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Tuesday, 4 December 2007
World's Gayest Comic Magazine
Topic: Comics

Last week Lee posted an article on his blog titled "I'm Not Gay and Frenchie shouldn't be either" in which he rails at a comics industry that, according to him, is bent on sneaking gay characters into mainstream books.  This started a whole stream of blogging including an entry yesterday by Val and Newsarama today among others.

In his blog Lee declares: "You want to make a gay superhero? Great, go write about, draw about it, and sell it like everyone else but don't make me buy it..."

Damn you gay mafia, your gay agenda, and your secret gay mind powers that make Lee buy comics with gay characters!

If only he had free will... if only. 

It sounds to me though like what Lee really wants is some kind of disclaimer on the book indicating the presence of homosexual characters.  Y'know something like the mature reader advisories currently branding many titles?

That got me to thinking... what sort of branding would be good enough for Lee so that he wouldn't be exposed to "teh gay," as Valerie refers to it?

Perhaps something like...

World's Gayest Comics Magazine 

And what would that comic look like...?

A comic featuring Rawhide Kid, Quasar, Ultimate Colossus, Northstar, Pied Piper, and Mallah and the Brain?  That's not just gay, that's super gay!

If this sells - and how could it not with all the opportunities for hot, gay monkey lovin (cause, y'know Mallah's a gorilla) - then clearly we need to roll out other books, such as QUEER AS SUPER FOLK.

Now, don't worry, Lee.  Reading World's Gayest or Queer As Super Folk won't make you gay.  If Boy Scout camp didn't do it, nothing will.

Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net 

 

 

 


Posted by Aron Head at 9:11 PM CST
Updated: Tuesday, 4 December 2007 9:39 PM CST
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Sunday, 2 December 2007
Sunday Morning Cartoons - Jotting about Jot
Topic: Video

Today we have cartoons available for viewing 24/7 through the Cartoon Network and other outlets.  But back in the day, all we had were the three major broadcast affiliates  and a handful of UHF channels.  We had cartoons Monday through Saturday, but - here in DFW at least - you were out of luck on Sunday morning. 

Back in the 70s, Texas was still a Blue Law enforcing state.  You couldn't buy pots and pans, toys,  and - according to my wife - pantyhose on Sunday.  Stores would have entire aisles roped off of items that were illegal to purchase on the Lord's Day, I guess because God hates Corning Ware, Legos, and Hanes.

Parts of the Blue Laws are still enforced here.  Liquor stores are required to be closed on Sundays and you can't buy beer or wine at the grocery store until noon.   The courts continue to enforce car dealerships being closed one day each weekend.

I doubt it was ever part of the Blue Law, but Sunday morning TV felt very regulated.  Perhaps it was an FCC guideline, but just about everybody had the same programming mentality.  All the shows were either news or community in focus or a worship broadcast. 

There was only one place for cartoons on Sunday morning.  That was the Children's Hour with Bill Kelley on KXAS-TV Channel 5.  Bill Kelley hosted a program with old cartoons from the fifties, guests from the FW Zoo featuring an animal or creepy-crawly of the week, the FW Museum of Science and History (I can still hum the theme song to this segment), and  reading the "Sunday Funnies" page from the FW Star-Telegram with a local kid.  In keeping with the morality of the day, an episode of Davey & Goliath would air and on occasion an episode of Jot.

Jot was the most peculiar of cartoons.  The animation was abstract and almost psychedelic in tone.  Produced by the Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commision, the art had the stylish, contemporary feel of the sixties while the stories communicated traditional, moral lessons.  

It was a weird show.

Jot was essentially a ball with a face who, when necessary, sprouted hands and legs that floated around his body.  Much as the conceit of Schulz' Peanuts, the adults were featured offscreen - though in contrast their voices were clear and understandable in Jot's world.  The adults were the moral authority, providing clear guidance to Jot.

I got to thinking about all of this last night as the Wife and I had dinner with our friends, Greg and Julie.  Over a sumptuous feast of red wine and beef tenderloin, Greg made the startling confession that he voiced Jot's friend, Tat.

"You're kidding me!" I exclaimed. 

"Nope."  He swore, "God's honest truth."

I had no idea that my friend was a cartoon celebrity.

Immediately following Jot, the Children's Hour ended and the screen was filled with the image of Oral Roberts declaring, "Something good is going to happen to you..." The ORU Singers would swell up behind him in song while my brother and I both groaned, "Cartoons are over!" 

