The Darkness Of Light In The Dark
...rain is coming down in spurts today and it's fairly cold and windy here in Chicago. To an outside observer, this might sound dreary. To one who just experienced likely the worst winter in his life, this is a day to be heralded. If one is like me, this weather signals a perfect atmosphere to sit in and binge watch Netflix.
To begin, I went with something a bit dark. Ever since reading Rick Geary's graphic novel of Victorian murders, I have had a growing curiosity of H.H. Holmes. Generally speaking, I'm not a person who gets deep into learning about serial killers. That said, Derf Backderf's graphic novel My Friend Dahmer caught me and hooked me. Same can be said for Rick Geary account of H.H. Holmes. The story itself is a mix of mad genius and grizzly detail. How he not only got away with the crimes but also how he managed to commission the construction of his Castle of horrors without anyone raising an eyebrow is mesmerizing.
Those details alone are fascinating. It is equally fascinating to learn that the news clippings of Jack The Ripper may have inspired H.H. Holmes to one-up the famous serial murderer. What creates a great curiosity in me is the fact that these crimes took place mostly in his chambers at 63rd & Wallace. I grew up on 61st & Lawndale, a short bus ride down 63rd street. Many famous serial killers seem to have ties to the city of Chicago, but none else plied their sickening trade so close to my childhood home.
From viewing the documentary H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer, there was little story in the film that was not covered in Rick Geary's book. For one who goes in blind, prepare yourself for a truly disturbing true account that will make your skin crawl. For me, it was merely a testament to how detailed and information-rich the graphic novel depiction ended up being.
At this point, I have to generally contrast any dark intake with something less dark. In the past, I used to be able to run through one horror story after the next. As I inch closer to 40, I purposefully do my best to not live in that darkness for too long in any way. So, as a comedy fan, that is a good point in which to leap to from learning a bit more about a mass murderer. Still, with my go-to comedy spirit guide in Marc Maron, Maron satisfies both my comedy pangs as well as being a tad dark in itself.
In approximately a month, the second season of Maron begins on IFC. This morning, I started re-watching the first season on Netflix. Where the podcast gets deep into the psyche of Marc Maron and his guests, Maron seems to somewhat chronicle the life outside the podcast. However much of the show is fiction or based on real life events matters not. Maron is the perfect dramedy vehicle for the character as well as the real life comic. The scripts are serious, funny, manic and peppered with darkness around the edges.
When I go back now and listen to his first 3 standup albums, I am unsure of not only how Marc Maron slipped past me, but has not gotten notice earlier. His observations are cynical as well as funny. Thankfully, his IFC series came along at a time when the audiences have demanded something more than a laugh track and wacky neighbors. Maron is a rare TV series that I plan to add to my shelf.
Read: Sandman Volume 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
Listen: The Ocean Heliocentric
Watch: Maron
Those details alone are fascinating. It is equally fascinating to learn that the news clippings of Jack The Ripper may have inspired H.H. Holmes to one-up the famous serial murderer. What creates a great curiosity in me is the fact that these crimes took place mostly in his chambers at 63rd & Wallace. I grew up on 61st & Lawndale, a short bus ride down 63rd street. Many famous serial killers seem to have ties to the city of Chicago, but none else plied their sickening trade so close to my childhood home.
From viewing the documentary H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer, there was little story in the film that was not covered in Rick Geary's book. For one who goes in blind, prepare yourself for a truly disturbing true account that will make your skin crawl. For me, it was merely a testament to how detailed and information-rich the graphic novel depiction ended up being.
In approximately a month, the second season of Maron begins on IFC. This morning, I started re-watching the first season on Netflix. Where the podcast gets deep into the psyche of Marc Maron and his guests, Maron seems to somewhat chronicle the life outside the podcast. However much of the show is fiction or based on real life events matters not. Maron is the perfect dramedy vehicle for the character as well as the real life comic. The scripts are serious, funny, manic and peppered with darkness around the edges.
When I go back now and listen to his first 3 standup albums, I am unsure of not only how Marc Maron slipped past me, but has not gotten notice earlier. His observations are cynical as well as funny. Thankfully, his IFC series came along at a time when the audiences have demanded something more than a laugh track and wacky neighbors. Maron is a rare TV series that I plan to add to my shelf.
Read: Sandman Volume 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
Listen: The Ocean Heliocentric
Watch: Maron
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