Month: August 2003

Forty five people in Europe have died in a heatwave. Ascribing it to the work of terrorists, the White House is currently exploring the feasibility of sending US troops to the Sun.

PAD

Although I’ve been repeatedly saying for months that “Fallen Angel” is for mature readers, some people seem not to be twigging to that. So I will reiterate: “Fallen Angel” is a series with strong language, explicit violence, and sexual content. Not as strong or explicit as a Vertigo title, but moreso than a standard DCU title. Issue #2 is no exception, and contains some dialogue and visuals of a sexual nature. The book was already available as part of the first look package, and retailers who operate in neighborhoods where the faint-of-heart reside should check it over and rack-and-sell it accordingly.

PAD

TONG LASHING, the latest adventure of “Sir Apropos of Nothing” should be out in the stores about now. For those unfamiliar with this go-around, here’s the cover copy (written by yours truly):

He’s back. Sir Apropos of Nothing, the best reviewed anti-hero in modern fantasy makes his triumphant return and gets a severe “Tong Lashing” for his troubles.

Yes, the hero who reviewers have described as “Swiftian,” “Schopenhauerian,” “Cyclopian,” and many other big words, has survived the events in his previous outing, The Woad to Wuin, events that would have killed a lesser man. Which is impressive considering it’s hard to find a lesser man than Apropos: A con man, a knave, a scalawag…and those are his finer points.

This time out, Apropos finds himself out to sea…literally. Yes, our rogue knight winds up adrift in hostile waters after a “friendly” game of chance with a wizard turns ludicrously deadly. But once again Death is thwarted (or perhaps it simply wants nothing to do with him) as Apropos winds up a stranger in a strange land. A land called “Chinpan,” populated by people who speak a different language and live by a code of honor, neither of which Apropos can comprehend.

And yet in Chinpan, Apropos slowly begins to examine his life and question whether he can aspire to true greatness. To become more than the hard-bitten cynic he’s always been. He may yet be able to find a happy ending among a gentle people who are willing to accept him, faults and all. And he acquires a teacher who may even be able to set him on a road to true enlightenment.

But events conspire to pull Apropos in unexpected and dangerous directions. For his presence in Chinpan does not go unnoticed. What does the mysterious criminal organization known as the Forked Tong want with him? How do their plans tie in or conflict with the criminal Skang Kei family, and their enigmatic leader, Skang Kei Ho? What of the Mingol hordes? And what will be the fate of the Chin clan, including Double Chin, Cleft Chin, Kit Chin, and little Kit Chinette?

By turns hilarious and tragic, Tong Lashing leaves no signature moment of adventure unpummeled. Mysterious shadow warriors, demented rulers, martial arts lessons, ritual suicide…all that fun stuff and much more in this, the latest (and last?) adventure of Sir Apropos of Nothing.

PAD

Preorder it here. Image via http://www.psiphi.org.

It seems to me that letters pages in the big two publishers is going the way of the dodo. Not enough hours in the day, not enough personnel to get it done, whatever. I miss them. When I was a young reader, I loved reading the letters column. It prolonged enjoyment of the book, and added to the communal feeling of comics fandom. Plus you’d get hints about stuff that was coming up, and there was just a coolness factor of getting direct responses from the editors. Perhaps that’s taken for granted in this computer day and age of pros interacting with fans on the net, but hey, not *every* kid in America is on line.

I just think it’s unfortunate that the lettercol tradition is on life support. And, as I usually and stupidly do when I think something is unfortunate, I try to do something about it.

Beginning with issue #15, there will once again be a letters page in “Captain Marvel.” How do I know this? Because I volunteered to assemble and write it, and editor “Dandy” Andy Schmidt agreed to give me the page (and no, it’s not going to be taken out of the story page count. Losing one page to the summary was quite enough, thanks.)

Issue #15 seems to be a good time to launch it. It’s got the Neal Adams cover, it’s actually the 50th issue of Marv’s title, and it kicks off a four parter that features a most unexpected intervention to deal with Captain Marvel’s insanity.

Now, of course, we need letters. So consider this an open call for them.

In case you’re wondering, we’re not going to be doing the “Interrupt every other sentence with bold face responses” approach from earlier columns. We’re going to do it the old fashioned way: You talk. I listen. I respond at the end if it needs a response.

