Occasional Superheroine

To The Person Who Donated $70 To The Site In July

2008-07-18T14:21:00.004-04:00

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was going through my (tiny) funds for San Diego, and I was like: OMG!

Really, I do very much appreciate it, and it really really helps.

Black Canary Barbie

2008-07-18T13:10:00.002-04:00

Okay, Black Canary Barbie: too titillating? offensive? is the controversy justified? etc.

Black Canary Barbie is a $40 collector's doll. I used to collect Barbies about six years ago. The expensive collector dolls are not meant for kids. They have all sorts of stuff -- from possible "adult" subject matter to little swallowable pieces -- that can effectively place them out of the realm of your standard eight-year-old.

Now, they did put out cheaper versions of DC heroines that were theoretically targeted towards younger fans. This Black Canary is not one of them. It's a $40 freaking doll. Mattel has these "jazz" inspired Barbies that are even more extreme, with fishnets and sexy poses.

That said, the only Barbies I'd give a little girl are the ones where she's a veterinarian, or a police woman, or a teacher, or a journalist for the school paper. Something constructive.

You know what's really not constructive? A Barbie dressed in a pink tutu called "Princess Foo-Foo Flower."

That said, no, I wouldn't give this Black Canary doll to a child. It's not appropriate. A teenager, sure. Not an eight-year-old. It's just too adult. Not adult in a bad way. Just too adult, with no context for a little girl.

The problem is, many people assume, when they hear "Barbie," that we are talking about strictly children's toys. Whereas, like a large segment of the action-figure buying public, what we are really talking about are adult collectors.

Kinda like...comics?

(with a hat tip to Paul Duggan for the link)

Ditmas Park Tales: The Tracks

2008-07-18T11:14:00.004-04:00

My shitty version of Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" --

Okay, this is how The Kid ended up making me climb the sharp rocks out of the tracks.

The Kid -- I must have had a dozen aliases created for him in other things I've written, but I'm getting lazy now -- had struck upon a truly genius idea. We were going to go down to Ave. I to the discount store and buy up all the Toy Biz Marvel Comics action figures that were on sale. I mean, they were on sale for nothing, maybe $2 or $3 a piece. Hulk. Dr. Doom. Wolverine. We'd buy them all up, along with similarly discounted Simpsons and Little Mermaid figures, and then wait a few years and resell 'em and make a profit and be rich.

I was 16 and had made a firm decision that I wasn't going to return to high school anymore. It was boring, it was dull, I couldn't relate. Worst of all, they were making us play badminton.

So instead of taking the bus down Coney Island to the store, The Kid convinced me to take the tracks. They were train tracks that were rarely used anymore, overgrown with weeds and choked with rusted cans and the skeletons of bikes and appliances. It was easy enough to make one's way down to the tracks, by squeezing past a fence and navigating past a very level decline or series of flat step-like rocks. But, as with everything in my life, I needed to know there was a predictable conclusion, a way out. I wanted to know there was a similarly safe and easy way to get out of the tracks. The Kid assured me that there was.

Now, The Kid also had a habit of accidentally setting things on fire. So I don't know why I trusted him.

My heart dropped as we walked along the tracks. One-by-one, The Kid opened up to me regarding the dangers of the area -- how to listen for the trains he initially told me almost never traveled down this route anymore, the accidents, the criminals who hung out there. I saw a crack pipe lying between two bleached and splintery wooden boards and brought it to The Kid's attention. He admitted sometimes him and his cohorts would go down there with booze, but swore they weren't taking drugs.

Later, The Kid would steal a small metal cash box and take it down to the tracks and try to open it with a sledgehammer. I don't remember details. There might have been tiny explosives involved as well. Just like in those heist movies. I just remember it was the last time he was allowed back in his house, and that's how he ended up staying over mine for a spell.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Anyway, we were walking along the tracks, listening for the trains that were not supposed to come, when a little band of about six boys confronted us. The oldest one must have been no older than eleven. They looked at us with screwed-up, mean faces and announced that we would not be allowed to pass. Also, that we were fart-heads.

Now, The Kid looked like he was 12, but was all of 15. You'd figure me and him could take these suckers. But, we just felt rather silly about it. They were little children. And they could probably, if they piled on, could kick our ass. Or even have a shiv. Never underestimate youngsters who hang out on the tracks.

One boy threw a pebble at The Kid, and it bounced off his forehead. The Kid flinched. Then somebody else threw a pebble at me, landing on my cheek.

