HELLO, WIKIPEDIA. IT'S ME, JENNY.

 

Within a few days of my coming out as trans, someone had changed my Wikipedia page to JENNY BLAKE ISABELLA. It was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. Mostly, I was astonished it had been changed so quickly.

However, of late, I’ve become less than enchanted with the page still displaying a photo of my former self. Since Wikipedia doesn’t allow the subject of a page to make changes to it, I was trying to figure out how to get it changed.

My friend Nat Gertler, the publisher of so many cool and quirky books of historical comics, tells me he can fix this for me. He wrote:

Post the image as a blog entry or page with the following text:

Image by Jenny Blake Isabella hereby released under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, readable at

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

He added:

Then send me the blog entry address and I’ll carry the ball from there. (Please realize that once you do this, anyone will be able to use this image for just about anything. But that can be a good thing, because people can quickly get this updated image of you more easily than past images.)

I had a long comics career as Tony Isabella. I don’t consider it a dead name. I wrote a lot of good stuff as Tony. I helped a lot of people as Tony. But Jenny is who I am.

It’s not an easy transition, but I’m committed to it. I know it will come with loss and nigh-terror. But it also comes with more joy than I could have imagined.

I’m only writing as Jenny Blake. I have no problem with my older work being credited to Tony Isabella. But Jenny is who I am. I’ll even be attending comics conventions and other events as my authentic self, starting with November’s Akron Comicon.

I look forward to meeting old friends and new...and introducing them to Jenny. I hope you’re one of them.

NEO COMICON 2025

 

NEO Comiccon was held on Sunday, August 3, from 10 am to 4 pm at the North Olmsted Soccer Sportsplex. Those of you who have read my previous accounts of this annual event know the venue is all artificial turf. It’s easier on the feet and legs than any other convention I attend.

NEO covers two huge playing spaces. Plenty of room for creators and vendors. While I was not presenting as my true self per se, the sign on my table identified me as JENNY BLAKE (FORMERLY TONY ISABELLA). With rare exception, every one called me “Jenny” and, in doing so, made me feel seen and welcome. I especially have to give a shout-out to Don Simpson, my friend oF many decades. When he saw me, he came up to me and said “I don’t believe we’ve ever met. My name is Donald.”

My table was next to Don’s, so we did a lot talking about this and that. On the other side of my space was Dan Berger (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and his wife Jessica. They are amazing and we bonded quickly. 

                                                                     

 

Other creators included Marc Sumerak who has written all manner of cool books, making his first convention appearance in years. He has a new book out: Scooby Doo! and the Attack of the Scooby Snacks (An Official Cookbook): From Scooby Snacks and Pickled Vampire Wings to Fried Moombeams and More. Just writing that long title makes me hungry.

Jason Moore is another amazing creator, penciling and inking a library’s worth of great books and comic books. I also chatted with old friends Dan Gorman, Rick Lorenzo, Ted Sikora, and the legendary Gary Dunn.

Besides being the main artist for American Splendor (Harvey Pekar’s groundbreaking series), Gary has drawn a number of non-fiction graphic novels on a variety of Cleveland and other historical subjects. He was also the main artist on my long-running comics panel The Outbursts of Everett True, featuring a belligerent turn-of-the-century comics character I repurposed as a modern-day comics fan. I wrote well over a hundred of these for Comics Buyer’s Guide, Movie Collectors World and other mags. Gary drew or inked most of them. A Facebook friend said I should write a new Everett in which he weighed in on my transition. So I did...and Gary will be drawing it. I don’t know when and where it will appear at this time. But it’s coming!

                                                                      

Steve Benjamin, a friend of over four decades and a member of my wedding party, assisted me at my table. He even brought a photo of when my Saintly Wife Barb and I attended his sister’s bat mitzvah. She’s as gorgeous as ever.

I sold and signed many copies of DC Pride 2025, which presented my first comic-book story as Jenny Blake. I signed a variety of Isabella-written items while selling DC and Marvel archives and omnibus editions at bargain prices.

The convention’s returning charity partner this year was Super-Heroes for Kids in Ohio. To quote the website:

“Super-Heroes for Kids in Ohio endeavors to spread goodwill through simple acts of kindness, recognizes individuals who have battled through adversity, and encourage the involvement of the community to make a positive difference in the lives of others. The group makes costumed visits to children’s hospitals, special needs centers, and various charitable events whenever and wherever they are needed.”

The group occasionally enlists celebrity cosplayers, so it’s not impossible that Jenny Blake might make an appearance with them in the future. What to wear, what to wear.

The high point of the convention for me was the ready welcoming of my authentic self. Jenny was embraced by old friends and made new ones as well.

In the category of more great news to come, I now have an artist for my new trans super-hero series, someone I’ve wanted to work with for a long time. He’ll also run a Kickstarter so we can get the first issue out to you next year.

