PeterDavid.net

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.

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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

If any of you would be interested in sponsoring my coming out there for a signing the week of April 5th, please drop me a line at padguy@aol.com.

Thanks.

PAD

Originally published August 28, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #980

Do we need publishers?

Forget “Do artists need writers?” or “Do writers need artists?” The question on the floor is “Do we need publishers?”

The answer to that is, Yes, of course… if you’re a publisher.

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So let me see if I understand this: When health care reform is discussed behind closed doors, pundits and GOP talking heads declare Obama is breaking a campaign pledge for transparency. But when he wants to meet with GOP opposition to discuss health care in a public venue, then pundits and GOP talking heads say it’s a trap.

Captain Kirk may not believe in the No-Win Scenario, but that’s because he was never President.

PAD

Originally published August 21, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #979

There is definitely a perverse aspect to my nature.

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Okay, not really. The snow, I assume, had nothing to do with our host server having–by the owner’s own account–”strangled itself” last night around 1 AM. After laboring mightily, they’ve obviously managed to get things repaired, although anything posted in the previous 24 hours is no longer.

We’re getting hit fairly badly out here, but a lot of people have it worse. How’s everybody on the East Coast holding up?

PAD

Originally published August 14, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #978

There are no comic-book conventions.

And we could really use one.

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UPDATED FEBRUARY 8th: Having taken the evening to reflect, plus after doing some research, I have decided that the best commercial of the evening was: The Dave Letterman Show ad. It was incredibly memorable. It was laugh-out-loud funny. And apparently they really were all together in the room. It was filmed at the Ed Sullivan studio and kept completely under wraps. The fact that they were able to pull that kind of national surprise in this day and age of spoilers and leaks gives it, as far as I’m concerned, the edge.

The place where I’ll be live blogging the commercials during the Super Bowl, the season’s final game of football.

Football, the one hour game that can run two, two and a half hours or more, making it the TARDIS of sports: You go into it thinking it’s one size but once you’re in it, it just seems to go on forever.

Football or, as fans of rugby refer to it, that game like rugby where the players are such pussies they have to put on helmets and padding. (Have you ever seen rugby? Seriously? All the brutality of football except they’re dressed in shorts and t-shirts. It’s literally like they just rolled out of bed and started careening into each other.)

As always, the focus of this blog will be on the most interesting part of the evening: The commercials. Comments will be below the cut. Plus I may decide to comment on the game here and there, using my copious expertise on the subject.

So get ready. The first inning will start at 6 PM, in just 25 minutes. Or, in football terms, in an hour and ten minutes.

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There was a slim chance this year that I might give a damn about the outcome of the Super Bowl, and then the Jets lost and I’m back to not particularly caring. (Not that I’m especially a Jets fan, or even a football fan, but I have plenty of friends who are, and I wanted to see them happy.)

But, as always, I will be doing running commentary on the commercials, which are typically the most interesting part of the game.

Feel free to cook up some nachos and join me tomorrow.

PAD

If you’re going to Portsmouth, England, you might want to stick to walking or public transportation rather than flagging a taxi. NPR reports that would-be cab drivers are allowed to take the written test in Braille.

PAD

A lot of people are expressing outrage over the prospect of DC using other writers to utilize Alan Moore’s characters in order to produce sequels.

On the other hand, Alan Moore used characters created by Jules Verne, Robert Louis Stevenson, H. Rider Haggard, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M. Barrie, L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll–not to mention thinly veiled proxies of the entire Charlton line–to produce his own various sequels which were highly praised and supported by those selfsame fans.

It should also be noted that there have been plenty of sequels to classic works of literature. If the sequel to “Gone With the Wind” was lousy, it didn’t diminish the value or worth of the original one iota.

Just sayin’.

PAD

Originally published August 7, 1992, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #977

And now, a column that has no particular value to it whatsoever, except perhaps to indicate that I have entirely too much time on my hands (which, considering my present workload, is laughable).

Many people go around with sketch books and collect sketches from artists.

Not me. That’s too simple. That’s too mundane.

I collect barf bag hand puppets.
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