Comic-Con International at San Diego has come and gone. I was not there, but I delighted in the good times and well-earned awards a number of my dear friends had and received. I always get somewhat thoughtful in the wake of each year’s event.
I don’t feel very involved in the comics industry these days. The news coming out San Diego was a mix of “that’s sorta interesting” and “that sounds kinda dumb” and “that doesn’t really involve me.” I hope the new companies do well, but, again, I’m not involved in them. Just watching from afar.
Not to be a total buzzkill, I was excited to learn that Godzilla, fresh off winning an Oscar for Godzilla Minus One, was very visible at the convention. Feel free to send me photos of whatever Godzilla swag you acquired. Feel free to send me Godzilla swag. As pastor of the First Church of Godzilla, I’ll give you indulgences in exchange for Godzilla goodies.
I continue to feel various degrees of annoyed and then some at the plethora of commentators, press and pro and fan alike, who freely make pronouncements on this and that. Despite that THEY WERE NOT IN THE ROOM when things happened. As someone who WAS IN THE ROOM for at least some of these events, I have more knowledge of said events than any of the above.
One of the hard lessons the comics industry has taught me is that EVERYONE LIES SOMETIME. Some of the most revered comics creators have lied sometime. I’ve lied sometime, though I make an effort not to do that. It’s human nature. Pretending it’s not the case doesn’t change that one whit.
Someone very close to me recently remarked that she thought I felt “unfulfilled” and that’s an accurate assessment. There are things I felt should have come to me and didn’t. There are projects I will likely never get the chance to complete. Though I am in remarkably good health for a 72-year-old person, like all of us, I’m one MAGA meltdown from being gunned down.
I’m really doing okay. My main sources of income these days are my eBay auctions, my garage sales, royalty checks and Social Security. It’s not what I expected, but it’s not nothing.
While I may sound morose, I’m actually dealing with all the above with surprising grace. I can’t change either the comics industry or the world around me. I can only keep working on that which means something to me and take comfort from the things that make me happy as I plod through this and future years.
Here are the things that brought me joy in July...
July 1: Brave Like Godzilla by Charlie Moon with illustrator Jordan Bradley and Milo Moore is a children’s book (ages 4-8) featuring a non-binary Minilla facing a bully. Their non-binary nature is not emphasized, but the power of friendship is.
July 2: Taco slippers. I have taco slippers. They were an impulse buy, but I love them madly. They are soft and comfortable and, when winter comes, they’ll be warmer than any other slippers I own. Mock me if you must. You’re just jealous.
July 3: Batman Justice Buster Vol. 1 by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi. I can’t say this is a very good comic book. Very shaky storytelling. Too similar faces. But if you’re looking for a wacky Batman story with odd divergences, this is it.
July 4: Stamped from the Beginning: A Graphic History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi & Joel Christian Gill is what I wasn’t taught in school and what the Republicans don’t want taught now. Which is why you should read it.
July 5: Elvira: Mistress of the Dark Vol. 1 by David Avallone with artist Dave Acosta. In these scary times, I’m rereading this series and finding it just as funny and beautifully drawn the second time around. I recommend it as an antidepressant for 2024.
July 6: Pre-Code Horror Reaction Wave 2. As much as I love my Pre-Code collections from PS Artbooks, I’m not going to add these cool items to my Vast Accumulation of Stuff. However, I am delighted to know they exist. Our hobby is amazing, isn’t it?
July 7: Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is the fourth movie in the series and an entertaining addition. Streaming on Netflix, it has much the same vibe as the original movie. Acting and action scenes are fine.Just a fun couple of hours.
July 8: Our rescue cats Cheri and Bear finally let me close enough to take a cute picture of them chilling on our living room couch. Every now and then, they even let me pet them. I keep hoping they will hang out with me in my office, but they aren’t there yet.
July 9: Men’s Adventure Quarterly. I’m a late comer to this spiffy magazine about the men’s adventure magazines of the past. I never paid much attention to them before, but this publication is great fun. I’m currently reading the third issue.
July 10: Retro Fan. #33 [July, 2024] is a shining example of why it’s a favorite of mine. It features pop culture greats like The Six Million Dollar Man, Hot Wheels, Hostess snacks, movie icons versus the Axis, TV westerns and more. It’s like having my very own time machine.
July 11: Punisher: The Bullet That Follows by David Pepose and Dave Wachter. I like the new Punisher, a former SHIELD agent who’s not the sad caricature the original had become. I also like Jigsaw, the terrorist group he’s fighting. Worth checking out.
July 12: Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong by Brian Buccellato with artists Christian Duce and Tom Derenick. Set in an alternative universe combining DC heroes with Legendary monsters, this is epic fun. Characters and creatures ring true. Most enjoyable.
July 13: G-Fest XXIX was an amazing weekend. I attended more panels than usual, saw dear old friends, made some new friends and really got into the Godzilla spirit. You can bet I will be at G-Fest 30. Did you think they were going to call it G-Fest XXX?
July 14: Comics are knowledge. I answered a Jeopardy question about stalactites and stalagmites correctly. I learned the difference in 1961 from the origin of the Silver Age Atom in Showcase #34. Thank you, Gardner Fox!
July 15: Hello, Friends!: Stories of Dating, Destiny, and Day Jobs by Dulcé Sloan. The current correspondents of The Daily Show might be the best ever...and Sloan is a bright light among them. Getting to know her in this book is a joy.
