News of the Right

No reviews this week, but I found something truly wonderful at Austin Books and Comics: Dynamite #4 with the dreamy Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson on the cover! Squeeeeeal! On a less gay note, Dynamite was one of those magazine’s for kids that we got through Scholastic Book Services in school. It was a step above Highlights for Children in terms of content and reading level, but less erudite than CBS’s “In the News”. The cool thing about this find is that it still has the subscription form and club patch inside. And, yeah, the Hardy Boys.

Come see me at table 10A in the Auditorium! It’s going to be a GREAT day of Indy media in all it’s forms. AND At 1 PM on March 7th at Dragon’s Lair Comics, I will be part of a panel of local folks – Jason Neulander, Drew Edwards, Chris Garrett, Keith Quinn, Nate Bramble, and Anthony (sorry, no idea on the last name…) – talking about a life of Indy comics. I’m looking forward to it!

I’m going to write this feature without referencing Calvin and Hobbes, because any comic with a put-upon daydreaming ten-year-old boy is going to call up the comparison (plus, everyone else who discovers this comic is going to say the exact same thing). So, let me say that for those who enjoy pre-adolescent (and at times rather dark) whimsy and have an affection for all things superheroic, then as fast as you can type the URL, get yourself over to SMASH, and let the stupendous wash over you. It kicks Kick Ass’ ass without breaking a sweat or breaking a skull open.

Thanks to Lorin of the GLA for the tip!

Xposted to CPB

A super-rare and very fine issue of Action Comics #1 sold today at auction for $1,000,000, a new record for this kind of collectible. According to the AP, only 100 copies of this comic are still in existence, and none approach this good of condition.

The transaction was conducted by the auction site ComicConnect.com. Stephen Fishler, co-owner of the site and its sister dealership, Metropolis Collectibles, orchestrated the sale.

Fishler said it transpired minutes after the issue was put on sale at around 10:30 a.m. Eastern time (1530 GMT). He said that the seller was a “well known individual” in New York with a pedigree collection, and that the buyer was a known customer who previously bought an Action Comics No. 1 of lesser grade.

The previous comic book record was set last year when John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down, paid $317,000 for an Action Comics No. 1 issue. Attempts to reach him for comment on Monday’s sale were not immediately successful.

For those keeping track, that’s a profit of 10,000,000,000%. And they say we’re in a recession. Tcha.

[via APNewsBreak]

cachectic

Last summer, my father passed away from metastatic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In essence, the cancer attached itself to his organs and instead of destroying them, ate off of them, taking away his energy a little more every day. This is word for that.

I’m getting behind in posting all my food porn here at Orthocomics (damn you for being so easy to post pictures to, Facebook! seriously. Wordpress need to step it up.), so here are several days with of food at once:

Poached Chicken Panini with a Yogurt Dill Dip:

Recent excursions into bread:









All of which were pretty yum. There are days when I wonder if I could go to culinary school…

Green Lantern #51

There’s a reason that Geoff Johns was just promoted to the post of DC’ Chief Creative Officer, and it’s in this issue. I don’t normally read any of the GL titles, but Johns’ “Blackest night” has me buying all his supplementary stories. The guy is carrying on a serious love affair with all things DC, and his affection is contagious. Under his direction, I can see the DCU becoming a much more interesting place.
Grade: A

Uncanny X-Men #521

If it weren’t for the last page of this issue, I would consider dropping the title altogether. The X-Men just created a nation for themselves, and instead of getting into the meat and potatoes of setting up a government, mutant political factions, “savior complexes”, and host of other issues that are pretty relevant to current topics, Matt Faction serves up a very tepid Legacy Flu. It’s sort of like having Hamburger Helper every Friday night: it’s safe and traditional, but no one is every going to moan in delight with each meaty, saucy spoonful.
Grade: C-

The first toys I remember my parents getting me for Christmas were the Mego Batman, Robin, Superman, Spider-Man, Joker, the Batmobile and the Hall of Justice. And “remember” is far too light a word. These toys are ingrained in me, and still pull and tug at me to this day (they’re also sitting on a shelf in my bedroom, which has a lot to do with that, no doubt).

Now, Mattell (!!!) is coming out with their DC Universe Retro-Action Figures series, which are unaplogetically based on the Mego aesthetic.

