Year: 2007

CBLDF Update

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

The long running case of Georgia v. Gordon Lee just got longer. The closely watched Free Expression case, which was scheduled to go to trial yesterday, was postponed because the judge was unable to appear due to illness. The case will be rescheduled, and is likely to run on the next misdemeanor trial calendar this November.

“Obviously we’re disappointed that the case was unable to go yesterday, as scheduled, but understand that this kind of delay is nobody’s fault and unavoidable. We wish Judge Salmon a speedy recovery,” says CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein.

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CBLDF Press Release: Gordon Lee trial starts today

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

The eyes of the comics, publishing, and Free Expression communities are focused on Rome, GA as the trial of Gordon Lee begins this morning.

Mr. Lee will stand trial for two misdemeanor counts of distributing harmful to minors material, and faces penalties of up to a year and prison and $1,000 in fines for each count if convicted. Lee’s day in court comes after nearly three years of legal proceedings arising from the Halloween 2004 distribution of Alternative Comics #2, a Free Comic Book Day sampler which featured an excerpt from the critically acclaimed graphic novel The Salon that depicted Pablo Picasso in the nude, and was allegedly handed to a minor. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has spent $80,000 on Lee’s defense since taking the case in early 2005, and anticipates this week’s trial to cost another $20,000.

Lee’s case is also being closely watched by the mainstream media for its implications on Free Expression. In the past week, stories have appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition, CourtTV, and New York Magazine, joining profiles from venues including The New York Times, The Book Standard, and Publishers Weekly.

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Cowboy Pete Gives Flash the Pan

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

I didn’t think it was possible for any version of Flash Gordon to bore the living crap out of me, but the Sci-Fi Channel managed it.

When BSG was reimagined, Ron Moore removed all the kitschy and campy aspects but replaced it with adult drama and sex. In the case of Flash, the producers likewise removed all the kitschy and campy elements from Flash Gordon, but replaced it with blandness. How colorless was Doctor Zarkov? How staggeringly dull was Ming the Merciless, no longer an evil, vaguely Asian guy but instead an unimposing Caucasian with the amazing ability to convey a total lack of threat. Were the producers REALLY that concerned about protests from Asian groups if they’d portrayed this decades-old iconic character in the classic manner?

And, hey…there was a REASON that Whitney was written out of Smallville: He was colorless and dull. So using him to anchor the series here only succeeds in that, like an anchor, he weighs things down and slows them to a halt.

I wanted to love this series, I really did. I mean, they had me with the prospect of evil aliens invading a bowling alley. (Which I have to think is a tactical mistake on the part of the aliens. If evil aliens showed up on league night standing at the far end of the lanes at my local bowling alley, we’d all just start chucking fifteen pound bowling balls at them.) But the flat writing, miscasting, and non-existent budget sank the pilot episode and I have, frankly, very little hope for subsequent outings.

Is it possible to do a tongue-in-cheek space opera for today’s audience? Sure. The producers of “The Adventures of Captain Zoom,” an underrated cable gem not even available on home video, accomplished that, featuring a lunkheaded hero, a hilariously offhand villain outing by Ron Perlman, a bewildered-looking Nichelle Nichols who didn’t quite seem to understand how she’d wound up there, and a budget of what looked to be $1.79. “Flash Gordon” from those folks would have killed. What we got instead was simply something that killed time, and even that, not very well.

PAD

RINGO

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

I don’t know what to say. I honestly don’t. I know I should say something…I worked with the man. But just saying, “He was a terrific artist and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to co-create comic books with him” seems inadequate when faced with a 44-year-old vegetarian in great shape whose heart gives out.

Saying “My condolences to all concerned” likewise seems facile and insufficient.

No words.

PAD

Karl Rove’s Book

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

On an episode of “West Wing,” John deLancie played a manipulative pollster who was happy to sacrifice all sense of morality in order to win an election. And Tobey said to him, “I finally figured out who you are.” deLancie’s character said, “He’s going to say ‘Satan.'” And Tobey said, “No. You’re the guy who runs into the 7-11 to buy Satan a pack of cigarettes.”

Satan’s real life cigarette buyer, Karl Rove, has announced that he’ll be scampering off the sinking ship of the Bush administration come the end of August. The speculation is that he’ll be writing a book.

Thoughts as to an appropriate title?

PAD

Caroline on the mend

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

Caroline’s little finger swelled up and we brought her to the doctor, who informed us of what we’d already pretty much figured out: She’d suffered an insect bite, probably a spider’s. Tragically, all it gave her was a puffy finger rather than the ability to crawl walls.

Fortunately enough, children’s Benadryl seems to be reducing the swelling almost to non-existence. Unfortunately enough, the medication tends to knock her unconscious with every dose. But she’s much more her old self now.

Kathleen and Ariel are out getting tickets for a big Muppet weekend that’s going to be happening at a local theater. I’m sure she’ll be giving a detailed write-up in her blog about that. I’m busy working on rewrites for X-Factor #26 and a novel that Del Rey will be publishing next May that is so different from my previous work, I suspect a number of people wouldn’t recognize it as mine. Tentative title: “Tigerheart.”

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