Was really excited to get my hands on this collection! I appreciate the vulnerability these writers show in writing about very intimate subjects. There is also diversity in writer perspectives and how each interpreted the larger theme of "desire." As with any essay collection, there were some hits and some that didn't resonate. I don't think there is any one essay that will stick with me for an extended amount of time, but these were my standouts:
-When I Imagine the Life I Want, Larissa Pham -Being a Dad Means Respecting the Yard, Kristen Arnett -See What You Do to Me, Tarashea Nesbit -The Good Girl, Sonora Jha -There Is a Name for This, Joanna Rakoff -The Broken Country, Molly McNully Brown -Notes Toward a History of Desire, Merritt Tierce
This collection contains the titular story, as well as some other small stories from a Batman run in the early 90s.
-Dark Knight, Dark City: very eery. Much more bloodthirsty take on the Riddler. Seeing mystical elements in Batman was interesting. Always enjoy when Gotham is rendered as an otherworldly, almost living entity. -Hungry Grass: another mystical storyline. Interesting moral/ethical questions asked. -And the Executioner Wore Stiletto Heels: another look at state punishment, in particular the death penalty. Not much else. Skipped over the Golem of Gotham- did not want to see if it aged well or not. My attention had waned so I also skipped over Identity Crisis.
The main storyline had me plugged in. The larger ethical questions and solemn tone throughout worked well for me. Also enjoyed the individual cover art.
*read as a part of Comic Book Herald's Dark Knights: Metal reading order*