From Comics Buyer’s Guide #1685:
One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in
the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly.
- Andy Rooney
************
Every year around this time, editor Brent Frankenhoff asks CBG’s
writers to recommend comics stuff that would make terrific holiday
presents and to name gifts we ourselves would like to receive. I’m
delighted to do the former, not so keen on the latter.
I have a great life. I have a loving wife, children, family, and
friends. Although I’m far from an “A-List” writer, I get to write
stuff I enjoy and of which I can be proud. I have way more comics
and other stuff than I need, though just shy of what would land me
a star turn on Hoarders. I’m good.
However, if you really insist on giving me something, I would ask
that you make a donation to The Hero Initiative, the organization
which exists to help comics creators who need a hand in their hours
of need. In an industry known for treating its creators less than
fairly, the Hero Initiative is doing the work of angels. To learn
more about this organization, head over to:
www.heroinitiative.org
Thanks for your generosity.
************
My mission goal this time around is to recommend as many different
books and comics as possible, the better to assist you in your
holiday gift purchases. However, if nothing I write about today is
quite what you’re looking for, e-mail me [tonyisa@ohio.net] with as
much specific info about your intended gift recipient as you are
willing to share with me. I’ll respond with more suggestions.
That’s me...Tony Isabella, your personal Gift Consultant.
************
Every month, Anthony Tollin, my friend of four decades, publishes
the pulp-magazine adventures of Doc Savage and The Shadow [Sanctum
Books; $14,94 each] in trade paperbacks that reprint two novels,
the occasional short story, and original articles on the history of
these characters and the men who wrote or drew them. Several times
a year, Tollin also publishes The Avenger and The Whisperer. All
reprinted stories appear in their original lengths, except on those
occasions when Tollin has the novels’ longer original manuscripts.
These pulp-magazine characters inspired the first comic-book super-
heroes and, indeed, some of the basic attributes that have remained
part of the super-hero genre. Even beyond the comics connection,
these books make for exciting reading and a look, warts and all, at
the 1930s and 1940s.
************
Until recently, the Marvel comic books of the 1950s - the Atlas Era
- had been overlooked and generally unavailable to readers without
the means to collect the rare back issues. Thankfully, Marvel has
now reprinted almost two dozen hardcover collections of astounding
comic books from that era, including war comics, jungle adventures,
medieval thrillers, horror and suspense, and even some of the rare
super-hero comics of that decade.
Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Venus Vol. 1 [$59.99] is one of the
more recent additions to this list and it turns out to be a series
that defies easy inclusion in any one genre. It’s a romance comic,
it’s a humor comic, it’s a fantasy comic with mythological heroes
and villains, it’s a horror comic, it’s...simply amazing. I would
recommend any and all of the Atlas Era volumes - the Battlefield,
Black Knight/Yellow Claw, and Menace books are especially spiffy -
but Venus is so weird and wondrous I think it’d be my first choice
for a holiday gift.
************
Does your intended gift recipient have a favorite artist? For many
years now, TwoMorrows, the publisher of Alter Ego, Back Issue, and
The Jack Kirby Collector, has also been publishing Modern Masters,
a series of trade paperbacks spotlighting some of the best artists
of our time. Each book in the series features interviews with its
subject, their career information, and dozens of examples of their
art. The most recent volumes focused on Bone creator Jeff Smith
[$15.95] and British artist Frazier Irving [$15.95]; other subjects
include Alan Davis, George Perez, Bruce Timm, John Byrne, Walter
Simonson, Jerry Ordway, Kyle Baker, and Ron Garney, just to name a
few. And while you’re considering these TwoMorrows books, I’ll add
that subscriptions to the magazines named above would also be fine
gifts for the comics lover in your life.
************
Novels set in my hometown of Cleveland, especially mystery novels
set in Cleveland, are a passion of mind. It’s why I borrowed Casey
Daniels’ Don of the Dead [Avon; $6.99] via my local library system.
Pepper Martin, the book’s protagonist, is a former socialite whose
father’s shady dealings landed him in prison and her without any of
the family money. She works as a tour guide at Cleveland’s Garden
View Cemetery (not its real name), resting place of the famous and
not-so-famous. Following a painful encounter between her head and
a tombstones, she can see and communicate with those buried there
who, for one reason or another, have been unable to move on to the
hereafter. All these restless spirits have mysteries needing to be
solved and gorgeous Pepper is their plucky detective. There have
been six additional books in the series: The Chick and the Dead,
Tombs of Endearment, Night of the Loving Dead, Dead Man Talking,
Tomb With a View, and A Hard Day’s Fright. I’ve enjoyed them all
and, as long as Daniels keeps writing them, I’ll keep reading them.
Any or all of these books would make a great stocking stuffer for
the mystery buff in your life.
************
My non-comics reading is generally either detective fiction or non-
fiction. In the former category, among my favorites are the Nathan
Heller novels by Max Allan Collins, who might be best known as the
author of Road to Perdition and, among comics fans, as the creator
(with artist Terry Beatty) of Ms. Tree. Heller’s a Chicago private
detective who crosses paths with famous cases and people in the
1930s through the 1960s. Collins is a stickler for the facts of
these cases, but he also brings his own interpretation to them,
making for an exciting intriguing mix of true crime and could-this-
be-what-really-happened fiction. At the moment, two Heller books
are sitting on my reading pile and taunting me.
Bye Bye, Baby [Forge; $24.99] finds Heller investigating the death
of Marilyn Monroe. Chicago Lightning [Thomas and Mercer; $14.95]
collects all the Heller short stories to date. I think I need to
disappear for a few days so I can read them. I recommend both (and
the previous Heller books) for the hard-boiled reader on your gift
list. He or she will thank you for them.
************
If you’re looking for something different in detective fiction for
gift-giving, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything more uncommon
than John Burdett’s novels of Royal Thai Police Detective Sonchai
Jitpleecheep: Bangkok 8, Bangkok Tattoo, Bangkok Haunts, and The
Godfather of Kathmandu [Vintage Books; $14.95]. Sonchai is a devout
Buddhist in a country where police corruption is a given. His boss
in the police department is also one of the country’s biggest drug
lords, to name but one of his extracurricular enterprises. His mom
is a former prostitute who now owns one of the city’s top brothels
with his police boss. His partner is a pre-operative transsexual.
And, in the latest novel, having been informed that he is now his
boss’s consigliere, Sonchai must broker a deal with his boss’ arch-
enemy while solving the murder of an American film director. It’s
not your typical detective novel, but it’s intriguing from start to
finish...and I haven’t even mentioned some of the truly weird parts
of the book. It’d make a great gift for the detective fiction fan
willing to venture beyond the norm.
************
Want a gift with an European flair? I’d recommend any of the four
Little Nothings books by French cartoonist Lewis Trondheim. Each
volume has over 100 single-page comics taken from Trondheim’s life.
The most recent book is Little Nothings: My Shadow in the Distance
[NBM; $14.95]. Your happy recipient can read a few at a time or a
whole bunch of them.
************
Takashi Murakima’s Stargazing Dog [$11.95] is NBM’s first graphic
novel from Japan, where the book is a major bestseller. Putting it
simply in an attempt not to spoil any of the wonderfulness awaiting
readers of this book, this is the story of a man and his dog. If
it’s not at least nominated in all the major comics awards, there’s
something wrong with those awards. It is a magnificient work that
deserves those awards and more. Buy multiple copies for gifts and
to make sure you get one for yourself.
