Review: Desolation Jones: Made in England

Desolation Jones:Made in England, by Warren Ellis.

Let me just clarify one thing before I begin; I love Warren Ellis and I love his work. Most of all I love Transmetropolitan, his series of comic books/graphic novels*about the gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem, set in a dystopian future. If there was a way a young woman could marry a book, I would be down at the registry office, hot French boyfriend be damned. So I think my review is coloured by adoration of the man and his work. I expect a hell of a lot from Warren Ellis, and that may not be fair. I suspect my standards may be too high.
Desolation Jones is the story of , well, Desolation Jones, a British ex-intelligence agent exiled to Los Angeles. One of many; it seems there's a community of ex-intelligence agents, confined to the city for whatever reason. Jones works as a private investigator within this community. Just this concept alone is an interesting, but Ellis isn't content to just leave it at that.
The basic plot of Desolation Jones: Made in England is that some one has stolen a wealthy man's Hitler porn. Yes, you read that right. But, of course, there are darker and deeper forces at work, and Jones finds himself lost in the mire of the pornographic and intelligence worlds.
It's apparent from the beginning that Jones is a damaged man. The British government subjected him to the 'Desolation test'; just what that is, is left unclear. What the reader is told-via flashback-is that it involved being kept awake for a year. Its physical effects were devastating; his skin and hair are chalk white, he cannot be exposed to direct sunlight, his suffers from chronic pain and impotence. However it has made him a remorseless, fearless killer. It also gives him some of the most stunning hallucinations I've ever seen, but I'll talk about those later.
So what's right with this work? Well, like I said, it's a fascinating concept. The Hitler porn is a MacGuffin for looking at this dark, seedy and dangerous world that the ex-intelligence community has created, merely by its presence. The supporting characters are fascinating; a young woman who's pheromones have been altered so that she creates fear and disgust in whomever she encounters. Jones' boss, a man who eats entire cows. A dominatrix named "Filthy Sanchez", who utters one of the best lines in fiction, "Everything is better with Bukkake." One of Ellis' main strengths is creating interesting characters, if not exactly ones you can empathize with.
And then again, gifting these people with moments of extraordinary humanity. The aforementioned young woman is desperately lonely, so Jones, unaffected by her pheromones, stays the night with her. It seems so simple, but Ellis' writing lifts it beyond that. It's one of the few moments that Jones actually seems at least a little human.
That brings me to my first issue with the book; Jones himself. The whole loner, amoral anti-hero seems a bit...done. They all have some differences, but the basic archetype remains the same. Wolverine, The Punisher, many of Frank Miller's characters...this is strictly a personal thing, understand, but the genre's full of this kind of character. Jones seems pretty cut and dried, and at the end of the book (no spoilers) feels like he's only got once place to go.
Of course, then I must qualify this criticism with another statement. Desolation Jones: Made in England has made one story arc, published in 2005. It doesn't seem like more is going to be written**. So character development is severely limited. Ellis could have planned to take Jones in a completely different direction. Who knows? I dare not try and fathom the brain of Warren Ellis.
Quick aside to talk about the art: amazing. Captures the atmosphere of Los Angeles perfectly; Heat, sleaze and concrete. Just like I remember. And Jones' hallucinations-usually bloody angels-are literally jaw dropping. The art style is stylized, but not too the extent that everything is sacrificed for atmosphere and effect. The art and the writing really mesh well, which, of course, is important in this medium.
Brass tacks time: How does Desolation Jones:Made in England rate? Well, it's a Warren Ellis, so well compared to a lot of other stuff in the genre. There are no heroes here, just people. The violence is unflinching and realistic***. HOWEVER, something about this book didn't quite gel for me. Maybe it's because I went in to it with such high expectations. I can't read every work of Ellis' and expect another Transmet. The story and character of Desolation Jones is no where near complete, so there's a chance that another classic could be born. The book itself, I think, does not really work as a standalone.
That's not to say it fails; like I said, it's an interesting concept. It's certainly worth a look, especially for Warren Ellis fans. But it's not his best work.

B.


*Whichever you prefer.
**It was supposed to be a two year run, according to this interview http://londonist.com/2005/06/the_warren_elli.php (Lacking the publishing dates of each issue, I am not sure whether it ran the full two years or not.)
***Your mileage may vary as to whether this is a good thing.