Dad would then direct one of us to take the pliers and crank the knob over to FACE THE NATION.

Check out an episode of Jot below featuring the amazing voice talents of my friend Greg as Tat! And then thank your stars for Cable and Satellite TV.

 
Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net 

Posted by Aron Head at 10:18 AM CST
Updated: Sunday, 2 December 2007 10:26 AM CST
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Saturday, 1 December 2007
Max Headroom Returns 20 Minutes from Now!!
Topic: Video

Back from the 80s and apparently much the worse for wear, Max Headroom returns to his home on the BBC's Channel 4.  The Brits are bringing the digital spokesman for New Coke back from has-beendom to raise awareness about the upcoming digital switchover.

Ads will feature Headroom criticising Channel 4, which created the stuttering digital host in the 1980s, for ignoring his vision of a digital future.

The three week campaign, using the strapline "Get set for Digital", also promotes Channel 4's portfolio including E4, Film4, More4 and Channel 4+1.

"As part of our ongoing commitment to digital switchover, we wanted to produce a campaign that not only drives awareness of switchover but also stays true to Channel 4's values of doing things differently," said Rufus Radcliffe, head of Channel 4 marketing.

There will be lots of Gen-Xers thrilled about this.  Right, Gary?

Max got his start in the BBC's "20 Minutes into the Future," a cyberpunk TV movie which became the backstory for Channel 4's Max Headroom series.  Later, the program would be developed for a short-lived series for American audiences.  Max was an instantly recognizable celebrity, guesting on Letterman and shilling for New Coke. 

He even performed with AON! check him bustin' it in the ART OF NOISE video for "Paranoimia."  

 
You know it's cool!
 
Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net 

Posted by Aron Head at 3:29 PM CST
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Friday, 30 November 2007
Hero By Night's DJ Coffman Debut's "Hero Cast"
Topic: Comics

DJ Coffman rolls out his HeroCast where he talks all about his comic, Hero By Night, as well as the synergy between reader and creator.  Having met DJ at WWTX, I already know what a friendly bastard he is. 

Now you can, too!


Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net
 


Posted by Aron Head at 9:22 PM CST
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Evel Knievel Settles Lawsuit, Dies
Topic: Personal Commentary

Just two days after settling his lawsuit with Kanye West, Evel Knievel died today.  The 69 year old daredevil had been in poor health for a number of years. 

From the AP article:
"...Longtime friend and promoter Billy Rundel said Knievel had trouble breathing at his Clearwater condominium and died before an ambulance could get him to a hospital..."

This makes me sad.  A child of the 70s, I was a huge fan of Knievel.  I had the Evel Knievel Scramble Van, the Stunt Cycle, and the action figure.  I also had the rocket cycle toy modeled after his Snake River Canyon jump.

Man, Knievel was a rockstar back in the day.  The hype leading up to Snake River was on par with the Superbowl.  Everybody's TVs were tuned to ABC's Wide World of Sports that day in 1974.

Every boy had the Knievel toys.  If you didn't, your parents didn't love you.  In my travelling band of action figures, Evel Knievel fought crime side-by-side with Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man and Big Jim with the Kung Fu Grip!  After laying the smackdown on evil's minions, he'd hop on his bike and jump the dog, then go bang Barbie!

Wotta guy!

Jump that great divide, Evel, and make that perfect landing into Heaven! 

Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net 


Posted by Aron Head at 6:55 PM CST
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007
And the Winner Is...
Topic: Comics

The winner of last week's Wizard World Swag-A-Way is...

SCOTT FREE

Dude, I'm glad you read the blog and all, but shouldn't you be - you know - hunting down the dude that killed your wife?  Priorities, man! 

 

Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net
 


Posted by Aron Head at 6:24 PM CST
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Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Guest Blogging at Newsarama!
Topic: Comics

This week, I am guest blogging at newsarama. 

You can find all of my entries there here. 

Be sure to check it out, comment, and let me know what you think.

 

Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net 

 


Posted by Aron Head at 12:01 AM CST
Updated: Wednesday, 28 November 2007 6:25 PM CST
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Saturday, 24 November 2007
SITE REVIEW: IsMyHome.com
Topic: IsMyHome.com
A month ago, I reported how changes were in the works over at IsMyHome.com.  I had been contacted by the leadership there, who shared: "The people directly running iMH are different and perhaps some interesting things will unfold."
 