"Fart head!"

Soon, we were barraged by pebbles and the sound of this bunch's laughter. We were beat. We had no plan. We just pushed past them, the momentary sting of tiny rocks peppering our back and legs.

"How much further?" I asked him.

There was no conception of time on the tracks. Or direction, other than Where We Were and Where We Were Going.

The Kid assured me we were almost there. Then, by a steep wall-like formation of sharp rocks and glass, he stopped.

"Okay. We get out here. The store's right up and over."

Indeed, he was correct. Looking up, I could see the top of the discount store surrounded by blue skies and clouds.

"Yeah, but how do we get out of here?"

"We climb."

No, there was no fucking way I was climbing a fucking wall with sharp shit sticking out of it.

"Fine, then go back home. There is no other way. I'll leave you here."

I wanted to cry. I watched him approach the wall, grip the pipes and rocks that stuck out of its horrible, lumpy facade, and crawl away from me into the horizon.

I wanted to turn back, but then I thought of those little bastards with the pebbles. I was so close to victory and those Marvel Comics action figures for only $2.99! Nightcrawler! Colossus! Spider-Man with alternate suit!

So I approached the wall and unsteadily gripped a triangular piece of granite. I winced as my knees and the meat of my hands got scratched up. But, I finally made it to the surface.

As I met up with The Kid and headed with him towards the store, something caught my eye. I couldn't believe what I saw. A little further along the block, past the wall we climbed, was a set of concrete stairs leading to the tracks. It even had a fucking banister.

"We could have taken this to get up! Didn't you know about these stairs?!"

"Yeah. But the other way was more fun."

Is THIS Political Cartoon Offensive?

2008-07-18T07:00:00.008-04:00

This was brought up on Fark, and, in light of the whole Obama "New Yorker" controversy, I'm interested in your opinion.

Is this cartoon (illustration) that appeared in a recent Rolling Stone offensive?

Just to backtrack a bit, I found The New Yorker cover with Obama & his wife offensive...or more specifically, in bad taste and not effective as satire. I understand arguments to the contrary and respect them. I just didn't like that cover. So sue me. I'm not asking for a boycott of The New Yorker. I'm just saying "meh," and I'm not buying the issue. Okay, not like I buy it anymore anyway, but just read what they post online. But there is a point in there, somewhere.

Back to this Rolling Stone cartoon.

I find this cartoon effective in that I clearly understand the "joke" -- the Democratic candidates are bedeviling McCain. Okay.

I find this cartoon in bad taste for two reasons.

First, the way the mock "Viet Cong" are drawn bothers me. Of course it's exaggeration -- an illustration of a theoretical McCain "flashback" using stereotypically drawn antagonists a la WW II propaganda -- and is not meant to be in any way a statement by Rolling Stone on Asians. It's satire. And yet, the appropriation of that racist imagery still has the power to disturb. I'm not saying Rolling Stone shouldn't have used that imagery, I'm just describing a gut feeling I have when I look at that cartoon. Please do not lecture me with "What Is Funny 101" and tell me my sense of humor is dead. That sort of patronizing tactic was used to death by certain critics in relation to the Obama New Yorker cover, and I'm pretty much sick to death of it.

Second, I think making fun of McCain's experience as a prisoner of war for 5+ years is in incredibly bad taste. That really bothers me. If McCain wants to once in a while make a little joke about it, that's fine. He has earned the right to refer to his painful experience any damn way he wants to. But the reference falls flat in this cartoon, and makes me cringe at the sight of it. It makes me wonder why this is not an an issue in the way the New Yorker cover was.

That all said -- I'm a Obama supporter and plan to vote for him in the election. But I respect the time McCain put in military service, and I think he suffered terribly and that's not something that should be used in satire. From Wikipedia:

"In August of 1968, a program of severe torture began on McCain. He was subjected to rope bindings and repeated beatings every two hours, at the same time as he was suffering from dysentery.^] Further injuries led to the beginning of a suicide attempt, which was stopped by guards...His injuries left him permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head. He subsequently received two to three beatings per week because of his continued refusal to sign additional statements."

Again, not advocating censorship, just giving my two cents.

No Animals Were Hurt In The Making Of This Webcomic

2008-07-17T15:37:00.004-04:00

Just a quick question(s)...

So somebody on the DC message boards criticizes Dean Haspiel's Street Code -- premiering tomorrow on Zuda but being previewed at Pop Candy -- because it shows a scene with injured animals being operated on.

