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I know this is the time of year when we’re supposed to be giving thanks and dwelling on the nobility of the human soul.

But as a lead-up to the holidays, a young man committed suicide on webcam while people watched, commented and lampooned him for twelve hours before someone thought to get help for him. And Black Friday kicked off at one Walmart with shoppers smashing through a door and trampling a holiday employee to death, actually stepping over his prone body to get to the bargains.

It’s as if either people don’t understand the things they’re witnessing, or simply don’t care. And I’m not sure which is worse.

PAD

A new artist for X-Factor (no, Larry’s not coming back), the Angel draws closer to what she needs to dispatch Moloch, and Apropos makes his comic debut with a nod to the Dark Tower. Whad’ja think?

PAD

As two of our favorite series, “Eli Stone” and “Pushing Daisies” are vanishing as well. (We never warmed to “Dirty, Sexy Money,” although it has inspired me to do an issue of X-Factor called “Dirty, Sexy Monet” at some point in the near future.)

What’s really killer is that both ES and PD have entered their sophomore seasons more focused, more intriguing, more character rich and plot layered than in their launch years. The types of shows that appeal to hipper, younger audiences–the type that sponsors despise because of the greater likelihood that such viewers will record such programs and whiz past the commercials. It’s starting to seem that the valued 18-40 audience that networks supposedly covet is becoming a liability because they’re least likely to watch ads for products.

Personally I’d love to see a second life for both progams on HBO or Showtime or AMC, where ratings aren’t such an issue (“Mad Men” continues despite ratings that would have gotten “Eli Stone” canceled before its third episode.)

PAD

I was at the gym and, to my surprise, my cell phone rang in the locker room. Normally I don’t even get signal in there. The phone number was not one I recognized. I answered it.

The news I then received stunned me.

(more…)

I received the following e-mail from Katherine Keller, the EIC of Sequential Tart:

Back in 2007 I did a fundraiser for the CBLDF where I pledged
to donate $1000 if I could get proof of 40 donations of at least
$25.

I’m doing it again.

Details as to why at the link:

http://kadymae.livejournal.com/719901.html

Well, “on” might be questionable; I doubt we’re actually visible on camera. But Kath and I were in the audience for tonight’s edition of “The Colbert Report.”

And boy, did we hit the jackpot. Not only was Colbert’s “The Word” in rare form (Colbert forgot to say “And that’s the Word,” at the end, so he said it at the beginning of the next segment; you might be able to hear my laugh), but the guest tonight is Paul Simon. Simon did two songs, including a duet of “Sounds of Silence” with Colbert. Beautiful stuff. I’ll tell you, this has been some year, with my musical experience ranging from Billy Joel and Paul McCartney seen from upper mezzanine seats with 50,000 people to Paul Simon singing with Colbert seen from about twenty feet away with just over a hundred people.

Be sure to tune in.

PAD

I’ve known about it for a couple months but didn’t say anything because I’m not big on making with the bad news.

I have to admit, I’m shocked. Shocked. The market has always been so supportive of books with female leads, and She-Hulk has never had a title canceled out from under her before, so I could never have seen this coming.

PAD

Just came back from a WGA screening of Ron Howard’s film, “Frost/Nixon.” It’s a hell of an experience for me because I remember watching the interviews when they were first broadcast, so it’s another case of history that I’ve lived through becoming the stuff of drama.

Playwright Peter Morgan has done a superb job of translating his play into film, which is not always an easy undertaking. Dramatizing the historic interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon–which were not without drama to begin with–Howard keeps the story moving along, building tension as Frost/Nixon comes across, not as a chess match, but four rounds of boxing. Each of them has their corner men, urging them to stay steady, to jab, to keep dodging, to stay in control. Particularly standout among the supporting players is the chameleonic Sam Rockwell as James Reston, pursuing a goal of taking down Nixon as if he’s the voice of the entire country.

Then there’s Michael Sheen as Frost, looking increasingly terrified as he realizes that what began as a nifty and high-profile idea has morphed into a potentially career ending endeavor that could leave him financially busted to boot, and eventually developing the spine of steel needed to go toe to toe with Nixon.

But it’s Frank Langella’s Nixon that’s the standout. If he isn’t up for an Oscar for best actor, there is simply no justice. With a minimal amount of make-up, and making no attempt to do a Richard Nixon impression, he nevertheless embodies the late president as if he were channeling his spirit. When it got down to their final confrontation over Watergate, I was literally on the edge of my seat.

“Frost/Nixon” is an absolute must-see.

PAD

I’m not predisposed to like a Bond film. I’m predisposed to love a Bond film. And I loved “Casino Royale,” the reboot that was objected to by a bevy of Bond fans who dismissed Daniel Craig as “James Blond” or even “James Bland”…until they saw it. Craig remains the main selling point of the sequel, and does the best he can with what he’s handed. And Dame Dench’s M remains stellar.

Other than that, however…I had some major problems both with what was there, and even more, with what wasn’t.

MAJOR spoilers below the cut line, but it really can’t be helped.

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Variety has reported that a town in Turkey called Batman is suing Warner Bros. and film director Christopher Nolan for what they deem improper use of their town’s name. According to Variety, Mayor Huseyin Kalkan blames the film for an increase in crime and suicide among depressed citizens who are distressed to see their city’s name usurped. Kalkan stated, “There is only one Batman in the world. The American producers used the name of our city without informing us.”

