Harlan Ellison, For No Other Reason Than

Just a photo I found that I like very much.

Let My People Go

Swiped this from Elayne Riggs.

Atlanta Falcon Ovie Mughelli: The "Greenest" Dude in the NFL

You've just gotta like a pro ball player like Ovie Muhhelli who takes serious time out to educate himself, the kids who follow him, and even his own teammates. Have a look.

Dick Giordano Passes

I've received a number of calls and email today regarding the passing of comics legend Dick Giordano this morning. Dick was a mentor to many, including some of my mentors. While I didn't know him personally, I join our many friends in marking his passing.

Among the notes I received from friends were these three from Bob Layton, Mike Gold and George Perez:

It is my sorrowful duty to announce that legendary artist/editor/entrepreneur Dick Giordano passed away today. Few could ever hope to match what he accomplished in his chosen profession, or to excel while maintaining great humor, compassion for his peers and an unwavering love for the art form. His unique vision changed the comic industry forever and all of those who work in the business continue to share in the benefits of his sizable contributions. I have been honored to call him a business partner, mentor and dear friend throughout the majority of my lifetime. We will not see his like again.
--Bob Layton

His own gifts as an editor and artist were nothing short of breathtaking. Dick always defended creative freedom and aesthetic opportunity, sometimes putting him heads-on with management powers, often representing not his own work but that of the editors in his charge, most certainly including myself, for which I will be forever grateful. He knew the good stuff when he saw it, he knew how to improve it, he knew how to incubate it... A very warn, opinionated, feisty man with a disarming sense of humor and a knowledge of illustration history second to none, Dick suffered through many health difficulties, including asthma, hearing loss, and ultimately leukemia. Dick was my friend and my mentor as well; I had the privilege of serving under him for seven years at DC Comics... I'll miss him a lot; in this, I will not be alone.--Mike Gold

Words can't adequately express my deep sorrow in learning that my friend, former boss and inspiration Dick Giordano passed away this morning. Dick had been in failing health for some time, so it came as no real surprise, but the sense of loss is still immeasurable. My heart goes out to Dick's family and friends and to ...all in the comics industry, pro and fan alike, whom he has touched. --George Perez

Coming Attractions

Spoke at length tonight with the inimitable Norman Spinrad about his new book and significant writing career. To think that our friendship began over a flung wonton...

And with Richard Manitoba (aka Handsome Dick) about Aardwolf Publishing's coming party at MANITOBA'S where I plan to read a new story. More on these subjects in weeks to come.

Jim Babjak: The Clark Kent of Lead Guitar

I imagine Jim Babjak sitting in a bank's office somewhere in the ruins of New Jersey pushing paper from one side of his desk to the other. Okay, there’s more to banking than that, but that’s what it looks like. Babjak’s day is punctuated by phone calls and staff meetings and occasional glances at his wrist watch. Finally, at five o’clock, he takes his suit jacket off a hook, flings it over his shoulder, locks his office door and calmly bids good evening to his co-workers. Then he’s out the door looking for a phone booth to change in. But that’s getting harder these days. Phone booths are fewer and farther between.

At night, Babjak is a super hero. Even better, he’s the lead guitarist of The Smithrereens, the band he cofounded three decades ago with fellow Jersey boys Dennis Diken (drums), Mike Mesaros (bass) and Pat DiNizio (guitar and lead vocals). Need I invoke the band's string of mid-80’s hits? Need I say “Blood and Roses” and “Behind a Wall of Sleep” and “Only A Memory” and “A Girl Like You”? Need I remind you that his music can be heard in films like “Bull Durham,” “Backdraft,” “Encino Man,” “Time Cop,” “Boys Don't Cry,” “Cruel Intentions 2,” “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle,” and “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.” That’s so cool we forgive him for those radio commercials for Dairy Queen and Nissan.

Cliff: People who attended the recent “The Music of the Who” at Carnegie Hall saw a lot of interesting interpretations of Pete Townshend music, but it was The Smithereens who came closest to that Live at Leeds Sound. Of course The Who are about as close as some people get to religion. It's easy to hear their influence on many bands, but frankly, while the Beatles impact on The Smithereens was obvious from the get-go, I never understood the relationship between The Who and the 'Reens until I actually heard you play Who music. Any thoughts on this?

Jim: We used to play "The Seeker" during our first national tour in 1986, so many of our original fans remember that. Our version of it also appeared on MTV's “Live at the Ritz” and was a live EP released on CD back in 1987. Before we had a record deal, we were playing three sets a night in the bars, “I Can't Explain” was a staple in our live show. We would also throw in “Substitute” on rare occasions.