Ms. Monster Hunter Reccomends: Buying Tights

It's the height of winter here in Wellington, and chances are, if you haven't already, you're starting to think about buying tights. Until I started working in the hosiery department of my former workplace, I never realised that buying tights is more complicated than I had ever thought. So, for all those ladies-and gentlemen-who wish to but tights, here's my guide.

The higher the denier, the thicker the tight is the golden rule.

Sheer: 5-20 denier

Semi-opaque: 30-40 denier

Opaque: 50 and above

REALLY dark: 100 denier plus . There's not much difference really, and depends on how much it stretches. My recommendation for the completely opaque tights is Ambra 200 denier. Ok, they aren't much darker than 120 that Voodoo makes but they're much softer. And you want to be comfortable, right? I find they run large, but a trip around the tumble dryer will solve that. Just don't tumble dry your tights if they fit correctly, because they'll shrink.

A tip for sizing: There's always a sizing guide on the back. If you're on the borderline between sizes, go larger. Various companies have also started making 'hipster' tights, so if you don't like the constriction of traditionally cut tights, you have another option.

My thoughts on Sheers: Never if you can get away with it . They ARE good for summer or slightly more posh occasions. They rip easily; if you are in a job where you have to wear them, consider buying hosiery gloves. Not Monster Hunter recommended, unless you do like the ripped look. The heels of the tights will pill if your shoe rubs.

Thigh highs are a good option, too, for summer and if you can't even stand wearing things around your hips. Voodoo's stay ups are crap. Columbine 40 den. much better. If buying thigh highs with the adhesive strips, wash them after every time you wear them, and don't wear lotion, because the adhesive strips won't work.

Stockings with a garter belt: cheaper, but fiddly. Many garter belts can be quite bulky and look weird under tight clothes. Wear the belt under your knickers for ease when nature calls.

My thoughts on Patterned tights: If you have chunky calves, avoid horizontal stripes. White and black stripes = instant cult membership. They say: I listen to metal and read Neil Gaiman. Vertical stripes are great, for us ladies with walker's calves.

Final thoughts: As with everything, you get what you pay for. Nails are the enemy of tights. That's fingers AND toes. Fishnets: be careful. My humble opinion is that small holes are good, large ones...not so much. They send a certain message, that's all I'm saying. Unless you want to send 'that message' then, by all means, go ahead. Also: BUY A WASH BAG. Good for your tights and your nice underwear. They'll last longer.

Recommendations:

Ambra 200 den.
Columbine 50. Den opaques: Colourful and cheap.
Columbine premium wool tights
Columbine 40. den stay ups
Voodoo Kinky Knits
Columbine fishnets (wide range of colours, too)

Where to go: (Wellington specific)

Kirkcaldies and Stains
Farmers
Calico Jack's, for the more unique stuff

Coming Attractions, Part II

Ok, I've worked out a few kind of posts that I'd like to feature weekly.

• Art Attack: A post about an artistic movement, artist or work that I fin interesting.
• Ms. Monster Hunter Advises: A silly column dealing with issues of etiquette.
• Fashion Spot: Featuring an outfit that I particularly like.
  
• Ms. M-H Recommends/Reviews: books, restaurants, movies, DVDs....
• Bluestocking: Dealing with feminist issues
• Doing what I do: Picture posts detailing various activities.
  

These will appear, hopefully, every two days.

Planned Content (Coming soon)

Just to give you an idea of what this blog will be about. A mixture of the silly and the serious, the informative, the self indulgent, the cynical and the optimistic.

1. Ms. Monster Hunter Advises: So You're In Love with a Vampire, What you need for good sex (Equipment and Attitude), Trolls and what do about them, and Fleas: How to get rid of the little bastards (and make sure they don't come back)
2. Fashion Spot: Practical fashion for the young monster hunter on the go. Whether it's infiltrating cult meetings, researching forbidden texts, lurking in graveyards or facing the monsters themselves; Always look your best. Related to (1) : Stain removal.
3. Famous Figures
4. Serious Business: Feminist Blogs and the Echo Chamber, A Short History of Perversion and Why We Should Know Better Now, Educating Others: Queerness, Mental Illness and Me, Intellect vs. Aesthetics and Why Modern Art Sucks.
5. On the 'tube: Youtube links
6. Ms. Monster Hunter recommends: Books, comics, movies, restaurants, local exhibitions, TV Shows and more.
7. Monster Profiles (Of course)
8. The League of Awesome: People I like. Jonathan Coulton, Gala Darling, the Coilhouse crew to name a few.
   
9. Knitting: Pictures of my Knitting, because I can
10. Guest Posts: Possibly.