Dear friends and family,
While I don’t normally do mass e-mailings to every single person in
my address book, even those I haven’t communicated with for years,
I thought this particular e-mail, forwarded to me by someone that
I think I met in the 1990s, was so exceptional that I had to share
it with all of you...and because I’ve been hitting the holiday egg
nog early this year.
I hope you’re not offended by this message. I wasn’t offended by
it. It made me think. Not the way counting the number of lights
on my neighbor’s house makes me think - egg nog, remember - but in
a different way. A way that made me think I didn’t need to verify
its accuracy at Snopes.com before sending it to all of you because
its truth shone like a beacon - the egg nog - and because I think
actually checking stuff on Snopes is for pussies.
Did you know that sending out mass e-mailings of allegedly profound
philosophies or warnings about what that socialist Obama is going
to do to our country next can cause brain cancer in cute laboratory
puppies? Many leading scientists whose names I don’t know believe
it can also cause brain cancer and liberal leanings in anyone who
sends out these messages. Not that there’s much difference between
the two. Fortunately, if you’ve been watching Fox News regularly,
or going to your Tea Party meetings, you don’t have to worry about
your brain. Here, have some egg nog.
But you do need to be concerned about this:
Every time you send out one of these mass e-mailings, the liberal
media, those godless fascist socialists who seized control of all
communication to the point many God-fearing Christians and whatever
those Jews and Mormon folks are still don’t know Obama is a Muslim,
and to the extent Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist, and Karl Rove can
barely get a word in edgewise, those liberals donate $10,000 to
Al-Qaeda to attack our freedoms!
It’s true. Your maudlin mass e-mailings and frantic warnings about
evil liberals and health/safety risks caused by evil liberals and
their job-killing regulations are supporting terrorism. If you’re
not an America-hater, you need to stop sending them out right now.
Do you know how many bomb-filled burqas Al-Qaeda can buy with just
one $10,000 donations? I don’t either - egg nog and math don’t go
well together - but I bet it’s a lot.
So, please, I beg you, stop sending out mass e-mailings to everyone
in your address books. Think of the children. Not the ones living
in poverty and without homes in our own country. Screw them! I’m
talking about the unborn children.
Sometimes I think that if a person thinks about having sex, thinks
about it and then doesn’t actually have it for the sole purpose of
procreation and not because that person at the end of the bar looks
like Sarah Palin when the light from the pinball machine hits her
just right and she’s too plastered to realize you’re no Todd Palin,
then that person is a baby-killer. Conception begins at the moment
that you think about having sex.
Where was I? It’s kind of hard to type after putting away most of
a carton of egg nog. I’ll probably have to go out and get another
carton in a few minutes. My wife and kids only think they hid all
the car keys. I keep a spare up my ass for just such emergencies.
So, if you love America, don’t send out any more of those e-mails
to everyone you know. We need to take America back from anyone who
is left of Rick Santorum.
Take the pledge now. No more e-mailings about liberal threats or
health risks or risky sex with liberals.
However, pictures of cute baby animals are still okay.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
THE FAN/PRO BILL OF RIGHTS
My friend Peter David, in union with the fans and pros who frequent
his www.peterdavid.net, has crafted a thoughtful “Fan/Pro Bill of
Rights” to address an assortment of issues in the often contentious
relationship between fans and pros. I’d probably reduce the whole
mutual rights thing to “Don’t be a jerk,” but Peter and his friends
have put so much work into this document that I’d be, well, a real
jerk to do that. So I won’t.
The document’s prime directive reads:
Fans and Pros have the right to be treated by each other with the
same courtesy that they themselves would expect to be treated. Fans
and pros who act like jerks abrogate the right to complain when
they themselves are treated like jerks.
That’s a compact and generally attainable goal. I’m taking it to
heart and will keep it in mind going forward.
What follows the opening statement is five proclamations of rights.
I’m only going to discuss the first one today, but, over the next
few weeks, I’ll get to them all and maybe add a few more of my own.
Right the First:
Fans and Pros have a right to a mutual understanding of what is
expected and required from each when it comes to the giving and
receiving of autographs.
Here’s what you can expect from me:
I will sign anything I’ve written. However, if you ask me to sign
Ghost Rider #19 [August, 1976], you’ll have to listen to my usual
rant about how an arrogant assistant editor took it upon himself to
complete change the end of my two-years-in-the-making story. I’ve
been explaining this absurd shift in direction to readers offended
by the absurd shift in direction for decades and I expect I’ll be
doing it for as many years as I have left.
I will not sign Black Lightning Year One. It is an abomination in
my eyes. I didn’t write it. The editor was ordered not to hire me
to write it. I have not read it and will likely never read it. It
is an unclean thing and I shun it completely.
I will sign Black Lightning merchandise (action figures, clothing,
etc.) even when DC Comics has failed to honor their agreements to
compensate me for such things. It’s not your fault DC has chosen
to screw me over.
I’ll sign your autograph books, original art from stories I wrote,
and comics histories that mention me. However, I am having serious
second thoughts about the last in the wake of knowingly inaccurate
histories generated by DC Comics.
I’m also having second thoughts about signing articles of clothing,
mostly because I’m so bad at it. I don’t have the firmness of hand
to do it as well as I’d like. But it seems to delight those fans
who ask for my signature on shirts and it’s likely I’ll continue to
be a pushover for such requests.
I will not sign body parts. Yes, I signed one breast decades ago
and it was not an entirely unpleasant experience. But it’s really
not me.
The Fan/Pro Bill of Rights recommends that such information be put
on a sign wherever the pro is signing, but, looking over the above,
the sign would be taller than I am. Which is, I know, not all that
unusual. I started out short and I’m shrinking. Soon I may have
to retire to the Roloff farm.
I prefer to sign at my table or scheduled signing events. I don’t
charge for my signature unless I’m signing for a charity. Please
give generously on those occasions.
Since I don’t generally have a long autograph line, I can sign as
many items as you like. However, if for some reason I become the
flavor of the minute and do have a long autograph line, I’d limit
the number of autographs to ten. If you have more than ten items
for me to sign, you would have to go to the back of the line after
I sign the first ten. Realistically, this is not likely to occur.
