THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY IN FEBRUARY

 

 

 

It’s March and that means it’s time for me to write a little about the previous month - good and bad - and then present my compilation of things that brought me joy in February.

The big good included being invited to conventions in Singapore and Spain. The former looks like it’s definitely going to happen with events in April and September. The latter is somewhat up in the air at the moment as I figure out how to make it work.

Then there was Pensacon 2023, my favorite convention and one that celebrated its tenth anniversary this year. I’ll be writing a few bloggy things about the convention, but you’ll get a few highlights near the end of this column.

The bad? The growing cruelty and insanity from the Republican Party on local, state and federal fronts. It’s the cruelty that concerns me most. Just as Rotten Ronnie Reagan made up the “welfare queens” to serve up as “villains” for his base, so today’s GOP monsters are going after the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans kids. As part of that community, I take this personally. But, even if I weren’t, I’d be horrified just on the basis of common decency.

The Republican Party is the biggest threat to the United States and democracy in general.  I am at a loss to understand why anyone who considers themselves a good Christian or person would support them.

All of the above said, let’s take a look at the daily things that made me happy in February...

                                                                       

February 1: Love and Capes: Home for the Holidays is Thom Zahler’s latest special and it’s completely delightful. Christmas joy with Mark, Abby, their kids, family and friends plus wonderful turning points for several members of the cast.

February 2: The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore. What a crazy fun novel. I loved it, laughed out loud while reading it and am looking forward to reading more of Moore’s books.

February 3: Celebrity Jeopardy 2023 Finals. I have never watched a more exciting game of Jeopardy. Winner Ike Barinholtz, Wil Wheaton and Patton Oswalt were funny and gutsy players, showing great love and respect for one another.

February 4: Naoki Urasawa’s Asadora. A mysterious kaiju threatens Japan. A high-school girl who lost several family members to this creature works with the authorities to stop it. That’s just part of the drama in this series. Six great books and counting.

February 5: Lockwood and Co. I heard good things about the Netflix series and decided to watch an episode. Then another and another. Binge-watched all eight episodes of the first season and hope we’ll be getting a second season soon.

February 6: Lockwood and Co. One more thing about this fine show. I got a kick out of the references to 2000 AD comics via George’s choice of reading material and shirts. It’s been ages since I had a subscription to the weekly, but I remember it fondly.

                                                                               

February 7: Daily Show guest host Chelsea Handler totally rocked it in her first episode. Edgy, enthusiastic and funny, her back-and-forth with the always delightful Dulce Sloan was hilarious. She’s my favorite guest host to date.   

February 8: A good visit to the doctor. My heart and lungs and most everything are fine. My blood pressure is a minor concern. I got a handicapped sign for when my knee is having a bad day. On track to outlive my enemies and dance on their graves.

                                                                           

February 9: The Composite Superman, a favorite DC Comics character from the 1960s, has arrived as a terrific Funko Pop! Though he only appeared twice back then, his image, story and heroic redemption left a real impression on me.

February 10: Funko’s new Darkwing Duck figure has arrived. While I kind of like seeing a cheerful “terror that flaps in the night,” it does take some getting used to. Is it possible for Funko to create a grimmer version of this character?

February 11: Extraordinary. Stumbled across on Hula, this TV comedy is about a young woman in a world where everyone gains a superpower at the age of 18. Except her. Some of the powers are truly bizarre and the show itself is quite entertaining. Recommended.

February 12: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. It’s quite likely that I never stopped smiling while watching the double-length episode of this new Disney animated series. Fun characters and graphics mixed with an uplifting story. I loved it!

February 13: Spontaneous joy. Loud music from a car parked across the street. Looked out my office to see two young woman dancing in the street to said music. Rocking, bopping, laughing. How could I not smile at such an expression of joy?

February 14: Your Place or Mine. Barb and I celebrated Valentine’s Day with Dairy Queen Blizzards and this amusing rom-com starring Renee Witherspoon, Ashton Kutcher and an amazing supporting cast. I recommend the movie and the Very Cherry Chip Blizzard.

February 15: Errand morning with Barb. We got the SUV e-checked and took it through a car wash. We got stickers and handicapped cards at the DMV. We got coffee, a egg sandwich and a free cup of soup at Panera. It’s a good start to the day.

                                                                         

February 16: Quantum Leap. The episode “Let Them Play” focused on the discrimination against trans teens, especially those who want to be athletes. It was riveting television that moved me deeply. I need to get back into this series.

February 17: It’s our annual celebration of my Saintly Wife Barb’s birthday. We’ll be getting together with Eddie and Kelly later this afternoon and a good time will undoubtedly be had by all. My wife is a blessing to all who know her.

February 18: Pensacon 2023. My fifty years in comics tour wraps up at my favorite convention. Pensacon has the best fans, guests and staff. The local support is delightful with restaurants featuring related themes. I love it madly.

February 19: The Death of Doctor Strange by Jed MacKay, Lee Garbett and Antonio Fabela. This had a lot going for it. Cool villains from the 1960s, a solid story that would not confuse a casual reader and a satisfying ending. I’ll be seeking out more by MacKay.

February 20: I’m thrilled beyond words to be a guest at Singapore’s Cosfest: Legend of the Floral Guardian on April 8, 2023 at Gardens By The Bay. This is my first convention outside of North America in decades. I can’t wait to meet the fans there.

                                                                                

February 21: Batman The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1. This was the era that introduced me to the character who would be my favorite until I created Black Lightning...and it was a surprise gift from one of my readers. How cool is that?

February 22: Button Pusher by Tyler Page. In this informative and moving graphic auto-biography, the cartoonist discusses his ADHD, his behavior before and after his diagnosis and his experience with his prescribed Ritalan. Lots to learn here.

February 23: I’m reading Friday Book Two by Ed Brubaker, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente. When I hit a “I didn’t see that coming” moment, I knew this was definitely a comic book that mad me happy and that I would recommend it to you.

February 24: Pensacon. My private signing with Certified Guaranty Company was terrific. Thanks to CGC and Luis for giving fans of my work who might never get to meet me a chance to have me sign their comics. I hope we can do it again.

                                                                                    

February 25: Maria Landy, Pensacon’s Transport Wizard, always gets us where we need to go. She’s also an amazing artist who gifts me with her work every year. These two pieces are always right next to my keyboard as I write. Thank you, Maria.

February 26: Amazing food in Pensacola and Pensacola Beach. Between Pensacon’s own incredible green room and so many great restaurants, many of whom adopted themes in connect with the pop culture event, wonderful meals were the rule. Yummy in my tummy.

February 27: Pensacon. I chatted with actors Erik Estrada and Eric Roberts. Both were very friendly. Naturally, I mentioned Chupacabra vs. the Alamo (2013) and Sharktopus (2010). Because that’s what you would expect of me.

February 28: Pensacon. The Long Box Guys hosted a panel on my fifty years in the comic-book industry. We didn’t pack the room, but we had a great time and those who attended learned many things which they did not know previously.

I post new “Things That Make Me Happy” on my Facebook page and on Twitter every day. Watch for them.

I’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2023 Tony Isabella