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| And that's just for starters. |
Some time ago, I wrote a story in which
the protagonist was a Nazi. I was always worried that someone might think I approved of his beliefs
and behaviour, but he was a one-off character, and it was hopefully pretty
clear that I was mocking both him and his ideology fairly relentlessly.
But what happens when you do something similar with a
long-running character who's supposed to be the hero? 'Spencer Nero and the
Misapplication of Karma', as featured in
Spencer Nero Vol. 2, poses that
question. It's always been pretty clear that Spencer is a mass of
contradictions - a cheerful, educated, heroic fellow, who can behave in the
most boorish, grotesque and petty manner imaginable. He is, in short, all that
is good about the British pulp hero, as well as all that is bad. Nonetheless,
despite his personality quirks, he is usually on the right side, and though his
means may be suspect, his end is generally laudable.
Not in this story.
This was in fact the fifth Nero tale ever written, but it's
been a long time in gestation. At this point, Nero seemed to be hanging out in
a different country every issue (he seems to spend most of his time in Britain
these days) and it seemed inevitable he should at some stage end up in India.
But an agent of the British Empire enforcing colonial oppression in India is a
problematic figure, to say the least, so I decided not to hold back, and make Spencer flat-out
ridiculous in his self-superiority. However, the only way I could see it
working for the character is if his reasons for looking down on the locals
weren't what you'd expect. Spencer isn't a racial supremacist - he's a
mythological supremacist. India worries and confuses him because he doesn't
understand the various belief systems that exist there, and he thinks his own
belief - in incestuous Roman divinities - is more straightforward and
user-friendly.
True, there's a get-out clause for him - the runic magic
from way back in the Olympics story - and for a while I did consider this might
become Spencer's equivalent of Father Ted's "That money was just resting
in my account!" In the end, I didn't pursue this idea, though it does
feature in early drafts of 'The Pack', and is resurrected for Spencer's
introduction to the collected edition.
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| The Compass Mantis went on to front a quiz show with Richard Osman. |
Does the story work? In terms of script, I don't know - I'm not
convinced I properly resolved the tension between playing with the 'Indiana
Jones'-style representation of the subcontinent, and mocking the attitudes
associated with that representation. In retrospect, I feel the story tries to have its cake and
eat it, and there's a couple of panels that, if you took them out of context,
could give completely the wrong idea about where I was coming from. On the
other hand, I do like a couple of the jokes - Spencer's business card amuses me
- and I like the Compass Mantis, despite his cheerfully punning name and his dreadfully
stereotypical use of the phrase 'Infidel!' He is probably one of the most
capable opponents Spencer has faced, and were it not for karmic complications,
the fight might well have panned out differently. It's also interesting to see
Spencer taking orders from someone who isn't Mr. Alabaster - Governor Anderson
is a real historical figure, and the later namesake for WWII Anderson shelters. And finally, this is the story that establishes Spencer's talent for offending deities, something which becomes a recurring theme throughout the series. (See 'Spencer Nero Feels Your Pin', also by Scott Twells and Jim Campbell.)
And speaking of those two gents, as far as art and lettering go though, there's no question -
both of them play a blinder. Scott delivers what may be
his finest work on a Nero story to date, handling humour, characterisation and
action sequences with the kind of aplomb that make him one of the most exciting
talents on the small-press scene. I'm particularly fond of some of the stylish
perspectives he adopts, which really make the characters leap off the page. Meanwhile,
Jim's font for Durga is sublime, and his ability to render my excessive
dialogue in a readable format is remarkable - plus, if anyone does a better
piano-falling-on-an-idiot KCHANNNGGG sound effect, I'd like to see it.
And now, let's finish up, as is customary, with some random
observations:
- On page 3, Spencer's 'Oh... bother' is borrowed from
Winnie-the-Pooh, which is the best children's book ever written.
- Edward VIII is on the wall in Governor Anderson's mansion
because this was originally written as a 1936 story - it was probably going to
slot in between "...Goes South" and "Mrs. Simpson."
- Punching out big cats really is Spencer's speciality - it
was the first thing we ever saw him do in a comic strip.
- The Compass Mantis's name was inspired by a line from an Ian
Gillan / Tony Iommi charity single, 'Out of My Mind', whereas Spencer's line
about 'Instant Karma' is a John Lennon reference, several decades before the
fact.
- The Compass Mantis's South-South-East Strike occurs at (more
or less) a south-south-east angle. And Spencer's response, 'Pedicabo Ego Vos Et
Irrumabo' is the most unpleasant thing he's ever said, though I don't think he
intends to do it literally. And no, I'm still not translating it.
And on that refusal to co-operate (in the spirit of Ghandi,
I'd suggest) we end.
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| "I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order." |