I’ll gladly answer even the questions I’ve answered a hundred times
before. However, be respectful of my time and that of other fans
waiting to talk to me. Don’t come to my table to debate me or to
bitch about something I’ve written. That’s not what I’m there for
and it’s not what your fellow fans are there for. There are many
online venues in which you can attempt to vex me.
If you want your items personalized, tell me so and spell your name
slowly and clearly. I want to get it right as much as you want me
to get it right. I rarely take requests as to how I personalize an
item. But I’ll keep an open mind.
Please remove your items from their protective bags or containers
before giving them to me to sign. I dread the thought of catching
your comic book on a piece of tape.
Let me know if you want an item signed on its cover or an interior
page. I try to find somewhere to sign where I won’t cover up too
much of the art. If you’ve a specific place on the item where you
want me to sign, I’ll accommodate you.
If I’m somewhere other than at my table or signing session, I may
or may not be able to sign something for you. It depends where I’m
going at the time or if I’m in the middle of a conversation or many
other factors. But, if you catch the right window of opportunity
and there’s a convenient place to sign, I’ll try to accommodate the
request.
The Fan/Pro Bill of Rights states:
No matter how long a line is, fans should yield the right of way to
a fellow fan with a screaming baby. This may seem unfair, but
it’ll will make everyone’s life easier, and it beats scowling and
profanities.
I hadn’t thought about that one, but it makes sense to me. I will
make it so from here on.
I don’t care if you’re planning to profit off the items I’m signing
for you. The more you make off Isabella-signed stuff, the more you
have to buy more Isabella stuff. It’s the circle of life.
One more comment...
Consider my table as you would my home, my blog, my Facebook page,
or my message board. I’m your host and will always strive to treat
you cordially and courteously. I expect, nay, insist, you treat me
in like manner. Nobody, especially not me, gets perfect marks in
this area, but it’s a goal worth striving for.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
his www.peterdavid.net, has crafted a thoughtful “Fan/Pro Bill of
Rights” to address an assortment of issues in the often contentious
relationship between fans and pros. I’d probably reduce the whole
mutual rights thing to “Don’t be a jerk,” but Peter and his friends
have put so much work into this document that I’d be, well, a real
jerk to do that. So I won’t.
The document’s prime directive reads:
Fans and Pros have the right to be treated by each other with the
same courtesy that they themselves would expect to be treated. Fans
and pros who act like jerks abrogate the right to complain when
they themselves are treated like jerks.
That’s a compact and generally attainable goal. I’m taking it to
heart and will keep it in mind going forward.
What follows the opening statement is five proclamations of rights.
I’m only going to discuss the first one today, but, over the next
few weeks, I’ll get to them all and maybe add a few more of my own.
Right the First:
Fans and Pros have a right to a mutual understanding of what is
expected and required from each when it comes to the giving and
receiving of autographs.
Here’s what you can expect from me:
I will sign anything I’ve written. However, if you ask me to sign
Ghost Rider #19 [August, 1976], you’ll have to listen to my usual
rant about how an arrogant assistant editor took it upon himself to
complete change the end of my two-years-in-the-making story. I’ve
been explaining this absurd shift in direction to readers offended
by the absurd shift in direction for decades and I expect I’ll be
doing it for as many years as I have left.
I will not sign Black Lightning Year One. It is an abomination in
my eyes. I didn’t write it. The editor was ordered not to hire me
to write it. I have not read it and will likely never read it. It
is an unclean thing and I shun it completely.
I will sign Black Lightning merchandise (action figures, clothing,
etc.) even when DC Comics has failed to honor their agreements to
compensate me for such things. It’s not your fault DC has chosen
to screw me over.
I’ll sign your autograph books, original art from stories I wrote,
and comics histories that mention me. However, I am having serious
second thoughts about the last in the wake of knowingly inaccurate
histories generated by DC Comics.
I’m also having second thoughts about signing articles of clothing,
mostly because I’m so bad at it. I don’t have the firmness of hand
to do it as well as I’d like. But it seems to delight those fans
who ask for my signature on shirts and it’s likely I’ll continue to
be a pushover for such requests.
I will not sign body parts. Yes, I signed one breast decades ago
and it was not an entirely unpleasant experience. But it’s really
not me.
The Fan/Pro Bill of Rights recommends that such information be put
on a sign wherever the pro is signing, but, looking over the above,
the sign would be taller than I am. Which is, I know, not all that
unusual. I started out short and I’m shrinking. Soon I may have
to retire to the Roloff farm.
I prefer to sign at my table or scheduled signing events. I don’t
charge for my signature unless I’m signing for a charity. Please
give generously on those occasions.
Since I don’t generally have a long autograph line, I can sign as
many items as you like. However, if for some reason I become the
flavor of the minute and do have a long autograph line, I’d limit
the number of autographs to ten. If you have more than ten items
for me to sign, you would have to go to the back of the line after
I sign the first ten. Realistically, this is not likely to occur.
I’ll gladly answer even the questions I’ve answered a hundred times
before. However, be respectful of my time and that of other fans
waiting to talk to me. Don’t come to my table to debate me or to
bitch about something I’ve written. That’s not what I’m there for
and it’s not what your fellow fans are there for. There are many
online venues in which you can attempt to vex me.
If you want your items personalized, tell me so and spell your name
slowly and clearly. I want to get it right as much as you want me
to get it right. I rarely take requests as to how I personalize an
item. But I’ll keep an open mind.
Please remove your items from their protective bags or containers
before giving them to me to sign. I dread the thought of catching
your comic book on a piece of tape.
Let me know if you want an item signed on its cover or an interior
page. I try to find somewhere to sign where I won’t cover up too
much of the art. If you’ve a specific place on the item where you
want me to sign, I’ll accommodate you.
If I’m somewhere other than at my table or signing session, I may
or may not be able to sign something for you. It depends where I’m
going at the time or if I’m in the middle of a conversation or many
other factors. But, if you catch the right window of opportunity
and there’s a convenient place to sign, I’ll try to accommodate the
request.
The Fan/Pro Bill of Rights states:
No matter how long a line is, fans should yield the right of way to
a fellow fan with a screaming baby. This may seem unfair, but
it’ll will make everyone’s life easier, and it beats scowling and
profanities.
I hadn’t thought about that one, but it makes sense to me. I will
make it so from here on.
I don’t care if you’re planning to profit off the items I’m signing
for you. The more you make off Isabella-signed stuff, the more you
have to buy more Isabella stuff. It’s the circle of life.