"I don't care what he has in store, cruelty to animals is something I can never enjoy...For you see there is large portion of humanity that stops reading, watching, and or listening to a form of entertainment the second an animal is harmed regardless of the intent."

This results in a moderately longish thread discussing the portrayal of cruelty of animals in comics, movies, etc.

I highly doubt Street Code is a webcomic promoting animal cruelty, as the perpetrator of the violence was called "Awful George," and the person doing the operation was apparently trying to save the felines. Clearly our sympathy is meant for these hurt creatures.

But do you think is "animal horror" acceptable in stories, given the context? Or are critters "sacred" in the way little kids are in horror films? -- like, whenever they kill off a kid in a horror film, it's considered tasteless. And should Haspiel or any other creator be able to depict images like this if it's an integral part of the story and provides crucial commentary on a character -- in this case, "Awful George?" I mean, some assholes do abuse cats.

Getting a kick out of this post:

People Who Look Like Superheroes (and their T-shirts)

2008-07-17T12:34:00.005-04:00

Okay, this happened for the third time today, so a post was warranted.

So this morning I'm on the train, and spot this tall thin guy with black hair wearing a long red shirt and huge white goggle-looking glasses with a stripe across the center. My BF nudges me to get my attention. I say, without missing a beat, "I know, I know: Plastic Man."

Then as I am walking to work I see this kinda buff blond guy in shorts and an Aquaman T-shirt, and I'm like: "No wonder he's wearing that shirt. He looks exactly like Aquaman."

Finally, on my lunch break I spot this guy with brown hair that's sticking up, smoking outside of Home Depot with a semi-surly look on his face. What tee is he wearing? Wolverine, of course.

This all reminds me, in a very tangential way, to this really funny photo gallery in The Smoking Gun where they show mugshots of perps wearing ironic t-shirts.

Me? I love T-shirts with cool characters and stuff on them. So far I have:
* Two Charlie Browns
* Linus
* Firestar
* Iron Man
* Wonder Woman insignia
and many others I can't remember right now.

Mark Hamill As The Joker

2008-07-17T06:54:00.003-04:00

I'm sure Heath Ledger is going to be great as the Joker, but for my money, nothing beats Mark Hamill in Batman Adventures...

The Joker and Andy Dick

2008-07-16T14:22:00.004-04:00

Comedian Andy Dick arrested for drug possession and allegedly groping and exposing the breasts of a 17-year old girl in a public place.

It's the smile that does it. Y so serious? Many reasons, my friend. Many, many reasons.

"Wonder Women Of America" Cosplay Book

2008-07-16T10:03:00.005-04:00

Not able to attend San Diego Comic Con this year but jonesing for your fix of women dressed as comic book superheroes? "Wonder Women Of America" is an upcoming book featuring nothing but pictures of women dressed as superheroines from last year's SDCC.

From the website:

"If you’ve been to the San Diego Comic Con, you’ve seen all those women dressed in sexy super-heroine costumes. Now you can take them home with you! Wonder Women Of America, a great new book by Amos Toys’ co-founder Russell Waterman and photographer Ruth Wiggins, celebrates how women at Comic Con choose to express themselves, their interests, their freedom and their sexuality by dressing up as fictional characters."

You can purchase a copy of this book at -- you guessed it, this year's San Diego Comic Con! Which kind of defeats the purpose of the first sentence of this post, but there you go.

Dark Knight Cake Prompts TV Station Evacuation

2008-07-16T09:58:00.000-04:00

Shades of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force terrorism scare!

Police and firefighters were called into the station of KENS 5 Eyewitness News after receiving a chocolate cake with wires coming out of it.

Oops, it was only a Dark Knight promotion!

A spokesperson for a local theater explained that the TV station should have received an e-mail earlier telling them about the cake.

Hoo hoo ha ha:

The Goot

2008-07-16T09:33:00.005-04:00

“I am a seducer, I’m a salesman...I’m trying to get people to buy my message. I do have a message. I’m as corny as Kansas in August. I’m as high as a kite on the Fourth of July. That’s from South Pacific, but yeah, I do have a message …The meek will inherit the earth...So be nice to the meek. The old man spitting on the corner. The janitor cleaning up. The man behind the counter at the convenience store. Those are our people—that guy driving that truck—they make the world go. And, you know, the powerful and the wealthy, there’s a place for everybody, but don’t put the regular guy down. And that comes from me. I’m an ordinary guy living an extraordinary life, but I’m an ordinary guy. I’m not a fancy fellow."

and

“I indulge in wine, and I love vodka, I do...And I love scotch, you know. And I love weed. And I love women. And I do have, you know, those … Addiction is such an overused word. Addiction is just someone famous walking around the street. It’s so whacked out, but I think that there are certainly times that I use money to make me feel better.”

