You know what’s going on in our comics community, our countries and our world. Anxiety, confusion, corrupt politicians, depression, despair over the violence against people of color and the press, distance between those we care about in these pandemic times, that overwhelming weight of not knowing what we can do and if we’ll make it to the other side.
I’ve fallen into the habit of using these monthly “made me happy” bloggy things to talk about what’s going on in my life and how the happy stuff helps me get through it. But we are all going through this rough patch. The only advice I can offer is that it’s truly more important than ever to recognize people and things who make us happy, and to celebrate them, even from a distance.
Here are the things that brought me joy in May.
May 1: The United States Postal Service. An unquestionable public good, delivering mail to the most rural areas on our country and, frequently, delivering to destinations too far (inconvenient) for FedEx, UPS and others. Thank your postal workers by supporting the USPS.
May 2: I have a new rice cooker and warmer. I’ve named it Gamera. Now I have to go to the store to buy rice. So, mixed blessing and all.
May 3: TV Dinners: 40 Classic TV Kid Stars Dish Up Favorite Recipes With a Side of Memories by my pal Laurie Jacobson. I’m enjoying the heck out of this combination of down-to-earth television and easy-to-follow recipes.
May 4: My Dress-Up Darling by Shinichi Fukuda. Shy young man with a talent for sewing meets a gorgeous girl who wants him to make her costume. This sweetly risque romcom had me smiling all through the first volume.
May 5: The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah now runs close to 45 minutes. The mix of comedy and good information about the coronavirus pandemic is easy to digest and doesn’t make me want to drink Lysol. I hope the show stays this length when it can get back to the studio.
May 6: Going through my file cabinets and discovering a great many wondrous things. I’ll be figuring out how to best share it with my readers in the coming months.
May 7: Echo: The Complete Edition by Terry Moore. An alloy gives powers to a woman whose life is in turmoil and who now finds that the fate of the world is in her hands. I’m on a Terry Moore kick lately and he does not disappoint.
May 8: Answering Godzilla questions for a Walmart cashier. That’s what happens when I rock a Godzilla t-shirt. Don’t worry. We only talked until another customer came to the check-out aisle.
May 9: Working on my Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales, which will start in June. There are some safety issues to address, but I am looking forward to seeing my regular customers and selling them many great items.
[NOTE: My “general public” garage sales have been cancelled because I couldn’t make my available space safe for multiple customers. In a few weeks, I’ll start taking appointments for single customers to shop at my garage. Keep watching this bloggy thing and my various social media stuff for more information.]
May 10: Gigant by Hiroya Oku is brilliantly baffling. A porn star who grows to giant size, a fan who wants to make movies, a man from the future and teens voting on an “end of the world” online poll in which the winning choices actually happen. I don’t know where this is going, but I’m sticking with it.
May 11: DC’s 100-page Titans Giant is including Bob Rozakis-penned Teen Titans stories from before the Wolfman-Perez reboot. I’m all for reprinting stories from the 1940s through 1980s in these books. Some explanatory text pages would be nice.
May 12: A e-mail from a reader telling me my story “War Toy” (from Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #2) has stayed with him since he first read it in 1975. E-mails like this mean a lot to us currently out of favor comics creators.
May 13: Marty Pasko. His life, his writing and the many wonderful tributes to him from fellow comics creators, friends and his many fans. He will be remembered.
May 14: ABC’s The Happy Days of Garry Marshall special. A two-hour tribute to one of the entertainment world’s greatest geniuses. It was funny, informative and so heartwarming.
May 15: Gail Simone and Colleen Doran’s story in Wonder Woman #750. “From Small Things, Mama” was a precious small gem.
May 16: Meg Cabot’s When Lightning Strikes, the first book in her 1-800-Where-R-You series. Teen Jessica is struck by lightning and now knows exactly where missing people are. A exciting introduction to a terrific young hero.
