Matthew McElroy > Recent Status Updates

One of the best parts about Bryson is his wildly unpredictable preferences. Sometimes, he wants to take a long, meandering jaunt. Other times, he is furious over a one way street that inconveniences him over a 200 yard detour.

Is English food amazing in its simplicity? Or is it awful in its lack of seasoning and creativity? It seems to depend on his mood and what works better in the story.

Never change Bill.

The Issue 7 cover art is some of the best I have seen. And the story is one of the most creative I can remember. A completely new catalyst, a selfish egomaniac who has probably been done wrong. A villain who is understandable. And Wanda solving a problem in the way she has come to solve them.
This is what I have learned: Wanda is acting as a lawyer. She is always advocating on behalf of whoever needs her.

I don't entirely know what queer-coded means, but I think this is more than queer coded. The most powerful ruler in the universe is a gay... Man(?- well, not human, an alien, definitely male) who is married to Wanda's adopted son. And the person who comes looking for Wanda's help is a woman forbidden to marry with a haircut akin to a mullet.

Finished the "high schoolers break into the gym" chapter. Still brutal. I can't shake the feeling that Jones is writing this so it can be made into a movie. It's good, and the second time around I am following the characters better. But it feels like he has movie playing in his head.

I spit my beer out in the bar reading this. I'm 44.

I was laughing in public like I was in college.

Reading this a second time- I think I like it even more. And no, it's not because I am picking up details I missed the first time. I think it is life. I got older, I met some people, and I may have gotten wiser. And so McBride's ability to give people a voice is even more relevant. The older I get, the more realistic his characters become.

There is something more to this story, but I can't put my finger on it.
What does it take for us to be at peace after we die? Can someone else do it for us?
Is it possible to die and only be remembered in a positive way?
Either way- definitely enjoyable and sweet.

I don't think I have read a story with only two characters. The tension between Pietro and Wanda is both logical and also completely supernatural. Which is what you would want in a conflict between two of Marvel's oldest characters.

Technically, Wanda committed all the crimes, right?

Wanda is just travelling around the world, helping families reconcile their issues, and defeat some evil magic. The stories are small, but emotional.

The first story has no meaningful villain. It is a bit of a love story about Wanda helping a man who has lost the love of his life. Much of what makes these Scarlet Witch stories interesting is how she solves problems.

Guys, listen. No listen carefully. You're not hearing me. Calaena Sardathion is HOT.
H.
O.
T.
HOT.

Damn, Sarah J. Maas is dedicated to us knowing that her high school aged assassin is incredibly attractive. Calaena is also the best at EVERYTHING in the world. Best dancer, best archer, best actor, best horseback rider.

Except reading people. Man she is really bad at that. There is a Greek tragedy element here.

While the penciler isn't the most talented, this one seems like he is lost in sync with the inker and the author. For some reason, the very simplistic drawings and the clear lines go well with the one story without a true villain. This was the most simple story of all them, but probably the most human.

There is a sconflict in having James Robinson write this character. He writes a wonderful character. She is strong, insightful, original, lonely, independent all of that. But a MAJOR point is that she is a woman. And for her story to be authentically female, it should be written by a woman. I honestly think many complaints over cultural appropriation are overblown. But it is hard to overlook this idiosyncracy.

Ireland has been hit by a plague. I am shocked that anything could be worse than the English. I wonder how much research Robinson had to do for these witchcraft terms. It is a realm I have zero experience in. It seems like something that would make for interesting research and then enhance your story. I wonder how many other superheroes have that aspect to their character.

Marco Rudy's art is the best of this collection. He has a psychedelic flair that works well with the supernatural, fantastic elements of Scarlet Witch's story.

The art by Sarah Pichelli in a series I read earlier puts this art to shame. The writer is working with five different artists, which winds up making everything uneven. I am a bit confused about ghost Agatha Harkness and how she assumed this mentor role.

This book is not what I thought it would be. I was expecting some kind of accounting of the entire Civil War. Turns out is simply a recounting of the Battle of Gettysburg, so it shouldn't have nearly as much social or political commentary as I expected/feared. I must say, the maps are helpful. Be prepared to return to seventh grade geography.

I don't read much Civil War fiction because most people haven't read the Confederate Constitution. They believe the conflict is a states' rights issue. If that is true, why is the Confederate Country word for word the same as the US Constitution with about 20 references to humans as property?
They waited until page 66 to mention why the war was being fought. I will wait to decide if that is good or bad.

I have heard a lot about Gay Talese, but I couldn't tell you anything he wrote.

His essay on Ali meeting Fidel Castro is excellently written, but I don't know why he wrote it.

Ali is sadly riddled with Parkinson's and barely part of the story. Cuban legend Theofilo Stevenson is desperate to earn Ali's respect, but Ali is mostly exhausted.

Very good conclusion, average cliffhanger.

What a twist!
Both unexpected but logical.
Tell me more.

Love the female cast. Some tension, some love, some wisdom, so questions, some heroes, some villains.

This Scarlet Witch is really well written. I actually enjoy her more as a solo character.

A guest appearance from Ororo Monroe that directly ties into The Trial of Magneto. Well done Marvel.
This is more a story of solving problems, rather than defeating supervillains.

Read the first two fantastical pages, and you will be hooked.

This is a remarkably a enjoyable book, and not what I had anticipated. Ironically, the most recent chapter w was probably one of the weaker ones, with limp connections about poetry and water, and how we are able to clear our heads around water. It's a lot of cliches and Tsui has been much better than this throughout the book.

This is a strange chapter. it feels largely redundant.
A major concern for me is the accessibility of these spaces and opportunities for people who live in cities. Do people who have the equipment and time for cold water swimming already have a higher quality of life? This seems like pretty straightforward sociology.