A lovely thing, and then some ranting

[blamebrampton]

First, A LOVELY THING! Which is a rec.

Draco Malfoy and the Deathly Hallows is the final work in hd_holidays . A multi-panelled artwork with minimal additional text, it tells the story of book 7 with small, vital changes. It is no exaggeration to say that this is the story I hoped for when Mr Brammers brought the actual book home from the shop (I had influenza and was in bed). Beginning in the Malfoy dungeons (Luna in ankle-socks! Absolutely perfect), it tells the story of what would have unfolded had Draco been able to find the ability to make a different choice in his actions during the war.

Convincing and compelling, the narrative skips across the second half of the book, pausing at crucial moments. The Hufflepuff Cup, Fiendfyre, Snape's death ... these and more are addressed, but with the difference that a morally courageous Draco could have made. 

Not only is the central thesis captivating, the art that accompanies it is nothing short of gripping. Drawn in a spare almost-monochrome, it focusses attention down on the drama of each moment, showing story in the gesture of a hand, the hopelessness of a look. For all the drama, there are moments of humour, too, gently done and finely judged in tone.

The artist (because artists are very rarely the least bit anon, even if this artwork has an uncharacteristic lack of boy snoggin) is one of my faves, because she makes me look at canon and fanon in new ways each time. This piece is no different, save that instead of opening up new parts of the text for me, it reminded me again how sad I was when I reached he end of DH and Draco was still a feeble cypher.

Even Mr Brammers finished HP7 with a 'Hmph, I liked most of it, but I was convinced that Malfoy would come good by the end. What was the point of all that stuff in the other books if he wasn't going to learn anything from it?' Exactly right! And this piece helped immensely with that. In fact, I'm going to pull it up for him and see if I can break his fandom virginity.


To end, a spot of ranting:
Does watching television make people stupid? (Yes, obviously.)

Outside of America, a white person offering a black person fried chicken is nothing more than a friendly gesture of shared crap food, unless one of them is a cardiologist, in which case it is a neat piece of bastardry in either direction.

Also, Doctor Who has a long and proud history of supporting gingers!

On a final, political, note, Fuck me, Japanese whalers! Who do you think you are? French? Not cool!

Comments

[brissygirl.livejournal.com]

Did you see the chick who is trying to sue the Lutheran Church because of a lead pencil injury that she got in primary school? She is claiming, pain and suffering, diminished earning capacity, medical expenses? and something else totalling around $100,000.

This is in Australia BTW. What the hell is the world coming to?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

What did she do? Insert it through her left nostril??

[brissygirl.livejournal.com]

according to the news report kids were mucking around in class and one of her classmates landed on her (she was sitting on the floor) and the pencil she was holding pierced her finger.

This all happened about 12 years ago! The reporter tried to get a comment from her or her family and they aren't talking and she's taken down her myspace page that shows she's got tattoos and piercings, since the media has gotten hold of the law suit information.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Clearly, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

Outside of America, a white person offering a black person fried chicken is nothing more than a friendly gesture of shared crap food, unless one of them is a cardiologist, in which case it is a neat piece of bastardry in either direction.

YES.

I kinda feel like KFC now though. That ad made me hungry. Damn ads!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Do not eat the KFC! it is not actual food!

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

B...but... it's so yummy! And horribly fattening but deliciously salty, greasy goodness! I adore all types of fast food. *g* This will probably come back to haunt me in my later years.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You may have some twice a year, otherwise, have a pide or a peanut butter sandwich to satisfy your crap cravings! Your thighs will thank me for this advice in time!

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

I wish they made peanut butter that tasted like fried chicken or mashed potatoes. That would be truly awesome.

I generally have fruit to satisfy my cravings. Then I ruin it all by having fast food for dinner. *g*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Maybe if you soaked a tub of pringles in warm milk? Do try and tell me if it lives up to your dreams!

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

I may be particularly ignorant, but what would be the significance of a white person offering a black person a piece of fried chicken in America? Also, am desperately hoping that I never did this accidentally, because obviously it would have been a Bad Thing.

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

From the articles I've just read, apparently it's a stereotype over there that black people like fried chicken and Americans viewed the ad as a white person offering fried chicken to pacify black people.... I think. I could be completely wrong. I never realised Americans had this stereotype before today.

[sherryillk.livejournal.com]

I hadn't seen that ad (despite being American) but my mind filled in the controversy over it anyway just based on your comments on it. Sometimes I think we're all just overly sensitive and try a bit too hard at being PC here...

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I am afraid that, while I am reasonably good at cultural explanations around the world, American is beyond me.

I stopped going there when I nearly got into a fight with a woman who was loudly telling me that people in Britain had no idea about terrorism, then shouted at me when I mentioned the IRA: 'They're not terrorists, you anti-Irish bigot!'

I exaggerate. She didn't call me a bigot.

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

*boggles*

*thinks about this*

*boggles more*

No, we have no idea about terrorism in Britain at all. Obviously.

America is, as they say, a foreign country. It's just a shame that they haven't worked that out yet.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

To be fair, several of her friends were hugely embarrassed by the whole thing. And it was at the end of 2001, she was probably still actively freaked out.

The funniest wacky conversation I had with an American involved her finding out I live in Australia and asking me what it was like when our government went around door to door and took all our guns, I had a lengthy chat in which I explained about the lack of guns to take, the lack of government personnel to take any, and the enormous size of Australia. She listened courteously, then said 'Well, that's not what it said in the NRA magazine.'