May 17: That so many in comics are making good choices in this time of pandemic. There are chuckle heads who trump crazy conspiracies, defy common sense and make the crisis part of their absurd culture wars, but, overall, we’re smart about this. Thank you.
May 18: Banfield Pet Hospital at PetSmart in Medina. They take good care of my cat Simba and are so close to our house my little furry friend doesn’t get agitated on the drive. They also raise money for the care of less fortunate pets.
May 19: I bought a trade online. When it came, this was written on the receipt: “Thanks for Black Lightning! Still one of my DC favorites after all these years!!”
May 20: Stargirl. One episode in and it’s my second favorite super-hero TV series. Kudos to Geoff Johns for bringing his creation to the small screen in such wondrous fashion.
[NOTE: When I kidded Geoff that, based on my critically-acclaimed one-line performance in the Black Lightning season finale, I should play the Golden Age Atom in the series, he responded that I could play Al Pratt any time I wanted. Okay, that’s not an actual offer, but I’m thinking I should start hitting the gym just in case.]
May 21: G-Fan #127: Lyle Huckins’ “Chekhov’s Nuke” is a fine piece on using such weapons against Godzilla. I liked it so much I’ll be writing a bloggy thing on the same subject.
May 22: Stumptown has been renewed for a second season. I just hope it isn’t broadcast from Cobie Smulders’ living room.
[NOTE: Several readers pointed out that being “in” Cobie Smulders’ living room would not be a bad thing. Of course, as a married man of some 36 years, I would never make such a comment. On the other hand, I’m not Mike Pence, so...]
May 23: Finding new series pitches I wrote in 1970-1972 and sent to Marvel Comics before they hired me. Fifty years later, many of them are worth a second look.
May 24: I’ve promoted three of my Funko figures to be the guardians of my desk. So now, as I work, I can look at Mole Man, Rat Fink and Betty Boop (& Pudgy). Godzilla, of course, stands defiantly on my computer console.
May 25: Zuiker Press publishes issue-based graphic novels for young people. Goodbye: A Story of Suicide is the latest in the series and the most moving. It is heart-rending, informative and deserving of a place in comics awards and, much more importantly, every school library.
May 26: Spider-Man: Far From Home. Another exciting entry in this series. A believable young hero, great supporting characters, great action sequences and jaw-dropping surprises. I want to see the next Spider-Man movie RIGHT NOW.
May 27: Receiving an email from an actor and screenwriter about a story I wrote over 40 years ago. “I could not believe how masterful it was, how much it has stood the rest of time and how influential it’s been to me as a writer.”
[NOTE: The story is “Bounty for a Vampire.” Which first appeared in Dracula Lives #13. It was reprinted in Essential Tomb of Dracula #4 and The Tomb of Dracula Omnibus #3.]
May 28: Batwoman’s Dougray Scott. His Jacob Kane is now, along with his paramilitary private police force, the most terrifying element in Gotham City. No small feat for the actor or this continuing plot development.
[NOTE: Crossovers are usually big cosmic events, but wouldn't it be cool to have this story be the basis for the next DC/CW crossover? The Crows pretty much take over Gotham and impose their own version of martial law, possibly supported by outside forces. Kate Kane, having learned the values of allies, calls in the cavalry. Many of the Arrowverse characters have experience battling authority gone mad. Black Lightning, most of the Arrow vigilantes, etc. Even Supergirl would be interesting given the existence of kryptonite in Gotham City. The ball's in your court, showrunners.]
May 29: Dragon Soldiers. A fun movie with an excellent cast, decent CGI and an above-average script. Unfortunately, you’ll need an all-region DVD player to watch it.
May 30: My Comic Shop Country. For this documentary, filmmaker and former comic shop employee Anthony Desiato visited shops across the country and shared the pain of losing a beloved shop. Every comics professional should watch this.
May 31: The Holderness Family. I found my new sheltering-in-place family on YouTube. Dozens of magnificently hilarious song parodies and videos. Just the ticket for when you need a laugh. But I warn you, it’s hard to watch just one.
