Did you read this fascinating piece by Neil Gaiman in the Guardian, on the art of fairy tales? It’s a witty and very informative piece, which serves as the perfect intro to the movie of Gaiman’s Stardust which comes out next week. The film is written and directed by Matthew Vaughn, producer of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and director of Layer Cake. Gaiman is pleased at the final result, and I’m looking forward hugely to seeing it.
As well as his novels and original graphic novels like Sandman, Gaiman also wrote what I think must be one of the boldest and most brilliant Marvel Comics stories of all time – the extraordinary 1602, which posits an alternative reality in which the spymaster to Queen Elizabeth I is not Walsingham, it’s Nick Fury; and the court magician is not John Dee, it’s Dr Stephen Strange.
1602 is a dense, dark piece of storytelling, with multiple protagonists which is laced with brilliant gags (there’s a character called Peter Parquah, a silly flourish which I find indecently funny, I’m not sure why.) And appalling things happen to some of our best loved Marvel characters, giving the narrative a shocking bite.
Damn, I wish I’d written this; or even thought of it.
I suspect, however, there isn’t a movie in it, because the storytelling doesn’t stand alone; it relies on a thorough and geeky knowledge of Marvel lore. (The minute we meet a character called Bruce Banner, we know what will happen…)
Oh and there’s a Templar treasure…and guess what that turns out to be….1602 gives us Gaiman at his most subversive, and funny, and serious.
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I loved seeing what the true nature of the Templar treasure was, and the wonderful moments that came later from its use.
I loved this series – my other half bought me a copy for my birthday this year – and thought Gaiman managed to make me care more about Nick Fury and Stephen Strange than I ever had before.
The final issue was perhaps a touch too much for me, as the characters become embroiled in the more cosmic aspects of the Marvel Universe (which, to be fair, I have never been able to get along with), but there are so many amazing moments here that one foul step is easily overlooked.
And what about the fate of the Fantastic Four, at the hands of Doom the Handsome? Fab stuff.
I agree completely…
Without giving away the story, I’d say that the final book does a clever trick of keeping the story in the Marvel Universe (which is kind of an SF universe, ruled by rational laws, however wacky) rather than letting it be pure fantasy.
I always liked Stephen Strange, but felt Nick Fury was a bully.
I’m now reading Mike Carey’s Felix Castor books, which are a different take on the magician/exorcist theme, from a man who’s written Hellblazer stories. Very interesting.
Oddly enough I went back to have another (hopefully more successful) attempt at reading Carey’s The Devil You Know yesterday.
That poor book has been squeezed out by so many others for such a long time, so looking forward to getting stuck in.
Carey’s is one of the better Hellblazer runs out there, in my opinion. He brought John Constantine back to the UK after a few years in the States, and his Red Sepulchre story was a blast.
Also reading the Ed Brubaker Captain America omnibus, in which ol’ Nick Fury is a complete ball ache. I guess losing an eye can really piss you off.
I don’t have much knowledge of Marvel comics — I may have to get myself acquainted just to read what sounds like a fantastic bit of stuff from Gaiman.
I have Neverwhere, but have never read it for some reason. I have read Strange Omens, his collaboration with Terry Prattchet (who I’m not normally fond of) which I loved greatly. Got to see Stardust soon!
Chris
I must get STRANGE OMENS, on that recommendation…I read a very bad review of the movie of STARDUST which I hope was wrong – I’d hate to see it mangled. But as soon as I have an evening free, I’ll be off to see that…