Well, True Believers, the time finally came. a month before his 96th birthday, Stan Lee passed away. Down the Tubes has a couple of nice pieces: In Memorium by Alan Woollcombe and Tim Quinn’s piece “How to be a Hero.” Both of these pieces, as well as many others, recount Lee’s history, his start as a teenager working for Timely Comics (which became Marvel), and how he, as no one else ever had, came to personify the field and the artform. Buzz Dixon, in particular, speaks of the man and his problematic relationship with the industry Continue reading “Stan Lee (1922-2018)”
Category: History
The Earthly Messenger
A while ago, I particpated in the Kickstarter to get this statue cast and in place.
And now there’s a live webcam going so you can see it anytime.
In case your day needs a little Bowie.
MARIE SEVERIN Dead at 89 | 13th Dimension, Comics, Creators, Culture
Marie Severin, who was one of the rare female artists at Marvel from the Silver Age onward, as well as an Eisner Hall of Fame member, has died at age 89. Over at 13th dimension they have a great tribute, with links to some of her past work.
A True Titan: Six of Marv Wolfman’s Best Tales | DC
“Fifty years ago, an up-and-coming creator named Marv Wolfman turned in his first script, and though no one knew it at the time, the DC Universe was about to be changed forever.”
I first met Marv Wolfman in 1983, when he was a relative newcomer, having only been in the biz for about 15 years, and I was a 16 year old punk.
Since then, we’ve been friendly, we’ve broken bread and hung out and shared a number of laughs.
And he is defintely one of the formative writing voices of my own work.
Evidently, I’m not the only one who feels that way.
“So there was this girl…”
Recently, I was asked by the Baltic Summer University to give a lecture about how I ended up in Lithuania. I titled the lecture Stranger in a Strange Land: How I went from All-American to part-time Lithuanian. That picture to the left is from the talk.
This was all well and good until it came time to actually start to put the lecture together and I realized I didn’t really know what I was going to talk about for 90 minutes. I mean come on, even if you had Neil Armstrong come in for a lecture, he probably didn’t talk more than 60, and he actually did something important (although, if you ask him, it weren’t no big thing). Continue reading ““So there was this girl…””
Joye Murchison Kelly and Dorothy Roubicek Woolfolk are the first women to win the Bill Finger Award — The Beat
Let’s get their names out there! “Joye Murchison Kelly and Dorothy Roubicek Woolfolk are the joint winners of the 2018 Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing – the first women winners in the award’s 13-year history.”
On memories and nostalgia
Many a year ago, I subscribed to a film service called Seattle FilmWorks. The basic idea was that you would get discounted 35mm film through the mail and then return the roll for processing, all of which was quite inexpensive. The added benefit was that for a small additional fee, they would include a floppy disk with your photos on them in a digital format. Continue reading “On memories and nostalgia”
Rome – March 29-April 2
March 29, 2018 – So this trip started back in December. As we were driving to Mažeikiai for Christmas, I suggested to Rasa that we invite her mom to go to Rome for Holy Week and to see the Pope deliver his address from the balcony on Easter Sunday. Rasa thought it was a great idea, since her mom hadn’t been on an airplane in probably 40 years and had really never traveled. What a fun way to have a little break and, for someone who is as devout as her mother is, a (probably) once in a lifetime event. Continue reading “Rome – March 29-April 2”
The US has 11 separate ‘nations’ with entirely different cultures – Business Insider
Each region in the United States, from “Yankeedom” to “El Norte,” has its own cultural identity, says author Colin Woodard. This is a fascinating theory. While I’m not entirely convinced by the geographic breakdowns, it certainly makes a lot of sense as to why different areas of the country think the way they do. Continue reading “The US has 11 separate ‘nations’ with entirely different cultures – Business Insider”
A history of the TV remote control as told through its advertising
Was having to explain to my wife, who is from a different culture and generation, what a “clicker” was… after she was lamenting the “old days” of having to actually put the key in the car door to lock/unlock it. So here’s what we found. Enjoy “flipping through channels of the past to check out early television clickers that look like ray guns and complex calculators.”
Source: A history of the TV remote control as told through its advertising
Comic Book Plus – Free And Legal Public Domain Books
When you absolutely, positively need comic books and pulp magazines from decades ago.
Seriously… how amazing is it that these things are all online and available for research or just plain fun!
Source: Comic Book Plus – Free And Legal Public Domain Books
Happy Holidays! Neil Gaiman Reads Charles Dickens’s Original Performance Script for “A Christmas Carol”
Happy Holidays!!!
“No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused.”
He kept his Star Wars legacy a secret in Boulder for decades. At 85, the sci-fi pioneer is ready to step out. — The Know from The Denver Post
This is an amazing story! Holy crap the things this guy has done and how much he’s been an invisible part of my life, childhood and overall creative development!
My takeaway though, is this line:
“Colin told me one time that this is the way he went through life, that he liked to create things that people couldn’t un-think,” Dall said. “That’s how he got into a lot of things: he would come up with such original, creative and intelligent ideas that people would look at it and then they couldn’t go back.”
And if you want a piece of signed artwork, check out Colin Cantwell’s own website.
A Virtuoso Graphic Novel, Painted While in Hiding From the Nazis | Literary Hub
Charlotte Salomon (1917-1943) was the last Jewish student at the Berlin Fine Arts Academy. The danger for her had become so great by late 1938 that her family decided to get her out of Germany.
This is an amazing, and sad and angering, story. What sucks is we’re STILL learning the extent of the damage done to the arts and sciences some 70 years after the fact.
What a different world we might have had.
Source: A Virtuoso Graphic Novel, Painted While in Hiding From the Nazis | Literary Hub
Len Wein Dies, At 69 – Bleeding Cool News And Rumors
When I lived in LA, I met Len through mutual friends and we became friendly. Every couple of months or so, we would go out for lunch or meet up at a movie and hang out. Yes, I was a comic fan, but honestly, I didn’t know the half of who he was or what he’d done (hell, I’m still learning now as I delve deep into comics history for my own research).
What I did know was that he was a hell of a guy. He took the time to hang out with a young punk who thought he knew much more than he did. And even though we hadn’t really seen each other in years, the mark he left on my life is indelible and he will certainly be missed.
Rest easy, my friend. And may they have great delis wherever you’re going. Continue reading “Len Wein Dies, At 69 – Bleeding Cool News And Rumors”
Getting the Hang of Thursdays 