The Grace of Gilda: The Complete History of Gilda Dent, Part 1
What must it be like, to be a villain’s love interest?
To be a supporting player of a supporting player, vanishing into comic book limbo and emerging once every ten or thirty years to again play your role on the sidelines of someone else’s tragedy? What happens when writers think that your love isn’t enough, and that you need to be something else ( Read more... )
As for how it's going... well, what can anyone really say after the past year and a half? Especially someone who already had a lot of shit to deal with? Um... "surviving" seems to be apt. Although perhaps it's better than just surviving, as I've actually managed to write something this major for the first time in years! I guess sometimes it just takes frustration about a certain animated movie coming out to get me off my duff and back on my bullshit again! So, "better than surviving" it is! How about you? Been ages since we spoke!
"In fact, he may even have been so paranoid about it that he actually initiated it himself."
Exactly how I read this, especially given the way Gilda seems to feel about him when he shows up and isn't flipping out. Until he does, again. Someday I'll properly examine what's going through his own head there, with societal issues like the ones I briefly mentioned here. His reaction is overblown and scary, but there's context for that paranoia that shouldn't go ignored. I'm reading a great book about how American eugenics influenced the Hollywood horror movie monsters, and it's giving me a lot to chew on with Golden Age Harvey. And really, most of the classic rogues in general.
And you know, you're right, it's weird that almost no one has tried doing the melting makeup scene! The only one to try was Len Wein in "Batman 66: The Lost Episode," and that was more for his debut appearance in a robbery. "Darkman" is a much, much closer and more appropriate use that we never see... probably because it requires Gilda. Or at least, an older version of Gilda who doesn't apply anymore.
Great to have you back, man! Thanks for dropping a comment! I'm going to be posting the rest weekly, if I can contain myself, so hopefully see you then!
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But I have been doing better lately. I dealt with 2020 by writing a book - which is not publisher-ready yet and who knows if it ever will be (although I am hopeful, and you better believe I'll announce it to the skies when and if it gets published), but, you know, the fact that I wrote a whole book in less than a year is still pretty exciting to me, regardless of the outcome. Plus, said family issues have at least plateaud for the moment, and movie theaters and such have finally started to reopen in my neck of the woods, so at least I have stuff to distract me now. So, could be better, could be worse.
I confess, my ear has not been quite as much to the nerd radar lately. Which animated movie would this be?
'Lost Episode', eh? Good thing I've started collecting those comics.
You absolutely will see me then. I check the site every day, so, as they say, I'll be there with bells on.
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Congrats on the book!!! Finishing a book is a hell of an achievement! In less than a year, even more so! Keep at the editing and let me know if it's going to publication!
Oh, the animated movie is the current adaptation of "The Long Halloween," which was out in two parts, the second of which came out this past Tuesday. Its existence is one big reason why I wanted to write this in the first place, since this is the most exposure Gilda's had since... what, the Golden Age when comics were actually super popular? I have yet to see the second part, but I've already been spoiled on it, and ohhhhh do I have thoughts.
"The Lost Episode" comic is, sadly, a very mediocre issue. It's based on the Harlan Ellison outline I posted here ages ago, which I absolutely adore as a perfect understanding of Two-Face. However, it's adapted by Len Wein, who instead writes both a bad Two-Face and a bad Batman 66 story, instead delivering a mediocre and forgettable 70's Batman story in the process. The animated film they did with William Shatner as Harvey was much, much better, even if it's very different from Ellison's version. The regular Batman 66 comics by Jeff Parker are also pretty damn delightful.
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If it's just your appearance you're worried about, there are ways around that, you know. I've come across a lot of YouTubers who wear masks and costumes, or have an animated avatar, or something similar. I don't know if you're familiar with Todd in the Shadows (he does music reviews; they're actually pretty good), but his whole shtick is that he never shows up on camera except in silhouette, or wearing a scarf across his upper face.
Thanks! You bet I will! I'm still fine-tuning the manuscript right now - I've got some friends of mind acting as test-readers - and then I've got to find an agent and blah blah blah. I'm probably in for a long slog before anyone even considers publishing the thing. Still, I do have a few connections I may be able to take advantage of, so who knows.
Oh, riiiiight - I saw the trailer for that, come to think of it. (That is to say, I haven't watched the trailer, but it's showed up in my recommendations a few times, and I noticed it.) Yeah, I can see why you'd be interested in that one.
Well, I'm focusing on the main series right now - I'll let you know my thoughts on the issue when I get to it. Good to know the film is good, anyway, since I'm probably going to watch it soon - I've got 'Return of the Caped Crusaders' waiting for me when I get a spare moment, and after that, the follow-up is a natural. (I've been on a bit of a '66 kick lately, in case you can't tell - great show with which to banish the blues.)
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I wish you all the best luck in getting your book to publication! Writing the first draft is probably the hardest part. I actually like editing and fine-tuning, but not everyone does.
Yeah, I don't really know how popular or impactful any of the DC animated films actually are, but TLH is one of the more prestige ones to be released, given that it was adapted into two parts (an actual full-length film instead of WB's usual strict 75 minute cutoff). I've seen the first part, and it's very different from the comic in ways that actually do fix the plotholes. But what they do with Gilda is... well, I'll get to it, but I have OPINIONS.
I look forward to your thoughts on "Return of the Caped Crusaders" and the Two-Face film. I found both delightful, if imperfect in certain key areas. They take place at night, for one thing. That's just wrong! It's a shame Adam West died as they had planned more films, presumably with new 66 takes on unused villains. I would have loved to have seen who they've had gotten for Scarecrow. Shatner did a wonderful job as Harvey, and West really brought his vocal A-game to that final project.
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Thanks! It's not strictly the 'first draft', as that's often defined, because I tend to edit my work as I write it - but it's still a work in progress, definitely.
I'll let you know when I've seen 'em. Nighttime is arguably not completely wrong for the series, though; a number of the Season One episodes took place partly or primarily at night - the first Catwoman episode, for instance.
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Either way, it sounds like you have your work cut out for you, but you also have the raw material to work with, which is awesome. Again, keep me posted!
Oh sure, I know some episodes did take place at night, but it's part of a larger problem with the animated movies not being bright and colorful enough. They're kinda washed-out and the animation is pretty cheap-looking, which seems to be par for the course when it comes to DC animated films. Thankfully, the writing and voice acting are pretty damn solid throughout (with some exceptions, like the rather standard takes on the Joker and the Penguin). That's what matters to me.
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