The joy of this past Saturday was sitting down with my coffee and breakfast and reading Entertainment Weekly‘s Joss Whedon issue.  And it was great.  I think I’ve seen about 85% of Whedon’s work (I still haven’t finished the last season-and-a-half of Angel), and I’m always amazed at how he creates new things that reflect significant truth.

Some highlights:

• While working on Roseanne, Whedon learned that “every time somebody opens their mouth they have an opportunity to do one of two things– connect or divide.”  I wish I could always keep that in mind.

• The story of the Toad/Storm dialogue from X-Men epitomizes the importance of not just what is said but who says it and how.

• It’s always interesting to hear people’s opinions on The Avengers movie.  Maybe the movie’s writer and director said it best: The Avengers may not be a great film, but it is a “great time.”

and

• “Somebody once asked me if I have anything like faith, and I said I have faith in the narrative.  I have a belief in a narrative that is bigger than me, that is alive and I trust will work itself out. [Buffy star] Sarah Michelle Gellar once said, ‘I’m not sure where we’re going with this [story line],’ and I said, ‘You don’t have to trust me, trust the narrative, we’ll find our way back.”

Brilliant words from one of our culture’s best story-tellers. There are some more goodies from the interview, but I’ll hold off on them for a day or two.  I encourage you to go find the latest issue at your area Barnes & Noble or grocery store.  It’s brilliant thinking.