************
Archie digests make way cool stocking stuffers. The title I’m most
fond of is World of Archie Double Digest [$3.99}. The latest issue
leads with the all-new “Love Me Baby, Mumba!” by writer Tania Del
Rio with art by Bill Galvan (pencils) and Bob Smith (inks). This
one takes Archie and the Riverdale High gang to Bollywood to help
classmate Raj makes a movie. Most issues also include a reprint of
a book-length She’s Josie story by Frank Doyle, my favorite Archie
writer, and Dan DeCarlo (my favorite Archie artist). Reprints from
Archie’s Madhouse also appear frequently. If you’re not into the
stuffing of stockings, subscriptions to World of Archie Double
Digest come in two quantities: five issues for $16.50, ten for
$28.50.
************
Magazine subscriptions are good gifts year around. I assume you’ve
already ordered Comics Buyer’s Guide for all your loved ones, but
my other suggestions would be Life With Archie and, surprisingly,
MAD. I subscribe to both.
Life With Archie [$3.99] is one of the best and most suspenseful
comics in the industry. Written by Paul Kupperberg with art by a
variety of top artists, it features two alternate futures for the
Archie characters, one in which Archie has married Veronica and a
second in which he married Betty. You can order a 10-issue sub for
$19.95 or a 20-issue one for $36.
MAD has gone through some rough times, but it’s really getting back
on track these days. Not every joke hits the mark, but it’s much
funnier than it has been in years. The $5.99 cover price is high,
but a six-issue subscription is $19.99 cheap.
************
Manga offers more variety than do American comics, but the material
and its right-to-left reading doesn’t appeal to everyone. But, if
someone on your gift list is open to manga, I have recommendations
for you.
If your IGR (Intended Gift Recipient) watches TV’s House, he or she
might enjoy Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka [Vertical; $16.95]. Black
Jack is a brilliant but unlicenced surgeon with a mysterious past
and a rep for refusing to patients who can’t afford his enormous
fees. But there’s much more to the doctor than that, as if often
seen in each volume’s thirteen done-in-one tales, stories which
often cross into science fiction and horror. Tezuka is known as
the “god of manga” and his numerous creations include Astro Boy,
Princess Knight, Kimba the White Lion, and various adult works.
Vertical has published 16 Black Jack volumes, with a 17th due in
late November.
With stories by Tsugumi Ohba and art by Takeshi Obata, Bakuman [Viz
Media; $9.95] is the ongoing story of two young men determined to
become manga superstars. Though I can’t speak to the accuracy of
the manga industry depicted in these books, I am fascinated by this
window into that industry and, like me, your IGR will find it easy
to root for the book’s heroes and for the other manga creators and
editors they meet on their quest. There have been seven volumes to
date with the eighth due in December.
************
A final gift suggestion, this one for the aspiring comics artist or
seasoned professional on your shopping list. Colossal Collection of
Action Poses by Buddy Scalera [Impact; $29.99] is a massive volume
presenting 1,200 facial and body poses. The male and female models
come from a variety of ages and ethnicities. Also included in the
book are step-by-step demonstrations showing how artists like Thom
Zahler, Terry Moore, Amanda Conner, Billy Tucci, and a dozen others
use these photo references in their work. It may be one of those
dreaded “useful” gifts, but it’s way more fun than a package of
socks.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Friday, December 16, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Yes, that is a lame title for today’s bloggy thing. I could blame
it on SAD (Seasonal affective disorder), but the truth is that I’m
juggling family, holiday, and work matters, neglecting to get much
needed sleep, and wishing my loved ones would stop asking me what
I want to do for my 60th birthday next week.
For weeks, “hookers and blow” has been my answer to that question.
I figured such an annoying answer would get people to stop asking
the annoying question. Of course, realistically, given my advanced
years, I shouldn’t attempt anything more risque than a Victoria’s
Secret catalog and Metamucil.
Damn. I should have used “Hookers and Blow” as today’s title. My
views would have gone through the roof.
Here’s what I have for you today.
******************************
Cartoon Network aired a one-hour preview of the CGI-animated Green
Lantern series on November 11. I watched it over the weekend and
was mildly impressed.
“Beware My Power” has Hal Jordan and Kilowog traveling to a distant
galaxy to investigate the deaths of Green Lanterns there. Though
the killers are from DC comic books, I’m not going to identify them
in what I hope will be a mostly spoiler-free review.
The minuses in this episode were the portrayal of Hal Jordan. He’s
a jerk and he doesn’t think through his actions before committing
to them. Alas, the Guardians of the Universe are no better. Most
of the problems and tragedies that occur could have been prevented
with a little forethought.
The plus is that writers James Krieg and Ernie Atbacker brought
considerable heart and heroism to the final act of this episode.
So much so that I’ll continue watching the series when it commences
its ongoing run sometimes next year.
I also watched part of the Batman Year One animated feature, which
my son Eddie had rented from Netflix. I liked what I watched, so
I’ll watch and review the film soon. If any of my bloggy readers
have other comics-related films or cartoons they want to recommend
to me, now would be an excellent time to do so.
******************************
One-season wonder I’m Dickens...He’s Fenster [1962-1963] has been
released on DVD. I do remember watching and presumably liking this
show, which starred Marty Ingels and John Astin as carpenters, but
I remember nothing else about it. Not even that Mrs. Dickens was
played by Emmaline Henry, though, on seeing her name, I did recall
she played the perpetually confused wife of Dr. Bellows on I Dream
of Jeannie. I’m on the fence re: buying the DVD set of the show,
but, seeing a reasonably-priced copy of I’m Dickens...He’s Fenster
#1 [Dell; May-July, 1963], I bought it.
Drawn by Henry Scarpelli - the writer’s unknown - this first of two
issues is your standard 36-page Dell TV series adaptation. It has
a photo cover, a one-page gag strip on the inside front cover, a
half-page gag strip on the inside back cover, and a 32-page story
in between.
In “To Work, Or Not to Work,” Harry Fenster is an amateur inventor.
He and Arch Fenster are hired by a scientist to do some carpentry
work at the scientist’s house/laboratory. The scientist has built
a robot. The guys activate said robot and then try to program it to
their work. Scarpelli’s lively drawings deserved a much better and
funnier script.
I don’t know if “Harry as inventor” was part of the TV series. As
I said, I have no memory of the show beyond knowing who the leads
were. If I do cave to my nostalgic impulses and buy the DVD set,
aka the tax-deductible DVD set, I’ll review it in a future bloggy
thing. Because then it’ll be tax-deductible. It’s another one of
those circles of life situations.
******************************
Here’s something I just learned recently:
Jack Sparling, the prolific comic-book and newspaper strip artist
whose career spanned five decades from the 1940s to the 1980s, was
born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I can’t remember why I was researching
Sparling, but his birthplace was cited on Wikipedia.
When I learned this, I made a quick visit to the website of the Joe
Shuster Awards, which are named for the co-creator of Superman and
which honor Canadian comics artists.
Sparling has not yet been inducted into the Joe Shuster Awards Hall
of Fame and he really does belong there. The artist drew hundreds
of comic-book stories for publishers like Harvey, Dell, Marvel, DC,
Classics Illustrated, Charlton, and many others. His work on DC’s
Secret Six and the DC mystery titles was energetic and unlike any
of their other artists. The older I get, the more I appreciate the
individual styles over the house styles.
So here’s my tip to the fine folks who administer the Joe Shuster
Awards. Sparling is a most worthy candidate for your Hall of Fame.
Please make it so.
******************************
On my Facebook page, in response to my comments about the Fan/Pro
Bill of Rights, Mike Curry wrote:
Any "outside-of-a-con" rules coming up? If I spot you eating in a
restaurant with your family when is a good time to ask for a
signature? Never? Between courses? When finished? No, seriously!
