Blast! The Difference in a Year

I think what struck me the most about this, was the difference in the first volume and the second volume. The first volume seems to be very much about explaining what Blast is, who the Vorticists are and who they are not. The second volume is very much about the war. It seemed to me that the first volume was much more pure. There was nothing hindering Blast. Whereas by the second volume they clearly are fighting for readers, as they Lewis notes that there are "a multitude of other Blasts of all sizes and descriptions" (pg 5).  Also in the way that Lewis focuses on explaining what he means by calling the Germans romanticists -- it really seems like he is probably being censured. Much of his editorial at the beginning seems to be alluding to censure.

Likewise, in the first volume, he has Blasts and Curses (though they are not formally named - they are covered under the manifesto I guess) at the beginning, one of the first things you read. These blasts and curses are followed by some blesses, but the focus seems to be on the blasts and curses. In the second volume they are tucked in the end and they are clearly titled Blasts and Blesses- leaving out the curses altogether - focusing on the positive note along side the blasts. And in the first volume, I think it is possible that some people may have found his blasts offensive and unpatriotic. He starts off cursing the weather, but he also slyly slips in a note about sins and vampires and this whole sucking theme- alluding to some aspect of British society sucking life (it seems) from the people and the artists. In volume 2, his blasts and blesses are lists, with no explanation at all- again giving the feeling that he is being censured.

In volume 1 Lewis gives the readers a manifesto (or 2). He lists out a variety of things that Blast believes in and supports.  In volume 2, he gives the readers an editorial which explains a lot of the changes. Then at the end right in front of the blasts and blesses, he writes Wyndam Lewis. Vortex No 1. Art Vortex.  Be Thyself.  This seems similar to his manifesto(s) in Volume 1, but it's tucked in at the end, and with a title that seems to be hoping someone overlooks it.  The first line of that "You must talk with two tongues if you do not wish to cause confusion" seems to be alluding to his attempts to get around censure. I could be way off, but that's how it seems to me. 

In general both Blasts are very interesting. They both are very much geared towards art but Lewis takes a huge turn in the second one towards writing about the war. It is even called War Number. A lot of the artwork in it seems to be war images. By the second volume it almost seems to lose a little bit of the push towards individuality because the war is such a nationalistic effort.