One more comment...
Consider my table as you would my home, my blog, my Facebook page,
or my message board. I’m your host and will always strive to treat
you cordially and courteously. I expect, nay, insist, you treat me
in like manner. Nobody, especially not me, gets perfect marks in
this area, but it’s a goal worth striving for.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Monday, December 5, 2011
JUST ANOTHER MANGA MONDAY
I was reading volume 11 of Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk, quite likely
the most exciting sports comic I’ve ever read, when it hit me that
I was far more eager to read the next volume of my favorite manga
titles than I was almost all of the series being published by DC or
Marvel. Indeed, when I tried to think of which Marvel or DC books
affected me this way, the only titles I came up with were Christos
Gage’s Avengers Academy and Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin’s Grey All-
Star Western starring Jonah Hex. That’s a far cry from the 1960s
when I used to ride my bike miles to a convenience store that got
the latest Marvel comics three days before the drug store in my own
neighborhood.
This is not a complete list, but I am currently reading six manga
series simultaneously. When possible, I’m reading them one chapter
(issue) per day. In the case of Slam Dunk, especially during one
of the series multi-chapter basketball games, my will power weakens
and I’ll read several chapters in a single day.
Slam Dunk stars Hanamachi Sakurai, a first-year high school student
who joins the basketball team to impress a girl and discovers he’s
got a talent for the game. It’s a rough talent, to be sure, and he
manages to foul out in most of his games. But it’s been exciting
watching this borderline juvenile delinquent find his place on the
team, interact with his fellow players, and strive to win victory
on the court and, though he doesn’t realize it, in the real world.
It’s a subtle coming-of-age tale wrapped in exciting sports action.
Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba (story) and Takeshi Obata (art) follows two
young men, still in school, on their quest to become manga super-
stars. I can’t vouch for how accurately this series is portraying
the manga business, but it’s thrilling to watch them battle against
deadlines, editors, and their fellow manga creators. Additionally,
I’m intrigued by the subplots to which the young creators are not
privy: the meetings and negotiations taking place in the officers
of their publisher.
Each volume of Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack contains a dozen done-in-
one stories about a brilliant-but-unlicensed surgeon who succeeds
in cases when other doctors have surrendered. Black Jack commands
the highest fees and has a reputation as a man who cares more about
money than his patients. But there’s much more to him than that
and, in his own sometimes twisted way, he’s a force for justice and
simple decency.
I’m reading Death Note in the “Black Edition,” which reprints two
volumes in each book. Written by Tsugumi Ohba with art by Takeshi
Obata, it revolves around a brilliant young man who possesses the
mystical “Death Note.” It’s a notebook dropped by a death god and
gives the young man the power to kill by simply writing a person’s
name in the book. He starts by eliminating criminals. But, once
the authorities figure out what’s going on, the young man begins to
kill to protect his identity as well. His aim is to create a much
better and kinder world, but we know where the road leads. Scary
suspense with many surprises.
Seimu Yoshizaki’s Kingyo Used Books is a continuing love letter to
manga itself. This series is set in and around a manga bookstore
with “a thousand stories to tell.” It tells how manga defines and
sometimes helps its readers. While there are continuing characters
in the series, most of the stories found in each volume are done-
in-one tales about individual readers. The concept cries out for
an American version.
I’m only one volume into Aya Kanno’s Otomen, but I’m intrigued by
its story of a young man with feminine tenancies who, despite that,
is a pretty masculine guy skilled at various martial arts and with
a strong will. The hero’s father left him and his mother to change
his sex and, as a result, his mother was determined her son would
be “all man.” It’s a sometimes funny and sometimes thoughtful look
at gender roles and relationships.
Six manga series. All of them different from each other. Now ask
yourself how different DC’s “New 52" or Marvel’s endless stream of
all-encompassing super-hero events are from each other. Variety is
what drew me to manga originally and what keeps me looking for that
next great manga series.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
the most exciting sports comic I’ve ever read, when it hit me that
I was far more eager to read the next volume of my favorite manga
titles than I was almost all of the series being published by DC or
Marvel. Indeed, when I tried to think of which Marvel or DC books
affected me this way, the only titles I came up with were Christos
Gage’s Avengers Academy and Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin’s Grey All-
Star Western starring Jonah Hex. That’s a far cry from the 1960s
when I used to ride my bike miles to a convenience store that got
the latest Marvel comics three days before the drug store in my own
neighborhood.
This is not a complete list, but I am currently reading six manga
series simultaneously. When possible, I’m reading them one chapter
(issue) per day. In the case of Slam Dunk, especially during one
of the series multi-chapter basketball games, my will power weakens
and I’ll read several chapters in a single day.
Slam Dunk stars Hanamachi Sakurai, a first-year high school student
who joins the basketball team to impress a girl and discovers he’s
got a talent for the game. It’s a rough talent, to be sure, and he
manages to foul out in most of his games. But it’s been exciting
watching this borderline juvenile delinquent find his place on the
team, interact with his fellow players, and strive to win victory
on the court and, though he doesn’t realize it, in the real world.
It’s a subtle coming-of-age tale wrapped in exciting sports action.
Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba (story) and Takeshi Obata (art) follows two
young men, still in school, on their quest to become manga super-
stars. I can’t vouch for how accurately this series is portraying
the manga business, but it’s thrilling to watch them battle against
deadlines, editors, and their fellow manga creators. Additionally,
I’m intrigued by the subplots to which the young creators are not
privy: the meetings and negotiations taking place in the officers
of their publisher.
Each volume of Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack contains a dozen done-in-
one stories about a brilliant-but-unlicensed surgeon who succeeds
in cases when other doctors have surrendered. Black Jack commands
the highest fees and has a reputation as a man who cares more about
money than his patients. But there’s much more to him than that
and, in his own sometimes twisted way, he’s a force for justice and
simple decency.
I’m reading Death Note in the “Black Edition,” which reprints two
volumes in each book. Written by Tsugumi Ohba with art by Takeshi
Obata, it revolves around a brilliant young man who possesses the
mystical “Death Note.” It’s a notebook dropped by a death god and
gives the young man the power to kill by simply writing a person’s
name in the book. He starts by eliminating criminals. But, once
the authorities figure out what’s going on, the young man begins to
kill to protect his identity as well. His aim is to create a much
better and kinder world, but we know where the road leads. Scary
suspense with many surprises.
