June and July made me wonder if American democracy is coming to an end. You know what I’m talking about. I’m not ready to write about this at length, but I will soon.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to something that always puts smiles on my face. G-FEST XXIX, said to be “the largest regular gathering of Godzilla and Japanese monster fans in the world” is returning to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, IL, from July 12–14. My son Eddie and I will be among the thousands of attendees there attending panels, hanging out with the good friends we have made there over the years, looking at great art and other displays, seeing movies, shopping the vendors room and, in the case of Eddie, eating his weight in Italian beef sandwiches. Of course, I will be eating more modestly as I am determined to get in the best shape of my life, the better to face and defeat the fascism of Trump and his maniacal followers.
I strongly urge you to check out G-Fest online, knowing you’ll have a wonderful time if you attend. If you want to meet up with me and have me sign Isabella stuff, drop me an e-mail and I’ll do my best to make that happen.
Here are the things that made me happy in June...
June 1: The sex, also known as the Trump hush money verdicts, was amazing. Afterward, all I wanted to do was cuddle. But we still have work to do to stop this most criminal, racist and treasonous president in our history from being elected. And his little GOP dogs, too.
June 2: The Vineyard by Brian Hawkins, Sami Kivela, Jason Wordie and Taylor Esposito. Published by Aftershock, this is a seriously scary story about very bad people and those who enable them. I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t become a movie.
June 3: PRIDE IN THE CLE (Cleveland) was one of the most beautiful, life-affirming experiences of my lifetime. Thousands of good people showing love and support for the LGBTQ+ community. I plan to attend next year. Love wins!
June 4: The Normals by Adam Glass and Dennis Calero. Everything you know about your family and life is a lie and for reasons that are incredible. Glass has been popping up in my “things” often of late and deservedly so.
June 5: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Laura Berlanti as the mysterious Juror 11 (Melania Trump)in Monday’s hilarious sketch. Next I would like to see her as a stern warden at whatever prison the Cheetos Criminal gets sent to.
June 6: Wheel of Fortune. Vanna White’s words of appreciation for the departing Pat Sajak had her in tears. I wasn’t far behind her. They were and shall always be remembered as one of the best teams ever to appear on television.
June 7: Wheel of Fortune. Pat Sajak’s farewell comments. He was one of the best and perhaps best game show hosts in television history. Quick with a joke or a comforting word. He’s irreplaceable, but I do hope for the best.
June 8: IDW’s Godzilla Valentine’s Day Special by Zoe Tunnell and Sebastian Piriz is one of the most enjoyable Godzilla comics of all time. It’s a fun romance and a thoughtful look at the relationship between kaiju and the world. I love it!
June 9: Treated myself to an at home double feature night watching Hit Man and Madame Web on Netflix. Sometimes I don’t need to watch great movies, just entertaining ones that take me away from a world of madness for a few hours.
June 10: I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together: A Memoir by Maurice Vellekoop. His life is examined as we watch him navigate emotional issues that threaten to overcome him and which are relatable to gay and straight readers alike. Masterful.
June 11: Gundala. This 2019 Indonesian superhero film based on the comic-book character created by Harya Suraminata fifty years ago is choppy but also fascinating. It’s apparently the first in a series of movies and I’ll be on board for them.
June 12: This is Screwed Up, but I was Reincarnated as a Girl in Another World by Keyaki Uchiuchi and Ashi tells of an old scientist reborn as an orphan in a world of swords and sorcery. It’s great fun. I’m two volumes in and looking forward to more.
June 13: Captain America by J. Michael Straczynski Vol. 1: Stand. In a story that spans decades echoing the past and the present, we discover Steve Rogers was a hero before the sickly young man became an icon. I love this beautiful fitting retcon.
June 14: I received a text message from a garage sale customer who was delighted by the Godzilla Ramen Bowl (with chopsticks) that was in the mystery box he bought. When my customers are happy, I share in their joy.
June 15: The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha is a engrossing, poignant and often shocking tale of a young 16th-century Korean woman who is more than she appears. It’s a story of generational trauma and easily one of the best graphic novels I’ve read this year.
