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Weather is fearsome outside. Pounding rains, dark skies, and winds as high as 35 mph. Tornadoes are rare on Long Island but not unprecedented. I’m watching the skies.

PAD

Originally published October 16, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #987

Ramblings about a couple of things:

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Originally published October 9, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #986

Yes, I see a hand raised. You, over in Oh, So?

The Comics Code Authority? What do I think of the Comics Code Authority?

Heavens. It’s embarrassing to realize that I’ve been slogging through all manner of subject matter over the past two years and have never touched on the CCA–a truly hideous oversight which will now be corrected.

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No, as of this writing, ABC and Cablevision haven’t come to terms. Instead I took Robert Fuller’s advice: I found a nearby hotel that has ABC and was charging a dirt cheap room rate since it was last minute and Sunday is a dead day for them. So the Davids decamped to the hotel and as of 8:30 PM I’ll be doing my running commentary for the Oscars. Even if they wind up sorting this out at the last possible second, screw it. At least I didn’t have to sit there watching the time tick down, feeling helpless in the crossfire of two huge corporations. Plus I took Caroline swimming, so it’s all good.

See you below the cutline of this post at 8:30 EST.

PAD

UPDATED 8:27–We’re three minutes away, and Cablevision is still gone. (more…)

Because I’m one of the lucky 3.1 million Cablevision customers who is caught in a high stakes pissing match between Cablevision and ABC. The alphabet network decided they wanted Cablevision to cough up an additional $40 million in order to keep carrying their programming; Cablevision said no, if for no other reason, I’d think, then they figure that every other network will come knocking next. And ABC naturally had to wait until they had some high profile TV program to air that isn’t easily watchable on line the next day. They chose today. Which means I’m going to miss seeing the Oscars for the first time in my adult life. We tried to compensate by getting a digital antenna, but it’s useless: The only thing it picked up was two Spanish channels and an infomercial.

So for those of you who had become accustomed to watching along with this blog, well…unless something big changes in the next six hours, corporate warfare is going to be kneecapping the Oscar’s NY ratings tonight.

If anyone knows a legal way to watch them on line, I’m all ears.

PAD

Senator Roy Ashburn, Republican from Prop 8-happy California, and a staunch opponent to gay rights, was arrested on a DUI while leaving a gay bar with an unidentified male companion.

People tend to say such things are ironic, but technically it’s not. It’s being caught in a display of hypocrisy, but there’s not an actual word to cover it. Maybe we should call it “hycronic.”

PAD

Originally published October 2, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #985

Front page news.

“The Death of Superman” has finally hit the media, landing with a very loud splash on the front page of Newsday. And since Newsday is a tabloid, front page means the whole page.

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…it’s our valiant webmaster’s birthday today.

So Happy Birthday, Glenn. May you live to be 103 plus five months, because we wouldn’t want you to die suddenly.

PAD

The New York Yankees, as he is now facing charges of violating ethics laws because he was given free tickets to the first game of the World Series last year.

Aw, come on.

I mean, I get it. I get that such laws are in place to discourage lobbyists from having access and sway over public officials. And it was a dumb ass move on his part that, when buttonholed about it subsequently, he tried to cover himself by saying he was going to pay for it and then using a backdated check to try and make it convincing. I get all that.

But come on. Being the governor of New York is a thankless job on the best of days. Certainly you should get SOME perks. He didn’t get free tickets so he could take some prostitutes. He got free tickets so he could take his son and a friend. Big damned deal. Instead of trying to cover his tracks, he should have said, “Yeah. They gave me tickets. I’m the governor of New York, it’s the New York Yankees, and they wanted me there. Next question.”

He’s already said he’s not running next election. Leave the guy alone to do what governing he can.

PAD

On the off chance that you’re living under a rock, here’s the new Old Spice commercial that’s getting a ton of attention.  Question below:

So–if the oyster had two tickets to that thing you love…what would that thing be?

