I’ve written a lot about sword noir. Most of that has been for gaming. What about those who write?

Here’s  a short story that I wrote a long time ago. It was presented on the AtFantasy Fiction Archive way back before the new millennium. Going through my old stories, I found it and was amazed at how something so far back in my catalogue could address so directly a lot of the aspects of the sword noir definition.
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Over at Sword’s Edge Publishing, I’ve been discussing the use of sword noir for role-playing games. I broke down the definition of sword noir I originally presented here, and I’ve discussed each and every aspect of it (last post coming live just after this one). I’ve done all that, but sword noir did not come to me as a gaming theme, rather as a theme for my fiction writing.

Why, then, haven’t I done a series about using sword noir in one’s fiction?

I honestly can’t say. I think that the points I bring up in the posts about gaming could apply—for the most part—to fiction writing, but that kind of dodges my own question.

I think part of it is the opposite of hubris. If one has had the chance to read my interview in the current issue of On Spec, you might have noted that I don’t have a particularly high opinion of myself as a writer. In that I am a published author, that I get paid for my work, and that I have cracked both of the markets I set as my targets (Black Gate and On Spec), I am doing something right. It does not mean, to me, that I can go around lecturing other writers how to do what we do.

Y’know, I think I do pretty good as a writer, and I am immensely better now than I was ten years ago . . . I should certainly hope so. The thing is, I am not a better writer than I was maybe five years ago. I certainly haven’t improved in the last three or four years. I know this because I haven’t been writing fiction. Like anything, you stop practicing, you stop improving. I just hope I’m not deteriorating!

A second reason why I haven’t examined sword noir for writers is that I think setting up a definition would pretty much be enough for myself as a writer. The craft, the work, the publishing, these are things I want to know about. How to apply a theme to my work, what that theme means, this has no value to me. I will find my own voice, thank you very much. If I do use your ideas, rest assured they will be filtered through my mind’s eye and may come out as something very different.

For RPGs, though, I love reading about how others come up with what they use in their games. I like to see the process. I like to hear about the process.

And, you know what, I’ve made more money selling my RPG wares than I have my fiction writing. Not any longer, though. I make damn little from Sword’s Edge Publishing these days. Once everything is paid, that very little profit I make gets me a nice case of beer every month or two. That’s not too bad. When I was really writing, really putting work out there, it was much better. In the end, more people have paid to read my gaming work than my fiction.

So, I don’t think you writers out there need to be told how to use sword noir. Those of you who aren’t writers out there probably don’t care. Those gamers can head on over to Sword’s Edge Publishing and see what I’m going on about.

Now, if I can just get these other stories done, maybe the world can have some more sword noir.

Maybe.

First off, let me say, I like Angela Bassett. I’m not going to say I’m a fan, because it’s not like I follow her work or anything, but she has consistently delivered in everything in which I’ve seen her.

Also? Hot.

I really took notice of her in Strange Days. I like that movie. I own it on DVD. I have strong memories of seeing it. Those are: 1) Cool! 2) A buddy’s date walked out during the rape scene.

SPOILER There is a rape scene.

It’s all good. The date ended up marrying my buddy and they had a bunch of kids together.

Anyway, back to Angela Bassett. Word is that she’s been cast in Green Lantern as Amanda Waller. Now, while I am glad that she’s getting work and all, she’s not exactly who I would expect to play the Wall. That is totally from a physical perspective. The Wall is a very large woman. Very large. Bassett is not.

Please do not let her play this in a fat suit.

I think that casting Bassett is a fine choice. She is an amazing actress and can deliver with gravitas or intimidation. What makes my ears prick up is the linkage this makes with Task Force X, also known as the Suicide Squad.

Is DC attempting to pull a Marvel, linking a bunch of their movies, using a “secret agent” kind of character to do so? Will the Wall be featured in other DC movies? Will she be DC’s Nick Fury? And if so, what role or purpose will TFX play?

Anyone out there have the answers?

I should probably do more reviews. Honestly? I’m lazy. But here’s a quick one that got wrung out of me due to a discussion on the Circus Maximus forums.

The Good, The Bad, The Weird

My cousins just returned from Korea with the DVD of Kim Ji-Woon’s the Good, the Bad, the Weird. It is awesome.

This is basically a western set in 1930s Manchuria, an interesting choice for a location, considering it was pretty lawless. Since this is a riff on Sergio Leone’s the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, it’s also fitting to have some armies lying around to get involved and heighten the tension. The three main characters become involved in a search for a treasure and its attendant map. Action ensues, as do many Western tropes, either straight up or with a Korean cultural chaser.

I’m not going to say this is a work of art or will be known for generations as a watershed moment in cinema, but I really did I laugh my butt off at parts and I really enjoyed the action. This is by no means anything like the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. That movie had some dark humour, but it was–at its core–a serious movie. The Good, the Bad, the Weird is certainly an homage, but it is an action comedy with a serious movie lurking around the edges.

Also the action is shot from enough distance, and with a steadi-cam or tracks, so no wobbly “WTF is going on?” action. Yes, I’m sure that’s “just how it feels” to be in the middle of the action, but that would also entail bleeding, pain, and possible bodily harm, none of which I am fond of either.

If you have seen Korean action movies like Shwiri, I will say this is a step above that. I found a lot of the action in Shwiri to be dull, in the kind of 1980s “mow down tons of baddies with one sweep of the sub-machine gun” way. tGtBtW, on the other hand, has some honestly fun set-pieces, as well as great characters. In action, it’s closer to Nowhere to Hide, which remains my favourite Korean actioner. Unlike that movie, though, tGtBtW has a much stronger plot and story (Nowhere to Hide is mostly cool scenes stitched together with a bare minimum of story).

