Absinthe "The Green Fairy"

This alcoholic spirit has taken on a certainly unusual mystique, legendary stature and even persona like no other. Absinthe; “The Green Fairy” is the drink that inspired a generation of artists and writers in Europe (particularly France and Spain) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This thriving culture lasted until it was banned because of tons of bad press, word of mouth and a binge drinking farmer that topped off a day of mixing a variety of other intense booze with a bottle of absinthe, murdering his wife and finally suicide.

My first knowledge of absinthe came from my high school studies of the great bohemian artists of and around France. Degas, Lautrec, Van Gogh and later Picasso would consume the drink as well as paint saloon patrons and often reference the beverage.  Writers like Hemingway and Wilde were also fans. Theirs were heady and decadent times. They were also times of the most productive, both experimentally and creatively the world has of yet seen. Absinthe was the Heroin, LSD or Meth of it’s day all served in a unique customized reservoir glass.  

The spirit has recently made a comeback in all of it’s myth and glory to most of it's once banned (almost 100 years) European countries and the United States. “The Green Fairy” is available with the most crucial ingredient; wormwood. The botanical substance derived from a flower is essential to the proof rating and power of the drink. 

One of the greatest pleasures of the absinthe experience is the finishing of the fermentation process traditionally done per glass. It is a somewhat but not overly involve thing. The finishing, almost ritualistic, process requires an absinthe (specially designed flat/sieved) spoon or sufficient substitute, sugar cube, cold water and a glass. First add about 1 oz. absinthe to your glass. Next; balance your spoon on the top of your glass and center the sugar cube. Then slowly drip/dissolve the sugar with the cold water. It is important that this is done slowly.  Usually the ratio is two or three parts water to one part absinthe. Absinthe is one of the more powerful spirits and begins usually at 110 proof. The amount of water mixed should be accorded to your own expectations. BE CAREFUL.

Another warning is; Absinthe is sometimes served “Bohemian Style” where the contents are set to blaze. This is completely unnecessary and is only a form of showmanship. This should not be tried by unprofessionals as in Washington D.C. Absinthe Bars only allow licensed practitioners. These servers alone are legally allowed to be Absinthe Mixologist. 

I made my first time trying Absinthe a complete and full event. I started with looking into selected art books from the Impressionist period through to early Cubism and Da Da. I followed that with watching Peter Sellers in a “Pink Panther” compilation, that; just for the laughs and then followed with singer Sade in concert. She has always impressed me with being a Saloon Singer/Entertainer in the vein of Django Reinhardt, Edith Piaf and Josephine Baker. I was impressed with this heady spirit; Absinthe, it’s pale green color, herbal flavor, licorice bouquet, historical provenance and sophistication. Hope your’s goes equally and deliciously well. Cheers!  

Frank Miller: 300, Sin City & Moore

Frank Miller was writing and penciling Daredevil when I started reading him. It was a cross-over issue featuring the appearance of The Incredible Hulk. I had heard a lot of good things about this Miller guy and the appearance of the Hulk would guarantee a higher price later on the collector’s market if the book was actually a dud.

Miller was rumored and heralded to be a writer of a rare skill and talent. It was said his writing was gritty, dark and misanthropic. Miller’s perception of society was one of disheveled anarchy. He was constantly opening doors previously unknown; taking the risky dark alley to get to that undiscovered yet coveted pay off. He was an original but he loved and respected the medium as he expanded the mythology. He was neither a deconstructionist nor post-modernist. Miller; as it turned out was indeed the “Real Deal.” The rumors were darkly; gloriously true.

Frank Miller is responsible for expanding the world of the super hero and that of the graphic novel as well. Great pieces including hits and classics that remain current: The Dark Knight Returns, Electra Assassin, Daredevil: Love and Money, Ronin, Sin City and 300 are part of the Miller canon.  Miller has changed along with a few other extraordinary talents; including and especially writers Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman  evolved the comic book into it’s contemporary form while expanded the readership beyond all previous boundaries. Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, and Alan Moore’s Watch Men were mini-series released within the same year and were powerful and intricate enough to become best sellers and are currently required reading in literature classes.  Neil Gaiman’s  Sandman released a few years later would be equally transformative.    

The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of a dystopian future in which a retired and embittered Batman returns to battle evil. 

The future dark world the Batman re-enters has grown increasingly violent and devoid of humanity as Batman has grown older, physically weaker and aggressively slower. This sadder, older hero with his skills much in decline possesses a deeper sense of revenge and purpose along with an enhanced arsenal of Bat-Tools. Miller takes many risks with his writing as he questions a world that would accept a costumed vigilante, governmental miss-use of powers and the psychology of mad men both good and evil.

300 is another of Miller’s best known pieces. Well written and concise it is best known for the film adaptation by director Zack Snyder that Miller producer himself.

Miller was inspired to create his 300 from an earlier film 300 Spartans released in the nineteen sixties. The graphic novel is most memorable for the illustrations created by Miller with his then wife Lynn Varley doing a remarkable water-color embellishment. The over-size hard-cover version is a lush pleasure to be studied, relished and absorbed. Democracy, nationalism and the notion of personal sacrifice for the greater good prevail in this work. 

Sin City

Sin City is a series of seven books that Miller wrote and illustrated. The drawings are almost exclusively black and white which add to the drama and starkness of the works.  It exists in a strangely isolated purely imagined city inhabited exclusively by thugs, cops, hookers, serial killers, corrupt authorities and assorted losers. It is probably the darkest of Miller’s works, his most ambitious, original and successful. Miller was definitely influenced by film noir and the pulps but it is film noir on some kind of hyper-drug. Sin City is Frank Miller!

The  Sin City series is another example of  Miller’s work translated to film. Movie makers including Alfred Hitchcock and Ridley Scott have long used story boards as preliminary studies and aids for their photographic telling of stories and as a plotting device. When Robert Rodriguez decided to film Sin City he shot directly from the books images and dialogue. Why do new story boards the books already existed as such? Rodriguez using few re-writes successfully and faithfully recreated Millers graphic masterpiece into a seminal work. The film was extraordinarily faithful to the original piece; a thing to awe. Miller was along as co-director and even appeared in a cameo.

Frank Miller

The sequel to Sin City is scheduled for released in a few months and it looks to be very good. Miller continues to create as he continues to expand his reputation, to entertain and to thrill!