PAD

Originally published September 25, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #984

Concluding my endless recollections on the San Diego Comic Con:

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I’ve known Walter Koenig for a whole buncha years now; last time I saw him was at George Takei’s wedding.  When I heard his son disappeared, I prayed he’d return safely.  And it’s true that God answers all prayers, but sometimes the answer is “No.”

No matter how depressed you are, no matter how bad things may be, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.  Seek help.  Seek support in the arms of friends.  Don’t go the path of Andrew, because although you may believe you’re ending your pain, the amount of pain you will be leaving behind you for your loved ones is incalculable.

My greatest sympathies to Walter and his family.

PAD

Originally published September 18, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #983

Continuing assorted ramblings about the San Diego Comic Convention:

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In light of recent discussions, some people might be wondering if there’s anything that I would find myself saying, “No, that’s not right; that’s not funny, that’s a bad idea for humor.”

Well, yes, as a matter of fact.  It happened just recently on an episode of a series that I absolutely adore:  ”30 Rock.”  They had a storyline that I thought was not only offensive but exceptionally ill-advised, and if I’d been in any sort of creative authority on that series, I would have made sure to smother the concept before it emerged from the writer’s room.  I cannot conceive how in God’s name it made it onto air. (more…)

Haven’t done one of these in a while, but X-Factor #202 is out this week, so…

PAD

I’d like to see a photograph of author Gaiman standing in front of Terrance Stamp so that it could be captioned, “Neil Before Zod.”

But that’s probably just me.

PAD

Yet one more reason to adore Kirsten Dunst.  Note:  Contains about one second of comic art cartoonishly large bare breasts.

Watch Akihabara Majokko Princess in Anime |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Originally published September 11, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #982

In past years I’ve run a journal of my activities at the San Diego Comic Con.

But since I already did a journal-type column this year for my trip to Glasgow–and because I’m starting to wonder if anyone really gives a damn about every single step I take when I’m out in California–I figure that this go-around I’ll simply discuss incidents and highlights, and not necessarily in any particular order. Just to keep things hopping.

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Originally published September 4, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #981

A curious and depressing sequence of events…

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The following commentary turned up on the blog of Amanda Palmer or, as many fans know her, Neil Gaiman’s fiancee:

neil also called me up slightly out of sorts, because some of HIS fans were upset about the blog. (T)his ties in with a slight problem i’ve been having lately, which is a whole new wave of neil’s fans coming over the fence to see what i’m about. (A)nd when they see conjoined twins, black humor, and half-naked red carpet photos, they run screaming (and run screaming in neil’s ear. and the screams aren’t pretty to listen to.) The entire blog can be read here:

Amanda’s Blog

Despite being a veteran of assorted fan temper tantrums, excoriations and blacklistings, I still found that just a bit hard to believe. But I did some checking around and, sure enough: Although there are fans reacting in a reasonable manner, there is also knee-jerk cursing out of Neil, badmouthing, and general nastiness. Even Neil’s measured suggestion that people actually wait until the hotly debated Evelyn/Evelyn project comes out so they can judge the finished project prompted curse-outs, profanities, and the default word that fans toss around whenever they want to express their ire in an inflammatory manner: Fail!

Castigating Neil because they don’t like a project being developed by his fiancee? “Why is Neil marrying this woman?” bleated one poster, prompting much head bobbing from fellow bobble-heads.

What the hell, people? Seriously. What the hell?

You want to talk about “fail?” How about “Fanfail”. Fans failing to act in a manner that is considerate or civilized or intelligent. Fans making untoward, unkind and unjust comments about the personal lives and romantic choices of professionals when it’s none of their damned business. Instead of attacking Neil because he’s engaged to marry someone who’s working on a musical project that they don’t like (not that they’ve actually heard it or have any intention of doing so), how about they turn that laser-sharp personality deconstruction on themselves and realize just how unfair and how small-minded they are. If nothing else, they can ask themselves how they would feel about being attacked and held responsible for the actions of their significant others.

PAD