This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)

#1 | Back to Top11-09-2006 02:17:32 PM

bella
Atlantean Singer
Registered: 11-04-2006
Posts: 581

The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Okay, so I know that there are a ton of Neil fans on this forum. We love him, so let's show it. I'll start.

I can't even begin to try to explain how much joy I get from Neil's work. I love Neil. I so wish he were not married sometimes. He's got this beautiful, amazing, soul, and it comes out so well in his work. My first contact with Gaiman's work was (believe it or not) at a school book fair. I picked up a copy of his children's book Coraline. It was unlike anything I'd read before. It was this beautiful kind of creepy; like Tim Burton or Lemony Snicket, but so much better. It was vivid and real and amazing and powerful. I couldn't put it down, and read it in a few days. After that, I made it my personal mission statement in life to read all of this man's work before I died. Seeing that he wrote a comic, I though "Oh, cool." But, unbenounced to me, this was no comic. It was literary and graphic genuis seamlessly combined into a work of art. It was unlike any "comic" I had ever read before. The stories were amazing; so different but woven so well together. And there was such a vast range of theme and emotion. I remember reading "24 Hours" and "The Collectors" and being scared shitless, reading "Callope" and crying my eyes out, and feeling a harsh pang of reality in the plots involving Desire. I found wisdom in Delerium's seemingly childish, sensless rambles, and learned the real meaning of Death. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was pure greatness. (And it won an award.) I loved that Lucifer lost his place in Hell, that Shakespear got his talent through a bargan with Morpheus. In that series, much like in Utena, I learned to look inwardly. I examined the feeling and meaning behind the action, and learned more about myself in the process. I'd like to commend Neil for making a comic for the deep thinking types. I love you.


Happy Holidays Everyone! :3

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#2 | Back to Top11-09-2006 03:59:07 PM

Etrangere
Rose Smilee
From: Paris
Registered: 10-22-2006
Posts: 134
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

I love Neal because he's not a writer, he's storyteller.

His first book I read was Neverwhere. It was quaint and strange and lovely, deliciously enchanting. Then there were Mirror & Smoke (which contains some of his best work), Stardust, Sandman, American Gods (my favourite because I'm a mythology geek), Coraline (the other best), Anansi's Boys, Mirrormask, all wonderful. I don't think he ever writes the best plots, characters, or universe. He doesn't shine for originality or the depth of his theme. But he writes stories, which is something mysterious and more unique, more magical, and he does so with an unequalled gift which I see nowhere else except with Rebecca Sean Borgstrom's stories.


Yes. You shouldn't be suspicious of Anthy. Her big brother is your watching. There is no war in Ba Sing Se. ~ Dalbun

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#3 | Back to Top11-09-2006 05:23:18 PM

MissMocha
Bettie Page Princess
From: Tallahassee, Fl
Registered: 10-19-2006
Posts: 4632

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

I would love to see Neil team up with someone to do a short story on Utena. Wouldn't that be a wonderful story? Maybe even something along the lines of the movie, a retelling or some such. That said, I love everything Neil Gaiman I've ever picked up, with the exception of Mirrormask, which makes me sad.emot-frown I intened to try it again, but I barely got halfway before I had to turn it off. It was beautiful and imaginative, but it just felt so cold, and lacked any sense of immediacy or intimacy, at least to me. But I expect to be alone on that front, esp here. emot-smile

My Neil-cherry was popped by Good Omens (does that make it a threesome?), and then Neverwhere. emot-smile


The first time you looked at her curves you were hooked
And the glances you took, took hold of you and demanded that you stay
And sunk in their teeth, bit your heart and released
Such a charge that you need another touch, another taste, another fix

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#4 | Back to Top11-09-2006 05:50:45 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

I haven't actually watched Mirrormask yet...is it cold? Really? They might have tried too hard to accomplish the look...

As for me, my first exposure was Sandman. By the time Morpheus went to hell, I was in love.


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#5 | Back to Top11-09-2006 07:32:18 PM

bella
Atlantean Singer
Registered: 11-04-2006
Posts: 581

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Good Omens. That is really something I want to read desperatley. I love when he plays with the powers of heaven and hell.