Dennis Diken, our drummer, and I started playing together when we were 14 years old. We would practice playing songs like “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks, “Summertime Blues” by The Who, “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, “Shapes Of Things” by The Yardbirds", “I'll feel a Whole lot Better” by The Byrds, “No Matter What” by Badfinger, “Ticket To Ride” by The Beatles, “Dirty Water” by The Standells… These songs give you an idea of how we started out. Then around 1973 we got a little more ambitious and started playing songs off of The Who's “Tommy” album and whatever little snippets I could play off of “Live at Leeds”. Dennis and I went to many concerts during our teen years and besides seeing the Kinks about 30 times and tons of other bands, we saw the Who perform a few times while Keith Moon was still alive. After seeing them live, there's no doubt that Townshend made a huge impact on me during my learning years. It's still very much in our blood and will probably be there forever. So by the time we met Pat in 1979, I already had this aggressive style of guitar playing, which was also fueled by the punk movement of the late 70's.

Cliff: Which of the acts at Carnegie Hall the other night were you most impressed with?

Jim: I didn't get to see much of it because the wings were just too crowded and I didn't want to get in the way. It was a good scene up in the dressing rooms just talking to all the other artists, some of which are old friends. I was very impressed by Bob Mould and had a very nice time chatting with Mose Allison who shared our dressing room. There was a great sense of camaraderie among everyone there.

Cliff: You've done your Beatles and Who tributes now...are there any other tributes that Smithereens' fans can expect?

Jim: It was all fun and the fans have mentioned in their emails about us doing a Kinks tribute, but it's time to work on a new original album. Who knows? Anything can happen… I can't rule out another tribute. But there are no plans for one at this time.

Cliff: Pat and I have spoken many times about his influences. Who are yours?

Jim: There are so many that it's way too long to list. Let's just say that the music of the 50's, 60's and early 70's all mixed up is my foundation.

Cliff: What do you listen to these days?

Jim: When I'm not listening to talk radio or CDs from my collection, I'll tune in to rock radio and it's very rare that I'm impressed by something new. Then again, it could be my mood. I was watching TV one night and saw a concert by Snoop Dogg and liked it! My son got me the Chicken Foot and Wolfmother CDs for Christmas… Of course, I bought myself The Kinks box, Neil Young box and both mono and stereo Beatles box sets. I'm becoming an Amazon sucker! They send me emails about new releases that I might like. I just bought the Rhino handmade “Birds, Bees and Monkees” box set and pre-ordered the “Tami” show DVD… I did go out of my way to order The Duke Spirit's album “Neptune” after hearing the song “The Step and The Walk” on the radio. I Googled the band to find the song and while I was looking I read some reviews by people that said Liela Moss' vocals sounded like Grace Slick, but I don't hear that and I think she has her own thing going. She has a great voice. If I had to compare her to anyone, she sounds more like Mariska Veres from The Shocking Blue. She has a similar sexiness in her voice.

Cliff: When I saw you in Morristown recently we spoke about the fact that you have a "straight" job by day and sort of turn into a rock star at night. How does it feel to be the Clark Kent of lead guitarists?

Jim: I'm still working on it. It's not easy at all. I don't like to mix the two worlds, so I keep a very low profile... It's funny, I've known Willie Nile since the 80's and he also has a day gig. Backstage at Carnegie Hall I asked him if he's going in to work in the morning and he said yes. I said, “Me too” and we both laughed. Here we are at Carnegie hall and then the next day we're sitting at a desk. They're both realities.

Cliff: Is playing out once a month, which is what you seem to average, the right mix of family, business and rock & roll?

Jim: Sometimes it's a very hard balance. I take it as it comes. We played seven shows in January and that was pretty great. Usually we have more concerts in the summer and it gets very busy. It all works out. Sometimes I take my family with me. Last year we played in Spain for a week and I took my wife. We had a great time… I get to see so much of the world. I feel very lucky. I just roll with the punches that life brings me. I look at everything as life experience and try to make it great, even my commute to work in the morning.

© 2010 Clifford Meth

New Meth

The new book is in. If you haven't ordered it yet, visit Aardwolf Publishing.

The book's unveiling (unleashing? uncaging?) will occur "officially" at Manitoba's Bar in NY City. You don't want to miss this party. Stay tuned for details.

