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labingiBrief Thoughts on "Angel Eyes":
This story belongs to Shorter. What we see of Ash, we already knew, but we see new sides of Shorter (new to me anyway; I should note I've missed volume 2).
Light spoilers follow...
For one thing, this story drove home that Shorter and Sing are very much alike. This is not surprising, given that Shorter was a massive influence on Sing, but I find it interesting nonetheless. Both are very… nice for gang leaders. While being scrappy when they must, both comport themselves in a manner more usual for the "civilized" middle class: they make reasonable arguments, admit errors, are open with personal thoughts and information, and reach out to outsiders/non-members. All of this is admirable but not typically successful as a leadership strategy within a kill-or-be-killed sphere predicated on shows of strength and group loyalty. But if there is a degree of implausibility in their success, it is overshadowed by the nice bit of psychological work put into their similarity.
Of course, the story is primarily about the meeting of Shorter and Ash. I was surprised by the sexual dimension of their initial acquaintance. While it was understated, it was clear that Shorter felt a degree of desire for Ash, as he not only notes his beauty (which most everyone does) but likens his appearance to the angel card he says he used to masturbate to. (May I say I love Shorter for his Christmas card fantasies.) Ash takes Shorter's admissions in stride, apparently secure in the belief that this subtle attraction is not going to figure in their friendship, as indeed, it doesn't. And was it just me, or was there an implication that Shorter, too, had been sexually molested? At any rate, when Ash vents about how awful it is to be sexually objectified, Shorter seems very quick and sincere in his response that he understands.
All in all, this is a sweet little side story (set in a very odd juvenile detention facility) that serves as a welcome release valve after the crisis of the ending of main text of Banana Fish.
This story belongs to Shorter. What we see of Ash, we already knew, but we see new sides of Shorter (new to me anyway; I should note I've missed volume 2).
Light spoilers follow...
For one thing, this story drove home that Shorter and Sing are very much alike. This is not surprising, given that Shorter was a massive influence on Sing, but I find it interesting nonetheless. Both are very… nice for gang leaders. While being scrappy when they must, both comport themselves in a manner more usual for the "civilized" middle class: they make reasonable arguments, admit errors, are open with personal thoughts and information, and reach out to outsiders/non-members. All of this is admirable but not typically successful as a leadership strategy within a kill-or-be-killed sphere predicated on shows of strength and group loyalty. But if there is a degree of implausibility in their success, it is overshadowed by the nice bit of psychological work put into their similarity.
Of course, the story is primarily about the meeting of Shorter and Ash. I was surprised by the sexual dimension of their initial acquaintance. While it was understated, it was clear that Shorter felt a degree of desire for Ash, as he not only notes his beauty (which most everyone does) but likens his appearance to the angel card he says he used to masturbate to. (May I say I love Shorter for his Christmas card fantasies.) Ash takes Shorter's admissions in stride, apparently secure in the belief that this subtle attraction is not going to figure in their friendship, as indeed, it doesn't. And was it just me, or was there an implication that Shorter, too, had been sexually molested? At any rate, when Ash vents about how awful it is to be sexually objectified, Shorter seems very quick and sincere in his response that he understands.
All in all, this is a sweet little side story (set in a very odd juvenile detention facility) that serves as a welcome release valve after the crisis of the ending of main text of Banana Fish.
