71

 

 

December 22, 2022. It was just after midnight. I was now 71 years old. Various younger women of my acquaintance - and don’t go there with your unclean thoughts - will tell me 71 is just a number. But it’s a damn big number, ladies. A number I’ve earned and a number I’m surprisingly less comfortable with than I was last year when it was only 70.
                                                                        

I went to Facebook and started reading my memories of December 22, 2021, reflecting on where I was at that time last year. I smiled as I once again saw the garish 70th anniversary display Nora and Terry Fairbanks had ordered for my front lawn.

WARNING. This may get morose at times, but I promise I will leave you smiling at the end.

I had been watching and reviewing Christmas horror movies and came across this post of mine:

I won't be writing about Saint Nick (2010). Twenty-six minutes into this Dutch film, also known as Sint and Saint, there are college kids in blackface. Not acceptable at any time, much less 2018. I'll be moving to the next movie on my stack of holiday horror flocks.

I came across something I posted on this date six years ago. Back then, an anonymous coward tried to comment on my bloggy things on an average of once a week. Vile right-wing hatred with side dishes of racism, minimizing my career and work, and, unforgivably,  nasty insults towards my wife. I am 99% sure I knew who this creep was.He was from the Cleveland area. I had some dealings with him that ended our relationship. He blamed me for every thing that had gone wrong in his life - the failed businesses, the failed marriage and more - and never once recognized his own actions and crimes were the real causes of his misery. He stopped trying to get to me a few years back. I don’t know if he cleaned up his act and made a life for himself or sank even lower. It probably speaks ill of me that I  really don't care, save that it wouldn’t bother me if it was the former. I’ve always loved redemption stories.

There was this from eight years ago:

Any Cleveland police among my Facebook friends? My mother's house has been shot at (BB guns) three times in the past week. The third responding police officer suggested that my mother (88 years old and less than five feet tall) go talk to the management of the apartment building behind her house. Really, Officer? That's your best response? I can't wait to tell that to a TV reporter.

The situation never resolved itself. My mother sold the house and moved into a very nice senior apartment complex. She’s been happy there and is well into her 90s.
                                                                             

Like this year, there were way more birthday greetings than I could respond to and I was just as moved by them as I am this year when there are even more. I truly appreciate the love and encouragement I get from my online friends.

There were birthday greetings from over a decade ago from friends who are no longer with us, notable among them Alan Kupperberg and Batton Lash. It’s a sad fact of getting older that we lost people along the way.

My reading of these memories was interrupted by a phone call from one of my oldest and dearest friends. I’m a wee bit more ancient than he is. We have met and worked with and became friends with so many people who are no longer with us. We’re so fortunate we got to know them, but still feel the pain of their absence in our lives.

I promised to make you smile before the end of this blog, so here’s my special “Crazy Old Man with a Cane” anecdote. I wasn’t going to put this online, but my kids thought it was hilarious.

I am one of Medina’s strip malls. I have just come from a Hallmark store where I have purchased a great many Christmas/holiday cards. My bad knee had been being particularly naughty, so I was using my purple cane. It’s a Prince tribute.

A jerk with a big truck and a (I presume) tiny penis comes roaring into the strip mall as I am slowly walking to my own vehicle. He nearly hits me and then screeches to a halt. I am standing stunned because it takes a few seconds for seventy years of life to flash before my eyes.

The driver rolls down his window and starts screaming at me because I was in his way. This snaps me out of my reverie.

I yell back at him, calling him a moron and other terms not used in polite company. He starts getting out of his truck.

Honest to Godzilla...

I lift my cane and start shaking it in the air. I tell him that if he comes one step closer to me I will shove my purple cane entirely up his ass.

Four people have noticed the commotion and are watching us. I know one of them and that person calls out “Are you okay, Mr. Isabella?” Before I can respond...

The driver of the truck looks around. He sees these four people all shooting eye-daggers at him. He leaps back into his truck and guns it. Without doing whatever he had driven into the strip mall to do, he leaves through the side driveway of the strip mall.

People are sometimes pieces of shit.

But sometimes...

People will shoot eye-daggers on your behalf.

God and Godzilla love them.

Thank you for all the wonderful birthday greetings. Let’s do this again next year.
 