Happy Holidays Everyone! :3

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#6 | Back to Top11-09-2006 09:06:19 PM

Alithea
Dark Whisperer
From: Westminster, CO
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 1152
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Neil is great and I've seen him a few times. I saw him the first time I went to Comic Con for the bed time story reading he sometimes does, and I saw him in Berkely where he read all of Coraline. And Neil is a storyteller not a writer, he conveys stories so very well in nearly ever medium he touches from graphic novles to the movies.

I really enjoyed Mirrormask, but I think one of my favorite thing he ever did was Neverwhere, not just the novel but the miniseries. That was great. emot-keke


"The only reason to write is to write for love. Write for passion. If you have the privilege of being able to write, then don't do it for any other reason." - Stephen Sondheim

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#7 | Back to Top11-09-2006 10:26:00 PM

Romanticide
Cow Bellhop
From: Mazatlan
Registered: 10-18-2006
Posts: 447

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

The first american comic I bought was actually the first volume of Sandman etc-love I own 7 of  10 volumes of the old print. But I have read all the series. Ando also I own the 2 especials emot-smile
I have only had the oportunity to read American Gods and his short storys on his page but I still think he rules.


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#8 | Back to Top11-10-2006 06:44:45 PM

BakaElf
Miki Molester
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 32
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Whee~ Gaiman~ etc-love

My first exposure was the first volume of Sandman. A friend lent me the first three volumes. I read the first one, liked it well enough, but not enough to get around to reading the other two he had lent me. Months later I gave them back, and moved in with some roommates, one of whom happened to own the whole series. I went on an 'expanding my horizons' kick, and gave it another shot and I just sped though it like mad. etc-love I love how they have all these different artists and styles. Daniel = etc-love

Then it was American Gods, Anansi Boys, and Stardust. That's about it. The 'problem' I have is that if I have a day in which I don't have much to do, I can polish off a book in a day. ;; And, to be honest, though I've never read any of his short stories, I feel like his style is more suited to them. There's something about his novels....I love them, but...

I really liked Mirrormask. *shrug* It wasn't what I expected, (I read about it in a little article in some scifi/fantasy movie magazine thing, forgot about it, and when it came out again and I saw the promo images went: Oooooh, I remember you!) but I liked it. etc-love the soundtrack.

Something about all this makes me feel like a poser >>;

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#9 | Back to Top11-11-2006 06:41:24 AM

Hina the Prince
Friend, Perhaps
From: Israel
Registered: 10-20-2006
Posts: 320

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Oh, I /love/ Neil. The first book I read of his was Coraline, which I love to this day. Then I read Good Omens, Smoke and Mirrors, the genius The Day I Sold My Dad For Two Goldish and Anansi Boys. I read about half of Neverwhere, but for some reason I stopped months ago and never got back to reading it. Guess it just didn't grab me.
I love his sense of humor and the surrealism [which is why I found Anansi Boys to be so great] in his stories. He's really good at setting a mood. Also, he's british. etc-love

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#10 | Back to Top11-11-2006 10:57:20 AM

BakaElf
Miki Molester
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 32
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

How did I forget about Good Omens?! emot-mad That was awesome, and as I think it, the first Neil Gaiman book that I read. ...And somehow I forgot about reading Neverwhere too. ...Probably because I lent it to someone just after I read it, and I don't think I got it back. Months ago. :/ Also watched the BBC miniseries which was okay, but not half as good as the book. (Which is more amusing because so far as I know, the miniseries came first.)

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#11 | Back to Top11-11-2006 09:34:33 PM

bella
Atlantean Singer
Registered: 11-04-2006
Posts: 581

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

I was wondering (and this is open to everyone) what paralles, common things, or whatever, that can be drawn between SKU and Gaiman's works. What are your opnions? What do you see between them? Why do you think so many SKU fans are also Gaiman fans? I'm very interested to find the common thread between the two.


Happy Holidays Everyone! :3

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#12 | Back to Top11-13-2006 08:19:39 AM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

I love about Gaiman his approach to reality, where the gods all exist and walk among us. Lucifer drinks armagnac but it's not pandering to the devilish snob stereotype, it's just sensible he'd be that way while Thor wants a beer. There's something of that in SKU, not so much specifically about the gods, but a similarity in how the world is presented. Gaiman seems more romantic to me than SKU was, though, SKU has a happy ending but there's no silver lining in the dark world it creates.