With Facebook pics, your fans can recognize you on the street and,
if I am coincidentally carrying a copy of Black Lightning #1 and a
Sharpie while passing you on the sidewalk...
Honestly, I’d be so surprised one of my readers recognized me that,
depending on the circumstances and location, I’d probably be happy
to sign something for them. Just use your best judgment as to the
time and place. If I’m being carried into an emergency room on a
stretcher, not a good time. If I’m at a public event, much better.
If I’m eating at a restaurant, not the greatest but not necessarily
a deal breaker. If I’m disarming a bomb, really not a good time or
place. Use your best judgment. Just the fact that you’re walking
around with a copy of one of my Black Lightning comic books clearly
establishes you as a person of high intelligence.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
it on SAD (Seasonal affective disorder), but the truth is that I’m
juggling family, holiday, and work matters, neglecting to get much
needed sleep, and wishing my loved ones would stop asking me what
I want to do for my 60th birthday next week.
For weeks, “hookers and blow” has been my answer to that question.
I figured such an annoying answer would get people to stop asking
the annoying question. Of course, realistically, given my advanced
years, I shouldn’t attempt anything more risque than a Victoria’s
Secret catalog and Metamucil.
Damn. I should have used “Hookers and Blow” as today’s title. My
views would have gone through the roof.
Here’s what I have for you today.
******************************
Cartoon Network aired a one-hour preview of the CGI-animated Green
Lantern series on November 11. I watched it over the weekend and
was mildly impressed.
“Beware My Power” has Hal Jordan and Kilowog traveling to a distant
galaxy to investigate the deaths of Green Lanterns there. Though
the killers are from DC comic books, I’m not going to identify them
in what I hope will be a mostly spoiler-free review.
The minuses in this episode were the portrayal of Hal Jordan. He’s
a jerk and he doesn’t think through his actions before committing
to them. Alas, the Guardians of the Universe are no better. Most
of the problems and tragedies that occur could have been prevented
with a little forethought.
The plus is that writers James Krieg and Ernie Atbacker brought
considerable heart and heroism to the final act of this episode.
So much so that I’ll continue watching the series when it commences
its ongoing run sometimes next year.
I also watched part of the Batman Year One animated feature, which
my son Eddie had rented from Netflix. I liked what I watched, so
I’ll watch and review the film soon. If any of my bloggy readers
have other comics-related films or cartoons they want to recommend
to me, now would be an excellent time to do so.
******************************
released on DVD. I do remember watching and presumably liking this
show, which starred Marty Ingels and John Astin as carpenters, but
I remember nothing else about it. Not even that Mrs. Dickens was
played by Emmaline Henry, though, on seeing her name, I did recall
she played the perpetually confused wife of Dr. Bellows on I Dream
of Jeannie. I’m on the fence re: buying the DVD set of the show,
but, seeing a reasonably-priced copy of I’m Dickens...He’s Fenster
#1 [Dell; May-July, 1963], I bought it.
Drawn by Henry Scarpelli - the writer’s unknown - this first of two
issues is your standard 36-page Dell TV series adaptation. It has
a photo cover, a one-page gag strip on the inside front cover, a
half-page gag strip on the inside back cover, and a 32-page story
in between.
He and Arch Fenster are hired by a scientist to do some carpentry
work at the scientist’s house/laboratory. The scientist has built
a robot. The guys activate said robot and then try to program it to
their work. Scarpelli’s lively drawings deserved a much better and
funnier script.
I don’t know if “Harry as inventor” was part of the TV series. As
I said, I have no memory of the show beyond knowing who the leads
were. If I do cave to my nostalgic impulses and buy the DVD set,
aka the tax-deductible DVD set, I’ll review it in a future bloggy
thing. Because then it’ll be tax-deductible. It’s another one of
those circles of life situations.
******************************
Here’s something I just learned recently:
Jack Sparling, the prolific comic-book and newspaper strip artist
whose career spanned five decades from the 1940s to the 1980s, was
born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I can’t remember why I was researching
Sparling, but his birthplace was cited on Wikipedia.
When I learned this, I made a quick visit to the website of the Joe
Shuster Awards, which are named for the co-creator of Superman and
which honor Canadian comics artists.
Sparling has not yet been inducted into the Joe Shuster Awards Hall
of Fame and he really does belong there. The artist drew hundreds
of comic-book stories for publishers like Harvey, Dell, Marvel, DC,
Classics Illustrated, Charlton, and many others. His work on DC’s
Secret Six and the DC mystery titles was energetic and unlike any
of their other artists. The older I get, the more I appreciate the
individual styles over the house styles.
So here’s my tip to the fine folks who administer the Joe Shuster
Awards. Sparling is a most worthy candidate for your Hall of Fame.
Please make it so.
******************************
On my Facebook page, in response to my comments about the Fan/Pro
Bill of Rights, Mike Curry wrote:
Any "outside-of-a-con" rules coming up? If I spot you eating in a
restaurant with your family when is a good time to ask for a
signature? Never? Between courses? When finished? No, seriously!
With Facebook pics, your fans can recognize you on the street and,
if I am coincidentally carrying a copy of Black Lightning #1 and a
Sharpie while passing you on the sidewalk...
Honestly, I’d be so surprised one of my readers recognized me that,
depending on the circumstances and location, I’d probably be happy
to sign something for them. Just use your best judgment as to the
time and place. If I’m being carried into an emergency room on a
stretcher, not a good time. If I’m at a public event, much better.
If I’m eating at a restaurant, not the greatest but not necessarily
a deal breaker. If I’m disarming a bomb, really not a good time or
place. Use your best judgment. Just the fact that you’re walking
around with a copy of one of my Black Lightning comic books clearly
establishes you as a person of high intelligence.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
AGAIN WITH THE FAN/PRO BILL OF RIGHTS?
Peter David and the fine folks who frequent his www.peterdavid.net
have crafted a “Fan/Pro Bill of Rights” to address various issues
in the sometimes contentious relationships between fans and pros.
You can download a PDF of the Bill of Rights at:
www.crazy8press.com
This is my third and probably final commentary on this thoughtful
bill of rights. However, ten years from now, when you’re thinking
how much you loved these bloggy things, I plan to remake them with
updated special effects and other changes. My friend Peter will,
of course, be computer-generated in the revised blogs.
Right the Fourth
Fans and Pros have the right to enjoy panels.
Once again, these are common-sense “rules” for convention panels.
Filming and recording permitted unless the con or the guests state
otherwise in no uncertain terms. If you’re in the front row, don’t
fall asleep and snore loudly. Knowing some of the snorers I know,
I’d extend that to any row.
Turn off your cell phone ringer during the panel. Be succinct in
asking and answering questions. Remember it’s a Q&A thing and not
a debate. Because if it was a debate, Peter would win.
The bill of rights says audiences have the right to boo if someone
tries to flirt or hit on a panel member. I’m not sure about that.
However, I think such flirting and hitting on should not be part of
any panel whose title doesn’t include the phrase “dating game” and
should not be done by any of the people attending the panel or on
the panel. Keep it in your storm trooper costume.
Don’t be a dick and ask a knowingly provocative question to get a
rise out of a panelist. However, the panelist’s response should be
something along the lines of “I’m not going to discuss this in this
venue.” If the question is asked innocently, then the fan should
make a quick apology on realizing that he or see has erred and the
panelist should accept it gracefully.
This section has a paragraph about geeky questions and how actors
should be expected to know the answers as if they were, indeed, the
characters they play. Agreed. But, on the other hand, why not be
prepared for such questions with a clever quip that will have the
audience saying, “Wow! Tommy Thespian is really a funny guy. I’m
going to see all his movies!”