© 2022 Tony Isabella

VIOLENT NIGHT

From the moment I saw the trailer for Violent Night, I knew I had to see it as soon as it hit the theaters. What’s not to love about a world-weary Santa Claus getting his excessive drink on in a seedy bar and then going all “you’ve been naughty” on a murderous army of mercenaries? My expectations were high, though my initial reaction was somewhat muted. On reflection, my estimation of the movie rose. Let’s talk about it after I give you the Internet Movie Database summary of the film:

When a group of mercenaries attack the estate of a wealthy family, Santa Claus must step in to save the day (and Christmas).

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I blame myself for my initial disappointment with Violent Night. There were only two other people in the theater when I watched the film, which, actually, is what I prefer in these months of ongoing pandemic. But I had slept poorly the night before, was experiencing considerable pain in my bad knee and wasn’t in the optimal frame of mind for watching a movie that never quite figured out what kind of movie it wanted to be. That opinion is one I stand by, thought it doesn’t prevent my final conclusion that Violent Night is a pretty good movie after all.

The movie opens in the aforementioned seedy bar. We get a contrast between the real Santa, weary after centuries of being Santa and sad at the materialistic beast Christmas has become, and a “fake’ Santa who enjoys the part-time gig. Considerable kudos must go to David Harbour for his magnificent performances as Santa Claus and the brutal Viking warrior who became Santa Claus. He’s the focus of the movie, the character we want to see recapture his love of the holiday. Harbour likely won’t get nominated for any awards for his work here, but he should.

The obscenely wealthy Lightstone family could be the poster child for dysfunction. Matriarch Gertrude is a frigid creature who plays her children, their spouses and her grandchildren like pieces on a chessboard. Beverly D'Angelo is excellent in this role.

Oldest son Jason is Gertrude’s favorite; He has reunited with his estranged wife Linda to give their daughter Trudy a Christmas with both of them. Jason is desperate to get Linda back and, as the film progresses, we see how desperate he is. He and Linda give Trudy an early gift: a walkie-talkie they tell her communicates directly with Santa>

Daughter Alva comes to the family manor with her son Bert and her minor movie star boyfriend. She wants to be chosen as CEO of the family business over Jason.

The villains? Led by “Scrooge” (John Leguizamo), they want to grab the $300 million in illicit cash kept in the family vault and are not remotely queasy about killing a great many members of the house guards and staff in the process.

Two things screw up Scrooge’s plans. Santa has come to the house and stumbles upon one of Scrooge’s small army. He doesn’t want to get involved but circumstances change his mind. Notably, that Trudy is on his nice list.

More vexing to Scrooge is that the $300 million isn’t in the vault. It’s been moved and not even Gertrude knows where it is. That kicks up the threat level for the family considerably.

Santa takes on the bad guys and it’s bloody. The Lightstone family starts showing some wee bit of concern for each other and take out some of the villains themselves. Even Trudy takes out a couple of killers. The Trudy kills made me uncomfortable; her character was too sweet and too young to be slaughtering even the baddest of the bad guys.

Violent Night tried to be a bit Die Hard and a bit Home Alone, but the comedy was an uneasy partner of the extreme violence. But I’ll give the movie credit for giving us an interesting Santa and more than the usual dysfunctional family. There were several surprises I didn’t see coming, which also earns props from me. The ending was mostly satisfying. When I looked back at the movie, I upgraded my opinion of it.

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IMDb gave Violent Night a 7.0 rating, which I think is close to the mark. Rotten Tomatoes’s Tomatometer was 73% with an audience score of 88%. My rating for this Christmas movie - and it is a Christmas movie - would be four out of five stars. As such, I recommend it to all my readers who have watched all the Hallmark movies they could stand for this holiday season.

I may not succeed, but I’m going to try to write another Christmas movie review or two before Christmas. In any case, I hope to stay safe and well during the harsh weather coming our way and that you have the merriest of Christmases or whatever holidays you celebrate with your loved ones.
   
© 2022 Tony Isabella

NAUGHTY OR NICE

 

Streaming-surfing can be fun. I often stumble on movies and other entertainments I’d never have specifically sought out. Recently, I came across Naughty or Nice, a 2011 Hallmark movie. Not my typical movie choice. But I was intrigued by its premise:

A down-on-her-luck advertising executive becomes the custodian of Santa's famous 'Naughty or Nice' list.