Meth and Comics Bulletin Hug It Out

Read all about it in "Welcome to Hollywood, Part Deux" here.

Everyone's Hero: IDT's Hindenburg

Artist Michael Netzer has posted a behind-the-scenes rememberance of the making of IDT's film "Everyone's Hero."

"Being affiliated with this film was a sad way for Christopher Reeve to depart from this world. I remember his unending efforts to try to transform the debacle into a worthy film, but it was out of his hands. He passed away during the early stages of pre-production and had virtually little input into the final work. That my own name is also attached to it is likewise no small discomfort. It is a sad legacy about big money gone blind."

I read Michael's piece and shook my head remembering how long it took to get the stink of this thing off my clothes.

Meth on Saperstein: Writers & Artists Weigh In

Regarding the story...it's sudden removal...and it's speedy return to print at another forum:

"Came to the Saperstein column. Read it, LOVED it." --Harlan Ellison

"Good on ya, friend." -- Josh Olson (writer, "A History of Violence")

"Bravo, Cliff! (from someone who's been there)." -- Batton Lash

"Well done Clifford! It's not possible to suppress such a good story nor to run away from it. You're a big inspiration!" -- Michael Netzer

"This is what I told Harlan when last we spoke a week back and it certainly applies re: your column's abrupt excision: People in comics always err on the side of cowardice." --Robert Morales

"Cliff's article is terrific. I've been calling him my ALPHA DAWG OF THE WEEK." --Tony Isabella
"Some of you will learn from this column, others will just laugh. But Clifford’s essays like “Welcome to Hollywood” are too important to be ignored." -- Jim Reeber
See what all the fuss is about here.

Comics Bulletin Pulls Meth Column

After receiving numerous emails that my column was down, I just contacted Jason Sacks, the editor at ComicsBulletin who initially accepted and posted my column "Welcome to Hollywood." Jason is a friend of many years--our association reaches back decades into the early days of comics fandom. I hold no animus for this guy now or ever.

The call to pull the column came from the site's owner Jason Brice who did so from fear of legal reprisals.

A larger comics website has offered to run my column without edits. More on this as things develop.

A Tale of Symmetry

My recent account of how producer Richard Saperstein refused to pay me for contracted work on Snaked and how I handled it have brought in e-kudos all day long from friends and strangers:

"Clifford Meth is my Alpha Dawg of the Week," writes long-time comics writer Tony Isabella at his website.

Jason Brice at ComicBulletin.com refers to it as, "The amazing tale of how Cliff Meth and The Futurians got snaked."

Comics journalist Daniel Best gives the story a compelling and appropriate introduction at his blog.

Glenn Haumann at ComicMix summarizes it as "how to deal with producer Richard Saperstein."

Isn't it high time you read what all the hullabaloo is about? Click here.

(note added 3/13/2010: links to the original column were removed)

Andy Shernoff Breaks His Silence

If pressed, I guess I'd answer that the biggest difference between Andy Shernoff and other performers of the punk era is that the cat could really write. As much as his band the Dictators were about performance and attitude, Shernoff proved again and again that he was about crafting excellent rock ballads. Oddly enough, this didn't occur to me until the 'Tators delivered their kickass reunion LP of 2001, DFFD--easily their finest offering from a song-writing vantage point. Dozens of other bands were already hip to the Shernoff magic and have recorded his stuff, among them The Ramones, The Del-Lords, and Dion.

Peppi Marchello recently made me aware that Andy was performing again. Then a little digging unearthed "When Giants Walked The Earth: A Musical Memoir by Andy Shernoff" coming to New Jersey at Maxell's in Hoboken (March 27, 7:30 PM). I'll be there, I told Peppi, but why hadn't I heard about this? So I contacted Andy.

Cliff: Maxwell's lists "When Giants Walked The Earth: A Musical Memoir by Andy Shernoff" but that's all there is, brother...nothing about the show or the other musicians at the site, or anywhere else on the web.

Andy: That's because I have been keeping it low key as I work in the act. Maxwell's will be my first announced show. There are no other musicians--just me and my guitar. I sing my tunes and weave a narrative about growing up in New York, making music in pre-punk days, touring England in 1977 and my experiences working with some crazy but talented people... just call me the insensitive singer-songwriter or Ray Davies with a White Castle slant.

Cliff: Will we hear new material?

Andy: No brand new songs but I will be performing songs you may not have heard because they were recorded by other people.

Cliff: Are you recording anything new?

