Month: November 2013

Guest column: Bill Mumy

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

digresssmlOriginally published October 1, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1350–Special Peter David-themed issue

When I was informed that I was the theme of this issue, my first thought was, “Good lord, why?” My second thought was that writing the column for this issue might seem like overkill. I mentioned this to my long-time friend and writing partner, Bill Mumy, and Bill immediately volunteered to fill in. With a disturbing lack of trepidation, I said, “Sure.” Twenty-four hours and half a bottle of wine later, Mumy produced the following:

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My daughter needs your POWER PACK help

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

My daughter Shana was interested in introducing one of her classes of kids to the world of comics. I recommended the original POWER PACK and she acquired the first trade paperback by Louise Simonson that came out in 2009.

She is reading it to her class and they love it. She decided that she’d love to get extra copies of the book for all the kids in her class, which would be thirty copies. But I just checked through my local comic store and they ran it through Diamond, and Diamond isn’t carrying it. Which makes me assume they’re out of print.

So it comes down to this: This is a school and a class and I’m looking for donations. If you have a copy of the first trade paperback and want to donate it, please send it to:

Shana David
Sun-Ray Cinema
1028 Park Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204

Thanks!

PAD

Coincidence in Fiction, Part 2

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

digresssmlOriginally published September 24, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1349

So we were busy last week ushering in the Marvel Age of non-coincidence, as espoused in the relaunches of mainstays such as Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk. It had been the humble suggestion of BID that Marvel obtain the rights to Classics Illustrated (which shouldn’t be much of a stress; after all, they used to publish Marvel Collector Items Classics) and put John Byrne in charge so that he could work his magic touch on all those annoying literary coincidences which have plagued various works. Coincidence, happenstance—these are antithetical to quality comics stories, and the new MCI would do away with such unlikely circumstances as:

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Coincidence in Fiction, Part 1

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

digresssmlOriginally published September 17, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1348

Happenstance vs. Conspiracies. Fate vs. Machinations. The Incredible Hulk Annual vs. Incredible Hulk #1. Save the first two for later, let’s look at the third.

Now, let’s be candid: You all know that I feel more of an emotional attachment to the Hulk than most other characters. And certainly John Byrne’s publicly expressed sentiments that my being forced from the title might be viewed as proof that “there is a God” didn’t exactly endear him to me. So the following is not exactly… how shall we say it… unbiased. Then again, it’s an opinion column, so what else is new? To say nothing of the fact that the title is burning up a considerable amount of bandwidth on the computer boards, so there must be something worth discussing here unmotivated by personal history.

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So here’s my question about “Ender’s Game”

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

Just came back from the film and I’m left wondering one thing:

Will SF fans have the balls to nominate it for a Hugo?

In a landscape where PC and boycotts dominate, will the fans have the nerve to see that this is, with the possible exception of Gravity, the best SF film to come out this year? It should be up for best dramatic presentation. If anyone else’s name than Card’s were attached, it would be. It was simply wonderful. So will the fans be able to do what’s right or won’t they?

PAD

“Enders Game” Boycotts

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

A few years ago, I wrote a video game called “Shadow Complex.” It was based on a tie-in novel by Orson Scott Card. You remember him: Mr. Anti-Gay. Now the novel had nothing to do with gays or any of Card’s more dubious beliefs.

Nevertheless, the fact that I was associated with Card at all prompted people to cry out for boycotts of not only the video game, but of all my work. X-Factor, Dark Tower, my novels: everything was to be avoided because I had dared to have anything to do with someone that had been designated a pariah, not because of his work, but because of his opinions and where he chose to spend his money.

How in God’s name boycotting X-Factor to protest Card made any sense at all…well, the answer lay within the skulls of those who were organizing it, I guess. Never made any sense to me.

And now, of course, the cries for boycott are sounding again as “Enders Game” opens today. That’s just what Harrison Ford and Asa Butterfield need for their careers: people refusing to see a movie because they (rightfully) disagree with the writer’s opinions. Even though those opinions aren’t reflected in the film. Even though his deal is structured in such a way that he will make no money from the film no matter how much BO it generates.

Screw that. We’re seeing “Enders Game” this weekend. Personally I don’t care; I’ve never read the book. But Kathleen did and loves it, so we’re going. We’ll also likely be seeing “12 Years a Slave” and “Last Vegas” as well. And we have no idea of the political opinions of anyone involved. Not sure how it’s relevant.

PAD

PAD and the CCA

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

digresssmlOriginally published September 10, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1347

So there I was, working on the plot for Young Justice #4. It was intended to be a startling opening sequence, in which the character Arrowette is depicted having been gravely wounded, with an arrow protruding from her shoulder. For a series that had garnered a reputation for tongue-in-cheek silliness, it was to be a departure. A signal to the reader that the title should not be taken for granted. That it was capable of changing mood at a moment’s notice. I didn’t want anyone to get too comfortable, because nowadays, once readers figure they have a bead on you, that’s when you become disposable.

What was uppermost on my mind in working out the sequence, you may ask? Was it the impact it would have on the reader? The shock value? The drastic means taken to introduce Arrowette (plus the other girls) into the series?

Nope.

It was the Comics Code Authority.

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