Winter graphic novel

[8]

So, the quest has ended! (one year and 8 months later)

I just wrote an email to matt huynh and he kindly took the time to explain to me the concept.  But since nobody here seems to be interested in this fantastic masterpiece, the collaboration of a fantastic graphic artist and new model army songs, i will keep it to myself until someone shows some interest.

That's fantastic, cthulhu!    

I, for one, would be absolutely thrilled to hear / read about it, here!   

Not sure about others here, but personally, I was truly shocked when Joolz wasn't enlisted to take on the graphic novel.  Actually, I still don't know what happened there, with that.  Was she approached, but declined?  Did NMA want to change things up?  Whatever the reason(s), I'm very happy NMA was able to find someone suitable for the task and up for the challenge (Matt Huynh).  Not dissing the Doctor's works no, but I loved it when NMA issued the BD3 single (?) with an actual photograph on the cover, instead of artwork.  That really took me by surprise, as I never thought that that would ever happen during NMA's career!  I actually thought it was going to mark a big change in album art direction, but it didn't.  Either way, it's the music that matters most to me... the rest of it, is all a bonus / icing.

[cthulhu]

So, that's what i wanted, finally some interest...;-)

Of course I wanted to tease everybody here a little bit and i will post the answer of mr. huynh later.

Regarding the question about joolz, it never came to my mind. One of Matt Huynh subjects/themes of his art is the refugee and asylum seeker topic, so i guess it was his approach to give die trying some graphics, because it's the same inspiration. So i don't think this has anything to do with joolz.

This winter graphics novel really is not like nma saying: so hey, let's do a comic book!

People, go get a copy of this fantastic artpiece, inspired by nma lyrics!

I think most of the crowd really did get this wrong, and i'm glad i could convince master ray to give it a try, though he for himself is not into graphic novels.

That's why i'm rambling here and trying to promote this thing, because i just know that if you once have it in your hand and play the music or just have the music and the sung lyrics in mind while reading, it will catch you!

[8]

So, that's what i wanted, finally some interest...;-)
Of course I wanted to tease everybody here a little bit and i will post the answer of mr. huynh later.

Hope I don't miss the post! 

This winter graphics novel really is not like nma saying: so hey, let's do a comic book!

Yeah, I don't believe that that was NMA's intention either. 

People, go get a copy of this fantastic artpiece, inspired by nma lyrics!

I think most of the crowd really did get this wrong, and i'm glad i could convince master ray to give it a try, though he for himself is not into graphic novels.

That's why i'm rambling here and trying to promote this thing, because i just know that if you once have it in your hand and play the music or just have the music and the sung lyrics in mind while reading, it will catch you!

Alrighty then!  Will come back, once I've experienced it accompanied by the music simultaneously.  It might be a while though, what with every day crap and all to sort through first.  But if you are patient, cthulhu, I will return with my take away, impression(s), thought(s).  ok?

[cthulhu]

Of course i will be patient. I was and still am patient with this thread for more than one and a half year (meine fresse, wie die zeit vergeht..) and i'm really looking forward to some other thoughts and opinions, so take your time...
Like you wrote, i myself in my sourrounding am the only nma fan and on this topic i also feel a liitle alone here at the fan forum, regarding the graphic novel, which truely amazes me. i mean it amazes me how this work has almost no response here in the forum. But i said that enough now...

And please take your time with it when you have it. Don't rush through it, read it more than once. It has so much depth that needs attention and calmness while watching and reading.

I still don't get what you meant when you wrote that you were shocked that joolz wasn't enlisted for the graphic novel. that's why i wrote that i don't think this even has something to do with it.

So here is the mail i wrote to mr. huynh:


hello mr. huynh,

i'm a big fan of new model army and your collaboration made me aware of your works. which i find truely fantastic.
     
i have one question regarding the winter graphic novel and i would be glad and thankful, if you could answer it for me.
     
the song devil has one of my favourite song lyrics:

"They took me down to the Tree of Knowledge and said that I must resist
And all I could think was – what kind of stupid joke is this?
Not to want to know and feel everything that exists
Behind the curtain drawn by self-appointed control freaks and their apologists"

As i understand it every word of the songs is present in the novel except:
"Not to want to know and feel everything that exists"
     
At first i thought it was a mistake or a misprint but then it came to my mind, that you did leave it out on purpose, and that exactly showed the force of leaving out something while reporting. it demonstrates the power of the "control freaks",
because you left something out that exists.
     
i hope i expressed myself properly since i'm not a native english speaker. so my simple question is:
why is that sentence missing?
     
i hope you don't feel that i'm wasting your time. i asked the question on the official new model army forum, but no one had an answer.

kind gegards and greetings from germany,
 
klaus


And here the answer:

Dear Klaus,

Thanks for writing and your interest.

