Sexuality in the Arts

The illustrations in this post are from Frank Quitely, Grant Morrison, & Jamie Grant’s Eisner Award Winning current running series “All-Star Superman” Issue 10.  I give this issue a 5 out of 5 star rating and the series a 5 out of 5 star rating to date.  If you think all Superman comics are created equal, I would suggest you might be wrong.  This Superman series is extraordinarily good.

The lyrics in this post are from Lucy Wainwright Roche’s version of the Crash Test Dummies song “Superman,” written by Brad Roberts.  Lucy Wainwright Roche’s version is from her new CD titled “8 More.”  It is the second CD in a two-part album, the first CD is titled “8 Songs.”  I have not had the pleasure to hear the whole first CD (although l loved and posted the lyrics to her song “Long Before” from that album).  Being me, I started by listening to “8 More.”

I’m sharing this new graphic arts story with Brad Roberts’ lyrics because they both see some of the remarkably good ideas behind Superman’s intellect and character.

“Superman” lyrics by Lucy Wainwright Roche:

Tarzan
Wasn’t a ladies man
He’d just come along
And scoop them up
Under his arm
Like that
Quick as a cat
In the jungle

Clark Kent
Now there was a real gent
He would not be caught
Sittin’ around in no jungle scape
Dumb as an ape
Doin’ nothing

Superman never made any money
For saving the world
From Solomon Grundy

Sometimes I despair
The world will never see another man
Like him

Hey Bob
Supe had a straight job
Even though he could smash through any bank
In the United States
He had the strength
But he would not

Folks said
His family were all dead
The planet crumbled
But Superman
He forced himself to carry on
Forget Krypton
And keep going

Superman never made any money
For saving the world
From Solomon Grundy

Sometimes I despair
The world will never see another man
Like him

Tarzan
Was King of the jungle
And Lord over all of the apes
But he
Could hardly string together
Four words:
“I Tarzan, you Jane”

Sometimes
When Supe was stoppin’ crimes
I bet that he was tempted to just quit
And turn his back on man
Join Tarzan
In the forest

But he
Stayed in the city
Kept on changing clothes
In dirty old phone booths
‘Til his work was through
Nothing to do but go on home

Superman never made any money
For saving the world
From Solomon Grundy

Sometimes I despair
The world will never see another man
Like him

© All rights reserved by the respective artists.

The book with the images above is still in stores.  I’ve read many very good Superman stories.  This series focuses effectively on his strength of intellect and strength of character as much or more than his physical strength.  Anyone who cares about comic books or Superman should glance through the book - I highly recommend purchasing this issue. 

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Lucy Wainwright Roche’s music can be purchased through her website at:

http://www.myspace.com/lwrlwr

The album is great.  I look forward to listening to it more closely soon.  Someday, if I ever visit Chicago (I’ve never been there), I think I’d enjoy listening to the song on this album titled “Chicago” - while driving with the sun-roof open through the “City of the Big Shoulders.”

Oh, and Superman.

He might have become the person he became

Because he had a hungry heart

Maybe everybody’s got a hungry heart

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On side notes:  To anyone who reads this blog and who noticed there has not been any new posts for awhile, I apologize, I’m just one person.  I try to be all things to all people, and I’m not able.  I fail at that pursuit miserably and often.  You’d think I’d learn more each time I get battered, but I keep getting back up, wide eyed, like a dog who doesn’t know what else to do but to try to do more and try more earnestly.  Stupid dog I am.

I am healthy and doing well.  I recently got set aside by someone I cared about.  I wasn’t what they wanted.  Like most break ups, you don’t always know what, if anything, you could have done better.  In this case, my problems were probably mostly that I was too much like me - and that was not what was desired.  I didn’t know how to change to become better for everyone. 

I’m gainfully employed, something I am truly grateful for - in this too-often daunting economic cycle.  I feel incredibly lucky on that front.  I am busier these days, so to set anyone’s expectations, I would guess this blog will be updated less often for the forseeable future.  I don’t want to waste anyone’s time.  Not that anyone comes here for the dialogue.  Two days ago, this blog received it’s highest number of daily visitors ever . . . something to do with Miley Cyrus posing bareback for Annie Leibovitz in Vanity Fair.  Like Lindsay Lohan, the last Disney-produced queen of teen did for Annie Leibovitz in Vanity Fair a few years ago.  It is a strange universe we live in.

Love to all of you.  Until the hopeful next time.  ~ OneMoreOption

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