In the Set One (the first of many, I hope) only one figure (Superman) was ever produced by Mego; the others (Green Lantern, Lex Luthor, and Sinestro) were rumored to be in production, but never made it to the assembly line before Mego went bankrupt in 1981 (thanks a lot, Kenner!). They look like the real thing and are going to be packaged to look like Megos (along the same lines as Diamond Select’s Star Trek re-issues) , but that $85.00 price tag is enough to give an enthusiast like myself pause.

Looks like I may be selling some less desirable things on eBay to cover the bill. Maybe my Dark Tower…?

obstreperous

I read this work in Dexter by Design, which I will excuse myself now by saying that while I have read all the “Dexter” novels, a co-worker lent them to me. There’s nothing wrong with the novels, but there’s also not much right about them. However, I’m a little tired of books that have 50+ characters and cross the span of several hundred years. I’m saga’d-out. “Dexter” is a nice departure from all that.

Umweltverschmutzung

Because that’s just where I am today.

prolapse

After seeing the following video on my favorite gay blog Joe.My.God

with New Hampshire state Representitive Nancy Elliott saying that same-sex marriage should be repealed because “we’re talking about taking the penis of a man and putting it in the rectum of another man and wriggling it around in excrement. And you have to think, would I want that to be done to ME?”, I read with glee Jeffrey’s response

O.M.F.G. Get out of our bedrooms, you stupid, bleeding cunt!

And HELL YES, I want my husband’s cock up my ass. As for the wiggling around part, maybe YOU are loose enough for that, but don’t project your own near-prolapse on the rest of us, honey.

*hairtoss*

which is quite the image.

dormer

Weeks ago, I got a wild hair and decided to have my considerable but useless attic space made into an upper den accessible from the master bedroom. However, when trying to explain to a co-worker about “windows that stick out”, I could not for the life of me remember what they’re called. “Dormers.” They’re called “dormers.” I’m still picturing a spiral staircase going from my bedroom to a private den all my own where I can look out on the dead lawn in the middle of summer. Of course, I live alone, so how much more space and/or privacy do I need? And what if the contractors found my porn?

Oh, YEAH!!!!

exonumia

I have no story about this word other than it’s completely new to me and fun to say.

Siege #2

I haven’t been an “event” person in years (even though I have every issue of the much-maligned “Final Crisis”) mostly because I find them to be more con than content. While hyped to be huge and meaningful, events aren’t usually that impacting, and, worse, they’re horribly written and poorly plotted.

Having said that, I loved Siege #2!

While the content is on the light side (the majority of the issue focuses on Ares and his ill-fated battle with Sentry), the more mundane scenes – particularly between Nick Fury and Alex, the Avengers in the S.H.I.E.L.D. transport, and the last page of the issue – are well-written and give more weight to the story than “superpower-on-superpower action” and “the Saint Crispin’s Day speech”. But, I’m a moments guy.

Coipel, Morales and Martin are a cyclonic artistic force. While Bendis’ words may have been handled well enough by another team, this one breathes life into each panel with its dynamic compositions and expressive faces. Even the capes are expressive and full of movement. The best example of this is page three – Ares’ realization that he’s been manipulated into attacking Asgard juxtaposed with the battle below is brilliant. Without words, without mummery, the reader knows exactly what is going on under the god’s helmet. Great stuff! However, the rending of Ares on a later page, while arranged beautifully, is odd in that his intestines seem to have been previously resting on his back, protecting his spine. Gory, yes, but inaccurate overkill at best.

My one complaint is the half-truth of the “death of an Avenger” solicit. It was sophomoric hype at best. You can do better, Marvel.
Grade: A-

Hey! If for no reason in particular, you might be thinking, “I want to get Sean something special, but, what? Whatever could I get him?” You might want to consider this, the RENT, Roger Davis bear from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS:

And he comes with all this cool stuff:

Roger wears an exact duplicate of his Broadway costume. First seen at the top of ACT II during the emotionally charged “Seasons Of Love”, this faithful re-creation consists of Roger’s black and white geometric-print sleeveless button down shirt, straight leg pin-stripe pants (both cut from the cloth of the original costumes), green hand-knit scarf and black leather biker jacket with the portentous and tragic hand-painted “Only Good Die Young” logo on the back. His brown leather “New Rock” boots have been eternalized in miniature form, and his grunge-cut, frosted blonde wig has been perfectly styled. Finally, Roger comes with his very own (working!) acoustic guitar and stand, which will certainly help as he finds “…the power to ignite the air” and write his “One Song Glory”. Once he looks into “Your Eyes” you’ll know that he can’t live “Without You”!