Seimu Yoshizaki’s Kingyo Used Books is a continuing love letter to
manga itself. This series is set in and around a manga bookstore
with “a thousand stories to tell.” It tells how manga defines and
sometimes helps its readers. While there are continuing characters
in the series, most of the stories found in each volume are done-
in-one tales about individual readers. The concept cries out for
an American version.
I’m only one volume into Aya Kanno’s Otomen, but I’m intrigued by
its story of a young man with feminine tenancies who, despite that,
is a pretty masculine guy skilled at various martial arts and with
a strong will. The hero’s father left him and his mother to change
his sex and, as a result, his mother was determined her son would
be “all man.” It’s a sometimes funny and sometimes thoughtful look
at gender roles and relationships.
Six manga series. All of them different from each other. Now ask
yourself how different DC’s “New 52" or Marvel’s endless stream of
all-encompassing super-hero events are from each other. Variety is
what drew me to manga originally and what keeps me looking for that
next great manga series.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Sunday, December 4, 2011
ANATOMY OF A SCAM?
This is a tough one to write. I wrestled with my conscience and my
“not actually a journalist” ethics on whether or not I should write
it. But, as I believe the good I might do today outweighs the bad
that might follow, I’m going ahead with it.
Here are the caveats for today’s bloggy thing:
Several people brought a situation to my attention, but, while they
gave me enough information for me to realize that something of an
unsavory nature was going on, none of them would go on the record
with their information. So I won’t be naming names today and will
exclude any specific information that might point to a perpetrator
or perpetrators.
I don’t know how often this scam has been attempted or how often it
has succeeded. I believe it succeeded at least once to the misery
of its victim. I believe it was attempted at least one other time,
but the intended victim was smart enough to ask around before going
forward. Good for that person.
So what I’m giving you today is this: a speculative profile of the
scam. Based on the information I was given and my own hard–learned
experience of how such schemes work and my considerable knowledge
of human behavior, this is how I think the scam could and maybe has
worked in the past. I present it in the hope that, if someone now
tries to pull this scam or something similar, the intended victims
will recall or maybe be directed to today’s blog.
We begin...
You’re a comics creator. Maybe you started working in the field in
the 1940s or 1950s or even 1960s or 1970s. Maybe you’re getting on
in years. Maybe you’re just not getting hired. You’ve been going
through some rough times.
Someone comes along praising your work. That means a lot when you
have begun to wonder if all your good days are behind you. Maybe
that someone writes about you glowingly on a website. Maybe that
someone says they would like to write a book about you. A chance
to be remembered for your good work? Maybe a chance to remind the
industry that you’re still around and ready to work again? Maybe,
at least, you’ll make a few bucks from the book and, if you’re an artist,
you’ll get more commission gigs from your fans.
You spend a lot of time being interviewed by this person who seems
to be your knight in fannish armor. I’ll bet this person spends a
lot of time talking about how capable and professional and so forth
that they are, building your confidence in them. You’re so looking
forward to this book.
If you’re an artist, or even an writer, maybe the person requests
you send them original art for the book. Not just scans - because
the person wants to show your work in the manner it deserves - but
the actual originals. Maybe the person even offers to buy the art
from you...if you’re willing to send it first and give the person
some time to pay you.
That’s when things start not working out exactly as the person had
led you to believe. The book doesn’t find a publisher. The book
will be self-published by your champion, but, of course, that can’t
happen overnight. The original art doesn’t get returned. Nor do
you get paid for it. Some of it turns up on eBay without you
ever seeing a dime from the sales. Those tough times don’t get any
less tough. They might be getting worse.
You’re depressed. You’re embarrassed at being taken. You do not
have the energy or the means to fight back. Maybe you press on and
write it off as the cost of learning lessons. Maybe those tough
times get so bad that you never bounce back from them. The story
doesn’t end well. Indeed, it ends as "not well" as humanly possible.
As I said, I believe the above scenario - some details were altered
or omitted - has happened at least once. What advice can I give to
prevent it from happening again?
The first and most important advice I can give is this: If someone
has contacted you about doing some work for them or letting them
write a book about you or buying art from you, Google them. This
won’t catch everyone - not every scammer out there will have left
behind a trail - but it’s a start.
A sub-clause to the above is: if some opportunity sounds too good
to be true, it probably is. If you have professional contacts, ask
around about the individual contacting you. That’s what the comics
creator who did not get taken did and, fortunately, that comics creator
knew people who steered him away from entering into any agreements
that would not have benefitted him.
If you’re a comics creator from the 1940s or later and you don’t
have professional contacts, get some. You can always e-mail me for
information and, if I know whoever wants to do business with you is
a good and honest person, I’ll tell you that. If I don’t know the
“whoever,” I’ll try to send you to someone who does. I believe we
protect one another most successfully when we share what we know.
Predators try to cull their next intended meal from the rest of the
herd. Don’t be a scammer’s lunch.
The above column leaves me unsatisfied, but, given the information
I was dealing with and the situation at hand, it represents my
good-faith effort to caution comics creators in such matters. If
anybody brings me documentation of wrongdoing or is willing to go
on record with their certain knowledge of wrongdoing, I’m not at
all adverse to revisiting this topic.
One more thing. I’m not about to let this blog be used to indulge
in guesses as to the identities of any of the parties involved. I
recently watched as the author of a book about a comic-book legend
tried to pump up his sales with sensationalistic revelations about
the creator and, without naming names, those who might have been
involved in something that did not reflect well on the creator he
was writing about. His giving some information and holding back on
the rest resulted in a number of unfair speculations about who the other
parties might have been. It struck me as something of a witch hunt
and, to the extent I can avoid it, I won’t be involved in that kind
of exploitation here.
My solution? All comments to the blog for the immediate future will
need to be approved by me before appearing. If you want to engage
in guessing games, do it elsewhere...though I respectfully request
you not do it at all.
If you ask me for the identities of anyone you think I am writing
about here, you’ll receive no comment from me. If you think I am
writing about you, you’ll receive no comment from me. My aim was
to offer a cautionary tale, not an expose.
The history of the comics industry is largely the history of comics
creators being screwed over by publishers and others, including, I
regret to say, their fellow comics creators. There is too often a
price to pay when you choose to create this art and entertainment.