Andy: Absolutely, I am in the process of recording a few new tunes for my next round of shows, one is an unreleased collaboration with Joey Ramone.

Cliff: I plan to be at Maxwell's and hope to introduce my son to you. I was imagining that in the car. "Avi--say hello to Andy, one of my favorite songwriters, the man who wrote 'Minnesota Strip'." What songs do you find people asking you about?

Andy: Actually "Pussy and Money" is one of the songs from which people often quote lines back to me. "Who Will Save Rock and Roll" and "Master Race Rock" are also remembered for the lyrics but "Stay With Me" seems to be the most popular as it has been the most covered by other bands.

Cliff: "Who Will Save Rock and Roll" is one of my favorites by anyone ever. Was that just a rhetorical question, or do you have an answer?

Andy: It's rhetorical because rock and roll has peaked as an art form in my humble opinion. One reason is that rock and roll is only three chords and a 4/4 backbeat and there are only so many permutations that can be made with those variables. Another problem is that most recordings today are done one part at a time into a computer, which allows every element to be re-tuned and manipulated, removing the unique character that can be achieved by a group of musicians playing in a room together. The result is so many groups sound the same these days... Besides when you start to hear more rock and roll in car commercials than on the radio, you can be assured it's in death throes.

Cliff: Will the Dictators play together again?

Andy: Never say never... but certainly not in the near future.

Cliff: What did you learn from the punk days? Any regrets?

Andy: I don't look back, so no regrets... What did I learn? Persevere and be yourself!

Pay attention when I'm talking to ya! The Maxwell's gig is just a few weeks away. This is a rare and unique opportunity to see Andy Shernoff playing and discussing his songs. And for only $10. Can't beat that with a bat.

The Selling of America

Everything must go.

Stan Lee: A Serious Interview

I've said this before: At the end of the day it won't matter who spins the history of the comics nor how they spin it. One fact will remain indisputable: Stan Lee changed comics, which changed most of us.

The first time I met Stan was in 1986 in Manhattan. He was in town for The Toy Show and I took the opportunity to interview him over lunch for Home Viewer, one of several new magazines that had sprung up around the burgeoning video industry of the mid-80s. Shortly after my article appeared, I was pleasantly surprised to find a letter in my mailbox from Stan. He wanted to thank me for the interview. Thank me!

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of Stan's company many times on the phone and in person. He's written generous introductions to a number of books that I've edited, as well as my forthcoming collection of essays and arguments Comic Book Babylon. I thought it would be fun to revisit that first conversation of ours from 24 years ago. Here’s a piece of it:

Meth: From a creative perspective, your legacy consists largely of expanding a superhero mythology that a new generation has come to inherit. Do you think that's an important contribution?

Lee: Yes. Everybody needs heroes. Everybody should have somebody to look up to, somebody to aspire to be like. In my case, I read legends, Robin Hood, The Odyssey, Sherlock Holmes. I saw Errol Flynn movies and I wanted to be Errol Flynn. Every time I left the theater, I had a crooked little smile on my face and I swashbuckled down the street. Until I was ten years old, I wished that I had a sword by my side. I would rather have been Errol Flynn or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Sherlock Holmes or Tarzan or Edgar Rice Burroughs or H.G. Wells than anybody else. All of these people were my heroes. I assume everybody is like that. We all have people we admire, actors we admire, fictional characters we admire, and if we didn't, what would we ever have to aim for? What goals would we have?

Meth: But Marvel’s heroes--Stan Lee’s heroes--are very unlike those character’s you grew up admiring. Your heroes have problems. Was that part of the formula, or just a sales angle?

Lee: Not at all! I'd been writing the old stories for years because I was the ultimate company man. I did what my publisher wanted because I felt that's the way it should be--you work for somebody you do what he says. For twenty years, I was grinding out the types of stories he wanted and I won't apologize for them. They were good for what they were. These were westerns: Kid Colt, the Rawhide Kid, the Texas Kid, the Ringo Kid, Apache Kid--we loved the named "kid". We did war stories: Battle Grady, Combat Kelly, real mass producers. I wrote virtually all of them.

And I always wanted to quit, because while I was making a living, I felt I wasn't getting anywhere. I told my wife, “Honey, I want to try writing other stuff. I'm going to give this up.” She said, “Stan, you've been frustrated for years because you never really wrote the kind of stories you wanted. Before you leave, why don't you just take some books and write them your way? What's the big deal? You want to leave anyway so what'll they do, fire you?”

So I started with the Fantastic Four. We didn't have any superheroes then. We were doing monster stories. My publisher said to me, “You know, I been looking at sales figures and D.C. Comics’ Justice League of America is selling very well. We should do a few superheroes and put them together.” I said, “Fine.” But I wasn't going to do it the former way.

Meth: Which was?

Lee: Bland. They all fight together, love each other. Typical group. I figured I would make one a monster, another the hero’s fiancé, the third her kid brother who’s a little bit of an itch. I tried to do it the way I thought superheroes would be in real life. I even tried to be different by not giving them costumes, but that was a mistake. I got a lot of mail after the first issue: “Love your book! It's wonderful! Best thing I ever read! Congratulations! But if you don't give them costumes, I'll never buy another issue.” So I don’t have to be hit over the head. We put costumes on them. Everything else worked. I never thought it would sell well. I figure I'm getting it out of my system and then I'm going to quit. Well, it was the best selling book we had in years. So we brought out The Avengers, Spider-Man, and The Hulk.

Meth: How is your relationship with Jack Kirby these days?

Lee: I don't think we’re as friendly now. He isn't as friendly toward me as I wish he were. I'm not really 100% sure that I know what the reason is. Maybe he feels he is not as well known or he feels that I've achieved a little more something than he has. I don't know. He has never told me. Jack is certainly one of the most talented if not the most talented guy that the comic book industry has ever produced. He is the most imaginative, most creative guy I have ever known in this business. His mind is an endless source of stories, concepts, and ideas. He was a fantastic artist with one of the most powerful, dramatic styles you could ever find. I've always said that. I've always felt that about him and I still do.

Meth: Who are your favorite Marvel characters?

Lee: Maybe Spider-Man and the Silver Surfer. I got more philosophy into the Silver Surfer than anything I ever wrote. He was always giving his opinions about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I liked him because he was so offbeat. I think those 17 issues of Silver Surfer that I wrote and that John Buscema drew are the best 17 comics that have ever been done. They’re classics.

Meth: You’ve been in Hollywood for a long time now. Ever get the urge to return to writing comic books?

Lee: I must be honest and admit that I miss comics. I miss the excitement. Mainly, I miss the people; I loved the people I worked with. I also miss the fact that in the comic book business, you can get an idea for a book, get together with an artist, do it, and three or four months later the book is on sale. In the movie business, you can spend years before a project reaches the screen, if it ever does. However, I'm not the least bit tired of Hollywood. I'll never retire. I love what I do. I love the movie and TV business, and I've never had more fun. The only thing that would make my professional life even better would be if Marvel Comics was in the same building and I was working on the comics and the movies and the television and the animation at the same time. That would be heaven.

(part II coming soon... subscribe to this blog and you won't miss it... the subscription is free)

The Amazing Stan Lee

BOOM! finally made their teased-out Stan Lee announcement yesterday morning. And despite calls from 1000+ reporters, my 87-years-young friend stopped by to answer a few questions. Briefly.

Cliff: Were the characters and back stories for the new POW-BOOM joint venture actually created by you?

Stan: Yep!

Cliff: Do you still think it's important for a hero's alter ego to have an Achilles heel?

Stan: Yep... Usually.

Cliff: At what stage are you at with the projects that you're doing with Walt Disney Studios?

Stan: All different stages. Script. Development. Production.

Cliff: When I was with IDT Entertainment, you shared a letter with us that you received from Paul McCartney pitching you a character. How often do you get pitches from fellow celebs?

Stan: Occassionally. An average of three or four a year.

Cliff: Now that you're hitting middle age, do you have any intention of slowing down?

Stan: Not if I can help it! Excelsior!

Stan Lee Breaks His Silence

BOOM made their big Stan Lee announcement this morning...and Stan just popped me an email to answer a few questions. I'll post his answers at ComicMix.com tomorrow morning.

Coming Attractions: Gerry Conway

Gerry Conway, a most excellant writer of comics when I was still reading them, and numerous TV shows after I stopped watching TV, will be paying us a visit. This is the same Gerry Conway who co-created The Punisher and killed off Peter Parker's gal Gwen Stacy, not the Gerry Conway who drummed for Jethro Tull... Stay tuned.

Something for Nothing

I imagine that if I were stranded on a desert island (with neither Ginger, MaryAnne nor Kate Austen) I would fashion something to write with and hunt up flat surfaces to write upon and conjure in my fevered brain the vision of someone someday somehow discovering what I wrote, which is to say that once the sickness of Must Write takes hold, most of us do it even without a discernable audience. After all, how many non-writers "write" for no audience now? No one reads your blog. "So what?" they mutter to themselves. "I'm not writing to be read." A delusion, of course, but no matter.