I wonder how he’ll react when he learns his surname was appropriated by pet food manufacturers.

PAD

Variety has reported that a town in Turkey called Batman is suing Warner Bros. and film director Christopher Nolan for what they deem improper use of their town’s name. According to Variety, Mayor Huseyin Kalkan blames the film for an increase in crime and suicide among depressed citizens who are distressed to see their city’s name usurped. Kalkan stated, “There is only one Batman in the world. The American producers used the name of our city without informing us.”

I wonder how he’ll react when he learns his surname was appropriated by pet food manufacturers.

PAD

Over the last year or two I’ve received quite a few inquiries from fans asking why they can’t find “Out of the Darkness,” the third book in the Centauri Prime trilogy “Legions of Fire.” Okay, you CAN find it, but it will run you $35 all the way up to $70.

Welcome to what Max Allan Collins refers to in publishing as the net sales death spiral. It goes as follows:

Let’s say the guys who order the books for Borders and B&N order–just tossing out a number–50,000 copies of the first book in a series. Average sell-through on a book is 50-60%. Let’s be generous and say that book then actually sells 30,000 copies. The next book in the series comes out, they order 30,000 copies. Which means that the book will sell maybe 20,000 copies. So the next book, they’ll order 20,000 copies.

In the case of the three B5 books I wrote, the bookbuyers ordered X for the first one, X-50% for the second, and X-50% of that for the third. Meantime the series only became more popular, not less. In the long term, this isn’t necessarily a problem because the publisher can go back to press as the demand continues to increase. But the licensing agreement ran out, so they were unable to go back to press on the third because they no longer have the rights to the property.

Which is why you can’t find the third book.

PAD

One of the fun casting bits on “Desperate Housewives” has been Kathry Joosten as neighborhood busybody Karen McCluskey. Joosten previously was best known as Mrs. Landingham, the formidable Presidential secretary on “West Wing” who met a far-too-soon violent death in a car accident. Eventually she was replaced by Deborah Fiderer, portrayed by the inestimable Lily Tomlin.

So story developments on “Desperate Housewives” have landed Poor Mrs McCluskey in a hell of a fix, consigned to a hospital’s mental ward as a neighborhood villain has convinced the other residents that Mrs M is having a breakdown. Deciding that she needs reinforcements in the face of such villainy, Mrs. M sends out a call to the toughest woman she knows: Her sister.

Played by Lily Tomlin.

President Bartlett’s two secretaries teamed up. The villain doesn’t stand a chance.

PAD

Yes, Fox gave “Terminator” a full season pick-up. And where are they relocating it to?

Friday nights. The official Fox genre death slot, where a dozen SF series have gone to die.

And what are they putting as its lead in? “Dollhouse.” Because Joss Whedon’s last project did so well on Friday nights that they just had to put his newest one in the same slot.

And when are they launching it?

In February on Friday the 13th.

It’s Fox. It’s SF. It’s Friday. It’s Friday the 13th.

What could possibly go wrong?

PAD

Yes, Fox gave “Terminator” a full season pick-up. And where are they relocating it to?

Friday nights. The official Fox genre death slot, where a dozen SF series have gone to die.

And what are they putting as its lead in? “Dollhouse.” Because Joss Whedon’s last project did so well on Friday nights that they just had to put his newest one in the same slot.

And when are they launching it?

In February on Friday the 13th.

It’s Fox. It’s SF. It’s Friday. It’s Friday the 13th.

What could possibly go wrong?

PAD

He won. The “West Wing” scenario played out exactly as–

Uh oh.

Has anyone checked on Joe Biden?

PAD

I put on the news this morning and the first thing I saw was voters lined up at various polling places around the country.

So how long did you have to stand on line? If you want to say who you voted for, that’s fine, but I’m more curious as to the wait time.

PAD

So I received a robo-call today from a woman purporting to work for a gay magazine (I believe the name she put forward was “Gay Magazine,” which was very imaginative). She declared cheerfully that her publication was endorsing Brian Foley–a Democrat running for State Senate–because he supports legalizing gay marriage in New York. “So if you want gay marriage in New York, vote for Brian Foley!”

I checked with Foley’s office and they’d already heard about it, confirming that there’s no such endorsement. It’s an obvious dirty tricks stunt endeavoring to stoke the fears and bigotry of credulous voters by floating the “specter” of gay marriage being legalized in New York.

Unbelievable.

PAD

I’m starting a pool to predict the results of the Presidential election.

Entering is easy: Predict the split of the Electoral votes between Barack Obama and John McCain. For those who don’t remember off the top of their heads, there are 538 electoral votes total up for grabs, and 270 are required for the presidency.

I’m talking about a final determination as reported by a reliable news source such as the Associated Press, whenever that may be.

Guess how many Obama gets and how many McCain gets. If two people guess the same division, then the person who posted it first has dibs. If you see that someone already beat you to it, then feel free to choose another. One acceptable guess per person. Don’t get cute and start inventing various names and making multiple guesses; trust me, I’ll figure it out and just delete all of them.

What does the winner get? A signed copy of the first issue of “Sir Apropos of Nothing” from IDW. And somewhere right now Elayne Riggs is saying, “Great, just what I need.”

Go to it, kids.

PAD