Month: July 2013

Originally published January 29, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1315

(Interior, conference room of a Major Comics Publisher. Several Executives are waiting. Executive A enters, two issues of Comic Buyer’s Guide tucked under his arm. He slams them down on the desk and projects his ire to the others in the room.)

EXEC A: Did you read this? Did any of you? This whole “MarvelManic” satire that compares us with Titanic?

EXEC B: It’s satire. It’s nothing.

EXEC A: I want this David guy gone! I want him off any titles that he was working on for us! And I want it done nine months ago!

EXEC C: You got it, boss.

Continue Reading “Behinds the Scenes at a Major Comics Publisher” →

Originally published January 22, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1314

And so, as we roll into the next year, it’s time for the annual doling out of what may very well be the least-awaited awards in the country: The Most Awards. Named for the patron saint of this little column, Donny Most (for no particular reason) the Most Awards is given out (in no particular order) to assorted people, places or things (in no particular pattern) for various reasons (with no particular criteria.) And so, here we go:

Continue Reading “The Most Awards 1998” →

Originally published January 15, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1313

Some more belated observations/recollections about the MECYF ’98, the sizable convention held in Mexico City last summer…

Continue Reading “Con Voyage to Mexico City, Part 2” →

Originally published January 8, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1312

Why do you climb into a rollercoaster?

I’m not talking about tricked up rides at Disneyworld or Universal or other theme parks, where the excuse can be that there’s other stuff to see along the way (the Jurassic Park ride, for instance, features several horrifying drops, but is “worth it” because of all the cool audioanimatronic stuff that’s part of the ride.)

I’m talking about the big ol’, high speed, turbo-charge, ain’t-nothing-there-but velocity roller coaster, hurtling along the rails, screeching as metal clutches onto metal. What is it about the swiftness of the ride that is so attractive? Is it the ear-shattering clacking of the wheels? The howling of people around you as they shriek in adrenalized terror? What’s the big attraction?

Face it: It’s the risk. You know it is. The risk generates the thrill.

Continue Reading “Death: The Ride” →