I can't quite put my finger on it.


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#13 | Back to Top11-16-2006 12:09:02 AM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

O SHI, he has a new book of short stories out. Fragile Things, here I come!

And there's apparently his take on Sherlock Holmes in there. school-sherlock

Has anyone read this yet? Amazon kinda trashed it, but they've been real hit and miss with me.


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#14 | Back to Top11-16-2006 04:53:56 PM

Soup Goblin
New Student
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 5
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

I'm about halfway through Fragile Things, and so far the stories have been either "really effin' good" or just kinda "... eh." If you're like me (Neil stalker), you've already read many of these stories in other collections, but it's nice to have them all in one nice volume. Favories of mine so far are "October in the Chair" (very melancholy tale of boy meets/becomes friends with a ghost. Reminded me a bit of Rowland and Paine from Sandman), "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire" (This story is so worth it just for the title. You'll love this if you've ever read gothic horror fiction), and "The Problem of Susan" (redeems all that time I wasted reading the Narnia books in middle school). A lot of gems in there, and everyone you ask will have a different favorite. There's also a sequel to American Gods in here somewhere, which I've yet to read. school-eng101

EDIT: Oh, and his Sherlocke Holmes story rocked. It's basically a crossover with H.P. Lovecraft. (OH THE INSANITY) etc-wankdude

Last edited by Soup Goblin (11-16-2006 04:55:57 PM)

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#15 | Back to Top11-17-2006 11:45:03 AM

littleRita
Wakaba Wrangler
From: Madison, WI
Registered: 11-10-2006
Posts: 10

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Soup Goblin wrote:

EDIT: Oh, and his Sherlocke Holmes story rocked. It's basically a crossover with H.P. Lovecraft. (OH THE INSANITY) etc-wankdude

That Sherlock Holmes story inspired me to pick up The Complete Illustrated Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. school-sherlock That's the size of an encyclopaedia though, so it's pretty slow going. Totally worth it though etc-wankgirl

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#16 | Back to Top11-21-2006 10:56:09 AM

rhyaniwyn
Myth is my Bitch
From: Tallahassee, FL
Registered: 11-09-2006
Posts: 684
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

I've just started reading Gaiman recently: Neverwhere, Stardust, and I'm currently reading American Gods.  I think he's a pretty good storyteller, and he, like someone once said about Robin McKinley etc-love , has a keen instinct for building the landscape of the fairy tale.  I think that's the parallel between Gaiman and SKU--the feeling of "magic" that pervades the setting. 

I've thought his characters, especially the females, are pretty shallow, though.  I didn't think Neverwhere or Stardust were particularly character-driven, however, so I don't consider it a detraction...simply an observation.  I'm wondering if American Gods will give me evidence of versatility in his narratives...


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#17 | Back to Top11-21-2006 12:49:03 PM

Lightice
Azure Paleontologist
From: Finland
Registered: 10-21-2006
Posts: 1255

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Soup Goblin wrote:

EDIT: Oh, and his Sherlocke Holmes story rocked. It's basically a crossover with H.P. Lovecraft. (OH THE INSANITY) etc-wankdude

I just bough Fragile Things and read the first story, which happened to be this Sherlock Holmes tale. It left me wanting more - I'm haunted by the question, whether the unnamed 'friend' living in the Baker Street apartement was Holmes, at all. The real Holmes might have been that mysterious Sherry Vernet, who smoked the same tobacco and had the same analytical way of thinking as the great detective of the story...

Now I'll have to read some more of this fascinating anthology...


Hei! Aa-Shanta 'Nygh!

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#18 | Back to Top11-23-2006 03:29:15 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

rhyaniwyn wrote:

I've thought his characters, especially the females, are pretty shallow, though.

I think he tends to let you flesh out the characters based on their behavior and the circumstances they're in. He also tends to use gods and such, and assume in some degree you know their personality enough for him not to have to explain it much. Overall, though, he does seem to focus more on the idea of the story than the characters, and at times I do get the impression they're there to fuel that story and that's all. Sandman was the best for characterization, I think, the medium lent itself to his style.

