Rogues Portal Staff Picks 11.30.18

As we wrap up November and dive headlong into the Holiday season, take time to check out our staff picks for this week.

Hafsa’s Pick

The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley

The Geek Feminist Revolution is part essay, part biography, and part exploratory narrative. The book reflects how intersectional feminism exists in our geek society. On the internet, female writers are met with commentaries that call them out or are meant to hurt. Offline, they have to deal with the intrinsic insensitivities that other people with differences. Furthermore, these female (including trans and nonbinary people) creators have to deal with their very lives and existence being threatened just by existing in male-dominated areas.

Hurley brings up all these topics and weaves them into criticisms or acclaims for different stories and writers. She brings up amazing stories and examples that make you want to note them down and read/watch/bring up in the future. She doesn’t shy away from any topic, and she expands on points that spike your curiosity in later chapters. Short but poignant, the book is a witty page-turner, and I highly recommend reading it!

Christoph’s Pick

Hans Zimmer Live in Prague

The score of a movie shares various traits with the art of lettering in comics. Both have to live at the cutting edge of a knife. On the one hand, they should not be dominant or too-on-the-nose, becoming a distraction. On the other hand, they need to blend in with everything else, fading into the background. If letterers and composers can manage to avoid both extremes, they guide you through the narrative in an exceptional way. Contributing to the way you feel, as well as how you perceive the characters and the story. Two thematically different scores, used on the same scene, alter not just the theme, but also change expectations.

What I love most about the score of a movie is that you can listen to the music weeks or even months later and still recognize it. Remembering a tragic, heroic or romantic moment. Other than letters on a page, I believe that scores have a direct link to your heart. No deciphering of symbols on a page necessary, just listening to it.

Hans Zimmer has been composing scores for decades. So my pick this week is Hans Zimmer Live in Prague. I just recently discovered it on Amazon Prime, and with my 5.1 Surround System, the entire house knew what I was watching. Zimmer himself guides you through his years in the industry.

From Gladiator and Man of Steel to Pirates of the Caribbean, Inception, and the Dark Knight Trilogy – including the heartbreaking Aurora. You get over two hours of masterfully composed and performed music. Hopefully, I will see it live someday.

Greg’s Pick 

Astonishing X-Men #17

Since taking over Astonishing X-Men Matthew Rosenberg has slowly been putting together a compelling, humorous, and at times affecting the story. The team has had its ups and downs, and to be honest, mainly downs as Alex Summers tries to figure out his place within the X-Men. Here as the series wraps up the team finally gets the win and the thanks that they have been seeking. As great as Rosenberg’s storytelling has been, Lands art really drives home the story. The action panels are easy to follow while being buoyed with emotionally charged character builds. As the series wraps up, I am left waiting, and hoping that Rosenberg will be revisiting these characters soon.