Pros should answer questions honestly or decline to answer them if
they think the answers will be inflammatory. Yes, they have every
right to be provocative. First Amendment and all. But, as Peter
and his crew state, the pros who choose to do this have to accept
the consequences without whining.
This section also raises the question of children at panels. It’s
tricky and parents have to be, well, parents. If your child is a
disruption, you should leave. If you don’t want your kid to hear
Walter Writer utter a string of profanities, don’t bring your kid
to Walter’s panel. However...
Would it hurt panelists to be a little more temperate if they see
kids in the audience? Unless you have Tourette syndrome, you can
exercise a modicum of restraint.
Right the Fifth
Convention-related rights stem from solid organization, and
therefore convention organizers have certain expectations that they
should meet.
If you click on the PDF link above, you know these are more common
sense rules. Getting checked in quickly and efficiently is always
a great thing. Having an information booth to answer questions of
fans and pros is also wonderful.
Pro and fan badges alike should have a large enough space so names
can be clearly printed and read. I meet thousands of fans and pros
at conventions and I’m not as good at remembering faces as I used
to be. Help a newly-minted senior citizen out, okay?
Convention organizers should be clear on what support they are able
to provide for a guest. I generally ask for hotel/travel expenses
and a table or two. I don’t like being restricted to selling just
things I have worked on. Often, it’s selling the other stuff that
pays my expenses and pays for the time I’m losing because I’m not
at home working.
A big “yes” for the paragraph about the responsibility of the con
to provide access for people in wheelchairs. I was appalled at how
little the New York Comic Con provided for this, though, to be fair
about it, most of the problems I saw were due to fans being equal
parts rude and clueless.
As someone who was involved with Mid-Ohio-Con for a couple decades,
I’m appreciative of fan volunteers. But the convention must always
be sure of those fans given positions of authority or working any
kind of security. A good crew chief will, over time, weed out any
problems.
For those volunteers cosplaying as Klingons or storm troopers, you
need to be ready to drop your character whenever you deal with any
real-world situations. Bony forehead or helmet, you need to deal
with those situations as yourself.
That’s what I got, save to express my admiration for what Peter and
friends have crafted. Even if you don’t agree with everything in
their Fan/Pro Bill of Rights, you should be grateful for the effort
that went into it. At the very least, it’s a great start to what
should be an ongoing conversation.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
have crafted a “Fan/Pro Bill of Rights” to address various issues
in the sometimes contentious relationships between fans and pros.
You can download a PDF of the Bill of Rights at:
www.crazy8press.com
This is my third and probably final commentary on this thoughtful
bill of rights. However, ten years from now, when you’re thinking
how much you loved these bloggy things, I plan to remake them with
updated special effects and other changes. My friend Peter will,
of course, be computer-generated in the revised blogs.
Right the Fourth
Fans and Pros have the right to enjoy panels.
Once again, these are common-sense “rules” for convention panels.
Filming and recording permitted unless the con or the guests state
otherwise in no uncertain terms. If you’re in the front row, don’t
fall asleep and snore loudly. Knowing some of the snorers I know,
I’d extend that to any row.
Turn off your cell phone ringer during the panel. Be succinct in
asking and answering questions. Remember it’s a Q&A thing and not
a debate. Because if it was a debate, Peter would win.
The bill of rights says audiences have the right to boo if someone
tries to flirt or hit on a panel member. I’m not sure about that.
However, I think such flirting and hitting on should not be part of
any panel whose title doesn’t include the phrase “dating game” and
should not be done by any of the people attending the panel or on
the panel. Keep it in your storm trooper costume.
Don’t be a dick and ask a knowingly provocative question to get a
rise out of a panelist. However, the panelist’s response should be
something along the lines of “I’m not going to discuss this in this
venue.” If the question is asked innocently, then the fan should
make a quick apology on realizing that he or see has erred and the
panelist should accept it gracefully.
This section has a paragraph about geeky questions and how actors
should be expected to know the answers as if they were, indeed, the
characters they play. Agreed. But, on the other hand, why not be
prepared for such questions with a clever quip that will have the
audience saying, “Wow! Tommy Thespian is really a funny guy. I’m
going to see all his movies!”
Pros should answer questions honestly or decline to answer them if
they think the answers will be inflammatory. Yes, they have every
right to be provocative. First Amendment and all. But, as Peter
and his crew state, the pros who choose to do this have to accept
the consequences without whining.
This section also raises the question of children at panels. It’s
tricky and parents have to be, well, parents. If your child is a
disruption, you should leave. If you don’t want your kid to hear
Walter Writer utter a string of profanities, don’t bring your kid
to Walter’s panel. However...
Would it hurt panelists to be a little more temperate if they see
kids in the audience? Unless you have Tourette syndrome, you can
exercise a modicum of restraint.
Right the Fifth
Convention-related rights stem from solid organization, and
therefore convention organizers have certain expectations that they
should meet.
If you click on the PDF link above, you know these are more common
sense rules. Getting checked in quickly and efficiently is always
a great thing. Having an information booth to answer questions of
fans and pros is also wonderful.
Pro and fan badges alike should have a large enough space so names
can be clearly printed and read. I meet thousands of fans and pros
at conventions and I’m not as good at remembering faces as I used
to be. Help a newly-minted senior citizen out, okay?
Convention organizers should be clear on what support they are able
to provide for a guest. I generally ask for hotel/travel expenses
and a table or two. I don’t like being restricted to selling just
things I have worked on. Often, it’s selling the other stuff that
pays my expenses and pays for the time I’m losing because I’m not
at home working.
A big “yes” for the paragraph about the responsibility of the con
to provide access for people in wheelchairs. I was appalled at how
little the New York Comic Con provided for this, though, to be fair
about it, most of the problems I saw were due to fans being equal
parts rude and clueless.
As someone who was involved with Mid-Ohio-Con for a couple decades,
I’m appreciative of fan volunteers. But the convention must always
be sure of those fans given positions of authority or working any
kind of security. A good crew chief will, over time, weed out any
problems.
For those volunteers cosplaying as Klingons or storm troopers, you
need to be ready to drop your character whenever you deal with any
real-world situations. Bony forehead or helmet, you need to deal
with those situations as yourself.
That’s what I got, save to express my admiration for what Peter and
friends have crafted. Even if you don’t agree with everything in
their Fan/Pro Bill of Rights, you should be grateful for the effort
that went into it. At the very least, it’s a great start to what
should be an ongoing conversation.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
MORE ON THE FAN/PRO BILL OF RIGHTS
Peter David and some of his friends and fans have crafted a “Fan/Pro
Bill of Rights” to address various issues in the sometimes contentious
relationships between fans and pros. You can download a PDF of
this Bill of Rights at:
http://www.crazy8press.com
Last Tuesday, I shared my thoughts on the first part of that Bill
of Rights, which offered some smart rules for the getting/giving of
autographs. I realized I would need a huge sign to explain my own
rules in this area and that, for me, at least, such a sign wouldn’t
be practical. But I kept thinking about it.
When I’m signing at a convention or other event, I’ll only mention
my rules on what I will or won’t sign when they become pertinent to
a situation. If they do become pertinent, I’ll explain them in as
concise a manner as possible. If my rules should prevent one of my
readers from getting the autograph they want on the item they have
brought for a signature, I’ll make sure I can do something else for
them that will, hopefully, leave them with a cherished souvenir of
their brief meeting with “America’s most beloved comics writer and
columnist.” I’ll let you know how this works out.
Getting back to the Fan/Pro Bill of Rights...
