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jonh's review
3.0
I was all about Indiana Jones when I was a kid. Temple of Doom was my go-to movie whenever I had a sick day. Saltines and ginger ale and monkey brains. I don't think I was as into Indiana Jones as I was other adventure stories (primarily Tintin) but the trilogy was a solid series of films to rewatch, and I even found a Choose Your Own Adventure story written by R.L. Stine!
And, of course, the Indiana Jones comics. I don't know when I acquired these, but I'm almost positive these kicked off my love of sequential art (well, these and the aforementioned Tintin). They were short, but at that young age, it didn't matter. The continuing adventures of young Indiana Jones were fun and action-packed, with mummies and revolutionaries and all sorts of other "cool" stuff.
As I've gotten older, I've gotten into the deconstruction of Indiana Jones: specifically, the problematic yet fundamental colonialism of his adventures. His refrain of "it belongs in a museum" regarding ancient artifacts reeks of Western superiority and privilege, and I don't know if anything related to the Indiana Jones franchise ever refuted or even examined that notion. At heart, the Indiana Jones movies are well-made schlock: loving, albeit offensive, homages to adventure serials of the 1940s. And I am of the belief that one can still enjoy problematic things while still finding them problematic. Indiana Jones, when you get right down to it, isn't much of a character. He's an archetype, as RedLetterMedia has asserted, and a big part of the fun of the films is imagining yourself in that archetypal role. Wish fulfillment. Problematic and dated, sure. But still fun.
And the comics are the same way. The first installment, Curse of the Jackal, introduces us to several of Indie's biggest tropes: the need to put artifacts in a museum, a sense of justice that crosses international borders, and a fierce loyalty to those who have taken good care of him.
Our story begins in a museum where two "radical" teens are bored by the exhibits. A cantankerous old Indie stops them and starts rambling off his life story: specifically, he recounts his adventures with Lawrence of Arabia during the Egyptian archaeological digs of the 1920s and his fighting for Pancho Villa against the corrupt Mexican government and its American allies. We're introduced to several historical figures and events, and though liberties are taken with the facts of history, there's enough there to inspire to inspire curious young readers to do further research.
Seriously, this is edutainment at its finest. One scene early on depicts a young Indie instructing a table of seafaring socialites in the process of mummification before they all start feeling ill. As a kid, I thought that description of mummification was fascinating and "cool". As an adult, I STILL think it's fascinating, and am impressed by how much I learned without feeling like I was learning anything.
It's a well-made comic. It doesn't hold up as well as I remember it, and I'm keeping it mostly for the nostalgic factor. But make no mistake, it's a good, solid comic, and a good, solid Indiana Jones story. Reading one panel in which a soldier is shot and bright red blood spurts out, I had a flashback to when I first saw that panel and felt physically ill. These things stick with us. And I'm glad this one has stuck.
I don't know how readily available these comics are, but if you can find a copy, check it out for yourself. It's a quick read, but a good one.
And, of course, the Indiana Jones comics. I don't know when I acquired these, but I'm almost positive these kicked off my love of sequential art (well, these and the aforementioned Tintin). They were short, but at that young age, it didn't matter. The continuing adventures of young Indiana Jones were fun and action-packed, with mummies and revolutionaries and all sorts of other "cool" stuff.
As I've gotten older, I've gotten into the deconstruction of Indiana Jones: specifically, the problematic yet fundamental colonialism of his adventures. His refrain of "it belongs in a museum" regarding ancient artifacts reeks of Western superiority and privilege, and I don't know if anything related to the Indiana Jones franchise ever refuted or even examined that notion. At heart, the Indiana Jones movies are well-made schlock: loving, albeit offensive, homages to adventure serials of the 1940s. And I am of the belief that one can still enjoy problematic things while still finding them problematic. Indiana Jones, when you get right down to it, isn't much of a character. He's an archetype, as RedLetterMedia has asserted, and a big part of the fun of the films is imagining yourself in that archetypal role. Wish fulfillment. Problematic and dated, sure. But still fun.
And the comics are the same way. The first installment, Curse of the Jackal, introduces us to several of Indie's biggest tropes: the need to put artifacts in a museum, a sense of justice that crosses international borders, and a fierce loyalty to those who have taken good care of him.
Our story begins in a museum where two "radical" teens are bored by the exhibits. A cantankerous old Indie stops them and starts rambling off his life story: specifically, he recounts his adventures with Lawrence of Arabia during the Egyptian archaeological digs of the 1920s and his fighting for Pancho Villa against the corrupt Mexican government and its American allies. We're introduced to several historical figures and events, and though liberties are taken with the facts of history, there's enough there to inspire to inspire curious young readers to do further research.
Seriously, this is edutainment at its finest. One scene early on depicts a young Indie instructing a table of seafaring socialites in the process of mummification before they all start feeling ill. As a kid, I thought that description of mummification was fascinating and "cool". As an adult, I STILL think it's fascinating, and am impressed by how much I learned without feeling like I was learning anything.
It's a well-made comic. It doesn't hold up as well as I remember it, and I'm keeping it mostly for the nostalgic factor. But make no mistake, it's a good, solid comic, and a good, solid Indiana Jones story. Reading one panel in which a soldier is shot and bright red blood spurts out, I had a flashback to when I first saw that panel and felt physically ill. These things stick with us. And I'm glad this one has stuck.
I don't know how readily available these comics are, but if you can find a copy, check it out for yourself. It's a quick read, but a good one.
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