s not Solomon Grundy, but the first time we see him, we THINK it’s Solomon Grundy! I should have been clearer about that.

]]> By: BSmith http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/comment-page-1/#comment-19204 BSmith Thu, 07 Dec 2006 21:51:19 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/#comment-19204 Great recap/review - but it's not Solomon Grundy on P. 1 of Klarion #1. It's a regular "Grundy" - seemingly (and nicely used by Morrison) a general term for the creature of that kind. One of Klarion's relatives (uncle? I forget) pulled his father out of his gravesite to work for him - a great scene - and this zombie-like being is referred to, as everyone else of the kind is, as a Grundy. SPOILERS Nice reveal in 7S#1 when one of the Time Tailors transforms Zor (AKA "The Terrible Time Tailor") into Cyrus Gold who becomes Solomon Grundy. BSmith Great recap/review – but it’s not Solomon Grundy on P. 1 of Klarion #1. It’s a regular “Grundy” – seemingly (and nicely used by Morrison) a general term for the creature of that kind.

One of Klarion’s relatives (uncle? I forget) pulled his father out of his gravesite to work for him – a great scene – and this zombie-like being is referred to, as everyone else of the kind is, as a Grundy.

SPOILERS

Nice reveal in 7S#1 when one of the Time Tailors transforms Zor (AKA “The Terrible Time Tailor”) into Cyrus Gold who becomes Solomon Grundy.

BSmith

]]> By: Jack Fear http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/comment-page-1/#comment-19126 Jack Fear Thu, 07 Dec 2006 13:06:38 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/#comment-19126 Forgot to mention: The <i>Pilgrim's Progress</i> connection is made explicit in the issue's title, "From This World To That Which Is To Come," which is the subtitle of Bunyan's book. I have no real evidence for the Pullman connection, except that the traditional concept of a familiar is more or less an intelligent animal servant, where Pullman's daemons and Morrison's draaga both seem to be more intimately connected to the owner - more like an externalized piece of the owner's soul. Forgot to mention: The Pilgrim’s Progress connection is made explicit in the issue’s title, “From This World To That Which Is To Come,” which is the subtitle of Bunyan’s book.

I have no real evidence for the Pullman connection, except that the traditional concept of a familiar is more or less an intelligent animal servant, where Pullman’s daemons and Morrison’s draaga both seem to be more intimately connected to the owner – more like an externalized piece of the owner’s soul.

]]> By: Greg Burgas http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/comment-page-1/#comment-19056 Greg Burgas Thu, 07 Dec 2006 04:30:43 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/#comment-19056 You are truly awesome, Jack. Thank you for clearing that up. I couldn't find that anywhere. It makes much more sense, but I wish it had some weird connection to cricket. I forgot to get into the whole Krikkit thing from Douglas Adams, but I suppose the post is long enough. I thought of Pullman's books and the familiars, but I figured it was a common enough idea that Morrison probably didn't rip it off. But maybe he did!!!!! You are truly awesome, Jack. Thank you for clearing that up. I couldn’t find that anywhere. It makes much more sense, but I wish it had some weird connection to cricket. I forgot to get into the whole Krikkit thing from Douglas Adams, but I suppose the post is long enough.

I thought of Pullman’s books and the familiars, but I figured it was a common enough idea that Morrison probably didn’t rip it off. But maybe he did!!!!!

]]> By: Jack Fear http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/comment-page-1/#comment-19046 Jack Fear Thu, 07 Dec 2006 03:36:12 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/12/06/31-days-of-seven-soldiers-day-6-klarion-1/#comment-19046 "Wicket" is an archaic word meaning "narrow." In John Bunyan's 17th Century allegory THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS, Christian escapes the City of Destruction through the Wicket Gate, which opens onto the narrow path that leads to the Celestial City. (More on THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pilgrim's_Progress" rel="nofollow">here</a>.) This is in itself an allusion to Matthew 7:13; <i>Enter ye in at the narrow gate.</i> Another definition of a wicket door or gate is a narrow door that is part of another, larger door - for instance, a cat flap. The conception and treatment of familiars in KLARION seems to derive from Philip Pullman's series <a href="http://www.darkmaterials.com/" rel="nofollow">His Dark Materials</a>, and the tiny Sheeda spine-riders reminded me of Pullman's Gallivespians. “Wicket” is an archaic word meaning “narrow.” In John Bunyan’s 17th Century allegory THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS, Christian escapes the City of Destruction through the Wicket Gate, which opens onto the narrow path that leads to the Celestial City. (More on THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS here.)

This is in itself an allusion to Matthew 7:13; Enter ye in at the narrow gate.

Another definition of a wicket door or gate is a narrow door that is part of another, larger door – for instance, a cat flap.

The conception and treatment of familiars in KLARION seems to derive from Philip Pullman’s series His Dark Materials, and the tiny Sheeda spine-riders reminded me of Pullman’s Gallivespians.

]]>