--Steve Guttenberg from a sprawling interview in yesterday's New York Observer

Keanu Reeves as Plastic Man?

2008-07-15T17:32:00.005-04:00

Has it been confirmed that Keanu Reeves might play Plastic Man in a movie adaptation?

Do Not Want.

Not even with the Wachowskis attached.

No, just having black hair and an oval-shaped head is not enough.

Last Minute San Diego Comic Con Plans

2008-07-15T11:41:00.005-04:00

The stress!

But once again, the BF saves my bacon. :-)
(as well as other friends!)

Rumor Of The Week

2008-07-15T09:11:00.004-04:00

From LITG:

"I understand that Marvel have been playing wargames on how to persuade Geoff Johns to jump ship at the end of his contract (over a year away) and what to do with him when they get him, so expect to see DC Comics fight back pre-emptively…"

dude.

Geoff Johns at Marvel?

Could that happen?

What would he work on?

I said it before -- I think Johns is the foundation of the DCU.

So if -- theoretically -- he was to go to Marvel, would he be engaged in similar "world-building?"

As always, this is just speculation.

Also, according to the same column, Shooter is back on "Legion."

And Nova isn't canceled, which makes the BF happy. :-)

Satire or Copyright Infringement? DJ Coffman Vs. Scott Kurtz

2008-07-14T09:10:00.000-04:00

A recovering Skull shills his book with McPedro --
by DJ Coffman

Ah, the wonders of twitter.

DJ Coffman of HERO BY NIGHT fame, has a 'Will Draw Anything For $2' feature on his blog, where you can find Obama (as Captain America) fighting John McCain (as the Red Skull). You can also find characters like Skull from PVP getting skull-fucked by the Red Skull. Classy, huh?

DJ Coffman considers the whole thing parody and fair use. Something that Scott Kurtz (famous for his Star Wars and comic parodies) doesn't look too favorably on - as he noted on his twitter (listed in reverse reading order here):

pvponline Let me see if I can break it down for you guys: Skull getting eye-fucked=not like. PvP being parodied in Foxtrot with reverence=DO like. 3 minutes ago from twitterrific

pvponline @djcoffman How noble of you, DJ. You're a real gentleman. about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffma

pvponline @djcoffman Scott Rosenberg has taught you well. You two so deserved each other. about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

pvponline @djcoffman Where was the satire? Maybe if you understood these things better you would still own Hero by Night. So blow ME. about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

pvponline @djcoffman the Han shirt is commentary and satire (i.e. fair use) DJ. What you did was infringement. my paypal is kurtz@pvponline.com. about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

pvponline @JoshuaJericho DJ's never had a real tight grip on ownership rights. Clearly. about 8 hours ago from web in reply to JoshuaJericho

pvponline @djcoffman and P.S. Since you made 2 bucks off that, you owe me two fucking dollars. about 9 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

pvponline @djcoffman Hey, asshole. I officially do NOT give you permission to draw the red skull fucking my character. take that shit off your website about 9 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

And, of course here are DJs posts:

djcoffman in fact, maybe I'll just start a whole other comic about ways to skullfuck trolls? I've got time about 8 hours ago from mobile web

djcoffman any more dicky discussion about the drawing I took down, and I'm going to republish it. Fair warning about 8 hours ago from mobile web

djcoffman I haven't had this many laughs on a Sunday since I don't know when. 41 minutes ago from TwitterFox

djcoffman @JTShea No. He's the world's largest hypocrite. Maybe he should remember things from 1999 like this: http://tinyurl.com/57tt2a about 1 hour ago from TwitterFox in reply to JTShea

djcoffman @pvponline I try? about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

djcoffman @pvponline Well, sorry it upset you. You should see the ones I've turned down. There are a lot of people who don't like you. about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

djcoffman @pvponline And if you allow it to run on your forums I'm going to re-publish it on my site. Just a heads up. about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

djcoffman @pvponline Of course ,I'm sorry that type of humor upsets you. I understand. Now drop it and move on. about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

djcoffman @pvponline No, that was "dark satire" you twit. RedSkull, fucking skull, and he also requested any other skulls I could throw in. So blow me about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

So what do you think -- was the Skull/Red Skull cartoon Coffman drew satire and fair use, as much as any parody using copyrighted characters would be? Or is this a special case?