Right the Second:
Fans have a right to wear and/or carry whatever they want to a
convention. But one fan’s right to personal expression ends at
another fan’s right to personal space.
Team Peter offers good common-sense rules of mutual respect here.
I especially liked the one about how being in a costume or wanting
to take a picture of someone in a costume doesn’t confer upon one
any special right-of-way. If you don’t want me to come between you
and whoever you want to snap a photo of, take your photos someplace
other than the aisle I have to traverse to get where I want or need
to be. Extra points to conventions that provide designated photo
areas for their cosplayers.
Additionally, though this doesn’t necessarily fall within the realm
of fan/pro relationships, exhibitors should not cause blockage of
aisles with their activities. In writing about the New York Comic
Con, I applauded DC Comics for designing their convention space in
such a manner that it never, at least on any of the many times that
I walked by it, obstructed traffic. Such care of design should be
mandatory for exhibitors.
Right the Third:
Pros have as much right to enjoy conventions as anyone else. Pros
are typically referred to as “guests” and even “guests of honor.”
If you treat guests in an insensitive manner, they will stop coming
to your house.
For the most part, these are more common-sense rights of courtesy.
Even when walking the convention floor, I try to accommodate fans
and their requests when I can. I discussed this in last Tuesday’s
bloggy thing.
Still, a “right to privacy” paragraph in this portion of the “bill
of rights does give me pause. If a pro, or a fan for that matter,
wishes to have a private conversation, I don’t think the convention
is where they should have it. Yes, it is a douche move for anyone
to spy or eavesdrop on such conversations, but you open a door if
you choose to converse where they can spy or eavesdrop on it. This
part of the bill is reasonable, but, let’s face it, we don’t live
in a reasonable world.
If I’m sitting in a bar and you wish to approach me, and if I don’t
have a comely Zatanna cosplayer sitting in my lap - just kidding,
Sainted Wife Barb - there’s no harm to approaching me and offering
me a drink by way of introduction. In my case, it’d be some sort
of soft drink. Too many comics pros and fans embarrass themselves
by drinking to excess. If I drink too much Pepsi, the worse thing
that will happen is frequent trips to the loo.
If I’m not in the mood for a conversation with someone I don’t know
or don’t know well, it’s up to me to convey that politely. Don’t
take offense. It’s not you, it’s me. Unless “you” is some online
troll who’s annoyed me in the past and the first words out of your
mouth are something other than, “Mr. Isabella, I want to apologize
for being such a dick.”
If, as yet another portion of this part of the bill addresses, I’m
eating at my convention table, you probably should be prepared for
my not being able to accommodate your request for an autograph at
that particular moment. On the other hand, whenever possible, I do
try to arrange my convention appearance so I don’t have to eat any
meals at my table.
A note for convention promoters: having trustworthy volunteers who
can watch a guest’s table while he attends to meals and any other
necessities earns you bonus points.
A note for pros: exercise reasonable caution in accepting any such
assistance. The convention probably hasn’t done background checks
on their volunteers.
When I wrote about this bill of rights last week, I commented that
the whole thing could be summed up as “Don’t be a dick.” The two
final rights in this section strike me as argumentative and, yes,
somewhat dick-ish.
6) Authors are not your bitches (AKA The Neil Gaiman Assertion).
7) Actors are not your performing moneys (AKA The Misha Collins
Declaration).
Of course, authors and actors are neither bitches or performing
monkeys. But including those rights is overkill. Treating guests
as you would wish to be treated in their place has been covered in
some detail here. These two lines seem excessively in-your-face to
me. You know, like when some online troll seems determined to ask
you the same question over and over again until he gets the answer
he’s already decided he wants.
Crediting these assertions also strikes me as foolish. We live in
an imperfect world. I suspect some creep will see the lovely Neil
Gaiman or the doubtlessly equally lovely Misha Collins at a con and
think to himself or herself, “I’ll show them!”
I’ll discuss the rest of this admirable document in a near future
bloggy thing.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Bill of Rights” to address various issues in the sometimes contentious
relationships between fans and pros. You can download a PDF of
this Bill of Rights at:
http://www.crazy8press.com
Last Tuesday, I shared my thoughts on the first part of that Bill
of Rights, which offered some smart rules for the getting/giving of
autographs. I realized I would need a huge sign to explain my own
rules in this area and that, for me, at least, such a sign wouldn’t
be practical. But I kept thinking about it.
When I’m signing at a convention or other event, I’ll only mention
my rules on what I will or won’t sign when they become pertinent to
a situation. If they do become pertinent, I’ll explain them in as
concise a manner as possible. If my rules should prevent one of my
readers from getting the autograph they want on the item they have
brought for a signature, I’ll make sure I can do something else for
them that will, hopefully, leave them with a cherished souvenir of
their brief meeting with “America’s most beloved comics writer and
columnist.” I’ll let you know how this works out.
Getting back to the Fan/Pro Bill of Rights...
Right the Second:
Fans have a right to wear and/or carry whatever they want to a
convention. But one fan’s right to personal expression ends at
another fan’s right to personal space.
Team Peter offers good common-sense rules of mutual respect here.
I especially liked the one about how being in a costume or wanting
to take a picture of someone in a costume doesn’t confer upon one
any special right-of-way. If you don’t want me to come between you
and whoever you want to snap a photo of, take your photos someplace
other than the aisle I have to traverse to get where I want or need
to be. Extra points to conventions that provide designated photo
areas for their cosplayers.
Additionally, though this doesn’t necessarily fall within the realm
of fan/pro relationships, exhibitors should not cause blockage of
aisles with their activities. In writing about the New York Comic
Con, I applauded DC Comics for designing their convention space in
such a manner that it never, at least on any of the many times that
I walked by it, obstructed traffic. Such care of design should be
mandatory for exhibitors.
Right the Third:
Pros have as much right to enjoy conventions as anyone else. Pros
are typically referred to as “guests” and even “guests of honor.”
If you treat guests in an insensitive manner, they will stop coming
to your house.
For the most part, these are more common-sense rights of courtesy.
Even when walking the convention floor, I try to accommodate fans
and their requests when I can. I discussed this in last Tuesday’s
bloggy thing.
Still, a “right to privacy” paragraph in this portion of the “bill
of rights does give me pause. If a pro, or a fan for that matter,
wishes to have a private conversation, I don’t think the convention
is where they should have it. Yes, it is a douche move for anyone
to spy or eavesdrop on such conversations, but you open a door if
you choose to converse where they can spy or eavesdrop on it. This
part of the bill is reasonable, but, let’s face it, we don’t live
in a reasonable world.
If I’m sitting in a bar and you wish to approach me, and if I don’t
have a comely Zatanna cosplayer sitting in my lap - just kidding,
Sainted Wife Barb - there’s no harm to approaching me and offering
me a drink by way of introduction. In my case, it’d be some sort
of soft drink. Too many comics pros and fans embarrass themselves
by drinking to excess. If I drink too much Pepsi, the worse thing
that will happen is frequent trips to the loo.
If I’m not in the mood for a conversation with someone I don’t know
or don’t know well, it’s up to me to convey that politely. Don’t
take offense. It’s not you, it’s me. Unless “you” is some online
troll who’s annoyed me in the past and the first words out of your
mouth are something other than, “Mr. Isabella, I want to apologize
for being such a dick.”
If, as yet another portion of this part of the bill addresses, I’m
eating at my convention table, you probably should be prepared for
my not being able to accommodate your request for an autograph at
that particular moment. On the other hand, whenever possible, I do
try to arrange my convention appearance so I don’t have to eat any
meals at my table.
A note for convention promoters: having trustworthy volunteers who
can watch a guest’s table while he attends to meals and any other
necessities earns you bonus points.
