NIKE

«It was rather that the astronauts were the core of some magnetic human force called Americanism, patriotism or Waspitude, and if they were finally the men of all the men on earth to take the first step on the way to the stars, who was to say it was not the first step back to the stars, first step back to joining that mysterious interior material of the stars, that iron of communion with cosmic origins?

Indeed, who could be absolutely certain that the astronauts were not men finally forged out of some powerful equivalent in their blood of the star’s iron...»

 

 

                                                    

 

 

Scene no 38: The iron trinity of Astronauts (PAL plastic Toy soldiers, made in Greece) around a vintage Space Rocket (Masuya Toys, tin litho rocket NIKE SR-7, friction powered, with box, made in Japan).

The text: From MOONFIRE, by Norman Mailer.

THE GREEN GOD

«...Your punt is about to nose silently out into new backwaters of horror where the trees are heavy with untried fruits that look both beautiful and poisonous.

Though unused to the currents here, I hope you don’t get lost, and the vivid and toxic delicacies on display are to your tastes.»

                           

 

                 

 

Scene no 37: Green Man (Swamp Thing, McFarlane Toys, DC Multiverse Action Figure) and his red woman (Poison Ivy, Diamond Select Toys, DC Gallery PVC Figure).

The text: From an introduction by Alan Moore, to the The Saga of the Swamp Thing.

THE COWBOYS

«It was through the Declaration of Independence that we Americans acknowledged the ETERNAL INEQUALITY of man. For by it we abolished a cut-and-dried aristocracy. We had seen little men artificially held up in high places, and great men artificially held down in low places, and our own justice-loving hearts abhorred this violence to human nature. Therefore, we decreed that every man should thenceforth have equal liberty to find his own level. By this very decree we acknowledged and gave freedom to true aristocracy, saying, “Let the best man win, whoever he is.” Let the best man win! That is America's word. That is true democracy. And true democracy and true aristocracy are one and the same thing. If anybody cannot see this, so much the worse for his eyesight.»

 

Scene no 36: Cowboy duels in the Wild West (Plastic unpainted 14 cm cowboys – 1 Marx figure made in Gr. Britain, and 3 similar to Marx figures made in Italy), in front of a deciduous tree (Marx toys).

The text: From the novel THE VIRGINIAN, A Horseman of the Plains, by Owen Wister.

UNITED NATIONS EXPLORATORY FORCE

 

«Then some bright lad in the General Assembly decided that we ought to field an army of footsoldiers to guard the portal planets of the nearer collapsars.

This led to the Elite Conscription Act of 1996 and the most cutely conscripted army in the history of warfare.»

                           

Scene no 35: The elite force (Cherilea Toys, 6 different space figures - plastic astronauts) ready to establish a base in a distant planet beyond the borders of the galaxy. Behind them, their round starship (Modern Toys, Space Patrol X-17, lithographed tinplate, battery operated with bump and go action and flashing lights) in front of an alien landscape (Editions Touret, the plain from the paper cutting kit Apollo sur la Lune)

The text: From the military science fiction novel The Forever War by Joe Haldeman.

RIGADOON

 When men dance, 

women should not smile.

«They glided past, the glided fast,

Like travellers through a mist:

They mocked the moon in a rigadoon

Of delicate turn and twist,

And with formal pace and loathsome grace

The phantoms kept their tryst.»

 

 

 

Scene no 34: Corto Maltese dancing with Rasputin (Leblon-Delienne hand painted resin statuette. Limited edition No 423 of 777) in front of smiling Bettie Page (Dark Horse Comics, Dress-Up Magnet Set, Bettie Page by Dave Stevens).

The dance: From the graphic novel The Golden House of Samarkand by Hugo Pratt. Corto dance with Rasputin shortly after they witnessed the death of Enver Pasha in Samarkand. 

The lyrics: From The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde.

GUILTY OF HATRED AGAINST MANKIND

«...Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called “Chrestians” by the populace…»

«...Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. 

Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths…» 

                             

                                                            

Scene no 33: In the Roman arena. Punished Christians (Linde and W. Germany, Nativity figurines) among hungry lions (Preiser/Elastolin). Behind them a majestic gladiator (Elastolin modification) in front of a mural representing a similar scene (Cover of Atlantic HO scale box, The Romans, 1517, Gladiators and Christians).

The text: From the Annals, by Tacitus.

BLACK KNIGHT

       Protection from white, first strike  

Battle doesn’t need a purpose; the

battle is its own purpose. You don’t

ask why a plague spreads or a field

burns. Don’t ask why I fight.

 

 

                                    

                                                     

Scene no 32: The Black Knight rides alone (Timpo toys, White Tower coat of arms, one of the 8 different figures from the mounted Knights of the Middle Ages, No. 925 series).

The text: From the card Black Knight. A single individual card from the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering.