Shakeup At Aardwolf: Where's Amy?

Aardwolf Publishing's gal Friday Amy has apparently taken it on the lam. Aardwolf's president Jim R. (my favorite editor, at least until this incident) came back from a three-week vacation to find that nothing had been accomplished around his office in months. That is if you don't count the spider webs. His contracted authors, myself among them, are very unhappy about this.

Amy: If you're reading this, it's rather unfair that readers haven't gotten their books. Further, Jim is out of toner, paper, toilet supplies, and has no clue what his PayPal account is. He tells me he's sorry he called you a stupid cow.

Talking to G-d

Where I'd rather daven (#1 being the highest, #10 the lowest):

1. The Kotel
2. Hevron, in the kever where our Avos are buried
3. Next to the Rebbe, z"tl, when he was alive, in that little room upstairs at 770
4. Anywhere else in Eretz Yirosel
5. With Rabbi Kahane, z"tl
6. In a quiet shul, where everyone is respectful (which seems to only exist in my mind)
7. Alone in my house
8. In a clean toilet
9. In a dirty toilet
10. The Chabad of Northwest NJ

Make Mine Stan Lee

I've known this generous man for three decades, but it's always a thrill to get a note from Stan or hear him on the phone... And in a few weeks, I get to see his smiling face in person.

Cliff,

The greatest of New Years to you and yours!

I'll be looking forward to seeing you and Gene [Colan] in N.Y. I think it's great that you've been so helpful to him all this time. But then, great people do great things--that's why they're great!

Excelsior!

Stan

A Rabbi & A Priest Walk Into a Bar (or How Kars4Kids Literacy Program Made Me Give Up Cigars for Lent)

As reported in The South Orange Patch

On Monday, Sept. 13, the Kars4Kids Literacy Program presented Seton Hall University with a full Talmudic library during a ceremony held in the Dean's Office of Walsh Library. Presiding over the event was Fr. Lawrence Frizzell, who began by addressing the university community in prayer.

The Talmud is a central text of Judaism, written as a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish customs, ethics, history, law and philosophy. "These texts will be a great benefit for our students in the Jewish-Christian Studies Masters program," Frizzell said. "Those students will use the Talmuds more frequently than others. But, the texts will be available for all students and the university community to use as well."

The donation was part of a recent Kars4Kids mandate, aiming to provide educational resourcesto children and students in need. Kars4Kids is a national organization providing for the spiritual, emotional and practical needs of children. The national, 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization was established in 2000.

Upon donating the sacred texts to the university, Kars4Kids spokesman Clifford Meth recounted his early exposure to Judeo-Christian studies and was glad that he could give other students a chance to appreciate what he has. "Today's student studies towards vocational goals," Meth said. "But it wasn't long ago that we educated ourselves for the sake of learning. These texts offer that opportunity to Seton Hall students."

On hand to accept the donation to the Walsh Library was university Archivist Alan Delozier. According to Delozier, the 73-voulme Talmudic library will be catalogued into theuniversity's library in hopes of having the sacred texts available for students soon.

"The Talmud is the essential reference work for scholars and beginning students alike who are interested in Biblical history," Meth said. "We are delighted to present this full library to Seton Hall, where the study of the Bible is so clearly emphasized."

Gene Colan: The best of times, the worst of times

Did Gene Colan live happily ever after? He's certainly had a rough year—even rougher than the rest of America. But he’s had no illusions. Gene understands that it's hard work and perseverance alone that define a man’s destiny.

Gene, who turned 84 last week, spent the first half of 2010 in a hospital bed recovering from a broken shoulder and many thought he’d never draw again. But that’s like betting against the Yankees. Down the in 9th, two outs, nobody on, and Gene has proven once again that if anyone has the right to wear the spandex of Captain Comeback.

Gene spent today with fellow artist Rudy Nebres (pictured above) at ComicArt Con in Secaucus greeting fans, talking comics, answering questions, and reminiscing about Adrienne, his wife of 48 years, who passed away in June of congestive heart failure. His message was the same one he imparted ten years ago when the doctors informed him that he'd remain blind in one eye, and years before that when Jim Shooter chased him away from Marvel for a short spell: You take the chin music, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going. And he has. His current commission work is as sharp today as anything he’s ever created, and his last book, Captain America #601, took this year’s Eisner Award for best single issue.

Pay attention. There's a lesson in this for all of us.