A note for pros: exercise reasonable caution in accepting any such
assistance. The convention probably hasn’t done background checks
on their volunteers.
When I wrote about this bill of rights last week, I commented that
the whole thing could be summed up as “Don’t be a dick.” The two
final rights in this section strike me as argumentative and, yes,
somewhat dick-ish.
6) Authors are not your bitches (AKA The Neil Gaiman Assertion).
7) Actors are not your performing moneys (AKA The Misha Collins
Declaration).
Of course, authors and actors are neither bitches or performing
monkeys. But including those rights is overkill. Treating guests
as you would wish to be treated in their place has been covered in
some detail here. These two lines seem excessively in-your-face to
me. You know, like when some online troll seems determined to ask
you the same question over and over again until he gets the answer
he’s already decided he wants.
Crediting these assertions also strikes me as foolish. We live in
an imperfect world. I suspect some creep will see the lovely Neil
Gaiman or the doubtlessly equally lovely Misha Collins at a con and
think to himself or herself, “I’ll show them!”
I’ll discuss the rest of this admirable document in a near future
bloggy thing.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Monday, December 12, 2011
MONDAY MEANDERINGS
The odd tale of Grim Ghost #6 [Atlas; $2.99] continues to unfold.
When last we discussed the non-appearance of this already-printed
issue at your friendly neighborhood comics shops, we knew Diamond
Comic Distribution had canceled orders on the issue, the conclusion
of my first Grim Ghost story arc. We also knew the issue could be
purchased at the Atlas website.
Since then, though I still don’t know why the issue was canceled by
Diamond, I have learned that:
Diamond canceled orders on the issue even though they actually had
the issue in their warehouse.
Retailers can obtain this issue from Diamond as a “reorder.” The
reorder number is: SEP118165
The issue will be re-solicited in early 2012.
Things I don’t know at this time include: when the trade paperback
collection of the first story arc will be published and whether or
not there will be a second story arc. Even before my appearance at
the Atlas Comics booth at the New York Comic Con, I had agreed to
participate in the production of the trade paperback and to return
for the second story arc if minor conditions could be met. No one
anticipated any problems with either.
I have one more note on this subject. On my Facebook page, Michael
Sacal posted this:
I've seen people on FB that publish their own comics say that
Diamond canceled their orders because of DCs relaunch. Something
about allocating their resources to fill orders for those comics or
something like that.
If that’s the case, it strikes me as a class action suit waiting to
happen. But I can’t forget DC Comics was key to Diamond achieving
its monopoly status. Payback might well be a bitch...for many of
Diamond’s other publishers.
one on your Christmas list. For the collector of political stuff,
I suggest Archie: Obama & Palin in Riverdale [$12.95], a magazine-
sized reprinting of the Alex Simmons/Dan Parent stories and several
bonus stories and features. While I have my problems with anything
that treats Palin as an Obama equal, I also understand that she was
the most visible Republican for use in these comics. But can you
imagine how a Herman Cain appearance would’ve soared in value?
Must be seen to be believed: Dan Parent’s cover sketches parodying
four classic super-hero covers. Hilarious!
ISBN: 978-1-879794-87-0
Marvel Comics in 1972, imagine my delight when Aquaman Chronicles
#20 showed up in my mail. Compiled and edited by John Schwirian,
the issue is over a hundred pages of Sea King goodness.
Behind a striking cover by Cliff Chiang, the issue presents news,
views, and reviews on Aquaman. Steve Skeates discusses a Superman-
Aquaman team-up he wrote in the 1970s. Schwirian and my pal Rob
Kelly discusses the Neal Pozner/Craig Hamilton mini-series of 1986
in insanely wonderful detail. There are news and photos of Aquaman
collectibles. There’s the first half of a Justice League holiday
story by Andy Luckett, the first fan fiction tale that I’ve read in
decades. Indeed, were I to be so churlish as to find the slightest
fault with this fanzine, it would be that room should’ve been made
to present Luckett’s entire story.
There’s no price or ordering information on this fanzine, but you
can e-mail John to learn how you can obtain a copy of this and
other issues. If you’re an Aquaman fan or an old-time fanzine
contributor like me, you’re gonna love this amazing effort.
Lagoon [Dark Horse; $4.95] back in 1993? I should’ve been all over
this 52-page, full-color, square-bound adaptation of the original
movie. With a script by Steve Moncuse with Art Adams (pencils) and
Terry Austin (inks), this is a sensational comic book. The page
count dictated lots of panels on every page, but the size of the
individual drawings actually makes for a more intimate experience.
Aided by colorist Matt Hollingsworth, the art makes the reader feel
confined by the Amazon River nooks and crannies, the protagonists
travel in search of ancient mysteries. Long as the Amazon is, you
feel trapped in the Creature’s domain. Chilling. Exciting. Just
plain great comics. Definitely worth looking for.
DC Comics Presents: Batman - Don’t Blink [$7.99] is a hundred-page
one-shot reprinting Dwayne McDuffie’s “Don’t Blink.” The four-issue
tale is a sequel to “Blink.” Lee Hyland is a blind man able to see
through the eyes of anyone he touches.
Batman needs Hyland’s help to locate a kidnapped child, but Hyland
has been taken into the less-than-gentle care of the government to
provide information on a variety of persons of interest. If Hyland
had a Facebook page, he would probably describe the relationship as
“complicated.”
McDuffie - and, yes, I miss him and his writing - delivers a tight
exciting script. His Batman is not a dick. When you read all four
issues of this story, you get a story worth four issues. The art
is by Val Semeiks (pencils) and Dan Green (inks) and it’s top-notch
from start to finish. Recommended.
Two closing notes. Comments to this blog will remain moderated on
account of the occasional online jerk who lives to troll. Do not
think this means I don’t love to read your comments. I do and I’ll
continue to do my best to approve them in timely fashion.
Thank you for visiting this blog. Last time I checked, the bloggy
thing had been viewed more than 40,000 times. That’s likely small
change to the superstars of the comics industry, but I’m thrilled.
If you keep visiting, I’ll keep blogging.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Friday, December 9, 2011
HUNTRESS AND THE SAILOR SCOUTS
It’s a shame DC mini-series like Huntress don’t have some sort of
branding like “The New 52" to help them compete in a marketplace
overrun with mediocre fare like, well, most of “The New 52” titles
and whatever overblown epic is sprawling across the Marvel Comics
universe of titles.
Huntress is a six-issue series by Paul Levitz with art by Marcus To
(pencils) and John Dell (inks). The first issues is an excellent
start. Levitz is a master of comics writing craft, though his work
doesn’t always have the heart I would like to see. This time, he’s
dealing with situations that truly hit the reader in the gut, such
as gun-running and, even more intense, the international traffic in
sex slaves. If Levitz digs a little deeper, he could finish very
strong with this series.
The writing is top-notch in this issue. Though Helena Bertinelli
- the Huntress - could get a bit angrier in her confrontations with
the series villains, I do like the first-person narration utilized
by Levitz. The To/Dell art is both solid storytelling and lovely
to behold. Colorist Andrew Dalhouse delivers an outstanding job as
well.
Heaping a bit more praise on the issue, I love that the story isn’t
tied to other DCU storylines. It’s set in Italy and, outside of a
mention of Gotham City, there’s no other DCU references. I’d love
to see more DC and Marvel titles that stand on their own merits or
failings. It makes reading them more enjoyable.
I like Huntress better than almost all of “The New 52.” I hope the
success of that brand doesn’t spell doom for more independent works
like this one.