The point, if there must be one, is that anyone insane enough to bare innards thus does so because of some twisted exhibitionistic tendency. Nowhere is this more apparent than with genuine writers who call off asides to readers in near-desperate attempts to make sure that someone is listening. I dare say the writers I admire most do this from time to time. More's the pity.

The conclusion, if there must be one, is that I woke up this morning aware of my own need to peek beneath the curtain before it rises, to check Google analytics on occasion to see who is listening and on other occasions (this occasion, here, now) to make certain that my island has "others" on the southside of the lagoon.

So:

If you subscribe to this blog (free, just follow the instructions in the right-hand window) and stay here for 30 days or more, I will send you one of my comics for free, signed if you like. You just need to mail me a large enough SASE. That's the deal.

Something for nothing. Well, not exactly nothing--something for effort. The signed comic will be the one pictured, with a cover by Gray Morrow interior art by Dave Cockrum.

I Am Gene Colan's Dawg

The below is an interview that I just gave to John Hogan, the editor of GraphicNovelReporter.com, regarding The Invincible Gene Colan (Marvel Entertainment), which I believe is just weeks away from shipping.

When and how did you and Gene meet?

I met Gene at the first MarvelCon in New York City in 1976. I was 15 and Gene sketched a little Captain America head for me in the program book. Those were the good old days—guys like Gene and John Buscema and John Romita doing free sketches for kids. It was like being at the Yankees’ dugout in ’51 with a pen and a baseball.

How did you first get involved in comics professionally?

I read and collected comics as a little kid starting in 1966, then became a fanzine contributor as a teenager. When I was in my 20s, my local comics shop (The Comic Book Emporium in Union, NJ) went up for sale so I bought it, renamed it “Clobbering Time” then opened two more shops. I had frequent guest artists coming in to sketch for my customers and befriended several of them. I was also writing for ComicScene and Wizard and making new friends. So one thing lead to another and in 1994 Jim Reeber and I launched Aardwolf Publishing with the help of Dave Cockrum and Gray Morrow.

You’ve been working in the comics industry for decades now. Do you enjoy it as much now as you always did?

Now that I’m back to freelancing I enjoy it more. I was frustrated as a full-time professional. It was political instead of creative. I suppose everything is when you get too close.

What is the industry like now versus when you first became a part of it? Has it changed for the better?

From what I can see, it is more political than ever. Business is always about making money but there was more of a sense of fraternity in the ‘70s, when I started hanging around. I suppose you had jerks then, too, but I didn’t know them.

You do a lot to acknowledge the impact and importance of comics’ legends, recently with both Colan and Dave Cockrum. Does the industry as a whole do enough to recognize its classic talents?

You can’t personify the industry—there’s just individuals doing what they do. In the 80’s, Neal Adams set a great example for the rest of us; he wasn’t only about his own pocket—he was willing to invest in helping two impoverished old men who’d created Superman and seen little for their efforts. Today, it’s a little easier on old timers, but not much. Most of them didn’t get their due, let’s face it… People pretend to be rebels today, but real rebels, as I see it, run the risk of rejection, of disapproval. The old guys—some of them like Ditko and Gerber—risked shock, disgust, outrage, censorship... The new rebels might be willing to risk rolled eyes and yawns but outside of Alan Moore, I don’t see risk takers—not creatively and certainly not when it comes to watching out for the guys who came before them.

How do you define Gene Colan’s influence on comics?

Gene was cinematic in a time when artists were still Kirby-esque. He was terribly important.

What made you decide to do a book on his art and his life at this point?

Gene came to me and said that he wanted to retire; he asked if I would negotiate a retirement package with Marvel for him and I agreed to. What I did for the Cockrums is fairly well known among the older generation of comics’ creators, and Gene and I have been friends for decades, so it made sense that he came to me. The Invincible Gene Colan was part of the deal; Marvel allowed me to reprise what I had done with The Uncanny Dave Cockrum collection; they said they would publish it and give all profits to Gene. It was a win-win for everyone.

How is Gene doing now? He continues to work—is he going to be involved in promoting the book?

He’s out there to the extent that his health allows him to be out there.

Does any of Gene’s work stand out and particularly resonate with you? Was there any series that you consider definitive in terms of his style?