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Krissy Kringle [played by Hilarie Burton] is having a monumentally bad day, even beyond that her parents [Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter] named her Krissy. After Krissy bought her own house, her neighbors petitioned the city to rename the street to Candy Cane Lane. Which means she gets mountains of mail meant for the “real” Kris Kringle.

Her parents keep pressuring her and her boyfriend Lance Leigh [Matt Dallas] to get married. Which he’s not ready to do on account of he’s a lawyer working long hours in a quest to make partner at his firm. That all pales when compared to this particular bad day.

Krissy goes into the advertising agency where she works, expecting to receive a promotion. Office pal Debbie [Jessica Tuck] seems to share her expectation, given Krissy has been landing new accounts for the agency. Instead Krissy is unceremoniously fired by her boss [Michelle Hurd] without explanation. It’s a harsh scene that leaves Krissy shattered.

Krissy goes home to Candy Cane Lane to be harassed by neighbors for having the only house that’s not decorated to the heavens for the street’s annual holiday decorations contest. Krissy has to push her way into her house because the “Kris Kringle” mail behind her door is a mountain. Depressed and frustrated, she goes through the mail, tossing anything that’s not actually for her. Until she comes to a weird package.

Inside the package is an antique book titled Naughty or Nice. Its pages are blank until she speaks her own name. The pages flip and now show her several pages of naughty things she has done. Which flips her out. Most of these naughty things involve her being self-centered or judgmental.

Dinner with Lance and her folks is challenging. When her mom learns Krissy is unemployed, she does two things. She insists Krissy take a check to cover expenses while she looks for a new job...and she gets her a seasonal job in the wrapping department of a big store. Krissy’s duties include dressing as an elf and assisting the store Santa. Her boss Justin [Tony Cavalero] is a jerk who affects this bad Australian accent even though he’s not Australian. He’s also the grandson of the store owner.

Krissy looks cute in her elf costume, but is pretty terrible at the wrapping part of the job. The only saving grace of the situation is that she quickly bonds with coworker Marco [Gabriel Tigerman], who fills her in on how unpleasant Justin can be.

On a break, Krissy shows the book to Marco. Speaking Justin’s name, they learn that, in addition to minor offenses like playing video games in his office, their boss has been dipping into a petty cash meant to buy snacks for workers in his department. He’s told them the petty cash was discontinued.

Krissy boldly blackmails Justin into buying his workers lunch and bringing back the snacks. She also gets him to take the voluminous unused Christmas decorations stored in his office and set them up at her house on Candy Cane Lane.

Feeling the power, Krissy delves into the book again and again. She uses the naughty things people have done to punish them for their bad actions. This goes especially out of control when she discovers her boyfriend had a brief affair with Debbie, her friend from her former job. Krissy gets more than a little crazy, does some pretty terrible things herself and makes herself even more miserable than she had been.

Cue the important lesson about life. Krissy turns over the antique book to find that the title on the other side is Nice or Naughty. She’s only been seeing the bad in people and not the good they do. She’s determined to use the book to fix things, but it gets damaged when she spills tea on it. She has to fix things without the magic of that ancient volume.

No more spoilers here, save the ending satisfies all but one of the movie’s characters...and that person didn’t remotely deserve to get a happy ending. It definitely satisfied this viewer.

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The Internet Movie Database gave Naughty or Nice a 6.4 rating while Rotten Tomatoes showed a low audience score of 33%. I don’t agree with either of those. I’d put at 5.0.

Naughty or Nice is an easy 83 minutes of non-challenging fun, which is just fine for a relaxing evening’s entertainment. The acting was never less than suitable with several good moments. I particularly liked Gabriel Tigerman’s work.

The story develops in a logical manner as long as you accept that Christmas magic is real. That people have more than one side is a good holiday message. Thanks to Trump and the Republicans, it’s not a message I can embrace fully, but, as an aspirational way of life, it’s worth working towards.

I don’t ask as much from movies and TV shows as I do from comics. I know how to make great comic books so I’m much tougher on them. For me, I’m usually just looking for that hour or two that makes me smile or excites me.

Naughty or Nice gave me that. I recommend it to those of you don’t expect Citizen Kane every time out.

I’ll be back tomorrow with some ho-ho-horror.

