blamebrampton: 15th century woodcut of a hound (Default)
blamebrampton ([personal profile] blamebrampton) wrote2010-01-07 11:38 pm
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A lovely thing, and then some ranting

First, A LOVELY THING! Which is a rec.

Draco Malfoy and the Deathly Hallows is the final work in [livejournal.com profile] 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!
aliciajd: (Default)

[personal profile] aliciajd 2010-01-08 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
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.
Edited 2010-01-08 04:46 (UTC)

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2010-01-08 06:29 am (UTC)(link)
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: (Default)

[personal profile] aliciajd 2010-01-08 07:27 am (UTC)(link)
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.