Burlesque Meets Life Drawing At Dr. Sketchys

2008-07-13T20:29:00.015-04:00

A beautiful woman dressed as an absinthe fairy reclines on a gauze-draped table and strikes a pose, an elegant but slightly crooked antique chandelier hanging above. The artists grip their sketch pads with purpose and get to work as bawdy music cranks up over the speakers

sketch by the talented Tiffany Kamerman

Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School combines burlesque with life drawing for a raucous good time to be enjoyed by artists and gawkers (as long as they're respectful) alike. Founded in 2005 by artist and webcomic creator Molly Crabapple, the event (held every other Saturday) has become a Brooklyn institution.

model Delirium Tremens before absinthe...

...and after absinthe

I attended the event with my friend Tiffany, an artist who let the charcoals grow dusty and hadn't sketched in a while, figuring that maybe the interesting venue might inspire her to pick her craft up again. She started with a few hesitant, unsure sketches, and by the end of the night she got her art mojo back and even won a contest (and a free shot of absinthe onstage!).

Tiffany and a fellow artist share absinthe on stage

The audience for this beautiful and sultry-- but definitely tongue-in-cheek -- burlesque show/sketching session was about 50/50 men and women and the event was definitely something both genders would enjoy. Our tireless model, Miss Delirium Tremens, struck each pose with an air of self-confidence and just a touch of humor.

If you're an artist or simply a devotee of cool shit to do in NYC, you really owe it to yourself to attend Dr. Sketchy's -- their next show is on July 26th at The Lucky Cat in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and you can read the details here.

Gallery:Dr. Sketchy's John Leavitt and Molly Crabapple

flesh...

...and fantasy
(sketch -- and the ones that follow --
courtesy of Tiffany Kamerman)

Want To Be An Assistant Editor At DC Comics?

2008-07-11T15:15:00.004-04:00

They're hiring.

They're looking for an editor for their licensed publishing department, too.

About The Memin Pinguin Controversy

2008-07-11T14:21:00.009-04:00

Adalisa gives us a bit more background on the cultural significance of Memin Pinguin -- recently pulled off Walmart shelves -- in Mexico. A good point she makes is that this character was created in the 1940s and was never revamped or updated, surviving to the present day on nothing but reprints.

Now, obviously, Memin Pinguin is an offensive-looking character. I can speak nothing regarding the content of the comic, having not read it. But his design, and the design of his mother, are clearly based on harsh stereotypes.

That said, what do we do with the instances of Memin Pinguins in our own backyard?

Do pockets of our community find themselves feeling nostalgic and forgiving over a character like Ebony White from The Spirit -- since it's a part of our own American pop-culture past? How about the portrayal of the Japanese in some comics during WW II? Or the cult over cheesecake bondage covers from both the comics and pulps of an earlier era? I've heard/read impassioned defenses of all these things by fans.

I've read as many defenses of Ebony White as I've read condemnations. Certainly, the character had his moments of self-sacrifice and heroism, often helped The Spirit solve cases, and was an integral part of that comic strip. On the other hand, he was drawn in a very stereotypical manner -- not unlike Memin -- and there was a lot of humor had at his expense.

From the Wikipedia entry on Ebony White:

"Eisner later expressed mixed feelings about his portrayal of Ebony White. He acknowledged that he was conscious at the time that he was using a racial stereotype and was unapologetic about it, but defended doing so by stating that "at the time humor consisted in our society of bad English and physical difference in identity.""

The difference, it seems to me, is that The Spirit's current publisher, DC Comics, does not try to push the Ebony White of the 1940s onto our mass market shelves (though he remains intact in their specialty archive editions). Instead what we have is a revisioning of the character (as depicted in the Darwyn Cooke drawing below) -- something that Adalisa says in her article Mexican publishers are too cheap or dismissive of comics culture to invest in.

I am glad that Memin Pinguin was taken off the Walmart shelves. Whatever its pedigree in Mexico, I really don't think it has a place here.

It's just that before we pat our backs a little too firmly over how much more "PC" we are in America than Mexican comic book readers, we need to revisit our own past as well. To defend the golden age Ebony White or exaggerated portrayals of Asians in wartime comics or blatant sexism in a variety of comic books on the basis of "nostalgia" and "a more innocent time" (a tactic that, as I get older, I'm having less and less patience for) and then condemn Memin Pinguin as racist is hypocrisy.