June 16: As of today, Saintly Wife Barb and I have been married for forty years. Now you know why she deserves the “saintly.” I love her as much today as I did then. I am so lucky to have shared this long and happy life with her.
June 17: Last Thursday, OutSupport Medina held its annual Pride on the Square event. A beautiful gathering of great people who showed love and support for their fellows whether LGBTQ+ or straight. This is what America should look like.
June 18: Saturday’s garage sale was all the more special because a fan who came from Detroit picked up our mutual pal Tom Orzechowski. I don’t see Tom, my first hire as a Marvel editor, nearly enough. The conversations were great fun.
June 19: Dark Spaces: Good Deeds by Che Grayson, Kelsey Ramsay and Rondo Patterson is a scary tale of disgrace, redemption and violent justice with a twist I did not see coming. I’ll continue to follow this anthology series presented by Scott Snyder.
June 20: Death Drop Drag Assassin by David Hazan and Alex Moore is a “supernatural queer noir” series about a hitman turned drag queen trying to protect the community from a killer. I’m enjoying the mix of suspense and soap opera.
June 21: Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 1: Whatever Happened to the Fantastic Four brought me back to the first family of heroes I loved as a youth. What else can I say, except that “The Night of Doom” might be my favorite Reed and Sue story ever.
June 22: The Big Bakeover on the CW. Award-winning British baker Nancy Birtwhistle has come to the U.S. to help struggling bakeries. It’s like Bar Rescue but nice and leaves me feeling good at the end of each episode. She’s wonderful.
June 23: Dark Horse published Drawing Lines: An Anthology of Women Cartoonists in 2020. The best and most unforgettable story in the book is “True Tales from the Shampoo Bowl” by Gail Simone with art by Rebecca Woods and lettering by Lois Buhalis.
June 24: The Equalizer. I just watched “Blind Justice,” which aired March 3. My friend Marvin Jones is awesome as a blind military vet surviving on his own and trying to mend his relationship with his daughter.
June 25: Grim Volume 1 by Stephanie Phillips with artist Flaviano and colorist Rico Renzi. Jessica Harlow is unlike any other reaper. She doesn’t know how she died and her search for that imperils Hell and Earth. I’m hooked.
June 26: Eddie Isabella, born this date in 1988. I’m a Godzilla dad and he’s my Minya. He’s been a great companion to conventions and movies and screenings...and I’m incredibly proud of the fine man he has become. Vote for Eddie!
June 27: World’s Finest Teen Titans by Mark Waid with Emanuela Lupacchino and Mike Norton. I’m thinking Waid’s WF titles exist in their own private universe, which is fine by me. They’re fun with recognizable heroes and satisfying stories and art.
June 28: Becoming Who We Are: Real Stories About Growing Up Trans by writer/editor Sammy Lisel and artist/editor Hazel Newlevant and others. A suitable for young adults anthology that delivers on its title. Well-written, beautifully drawn, life-affirming.
June 29: Harlan Ellison’s Watching. Rereading his movie columns in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, I’m reminded of the poetry of his prose...and how often I still need to research his sometimes obscure but always apt analogues.
June 30: Harbingers of the coming apocalypse. There are more cheesy and just plain terrible giant creatures and shark movies streaming than I can watch. Between this and Trump, mankind has definitely earned its approaching demise.
And now...Tony’s Best of the Bloggy Thing Month. Three categories. Three winners.
BEST COMIC OF THE MONTH: Godzilla Valentine’s Day Special
BEST MOVIE/TV SHOW OF THE MONTH: Hit Man
BEST PERSON OF THE MONTH: Barb Isabella and Eddie Isabella (tie)
One more thing. My only Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales in July will be Friday and Saturday, July 26 and 27, from 9 am to noon at 840 Damon Drive, Medina, OH 44256. I’ve already started adding great new items to the sales and will continue to do so right up to the moment I open the garage doors to my customers.
In the meantime, you can always check out my eBay store for amazing auctions. There will be a new batch of great stuff posted this weekend. Good shopping!
I’ll be back soon with more stuff.
© 2024 Tony Isabella
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