Radio Serial Narrative

So, I have lots of thoughts about the Radio Serial Narrative; The Mystery of the Diamond Studded Belt.  I don't listen to a lot of old radio shows, but I did used to listen to some, sometimes when I was a child. I'm also fairly unfamiliar with what technology can do--
That being said, I was pretty impressed with the sound effects of the radio show.  I found them to be spot on, clear, and well done.
I think the commercial interruption detail is cute and a thoughtful addition.
Throughout the show I found myself wondering if the drama/style of everything was completely serious, supposed to be humorous, how much is based on old radio shows and attempting to be accurate, what is maybe playing on dramatic serial narratives like Breaking Bad, and how much is maybe a parody of old radio shows, if any.
I think the juxtaposition of old radio style and modern dialogue is neat and works for the most part.  In some spots the dialogue could have been smoother-I didn't know what was actin, conveying emotions, and what was trying to translate different feelings (of old radio shows and modern dramas), all of the time.
I didn't understand all of the slang either, but I liked that it was in the dialogue, it definitely has a place.  Though I was confused by the gender pronoun play-calling male voices dames and female voices sirs...

I don't know if I missed something but the plot doesn't seem to make sense with the title for me-since there isn't a mention of a diamond studded belt, unless I missed it..?
Who is the audience?
The self reflection/narration/questioning adds suspense drama, humor, and informs listeners, which is nifty.
And!  The insane ending! Molly got shot, whatever could happen?  This was great, just like all of the serial narratives we've been studying all semester--create all the drama to bring observers (in this case, listeners) back.
All in all I enjoyed this radio show, and am glad to have had the chance to check it out.

Positronic Thinking

We're finished with the second segment of Positron now, out of three that have been published so far (with a fourth theoretically coming out sometime in the future).

So far, I'm liking it. The first part was... okay. It was a set-up chapter, to be sure - plenty of exposition to establish what Consilience is branding itself as and what sort of world it exists in (dystopian, for the record). And we were introduced to our two main characters: Stan and Charmaine, unpleasant individuals ordinaire. A domestic disturbance was underway, and then, in the end of part one, it turned out to be a bit less domestic (and, at the same time, significantly closer to home) than Stan had anticipated.

I think my main problem with part one was that neither Stan nor Charmaine were particularly likable or clever, and they were effectively presented as the only two people in conflict (until the very end). With part two, this changed - both were now pitted against the system into which they had signed their lives away, whether they were aware of it or not. So, while this didn't make either character change into a better person, it did make things a lot more interesting, and the flaws inherent in the system of Consilience started coming to the forefront. (The potential for abuse in surveillance states comes to mind, for instance, as do comparisons to cults and the eternal question of "Who profits?")

I'm still not sure what to think about that twist at the end of part two. It DID come somewhat out of left field (well... more on that in a second), but it also has me very interested in what's coming next (as in, once I finish this post, I'm reading part three - doesn't seem right to write a post about parts one and two while knowing what comes next). Now, as to whether or not Jocelyn's about-face has been appropriately foreshadowed, well, that sort of depends on whether or not it's genuine. The way I see it, there are two likely outcomes: either Jocelyn and Phil are indeed acting to sabotage the system, or they're cleaning up the mess they made by framing Stan. It would fit with the story so far to have them be framing Stan - how many characters, thus far, have had anything that would pass for a conscience? - but, at the same time, Jocelyn's talk of Stan being a "wild card" earlier on does lend some credence to their claims.

Of course, getting too analytical of these things can ruin the fun. You're not supposed to know what happens next when it's a cliffhanger, right? And if today's super-savvy readers can sniff out plot twists a mile away, well, maybe that means that authors have to go a bit above and beyond to surprise them. We'll see, come part three.

PS: One last quick note - agency. Neither Stan nor Charmaine have much. Charmaine's "personal touches" in her angel of death routine seem to be the extent of hers, and Stan's pretty much ends at the contemplation of violent acts that he never performs. Even these have been accounted for by those controlling them - they just haven't been stopped, unlike Stan's surveillance and Charmaine's liaisons. This isn't too uncommon in dystopian novels - at least not in authoritarian ones - but it does make their characters a bit less interesting, at least for me. I'm hoping that part three changes this up a bit (Charmaine's upcoming choice should be a start).

