Author: Kathleen David

I think the following would be an interesting script for a commerical for a Democratic activist group:

1) Footage of Candidate Bush stating that he’s against nation building.

2) Footage of dead and dying American soldiers and dead and dying Iraqis, including some of that brutal footage from “F 9/11.”

3) Footage of Bush declaring “MIssion Accomplished.”

4) Footage of headlines declaring over a thousand Americans killed.

5) Footage of Candidate Bush stating that he supported the assault weapon ban.

6) Footage of newspaper headlines about the assault ban treaty being lifted without a word of protest from the White House, intercut with dead and dying young people or terrorists fighting assault weapons.

7) Footage of Bush saying that he’s keeping us safer. Freeze Frame, and the following words appear:

“While he’s lyin’, we’re dyin’.”

Paid for by the Committe of People Who Don’t Want to See More People Die On George Bush’s Watch.

Just a passing thought.

PAD

Although this has been announced at various conventions, I haven’t stated it here,and word hasn’t apparently filtered through to the on-line community. So I figure I’ll clarify matters, especially since I see folks on Newsarama wondering if “Tempest Fugit” is going to be a $3.50 per issue price point similar to the current Hulk/Thing limited series.

Bottom line is this: The combination of the positive fan response to the “Hulk” limited series by Lee Weeks and me, and the fact that Bruce Jones is now exclusive with DC, prompted Marvel to say, “Why the heck are we doing this as a limited series instead of as part of the ongoing?” So rather than it being issues 1-6 of “Tempest Fugit,” the Hulk series will simply start up again in January after a four month hiatus and my storyline will be issues 77 through 82 of the regular book. Which means that, to all intents and purposes, I’m back writing the Hulk.

Whether I’ll stay beyond that hinges on a few things. First, I want to make sure that I’m comfortable back writing the Hulk. So I’ve really only committed to six issues Then again, I initially only committed to six issues of “Young Justice,” so it’s not unprecedented for me to stay around.

Second, of course, is fan and retailer response, and third is whether Marvel wants to keep me around on the series. But naturally those two aspects are inextricably bound. If the retailer and fan support is there, that will send Marvel one message. If it’s not, that sends them another. And they will act accordingly, and I wouldn’t blame them.

So ultimately what it comes down to is, I’m back on “Hulk.” Whether I stay or not is up to a variety of factors, not the least of which is you guys.

PAD

Unbelievable. The free edition of “Fallen Angel” designed to get fans to sample it and, ideally, pick up the trade?

A retailer has put one up on Ebay. And it’s already got two bids bringing it up to $3.75. This for a book that says “FREE” on the cover. Check it out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=35764&item=2269079664&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

PAD

…or are more people than ever trying to exploit 9/11 for personal gain? Be it the GOP or some of the most remarkably tacky 9/11-related commemorative merchandise ever.

If anyone is interested in seeing the tragedy used for keenly dramatic purposes, I refer you to the FX series “Rescue Me,” in which it’s three years later and a group of firemen are still wrestling with the aftershocks of what they witnessed that day.

PAD

I can’t help but notice a couple of real-world parallels to stuff that was in “West Wing.”

WEST WING WORLD: In the flashback sequences where Bartlett was running for the presidency, his (soon to be fired) advisors kept urging him to refer to “my opponent.” The reasoning was, Why keep mentioning the name of the guy he’s running against? Why give him the publicity? Bartlett rejected the advice, maintaining that it would make it seem as if he couldn’t remember the guy’s name. That it would make him look “dotty.”

REAL WORLD: Bush constantly refers to Kerry as “my opponent” rather than by name. Either he doesn’t care if it makes him look dotty, doesn’t want to give Kerry additional publicity, or he really can’t remember Kerry’s name.

WEST WING WORLD: Bartlett’s second term opponent, the Bush-esque Governor Ritchie, wanted to minimize the number of debates. Bartlett wanted anywhere from three to five, Ritchie wanted no more than two (and eventually got it down to one).

REAL WORLD: Where Kerry wants as many debates as possible, with a minimum of three, the Ritchie-esque Bush wants no more than two, and technically hasn’t agreed to any. Whether they get it down to one has yet to be seen.

PAD

I asked Dave Lopez to do a simple headshot of the Fallen Angel for the bookplate, and instead Dave outdid himself with the following pencil drawing. So it’s taking a little longer to produce it than anticipated, but I think you’ll find it worth the wait, right?

View image

Some folks are writing me, telling me that their interest has been piqued by the recent “Fallen Angel” promotion, but that back issues are hard to come by.

I’ve checked with DC. They have, in stock, issues 12, 13 and 14. Each of these are stand alone issues, but contain important groundwork for the current arc in 15-18. So if your retailer claims he can’t obtain those issues, as some are…well, I don’t want to say anyone’s lying. Let’s just say they’re misinformed.

As for issues 7 through 11, DC hasn’t announced a trade collection of them yet, but certainly sales on the current one will determine that.

PAD