Transmetropolitan

1.    Are there any prominent symbols in the story? If so what are they and how are they used?  One of the main symbols is the ability to transform yourself into something new and be accepted for it, like being transgender today. Instead it’s about people whom are transients, people changing their genetic structure into something alien. Also, the idea of living in a chaotic culture filled with uppers and downers that are used for you to get through day to day, Spider uses them for his work. Kind of like the pill popper of today. There is also the use of religion for ones gain and escape with Fred Christ, he uses his power for his gain and leaves his people frightened and alone.

2.    What connections did you make with the story? Discuss the elements of the work you were able to connect with. Spider reminds me of Raoul Duke from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Spider’s cynical nature and use of drugs and violence, just to get to the story he needs. It feels like Spider is just Hunter S. Thompson thrown into an ugly future and he is just writing about his new life. An interesting bleak future of gonzo journalism.

3.    What changes would you make to adapt this into another medium? What medium would you use? What changes would you make? If I were to adapt this into a television series, I would change some of the visuals to fit more into today, but not by much. Just a tone down from the wacky. The episodes would follow a story an episode and sometimes follow over the major story arc, kind of how X-Files worked. I would leave everything to practical effects with touches of CGI to keep it more tangible. The overall editing would follow at a snappy pace following the characters emotions and tempo, to reflect the comics overall tempo. The narrative aspect I would keep, but not over use, use it more and an introduction or conclusion to the episode.