EDIT: Another thing - quick this time, I promise. My Kindle program for my PC automatically had a little feature on that underlines segments of text that lots of other readers had highlighted. This is profoundly annoying. I want to discover the clever lines myself, thanks; if I wanted a tutorial version of a book, I'd be using SparkNotes. Rant over. :)

Evolution in '4 Days Out'

This episode was interesting in that it focused almost entirely on the relationship between Jesse and Walt, rather than the usual dynamic of Walt and his family. All too often it seems that Walter relies on Jesse's ignorance- in this case, telling him that the methalymene is in danger of spoiling and knowing that the younger man will not question it. Then, however, he turns around and curses Jesse for his lack of knowledge. Their relationship shifts throughout this episode: when they are cooking, Walt takes on the familiar role of the chemistry professor he is, indulging Jesse's questions and seeming to feel an almost paternal sense of pride when Jesse surprises him by listening and catching on. Of course, the moment doesn't last ("What one particular element comes to mind?" "...Ohhhh, wire!" "...Copper.") and Walt's disdain comes back in full force. It is only when they are in the direst of situations, relying on an outside and unlikely source for rescue from a deadly situation, that they are on equal footing. Just as in Grilled, when they were faced with the manic Tuco and his formidable yet silent Tio, the pair must team up to save themselves.

While this episode may not show as much of Walt's evolution as the show has in the past, it turns the viewer's attentions to a different source of growth and development: Jesse, the smack-talking man-child who survives on Funyuns and gummy bears, continues to change for what appears to be the better. While it is fairly obvious that his actions are driven by base impulses (in this case, his desire for continued sexual gratification with his neighbor/girlfriend), the fact that he makes an effort to follow through with them shows his desire to be seen as more than what he currently is. He is slowly but surely maturing and starting to see himself as a responsible individual, as displayed by his promise to Walt at the end of the episode- in the event of Walt's death, season one Jesse very likely would have taken all the money for himself. His assurance that Walt's family will receive his share is one more sign of his evolution as a character.

What Universe Does Nimona Exist In?

An aspect of Nimona that stands out it its constant re-ordering of facts. Points of view change quickly, the "Axis of Action" is frequently broken, and artwork is constantly in flux. Initially, these may seem like artist mistakes, but it's possible that it's representative of a larger theme of the comic. It may be that Nimona's universe is constantly shifting. If we take it as fact, we can say that Ballistar's armor is gray in one panel and white in another and both are correct. This can be written off as an effect of the lighting, although this isn't always the case. The world of the comic exists in a place where technology and feudal systems co-exist. This is perhaps best exemplified by a medieval version of Monopoly with castles and pieces of gold instead of money. While dragons are a definite thing that exist, since Nimona can only replicate animals that are real, we know that magic and science both have a place in the universe. This constant shifting and reordering is perhaps because Nimona herself is a shape-shifter. She is continually changing herself, and therefore the universe that surrounds her is also malleable. However, this brings up the problem of how we define her world. If it's close to anything goes, where what we know in one comic might change in the other, how can we willingly suspend our disbelief, or intelligently go along with the story? We haven't had anything directly negate anything previously in the story, but how far does the malleability go? So far, Noelle Stevenson has been able to balance this constant shifting with steady character development and plot arcs. It's understood that while small details may change, larger pieces are constant.

How might this affect the comic in the future? If our perception of the universe is constantly changing, will we start to see a new light to Ballistar and Goldenloin's story?

Who are the Good Guys?

The 6th chapter of Nimona is much longer than the previous ones. In between chapters 6 and what we have of 7, the moral lines between the characters deteriorate even more. Goldenloin  denies intentionally causing harm to Ballister in the duel that lost the latter his arm. Nimona becomes even more bloodthirsty and chaotic. A mysterious Institution is introduced. Ballister remains the nicest character, and he's supposed to be the evil mastermind. The good people in the comic are becoming more and more despicable, through planning Nimona's assassination and generally being unlikeable.

