"How I Killed My Father"

A rare autobio piece written by me, now up at MartianLit. The title is somewhat ironic.

Somewhat.
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Labels: it's all about ME, my writings

  ¶ February 20, 2012 0 Comments

  Where's This Week's LULU? Plus Michael Netzer

...not that you asked. It's briefly on hiatus(probably no more than a week or two if I get my ass in gear), because I'm working on two stories that have deadlines, which I'll tell you more about when they're done.

In the meantime, catch up on it so far here, here and here.

Also, you should read this post by Michael Netzer on the current creator's rights conflicts occurring over BEFORE WATCHMEN and GHOST RIDER. He points out an aspect that others have only touched on: that DC and Marvel are not actually there to sell comics. It's the supposed weakness of the comics industry that is used often to justify the ridiculous rights situations in comics. Which is useful for their parent corporations, Warner and Disney, because then they get to gather up intellectual property cheaply to exploit in media outside of comics.

So essentially, if you give anything at all to DC or Marvel, if you sign over your rights to them: you're a fool no matter how good the deal seems.
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Labels: alan moore, bastards, capitalism, comics, dc, frank wedekind, lulu, marvel, my comics, this sickness

  ¶ February 18, 2012 0 Comments

  Invaders from Mars (1953, William Cameron Menzies)



Early and awesomely creepy science fiction film.

It makes up for what it lacks in special effects (and costumes) in sheer paranoid, expressionistic flourish, and the cinematography boasts a nice, stark use of color(the color equivalent of noir) with deep contrasts, blacks, and very symbolic perspective shots. All reflecting the terrors of a child's mind.


As well as the impressive Helena Carter.


More horror than science fiction, really, and reminds me a bit of David Lynch, specifically BLUE VELVET, in feel.

Here's the whole thing.






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Labels: 1950s, 20th century, film, horror, science fiction

  ¶ February 12, 2012 0 Comments

  Why You Should See W.R.: The Mysteries of the Organism (Dusan Makavejev, 1971)



It's a documentary about the persecution of Wilhelm Reich by the US government. It's an avant-garde satire. It's a time capsule of a way of life, and a country, that no longer exist(though the actors in the Yugo portion of the film are largely Serbian, I was informed when I watched it with a Yugoslavian girl, a friend my friend Angel had brought over--in Chicago in 1989)It's a Yugoslavian softcore soap opera.


It's crazy and wonderful as fuck and it's one of my favorite films. It's from 1971, as a strangely large group of films I like are, and it's Dusan Makavejev's greatest film, W.R.: THE MYSTERIES OF THE ORGANISM. It is not like anything you will ever see, and it is not even a little afraid to be silly. It's a reminder that the avant-garde, the wing of it invented by Luis Bunuel--a wing Dusan very much occupies--is supposed to be fun.


To be play.

Also, I have a thing for Jagoda Kaloper, and she is part of the inspiration for Vladrushka's daughter Berlin. Oh look, there she is.


In fact, the whole way this film deals with the subject of sex, and mixing it with satire and philosophy, had an enormous effect on the comics I do now. (and you can see a quick reference to Dusan in Vladrushka here, and if I have to tell you by now anything to do with her is NSFW, then you're just dumb)


When there are movies like this, why the fuck should I care about Hollywood's garbage?


Now buy it here. Enjoy. Feel. Laugh.

Also, here are excerpts from two of Reich's books: Listen Little Man and the Function of the Orgasm. Anna Freud did her damnedest to eradicate him, but his unruly concepts that are no use to corporations live on.




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Labels: 1970s, communism, film, my comics, my influences, psychology, satire, vladrushka, Wilhelm Reich

  ¶ February 11, 2012 0 Comments

  Whitney Houston 1963-2012

Very sad. I was never a fan but still, her presence was completely unavoidable when I was much younger. The woman could sing, once upon a time, even if I never liked any song she sang. Rather than attempt any evaluation of her legacy, I will leave it to the experts.

What I find disturbing is that Courtney Love has managed to outlive her.

Time for Elton John to find some new words for Candle in the Wind again, I suppose.
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Labels: death, music

  ¶ February 11, 2012 0 Comments

  Alan Moore's Video Chat (to Raise Money for Pekar Statue)

...to raise money to install a sculpture in honor of Harvey Pekar in the Cleveland Heights Public Library, a goal that happily was reached. Among other things he refers to adaptation as "evil"(which I take exception to) and reveals the biggest point of friction between himself and Michael Moorcock is which was ripped off more by Grant Morrison. Moore insists it's Moorcock, Moorcock insists it's Moore.


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Labels: alan moore, comics, grant morrison, magic, my influences

  ¶ February 11, 2012 0 Comments

  Komen Foundation: Karen Handel Out

Not being complete morons, the Komen Foundation has forced the resignation of Karen Handel, their right-wing zealot VP who managed to destroy their reputation within 48 hours. The damage is considerable--pretty much the nightmare scenario for any nonprofit-- but that's a step in the right direction.

I imagine Handel will be annoyed and start punching random women on the street for not being pregnant.
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Labels: bastards, komen foundation, right wing, science

  ¶ February 07, 2012 0 Comments

  Komen Foundation Debacle: Karen Handel Busted

Information from inside the Komen Foundation shows Karen Handel was indeed behind the decision to defund Planned Parenthood and to attempt to make it look nonpolitical.

"Karen Handel was the prime instigator of this effort, and she herself personally came up with investigation criteria," the source, who requested anonymity for professional reasons, told HuffPost. "She said, 'If we just say it's about investigations, we can defund Planned Parenthood and no one can blame us for being political.'"

