Water balloons, but make them fashion, and Lizzo’s crystal flute
Plus comics to buy when you’re sick of the boys stealing the show
I know you must have been on the edge of your seat waiting to find out the answer to last week’s ‘two truths and a lie’ quiz (lol), so here goes: the lie (and therefore the correct answer) was (2). While I have had a stunt driving lesson in a Mini, I didn’t nearly run over the instructor. That was one of the other students and since no one was hurt, can I say it was quite funny in a slapstick sort of way. Glad it wasn’t me and extra glad it was a near-miss rather than a didn’t-miss!
The other two crazy statements were true – I did do the splits in an air guitar competition, which I was tricked into entering. I went along to a bogan bingo night (as in: everyone, including the hosts dressed up as bogans) and during one of the breaks, they encouraged us to get up on stage and play on inflatable guitars. Once we were there, it turns out we had to take turns doing solos. That wasn’t what I signed up for! Argh! It was a hoot anyway, so I wasn’t mad at it and it makes a quirky anecdote for just this sort of purpose.
It's also true that I was pecked in the eye by a bird recently. Grrrrrrrrrr. I’ve had a low-key bird phobia for years, but that’s kicked up a few notches. You’ll now find me sporting sunglasses outside the vast majority of the time even on heavily overcast days. Thanks, you pointy-beaked little bugger!
Anyway, on to this week’s slices of internet magic, and I’d be pleased as punch if you’d subscribe or share this newsletter if it’s bringing you good vibes…
News
1. In fashion you don’t see every day, I bring you Bella Hadid in a (literally) sprayed-on dress by Parisian label Coperni in the Spring 2023 runway show. Also, the folk at Botter decided to collaborate with nature (okaaaaayyyyyyyyy) by popping water balloons over their models’ hands. Clearly not doable on an ordinary workday, but let’s appreciate their whimsy.
2. Crikey, so if your grandparents smoked (or someone else did so regularly) around your father, you’re 59% more likely to become an asthmatic, even if your father didn’t smoke himself. The effect is even greater (72%) if your father also smoked. This blows my mind and not gonna lie, makes me a tad miffed. I’m asthmatic and my dad smoked. I’m not sure about my grandfather, as he died before I was born, but I think it’s a good bet that he smoked too. I remember Mum yelling at my dad that he’d caused my asthma by smoking, but maybe she needed to be looking a generation further back instead. Wild.
3. We could focus on rising nuclear tensions fuelled by Russia and North Korea, but instead let’s discuss Lizzo playing a 200-year-old flute from the Library of Congress. Did I mention it’s crystal? I can play the flute (there’s a plain ol’ silver one up in my top cupboard collecting dust), but a crystal one would be next-level cool. Here’s a short clip of it all going down:
Reviews
1. Anyone following me on Instagram will know I can’t go past a nice piece of street art, but I also have quite a longstanding love affair with collage. Maybe it’s the strips of magazines that I respond to, the subversive messages often buried (or spelled straight out) in the pieces, or it’s entirely possible I just love any visual art in bright colours (yeah, that’s probably it). The best I’ve found? Camile Javal’s dreamy neon-tinged beauties.
2. As someone whose story-writing leans towards crime fiction much of the time, I got a kick out of watching Hunted Australia and imagining where I’d go if I was on the run from the law in Victoria, even if the production did fudge some aspects of recreating the fugitive experience for contestants (apparently technologies like CCTV were replicated). In the UK version, our fake fugitives are dropped off on a beach on the Isle of Wight. It’s so nice taking a little tour of the UK as we follow them on their furtive travels, and there are only six episodes, so it doesn’t take much commitment to watch. Definitely hungry for further seasons of this show.
3. Came across the wacky, wildly bright and bold fashion of Anika Ignozzi this week and can’t wait to get my hands on one of her creations. Settling for stalking her on Insta in the meantime.
Raves and Faves
The 10 best comic books when you're sick of superdudes
Growing up, I wasn’t interested in comic books. Don't get me wrong, I was definitely a nerd, but my geeky leanings tended much more in the direction of LEGO and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and wearing my socks waaaaayyyy too high.
My partner, on the other hand, is still a huge fan of Spiderman and Iron Man and Everyotherman. He collects comic books and action figures, and has even co-hosted a podcast where he talks about these plastic dolls of manly manhood.
In the interests of relationship harmony, I decided to see why he loves comics so much, and that's where I hit a snag: I generally can't stand superheroes. They seem to be 99% men (although this is changing) and I don't understand where the suspense in the story comes from — if they've got super strength, they're bound to win the fight against the villain. It seems like a whole bucket of bollocks to me.
After a few false starts, though, I found there are some fantastic comic books about women, largely written by women, and on topics often more complicated and nuanced than superdude vs dudevillain.
Here are 10 of my favourite femme-comic finds:
1. Bitch Planet: Non-compliant females are shipped off to a prison planet to pay penance for their various feminist foibles.
2. Nimona: Spunky, punky teen girl Nimona joins forces with loveable bad guy Lord Blackheart. Ye olde mayhem ensues.
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Picking up where the TV show left off, Joss Whedon brings Buffy seasons 8 and onwards into being in graphic novel form.
4. Saga: This ace series by comic book superstar writer Brian K. Vaughan follows Marko, Alana and their baby daughter as they attempt to escape from warring planets and assorted bounty hunters.
5. Giant Days: A light-hearted read about three quirky chicks surviving uni together.
6. Rat Queens: Picture a posse of four snarky chicks boozing and cursing and clashing swords through a Lord of the Rings-esque world.
7. Lumberjanes: Five girls encounter mystical monsters and all types of other tomfoolery at Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady-types.
8. Paper Girls: Basically the comic book queendom's answer to Netflix's Stranger Things -- mysterious things happen to four 12-year-old girls on a paper route in a pastel '80s setting.
9. Agatha: the real life of Agatha Christie: Far from the musty tea-drinking old bat you'd expect, this memoir tells of her thoroughly adventurous life, including the time Dame Aggie staged her own disappearance.
10. Snotgirl: From the creator of Scott Pilgrim comes snotty Lottie, an allergy-ridden fashion blogger, bound to appeal to the hot mess in all of us.
Playlist of the Week
Ladies of K-pop who take no f-ckin’ prisoners
1. I Am The Best - 2NE1
2. LIFTED - CL
3. NUNU NANA - Jessi
4. Odd Eye - Dreamcatcher
5. MAGO - GFRIEND
6. Next Level - aespa
7. Gas Me Up - ITZY
8. Hello Bitches - CL
9. MY BAG - (G)I-DLE
10. Attention - HyunA
11. LALISA - LISA
12. BBoom BBoom - MOMOLAND
13. THE BADDEST - K/DA, (G)I-DLE, et al
14. Up & Down - EXID
15. Hobgoblin - CLC