I think creating comic books is a noble endeavor. I wouldn’t have
devoted my life to it if I didn’t. I treasure those creators who
have given me so much joy and insight. I get angry when they are
abused or cheated.
Hill Street Blues remains one of my favorite TV shows of all time.
There was a moment in most episodes when the sergeant cautions the
officers going on duty. He says:
“Hey, let's be careful out there.”
It applies to comics and life in equal measure.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
“not actually a journalist” ethics on whether or not I should write
it. But, as I believe the good I might do today outweighs the bad
that might follow, I’m going ahead with it.
Here are the caveats for today’s bloggy thing:
Several people brought a situation to my attention, but, while they
gave me enough information for me to realize that something of an
unsavory nature was going on, none of them would go on the record
with their information. So I won’t be naming names today and will
exclude any specific information that might point to a perpetrator
or perpetrators.
I don’t know how often this scam has been attempted or how often it
has succeeded. I believe it succeeded at least once to the misery
of its victim. I believe it was attempted at least one other time,
but the intended victim was smart enough to ask around before going
forward. Good for that person.
So what I’m giving you today is this: a speculative profile of the
scam. Based on the information I was given and my own hard–learned
experience of how such schemes work and my considerable knowledge
of human behavior, this is how I think the scam could and maybe has
worked in the past. I present it in the hope that, if someone now
tries to pull this scam or something similar, the intended victims
will recall or maybe be directed to today’s blog.
We begin...
You’re a comics creator. Maybe you started working in the field in
the 1940s or 1950s or even 1960s or 1970s. Maybe you’re getting on
in years. Maybe you’re just not getting hired. You’ve been going
through some rough times.
Someone comes along praising your work. That means a lot when you
have begun to wonder if all your good days are behind you. Maybe
that someone writes about you glowingly on a website. Maybe that
someone says they would like to write a book about you. A chance
to be remembered for your good work? Maybe a chance to remind the
industry that you’re still around and ready to work again? Maybe,
at least, you’ll make a few bucks from the book and, if you’re an artist,
you’ll get more commission gigs from your fans.
You spend a lot of time being interviewed by this person who seems
to be your knight in fannish armor. I’ll bet this person spends a
lot of time talking about how capable and professional and so forth
that they are, building your confidence in them. You’re so looking
forward to this book.
If you’re an artist, or even an writer, maybe the person requests
you send them original art for the book. Not just scans - because
the person wants to show your work in the manner it deserves - but
the actual originals. Maybe the person even offers to buy the art
from you...if you’re willing to send it first and give the person
some time to pay you.
That’s when things start not working out exactly as the person had
led you to believe. The book doesn’t find a publisher. The book
will be self-published by your champion, but, of course, that can’t
happen overnight. The original art doesn’t get returned. Nor do
you get paid for it. Some of it turns up on eBay without you
ever seeing a dime from the sales. Those tough times don’t get any
less tough. They might be getting worse.
You’re depressed. You’re embarrassed at being taken. You do not
have the energy or the means to fight back. Maybe you press on and
write it off as the cost of learning lessons. Maybe those tough
times get so bad that you never bounce back from them. The story
doesn’t end well. Indeed, it ends as "not well" as humanly possible.
As I said, I believe the above scenario - some details were altered
or omitted - has happened at least once. What advice can I give to
prevent it from happening again?
The first and most important advice I can give is this: If someone
has contacted you about doing some work for them or letting them
write a book about you or buying art from you, Google them. This
won’t catch everyone - not every scammer out there will have left
behind a trail - but it’s a start.
A sub-clause to the above is: if some opportunity sounds too good
to be true, it probably is. If you have professional contacts, ask
around about the individual contacting you. That’s what the comics
creator who did not get taken did and, fortunately, that comics creator
knew people who steered him away from entering into any agreements
that would not have benefitted him.
If you’re a comics creator from the 1940s or later and you don’t
have professional contacts, get some. You can always e-mail me for
information and, if I know whoever wants to do business with you is
a good and honest person, I’ll tell you that. If I don’t know the
“whoever,” I’ll try to send you to someone who does. I believe we
protect one another most successfully when we share what we know.
Predators try to cull their next intended meal from the rest of the
herd. Don’t be a scammer’s lunch.
The above column leaves me unsatisfied, but, given the information
I was dealing with and the situation at hand, it represents my
good-faith effort to caution comics creators in such matters. If
anybody brings me documentation of wrongdoing or is willing to go
on record with their certain knowledge of wrongdoing, I’m not at
all adverse to revisiting this topic.
One more thing. I’m not about to let this blog be used to indulge
in guesses as to the identities of any of the parties involved. I
recently watched as the author of a book about a comic-book legend
tried to pump up his sales with sensationalistic revelations about
the creator and, without naming names, those who might have been
involved in something that did not reflect well on the creator he
was writing about. His giving some information and holding back on
the rest resulted in a number of unfair speculations about who the other
parties might have been. It struck me as something of a witch hunt
and, to the extent I can avoid it, I won’t be involved in that kind
of exploitation here.
My solution? All comments to the blog for the immediate future will
need to be approved by me before appearing. If you want to engage
in guessing games, do it elsewhere...though I respectfully request
you not do it at all.
If you ask me for the identities of anyone you think I am writing
about here, you’ll receive no comment from me. If you think I am
writing about you, you’ll receive no comment from me. My aim was
to offer a cautionary tale, not an expose.
The history of the comics industry is largely the history of comics
creators being screwed over by publishers and others, including, I
regret to say, their fellow comics creators. There is too often a
price to pay when you choose to create this art and entertainment.
I think creating comic books is a noble endeavor. I wouldn’t have
devoted my life to it if I didn’t. I treasure those creators who
have given me so much joy and insight. I get angry when they are
abused or cheated.
Hill Street Blues remains one of my favorite TV shows of all time.
There was a moment in most episodes when the sergeant cautions the
officers going on duty. He says:
“Hey, let's be careful out there.”
It applies to comics and life in equal measure.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Saturday, December 3, 2011
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
From time to time, I have written about bad people in comicdom and
the comics industry. I don’t see the two terms as interchangeable.