Here’s the prerequisites: Keep them under 200 words. Sign your name to it (if you can’t be bothered to stand behind your opinions, I’m not interested in printing them.) Provide an address: Snail mail preferred, e-mail if you must. Why? Because, again, in the old days, I liked seeing where there were other fans. There’s something cool about hearing from fans in different regions. E-mail homogenizes everything. I’m old fashioned, and want the Captain Marvel lettercol to evoke the old days. Addresses are not mandatory, but such letters will be given preference. Names are a must. I’m not running letters from “Flyingpig413” or some such.

If your letter is selected, and I have a mailing address for you, I’ll make sure you get a signed copy of the issue your letter appears in.

Right now I’m looking for letters that are either of a general nature, or about the most recent issue (issue #12). They should be posted right here, on this thread. Every month, when the new issue comes out, I’ll start a thread in my blog. Please do not respond to this thread unless it’s with something intended for publication in “Captain Marvel.”

If people want to send snail mail letters, they can send them to me at PO Box 239, Bayport, NY 11705. DO NOT SEND LETTERS INTENDED FOR PUBLICATION TO MY E-MAIL ADDRESS. My e-mail box is crowded enough.

So there it is. Viva the lettercol.

PAD

I’m not trying to single out one poster on the earlier censorship thread, but I just see the following so often that I’ve actually already written a column on it and I think it worthwhile to rectify it here. The poster stated:

BTW, the US Supreme Court has pretty clearly stated that things like shouting “fire!” in a public place or inciting violence are not protected speech.

No. The Supreme Court never said that. You can shout “fire” in a public place…providing there’s a fire. What Oliver Wendell Holmes stated was that the First Amendment would not protect someone who FALSELY shouted “Fire” in a crowded theater in order to start a panic.

What is often glossed over is that Holmes’ oft’ misquoted statement was part of a decision that supported a staggeringly grotesque abuse of free speech. Holmes’ statement came about because of “Schenck v United States” (1919). Charles Schenck, secretary of the Philadelphia socialist party, distributed a pamphlet to draftees stating that, in his opinion, the draft was a violation of the anti-slavery 13th amendment and that, if they agreed with him, they should seek redress of the law. That was all he did. He didn’t urge violent reform. He didn’t cause a panic. To the best of my knowledge, he didn’t even convince one person to avoid the draft. But for his “crime,” he was found guilty under the Espionage Act of 1917 and sentenced to FIFTEEN YEARS IN JAIL. Nor was that the maximum sentence: He could have gotten up to twenty years and a $10,000 fine.

Nor was he alone. Hundreds of people were arrested, tried and jailed under that Act, some for doing nothing more than making speeches protesting the US getting involved in the World War.

Schenck’s case was appealed to the Supreme Court and, horrifically, they supported the findings. Holmes, writing the majority opinion (in which the “fire” analogy was used) felt the government was within its rights–at time of war–to jail dissenters since they presented (and here was the first use of the phrase) “a clear and present danger.”

Oh, and the Espionage Act is still on the books. Nixon tried to use it to jail Daniel Ellsberg for leaking “The Pentagon Papers.”

So Americans may want to think twice about trotting out that Holmes quote when they consider that it had nothing to do with theaters, fire, or panic, and instead was used to buttress the depriving of Americans their freedom simply for speaking their mind.

PAD

1) BILL MUMY: Would change state song to “Fish Heads” and force all reports about latest crises to be preceded by the words “Danger! Danger! Warning! Warning!”

2) LINDA HAMILTON: Only person in the world who was actually able to beat Arnold definitively. Would demand resignations of useless staffers by saying “You’re terminated, F*cker.”

3) HARLAN ELLISON: He might not win, but my God, the campaign speeches and debates would be worth the price of admission.

4) ALEX TREBECK: Dude’s got all the answers.

5) STAN LEE: Anyone who came up with “With great power comes great responsibility” certainly has his priorities in order. Would solve fiscal problems by sponsoring $5000 a plate dinners featuring Pamela Anderson pole dancing.

6) GEORGE TAKEI: Has genuine political experience and, as experienced helmsman, can successfully steer state to safety and away from giant amoebas. Would definitely require Walter Koenig as lieutenant governor.

7) JENNIFER LOPEZ: Would keep her out of movies.

8) RON REAGAN, JUNIOR: Father/son connection could position him for eventual run at White House, making him the first president ever to dance around on “Saturday Night Life” wearing jockey shorts.

9) RICARDO MONTALBAN: C’mon. Seriously. How cool would that be?

10) GENE HACKMAN: Proposed the only truly workable plan for solving California’s problems: Sink the dámņëd state with a carefully placed 500 megaton bomb, make a killing in real estate, and start over. In the spirit of democracy, would hold special vote to determine whether Marina del Lex, Luthorville, or Otisburg would be new state capital.

PAD