Yes, Will Eisner was a genius and awesome, but in the 1940s he used the stereotypical pop-cultural shorthand of the day to design the look and character of Ebony White. So did the creator of Memin Pinguin. The thing to do now is to acknowledge the past and create something far better in the present.

Where I Will Be At San Diego Comic Con This Year

2008-07-11T13:35:00.002-04:00

Well, since it's up on Heidi's blog (as well as I guess the convention's site), might as well...

If you want to see me at SDCC this year (outside of any theoretical OS meetup I might come up with), please be sure to visit:

SUNDAY, JULY 27
WHAT: Women in Marvel Panel
WHEN: 10:30am – 11:30am
WHERE: Room 6A
THE 411: She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel are powerhouses in the Marvel U, now meet the real women powerhouses who work in Marvel Comics today! Writers Robin Furth (DARK TOWER) & Marjorie Liu (NYX), Jen Grunwald (Editor), colorist Christina Strain (RUNAWAYS), and Occasional Superheroine’s Valerie D’Orazio are here to answer your question about their titles, announce new projects, and explain how more women are breaking into comics every day!

I know you might have questions, right now I can't give you answers -- but be sure to attend this panel and show your support for these talented women in the biz!

Peter Parker: Working At Comic Book Shop

2008-07-11T11:45:00.004-04:00

Read "Amazing Spider-Man" #565 yesterday. Have kept up with the title on-and-off since the first couple of arcs of the weekly format, and I thought the current storyline -- featuring a new, female Kraven the Hunter and art by Phil Jimenez -- was a good place to jump back on board and stay on track.

I'll get more into the specifics of the issue another time, but I just wanted to point out that apparently Peter Parker is now working in a comic book shop.

I don't remember if by the end of the issue Parker managed to screw that up too, though the scene starts off with him getting dressed down by his boss.

Also, since the comic book store in question is very close to Union Square in NYC -- might I assume it is some sort of analog for Forbidden Planet, which is also in that area?

I find it a bit ironic that Parker would end up, after all his many exploits and adventures, sticking price labels on old back issues of "Alpha Flight." See, if he didn't make that dumb deal with Mephisto and lost MJ, none of this would have happened.

I want to read Parker's Facebook updates, dammit.

Is "Men At Work" Sexist?

2008-07-11T09:29:00.004-04:00

No, not that great 80s band fronted by Colin Hay.

In Atlanta, the government is replacing 50 "Men Working" signs with ones that say "Working Ahead." This is the result of a campaign by Cynthia Good to change the signs -- which she believes are sexist.

The exact phrase Good uses regarding the "Men Working" signs is "subtle forms of discrimination."

My questions to you -- Are these signs sexist? Do you think subtle forms of discrimination have an impact? And, using this logic as a yardstick of what is acceptable, can we (should we) carry this viewpoint into our superhero comics? How would we do that? Should we?

Basically, I think gender equality was a legitimate enough reason to change the signs -- if, as Good says, there were women working along men on those sites, a sign that only recognizes the men seems a little backward.

On the other hand, this is the sort of thing that anti-feminists love to point out as "taking things too far." Doesn't mean I think Good was wrong to campaign to get rid of the original signs. I'm just saying that I know how this sort of thing plays out on Fox News.

Vintage Sexist Ads

2008-07-10T15:49:00.009-04:00

Nope, these sexist vintage ads aren't comic book related, but I just started browsing this LiveJournal community and couldn't stop...

"Girls Say Yes To Boys Who Say No"
If you skip Vietnam, boys, these chicks will sleep with you! Because pacifism makes them drop their drawers!

"Put Some Fun Between Your Legs"
One day members of the national bicycle council sat around a table and brainstormed how they could make their products seem more attractive to the fairer sex. And so an ad campaign was born.

"My Man Likes Something Unexpected Now And Then"
And nothing says hot times like cooking rice for your hubby. Not totally sexist per se, but has a nice Stepfordy quality.

"Look Who Reads The Bible"
Why, it's TV's Sonny and Cher! I love the submissive pose Cher (frickin' CHER!) strikes here, and that Sonny is made to look taller than her. Family values.

"So The Harder A Wife Works, THE CUTER SHE LOOKS!"
Okay, honestly, sometimes I get the "you should take your vitamins" speech too. But still...