To sum up, NEO Comicon was fun and fulfilling. I smile whenever I think about the event. You can bet I’ll be back in 2026.

© 2025 Tony Isabella

THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY IN JULY

 

Comic-Con International 2025 is in the books. I couldn’t attend in person, but, thanks to my friend Andy Mangels, I appeared on the annual “Out in Comics” panel via a video message we taped a few days earlier. I wanted to represent as my authentic self and share the joy and terror of being trans in this twisted version of our nation created by Trump and his equally vile lackeys. The feedback on my wee message was heartwarming.

Being trans is a personal journey with fits and starts. It does not follow a road map. Since the journey is all about change, it should not surprise anyone that it includes changes. An example would be that, as late as the publication of my story in DC Pride 2025, I thought I’d write under both Jenny Blake and my old name of Tony Isabella. Some folks, friend and foe alike, said I had a split personality and trolled me. Honestly, in my real life, I wanted to ease my transition for those around me and, in my writing life, I didn’t want to disrespect the work I did as Tony. That part of my journey has come to end.

Going forward, I will be writing as Jenny Blake exclusively. That’s who I am and I like her a lot. I’m fine with my previous work continuing to be credited to Tony Isabella. I worked very hard to create good and meaningful entertainment for my readers. I will never dishonor that work. But Jenny Blake Isabella is who I am. No matter how I appear at any given time, I’m still Jenny. I think being Jenny has made me a better person.

Right now, when conventions invite me to their events, I give them the choice of who they want for a guest: Tony Isabella or Jenny Blake. No matter which they pick, I am still Jenny. I’m always Jenny. But I understand we live in times where something as innocuous as a trans woman drinking a beer can result in very stupid people losing their shit. 

That choice won’t be offered once I am living full time as Jenny Blake. I do have a date planned for that, but am not revealing it in advance. Because my journey will have fits and starts, and I can’t predict when they will occur. 

Being openly trans is terrifying. But it is also wondrous and it brings me happiness. Here are some other things that brought me joy in July:

July 1: Marvel United A Pride Special #1. Marvel heroes unite against fear and hate mongering. “My Buddy” by Anthony Oliveira and Pablo Collar is the standout story, featuring Arnie Roth. A memorable tribute to an early gay character.

July 2: Sham Spotlight #5: Antsy & Sucko. Writer Tim Fuller is some kind of mad genius. He transforms old comics into hilarious and often rude craziness. Not every joke lands, but there are so many on each page. I’m a fan.

                                                                 

 

July 3: Godzilla Vs. Fantastic Four by Ryan North, John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna. I’ve read five of Marvel’s six new Godzilla one-shots and this is the best. Great use of the Marvel Universe in this kaiju spectacular!

July 4: John Cena. I love the guy! He’s been great fun in every movie or TV show I’ve seen him in. I saw Heads of State earlier this week. It was exciting, heartfelt and hilarious. I’d love to appear in a project with him. Twins 2026?

July 5: Women in Blue (Apple). In 1971, Mexico launches a female police force to distract the public from a serial killer. The ladies face horrible disrespect and toxic masculinity, but don’t back down. Gripping television.

July 6: Lay Lines by Carol Lay. I’m obsessed with “Murderberg Profiles.” These multi-paneled strips deliver darkly humorous character profiles of some truly shady individuals. Every strip is a delicious short story unto itself. 

July 7: Godzilla vs. Thor #1 by Jason Arron and Aaron Kuder is a chilling apocalyptic clash between the King of the Monsters and All-Father Thor of Asgard. The power unleashed makes for a scary classic that is simply unforgettable.

July 8: Donald Duck: Magic and Mayhem is cover-billed as the 90^th Anniversary Adventure. Written by Alberto Savini (story) and Joe Torcivia (dialogue), it’s a multi-chapter serial with our hero finding a genie. Very funny and satisfying.

                                                               

 

July 9: Revival. Based on the excellent comics by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton, this Syfy series about the recent dead coming back to life in a rural Wisconsin town is well worth watching. Great characters and plenty of surprises.

July 10: Gorgo Legacy by Mac McClintok and Patrick McEvoy takes place before Gorgo’s 1961 film debut. It’s cold-war intrigue and kaiju, an entertaining crossover with their ongoing Soul Wars series. Available from Titanic Creations.

July 11: Stuntman by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Once you get past the theft of Robin’s origin, this short-lived 1940s super-hero is a charming action farce. There should have been a movie back then. I’ll have more to say about this soon.  

                                                                         

 

July 12: Kevin’s New Power. Dan Parent’s homage to a cover that fascinated me in 1958. The original was from Superman #125. This one is a variant of Veronica #201, the introduction of Kevin Keller. It gives me gooey nostalgic feels.

July 13: Superman ala James Gunn. I saw it with my son Eddie and I absolutely loved it. It’s now my favorite Superman movie with, I think, the most relatable Superman of all. I’ll have much more to say about it.

