That being said, I am essentially writing about something that has been on my mind since San Diego. Well, off and on. I just happen to kind of stuck on it today. Obviously due to the excess run off of my recent run in with to much politics, to soon. A kind of psychic belly ache.
In effect, I am purging after a binge of non caloric, low bulk useless mental intake.
Feel free to hose off anytime.
It's those old Puma Blues memories again baby.
It came as a very real and welcome surprise at San Diego how many people came up to me expressing their really heartfelt and profound reverence for the book. It really affected a number of people. I had no idea. At the time and I can't and wouldn't speak for Stephen even if I could, but there was a very real sense of both endless possibility and solidarity that very quickly turned on a dime and ended up as us against them bunker mentality. Couple that with the fact that we were definitely on the earn as you learn plan, and largely being ignored except when we served as punching bags for bigger guys with major beefs to work out, the least I can say was, that it was a real ride. One of those "hang on and hope you don't fall off, and remember to lean into the turns " kind of rides.
I look back now and am ruefully amused at the effort. Gavia's father left him VHS tapes. the "high tech" computer screen he watched them on was nothing more than a big television set. No digital flat panel thing on the wall. A huge satellite disc sat on the roof of the cabin he lived in. State of the art for better or worse my friend. A kind of nascent cyber punk ethos by way of Iggy Pop and William S. Burroughs. All anxiety and conspiracy theory's, that almost spiraled into a kind of mental illness, twentieth century homeland security soul tumor.
I was absolutely committed. Or I should have been.
Funny thing, since then what we tried to do and say is now almost common place subject matter for all kinds of comics.
Please bear in mind I had utterly no idea what I was doing, I just did it.
This leads me to the inevitable thought for better or worse, of just what Puma would be if by some nearly insane confluence of events Stephen and I could do it all over again today with what we know now.
A kind of, I can tell you that it would be really scary good. Utterly beyond "out there".
A series of perhaps three original G.N.'s, that would give time and room to play in detail beyond the hurry up and do it good and right fucking now thing a monthly comic must by definition agree to. Start right back at the beginning and overhaul the whole thing on the bare bones of the original. The thought makes me squirm in my chair.
I almost want to.
There is not a chance in hell this will ever happen, but, it's worth the cloud fancy tall tale spinning I tend to do now and again....well, to be honest, I do that shit all the time. That's just me.
In the long run, I suppose I should just say thank you to Stephen and the friends and supporters of Puma for the oh so very kind remembrances and just get on with things.
So, my friends, that's just what I'll do.
Thank you all for remembering us.
M.Z.
2 comments:
You're welcome. We do remember and still read back issues. Nothing I like more than Flying Manta Rays. Wish I could attach the image of the sketch you did for me way back when.
Man, that makes me want to take out the old books and re-read the Blues. Been a while since I've done that, though it's one of those books I'll occasionally pass on the bookshelf and spontaneously pull out to re-experience a scene (usually "Empire of the Senses" or "Deconstruction"). Re-reading the whole thing is always bittersweet knowing how it (won't) end.
Glad you connected with some old fans at San Diego, and looking forward to your future projects.
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