The Filth

When I first opened up The Filth, I knew this was going to be a harder read for me. For starters, this is the first comic book I have ever read. I have always had the idea in my head that I would not enjoy one and have never tested that assumption. Now, I’ve been forced to. I have only read the first two sections this far, but must admit to at least be intrigued. I am intrigued to the point that I want to continue reading, but worried about how these comics will develop.
The first page of the first comic caught my attention when there were people discussing how they hate smoking, while they are smoking. They compared smoking to violence, they hate it but they do it. One mad said “it makes me feel quite dirty.” I am not sure if he was speaking of the smoking or the violence, but it could stand for addiction in general. When you get into a routine, there comes a point where there seems to be no turning back. In this case, with smoking and violence, it has become who these people are. However it is with everything. The main character Greg seems to be addicted to porn. He is living with a cat and we learn his mom has died and he is divorced. There is no way he is happy with the state that he is in right now, but he seems to think that there is no turning back. I found myself imagining what Greg’s old life used to be like and what got him to the point that he needs to be creating a para persona. One of the hardest things a person can do is be aware of what makes them unhappy and truly cut that out of their lives. It is easier to ignore the problem/addiction, than to face it and fight it.
In the second story from this collection, we learn about Greg’s new personality, Edward Slade. He goes from being Greg, a balding old man, to a younger and muscular man, with great hair. He is aware of the evil that he is contributing in, but does not know how to go back. At one point he makes the comment, “I can’t be normal, I can’t be here, in this place, and still be normal at the same time.” It is impossible for him to live his normal life as Greg and be Edward Slade on the side. It reminded me of the concept of good vs. evil. One can only enjoy both for so long, before one begins to outweigh the other. The evil can easily consume a person. As Edward, the character said, “Why do you think it turns me on so much to ruin and pollute everything that’s decent and good?” As the chapter is concluding, the storyline gets to the point that Edward does not remember who he was when this started. The para personality has taken over.
As I read this, I found it interesting that it is taking place in comic book form. This idea was actually brought up in class: Is this comic? Most readers would begin this and put it down after the first issue. In fact, a student in the class admitted to not understanding it until re reading it after our previous novels. At the same time, there is clearly more to the storyline than meets the eye. The filth is said to contain the “active ingredient” of a metaphor. For the readers in this class, the comic book means more than for the average person. Even though I am still having troubles understanding what the author is trying to get across, the only reason I am even remotely intrigued by these stories is because of the previous readings in the class. It is a good thing this class is opening up my eyes because I have a feeling these comics will only become more disturbing.