“Comicdom” is the whole shooting match: comics fans/readers and
industry professionals. I reserve “comics industry” for those who,
regardless of their innate love of comics or lack thereof, work in
the comics business: creators, publishers, retailers, journalists,
convention promoters, etc. “Work” generally involves getting paid
for one’s efforts, but, in comics, alas, many folks who do terrific
work don’t profit from it financially.
Rick Olney is one vile individual who I’ve written about on several
occasions. Until recently, I never appreciated how easy Olney made
it for those of us who have, successfully in most cases, sought to
prevent him from cheating or scamming anyone else. There has been
so much documentation on Olney’s wrongdoing, some of it coming from
his own moronic online postings, that you can Google his name and
learn quickly that he’s someone you never want to do any kind of
business with. He made it easy and, in his current difficulties,
he’s continuing to do so. He’s ignoring a cease-and-desist order
from Lucasfilm and arguably committing charity fraud. The latter
could lead to criminal charges. Big fun and I’m looking forward to
its inevitable conclusion.
Not every dirty rotten scoundrel in comics is as dumb as Olney and
therein lies the problem in writing about them. Most of them don’t
post what amounts to confessions online. Most of them are careful
in their e-mails to those they are in the process of cheating and
scamming. Worst of all, far more often than not, people they have
cheated, plagiarized, or scammed aren’t willing to come forward and
talk about it in public. I won’t speculate on their reasons, but
I will say they will never get justice until they do come forward.
But, whatever I know, that remains their call.
Plagiarism has become more of a problem because there are so many
more books on comics and comics history than at any other time in
the history of comics. I have been told of books that plagiarized
interviews and other material from earlier works. I know at least
one publisher refused to publish a book because he knew much of it
was plagiarized. I know of at least one notable comics historian
considering calling it quits because he’s been plagiarized so many
times. That’s bad for comics history.
I’m not a journalist per se. When I write about my own career, I
try to distinguish between what I know because “I was there, kid,”
what I’m pretty sure of because the information has checked out or
because the information is coming from a trusted source, what I’m
pretty sure happened, and that which I am speculating on based on
my experience and whatever facts I have. I’m as accurate as I can
be when I’m writing about my own career and life.
That’s not good enough for me when I’m writing about plagiarism or
worst crimes. To write about it, I need documentation and I need
first-hand reports from people willing to say “I’m (fill in name)
and this is what happened.” When I don’t have these things, then
the best I can do is write about the plagiarism and other crimes in
a general way.
Most of the comics historians I know are generous in sharing their
information and material. Most ask for nothing more than a copy or
two of your book and recognition for their contributions. In the
case of the latter, footnotes with attributions are generally the
proper way to go. If you have an acknowledgment page, the generous
comics historian who contributed to your book should be recognized
there in addition to the footnotes. Yes, it means some extra work,
but it’s the right thing to do.
It can be argued that heroes, super or not, are the foundation on
which the creative part of the comics industry was built. We need
to take that to heart and always strive to do the right thing when
we write our histories, when we share our information, and when we
honor those who came before us.
Doing the right thing. It’s also the smart thing to do.
Come back tomorrow and I’ll do my best to describe a scam targeting
older comics professionals. I’m sure of most of the details, but
I don’t have the documentation or the first-hand reports from those
who can give them. So, while I won’t be naming names or dropping
a bunch of clues to the identity of the perpetrator, I still think
getting this information out there is important.
See you tomorrow.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
the comics industry. I don’t see the two terms as interchangeable.
“Comicdom” is the whole shooting match: comics fans/readers and
industry professionals. I reserve “comics industry” for those who,
regardless of their innate love of comics or lack thereof, work in
the comics business: creators, publishers, retailers, journalists,
convention promoters, etc. “Work” generally involves getting paid
for one’s efforts, but, in comics, alas, many folks who do terrific
work don’t profit from it financially.
Rick Olney is one vile individual who I’ve written about on several
occasions. Until recently, I never appreciated how easy Olney made
it for those of us who have, successfully in most cases, sought to
prevent him from cheating or scamming anyone else. There has been
so much documentation on Olney’s wrongdoing, some of it coming from
his own moronic online postings, that you can Google his name and
learn quickly that he’s someone you never want to do any kind of
business with. He made it easy and, in his current difficulties,
he’s continuing to do so. He’s ignoring a cease-and-desist order
from Lucasfilm and arguably committing charity fraud. The latter
could lead to criminal charges. Big fun and I’m looking forward to
its inevitable conclusion.
Not every dirty rotten scoundrel in comics is as dumb as Olney and
therein lies the problem in writing about them. Most of them don’t
post what amounts to confessions online. Most of them are careful
in their e-mails to those they are in the process of cheating and
scamming. Worst of all, far more often than not, people they have
cheated, plagiarized, or scammed aren’t willing to come forward and
talk about it in public. I won’t speculate on their reasons, but
I will say they will never get justice until they do come forward.
But, whatever I know, that remains their call.
Plagiarism has become more of a problem because there are so many
more books on comics and comics history than at any other time in
the history of comics. I have been told of books that plagiarized
interviews and other material from earlier works. I know at least
one publisher refused to publish a book because he knew much of it
was plagiarized. I know of at least one notable comics historian
considering calling it quits because he’s been plagiarized so many
times. That’s bad for comics history.
I’m not a journalist per se. When I write about my own career, I
try to distinguish between what I know because “I was there, kid,”
what I’m pretty sure of because the information has checked out or
because the information is coming from a trusted source, what I’m
pretty sure happened, and that which I am speculating on based on
my experience and whatever facts I have. I’m as accurate as I can
be when I’m writing about my own career and life.
That’s not good enough for me when I’m writing about plagiarism or
worst crimes. To write about it, I need documentation and I need
first-hand reports from people willing to say “I’m (fill in name)
and this is what happened.” When I don’t have these things, then
the best I can do is write about the plagiarism and other crimes in
a general way.
Most of the comics historians I know are generous in sharing their
information and material. Most ask for nothing more than a copy or
two of your book and recognition for their contributions. In the
case of the latter, footnotes with attributions are generally the
proper way to go. If you have an acknowledgment page, the generous
comics historian who contributed to your book should be recognized
there in addition to the footnotes. Yes, it means some extra work,
but it’s the right thing to do.
It can be argued that heroes, super or not, are the foundation on
which the creative part of the comics industry was built. We need
to take that to heart and always strive to do the right thing when
we write our histories, when we share our information, and when we
honor those who came before us.