******************************
My daughter Kelly and her best friend Giselle still love the Sailor
Moon cartoons that found their way to the United States when they
were younger. So when Kodansha Comics announced the reprinting of
the original Sailor Moon and Sailor V manga series, I acquired the
first volumes of each.
Codename: Sailor V [$10.99] predates Sailor Moon. The series was
created by Naoki Takeuchi in 1991. As seen in this first volume,
it’s Sailor Moon without the team concept. Middle-school student
Minako Aino is recruited by talking cat Artemis to use the powers
and weapons of Sailor V to protect Earth from otherworldly villains
like the Dark Agency.
The soft and dream-like art of Sailor V is beautiful, but doesn’t
lend itself to clear storytelling. Key plot points are obscured or
reduced to minimal size. The stories themselves - there are eight
more or less done-in-one tales in this volume - have a sameness to
them. The series - thus far - isn’t to my taste, but your mileage
could and probably does vary.
I found Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon [$10.99] the better of the two
debut volumes, though that is partly due to my greater familiarity
with the characters from the cartoons. The flighty, klutzy Usagi
Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is better realized and more fun than Sailor
V. The storytelling is somewhat clearer and the humorous moments
are actually pretty funny.
In this first volume, we also meet talking cat Luna, Tuxedo Mask,
Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Jupiter. None of them is
as compelling or interesting as Sailor Moon herself, but they are
all better-developed than the weaker supporting cast of Sailor V.
Sailor Moon is obviously Takeuchi’s second attempt at this kind of
shojo super-hero manga. She got it right the second time around.
Not perfect, but good and very entertaining.
Codename Sailor V ran 15 chapters, which should translate to just
two volumes of the new reprint series. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
ran 52 chapters with ten separate side stories. That should come
out to between 12 and 14 volumes. I’ve already ordered the second
volumes of both series and am leaning towards sticking with Sailor
Moon for the long haul. Expect updates.
I’ll be back on Monday with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
branding like “The New 52" to help them compete in a marketplace
overrun with mediocre fare like, well, most of “The New 52” titles
and whatever overblown epic is sprawling across the Marvel Comics
universe of titles.
Huntress is a six-issue series by Paul Levitz with art by Marcus To
(pencils) and John Dell (inks). The first issues is an excellent
start. Levitz is a master of comics writing craft, though his work
doesn’t always have the heart I would like to see. This time, he’s
dealing with situations that truly hit the reader in the gut, such
as gun-running and, even more intense, the international traffic in
sex slaves. If Levitz digs a little deeper, he could finish very
strong with this series.
The writing is top-notch in this issue. Though Helena Bertinelli
- the Huntress - could get a bit angrier in her confrontations with
the series villains, I do like the first-person narration utilized
by Levitz. The To/Dell art is both solid storytelling and lovely
to behold. Colorist Andrew Dalhouse delivers an outstanding job as
well.
Heaping a bit more praise on the issue, I love that the story isn’t
tied to other DCU storylines. It’s set in Italy and, outside of a
mention of Gotham City, there’s no other DCU references. I’d love
to see more DC and Marvel titles that stand on their own merits or
failings. It makes reading them more enjoyable.
I like Huntress better than almost all of “The New 52.” I hope the
success of that brand doesn’t spell doom for more independent works
like this one.
******************************
My daughter Kelly and her best friend Giselle still love the Sailor
Moon cartoons that found their way to the United States when they
were younger. So when Kodansha Comics announced the reprinting of
the original Sailor Moon and Sailor V manga series, I acquired the
first volumes of each.
Codename: Sailor V [$10.99] predates Sailor Moon. The series was
created by Naoki Takeuchi in 1991. As seen in this first volume,
it’s Sailor Moon without the team concept. Middle-school student
Minako Aino is recruited by talking cat Artemis to use the powers
and weapons of Sailor V to protect Earth from otherworldly villains
like the Dark Agency.
The soft and dream-like art of Sailor V is beautiful, but doesn’t
lend itself to clear storytelling. Key plot points are obscured or
reduced to minimal size. The stories themselves - there are eight
more or less done-in-one tales in this volume - have a sameness to
them. The series - thus far - isn’t to my taste, but your mileage
could and probably does vary.
I found Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon [$10.99] the better of the two
debut volumes, though that is partly due to my greater familiarity
with the characters from the cartoons. The flighty, klutzy Usagi
Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is better realized and more fun than Sailor
V. The storytelling is somewhat clearer and the humorous moments
are actually pretty funny.
In this first volume, we also meet talking cat Luna, Tuxedo Mask,
Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Jupiter. None of them is
as compelling or interesting as Sailor Moon herself, but they are
all better-developed than the weaker supporting cast of Sailor V.
Sailor Moon is obviously Takeuchi’s second attempt at this kind of
shojo super-hero manga. She got it right the second time around.
Not perfect, but good and very entertaining.
Codename Sailor V ran 15 chapters, which should translate to just
two volumes of the new reprint series. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
ran 52 chapters with ten separate side stories. That should come
out to between 12 and 14 volumes. I’ve already ordered the second
volumes of both series and am leaning towards sticking with Sailor
Moon for the long haul. Expect updates.
I’ll be back on Monday with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Thursday, December 8, 2011
SOMETHING CHRISTMAS THIS WAY COMES
It’s a cold/grey/wet day in Medina. I’m trying to get my Christmas
drama and shopping taken care of early this year, all the better to
live the life of a social pariah to which I’m clearly well suited.
Members of my family are somewhat upset with me over my reactions
to the mass e-mailing that inspired yesterday’s blog and, scoundrel
that I am, I don’t much care. Not going to air the family business
here, but there’s been some casting of stones by people who should
be themselves ducking.
People disappoint me, though likely no more than I disappoint them.
I was reading the comments to one of my favorite blogs and had one
of my eye-rolling moments when a poster complained bitterly about
the presence of Hawkgirl and John Stewart in the wondrous Justice
League cartoons. In snarky manner, the poster figuratively turned
up his nose at the concept of “Unity through diversity.” Really.
Such casual bigotry makes my heart sink.
In the local newspapers, The [Cleveland] Plain Dealer is behaving
more like Governor John “Creepy” Kasich’s public relations office
than a newspaper. They recently ran a front page story about how
Ohio residents don’t really know and, by extension, appreciate the
Governor. Of course, the thing is, we do know Kasich. We know his
many lies, we know he strives to enrich the rich at the expense of
working people, and we know he’s a former Lehman Brothers executive
who made millions from a company that played a pivotal role in the
near-collapse of the American economy. Of course, The Plain Dealer
doesn’t seem to know any of the above. They never mention Kasich’s
former employers (which include Fox News) by name. They’re giving
the so-called “liberal media” a bad name.
But the unpleasantries of some few aspects of my life aside, I’m a
pretty happy guy. I’m making great progress on my shopping for the
holidays. I could be finished by the weekend. Which would be very
cool since Eddie and Kelly will be coming home from The Ohio State
University. Their being here is really all the Christmas presents
I need or will ever need.
Let’s see what else is on my desk today...
I am slowly reading the 41st edition of The Overstreet Comic Book
Price Guide and, when I say slowly reading, I’m actually skimming
and stopping at the parts that interest me. Which doesn’t include
the many ads and most definitely does include the “About This Book”
comic strip by J.C. Vaughn and Gene Gonzales.
I’m currently into the latest market reports from comics collectors
and retailers. As you might expect, many of the entries make for
dry reading and many simply don’t interest me. I read them to stay
informed on this part of the comics industry.
Every now and then, one of the reports just plain tickles me. For
example, the one by Philip M. Levine and Jeff Rader of Paperpeddler
Rare and Esoteric Comics and Collectibles. It was enthusiastic and
informative. I wasn’t all about the economics of comic-book sales.