Things move quickly out here on the interweb.  It's been more than a month, a looong time as measured on the virtual clock.  It's time to see how they're doin' over there.
 
Disclaimer:
I am hardly an unbiased critic.  Having been fired by iMH last summer under  ridonkulous circumstances, one might suggest that I have an axe to grind.  And one would be right.  Still, my conversation with the iMH leadership last month went a long way to resolving the matter as far as I am concerned.  What follows is my sincere effort to provide as fair a review as I can possibly manage.
 
In my October 17th blog entry I listed several of the iMH blogs which were not being updated.  Nashville, Houston and Columbus were among the blogs absent fresh content.  So how are they doing today?
  • Nothing new for Nashville since September.
  • Houston has not been updated since August 7th.
  • Columbus hasn't discovered a new post since July.
iMH is just lazy.  Finding writers for these cities should be an easy affair.  There are huge talent pools from which to pull.  I fail to understand their spectacular lack of success in this regard.
 
Looking at their other city sites, Chicago has been updated regularly throughout the month of November with some terrific film entries including items on the Chicago connection to upcoming movies such as Batman Begins and I Am Legend.  In fact, Chicago has been rocking since September.  Nicely done, Mr. Fendelman.
 
Momish, whose posts I really enjoy over at the Philadelphia site, hasn't had a new entry since November 8th.  She describes her struggle to update in her October 11th article.  It's sad that iMH has not chosen to give her any help.
 
And then there's my fomer hangout, Dallas.
 
Blogger Raine, editor at the Dallas site,  posts regularly.  Her posts, though, tend to be on the fringe, centering a great deal around motorcycle culture and the Deep Ellum arts and bar scene.  Also, the Dallas site is not always safe for work. 
 
I think Raine's blog would more appropriately be called DeepEllum.ismyhome.com.  Her articles do not adequately capture the breadth and wonder that is Dallas.  Deep Ellum is a great Dallas neighborhood, but it is just that.  A part - a small part - of the greater city.  The iMH site doesn't reflect that.
 
That's not Raine's fault.  She's writing, I assume, about what interests her.
It is the folks at iMH who are at fault for not having hired additional writers for Dallas and all of the other blogs for that matter.
 
It'll be no surprise to you, I'm sure, that I don't like Raine's writing.  It may just be due to my personal experience with her - I grant that.  I find her tone to be arrogant and condescending.  For instance on September 30th, she wrote at length about her disdain for gamers, tv watchers, and in general anyone who reads her blog:
"I find it so mind numbing that here we are living in one of the most wonderful countries in the world and people are just throwing their lives away by being slaves to content on a monitor."
I encourage all of you not to waste another moment reading Dallas.IsMyHome.com. 
 
I wanted to report otherwise, really I did, but in my opinion nothing interesting has begun to unfold at iMH. 
 
With a few exceptions, IsMyHome.com still sucks.
 
Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Posted by Aron Head at 10:16 AM CST
Updated: Saturday, 24 November 2007 10:34 AM CST
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Wizard World Wrap-Up - FanBoy Radio Talks Turkey
Topic: Wizard World Texas

The boys over at FanBoy Radio talk about Wizard World Texas and the live art show benefitting Heroes 4 Heroes in episode #431 of their podcast.  H4H a charitable organization sharing portable media such as comics, DVDs, books, magazines, MP3 players, and game systems to our men and women serving in the armed forces allowing our folks in uniform to remain culturally connected to the nation they serve. 

H4H was co-founded by FBR host Scott Hinze. 

I didn't hear about the art show until too late, so I wasn't there.  I did see a bunch of the art after the fact and man-oh-man, some beautiful work came out of it.  The goal was to have 300 in attendance.  500 were there.  They wanted to raise $6000.  They pulled in $10,000.

Great job! 

Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net
 


Posted by Aron Head at 8:12 AM CST
Updated: Saturday, 24 November 2007 8:15 AM CST
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Friday, 23 November 2007
More Wizard World Texas Write-Ups
Topic: Wizard World Texas

Don, as he posted in his LiveJournal entry, didn't have a very good time. 

Matt Morrison over at the ComicsNexus posted his WWTX entry a few days ago.  He's got some great pics... and captured an image of the elusive Scottish Batman.

Rowan of the Wood talks about their success at Wizard World Texas and even uses the picture I took of them! 

Tom Hodges, creator of Red 5's Midnight, shares some of his sketchwork from the con.

 

 

Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net
 

 


Posted by Aron Head at 4:52 PM CST
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