Doing the right thing. It’s also the smart thing to do.
Come back tomorrow and I’ll do my best to describe a scam targeting
older comics professionals. I’m sure of most of the details, but
I don’t have the documentation or the first-hand reports from those
who can give them. So, while I won’t be naming names or dropping
a bunch of clues to the identity of the perpetrator, I still think
getting this information out there is important.
See you tomorrow.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Friday, December 2, 2011
SHORT STACK OF STUFF
comics, notes, and other stuff on my desk. If I write about it, I
can move it off my desk.
One of my few indulgences are the Phantom comic books published by
Frew Publications in Australia. I’ve been buying/collecting them
since issue #1400 and just read issue #1600. Jim Shepherd is the
publisher and managing director of the title, which comes out every
three weeks or so and which reprints original Phantom stories from
Egmont (in Sweden) and newspaper strips from across the hero’s 70-
year history. Published in black-and-white with color covers, some
issues are in the standard 36 pages format found in the USA while
others are hundreds of pages long. Shepherd is often annoyingly
dismissive of American comics, but exudes enthusiasm for even the
most mediocre of Egmont stories. Still, it’s hard to stay annoyed
with a guy who loves Lee Falk’s creation as much as I do.
The Phantom #1600 reprints “The Skull Murders” by Claus Reimerthi
with art by Sal Velluto. An Egmont story, it features the return
of an old Phantom nemesis from another Egmont story and a behind-
the-scenes criminal mastermind taking a long-distance approach to
getting revenge on the Ghost Who Walks. It’s an entertaining tale
with solid art and storytelling from Velluto. Egmont’s Phantom art
is never as dynamic as that in American comics, but it always goes
up several notches when they use American artists like Velluto and
others.
The cover price of this issue is $3 in Australian dollars, which
converts to $3.06 in American currency. I buy these Phantom comic
books in bimonthly batches from Comics Oz. If you’re interested in
getting the Frew Phantoms from them, go to their website.
******************************
The stack contains a two-line note. The first line is: Two and a
Half Men. The second line is: The Big Bang Theory. For a moment,
I wondered if I had started to jot down an idea for a crossover of
the Chuck Lorre-helmed comedies, But, while it may be kinda
cool to see Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard meet Walden Schmidt,
that wasn’t it. I have issues with both shows.
I stopped watching Two and a Half Men because, on camera and off,
I’d had enough of Charlie Sheen. I started watching the show again
this season because Ashton Kutcher’s performances usually
amuse me. The addition of man-child Walden to the show was a good
one, but it comes at too high a price. Jon Cryer’s Alan Harper has
become a nasty little creep. It’s one thing for Lorre to get his
mean-spirited revenge on Sheen, but he and his writers have turned
Alan into a thoroughly unpleasant whipping boy. There needs to be
some balance in the show. Soon.
The first time I saw The Big Bang Theory, I didn’t like what I saw:
mean-spirited humor at the expense of comic-book readers and
other fans. I gave it a second chance and came to look forward to
the show. But, every now and then, that meanness of spirit rises
again, most recently, in “The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition,” which
aired on November 17.
As played by Mayim Bialik, brainiac Amy Farrah Fowler’s desire for
a physical relationship beyond her mental bond with Sheldon Cooper
was funny and touching. Her dating comic-shop owner Stuart was a
reach, made possible only because the writers of the episode went
at Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard with the comedic equivalent of
chainsaws. Stuart’s character has been troubling in any case; it
changes to fit the needs of whatever episode in which he appears.
Lorre and his writers need to suss out who Stuart is and then write
him accordingly.
We fans make fun of each other. So making fun of fans on the show
isn’t taboo. It’s when the comedy veers from “yeah, that’s us” to
“beat them up and take their lunch money” that the show loses me.
Working with Charlie Sheen is a traumatic experience, but if Lorre
lets it drive his programs, then Sheen will, indeed, be...winning.
Please don’t let that happen, sir.
******************************
I finished reading the first week of the second month of DC’s New
52 titles. Here’s what I thought:
Action Comics #2: I enjoyed the story by Grant Morrison with art by
Rags Morales and Brent Anderson. I like this take on Superman. I
remained as bored with Lex Luthor and Sam Lane as I was in the old
DCU. I think it’s a dick move for DC to change readers a buck more
for eight pages of self-serving “behind the scenes” stuff.
Static Shock #2: Meh! None of the great characterization and fine
storytelling of the original Static series. It amazes me that DC
can’t do better by the Milestone heroes.
Stormwatch #2: I liked this issue better than the first one, but I
would like writer Paul Cornell to do a better job introducing the
characters each issue. It’s not always easy to work the names of
your characters and some indication of who they are and what they
can do into every issue, but that’s part of the job. It’s so basic
it should be taught in remedial comics writing classes.
Swamp Thing #2: Writer Scott Synder and artist Yanick Paquette are
still doing a great job on this book. It’s eerily intriguing and
surprising. It blends a Vertigo vibe into the DCU and almost makes
it look easy.
That’s all the second month books available to me. When I get and
read some more, I may or may not write about them. Life is full of
uncertainty that way.
******************************
Black Lightning, the hero I created back in the 1970s and returned
to - all too briefly - in the 1990s, got a shout-out in the October
24 edition of Sports Illustrated. Attached to a short sidebar on
Seattle super-hero Phoenix Jones and his troubles with the law were
images of four comic-book heroes with a sporting past. When not in
costume, Jones is Ben Fodor, an amateur MMA fighter and PBA-level
bowler. The four super-heroes were heavyweight boxer Wildcat, pro
skier Northstar, college quarterback Booster Gold, and, of course,
Olympic decathlete Jefferson Pierce.
Thanks to my Facebook friend Mike Fleming for sending me a copy of
this issue.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Thursday, December 1, 2011
SOFT TONY, WARM TONY
I’m not always grumpy. I’m usually quite pleasant when I attend
comics conventions, though I slip on rare occasions. When I go to
my local library or post office, I’m friendly and appreciative of
their fine service. Likewise when I shop at local stores. I can
be fun to be around. Not always - I am mostly human, after all -
but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?
When I attended Wizard World Mid-Ohio Comic Con last October, I was
interviewed for something called The Richard Crawdaddy Show. The
host is a puppet. However, I didn’t want to be interviewed by the
puppet. If I wanted to talk to puppets, I would go into politics.
