"LITTLE BESSIE"

Like Mother, Like Son

When I was maybe eight or nine years old, I was given the nickname "Little Bessie" after my mother, because it was widely acknowledged amongst our extended family that I looked and acted so much like her. Since few little boys want to be that directly associated with their mothers, I hated the name, which meant it stuck for quite some time. I clearly remember the annoyance I felt at being addressed as "Little Bessie", which seemed like an insult to my burgeoning sense of masculinity. By comparison, a few times I'd also been referred to as "Little Floyd" after my father, which I also never cared for, but that one never really stuck. It never felt as genuine, as a compliment or an insult, and instead always seemed obligatory.

Regardless, it wasn't as demoralizing as "Little Bessie" which I had no retort for, because it was so true in every way possible. If you knew my mother, and you watched me for five minutes at any point while growing up, you knew I was her son without question. I looked like her, and acted - and reacted - like her. I smiled and laughed like her. I had her temper. I had her disposition. I fostered the same types of relationships.

Little Bessie was indeed a chip off the block, which became something of a chip on my shoulder.

Weighing in on the Upcoming New 52

The New 52's ACTION COMICS #1
Art: Rags Morales

There has been much speculation about what's happening in the DC Universe as a result of the big 52 Reboot taking place in September. It's a bold move the publisher has taken: effectively cancelling all of their titles and restarting the entire continuity over with 52 #1 issues. Yet, as big as a lot of these changes are, I also view them as cyclical. And I also speculate a lot of this started in a boardroom, with laywers and executives and editors gathered to discuss the fate of their cornerstone character: Superman.

When John Byrne and Marv Wolfman took over the writing reins of the SUPERMAN books in '86, that represented an enormous change for the characters' history. Byrne often stated that his goal at the time was to make Superman more like what he originally was. I chaffed at the notion then, but in time came to appreciate this choice, and many of the directions the writers went in.

Sabbatical, Day One

Haven't done this in a while -- this seems like a good place to get back to it.

Today was the first official day of my sabbatical from work, and I formally began work on my next comic book opus, M.L.Walker's HERO CORP. Anyone within earshot and beyond of me knows that I've been building up to this for months - even years - now, and due to a confluence of good fortunes it's managed to come together quite nicely.

Dick Giordano: July 20, 1932 – March 27, 2010

Far more will be written about the career and talent of legendary comics editor and artist Dick Giordano - who passed away yesterday morning at the age of 77 - than I could ever hope to squeeze into a mere note here. That's appropriate for a person who's career was so vast and exemplary. After reading some remembrances of the man, I thought of my own exchange with him more than twenty years ago, and thought I would share it with you.

It should quickly be noted that I've always wanted to be a comic-book creator. ALWAYS. From the time I could start reading, I absorbed as much knowledge about the medium as I could. Most helpful toward this end were the "Meanwhile..." columns written by Giordano during his tenure as Executive Editorial Director at DC COMICS. He wrote of his background in editing, his opinions of the works being published by his company and others at the time, and gave instructions to those desiring to break into the business.

THIS IS IT...for the fans!

"All the works of man have their origin in creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination?" - Carl Jung

One of the great ironies of Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT is made apparent near the beginning of the film: during a luminescent solo performance of Human Nature, the barrier between audience and star falls so totally, we suddenly rediscover Jackson more painfully clear than would have been possible even during the live concerts that fell eight short days from taking place.

Dance sequences that unfold in chronological order (both in the sequence they were arranged, and in terms of physical production) never reach the point of full dress rehearsal, but are made all the more powerful by their sense of inertia. One can literally see each number progressing from concept in Jackson's head to full-blown (some might say overblown) execution. It is also clear from the outset that Jackson, for all of his quirks and whims, is in charge. No shrinking violet, he is firm yet curiously approachable. One laughs at the squirm-factor in watching his choreographer, music director, etc. gingerly approach him when they have questions. And at times Jackson too is struggling for the answers.