Comments on: What I bought - 27 August 2008

By: THE DON

THE DON — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:13:09 +0000

Yeah, i guess i am but the barrage of "anti-christianity" in the popular media is off-putting some time i guess that's why i made a snap judgement.

By: Brian Wood

Brian Wood — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:01:50 +0000

Yeah, its a kid complaining about the specific application of Christianity placed upon him by his zealot father. To reduce it to the terms you did, Don, even with your "hey man, no offense" lead-in, is just judgmental. Especially not having read the book.

By: THE DON

THE DON — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:22:40 +0000

Yes, medieval christianity was quite harsh and the actions of the church after that even worse. I thoughr christianity was boring when i was young (hence my not practising it now)...oh well...i guess i will skim through it at the comic store. Doesn't hurt to give it a peak.

By: Greg Burgas

Greg Burgas — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:11:42 +0000

To be fair to Northlanders, The Don, it's a small boy complaining about Christianity. I may think it's a bit sophisticated for a small boy to be complaining that way, but it is just a kid. I would expect a lot of good adult Christians probably thought it was a bit boring and oppressive when they were children. I could be wrong. I'm not saying you should buy it (although it's a very good comic, but that doesn't mean it's for everyone), but I don't want you thinking Wood is just bashing Christians. My objections were to the fact that I wasn't sure where Edwin's attitude was coming from. And, to be honest, medieval Christianity bears little resemblance to today's faith. It was, like life itself, a lot harsher.

By: THE DON

THE DON — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:43:15 +0000

I was thinking of buying Northlander but i think i'll pass. No offense Mr Wood but i don't i'll pick another comic insulting christianity again. Make no mistake, i am NOT a practising christian but i am a firm believer in "repect my beliefs and i'll respect yours". I will however pick up blue beetle. Ambush bug..don't think so.

By: Craig

Craig — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:33:23 +0000

Ambush Bug's Robin jokes were worth the price of admission alone.

By: Greg Burgas

Greg Burgas — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:50:30 +0000

Thanks, Andrew. I knew there was something I forgot to mention about that issue. I'm not sure what it was supposed to be.

By: Andrew Collins

Andrew Collins — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:27:42 +0000

That was a very solid issue of Blue Beetle. It was an improvement over Sturges' first issue storywise and makes me feel better about his taking over the reins on BB.

And did anyone else notice Peter David's reference/dig at "Women In Refrigerators" in Fallen Angel?

By: matthew.

matthew. — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:56:05 +0000

Thanks for letting me know about that Challenger Deep comic. I love anything about the bottom of the ocean, so I will be picking this up.

By: Greg Burgas

Greg Burgas — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:22 +0000

It's always cool of you to stop by, Brian. I'm sure I'm thinking too much about it, but I get so excited when someone writes something that's really in my wheelhouse - I didn't study Vikings specifically in school, but when you study medieval history, they tend to come up - that I can't help dissecting it. I know you've mentioned how much you read up on the Vikings, so I know you're making it as "true-to-life" as possible, and I get caught up in that aspect of it while forgetting that it's, you know, fiction. But that's just why I dig the book so much!

By: Brian Wood

Brian Wood — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:48:27 +0000

Hey Greg

After you read part 2 (of 2) of this story, a lot of your questions on narration will be answered. Also, you might be thinking a bit too much about some of this... I try and be as historically accurate as I can, but only up to a point since this is fiction and not so much a textbook. And I was raised something of a fundamentalist Christian and am not at all one now - not any religion at all now - but the topic still interests me. Not just to bash, though. You'll see how religion and superstition, and specifically Christianity v. Paganism, persists as a central theme of this series.

I will also just add briefly that Edwin could have heard the folk tales of the old gods from anyone and from anywhere. At this point in time England was still as much pagan as Christian - probably more so - and he wouldn't have had to travel very far at all to get different perspectives. And a lot of people held dual beliefs - praying to this new "white christ" while falling back on old folk remedies and superstitions when it suited them. Old habits, etc.

bri