Devilman and Danzig

in case the image doesn’t appear: parental advisory, explicit content

(the reference is Danzig’s song, Mother, which was a stab at censorship back in the 1980s because his debut album was slapped with the label)

the two subject matters of this post warrant censorship because some things are just too awesome to handle for the mainstream.

exaggeration aside, what is Devilman and who is Danzig?

Devilman is a masterpiece. it’s a classic manga by Go Nagai in which mature concepts such as graphic violence, human depravity, nudity, pornography, and the duality of man, i.e. the good and evil parts of man (you could say Devilman himself is the metaphor), are tackled, with underlying religious themes. its latest iteration, Devilman Crybaby, is available on Netflix and is an unapologetically carnal and brutal fever dream.

(https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/698480223483513389/)

was he the first guy to ever get that side-swept-long-bangs-cover-one-eye thing going? legend.

Danzig is Glenn Danzig, heavy metal icon and founding member of the horror punk band Misfits, Samhain (not sure which genre, deathrock or something), and supposedly heavy metal band Danzig. his creative products in Danzig (songs, style, imagery, music videos) feature mature and adult themes not unlike those of Devilman, the duality of man, in particular. he also owns an adult comic book company called Verotik (where nudity and violence are prevalent themes) that even published Devilman.

(https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/507077239300584537/)

if I must say, Danzig’s quite the weeb (it was well-known that he had a toy collection and purportedly, a tattoo of the classic Devilman logo on his lower back). I even thought that he tried to emulate Akira Fudo, the main protagonist of Devilman.

Akira Fudo (https://galeria.unionfansub.com/image.php?id=18189)

(https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/162059286574904678/)

brutal, carnal, demonic, thought-provoking, all descriptive words common between Devilman and Danzig, but if there’s a phrase that captures the similarity between these two, it’s unapologetically uncensored artistic expression. there’s something about artists and works of art that push the boundaries of morality and tolerance for creative expression that piques my interest and that’s where Devilman and Danzig do not disappoint.

they may not be, never have, and probably never will be, embraced by mainstream media, but I’m thankful for the mere existence of precious controversial gems like Devilman and Danzig.

have yourself a taste of the deliciously disturbing, deranged, and depraved delights that are Devilman and Danzig.

Netflix for the misfits

have time to burn watching Netflix after a hard day’s work? want a show to watch to while the weekend away? if you have no gig to go to, then you might as well watch these misfits (intentional use of the word misfits because I badly want to go to a concert with the original lineup of the Misfits, sigh).

1. Wednesday (2022)

2022 seems to be the year for goths and metalheads in Netflix. anyway, when Wednesday was announced, I was ecstatic. the OG goth girl finally has a series of her own.

(https://millsthunderbolt.com/a-review-of-the-netflix-series-wednesday/)

Wednesday follows the horrific adventures of the titular “storm cloud” of a character, Wednesday Addams of the Addams Family fame, in Nevermore, a school reminiscent of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. ghastly events that transpire in the school make Wednesday want to play detective, earning the respect, and ire, of her peers.

Wednesday gives off a cold, emotionless vibe, all the while having morbid interests and tendencies. she plays a cello and is allergic to color, as expected from little miss monochrome.

2. Sandman (2022)

Sandman is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s comic book. it stars the king of dreams, Morpheus, or his other moniker, Dream of the Endless, an anthropomorphic personification of the concept of dreams.

(https://highoncinemaa.com/tv-shows/netflix/the-sandman-netflix-poster-trailer-release-date-and-more/6601/)

Death, Dream’s older sister, quite accurately described Dream in a scene where she was keeping him company while he was moping, or to put it in a more dramatic way (since Dream is such an emo drama king), in a period of contemplation.

(https://literature.stackexchange.com/questions/2020/what-is-the-reason-for-partial-highlighting-in-the-sandman)

I haven’t read the comics but I have watched the show and this scene was spot on.

if I had to use a word to describe Sandman the series, it’s intriguing. I don’t usually indulge in the fantasy genre but I decided to watch Sandman until the end and I must say, I was impressed. it’s mature, eerie, and so pretty it’s almost offensive. Dream is so pretty, period.

3. Girlboss (2017)

Girlboss is a snapshot of how the fashion company, Nasty Gal, started from a humble E-bay account to a garage store (more warehouse) to a multi-million dollar business. it was founded by Sophia Amoruso, a wild child diagnosed with ADD and depression in her youthful years, who never fit in school and couldn’t hold a job.

(https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/girlboss/)

Sophia is quite the punk. she hates capitalism, corporations, and would rather dive in dumpsters than work for the Man… that is, until she becomes an established businesswoman herself.

comedic. rebellious. never takes itself seriously. Girlboss is sure to be a ride that’s always keepin’ it real (there’s a book, too. if you crave more Girlboss after finishing the show, the book’s worth a read).

metalheads in modern media

what is it about a metalhead that draws us in? is it their crazy ideas and antics, quirky way of being, the way they live life on their own terms, fighting seemingly losing battles, relatable outcast living conditions, penchant for getting in trouble, and just their all-over “stick it to the Man” attitude?

whatever it is, here are two young metalheads in modern media making us older (older, meaning me) metalheads, and other alts out there, proud.