As of the newest page, we still don't know what the Institution is, or how it relates to Goldenloin, Ballister, and the way Nimona's world works. They seem to be the malicious people running everything behind the scenes, but beyond that, we really don't get any information. As readers, we still don't know what their motive is, and it only serves to make them even shadier.

Ballister cares for Nimona. He's making himself a redeemable character, but he's really the only one. Nimona keeps getting thrilled at the prospect of killing people and wreaking havoc on the land, and Goldenloin continues to be his normal, pompous and mean self.

I'm curious about what Noelle Stevenson has planned for these characters. They keep getting more interesting as the story progress, in the way the treat each other and how much they reveal about themselves. Maybe everyone will end up meeting in the middle of a moral gray area?

Villains?

In chapters 3 through 5, Nimona and Ballister infiltrate a science lab, have a confrontation with Goldenloin, and steal some top secret plans from the institution headquarters. We also find out where Nimona got her shapeshifting powers from, and the secret plans they stole reveal that the institution is stockpiling a deadly poison. Nimona uses her shapeshifting powers to spread the word on the local news channel, much to the distress of the director of the institution. Goldenloin is told that the report is a lie spread by Ballister and Nimona, which is only half true. 

One thing I really appreciate in this comic is the changes in art style. Compare any of the panels on the first two pages of chapter 3 with the last panel on page 3 - chapter 3. And again on the first page of chapter 4, a bunch of different styles of drawing are used. In my experience with webcomics, artists tend to pick a style and stick with it, so this was a refreshing change. 

The other thing I really liked was the idea of rules, and how Ballister seems intent on following the rules, despite being a so called villain, and how Goldenloin seems to be working for the forces of good, when in fact, the organization he works for is plotting something sinister. What do you think the institution has planned for the Jaderoot?

Exploring The Meta-Narrative (And Why That's Okay)

     In Nimona, Chapters 3-5, we start to see the world coalesce around the characters and things begin to take on a degree of perspective.  We see vagrants asleep under statues of the Knight-savior Sir Goldenloin, implying some level of civil unrest in the world.  We encounter the threads of corruption in the Institute of Heroism, of course unbeknownst to the golden knight himself.  We start to piece together the places where the world's technology is feudal and where it is futuristic.  As the world builds up around us it becomes easier to lie back and allow the story to progress without asking too many questions.  Of course, we need some familiar ground.  Zombie movies, jousts, government agencies, identifiable concepts all.  But Nimona goes beyond simply recognizable constructs and extends very often into the realm of the meta to drive the story.
     Now, "meta" has become something of a dirty word to those in the know about genre fiction, a format which Nimona leads us to believe it is following.   So, to be clear, it is no criticism to say that the comic relies on a certain level of meta-narrative understanding in its fans.  Indeed, that may be part of its charm.  The fact that Nimona can allude to "the backstory thing" is a nod to the reader that their understanding of such tropes is correct.  As well, it allows Nimona a degree of freedom in her explanation, as we need only the details of the story to understand the standard progression of events she is describing.  Such difficult questions as Ballister's "Really, she turned a six-year-old into a dragon?" or "Why were you able to become other animals?" would allude to an appropriate level of ridiculousness if the reader could not fill in the gaps in the framework themselves.  His role in the exposition is to allow the author and the reader the conceit of a handwave for specific details which would drag the story down if we lingered on them.  Why is she a shapeshifter?  She just is, okay?  By opening with "the backstory thing," Nimona frees the reader of any burden to read too much into what will be said, as if to say 'You get this kind of thing, so let's hear it out and then move on.'
     The entire story of chapter 3 leans even more closely on a meta-understanding of the characters' own roles in the story they are telling, all without any sense of them personally breaking the fourth wall.  Ballister and Goldenloin are prepared to banter, and suddenly Nimona turns into a wolf and starts killing people.  "This isn't how things are supposed to go," says Goldenloin, recognizing along with Ballister just how didactic a scene like this could be.  Villain duels hero, they quip and acknowledge their shared past.  Villain announces allegiance to evil, hero to good, and we see the tension that they shall never reconcile.  But Nimona seems to understand these tropes while simultaneously possessing the drive to break them, taking on a practical wisdom while parading arms-raised through their dramatic confrontation.  Of course you kill the guards, they'll raise the alarm!  Why else be excited at the arrival of goons?  Who else would recognize that they're goons at all?  This outlook is directly ingrained into her character in every aspect, from voice to mindset to appearance and even to some degree in her abilities. 
     One look at Nimona's character and we expect to explore a new perspective on Ballister's plans, both by looking at what they have been and what they could have been with Nimona's input.  The story does not merely evoke tropes for the sake of understanding, but seems to promise that we will unpack them for meaning as we learn more about the characters.  Why do they know so much about the parts they are supposed to be playing?  How will our understanding of those roles evolve as the characters grow?  The story's progression is central to these two questions, and asking the one only begs the answer to the other.  And in the end, we read because we want to see the characters' arcs. 
     Here's hoping we eventually get some explanation as to where Nimona manifested such bloodlust.

