Ngozi Ukazu's BARDA
The nice people at DC were kind enough to send me an ARC of this with an eye to a possible blurb. Which I was delighted to give it.
This is going to be a fabulous read for anybody who's a New Gods fan—as I've been since early 1971. I've sworn numerous great oaths not to spoil anything (which is just as it should be)... so all I can do for the moment is point you at Barda's page on the publisher's website, and urge you to preorder this in the way that suits you best.
Ukazu is such a talent. Not only as a writer, but as an artist as well. She wasn't on my radar before, but she sure as hell is now. 😀
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I thought I would have so much to say about the car accident scene. And while I could go on for a while on why it's everything I've ever wanted from a scene of this nature and why it's a beautifully acted cinematic piece, I do think the beauty of the scene lies so much in silence. Their expressions are do a fantastic job to express their emotional state so I'm just gonna call attention to a few things I won't get over anytime soon.
Imagine being Haein and seeing your husband wrecking a car window in hysteria. Imagine seeing disbelief on his face when he sees you and walks towards you. Imagine watching him unable to breathe properly (sound on and high for this scene). Imagine seeing life flood into him as soon as you touch him.
Jiwon plays such an important part here. Because Haein has NEVER seen Hyunwoo like this. He's a pretty calm nice, non-violent guy. She knows him to like mostly everyone and he rarely gets angry - he's pretty composed. But then what is this look of complete shattered pain on his face? With a mix of disbelief, bearing the heaviest heart on the planet? He's unrecognisable to her. She can't make sense of any of his actions. She's in utter shock hearing how hardly any air is making it's way into his lungs.
In his eyes is a look of crazed wilderness just tamed. He's out of his sense. Completely lost in the events that have just passed. Not believing that he can breathe. That it's okay. All is well in the world for now. She's unscathed.
'What's going on? Calm down.'
The way she asks him to calm down - touching his face - cause she just doesn't know what in the world could send him in such a frenzy to forget himself. Her asking him to calm down here is everything to me. She's really just saying I'm here okay. Calm down. Calm down, you can breathe. Tell me what happened and I can fix it.
'Even still, Are you crazy? How could you break the window with your bare hands? Look at this!'
I know it probably didn't register to him at that point. But he's hearing her being worried for him again when he thought her lost forever. Wouldn't that sound like music to his ears.
And her...god she's so worried for him. She's never seen him like this. She doesn't know what happened to make him like this. One she sees his absolutely broken bloody hand. Two she's seeing her husband absolutely crushed. She's so confused.
That is until his words hit her like a truck. I think she had an idea that he did it to save her but she didn't know he did it because he thought her dead. And that makes all the difference for her.
Also I thought it was very interesting to keep showing his injured hand clenching. I think it was a way to show how the physical pain still didn't hold a candle to his emotional turmoil. He CLENCHES that broken hand multiple times. I can't even begin to think when he actively registered the pain.
The need for constant touch to reaffirm that she indeed is there. The sitting down. The head on her hand. The heavy breathing. *Chef's kiss*
I love women comforting the man they love when he's broken. Gah! That hand on his face and hug. Her embracing him. Letting him cry all he wants. Giving him the reaffirmation he needs by placing her self as close to him as possible. Trying to tame and override his sense. The hand on the nape of his neck. The hand caressing his hair lovingly. And good god, the RINGS.
Also notice his breathing on her shoulder. He's trying to calm himself. Telling himself she's here. Hearing her say it's alright. Everything will be alright.
I'm sure they stay like this until the ambulance comes and asks them if they're hurt. Only then Haein must've gently tore him apart from her (hand on his face again ofcourse) and convinced/guided him to finally get treatment. I can just Imagine Hyunwoo completely dishevelled going, 'Huh *sniffs*......oh.......Right, my hand' and that's when the pain hits him.
Special mention to the hospital conversation when Haein asks him 'Will you sob like this if I die?' and he says truthfully, bashfully, embarrassed but without missing a beat 'Ofcourse.' He's hiding behind nothing. He truly meant to give up on himself after her.
For me this is also the night Haein starts to write her diary. Hyunwoo must've been sound asleep, amped up on painkillers and she must've had so much time to sit and admire him and write.
Gif credits: @wolha and @seawherethesunsets
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Y'ALL why the FUCK are the Mappa animators showing of the CORPSE of a DEAD FIFTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL like teenage boys show off their Bugattis on tiktok. They got her ass at EVERY angle. They even added an INTERNAL SHOT from inside her popped fuckin' eyesocket PLEASE.
Mappa really dropped this at our feet like a cat brings dead fucking birds. That's the energy this emits. They're so proud of themselves.
If you REALLY want to dig in they even added "that one random item that's here for some reason that has literally nothing to do with cars but why not". Like people will just. Set their cat or a bottle of some expensive fancy brand of alcohol on top of their car and have a shot of it for. . . I don't know? An attention grab or something, EXEPT THE RANDOM ITEM IS JUST HER EYEBALL AFTER IT GOT SUPER SOAKERED OUT OF HER HEAD?? That's VILE man. This shit requires a life sentence MINIMUM. DAMN.
And then they have the AUDACITY to tease us that she might come back. I'VE SEEN THE NEW MANGA CHAPTERS they are NOT bringing her ass back (unless they pull a SIKE at the very end or something but come ON) but he looks so HOPEFUL I'm SICK.
GEGE WHEN I CATCH YOU GEGE GEGE WHEN I CATCH YOU GEGE GEGE WHEN I CATCH YOU-
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That sex scene. More like making love scene.
I don’t even have the words. It was incredible.
So beautifully shot and edited. Great song choice. I must look up that song at some point. Really good.
Passionate, sensual but so respectful all at the same time. I just absolutely love that this show’s creator refuses to play WLW intimacy to the male gaze. I feel it was a very conscious choice for them to write and direct it this way. Especially considering there’s no shortage of nudity, swearing or violence this season.
Dom and Kat’s physical and emotional chemistry is off the fucking charts. They really did look into each other. Maybe they were. Who knows? But I wouldn’t want to take away from the acting performances by believing that. But yeah, it definitely seemed very real. Choreographed or not - they really went with the flow.
Also, it was definitely due. Especially if they hadn’t seen each other for over 18 months. I mean jesus… I’d be ready to jump my lover’s bones immediately even if everybody else was missing in my life… not knowing whether they were alive or dead. Least I still had the person I’ve chosen to spend the rest of my life with.
But yeah, that was really well done. Good job guys!
And thank you, Emily Andras, for this representation.
True raw representation of WLW intimacy.
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