Blog on GN 138

You just might want to go read all the current Heroes Graphic Novels up through 138 if you haven't yet, otherwise either you will be totally confused or spoiled. (sadly Blogger, MySpace, and MyNBC don't seem to have "cuts" to cloak possible spoilers)






Now that that's out of the way. The novel in question:
http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/novels/novels_display.shtml?novel=138

It's FANTASTIC!!!! The writing is great and the artwork superb. The current story arc has been following Micah as he becomes Rebel and sets up his underground railroad for specials as well as his primary Rebel team. (and , yes I was one of those who signed up for theARG/360/Evolutions interactive as well.) The previous Graphic Novel issues saw Monica captured and the long awaited introduction of Sparrow Redhouse. Sparrow was quickly recruited by Micah as was West Rosen, Claire's former boyfriend. In this issue Micah sends his team to London. There we catch up with Abigail, Lee, and Claude. Danko has apparently sent a team after the trio. While the previous issue that showed these three mostly addressed Claude trying to help Elle get back control of her powers, this issue hints that Claude staying with Abigail and Lee may be far more important than some have surmised, as it appears that Abigail and Claude may well be related, though Claude cuts Abigail off before she can tell Sparrow and West what Claude is to her, and then he asks them to get her to safety while he goes off to free Lee, whom Danko's team have captured. While on screen it was shown that Claude was shot by HRG for protecting a special, it was never spelled out exactly whom he was hiding. I think it likely that it may have been Abigail, and if she is too old to be his daughter (as some fans suppose her to be), then she is at the very least his niece or younger sister. Who else would Claude put himself into harm's way for, if not family? Plus the fact that when Claude is trying to get Bennet (HRG) to see reason, he mentions Claire several times. That can't be just coincidence. It was hinted at in Sum Quod Sum that Abigail is engaged to Lee, and she initially doesn't want to leave for fears of what may happen to Lee. When Claude won't go as well and states that he doesn't want them to get a hold of her as well, she expresses concern for him to which he replies "I'm going to make sure you still have someone to marry." which is much different from when he left Peter Petrelli's apartment in a hurry back in "Unexpected." Further to support the fact that Abigail and Claude are related, there is the fact of a similarity between her forcefield power and Claude's invisibility. This similarity in powers has been seen before with siblings like Flint and Meredith and parents and offspring like Maury and Matt. If not for the way Claude reacts to Abigail, particularly in this issue, this similarity could be ruled as merely coincidental as there has not as yet been any link shown between Nathan Petrelli and West Rosen, both of whom can fly. I am greatly looking forward to the next chapter which is due out 1, June 2009, even if the cliffhanger ending brought to mind the nightmare I had back in February.

Clarifications and a Revamp

I had originally started this Blogger account for use with my friends over on the RP/Parody site: http://www.burnttoastdiner.com/ though between things tapering off over there as well as the fact that I seem to be using my account here more and more for commentary etc, I figured a revamp was in order. All the entries labeled with "Burnt Toast Diner" are just for fun and do not really reflect the real me, but merely a caricature that I use in connection with the parody. So here are some things you should know:

I am no where near as ditzy as I play things in the parody though I can be a bit scattered brained at times, thank you ADD (/sarcasm).

I do read Tarot cards and if you read my blogs else where on MySpace, MyNBC and Live Journal, you know that I have weird dreams. While some turn out to be symbolic representations of past present or future events, others are quite literal. And you should see the things I see if I pause and meditate sometimes.

Given the contents of my writings here and elsewhere, I suppose it's obvious that I'm a fan of Christopher Eccleston and his work and I fully admit to being obsessed with Claude Rains (the character) as well as being in love with Claude since he first appeared on Heroes, as strange as that may sound. If I am called strange or weird, that's about par for the course for me and not just for this but my for life in general.

No, I've not as yet been able to foresee winning lottery numbers though I shall certainly blog about it if that changes.

Yes, I really am an RN. I work 11-7 shift on a longterm care and hospice floor. I also have a habit of keeping a pic of Chris as Claude on my desk as I work that I have a copy of with many thanks to Mr. Greg Beeman. I also have a tendency, especially when stressed, to think about what Claude might say to me if he were following me about invisibly as I work. And while some that imaginary dialogue is snark, anyone who knows Claude knows that isn't all there is to his character. You don't have to take my word for it; you can rewatch Claude's scenes in Heroes season 1 or just go to NBC.com and read Sum Quod Sum parts 1 & 2, Rebellion Part 3: Family (3 of my favorite Graphic Novels- and a great big thank you to Oliver Grigsby and Jason Badower), as well as Comrades parts 1 & 2 and you can see there's more to Claude than just snark even if he keeps that part of himself hidden as often as he is invisible.

In case you are curious and don't follow my other blogs and are wondering, this is the nightmare that has had me worried since 8 February 2009:

There were various images and dreams that I couldn't really sort out and then I suddenly found myself in a funeral home. I saw a few characters I know there including Sandra, and Monica, and they were standing in front of chairs that were in rows (usual set up for those places, at least those I've been in). There was a closed white coffin at the "head" of the room. I noticed Claude was not among the group and that bothered me, a lot, even more than the fact that Peter Petrelli and Noah Bennet also being absent. I know the usual procedure for a coffin that is closed is for a picture of the deceased to be placed near it, but there were no pictures anywhere and no flowers either, just the group of mourners. As far as I know, closed caskets are not supposed to be opened. I had a feeling I knew whom I was going to find inside but I had to open it anyway. I found Claude in there. Why the casket was closed I don't know as I could see nothing wrong - other than Claude being dead- which would have warranted closing the casket. Also Claude was bearded and someone had decided to dress him in a pinstriped dark blue suit with a white dress shirt, a somewhat frilly one, which really didn't suit him. I was too shocked to do much at first other than stare. It's probably some defense mechanism that made me even notice how he was dressed. I also felt the need to do something, to negate what I saw. For some reason the idea of kissing Claude came to mind. Maybe it was a hold over from the old fairytales I read as child or the fact that I knew he wouldn't react well to that if he were in fact still alive, I just know that I didn't (and /still/ don't) want him to be dead. So I leaned over and kissed Claude, hoping somehow he'd be alright even if he got mad at me for doing so, as I'd rather have him alive and angry at me than dead. I noticed that oddly enough he wasn't cold at all. Then I woke up.

I'm hoping like mad that nightmare was merely symbolic. It may have been brief but it was very vivid. I wasn't just seeing it but I felt like I was really there. That's part of why it bothers me so. That and the last thing I ever want to see is Claude get killed. Maybe he's just a character to some, but knowing he's out and about in his world (even if it's a fictional one) and alive in that world, brings me a great deal of comfort when things get rough. Were it not for other pleasant dreams I've had since then I would probably be a basket case by now. Despite my other dreams that have come true, I am not one who believes the future is cast in stone. I see it more as that I am picking up on most likely futures and any choice can change the outcome but one must act if any change is to occur. It's like seeing dominoes set up to be knocked over. One tile may start the chain reaction but take a tile or two out of place, even if the reaction is going, and the entire pattern can change dramatically. And even if things were "cast in stone" any decent stonemason or geologist can tell you that stone is not permanent. Sometimes it's a matter of finding a good tool to break it with such as a jackhammer or explosives. So here is my action driven by the nightmare: to anyone who has control over canon events in the "Heroesverse:" I beg you, please don't kill Claude. And if you're wondering I would be willing to take several bullets myself for Claude's sake.