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Gateway Drug: Excalibur
First, I should say how delighted I am to be blogging here at Black Gate. Not only are the companions first-rate, but I’m thrilled to be able to talk about some of my favorite things: heroic fantasy,...
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Campbell’s Reheated Mythopoetic Soup
In the fall session of my teen writing class at our local library, I’m planning to teach Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey. I’ve avoided this for several sessions, because personally I’m sick of its...
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Passive vs Active Heroes
Ask any established actor, and s/he will always say something along the lines of, “it’s much more fun to play a villain than a hero.” It’s no wonder: villains tend to get the best lines (“No, Mr. Bond,...
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Pacific Rim and the Culture of Rip-Off Vs. Homage
“This is not a rip-off, it’s an homage!”–Peter Swan (Liam Neeson) in The Dead Pool Watching the special features on Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim this past weekend, I was struck by something the...
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