© 2022 Tony Isabella

CHRISTMAS BLOODY CHRISTMAS

 

The bloggy thing has been absent without leave this month and all I can say in my defense is that December has proved to be way more complicated than I had anticipated. Which is very scary because I was already expecting chaos in this holiday season. However...

Since I’ve watched several new and new-to-me Christmas movies, I’m going to present reviews of them during these remaining days before the holiday. Warning: some of these cinema celebrations will be too gory and violent for kids...and one is a Hallmark movie. Oh, the ho-ho-horror.

Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022) is today’s movie review. Written and directed by Joe Begos, whose previous credits include VFW, The Mind’s Eye, Bliss and Almost Human, his script started as a remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night with a Terminator-like robot as the Santa slayer. From the Internet Movie Database, here’s the summery of this stand-alone film:

It's Christmas Eve and Tori just wants to get drunk and party, but when a robotic Santa Claus at a nearby toy store goes haywire and begins a rampant killing spree through her small town, she's forced into a battle for survival.

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Tori owns what looks like a pretty cool record store, though, from the lack of background extras throughout the movie, it doesn’t seem the town is big enough to support either her store or her toy store neighbor.

The first half-hour of the movie is slow. There’s are old-time TV commercials for various Christmas joy and a newscast which reports on problems with the robotic Santas. These are robots built by the military but, when that project died, were re-purposed and sold to stores. What could possibly go wrong?

What went wrong, though it’s not explicitly stated in the movie, is that the some of these robots have reverted back to their original military programming. With no explanation given for this, I assume it was too many naughty kids sitting on their laps.

The only well-developed characters are Tori (Riley Dandy) and her employee Robbie (Sam Delich). Robbie talks Tori out of going on a Tinder date and spending the night drinking and sex with him. Okay, she keeps telling him there won’t be sex, but her resolve weakens quickly.

Once the robot gets his ax-wielding slaughter on, it starts taking out supporting characters pretty damn quick. Thankfully, since this town is severely under-populated, the body count stays at around a dozen friends, neighbors and first responders. That’s the business of the movie’s next thirty minutes.

Up to this point, Christmas Bloody Christmas is a decent film with excellent gory effects. But the last third of the movie is really really good. It’s Tori versus Robot Santa.

It’s an exciting sequence with some shocking surprises. I was on the edge of my seat right to the finish. Which I won’t be spoiling for you.

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Before I get to the ratings and recommendations, here’s a Christmas Bloody Christmas fun fact: The film features 487 uses of profanity, with an average of 5.6 per minute.

Rotten Tomatoes gives Christmas Bloody Christmas a 73%

IMDb awards it 5.1 out of ten points.

Until the final third of the movie, I would’ve given it two out of five stars. But the final battle between Tori and the robot pushes it to three out of five stars.

If you like holiday horror films and aren’t put off by the frequent gore and the profanity, I recommend Christmas Bloody Christmas. It is not a classic or even a great film, but it’s an entertaining 86 minutes. Give it a watch.

I’ll be back tomorrow with another Christmas movie review. See you then, my merry elves.

© 2022 Tony Isabella

FROM THE PAST...HARLAN ELLISON

 

 

Harlan Ellison is the finest writer of our time. His work inspired me. His friendship meant the world to me. I think of him and dear Susan often. That he liked my writing was something that cheered me through some pretty desperate times.

Two weeks back, while going through my Vast Accumulation of Stuff, I came across a letter sent to me in 2014 by a reporter who had exchanged some correspondence with Harlan Ellison. In one letter, Harlan mentioned some of my work. I mentioned this in yesterday’s summation of the things that made me happy in November and promised to run the comments in the bloggy thing as soon as possible. Which turned out to be today.

Here’s what Harlan wrote..
 
Isabella's book, 1,000 Comics You Must Read, is a delight, but shows, also, amiability, kindness, and sense of humane generousness one finds rare in persons toiling in any field. Although I might never become the kind of great heart that is Tony, who seems to love most things and most things well. I am not so far on the side of Edmund from Edgar and Kent, not to appreciate a good man's qualities. Although I can hardly tell on merely basis of the Isabella Oeuvre, Tony seems one of the better chaps in the world increasingly the one of "bawds and fools" as caustically lambasted by Thersites in Troilus & Cressids.