"It's Nice To Have A Girl Around The House"
No comment.

"Comic Book Babylon"

2008-07-10T12:57:00.005-04:00

Ohhhhhh, I'm going to get so killed for posting this, but it's a slow day so what the hell?

One of the many forms my Goodbye To Comics memoir took was a fictional book a la "Primary Colors" called "Comic Book Babylon." It wasn't an adaptation of "GTC" but rather a novel/graphic novel set in the comic book industry with tons of intrigue. I was steered in this direction as an alternative to "GTC" because I could write something very raw but not have it be about real people. I was told to make it like "The Devil Wears Prada," except no Prada.

That said, I've edited out some things from this proposal. Also, the character of Darius Roy, while bit of a pompous individual, does not sexually harass Mary Ann (I've cut the characters involved with that and that part of the storyline out of this posted outline). And of course, all similarities to persons living or dead are coincidental, yadda.

Also, please keep in mind that this outline was "shaped" by persons who were not necessarily me. So it's got that "Hollywoody" veneer. Also, it wasn't a publisher that worked with me on this, but more like "agenty" types.

Without further ado, here's...

Comic Book Babylon

"What Happens In San Diego, Stays In San Diego"

PROPOSAL FOR AN ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL BY VALERIE D'ORAZIO

HIGH CONCEPT: "The Devil Wears Prada" set in the comic book industry

WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT:
An expose of the politics and intrigues behind the legendary publisher "Venture Comics" -- as seen through the eyes of Mary Ann Samson, assistant to Venture's editor-in-chief Darius Roy.

WHAT THE STORY IS REALLY ABOUT:
How what we think we want most may turn out not to be the best thing for us.

WHY IT WORKS
"Comic Book Babylon" works on two levels. One, as a scandalous "Behind the Music" type tale of the darker side of the comic book industry that both fans and the larger market will enjoy. And two, as a "David and Goliath" tale of a young woman fighting office politics and ultimately sexism in pursuit of her dreams.

CHARACTERS:

MARY ANN SAMSON: Mary Ann is a perky, naive go-getter fresh out of college who gets her first big break working for Venture Comics's new Editor-In-Chief Darius Roy. A lifelong comic book fan, working for Venture is like a dream come true. But her Pollyanna attitude is severely tested by Darius's Machiavellian handling of the company and the increasingly sexist storylines of its comics.

DARIUS ROY: Darius Roy is an egotistic, Donald Trump like personality whose only concern is the bottom line. Taking over the reigns of Venture from old-school company president Werner Garrison, Darius's main goal is to shift the company from kid-friendly capes-and-tights fare to grim and sensationalistic "adult" storytelling.

WERNER GARRISON: Werner is an old-school comic book fan who gives the reins to the Venture Comics empire to firebrand Darius Roy in a last-ditch effort to save his company and generate new revenue. He is caught in a crisis of conscience when he realizes that while Venture's comics under Darius do indeed sell better, they are morally questionable.

(CUT CHARACTERS)

PLOT SUMMARY:

Mary Ann Samson has dreamt of working in the comic book industry ever since she was a little kid. So when she gets a job fresh out of college as assistant to new Venture Comics Editor-In-Chief Darius Roy, she feels she is on the road to fulfilling her dreams.

Darius has just been appointed to his job by Venture president Werner Garrison, as a last-ditch effort to raise revenue and please their investors. Darius Roy singlemindedly sets out on his mission: to change Venture Comics's reputation from kid-friendly producer of capes-and-tights yarns to publishers of grim and gritty "adult" superhero comics and thus compete with their main rival Gear Comics. To this end, he initiates sweeping changes to all the Venture comic books as well as firing any staff that disagrees with his approach or is deemed too "old-school."

While Mary Ann initially enjoys her job and is dazzled by the idea that she's helping produce the comics she loved so much as a child, she starts to become disillusioned. The content of the Venture titles become more and more violent and risque, and the portrayal of women increasingly sexualized. Mary Ann timidly raises some objections to Darius but he explains to her that this is the "Real World" -- sex sells, big fish eat little fish, and the sentimental and nice get left behind.

(CUT PARAGRAPHS)

...Mary Ann is filled with self-loathing, gets really drunk, and spends a good deal of time in the washroom vomiting.