I love Americans, but America sometimes scares the bejesus out of me, and I live in a country full of deadly trees.

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

With drop bears.

Having been next to harrods when view bombed it it felt like terrorism to me!

Dr who was clearly regretting not being ginger bye I'm fed up with all the whining from gingers who clearly failed at whatever the televisual equivalent of reading comprehension is.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Ah, thank you. Despite my best efforts, I finally got into a racism argument on LJ for the first time (Americans and their view of DW), which is the biggest mistake to make. Which I knew. It was a moment of momentary insanity ie. I wasn't quite aware ... I got out quickly but kept gnawing on it day and night. Sadly there is no non-US-centric version of LJ (which is certainly not "Russian").

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

One of my besties from when I was little moved to America and then had to move back to England because if one more person told her she was African-American, she was going to cause an international incident.

I blame the media and education systems.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Gahd, I can imagine. I'm smarting from the wank - and this was a wank, not an argument - about the person who said people should stop labelling black Hogwarts pupils as African-American (unless they are exchange students) and replacing the colour black, which supposedly had also happened, with some nonsensical euphemism.

Can we? Hm. True, so many slashers are teachers and librarians! ;)

[ciel-vert.livejournal.com]

Oooh thank you for pointing me in the direction of that art, I would have missed it otherwise. And yes! Definitely the story I wish I had read too.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Brilliant, isn't it?

[glorafin.livejournal.com]

Blatant anti-French racism there! :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Historical analogy only! The Rainbow Warrior is still fresh in my mind! ;-)

[ladyjaneva.livejournal.com]

I wonder where he'S going to get the money for his next ship from, since this one was donated or so by someone from Hollywood?

I'm not all that comfortable with his take on violence/no violence, but overall I think he's doing a good job, and the world needs definetely more lunatics like him.

I've read so many horrible stories about Japan and whaling that I will not start to remember them now, otherwise I'd have nightmares.

Did the french ever say Sorry for the Rainbow Warrior?

[niennas-gift.livejournal.com]

Totally agree on both fronts: the art (and rewrite of DH) is exquisite. The anon artist has this special talent to get me to see familiar characters in whole new ways. Her work has inspired several scenes in my fic.

As to DH as it is, I think a real opportunity was missed. With HBP, Draco went from being a background character to a major actor in the events unfolding. In many ways, he drops out of the picture in DH. It's not that I always think he should have joined the Order, I just think the evolution he went through was just as important to the wizarding world as the transformation Ron went through (for instance). JKR had created a wonderful character with Draco and then she just threw that away. imho, of course.

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

That was so pretty! Thanks for linking to it :D

[timeasmymeasure.livejournal.com]

That was a brilliant piece of work. Loved it.

Outside of America, a white person offering a black person fried chicken is nothing more than a friendly gesture of shared crap food, unless one of them is a cardiologist, in which case it is a neat piece of bastardry in either direction.

Oh good Lord, so true.

[wivern.livejournal.com]

Re the ad, Dr Who and Japanese whalers... YES!!!

Wasn't the doctor complaining that he wasn't ginger?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I've not seen this one yet, but when Ten said it, YES!

[aliciajd]

I'm removing this comment because I just saw the KFC commercial that sparked the comment and realized that this thread was about an Australian commercial, not an American one. My original comment was about our media situation in America, which has no bearing, at all, on yours.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Hee! Is fine -- I assumed as much on reading it, and you gave a thoughtful and sensible analysis (which is more than most paid commentators managed to do!) And I want to come and eat at your house, it sounds delicious!

Did you see the art? SO GOOD!

[aliciajd]

You're invited for dinner any Sunday. Good ol' southern fried chicken, not that KFC stuff! It's a real standing invitation, although, I realize that you are less likely to drop in here to my home in Lincoln, Nebraska, than you would be if I lived in London.

[feralcheryl.livejournal.com]

I am vaguely terrified that Australian humour is now being judged by American standards. WTF?
And could some one please explain to me why the black and white minstrals on Hay Hay were racist and Tracey Ullman dressing up as a black chick is not.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Ullman is a satirist, the minstrels weren't funny. Seriously, genuine satire is a serious defence in most Western countries. Of course, she's not really funny these days, either ...

And if American average is now the comedy standard, I'm buggered. Can we be judged by the best American comedy? I am far less rude than it!

[flamewarrior.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the rec; I shall read it as soon as my Interwebs pulls it's finger out and decides that loading pages is a good idea...

it reminded me again how sad I was when I reached he end of DH and Draco was still a feeble cypher.

Draco moves from character-of-depth-with-difficult-choices at the end of HBP to oh-sorry-you-thought-he-was-a-real-person?-he's-just-a-mcguffin at the end of DH :-( Even more than the expulsion of Slytherin, this is what drove me mad about DH. >:-[

[ms-kilian.livejournal.com]

There should be more attractive, heroic, lust-worthy gingers on TV and in film. More Weasleys in the world I say! We are The Best (that's why we are so rare). In fact, I think that every 4/5 year old should have their hair forceably hennaed before they start school, then when it returns to its natural shade, the gingers can hang sh!t on the non-gingers, who are clearly inferior.

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There should be more attractive, heroic, lust-worthy gingers on TV and in film. More Weasleys in the world I say! We are The Best (that's why we are so rare). In fact, I think that every 4/5 year old should have their hair forceably hennaed before they start school, then when it returns to its natural shade, the gingers can hang sh!t on the non-gingers, who are clearly inferior.
<tongue firmly in cheek, except the Weasly proliferation thing>