Ruminations of an Old Goat

Back when I was in college in the late '70s, a friend, Tom, and I got into a discussion about comic books. It was a discussion that was pretty common back in those days. You see, Tom read DC and I read Marvel.

I told Tom that I had tried reading DC books but just couldn't get into them. All the stories just seemed so silly. As an example, I told him about watching Superman - the Movie, which had just been released a few weeks before. I enjoyed the movie so much I vowed to start reading Action Comics, the official title of the Superman comic book. (This was back in the days when even the most popular characters only appeared in one comic book. Spider-Man was an exception, appearing in two monthly titles; three, if you count the title that reprinted early issues Amazing Spider-Man.) At the time, I worked in a newsstand that carried comic books. The next morning, I picked up the latest issue of Action Comics and started reading.

Lois Lane and Clark Kent were on an airplane flying at 30,000 feet. Suddenly, a Bizarro Superman flew right through the plane, knocking big holes in both sides of the plane. Miraculously, only Lois Lane was sucked out of the airplane. Clark allowed himself to be sucked out, too, and changed into Superman. As Superman appears, we see Lois Lane clinging to the vertical stabilizer and saying, "I'm okay, Superman. Save Clark first!" I stopped reading at that point and put the comic back on the shelf.

Having finished this description of a silly DC story, I hit Tom with my most devastating argument. "Marvel stories are just so much more realistic!"

Rather than respond to the idea that any superhero comic could be realistic, Tom said, "I can get reality for free every day. Why would I want to pay for it in my comic books?"

I looked at Tom for a few seconds. Blinked a couple of times. Opened my mouth to respond. Closed my mouth. Blinked a few more times. Then said, "That's...a good question."

Ever since then, I've adopted those two sentences as my mantra, though I have expanded it to apply to all entertainment rather than just comic books.

When I go to the movies, I don't worry about finding something realistic. I worry about finding something that will help me forget about reality for a couple of hours. So far this year, I've gone to movies such as Inkheart (liked the book better), Coraline (ditto), Watchmen, Monsters vs. Aliens and Star Trek. There are some of you who might say that Watchmen kind of blows my contention and I'll admit it's gritty. But it's also about superheroes, so there's a lot still to be desired if you're looking for realism.

We catch plenty of movies on DVD, too, still mostly sticking with the same formula. Science fiction, fantasy, adventure, light romantic comedies, that sort of thing. We do work in the occasional "realistic" movie this way, but with a Netflix membership it's not really the same as paying for realism. (That's my position and I'm sticking to it.)

I have the same approach when it comes to the fictional books I read. I'm always looking for a book that's fun to read. "Fun" is defined as a book that draws me entirely into the story, that calls to me to read it, that results in a bit of a let down when the story ends. Good space opera will always do this for me, which is why I enjoy Lois McMaster Bujold and Elizabeth Moon so much. David Weber was in this group until his books started getting so detailed they were no longer fun to read.

My desire to avoid paying for reality is also what drives the history books I find interesting. Note that two of the three times I've written about historical issues, it's been ancient history. I find the ancient world so far removed from our own as to almost be a separate reality. Due to the massive changes in technology over the last century, the "separate reality" argument holds for most of human history. (Yeah, I'm probably rationalizing this one just a tad.)

This holds true even in my storytelling, even though I'm getting paid, rather than paying, for the stories. My favorites are called "noodlehead" stories. In these stories, people with no common sense and spaghetti for brains go about the story doing absolutely everything wrong, yet they end up succeeding at the end of the story. Kids love these stories as they're always funny.

I know people who think I'm shallow because I'd rather watch Star Wars than Cider House Rules (or some other critically acclaimed, "realistic" film I have no interest in). Those people say we gain insight into our own lives and plights as a result of watching such movies. But, unlike movies, reality isn't scripted. Unlike movies, real life doesn't reach a point where everything is neatly wrapped up and settled. Unlike movies, the credits don't roll, allowing both the actors and the audience to walk away from the movie. Unlike reality, I rarely find answers to any of life's questions buried in a screenplay or novel.

So, call me shallow for preferring entertainment to someone else's idea of enlightenment. Entertainment gives my brain a vacation from reality and everyday life. Entertainment allows me to gather my strength and deal with my day to day issues.

So, call me shallow if you wish. I'll be watching Star Wars and won't care.