Hank has a Panic Attack?

In our last class, we discussed the character development of Hank. He begins the series as a macho figure, who seems designed to give Walter an inferiority complex. As the show continued, we saw Hank as a blustering, almost buffoonish character. His wisecracks and sense of superiority dug under the skin of Walter and the audience. Walter certainly seems to take some pleasure in undermining Hank and profiting from the very line of business Hank must stamp out. However, when Walter and Jesse were utterly helpless, kidnapped by Tuco, it’s Hank who saved the day. We finally see him in his element, calm and collected in the midst of a shootout, and he dispatches the villain.

Here’s where the perceptions of Hank get fleshed out even more. For all his talk, he is obviously shaken by the shootout with Tuco, and even has a panic attack at one point. I think the scene of panic attack in the elevator gave more volume to Hank than the entire series had, up to this point. We’re not used to seeing Hank doubt himself, or even need help, so when he’s gasping and pressing the emergency button on the elevator, I assumed he was having a heart attack, or some critical medical problem, but then the elevator doors opened and he realized he was physically fine. The brief instant where the audience realizes that they’ve finally seen Hank rattled and scared, is beautifully followed by Hank squaring his shoulders and swaggering over to his friends with his usual bravado. This time, when we see his silhouette retreating into the distance, we know that his carelessness is an act.

Will this development of Hank continue? I’m curious to see how it might change the dynamic between Walter and Hank, since Walter has some clear resentment for Hank’s brash attitude. Perhaps Hank losing his confidence will result in Walter gaining more?

"What's changed, Jesse?"

"Grilled" and "Bit By a Dead Bee" provide an interesting study in contrasts. If the latter episode explores what happens when Walt and Jesse try to run away from the consequences of the situation they've become embroiled in, the former depicts the two running full bore into consequences because there's nothing else for them to do. 

Throughout the episode Walt and Jesse concoct ways to avoid the presumably awful fate of working in Tuco's superlab. Jesse tries to convince Tuco to snort the ricin and almost succeeds. Jesse and Walt then try to lace Tuco's food with it -- "Grilled" is unbelievably tense, but no sequence in the episode is more difficult to watch than when Tuco's uncle foils their plan by repeatedly ringing his bell, turning a seemingly benign object into the most dangerous weapon in an episode full of deadly weapons. "Tio" can barely move, but the power he is able to wield is enough to doom the able-bodied Walt and Jesse, and that dichotomy suffuses the middle stretch of the episode with an almost unbearable tension.

