Month: April 2014

Guest column: Harlan Ellison on Twist vs. McFarlane

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

digresssmlOriginally published September 1, 2000, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1398

The following is a guest column by Mr. Harlan Ellison. In my recent coverage of the Tony Twist decision (where Todd McFarlane got hammered by a St. Louis jury for transforming hockey player “Tony Twist” into corpulent thug “Tony Twist), Harlan was struck by Todd’s (and Todd’s supporters) clear lack of comprehending what (if anything, in his eyes) he’d done to deserve this. Harlan has elected to draw from personal experience and spell it out for him. Here is Mr. Ellison:

So Todd McFarlane and Erik Larsen walk into a building.

You’d think one of them would have seen it.

Continue Reading “Guest column: Harlan Ellison on Twist vs. McFarlane” →

Are you an Avengers collector?

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

Are you someone who’s been collecting Avengers-related material all your life? Or any of the main founding Avengers, such as Iron Man, Thor, Cap, and the Hulk? Either Marvel-manufactured licensed objects or, even better, early sketches, production documents, story copy, and so on.

Then I can use your help. I am putting together an “Avengers Vault” with the folks who did the Spider-Man Vault book a few years ago, and we’re looking for stuff that we can photograph and put into the book. No money involved, but you’d get credited. If you’re interested in participating, please write to me at padguy@aol.com.

Thanks!

PAD

Hugos: Let me see if I understand this

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

So I’ve been a full time writer for nearly three decades and never so much as been nominated for a Hugo. Yet a racist, homophobic áššhølë is up for a Hugo this year because apparently he understands how to game the social network system. Because the Hugos will accept people who despise gays but draw the line at “Star Trek” novels.

Fine. Screw it.

I have a new novel coming out in July called “Artful.” It’s the previously untold story of the Artful Dodger, hunter of vampyres and other creatures. I want it to be up for a Hugo. Hëll, even a Nebula. And apparently sitting quiet for thirty years allowing fans to find my work on their own isn’t getting it done. So I’m starting a year early. “Artful” for the Hugo.

PAD

Twist vs. McFarlane, Part 2

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

digresssmlOriginally published August 11, 2000, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1395

When last we left our hero, Todd McFarlane, he was fretting outside a St. Louis courtroom after a St. Louis jury had awarded $24.5 million to former hockey player Tony Twist after McFarlane appropriated Twist’s name for a thuggish mobster in the pages of Spawn. “I thought that ‘law’ was sort of short for ‘logic,’” said Todd. “That just got blown out of the water.”

Continue Reading “Twist vs. McFarlane, Part 2” →

Twist vs. McFarlane, Part 1

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

digresssmlOriginally published August 4, 2000, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1394

“Must… control… fist of death…”

–“Dilbert”

Several years back I got an angry phone call from John Byrne, and for a refreshing change of pace, he wasn’t angry at me.

“Did you read Spawn #30?” he asked.

In Spawn #30, there were two members of the Ku Klux Klan, and their names were Peter and Johnny. Byrne was convinced that Todd McFarlane, Spawn creator, writer and erstwhile penciler, had dubbed the characters thusly for the purpose of taking a direct swipe at us. After all, Byrne and I had not marched in the preferred lockstep of approval for all things Image that the founders seemed to desire of the comic pro community. Byrne felt that it was nothing less than character assassination, was contemplating taking direct legal action, and wanted to know if I would be interested in joining him in such an endeavor.

Continue Reading “Twist vs. McFarlane, Part 1” →