One can assume the decision--which, despite what you've heard, like the one for Planned Parenthood, still stands, since the defunding was for the next grant cycle anyway--to defund stem cell research was hers as well. This right-wing zealot hijacked the charity for her own political agenda and Komen allowed her to, shattering their reputation for...what purpose? Because no one could think the Komen Foundation could last very long even after one such break of trust. One wonders if the idea was to destroy two women's health organizations in one shot.

Not that Komen is pure anyway, and this matter has given people reason to start examining if they're worth returning to as something to donate their time & money to. Besides that they treat other cancer charities not as colleagues but as competition, there's also the fact that only 19% of what they take in goes to research, a pretty pathetic ratio for any nonprofit(and I've worked in them on the bookkeeping end, so I know), which people are starting to notice.

Komen, you can only fire Karen Handel now. You are busted. Do it or you will soon cease to exist. This is shameful mismanagement of a nonprofit that was already not so well-managed--at least in relation to its supposed mission--to begin with.
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Labels: bastards, komen foundation, medical, right wing, science

  ¶ February 05, 2012 1 Comments

  New Rosa & Annalisa drawing: "Hanging on the Tip of Your Tongue"

A new drawing featuring Rosa & Annalisa, who I haven't drawn since 2005. I'll be doing more with this later.

Click to enlarge

Update: Now a second page as well. This feels like it wants to be a story.

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Labels: my art, my comics, nsfw, rosa and annalisa, smut

  ¶ February 05, 2012 0 Comments

  Cut To Ribbons: Komen Foundation Stops Funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research Too

Holy CRAP.

I was kind of being satirical when I suggested that the Komen Foundation's new pro-life agenda would also entail their stopping funding for embryonic stem cell reaearch, which is right now a vital cancer research field. And which pro-lifers are vociferously against.

But they are in fact doing that and pro-lifers are loving it. They cut $12 million for embryonic stem cell research yesterday and no one noticed.

The Komen Foundation deserves to be smashed into nothing as an organization. They have betrayed their mission, cancer research, and women everywhere. This is insanity. Why are they letting Karen Handel's pro-life agenda destroy the valuable work they have done and their reputation?

Or is destroying the Komen Foundation somehow the point of what's happening here? Because officials are resigning right and left and no woman wants to donate or to participate in their races. And everyone is now boycotting anything with their pink ribbon. (note: Yoplait is one of those)

Their reputation has now been, well, cut to ribbons.

I do not understand what they think they will gain through this. But the Komen Foundation has become a right-wing trashbin and it's tragic. They have taken a cause that was not controversial, curing cancer, and have poisoned it with petty and crazy politics. Obviously curing cancer is no longer their misssion.

What IS their mission now?

Donate directly to Planned Parenthood and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center(which does pioneering work in stem cell and other cancer research, is a major Komen grantee, and will suffer because of this) today.

UPDATE: Today the Komen Foundation, not being suicidal, I guess, restored its ties to Planned Parenthood and apologized. (and admitted that it was political, though I'm not sure they realize they did) But I don't see Karen Handel being fired nor do I see them changing this new stem cell policy. Do not stop the pressure till these things happen. Handel has to be rooted out.

Further update:

No, it turns out they reversed nothing at all. Boycott stands.
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Labels: bastards, komen foundation, medical, right wing, wtf

  ¶ February 03, 2012 0 Comments

  Vile Komen Foundation: You Didn't Go Far Enough

Say, Komen Foundation: how courageous of you to cut poor women off from breast cancer screening by cutting off your connection to Planned Parenthood.

Hey, now that you've got the gushing reptilian love of the pro-lifers, you do realize you're being inconsistent.

See. cancer research relies on stem cells these days, which they're now allowed to use again. Like Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, a great organization I used to work for, and who get a substantial amount of their money for their pioneering research(they invented the bone marrow transplant) from Komen. (speaking of which, just give to FHCRC directly here. They do fine pioneering work--they invented bone marrow transplants, for one thing--and they have nothing to do with Komen's sins.)

And where do those stem cells--the useful undifferentiated ones--usually come from again? What was the reason the pro-lifers want stem cell research wiped out?

Basically, if you're going to curry the favor of the pro-lifers, you'll have to abandon ALL funding of any useful cancer research institutions. You fucking vile idiots.

But I guess your new VP, the failed (and Palin-endorsed)pro-life GOP gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel, had an agenda and got what she wanted, eh? Funny how you would hire someone in such a position that stands for an anti-woman cause.

Despite Komen's attempts to the contrary, though, they are not the only foundation funding cancer research. There are many, many other worthy foundations that do not hate women and fund vital science toward actually curing the disease. Who care about women's lives, not political agendas. Give them your money, not Komen. Abandon Komen. Let it rot.

And give to Planned Parenthood because they really need it now, and our country needs them.

UPDATE: Guess what the aforementioned VP, Karen Handel, tweeted last night--and deleted--which got screengrabbed and is now making the rounds:

"Just like pro-abortion group to turn cancer orgs decision into a political bomb to throw. Cry me a freaking river."

Uh-huh. No malice there at all. And by the way, this rule that they can't support any organization under investigation? It's a brand-new rule that was instituted exactly the same time GOP congressmen started the bogus investigation of Planned Parenthood. Most likely it was only instituted for the purpose of cutting them off. This looks like a coordinated strategy for which Komen is being used as a weapon.

And as long as they remain another right-wing weapon, they deserve no donations or respect.

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Labels: bastards, komen foundation, medical, right wing, science, women

  ¶ February 01, 2012 0 Comments