My work is heavily guided by the Japanese concept of 'Ma' - the consciousness of form and non-form in an interval. It's most apparent in a form like a comic, where meaning is created not only from what information is put on the page, but what is absent. For example, the gap between two panels compelling the reader to fill in the missing moment, the details left out of a portrait (two dots and a line are enough for a smile), the words left out of a speech balloon​ -​
or in this case a lyric. It's also very relevant in approaching the subject of asylum seekers, whose plight NMA were very inspired by - living in the interval between past and future homes, physically as well as the doubt and uncertainty.

In approaching NMA's lyrics in a comic book format, and to ​contribute
an additional layer looking towards with the asylum seeker camps in Calais, 'ma' and deliberate absence felt an appropriate technique to ​implement
. Particularly in reciting well lyrics where an audience such as yourself would be so familiar with the music and words, mentally signing one line ahead of the comic's narration, and like a premonition, filling in a the line even when it is absent and perhaps drawing even greater attention to it with its omission -
"Not to want to know and feel everything that exists​.​"
 
​I'm glad you enjoy the work and the music. If you'd like to find out a little bit about 'ma', comics and asylum seekers, there is an interview with me at the bottom of this page on the subject - http://www.matthuynh.com/macomic/​

​Best,
Matt

This really raised my awareness and level of looking at he novel and the works of him a lot.

[jc]

Hello Klaus, thank you very much for sharing.

Cheers

jc

[cthulhu]

My pleasure, jc.
But now i have also tell you to get the graphic novel
And if you have it already then i would be pleased to read some thoughts of yours.

[cthulhu]

 

C'mon, it's all here to read....

[PL]

You too my friend. It's a great book and wonderfully drawen. I did notice the missing lyrics and thought it was a misprint. Thanks to you I know he delibrately omitted it. I get the guys reasons for not adding it. He was right, I did sing it in my head.😂✌ PL

[cthulhu]

Hi PL,

good to know that someone else here has had the experience of reading the graphic novel. I found the songs to be even more emotional with the graphics, because the story and the images also touch you very deeply and it brought some tears to my eyes while reading/hearing.

[cthulhu]

Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.

It's deja vu all over again.. 

So maybe, just maybe some old or new members here have read this fantastic work meanwhile and have some thoughts about it.
And it's my duty to remind Master Ray that buying this graphic novel is a thing you just have to do, 'cause you said you would.
;-)

[Tarsier]

cthulhu, I'm truly admiring your enthusiam with this topic 
And thank you for bringing it up again, I've missed it earlier! But yeah, well, I have not read the comic 
Next time when I'll have money to spare I promise to you I will order and read it! And yes, I will let you know when it happens 

[cthulhu]

That sounds great. And i think i can promise you, that this is worth every dime spent on it.

I think for most people, because it is a graphic novel which has nothing to do with music, the idea of the comic being a great collaboration with nma, like having a guest musician, is not present. I can understand that most people will feel like: "yeah, well, why should i buy a graphic novel, when i don't read graphic novels, even though it is inspired by nma"

And what i want to promote here is the idea, that this graphic novel is like a music video to those three songs, which you can play in your head while listening. And then it becomes of collaboration of yourself with nma and mr. huynh.

So who wouldn't want to be an active video director with nma? ;-)

[Tarsier]

Dearest cthulhu, as I promised, I hereby let you know that now I finally have this graphic novel!
Of course, I wanted to unwrap it immediately and have a look, but I didn't. I waited a bit till I was in a mood for Winter and felt somewhat calm inside. And it was worth it.
The first time I opened it, I was ready, headphones on... It was... well, hard to explain, but it was a very trippy feeling. As you mentioned, it's like a music video... but it's more than that. Now afterward, I have this weird memory of a proper 3D -type of trip, difficult to describe. But it was alive.

[cthulhu]

I'm really glad you liked it!!! and could get into that (again you described it perfectly) "3D Type of Trip".
I think i know what you mean, it's this combination of having something in your hands, a book, to look at while listening to the music. So you can feel the pages with your hands, your mind has to handle actions like turning the page in the material world, but which only strengthens the connection to the trip you are taking in your mind, in the spirit world.

[Tarsier]

I mean, my eyes kind of automatically followed the lyrics and I kept that pace, which caused all the images around to flicker and live as my main focus wasn’t directly in them… I let that happen, I rarely stared directly at the drawings... In the end, my main focus was on the images, but in the peripheral vision… less direct, more intuitive, more dream-like… Dunno, difficult to explain. All the same, I enjoyed it