More Philosophy

Will Eisner And I?

As a long-time comics fan - and, if you remember, I even wrote one - this is extra-special: the great Renaissance E Books (who I'm an Associate Publisher for) has just stepped into graphic novels ... beginning by releasing classics like The Phantom Lady.

Well, one of the titles they also just released is a little-known treasure by the comic legend Will Eisner called The Flame - and guess who was asked to write the introduction?

Here's a tease of my intro - and here's where you can get this the fantastic new edition.

EISNER'S FLAME OF INSPIRATION

If you were to create a Mount Rushmore for comic creators they'd certainly be a lot of controversy on who to immortalize.  Alan Moore?  Winsor McCay?  Art Spiegelman?  Osamu Tezuka?  Robert Crumb?  But the one that everyone – and I mean everyone -- would agree should have his face etched in stone is Will Eisner.

To say that Will Eisner, famed for his groundbreaking noir creation The Spirit, made comics what they are today is like saying the sun is just that warm thing in the sky.  Born in Brooklyn in 1917, Eisner made his first tentative steps onto the comic book stage at 16 by sending his artwork, with prodding from Batman creator Bob Kane, to Wow, What A Magazine!

Back in the late-1930s comic books were still deciding what they were and where they were going – it was a real wild west for writers and artists, with publishers, editors, writers, artists, and characters coming and going almost daily.

It was during these crazy times that The Flame was created by Eisner and Lou Fine – another illustrious member of those Golden Years.  Their brainchild, first appeared in Wonderworld Comic #3, July 1939. The Flame was so popular the character soon graduated to his own comic – but, alas, it was snuffed out after only eight issues, going dark on January 1942, a victim not of a vividly costumed menace or even the Nazis, but of the publisher's bankruptcy.

While The Flame's run in the superhero game was a short one the comic still – excuse me – burns quite bright for its originality.  In fact, you could easily trace a lot of The Flame forward to many now legendary comic characters.

Just look at his origin story: poor little Gary Preston was the only survivor of a flood that killed his father, Charteris Preston – a missionary in China.  Little Preston was saved by a benevolent order of Tibetan monks who taught him the mysterious power of heat and fire.  Gary knew that power must be used for good and The Flame was born.

[MORE]

Yet More Philosophy

Amen!

Circlet Likes Technorotica

Very cool! If you head over to M.Christian's Technorotica you can see a very nice review of Technorotica: Stories Shattering the Ultimate Taboo by by Gayle C. Straun at the Circlet Press site

The Shout

One of my all-time favorite films...

Wiki:

The Shout is a 1978 British horror film directed by Jerzy Skolimowski, based on a short story by Robert Graves that was adapted for the screen by Michael Austin. The film was the first to be produced by Jeremy Thomas under his Recorded Picture Company banner.

[MORE] 

Updates and Fun Stuff

Lots of fun stuff going on, blog-wise:

Over at M.Christian's Queer Imaginings there's a review of my queer/horror/ humor vampire novel, The Very Bloody Marys, by Apex Science Fiction

At M.Christian's Technorotica there's In celebration of the release a teasing taste of "Everything But The Smell Of Lilies" from Betty Came: The Best Of M.Christian ... which also appears in my collection of cybersexy fiction, The Bachelor Machine

On meine kleine fabrik there's an article from my new book, Welcome To Weirdsville - about the wonderful (and often creepy) world of mushrooms

In the meantime, here's a pic of a new terrarium - which I had a real blast making in a class at Paxton's Gate over the weekend

Had a Blast!

Here's a heartfelt, hearty thanks to Carol Queen for her fantastic birthday bash.  It was a real treat to read and Carol - as always - was wonderful!

The Sex Scene

(youclevergirl)

Bravo!

Miyazaki

 

I am in SO Much Trouble

Christian pamphlet lists LSD, cyperpunk culture, vegetarianism, Burning Man, heavy metal, and dozens more as ‘doorways to demonic possession’ (Found at Stuff Fundies Like)