The Baron does these things

October 6, 2011 12:46 PM

In Issue 391 of the Batman magazine published by Editorial Novaro there is a Flash adventure titled "The Flash Stakes His Life On You." This comic is the most important literary argument of recent months. The Flash vs. Gurdjieff by Alejandro Jodorowsky. bonus craziness: The comics journal talks to Alejandro Jodorowsky (Sample answer: "This question is too long and annoying for me. I stop to fart.")
posted by Artw (27 comments total)

"Kill superheroes! Tell your own dreams."

Fuck yeah.
posted by egypturnash at 12:54 PM on October 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

I'm going to be so bummed when Jodorowsky dies. He's just amazing.
posted by stinkycheese at 1:03 PM on October 6, 2011

I confess I am an unrepentant Jodorwosky fanboy. We should send him a gift subscription, anybody have a current e-mail address?
posted by Dr Dracator at 1:08 PM on October 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

That's a really interesting article. Thank you!
posted by lucien_reeve at 1:08 PM on October 6, 2011

I am on board for the gift-an-account-to-Jodorowsky project provided he become one of those just-short-of-bannable trolls.
posted by griphus at 1:14 PM on October 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

Have you seen his twitter or Facebook feeds? You might regret it, the guy posts more than Ebert. Make up a new subsite, AskJodoFilter - all questions answered by a genius and a whore!
posted by stinkycheese at 1:17 PM on October 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

You know, this puts The Flash's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths in a different context, too. I'm sure if I was capable of greater self-reflection, I could explain why.
posted by Joey Michaels at 1:19 PM on October 6, 2011

IIRC It's Grant Morrison's favourite issue.
posted by Artw at 1:29 PM on October 6, 2011

If I had a son I'd have to put him through the coming-of-age ritual displayed in Jodorowsky's El Topo.

It's probably a good thing I don't have a son.
posted by Hairy Lobster at 1:29 PM on October 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Hah, that was great, cheers. Might have to pick up that Dune book, or I suppose I could just re-read the Metabarons.
posted by SyntacticSugar at 1:38 PM on October 6, 2011

The Ballad of Barry Allen.
posted by MrVisible at 1:59 PM on October 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Too bad this doesn't work on iPad.
posted by spasm at 1:59 PM on October 6, 2011

if only Alan Moore would give such cogent interviews - love the end of the interview -

JODOROWSKY: I feel myself like a genius and a sacred whore.

MCCULLOCH: Do you read many new comics, and are there any you’ve particularly enjoyed?

JODOROWSKY: Prince Valiant, graphic novels of Will Eisner, [Katsuhiro] Otomo’s Akira.

MCCULLOCH: Finally, is there a message you would like to give to artists making comics today?

JODOROWSKY: Kill Superheroes !!! Tell your own dreams.
posted by TMezz at 2:03 PM on October 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Kill Superheroes !!! Tell your own dreams.

Some of us dream in superheroes.
posted by Zed at 2:08 PM on October 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

Yay - more like this please!

I realize that's sort of ridiculous as this may be, as much as their can be such a thing, the quintessential Metafilter post -- at least as Metafilter "is" in my head. Which may be an idealized memory. Which I guess might relate to the original article at hand.

Speaking of, in reading the description of the plot of "The Flash Stakes His Life On You" -- particularly how Flash solves the problem -- I can't help but wondering if Russell T. Davies read it before writing the ending of his third series of Doctor Who. 1968's letters from a speedy Flash is today's (or at least 2007's Archangel Network. And the idea of the hero disappearing if he didn't have people who remember him/perform in front of... I'm surprised New Who hasn't been all over that.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:13 PM on October 6, 2011

Jodorowsky is awesome.

Exhibit A: regarding El Topo, If you are great, El Topo is great. If you are limited, El Topo is limited.
posted by juv3nal at 2:16 PM on October 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Is there anyplace this story is reprinted? Looks like the last Flash Showcase volume ends with 161.
posted by Zed at 3:06 PM on October 6, 2011

I love Jodo as well, i was raised on the Incal and Alef Thau. But lately he's been putting out a lot of shit, the endless flow of incal stuff is a clear exemple of someone's milking the cow really hard.
Let it die already.
posted by SageLeVoid at 3:09 PM on October 6, 2011

Have you seen his twitter or Facebook feeds? You might regret it, the guy posts more than Ebert. Make up a new subsite, AskJodoFilter - all questions answered by a genius and a whore!

Not yet, but he's the best.

Jodorowsky Dune. Pretty sure I've linked it about 50 times, but there are always new people
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 3:32 PM on October 6, 2011

totally watching el topo on the strength of that opening scene now. As they ride off into the sunset: "And now that you are a man, you must keep secrets. Like the fact of this ritual, from your mother."
posted by kaibutsu at 4:39 PM on October 6, 2011

I'm going to be so bummed when Jodorowsky dies.

Jodorowsky will not die. He will merely dissolve into genius.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:49 PM on October 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

Or whornius.
posted by kaibutsu at 4:51 PM on October 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Obligatory Penthouse interview.
posted by The Hamms Bear at 5:12 PM on October 6, 2011

Neat. Gurdjieff once encountered the Yezidis, I wonder if this character ever encountered King Peacock.
posted by homunculus at 9:39 PM on October 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

This is why I love this place.
posted by emmet at 9:47 PM on October 6, 2011

Is there anyplace this story is reprinted?

It was reprinted in 2004's DC Comics Presents: The Flash #1.
posted by hilker at 8:21 AM on October 7, 2011

Doh. No it wasn't. Those were new stories inspired by the same cover.
posted by Zed at 10:41 PM on October 29, 2011