When Hank makes a timely appearance in his search for Walt and dispatches Tuco, Walt and Jesse spend the entirety of the next episode creating alibis for themselves. (Catherine mentioned episode cold opens in her blog post, and I love the ways the openings of these episodes encapsulate what's to come in each one. The opening of "Grilled" foreshadows the conflict between Tuco and Walt, Jesse, and Hank in the episode's climax -- similar to the cold open of the premiere, only in color and referencing this specific episode -- while "Bit By a Dead Bee"'s opening displays the lengths to which Walter will go to hide what has happened to him from the outside world, specifically by stripping naked in a supermarket. Each episode has a very specific focus, as their openings demonstrate.) Jesse's alibi in particular nearly falls apart thanks to the sudden reappearance of Tio Salamanca. The show did such a good job of associating the sound of his bell ringing with grave danger for Walt and Jesse in the previous episode that the audience nervously anticipates hearing the familiar sound one more time, which would singlehandedly send Jesse to jail (though it never happens).

What particularly interests me are Walter's motivations at this point in the series. In Baltzer-Jaray's essay, she characterizes Walt's newfound life of crime as resulting from a desire to take control of the direction of his life following his cancer diagnosis. Indeed, Walt's life had been so unfulfilling to that point (as he explains to his psychologist, who I know as The Mayor from Buffy) that it's fairly clear that his life has been reenergized by his new purpose. (The song "Waiting Around to Die" plays during the episode, which could be interpreted as a reflection of Walt's mental state -- he certainly has no intention of waiting around to die of cancer.) When he tells Jesse that he wants to continue making meth because nothing has changed, it doesn't seem like he's wrong, as the goal of leaving enough money for his family remains the same. But as Walt is drawn into the drug trade and all of its short-term benefits, it's easy to see how it might erode the foundations of his life in the long run. His family can only be distrustful of him after his disappearance, and Skyler's suspicions aren't going to go away, especially after he's unable to come up with an excuse to explain away his second cell phone. In the end, he might lose a lot more than his life.

Desperation and Schemes

     Episodes 2 and 3 of Breaking Bad, season 2, give us some of the strongest moments of characterization yet for Jesse and Walter in their capture by Tuco, their thwarting of his escape plan, and their scheming to handle the complex aftermath of the affair.  We see just how far these two are willing to go, and are capable of going, when the truth is on the line. 
     The gap between seasons left us remarkably aware of the world into which Walter and Jesse had entered and the reach of people like Tuco.  Episode 2 expanded on our understanding of the volatile drug dealer, showing us Tuco's derangement at having hit rock bottom after his assets are seized and his closest people betray him (he believes).  In showing us this strained portrayal of a madman at the end of his rope, we are given a glimpse into what Walter and Jesse risk becoming if they continue down this path.  In getting a distributor of this magnitude, Jesse and Walt have graduated to the next level of the drug trade and in doing so they have changed the scope of their operation.  This is the norm now.  Tuco is the norm.  Thus, the risks they must take are greater, and the lies larger, in order to preserve their place.  What will this raising of the stakes mean for our heroes, and will their drug trade rise to meet their new challenges?
     Of course we are left wondering how they could possibly escape from the debacle at Tuco's house with their reputations intact.  Surely they will get busted.  We saw the intro to episode 2, we know how deep they're in it.  Hank is there, he even has Jesse's name now!  All that is left is to see the pieces put together and their cover will be blown, making all of season 1's efforts for nothing.  Episode 3 answers how Walter and Jesse plan to misdirect the DEA, reflecting the drastic changes Tuco was prepared to make to their operation (having his cousins move them to Mexico).  In sacrificing a portion of their earnings (Jesse's portion) and fabricating a massively trust-shattering lie to Walter's family, the pair successfully maintain their place as middleweight drug manufacturers without compromising their operations to the authorities.  But it has taken its toll, and in turn has set up several major conflicts that will surely need resolving throughout the season.  Does enacting this plan make them no better than Tuco himself?  Will Walter's family come to trust him again?  Will Skyler act on the dozens of questions that Walter's 'fugue state' raised?  What will Jesse have to do to get enough money to make ends meet?  What of the lab and supplies?  And while treading all this water, how will they find the time to make more meth?  Stay tuned!
    
     Honorable Mention:  During the rise of this complex deception and our tentative return to the status quo, we meet the most delightful character yet: Hector 'Tio' Salamanca.  It's astounding that they were able to write such complexity and expression into a character who can only communicate by ringing a bell.  Bravo.