That’s all for today, my friends. Please be safe and sane as we all navigate these choppy waters.
© 2020 Tony Isabella
I’ve fallen into the habit of using these monthly “made me happy” bloggy things to talk about what’s going on in my life and how the happy stuff helps me get through it. But we are all going through this rough patch. The only advice I can offer is that it’s truly more important than ever to recognize people and things who make us happy, and to celebrate them, even from a distance.
Here are the things that brought me joy in May.
May 1: The United States Postal Service. An unquestionable public good, delivering mail to the most rural areas on our country and, frequently, delivering to destinations too far (inconvenient) for FedEx, UPS and others. Thank your postal workers by supporting the USPS.
May 2: I have a new rice cooker and warmer. I’ve named it Gamera. Now I have to go to the store to buy rice. So, mixed blessing and all.
May 3: TV Dinners: 40 Classic TV Kid Stars Dish Up Favorite Recipes With a Side of Memories by my pal Laurie Jacobson. I’m enjoying the heck out of this combination of down-to-earth television and easy-to-follow recipes.
May 4: My Dress-Up Darling by Shinichi Fukuda. Shy young man with a talent for sewing meets a gorgeous girl who wants him to make her costume. This sweetly risque romcom had me smiling all through the first volume.
May 5: The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah now runs close to 45 minutes. The mix of comedy and good information about the coronavirus pandemic is easy to digest and doesn’t make me want to drink Lysol. I hope the show stays this length when it can get back to the studio.
May 6: Going through my file cabinets and discovering a great many wondrous things. I’ll be figuring out how to best share it with my readers in the coming months.
May 7: Echo: The Complete Edition by Terry Moore. An alloy gives powers to a woman whose life is in turmoil and who now finds that the fate of the world is in her hands. I’m on a Terry Moore kick lately and he does not disappoint.
May 8: Answering Godzilla questions for a Walmart cashier. That’s what happens when I rock a Godzilla t-shirt. Don’t worry. We only talked until another customer came to the check-out aisle.
May 9: Working on my Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales, which will start in June. There are some safety issues to address, but I am looking forward to seeing my regular customers and selling them many great items.
[NOTE: My “general public” garage sales have been cancelled because I couldn’t make my available space safe for multiple customers. In a few weeks, I’ll start taking appointments for single customers to shop at my garage. Keep watching this bloggy thing and my various social media stuff for more information.]
May 10: Gigant by Hiroya Oku is brilliantly baffling. A porn star who grows to giant size, a fan who wants to make movies, a man from the future and teens voting on an “end of the world” online poll in which the winning choices actually happen. I don’t know where this is going, but I’m sticking with it.
May 11: DC’s 100-page Titans Giant is including Bob Rozakis-penned Teen Titans stories from before the Wolfman-Perez reboot. I’m all for reprinting stories from the 1940s through 1980s in these books. Some explanatory text pages would be nice.
May 12: A e-mail from a reader telling me my story “War Toy” (from Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #2) has stayed with him since he first read it in 1975. E-mails like this mean a lot to us currently out of favor comics creators.
May 13: Marty Pasko. His life, his writing and the many wonderful tributes to him from fellow comics creators, friends and his many fans. He will be remembered.
May 14: ABC’s The Happy Days of Garry Marshall special. A two-hour tribute to one of the entertainment world’s greatest geniuses. It was funny, informative and so heartwarming.
May 15: Gail Simone and Colleen Doran’s story in Wonder Woman #750. “From Small Things, Mama” was a precious small gem.
May 16: Meg Cabot’s When Lightning Strikes, the first book in her 1-800-Where-R-You series. Teen Jessica is struck by lightning and now knows exactly where missing people are. A exciting introduction to a terrific young hero.
May 17: That so many in comics are making good choices in this time of pandemic. There are chuckle heads who trump crazy conspiracies, defy common sense and make the crisis part of their absurd culture wars, but, overall, we’re smart about this. Thank you.