July 16: Vampiress Carmilla #22 had an eight-page Carmilla story by Don Glut and Santos Zaballos. Despite its needlessly provocative title, “Doggie Style” was a suspenseful and heart-warming tale. I’d like to see even longer Carmilla adventures.
July 17: My Spy: The Eternal City. Starring Dave Bautista as a CIA agent and Chloe Coleman as his stepdaughter, this adventure/comedy is a sequel to the 2020 film...and just the kind of fun light movie
I need in these politically insane times.
July 18: Shows like Collector’s Call, House Hunters, House Hunters International and The Big Bakeover have become my go-to TV watching when I just can’t fathom the insanity of my country. The diversity of the buyers in the HGTV shows is particularly welcome.
July 19: The Midnight Show by Cullen Bunn with artist Brian Hurtt, colorist Bill Crabtree and letterer Jim Campbell. Told in a tight four issues, this action/horror graphic novel is screaming out for a movie. If I made movies, I would option it today.
July 20: Kamala Harris is a great candidate. I’ll be proud to cast my vote for her, especially since she has Trump and his deplorable supporters soiling themselves because she utterly terrifies them.
Vote blue to save democracy and decency!
July 21: My wonderful therapist noted my joy was obvious whenever I talked about Godzilla and G-Fest. This confirms the healing power of the Great Scaly One. He’s always there to help you against the real monsters. I’m looking at you, Republicans!
July 22: Snow White and the Seven Samurai. When her evil stepmother murders her drug lord father and leaves her for dead, a young woman is rescued and trained by woman warriors. Eric Roberts appears as her father. Bless you, The Asylum. Bless you.
July 23: Eric Roberts. I love this hardworking actor. His presence in a movie always brings a smile to my face. Sometimes I think he has made more movies than I’ve watched. His autobiography comes out later this year. I ordered a signed copy.
July 24: Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson. Set in my native Ohio, as are all the best mysteries, this amazing first novel takes us to a small town with big ambitions, big secrets and unseen dangers from
unexpected places. I look forward to her next novel.
July 25: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. In his 7/21 episode, the host did a great expose of the phony “migrant crime” narrative of Trump and the news media...and then made me laugh out loud with
his segment on the World Games. He’s the best there is at what he does.
July 26: Vixen: NYC Volume One by Jasmine Walls and Manou Azumi. I enjoyed this cool take on Vixen, which also featured Anissa Pierce and Grace Choi. After reading a library loan, I ordered a copy for my archives and will continue reading the series.
July 27: Don McGregor. There is no more worthy recipient of being inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame. His dedication to his art, craft and stories against tremendous odds. His inspiring character.
I love this man and am honored to be his friend.
July 28: Gail Simone posted this on Facebook: “Tony, you have always been fearless and kind and classy and a great inspiration to me not just as how a creator should write, but also how a creator should behave.” My heart is bursting.
July 29: Deadpool and Wolverine. What a wonderful wild ride at the theater. Very violent. Laugh out loud funny (which I did). Full of heart, great performances, amazing special effects. I recommend you see “Marvel Jesus” as soon as you can.
July 30: High Intellectual Potential. From France and streaming on Hulu, this series centers on quirky Morgane, a 38-year-old mother of three with an IQ of 160. She used to clean the police station. Now she solves crimes with them. Brilliant show.
July 31: Even though I couldn’t attend, there’s something special just knowing Comic-Con International exists. I’m thrilled for all the fun my friends had there and all the well-deserved honors they received. Next year?
And now...Tony’s newly-expanded Best of the Bloggy Thing Month.
BEST COMIC BOOK OR GRAPHIC NOVEL: Punisher: The Bullet That Follows by David Pepose and Dave Wachter.
BEST BOOK: Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson
BEST MOVIE OR TV SHOW: Deadpool and Wolverine
BEST PERSON: Don McGregor
BEST OTHER THING: My taco slippers
Circling back to Comic-Con for a moment, I did not have “Comic-Con Human Trafficking Sting” on my pre-con radar. Fourteen people were arrested. Ten victims, including a 16-year-old girl, were rescued. I have many questions and I haven’t seen much coverage of this from the comics press. I hope there weren’t any comics people among the arrested.
Also not on my pre-con radar: a fire at an overcrowded Airbnb where a couple cartoonists were staying. One of the very bad things about Comic-Con is the greed of various local businesses. Fortunately, neither of them were injured and their pals in the comics community were there for them.
The third bad thing was the number of Comic-Con attendees who came home with the special gift of COVID. I’m going to make certain my vaccinations are current. I’m also going to get more conscientious about wearing a mask at events, though I will remove it for photos and other special moments with “Comics Legend Tony Isabella.”
Speaking of conventions, I’m currently lining up my next convention appearances. Some of them are amazingly cool. As these arrangements are completed, I’ll announce the events here and on my other social media. I’m looking forward to meeting friends and readers I haven’t met in the past.
My next Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales will be Friday and Saturday, August 23 and 24, from 9 am to noon at 840 Damon Drive, Medina, Ohio. I’m working on a number of projects, but I plan to do a massive restocking for those sales.
In the meantime, you can always check out my eBay store for amazing auctions. Good shopping!
I’ll be back soon with more stuff.
© 2024 Tony Isabella