Also, it keeps moving, and I can’t remember any moment when I wasn’t glued to the screen.

Granted, I’ve only seen it once (over 3 nights . . . damn kids and their damn colds), so I’ll need to see it again before I form any strong opinions. Given that I am looking forward to watching it again should tell you something.

I’d give this 4.5 bandoliers full of bullets out of 5.

Well, after he gets frozen in ice, he can always thaw himself out.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Captain America will be Chris Evans.

Man, comics love this guy . . . or at least those who adapt comics for the screen love this guy. Fantastic Four, the Losers, now Captain America.

Well played, Mr. Evans. Well played indeed.

I’ve read some articles disparaging the choice of Chris Evans for the role of Steve Rogers. I have to disagree. Honestly no matter who they cast, there are going to be people who won’t be happy. Is it just me, or do you all remember some fans questioning the choice of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark.

Seems stupid now, eh?

Not that I’m saying Chris Evans has RDJr’s chops, I’m just saying let’s wait and see what comes of this. The man’s done pretty good with the roles he’s been given.

I ask you, can we trust the Hollywood Reporter?

If the answer is yes, then we can go to bed tonight knowing that Chris Evans has been offered the role of Captain America.

And that suits me fine.

Of all the “big” Marvel movies—Thor, Iron Man 2, Captain America—I’m afraid Cap is the one I’d be willing to sacrifice. Captain American can be an awesome character, as Ed Brubaker has amply demonstrated, but he’s like Superman—he can be bland without the right handling.

While I would have plenty of faith in Chris Evans as Cap, I don’t have a lot of faith in Joe Johnston to give us something memorable. Other than the Rocketeer, I can’t say I’m a fan of anything he’s directed.

I really wouldn’t mind, though, if Johnston surprised me.

Oh, and did I mention that Hugo Weaving is playing the Red Skull? I didn’t? My bad.

Hugo Weaving is playing the Red Skull. Please don’t make him Italian.

So the cast is looking tight. Let’s hope the director can pull this off.

What the comics world has basically told me is that my love is the kiss of death.

First, the Immortal Iron Fist, the comic that basically got me back into comics, died quietly.

Then J. Michael Straczynski leaves Thor, which doesn’t necessarily doom the book, but does put its future in question.

Now, the Guardians of the Galaxy may be disappearing. It is certain that GoG will “go on hiatus” during the Thanos Imperative. The question is, will it return?

It seems that now the smart money is on no. After the Thanos Imperative, both Nova and GoG are likely gone–at least as stand-alone comics. And, honestly, that’s how I want to see GoG. Nova is good (same basic team), but GoG is the one I collect.

So what do I have left? Just the Boys.

I guess this will save me some money.

The casting rumours/news keeps coming and I keep gobbling it up like the incredulous naïf I truly am.

Apparently Mickey Rourke is out of the upcoming Conan movie. Replacing him as Conan’s father is Ron Perlman.

That’s fine. I have very little invested in this movie as it stands. As much as I enjoy Ron Perlman, I was very interested to see what Mickey Rourke might have done with the role. I’m wondering how large a part Conan’s dad will have in the movie. If it’s anything like Conan the Barbarian, that would be not too much.

Whatever the case, the casting and director don’t leave me with a whole lot of hope that anything of quality is going to come out of the process. Fun? Possibly, but since it’s going to carry the title of Conan, I expect a little bit more than just fun.

Seriously, guys, change the name and we can all be friends, okay? Robert E. Howard’s creation deserves a little bit more respect than this. Not that Hollywood agrees with me. See?

So it seems that J Michael Straczynski’s work in bringing back Thor to the Marvel universe will be followed up by Matt Fraction. As much as I am sad to see JMS go—given that he has probably influenced the modern Thor more than any other writer since Walt Simonson, the man who got me reading Thor—I am cautiously optimistic.

Fraction, along with Ed Brubaker, made me care about Iron Fist, and created the much lamented the Immortal Iron Fist comic. That was one of the few comics I actually followed, as in bought the collection once they hit the shelves. Since IIF has been cancelled, Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy have been about my only, solid go-to comics.

Now Fraction is going to be working on Thor. Sad that JMS had to go. I’m interested on what will happen to the comic. After Simonson left Thor, Tom DeFalco took over with Ron Frenz as artist. I stuck with the title for almost two years, but became less and less interested. These days, I don’t have that kind of patience. If Fraction doesn’t bring the awesome, as I honestly believe he can, quickly, I’ll be down to just the Guardians of the Galaxy.

He got the job, though how Stephen Lang–as fine an actor as he is–will inhabit the role of a character described as “Asian or Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Mongol, Turkish, or Persian” is a little bit beyond me.

Actually, I have an idea. Change the script. Actually, just change the names. That’s all. Lang can play a villainous Aquilonian noble who becomes “a warlord and formidable warrior, brilliant, cruel, weathered and tanned by the many campaigns he has waged and won. He is driven in his quest to find the Queen of Acheron and has been building an empire to do so.”

And while you’re at it, change the lead character’s name to something else, like Ragnar, or Conal, or Dave. Use the Hyborian setting and mythos if you like, and maybe call the movie “In the Land of Conan,” or something like that to trade in on the name, but please don’t take a shit on Conan.

Please.

Not that I expect this to totally suck, I just expect this to be on par with the Scorpion King, which isn’t a horrible movie, but certainly doesn’t live up to Robert E Howard’s immortal creation.

Won’t someone please think of the Cimmerians?