May 18: Banfield Pet Hospital at PetSmart in Medina. They take good care of my cat Simba and are so close to our house my little furry friend doesn’t get agitated on the drive. They also raise money for the care of less fortunate pets.
May 19: I bought a trade online. When it came, this was written on the receipt: “Thanks for Black Lightning! Still one of my DC favorites after all these years!!”
May 20: Stargirl. One episode in and it’s my second favorite super-hero TV series. Kudos to Geoff Johns for bringing his creation to the small screen in such wondrous fashion.
[NOTE: When I kidded Geoff that, based on my critically-acclaimed one-line performance in the Black Lightning season finale, I should play the Golden Age Atom in the series, he responded that I could play Al Pratt any time I wanted. Okay, that’s not an actual offer, but I’m thinking I should start hitting the gym just in case.]
May 21: G-Fan #127: Lyle Huckins’ “Chekhov’s Nuke” is a fine piece on using such weapons against Godzilla. I liked it so much I’ll be writing a bloggy thing on the same subject.
May 22: Stumptown has been renewed for a second season. I just hope it isn’t broadcast from Cobie Smulders’ living room.
[NOTE: Several readers pointed out that being “in” Cobie Smulders’ living room would not be a bad thing. Of course, as a married man of some 36 years, I would never make such a comment. On the other hand, I’m not Mike Pence, so...]
May 23: Finding new series pitches I wrote in 1970-1972 and sent to Marvel Comics before they hired me. Fifty years later, many of them are worth a second look.
May 24: I’ve promoted three of my Funko figures to be the guardians of my desk. So now, as I work, I can look at Mole Man, Rat Fink and Betty Boop (& Pudgy). Godzilla, of course, stands defiantly on my computer console.
May 25: Zuiker Press publishes issue-based graphic novels for young people. Goodbye: A Story of Suicide is the latest in the series and the most moving. It is heart-rending, informative and deserving of a place in comics awards and, much more importantly, every school library.
May 26: Spider-Man: Far From Home. Another exciting entry in this series. A believable young hero, great supporting characters, great action sequences and jaw-dropping surprises. I want to see the next Spider-Man movie RIGHT NOW.
May 27: Receiving an email from an actor and screenwriter about a story I wrote over 40 years ago. “I could not believe how masterful it was, how much it has stood the rest of time and how influential it’s been to me as a writer.”
[NOTE: The story is “Bounty for a Vampire.” Which first appeared in Dracula Lives #13. It was reprinted in Essential Tomb of Dracula #4 and The Tomb of Dracula Omnibus #3.]
May 28: Batwoman’s Dougray Scott. His Jacob Kane is now, along with his paramilitary private police force, the most terrifying element in Gotham City. No small feat for the actor or this continuing plot development.
[NOTE: Crossovers are usually big cosmic events, but wouldn't it be cool to have this story be the basis for the next DC/CW crossover? The Crows pretty much take over Gotham and impose their own version of martial law, possibly supported by outside forces. Kate Kane, having learned the values of allies, calls in the cavalry. Many of the Arrowverse characters have experience battling authority gone mad. Black Lightning, most of the Arrow vigilantes, etc. Even Supergirl would be interesting given the existence of kryptonite in Gotham City. The ball's in your court, showrunners.]
May 29: Dragon Soldiers. A fun movie with an excellent cast, decent CGI and an above-average script. Unfortunately, you’ll need an all-region DVD player to watch it.
May 30: My Comic Shop Country. For this documentary, filmmaker and former comic shop employee Anthony Desiato visited shops across the country and shared the pain of losing a beloved shop. Every comics professional should watch this.
May 31: The Holderness Family. I found my new sheltering-in-place family on YouTube. Dozens of magnificently hilarious song parodies and videos. Just the ticket for when you need a laugh. But I warn you, it’s hard to watch just one.
That’s all for today, my friends. Please be safe and sane as we all navigate these choppy waters.
© 2020 Tony Isabella
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