Despite the fact that I created Snaked and write what Barnes and Noble and others have described as “dark fiction,” I am not a horror reader. So I was never a Tomb of Dracula fan. But I believe Gene was at his best there—he had evolved from Daredevil into a place where he could stretch the limits. I personally preferred DD and Iron Man and especially his run on Captain America, but that’s because I prefer superheroes. Gene’s style, as I said, is cinematic. He goes beyond the necessity just to tell a story—he infuses his visual storytelling with mood. Most comic artists recognize that but are incapable of producing it; they wow you with fantastic figure drawings, but there’s no soul. With Gene…It’s a feel that he has, I think—not something that can necessarily be learned. We recognize and adore certain writers by their voices. With artists, it’s by their taste.

What are you working on next? What other projects can we expect from you?

I continue to write fiction and find different vehicles for it. My next book will be a collaboration with Jeffrey Catherine Jones. You can see my current projects—including some signed and remarqued copies of The Invincible Gene Colan—at www.aardwolfpublishing.com

Steve Englehart Breaks His Silence

Steve Englehart speaks to us about The Point Man (just reissued from TOR)...


Meth: Anyone reading The Point Man can see the Marvel references, the pop culture and soap influences...but why a d.j.?

Englehart: Why not? But I suppose the answer is, d.j.'s in those days were hands-on performers, kings of their markets, running their own shows--thus, a guy primed to be an action hero coming out of the normal, non-action world.

Meth: Why reissue The Point Man... and why now?

Englehart: It's the jumping-off point for the Max August series. I wrote The Long Man to work without a reissue, because I didn't know if there'd be one, but Tor wanted it, so it adds a lot to the picture... As to why now, I'd have preferred it a year ago.

Meth: You had time to revamp the book but only adjusted the protagonist's age. What were some of the other elements that you considered playing with?

Englehart: None. I stand by what I wrote then, with no need to fix anything--and it does insure that the 1980's are completely authentic. The Point Man captures pretty well what life was like then, and that's important in the overall scheme of the series.

Meth: If memory serves, you wrote this around the same time that you were contributing to Byron Preiss' Weird Heroes anthology. That was an excellant series--and you were in impressive company. Other than Aardwolf Publishing, I don't see anyone doing illustrated fiction anymore. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Englehart: It's a shame. Weird Heroes was fun.

Meth: I grew up on your Avengers and Captain America work. Did you prefer writing any titles?

Englehart: I liked pretty much every series I wrote, because I was in a position to make them likeable, for me and hopefully for you.

Meth: Why did you leave Marvel?

Englehart: Editorial interference.

Meth: If you were assembling a bullpen from any writers, editors, pencillors and inkers either living or dead, who would you select?

Englehart: Sorry, I'm not into comics any more. I'm all about novels.

George Harrison: When I'm 67

George would be 67 today. I suspect he was so terribly important to me as a lad because he transcended the Beatles. I read the Bhagavad Gita because of him. At 14. This is love.

George will be celebrated at a public party today at 6PM, at George's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of Capitol Records Tower Building, 1750 N. Vine Street, Hollywood. Apple Scruffs and other fans will place flowers and birthday messages around the star. The event is sponsored by the Alliance for Survival peace group. If I were in Los Angeles, I would attend.

Meth on Steve Englehart

Steve Englehart was a very terrific writer of comics at a time when I was reading nothing but. I'm conducting a brief interview with him regarding his Max August series for this blog. Should be ready by tomorrow.

Englehart began his pro comics career assisting art legend Neal Adams on Vampirella #10 (Warren Publishing, 1971) and later became a writer at Marvel under Roy Thomas, where his plots and dialogue were, more sophisticated--and far more fun--than most of what his contemporaries were doing. To this day, my favorite Captain America run was his, especially that forever memorable resolution of the 1950's Cap/Bucky conundrum with a plotline that also hit on the racial issues of that period (issues #152-156).

Englehart and Frank Brunner (who illustrated the cover of my own Wearing The Horns for Aardwolf Publishing), created a multi-issue storyline for Dr. Strange (Marvel Premiere #14) in which a sorcerer named Sise-Neg (Genesis backwards) travels back through history, collects magical energies, then finally reaches the beginning of the universe only to become omnipotent and re-create it, leaving Dr. Strange to ponder whether this was, paradoxically, the original creation. Story has it that Stan Lee (then EiC of Marvel) ordered the pair to print a retraction to avoid problems with religious leaders, saying this was not "God" but a god... and that Englehart and Brunner penned a fake letter from a fictitious minister praising the story, then mailed it to Marvel from Texas. Marvel unwittingly printed the letter and dropped the retraction order.