Made me wish I had the money to buy comics from them.
By the way, I have the Hero Initiative edition of the Price Guide
with the wonderful cover by John Romita, Sr, Tom Palmer, and Dean
White. It’s hard to resist picking up a book with that cover and
reading a few more pages. When I come across other things in the
Guide that catch my interest, I’ll write about them here.
******************************
Getting back to Christmas, Archie Christmas Classics [$14.95] would
be a fine and relatively inexpensive gift for the comics reader in
your life. It’s nearly 200 full-color pages of holiday heart and
humor by great writers and artists like Frank Doyle, George Gladir,
Harry Lucey, Dan DeCarlo, Stan Goldberg, and many more. Not one of
the book’s two dozen stories is less than clever and entertaining.
Several of them are incredibly moving. One of them - “It’s Not The
Gift” - made me a little misty. If you’ve wondered why I’m such a
fan of Archie Comics, this collection should go a long way towards
answering that question for you.
ISBN: 978-1-879794-78-8
******************************
I never know what spiffy surprises I’ll find inside an issue of the
164-page double digest titles published by Archie Comics. Case in
point: Archie Double Digest #222 [$3.99; November 2011]. There was
good reading a’plenty in the issue, but three items deserve special
mention...
George Gladir’s “Feeling Fuelish” is a fun parable about conserving
finite resources. Drawn by Stan Goldberg with inks by Bob Smith,
the tale first appeared in Archie #569 [November 2006]. The only
downer part of the story is that, five years later, we still don’t
seem to be able to shake our reliance on fuels that damage the very
air that we breathe and which we buy from sellers I would prefer we
didn’t do business with.
Maybe it’s time for a 1960s protest. Nope, not talking about the
courageous Occupy Wall Street movement. I’m talking about the kids
from Riverdale standing up for something they believe in. That’s
the premise of “Mustang Sally” by writer Hal Lifson, penciler Gene
Colan, and inker Rudy Lapick. I don’t know when and where it was
originally published, but it features the Archies singing classic
songs like “Eve of Destruction” and “I’ve Got You, Babe!”
Digging into the Archie archives, this digest also reprints a pair
of Wilbur stories by Joe Edwards. Wilbur is similar to Archie and
predated our favorite waffle-scarred redhead, but never reached the
same level of fame as the Andrews lad. Still, these two tales are
great fun. Both come from Wilbur Comics #89 [October 1964].
Even if you don’t buy the Archie double digests on a steady basis,
you should always make a point to flip through them at the comics
shop or supermarket. At least until the person behind the counter
reminds you that you’re not in a library.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
drama and shopping taken care of early this year, all the better to
live the life of a social pariah to which I’m clearly well suited.
Members of my family are somewhat upset with me over my reactions
to the mass e-mailing that inspired yesterday’s blog and, scoundrel
that I am, I don’t much care. Not going to air the family business
here, but there’s been some casting of stones by people who should
be themselves ducking.
People disappoint me, though likely no more than I disappoint them.
I was reading the comments to one of my favorite blogs and had one
of my eye-rolling moments when a poster complained bitterly about
the presence of Hawkgirl and John Stewart in the wondrous Justice
League cartoons. In snarky manner, the poster figuratively turned
up his nose at the concept of “Unity through diversity.” Really.
Such casual bigotry makes my heart sink.
In the local newspapers, The [Cleveland] Plain Dealer is behaving
more like Governor John “Creepy” Kasich’s public relations office
than a newspaper. They recently ran a front page story about how
Ohio residents don’t really know and, by extension, appreciate the
Governor. Of course, the thing is, we do know Kasich. We know his
many lies, we know he strives to enrich the rich at the expense of
working people, and we know he’s a former Lehman Brothers executive
who made millions from a company that played a pivotal role in the
near-collapse of the American economy. Of course, The Plain Dealer
doesn’t seem to know any of the above. They never mention Kasich’s
former employers (which include Fox News) by name. They’re giving
the so-called “liberal media” a bad name.
But the unpleasantries of some few aspects of my life aside, I’m a
pretty happy guy. I’m making great progress on my shopping for the
holidays. I could be finished by the weekend. Which would be very
cool since Eddie and Kelly will be coming home from The Ohio State
University. Their being here is really all the Christmas presents
I need or will ever need.
Let’s see what else is on my desk today...
I am slowly reading the 41st edition of The Overstreet Comic Book
Price Guide and, when I say slowly reading, I’m actually skimming
and stopping at the parts that interest me. Which doesn’t include
the many ads and most definitely does include the “About This Book”
comic strip by J.C. Vaughn and Gene Gonzales.
I’m currently into the latest market reports from comics collectors
and retailers. As you might expect, many of the entries make for
dry reading and many simply don’t interest me. I read them to stay
informed on this part of the comics industry.
Every now and then, one of the reports just plain tickles me. For
example, the one by Philip M. Levine and Jeff Rader of Paperpeddler
Rare and Esoteric Comics and Collectibles. It was enthusiastic and
informative. I wasn’t all about the economics of comic-book sales.
Made me wish I had the money to buy comics from them.
By the way, I have the Hero Initiative edition of the Price Guide
with the wonderful cover by John Romita, Sr, Tom Palmer, and Dean
White. It’s hard to resist picking up a book with that cover and
reading a few more pages. When I come across other things in the
Guide that catch my interest, I’ll write about them here.
******************************
Getting back to Christmas, Archie Christmas Classics [$14.95] would
be a fine and relatively inexpensive gift for the comics reader in
your life. It’s nearly 200 full-color pages of holiday heart and
humor by great writers and artists like Frank Doyle, George Gladir,
Harry Lucey, Dan DeCarlo, Stan Goldberg, and many more. Not one of
the book’s two dozen stories is less than clever and entertaining.
Several of them are incredibly moving. One of them - “It’s Not The
Gift” - made me a little misty. If you’ve wondered why I’m such a
fan of Archie Comics, this collection should go a long way towards
answering that question for you.
ISBN: 978-1-879794-78-8
******************************
I never know what spiffy surprises I’ll find inside an issue of the
164-page double digest titles published by Archie Comics. Case in
point: Archie Double Digest #222 [$3.99; November 2011]. There was
good reading a’plenty in the issue, but three items deserve special
mention...
George Gladir’s “Feeling Fuelish” is a fun parable about conserving
finite resources. Drawn by Stan Goldberg with inks by Bob Smith,
the tale first appeared in Archie #569 [November 2006]. The only
downer part of the story is that, five years later, we still don’t
seem to be able to shake our reliance on fuels that damage the very
air that we breathe and which we buy from sellers I would prefer we
didn’t do business with.
Maybe it’s time for a 1960s protest. Nope, not talking about the
courageous Occupy Wall Street movement. I’m talking about the kids
from Riverdale standing up for something they believe in. That’s
the premise of “Mustang Sally” by writer Hal Lifson, penciler Gene
Colan, and inker Rudy Lapick. I don’t know when and where it was
originally published, but it features the Archies singing classic
songs like “Eve of Destruction” and “I’ve Got You, Babe!”
Digging into the Archie archives, this digest also reprints a pair
of Wilbur stories by Joe Edwards. Wilbur is similar to Archie and
predated our favorite waffle-scarred redhead, but never reached the
same level of fame as the Andrews lad. Still, these two tales are
great fun. Both come from Wilbur Comics #89 [October 1964].
Even if you don’t buy the Archie double digests on a steady basis,
you should always make a point to flip through them at the comics
shop or supermarket. At least until the person behind the counter
reminds you that you’re not in a library.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
© 2011 Tony Isabella
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)