Tony's accomplishments as a comics writer shine in two signal achievements, one being his adaptation of August Derelith"s yarn of snow vampires  (which must’ve inspired King's "One for the Road"); the other, Tony's Watcher-What If story detailing if Gwen Stacy had survived her encounter with the Green Goblin in the Spider-Man comics.

Inspired by Harlan’s introductions in Dangerous Visions and Again Dangerous Visions, I knew I wanted to be a writer who did the work and did it with clean hands and open heart. It’s because of Harlan and his praise of me that I believe I accomplished that more often than not. I still live and write by the code I developed early in my career. It has not always served me well professionally, but it has entertained readers and given me great satisfaction.
 
Thanks, Harlan. I miss you and Susan terribly.

© 2022 Tony Isabella

THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY IN NOVEMBER

 

 

I’ve been trying to keep the openings to these monthly collections of joy-inducing things light and breezy, but something happened to me recently that I want to discuss. Albeit briefly.

A friend asked me if I hated him because he was a conservative. It wasn’t the proper place to have such a discussion, so I responded with a quick “Of course, I don’t.” Which wasn’t how I really wanted to answer him. In the future, I might well devote a longer column to how I wanted to answer, but, for now, you’re getting the short version...

Was he sure he was a conservative? Because, honestly, I’m not sure such creatures are still among us. They’ve gone as extinct as the dodo bird as the Republican Party falls further into criminality, cruelty, dishonesty, racism, sedition and the treasonous disregard for democracy.

The specifics of those vile traits will have to wait for the future bloggy thing I alluded to. What I will say is that if you support the Republican Party in its current despicable form, you are not a conservative. Not remotely. If you vote Republican, you are a part of their debasement of our country.

I don’t hate him on a personal level. However, if he is supporting the Republicans in any way, I hate him on a moral and philosophical level. That party is the biggest threat currently facing the United States of America and, if he votes Republican, my friend is aiding and abetting that threat. More on this to come.

Here are the things that made me happy in November...

November 1: Saintly Wife Barb and I had delicious salmon dinners at our local Applebee’s and used a gift cards. We’re on a quest to use as many of these as possible.

November 2: As I contemplate my dream road trip, Shing Yin Khor’s  The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66 is an fun, informative and inspiring graphic memoir. Solo or otherwise, I plan to travel from end to end of the legendary road.

                                                                               

November 3: Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! It’s definitely a treat for fans of the franchise. An exciting and funny adventure for all ages topped with delicious nostalgia. I smiled throughout the movie and laughed out loud in places.

November 4: To celebrate Godzilla Day (November 3), I went to the Fathom Event presentation of Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002) with my son Ed. Also shown were a new Godzilla versus Hedorah short film and a “making of” short.

November 5: Akron Comicon’s 10th Anniversary event was absolutely incredible. The comics-centric show with a “fans first” philosophy presented great guest creators and a host of interesting vendors. Kudos to promoters Dan Gorman and Jason Miller.

November 6: My friend Denine has been volunteering at conventions since the sorely missed days of Mid-Ohio-Con. She’s great with the guests and was been a great help to me at this year’s Akron Comicon and many other events.

                                                                                 

November 7: So Much For Love: How I Survived a Toxic Relationship by Sophie Lambda, as you can imagine, can be a little difficult to read at times. But her sure storytelling and sometimes dark humor makes it one of the most important comics of 2022.

November 8: Baron Helmut Zemo, created by Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema and myself and recently seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, has joined my Funko Pop! collection. I’m always on the lookout for figures of characters I created or co-created.

November 9: My post-election grief was lightened by a surprise gift from a colleague. We haven’t worked together for decades, but his friendship and kindness are appreciated. It was a perfect gift for the end of democracy. An assortment of nuts.

                                                                         

November 10: Comics legend Don McGregor was interviewed for ABC’s Black Panther: In Search of Wakanda special. As the guy who truly brought Wakanda to life, it was a well-deserved honor for my dear friend.

November 11: Diego Jourdan Pereira. My Last Kiss gags always look amazing when Diego adds his colorful magic to them. He’s one of the best in the business and I hope that, someday, I get to work with him on a comic book or graphic novel.

November 12: John Lustig is a great editor. He works hard to make my Last Kiss gags better without making them his gags. That skill isn’t as prevalent as you would think.