(CUT PARAGRAPHS)

...Mary Ann decides to take out her frustration by writing a short story called "Comic Book Babylon" which allows her to vent on everything that has just happened. She has no intention of publishing it, but e-mails the text to a friend as a lark. Within a week the e-mail has bounced back to her with thousands of CCs on it. Her friend forwarded "Comic Book Babylon" to a friend, and the whole thing spread like wildfire

Post-Script: Mary Ann ended up staying in the industry writing women-friendly comic books. Werner regained control of his company after the "Comic Book Babylon" episode and retconned the rape of Captain Virtue's girlfriend out of existence. And as for Darius Roy? Well, he's still making lots and lots of money.

CONCLUSION: If you had to choose between material rewards and doing what you knew deep in your gut was right, what would YOU do? That question is ultimately at the heart of "Comic Book Babylon," using one of America's most beloved and enduring forms of entertainment as its backdrop.

***

postscript: after several very enthusiastic sessions regarding this book proposal, the people I was working with suddenly changed on a dime and told me that it wouldn't be advisable to go ahead with the project, because even if I made it fiction, people would know who I was writing about. there was also an admittance of being friends with someone very connected to the story -- which made me flabbergasted that they wanted to go approach me with this book in the first place! but rather than just saying they had cold feet -- which given the circumstances I understand -- I was told that "Goodbye To Comics" was "not a story people would have any interest in," and was unsellable. I was encouraged instead to do "nicer" projects. And that -- that was annoying and a waste of my time.

But live and learn.

Comics Spirit Update

2008-07-10T12:03:00.003-04:00

And just a quick update on my blog project "Comics Spirit" --

Most of the posts are written, I just need to scan the art in and put it together. Hoping for Monday launch. Torn between using Blogger (on which I can put ze ads) or Wordpress (which will look really awesome but no ads).

Just to recap, "Comics Spirit" is a blog that will celebrate the independent voice in comics, as well as classic work from comics past.

The OS Library: What Do You Want To See Most?

2008-07-10T11:37:00.004-04:00

With my discovery of this nifty new app that lets you turn your LiveJournal and Wordpress entries into PDFs you can print as books, I've decided to get my huge backlog of writing, art, etc. up on this format and out to the world.

Now, the proviso in all this is that a lot of this stuff, especially the more personal stuff, might be just completely self-indulgent. Which will not stop me from throwing it up there (with the necessary edits to protect the innocent and guilty), because God knows I've reveled in enough self-indulgent stuff from other people. There's a market for it. And maybe some of it would actually be good.

Here's what I have:

1. Memoirs -- now really, I ought to get this to a publisher. That said, I have a whole manuscript that's finished (actually, several versions that have to be stitched together). In theory, I could just plop it onto LiveJournal, PDF it, sell it through Lulu.com, and pay off some of my bills (see, I'm writing out this not just for you but so I can figure this all out and come up with bright ideas).

2. "The Road To Goodbye To Comics" visual diary -- I kept an art journal in the months leading up to Goodbye To Comics that, in retrospect, might be kind of interesting to look at. It's mostly collage art, mixed media. A lot of comic book mashups -- taking old comics and blending them into other photos and text. I forgot how many pages, but basically most of a full-size spiral art journal.

3. Poetry -- Good God. There is so much of this. It's all I did in my late teens/early twenties. It's like a mix between Beat Poetry and Sylvia Plath on lots of Frappacinos and Nyquil.

4. Vampire Novel -- same thing as my memoirs. Already have a first pass on edits from a friend of mine. Could dump it into LiveJournal and PDF it in time for Halloween.

5. Dream diaries -- I have no idea if anybody would want to sit down and peruse all of this, but we are talking more than 10,000 separate dream entries from 1992-present. And then it gets weird.

6. Prose -- old comic pitches from when I was 15, short stories, one-pagers, plays, etc.

7. Best Of OS -- best posts collection, a la Peter David (not saying I'm as good as Peter David)

8. Pop-Culture essays -- tons, mostly term papers for college and some early online columns. On comics, literature, horror films, and pop-culture in general.

9. Philosophical/metaphysical works -- Oy. But all I'm saying is -- it's there. If Grant Morrison can write and publish this shit, I don't see why I can't.

10. Tons more art -- Tons. Mostly pop-culture mashups.

11. Comic strips -- I actually have a small collection of comic strips I used to do. I really thought I was going to be a cartoonist, not a writer.

So that's the basic list of what I have that's finished and ready to be PDFed. I mean, some of it has to be typed in or scanned. But, it's just sitting there.

I think I should just go for it.