I think, though, that since he started writing novels more, he's really started to even that out. The characterization improves with each one, IMO.


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#19 | Back to Top11-29-2006 08:33:31 AM

hyacinth_black
une personne horrible
From: Waiting at the window.
Registered: 10-21-2006
Posts: 3301
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Woot for Coraline!

I'm in the middle of it right now, and I am absoultely in love with it!  My GOD IT'S AMAZING!

And now for an excerpt from Jennifer DeGuzman's livejournal...

So I'm standing outside a Starbucks with the man whose work is responsible for me even being into comics in the first place, and I open my mouth to speak, and this is what I say:

"This part of downtown always smells like onion rings."

Oh! My onion-ring-smell obsession! Why?

And Neil Gaiman says, "I was just thinking that."

Last edited by hyacinth_black (11-29-2006 09:16:53 AM)


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Hyacinth Black: Not much else to say, is there?

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#20 | Back to Top11-29-2006 02:56:42 PM

bella
Atlantean Singer
Registered: 11-04-2006
Posts: 581

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Yes, Coraline is great. It was scary and cool at the same time. (For some reason I really get into children's books.) It only gets better, so enjoy the rest of it. emot-smile


Happy Holidays Everyone! :3

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#21 | Back to Top12-05-2006 09:24:27 AM

hyacinth_black
une personne horrible
From: Waiting at the window.
Registered: 10-21-2006
Posts: 3301
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

belladonna wrote:

Yes, Coraline is great. It was scary and cool at the same time. (For some reason I really get into children's books.) It only gets better, so enjoy the rest of it. emot-smile

Children's books just have something about their innocence that manages to capture me... so far I can't get enough of this book!

emot-keke


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Hyacinth Black: Not much else to say, is there?

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#22 | Back to Top12-28-2006 09:45:02 PM

bella
Atlantean Singer
Registered: 11-04-2006
Posts: 581

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Upon seeing this, I needed to share. In the page before chapter two of "The Wake", the last Sandman graphic novel, there is a picture of a chick (almost dead looking) around a broken egg shell. I went crazy when I saw this, and I'm wondering...has he read Demain? And another question, has he seen Utena? As soon as I have an actual block of free time, I will write him. And I will ask him those things. My questions to everyone are:
1) Do you guys want to see a scan of the picture?
2) Should I write a letter on behalf of the Gaiman fans here?

Let me know!!


Happy Holidays Everyone! :3

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#23 | Back to Top12-28-2006 09:50:13 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Oooh. I would imagine it certainly is from Demian. Let's see!


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#24 | Back to Top03-19-2007 12:00:18 AM

MissMocha
Bettie Page Princess
From: Tallahassee, Fl
Registered: 10-19-2006
Posts: 4632

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

Thread Necro!

I'm sure many of you know that Stardust was recently made. Well, apparantly there are trailers for it in Russia. Somone on ONTD kindly posted it. Looks freaking awesome, but I'm not so sure about the POTC music, or how faithful it's going to be. :/



http://community.livejournal.com/ohnoth … 29778.html <--- for your enjoyment. emot-keke

Not sure where all of those scenes are from, either. Hrm.


The first time you looked at her curves you were hooked
And the glances you took, took hold of you and demanded that you stay
And sunk in their teeth, bit your heart and released
Such a charge that you need another touch, another taste, another fix

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#25 | Back to Top03-19-2007 12:48:08 AM

Romanticide
Cow Bellhop
From: Mazatlan
Registered: 10-18-2006
Posts: 447

Re: The Neil Gaiman Love Thread

belladonna wrote:

Upon seeing this, I needed to share. In the page before chapter two of "The Wake", the last Sandman graphic novel, there is a picture of a chick (almost dead looking) around a broken egg shell. I went crazy when I saw this, and I'm wondering...has he read Demain? And another question, has he seen Utena? As soon as I have an actual block of free time, I will write him. And I will ask him those things. My questions to everyone are:
1) Do you guys want to see a scan of the picture?
2) Should I write a letter on behalf of the Gaiman fans here?

Let me know!!

do it!!!  do it!!!!

God I really want to go to San Diego Comic con... he will be there this year.


http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1390/firmautenaji0.jpg

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