1. Edward “Eddie” Munson (season 4, Stranger Things, 2022)

(https://itswynnesworld.com/2022/07/03/why-eddie-munson-is-stranger-things-season-4s-mvp/)

I don’t watch Stranger Things but Eddie Munson got my attention. apparently, he’s a breakout character, which means he became more popular than expected. I think we all know why…

It’s forced conforming. That’s what’s killing the kids. That’s the real monster.

Eddie Munson is the kooky, quirky, and perky kind of metalhead. on the surface, he may seem too much to handle, but he’s the guy you want to sit beside when the rest of the school (or the world you’re in) thinks you and your interests just don’t vibe with theirs.

based on Eddie Van Halen, of course, he can play a mean guitar, e.g. Master of Puppets.

I see them Hellfire Club shirts sellin’… make ’em sell.

2. Hunter Sylvester (Metal Lords, 2022)

(https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/billgoodykoontz/2022/04/07/metal-lords-movie-review/9461808002/)

Hunter Sylvester, on the other hand, is the one that’s too much to handle. obnoxious and no-filter, Hunter will confront anyone he thinks has a tiff with him. he doesn’t give a damn about what people think is right or wrong, if he thinks what you did to him is wrong, he will take it personally and will retaliate, no questions asked.

(https://sarahscoop.com/metal-lords-review-high-school-rejects-finding-their-way/)

We are a metal band. We are not an indie metal band. We are not an alt-metal band. We are not a sort of metal band. We are a metal band.

(would love to claim that the idea for “sorta metal” came from him but it didn’t. “sorta metal” came from Phoebe Bridgers’ Facebook cover photo, a Toyota with a sorta goth sticker)

nonetheless, he’s an extremely loyal friend. he may come off as an asshole even to his best friend, Kevin, but there’s the history of him helping Kevin against bullies. there’s also a kid named Robbie who seems to idolize him, for what reason, I’m not sure I remember correctly but I think it wasn’t touched upon. maybe Robbie’s another kid he helped from getting bullied, probably.

also, he wrote this badass riff which I think is, on its own, reason enough to watch the movie.

Eddie Munson’s got the charm and charisma. Hunter Sylvester’s got commanding stage presence. whether you’re team Eddie or team Hunter, they’re both badass in their own right.

Bobby Axelrod: corporate metal icon

picture a male CEO. is the image in your head either a man in a three-piece suit or a Silicon Valley whiz in a t-shirt (or a turtleneck) and jeans? do you agree with me that he’s definitely not a guy wearing a Metallica t-shirt? you do?

the makers of Billions do not. Robert “Bobby” Axelrod, a Wall Street mogul, is the CEO of Axe Capital, a hedge fund that plays with money worth too many zeros,

(https://www.damian-lewis.com/billions-s01e02-03)

who still has time to attend his favorite band’s concerts.

episode 4, season 1 (https://www.mautorland.com/cines-series/billions-y-metallica-una-mezcla-explosiva/)

Bobby is not just the everyman’s rags-to-riches underdog fantasy, he is the metalhead’s rags-to-riches corporate underdog fantasy.

what do I mean? well, you don’t see many fans of metal, punk, or goth music represented in American-work-culture-based shows like Mad Men and Suits, right? thank God, or the devil, that a show like Billions and a character like Bobby actually exist. though he may be known for his ruthless and remorseless tendencies in conducting business and making power plays, I can’t deny that his underprivileged background and his “never grew up” looks and attitude make him awfully relatable.

who wipes the floor with executives, directors, and lawyers alike while rocking a metal band t-shirt? Bobby fucking Axelrod, that’s who.

(https://www.fanfunwithdamianlewis.com/?p=38597)

Bobby is a one-of-a-kind metalhead who leads in a show about money, power, and greed in corporate America. he has a no-fucks-given attitude about how he has no intention to hide his true nature, that is, dangerously hungry and will do absolutely anything to get what he wants, either by brute force or by more calculated means.

it’s the way he looks, moves, talks, thinks, and executes that make up the awe-inspiring, indelible, and unapologetically original Bobby Axelrod swagger (kudos to Damian Lewis for bringing this metalhead to life).

quotes:

• “I should, but then again, what’s the point of having fuck-you money if you never say fuck you?” episode 1, season 1.
• “I am a monster. A carnivorous fucking monster.” episode 2, season 5.
• “Asked him to go against the DNA which is telling you to be greedy, yes, be hungry, subjugate, and conquer, ’cause that’s who we are, that’s what we are.” episode 3, season 5.