But “Richard” has a co-host and I was perfectly fine with her doing
the interview. You can watch it here.
Two things need clarification. If you’re not from Cleveland, you
probably don’t get the whole East Side/West Side dynamic. When I
was growing up and even into the 1970s and 1980s, it was as if the
two sides of the city were separate cities. Date someone from the
other side of town and your friends would look at you like you were
crossing an ocean whenever you saw her. I don’t know if it’s still
the case, but I quipped about it to start the interview with sort
of a funny grumpy tone.
I thought the young lady did okay for someone who had never read a
comic book in her life. However, I made the second biggest error
of the interview when I said the Bayeux Tapestry told the story of
the Battle of Waterloo. It is, of course, the battle of Hastings.
The biggest error was in those captions superimposed over the show
during my interview. The ones that misspelled my name as “Toni.”
I think we can all agree I’d make an ugly-ass woman.
My interview starts around the 14:08 mark of the half-hour show.
There are some interesting interviews before my bit and some good
costume shots. The second Mid-Ohio-Con episode of the show has an
interview with Thom Zahler, the creator of the most excellent Love
and Capes. You can watch that episode here.
Brad Hamlin conducted a terrific interview with me for the equally
terrific Mystery Island website.
Okay, I was maybe a little grumpy in places, but I prefer to think
of it as being sure of my facts and opinions.
Daniel Alvarez was quite taken with my introduction of the Christ-
like “Friend” during my 1970s run on Marvel’s Ghost Rider. So he
sent me a bunch of questions via e-mail. You can read that interview
here.
I try to respond to convention appearance and interview requests as
quickly as I can. When it comes to conventions, I’m thankful for
those promoters who invite me and offer support for my appearance,
such as hotel and travel expenses.
When it comes to interviews, I prefer to do them via e-mail because
that allows me to fit them into my schedule better and think about
the questions before I answer them. I understand that I’m going to
be asked many of the same questions I’ve answered dozens of times
in the past and I accept that. But I sure do love it when someone
asks me something I haven’t been asked before.
While I’m being relatively warm and fuzzy, I want to thank a whole
bunch of people I don’t thank often enough.
I want to thank the readers who have bought and been entertained by
my work for almost four decades. You’ve kept me writing during my
brightest and darkest days.
I want to thank the creators, editors, and publishers who’ve sent
me review copies over the years. I know finances have gotten much
tighter for all of us, so I understand why fewer companies send me
copies of their comic books and books these days. They should know
that, regardless of whether or not they’re still sending me stuff,
I appreciate their past largess.
There are so many things I want to write about in this bloggy thing
of mine. I want to review more books and comics and movies and TV
shows. I want to write more about comics industry issues. I want
to write about my own career and the wonderful talents with whom I
have worked. Mostly, I want to keep writing this bloggy thing for
as long as I can...so I can keep writing about all of the above and
then some. Thanks for sticking with me.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
comics conventions, though I slip on rare occasions. When I go to
my local library or post office, I’m friendly and appreciative of
their fine service. Likewise when I shop at local stores. I can
be fun to be around. Not always - I am mostly human, after all -
but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?
When I attended Wizard World Mid-Ohio Comic Con last October, I was
interviewed for something called The Richard Crawdaddy Show. The
host is a puppet. However, I didn’t want to be interviewed by the
puppet. If I wanted to talk to puppets, I would go into politics.
But “Richard” has a co-host and I was perfectly fine with her doing
the interview. You can watch it here.
Two things need clarification. If you’re not from Cleveland, you
probably don’t get the whole East Side/West Side dynamic. When I
was growing up and even into the 1970s and 1980s, it was as if the
two sides of the city were separate cities. Date someone from the
other side of town and your friends would look at you like you were
crossing an ocean whenever you saw her. I don’t know if it’s still
the case, but I quipped about it to start the interview with sort
of a funny grumpy tone.
I thought the young lady did okay for someone who had never read a
comic book in her life. However, I made the second biggest error
of the interview when I said the Bayeux Tapestry told the story of
the Battle of Waterloo. It is, of course, the battle of Hastings.
The biggest error was in those captions superimposed over the show
during my interview. The ones that misspelled my name as “Toni.”
I think we can all agree I’d make an ugly-ass woman.
My interview starts around the 14:08 mark of the half-hour show.
There are some interesting interviews before my bit and some good
costume shots. The second Mid-Ohio-Con episode of the show has an
interview with Thom Zahler, the creator of the most excellent Love
and Capes. You can watch that episode here.
Brad Hamlin conducted a terrific interview with me for the equally
terrific Mystery Island website.
Okay, I was maybe a little grumpy in places, but I prefer to think
of it as being sure of my facts and opinions.
Daniel Alvarez was quite taken with my introduction of the Christ-
like “Friend” during my 1970s run on Marvel’s Ghost Rider. So he
sent me a bunch of questions via e-mail. You can read that interview
here.
I try to respond to convention appearance and interview requests as
quickly as I can. When it comes to conventions, I’m thankful for
those promoters who invite me and offer support for my appearance,
such as hotel and travel expenses.
When it comes to interviews, I prefer to do them via e-mail because
that allows me to fit them into my schedule better and think about
the questions before I answer them. I understand that I’m going to
be asked many of the same questions I’ve answered dozens of times
in the past and I accept that. But I sure do love it when someone
asks me something I haven’t been asked before.
While I’m being relatively warm and fuzzy, I want to thank a whole
bunch of people I don’t thank often enough.
I want to thank the readers who have bought and been entertained by
my work for almost four decades. You’ve kept me writing during my
brightest and darkest days.
I want to thank the creators, editors, and publishers who’ve sent
me review copies over the years. I know finances have gotten much
tighter for all of us, so I understand why fewer companies send me
copies of their comic books and books these days. They should know
that, regardless of whether or not they’re still sending me stuff,
I appreciate their past largess.
There are so many things I want to write about in this bloggy thing
of mine. I want to review more books and comics and movies and TV
shows. I want to write more about comics industry issues. I want
to write about my own career and the wonderful talents with whom I
have worked. Mostly, I want to keep writing this bloggy thing for
as long as I can...so I can keep writing about all of the above and
then some. Thanks for sticking with me.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
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