Now this is more like it...

I have to say that reading through two of Allen Moore's graphic novels right in a row was a bit of a chore. After reading Blankets, which was one of the more enjoyable works I've ever read for a class at U of I, entering the world of politics and super heroes was sort of a downer. Maybe I just find it easier to relate to things that pertain more obviously to the actual world, cognitive estrangement aside. While I can see how V for Vendetta is easily related to some aspects of America's current political state, I have to say that my deep interest in politics and even some political "conspiracy theories" related to the CFR, New World Order, NAFTA Superhighway, and Security and Prosperity Partnership make me interested in how a country allows itself to become a fascist state, not the problems with fascism itself.

But along comes David Collier's Portraits from Life, with its intense focus on actual personal histories, and I am enjoying the reading again. My favorite two portraits thus far have been of Ethel Catherwood and Grey Owl. Not only have I not heard of these individuals before, but their stories are fairly interesting. My interest in these stories mainly stems from their endings. Collier's depiction of Catherwood at the end of the first portrait is good for a laugh because it seems strange that someone who made such a seemingly profound impact on the world of track and field would become a bitter recluse. I found it similarly funny when Grey Owl punched a man in the face and stated "I'll show you who's a fucking faker!" While these individuals represent important aspects of history and made impacts on the world, they still have their own personal problems to deal with. They are not perfect, and their imperfections are what make them interesting.