                                                                                

November 13: After losing several eBay auctions, I now own a 2018 She-Hulk (Lawyer) figure, a 2018 spring convention exclusive and I got it for much less than all the auctions I lost. I wonder if they make a Matt Murdock figure.

[There is a Matt Murdock figure and it’s a bit too expensive for me at the moment. Which doesn’t mean I won’t find a way to get it. I’m thinking of adding a barter option to the appearance fees I charge most conventions.]

November 14: Ted Sikora (Hero Tomorrow Comics) took out a full-page ad in the November 2 Hollywood Reporter to promote his HT universe. It’s a smart move because studios are still hungry for comic-book properties and his line-up is a stellar one.

November 15: Actor, author and fellow geek Wil Wheaton continued to be a rock star in the Celebrity Jeopardy semi-finals. He won again and was a dynamic and passionate advocate for all who struggle with mental-health issues.

                                                                                 

November 16: Vernee Watson, currently seen in Bob Hearts Abishola. I feel I’ve grown up with this wonderful actress, first seeing her in Welcome Back Kotter and countless times since. She’s never less than terrific and her every appearance brightens my day.

November 17: Our Funko Christmas collection grows with the addition of this Groot with present figure. I can no longer make a case that I’m not a Funko collector. Indeed, that particular ship sailed a long time ago. 

                                                                            

November 18: Jeopardy’s Amy Schneider showed her Ozma of Oz tattoo on tonight’s Tournament of Champions episode. It’s lovely in design and in what it represents. I’m a fan of her fun personality, skill at the game and transgender advocacy.

November 19: Leverage Redemption is back for a second season. Three episodes are streaming online and the first - “The Debutante Job” - guest stars Aldis Hodge who played Hawkman in the Black Adam movie. I’m a huge fan of this Leverage revival.

November 20: I found a letter sent to me in 2014. It was from a fan who had interviewed Harlan Ellison who, in the course of answering, said incredibly kind things about my 1000 Comic Books You Must Read and my comics writing. I’ll share it soon.

[I shared Harlan’s remarks on my Facebook page and will do so again in a future bloggy thing.]

November 21: The 2022 Jeopardy Tournament of Champions finals were nothing short of magnificent. Three of the finest players in tight games with my hero Amy Schneider winning the championship. This was a thrilling competition.

November 22: Reality show clowns Todd and Julie Chrisley have been sentenced to 12 and 7 years in the slammer for tax fraud. I love it when famous and rich people face serious consequences of their bad  actions. It needs to happen more often.

November 23: Going through my closets as part of an ongoing effort, I found a belt I bought a few years back that didn’t fit me then.It fits me now. Will you still all love me when there is less of me to love?

                                                                              

November 24: Black Panther Wakanda Forever. A fine film, engaging and thoughtful with numerous wonderful performances. I appreciated the emphasis on heroic women and also the “made me smile” acting of Winston Duke as M’Baku.

November 25: I had a lovely Thanksgiving with Barb, Eddie, Kelly, Nora and Terry Fairbanks, Barb’s Aunt Pat, and friends Jess, Greg and Sherri. The downside is that there are many leftover pastries
waiting to kill me.

November 26: Netflix’s Wednesday is creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky. It’s also intriguingly suspenseful with many excellent actors. I’m one episode and there’s little doubt in my mind that I am in for duration.

[I binge-watched the rest of the first season over the next couple days. It did not disappoint in the least.]

                                                                              

November 27: Breakfast at Medina’s Cool Beans Café with the Saintly One and Kelly. We were served delicious flights of grilled cheese sandwiches and soup by our dear friend Jess. A different but great way to start our day.

November 28: Holiday delivery persons. Be they Amazon, UPS, United States Postal Service or others, these men and women are doing an amazing job bringing gifts and joy to millions of people. If you see them, take a moment to thank them.

November 29: Marvel’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is charming. A little rough around some edges, but the comedy duo of Drax and Mantis are hilarious. The legendary Kevin Bacon touched my soul. I now feel there are no degrees of separation between us.

November 30: I live in a world where a company is making video game consoles for dogs that will help their aging canine brains and give them treats when they win games. Who’s a good tech company? You’re a good tech company.

It’s a new month and that means a new effort to create more comics and content for you. I’ve got my December writing schedule mapped out and I’m also ready if bandits try to rob me and my family when I’m home alone.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, my friends.

© 2022 Tony Isabella