July 14: Metamorpho in Superman. The Element Man was and is one of my favorite heroes. My teen self was over the moon seeing him portrayed so well in this new film. I hope he’ll be a mainstay in future DC movies.

July 15: The Justice Gang. I loved every member of the team, even Guy Gardner who I’ve loathed from the moment he appeared in the Justice League reboot and ever since. I would love to write any of them in the comic books.

July 16: Hawkgirl is a mystery in Superman. How she got here (if she’s still an alien) and how she fits in was not explored. But I like the character and that the actress who plays her is from Cleveland. I hope we see more of her.

July 17: Lex Luthor in the new movie. The scariest Lex of all. So obsessed he’s studied Superman’s fighting style and reduced it to coded attacks. When he could’ve been inventing a new and improved Nutrafol. That’s where the money is.

                                                                         

 

July 18: Sham Spotlight #6: Narc Shadows has undercover vampire Narnabus Shadows in yet another hilarious re-dialoging by Tim Fuller. I’m envious of his ability to do in long-form what I do in Last Kiss. Maybe I should try this sometime. 

                                                                       

 

July 19: Superboy #78. Realizing how much “Claire Kent Alias Super-Sister” moved me as a kid, I bought a nice copy on eBay. I would love to write a story in which her transition was real and permanent. What would Claire’s life have been like? 

                                                                     

 

July 20: Chirps by Lawrence Lieber is not just a thriller about its extraordinary title hero. It is a character-driven salute to hope and humanity. It’s the best novel I’ve read this year. I’m so pleased for my friend Larry.

July 21: Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #1 by Patrick Horvath starts a six-issue sequel to the horror hit as a woman searches for her missing brother. I’m reading it on Kindle because I can’t wait for the trade. 7-21-25.

July 22: The Hungry Bear Restaurant in nearby Litchfield, Ohio. Barb and I went there for lunch and were impressed. It’ a great rural eatery with terrific food, friendly service and remarkably low prices. We’ll be going there again.

July 23: Deadpool Team-Up #895 by Christopher Long and Dalibor Talajic. Published in 2010, how did this slip under my radar? It has triggered me. Now I desperately want to write a new It! The Living Colossus limited series.  

                                                                             

 

July 24: DC Finest: Science Fiction: The Gorilla World. I’m very fond of this new trade paperback series. This particular volume, with its 600 pages of gorilla stories, truly tickles me. I love having all these crazy tales in one book.

July 25: DC Finest: Metamorpho the Element Man. Great blazes! The entire original run of one of my favorite Silver Age heroes in one book that also includes his guest appearances in Justice League and Brave and the Bold. So much fun!

July 26: Jimmy Kimmel Live With Fortune Feimster as host. Her guests were her Fubar co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger and her mom Ginny. So much authentic positive energy between them. These are the real Americans, not the MAGA cultists.

July 27: 40 Years of Scream: The Archival Collection. It has the first 15 issues of the British horror comics weekly. I’m happily reading it and wishing someday I get a crack at writing a weekly serial.

July 28: Zillow Gone Wild (HGTV). Host Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) visits wacky homes up for sale and shares their equally wacky histories. I wouldn’t want to live in them, but renting them for a few days would be great fun.  

                                                                         

 

July 29: I wrote a new Everett True cartoon for the first time in decades. I was amazed how easy it was for me to get back into that turn-of-the-century character. Look for the finished toon in the hopefully near future.

July 30: Life After People (History Channel). The images are AI generated, but I find some odd comfort in learning squirrel monkeys will be the new lords of Manhattan. They may already be the lords of Trump Tower. 

July 31: Jardiance: Movie Night in the Park. I’m a fan of fun commercials and those for this medication frequently delight me. This 75-second one has an amusing dance number with engaging characters and little jokes scattered throughout.

BEST COMIC BOOK/GRAPHIC NOVEL: Godzilla Vs. Fantastic Four

BEST BOOK: Chirps by Lawrence Lieber

BEST MOVIE OR TV SHOW: Superman

BEST PERSON: Jenny Blake

BEST OTHER THING: Hungry Bear Restaurant in Litchfield, Ohio

I have two weekends of garage sales for you this month. They are Friday and Saturday, August 8-9 and 22-23, from 9 am to noon, at 840 Damon Drive in Medina, Ohio. As usual, I’ll be promoting them on Facebook, BlueSky, X, Craig’s List, Next Door and other venues. New items are added every day.

If you’re a convention promoter or comic shop owner who would like to book me for an appearance, you can e-mail and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. I don’t charge an appearance fee, but I would need hotel and travel expenses, a decent amount of booth/table space that lets me to get in and out of the space easily. For now, you can choose to have me appear as Jenny or Tony, but that will change when I go full time. I am available to do pre-event publicity and at least one panel per day of the event. I look forward to hearing from you.

Be brave, be kind, be yourself.

© 2025 Tony Isabella