Year: 2003

Today is Kathleen’s 40th birthday. It’s not her 39th, nor her 41st or 42nd. And 43rd is right out.

PAD

Some folks are complaining that CAPTAIN MARVEL #13 is an anti-Bush tract since it involves an alien race invading another world to rid them of an oppressive government, and then refusing to leave and not comprehending the natives’ lack of gratitude.

So presumably the invading race is the Bush administration (since in the preceding thousands of years of human history, no group has ever invaded another nation and refused to leave), and the opposing views in the book would presumably be mine. Just me out to make Bush look bad.

What no one comments upon is that the “opposing views” are presented by an individual who many would describe as an alien homicidal terrorist lunatic. Yes, the character presenting “my” opinions is a raging nutcase who believes he’s a god.

Well, hey…write what you know…

PAD

“We are fighting that enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan today, so that we do not meet him again on our own streets, in our own cities.”

Has anyone told Bush, who said the above, that twelve out of the fourteen hijackers two years ago were neither Iraqis nor Afghanis, and that the above statement–while catering to the “Keep Americans scared” rhetoric–makes no practical sense?

Nevertheless, it will not surprise me if a major troop pullout is announced prior to November of 2004, probably no later than summer of that year, particularly if no WMDs continue to materialize.

Continue Reading “MY PREDICTION” →

Issue #16 of “CAPTAIN MARVEL” will introduce Phyla…Captain Marvel’s heretofore unknown sister (except when he sees her he instantly recognizes her, which is weird even for this book). Issue #17 will have their first major confrontation, leading into the storyline’s explosive conclusion with #18 in which we explain a whole buncha stuff and maybe the Kree, Skrull, Shi’ar team up to destroy Marv once and for all.

And no, her nickname won’t be “Mary”…although Rick Jones does make reference to the “Mary Mar-Vell Marching Society.”

PAD

I’m looking for an action figure for a friend. Specifically, I’m trying to find an action figure of the Flash. But not just any action figure. I’m seeking the one that came out with body armor about ten years ago. It was part of a line called something like “Total Power.” (Bob Greenberger told me the exact name–twice–but it seems lately I’ve been short-term-memory-loss boy.)

Don’t tell me to check e-bay; been there, done that. Anyone have one for sale?

PAD

If you’re interested in seeing some of the single most condescending coverage of the Hugos in…well, ever, I guess…check this out.

PAD

Came back from Dragon*Con, and have taken a day or so to settle back in. Trips are always disruptive to my schedule and it takes me a little time to get back into the groove.

It was, in many respects, a typical Dragon*Con. I saw some folks, such as George Takei, hardly at all, and others I was running into no matter where I turned (I encountered Walter Koenig practically everywhere, including the men’s restroom.) The Walk of Fame where the stars autographed was the place to go if you wanted to sweat off pounds. I was in Artists Alley, next to Greg Horn, and did a very brisk business, moving pretty much all the books I’d brought to sell. So that was nice.

Interestingly, it took me two hours to get from New York to Atlanta, and another two hours to get from Atlanta Airport to my hotel room. To make matters more exciting, I was scheduled for a Trek panel at 2:30 PM Friday when my plane didn’t even land until 2:35.

For reasons surpassing any claim to sanity, I agreed to co-host “Iron Artist” again. I was teamed with James Leary (“Clem” from “Buffy”) who proved to be a talented improv guy, which is what you need when you’re trying to keep an audience entertained for close to an hour while you’re literally watching paint dry.

I only got to see one panel the entire weekend: A Buffy cast panel. Danny Strong (“Jonathan”) is an extremely funny guy. At one point James Marsters was asked if he was anything like “Spike,” and Marsters replied, “Yeah. Spike is the part of me that you get if you f*ck with me.” And then Strong piped up, “Same with me! When you f*ck with me, you get Jonathan!” This of course got a huge laugh, and Strong continued, “That’s right! You get a short, cranky Jew…oh. Wait. That’s actually me. Never mind.”

Greeted fans, greeted friends, spent time working on possible future projects with Bill Mumy. Kath hung out with old friends from Atlanta, Ariel sold her artwork, and everyone adored Caroline, newly into waving bye-bye and prompting one retailer to comment, “My God, that’s the cutest baby in the world.”

PAD