Included in this lot is a hand-signed “eviction-notice” prop from the 2005 film RENT, signed by Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal as well as a set of Roger’s “old rock and roll posters, advertisting gigs at CBGB’s and The Pyramid Club” used in the final days of RENT’s Broadway run.

Did you see that? SIGNED BY ANTHONY RAPP AND ADAM PASCAL!!!!

All the iconic Broadway Cares bears up for auction can be seen here. All proceeds go to help people living with AIDS.

Thanks to Joe Jervis!

space cookies

I can’t stop listening to the soundtrack for “Bare: a Rock Opera” mostly because of how evocative the story is (gay boys at a Catholic boarding high school. Yeah. Really, has anything else in my life defined and informed me more than this?), but also because (Lord help me for saying this) the songs are so catchy. “Space cookies” comes from the song “Birthday, Bitch!”

kvell

I have a fascination for Yiddish and all things Jewish. All my friends know that. I’ve been accused of being a matzo queen, though I think I just prefer non-white guys. “Kvell” is one of those words I like to drop into conversation (along with “schmutz” and “schtupp” and “fakakta“). I heard this word used last night during a re-run of “House”. House said he kvelled when Cameron finally came to accept that everybody lies. I think I’ll really have arrived when I use “fartatshish” (“sloppy”) correctly in a sentence.

abattoir

There is apparently a chophouse in Atlanta called “Abattoir” that serves guests “the use of locally-raised proteins to produce high-quality, affordable food.” I admire how up-front they are about the name being from the French for “slaughterhouse”, but I really enjoy how they refer to meat as “protein”. Thanks, “Top Chef”! You’ve done for meat what “open concept” has done for real estate.

Last summer, I heard Maggie Gallagher say the most reprehensible and simultaneously twee-est (if I’m using the word right; it means “cutesy”, correct?) thing to ever come out of her voluminous pie hole: “Marriage is not a civil right. In fact, it’s a civil wrong.” Her ability to turn a phrase aside, Mags’ head should have by all rights exploded from just the uncut rage I was sending her way (to say nothing of the other people I’m sure were doing the same thing). Ah, “Scanners,” you disappointed me once again. So, what’s a guy to do?

Easy: write her as a blobby (well, “blobbier”) hulk with swaying tits in league with all the other hating low-lifes and get friends to help make it into a comic book.

I now present to you the fruits of our labor – Rise of the Pink Ninjas: A Gay Fantasia (click on the hate to get the fun):

(Go ahead. It’s free.)

SEE Mad Gallagher throw her weight around!

STARE IN WONDER at the mysterious Bastard Baby Doll!

CLENCH your butthole when P & M, the Night Bears, cruise by!

But most of all, enjoy and keep fighting. I want to start buying gay wedding gifts.


Rise of the Pink Ninjas: A Gay Fantasia
written by Sean McGrath
drawn, inked and colored by Benjamin Ruth
lettered by Christopher Moshier
cover graphic by Scott McGrath



UPDATE: For those who prefer their comics paginated instead of stacked, I’ve made a CBZ file available. It’s my first time making one and it was stunningly easy. Why have I never done this before?

UPDATE the SECOND: Joe Jervis of the excellent gay blog Joe.My.God posted an entry about Pink Ninjas on his site, which thrills me in ways I can’t explain. One decision early on was to have the real voices of the LGBTQ movement supplant the tyrannical Solomon when they discovered he wasn’t working in their best interests. Joe is definitely one of those voices.





The readers had some affirming comments about the comic, like:

“That there was ten shades of wonderful.” from JD.

“Wow. That is just too fabulous. And it catches the relationship between the professional gay and anti-gay forces to a T.” from Smartypants.

“I love this comic for that reason someone finally had the GUTS to call out the traitors in our own midst for who and what they are!” from Daveinsf.

“I think I have a new wallpaper for my computer.” from art.

And “As a lifelong comic book fan I loved it, loved it, loved it! Kudos to all involved.” from Ken Berg.

JMG is probably one of my favorite blog communities. I’m glad the folks over there enjoyed the comic.

UPDATE the THIRD: Oh WOW! We were mention on After Elton!

heigth

I’ve been using this word for ages, and tonight in an email to my brother about the dimensions of a new header he’s making for me (!!!) spellcheck kept marking it as wrong. I finally had to look it up, and found out there is no such word. Maybe it’s a Northeastern thing, like perogie and Lake Effect Snow.