Apparently, change is inevitable.

Maybe it’s me getting older or that the world is wobbling dangerously close to the precipice, but I have started clutching into memories and places (and people.. for which I’m sure I owe them apologies) that make me happy. Like truly in-that-moment-nothing-else-exists happy. Which probably explains my nostalgic recreation of our neighborhood Dungeons & Dragons collection.. including the Dungeon Master’s Screen I just won on eBay. Lord.

Last night, an Erie, PA landmark burnt to the ground - Fuhrman’s Cider Mill. This was the place my mom, my brother and I went almost every Saturday every October to get fresh-pressed cider and still-warm doughnuts. It was hard to save some for the usual Saturday night sleepovers, and I usually drank so much I would get tummy aches (and so worth it!). Nothing is more Fall to me than Fuhrman’s cider. It’s October in a glass - smells of fires, crunchy leaves and the hint of worse cold to come. And it’s gone. 111 years before and after my best years, and it took two days to burn.

Change sucks. Ask anyone.

Hell, ask me.

When I saw this on the magazine rack at HEB tonight, I COULDN’T believe what I was seeing! George Clooney - gay??? Matthew McConaughey - his cruller of love???? Oh, it was more than my poor heart could take, beating as fast as it was! Forget the Harry/Dumbledore/Snape slash fiction, here was a personal wet dream come true! All I could ask the Universe for was the chance to see them out at Rain some night (from my mouth to God’s ears) making out on the dance floor. Shirtless (maybe that’s asking too much).

Then cruel cruel reality set in as I snatched up the Heaven-sent People magazine and saw exactly how far the Universe would go to make sure there would be no boys-in-love superstars in my life. Why deny me, Universe? Why?!?

Anyway, here’s what the reality was.

Damn those racks at the grocery store! I like my version better.

Scott McCloud’s mind-blowing challenge, The 24 hour Comics Day ended today at noon. I participated 2 years ago (when it was still held in April) and wrote The Latter History and Subsequent Burning of Little Red Riding Hood. Let me tell you that is was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I mean, a page an hour??? By myself??? From scratch??? BUT it was an amazing rite of passage. Even though I didn’t finish, I certainly accomplished something.

Last night, I stopped by the Austin Museum of Art’s Laguna Gloria location looking GLBTQ folk who may have been participating. I found Katy Riggs and Regan Johnson, and got an article up on Prism about them. I can’t wait to see what they came up with in the end.

So, to anyone who is at all interested in getting into comics - DO THIS!!!!!!

While every slash story writer in the world hoped that Harry and Draco would finally admit that their searing, white-hot hate for each other was just a cover for their searing, white-hot lust for each other’s wands, they probably didn’t see this coming:

J.K. Rowling outs Hogwarts character

 

By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer

NEW YORK - Harry Potter fans, the rumors are true: Albus Dumbledore, master wizard and Headmaster of Hogwarts, is gay. J.K. Rowling, author of the mega-selling fantasy series that ended last summer, outed the beloved character Friday night while appearing before a full house at Carnegie Hall.

After reading briefly from the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” she took questions from audience members.She was asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds “true love.”

“Dumbledore is gay,” the author responded to gasps and applause.

She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. “Falling in love can blind us to an extent,” Rowling said of Dumbledore’s feelings, adding that Dumbledore was “horribly, terribly let down.”

Dumbledore’s love, she observed, was his “great tragedy.”

“Oh, my god,” Rowling concluded with a laugh, “the fan fiction.”

Potter readers on fan sites and elsewhere on the Internet have speculated on the sexuality of Dumbledore, noting that he has no close relationship with women and a mysterious, troubled past. And explicit scenes with Dumbledore already have appeared in fan fiction.

Rowling told the audience that while working on the planned sixth Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she spotted a reference in the script to a girl who once was of interest to Dumbledore. A note was duly passed to director David Yates, revealing the truth about her character.

Rowling, finishing a brief “Open Book Tour” of the United States, her first tour here since 2000, also said that she regarded her Potter books as a “prolonged argument for tolerance” and urged her fans to “question authority.”

Not everyone likes her work, Rowling said, likely referring to Christian groups that have alleged the books promote witchcraft. Her news about Dumbledore, she said, will give them one more reason.

…except maybe in some transgressive, daddy fantasy sort of way. I know I never thought about it one way or the other, but I wonder if this means Michael Gambon will add something ineffable to his next performance of Dumbledore, something fey and… I dunno. “Sheer”, like the Pope’s silky stockings. It certainly couldn’t be any worse that Bob DeNiro’s lightning butt pirate in Stardust.

UPDATE: This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, especially “I knew it!”.

Because I love the Bible and all its sordid ridiculousness, I have to highly recommend Gutsville to …well, everyone. This book has it all - a premise that defies common sense yet draws one into its implausibility, art that all at once is claustrophobic and overwhelmingly large, puritans and other religious fanatics, serial killers, magic and flabby, old-man ass. How can anyone go wrong with such a diverse combination of elements? Writer Simon Spurrier and artist Frazer Irving bring to (dark and eeire) life the story of the descendants of the colony ship Daphne, stuck in the belly of a great sea beast for the past 157 years. They call themselves “Jonahkin” and await the time of “the Great Regurgitation” while being ministered by a justice system that makes The Scarlet Letter look like the ACLU. Yes, it’s as disgusting and oppressive as you imagine, but completely compelling. Get issues 1 and 2 today and breathlessly await issue 3!

In 2006, I began writing reviews of gay comics for Prism Comics under then-editor, Rich Thigpen. Rich kept giving me assignments and eventually, when he left, asked if I wanted to be editor. Of course, I said YES! I mean, who wouldn’t? Prism is an amazing organization that promotes visibility of GTBLQ creators, characters and companies. I’m very proud to be able to do any kind of work for them. Especially writing reviews, which, by their nature, are nothing but fun. My reviews are listed below. Those with stars before them have serious adult content.

Manhunter #16 - 20

**Hard to Swallow #1

**The Incredibly Hung Naked Justice #1

The Book of Boy Trouble

**The Pornomicon #1

**Hard to Swallow #2

**Mark of Aeacus #1

Huh. Until I just looked at this list, I never realized how many adult comic books I’ve reviewed. And enjoyed. I hope this doesn’t mean I’m a pervert. Well, at least not too big of a pervert.

P.S. I’m always looking for volunteers to write for Prism. Especially ladies. Send me an email and we’ll get you started on the road to fame and fortune! Well, noteriety, maybe.

On top of my comic book Frater Mine continuing to see the light of day, this has got to be one of the best things that’s happened to me.. well, this month. In a year of firsts and highs, a profile I wrote on Andy Bauer was published in Instinct Magazine this month!!

Thanks go out to Jonathan Riggs and Mike Woods of Instinct forgiving me a great assignment and the chance to work for them. You guys are AWESOME!