Salt in Stanhope Cancels Steve Forbert

5:12 PM: This note just arrived from Steve Forbert's management:

"Forbert is off for tomorrow per the venue and rescheduled for 3/11"

That gives you Meth readers more time to catch up on Steve's old songs and YouTube videos. March!

Neither Snow Nor Hail Nor Gloom of Night Shall Stop Steve Forbert from Playing New Jersey

The good folks at Salt in Stanhope, NJ didn't know whether the "paralyzing storm" that's looming would stop Steve Forbert from showing up at his sold out engagement tomorrow night... So I just hung up with Steve's management. "He'll be there," promised Brad.

Clifford Meth will, too--snowshoes and all.

Steve Forbert: A Moving Picture Is Worth 1000 Words

I mentioned Steve Forbert the other day and some of you said "who?" so watch this and then we'll continue the conversation.

Mike Henderson: Art Worth Owning

The extraordinary young artist Mike Henderson has just finished 150 unique sketched-on bookplates for the new Hank Magitz book, which he also illustrated (and ya'll know how much I dig mean old Magitz). The book's introduction is by Dictators' frontman Handsome Dick Manitoba and the cover is by Kelly Freas. What're you waiting for?!

Be a smart cookie: Don't just get this book because I tell you it's a great read--get a sketched-on bookplate before young Mike becomes a household word and you're forced to pay ten-times what they're going for now to some bottom feeder on Ebay. I was getting sketches from Jim Steranko and John Romita Sr. and Gene Colan 30 years ago. Know what they're worth now?

Speaking of Colan, here's the master weighing in on young Henderson: "Mike has caught my imagination. There's a drama there that is compelling. His linework is economical and sharp yet one sees all the curves. There's magic in that!"

Order here.

Stan's Back?

A teaser banner ad at ComicMix proclaims, "Stan's Back." It use's Stan Lee's inimitatable signature. And when you click on the ad, that's all it tells you. Stan's back. Good tease. So what's up?

I emailed Stan this morning. His reply, "Funny thing is-- I didn't even know I'd been away!" Good reply.

Stan promised me an interview when he's ready to unveil the story.

And what's this have to do with Kars4Kids?

Romeo’s Back: The Return of Steve Forbert

He was only the most exciting new singer/songwriter to arrive on New York City’s still-hip folk scene in 1977. And 33 years later he’s still the most relevant. Whether you’ve heard him recently or not.

Steve Forbert is currently touring his just-released studio LP “Down in Flames,” 39 new studio and live recordings that open with the 13-track, refurb’d version of his until-now unreleased 5th LP. Those never-heard tracks—historical monuments for diehard Forbert fans—were originally produced for Columbia Records in 1983. But Columbia didn’t like the record and asked for another one. Steve said no. Then Columbia sat on the album, refusing to release it, and refusing to let Steve release it, locking this important 28-year-musician into a nightmarish legal entanglement that prohibited recording, then setting our boy from Meridian, Mississippi loose on an unexpected path: the one less travelled by. As Hunter Thompson observed, it was the dead-end loneliness of a man who makes his own rules.

Steve Forbert is to folk rock what Alan Moore is to comics, what Charles Bukowski was to poetry, what Harlan Ellison was to science fiction. He is unique. He is uncompromising. He is a very stubborn man. And his music—that always cogent songwriting and those emotive, mesmerizing live performances—are simply wonders to behold.

Do yourself a favor, Jack: pay attention to this kind of guy.

Click here to see Steve Forbert’s current tour dates, or here to visit his new website… or here to read a piece that I wrote about Steve six years ago. If you're too young to recall "Romeo's Tune" and the like, you're about to strike gold; and if you're a middle-ager like me, it's time to fall in love all over again. You can thank me later.

Miss Me Yet?

Courtesy of Michelle Malkin's blog.

The Invincible Gene Colan

Technical difficulties*. Please stand by.

* (read legal difficulties)

You Don't Know What You've Got...

...Until You Lose It

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I update this blog once a week. Sometimes it's even good news. What're you waiting for?

The Quiet Passing of Eric Aryeh Mahr (1955-2010)

I was broken hearted to learn of the loss of my friend and colleague Eric Mahr. This was as fine a man as I have known--unassuming, straight, simple and kind; an ehrliche Yid whose passing has effected me more than I would have guessed.

I learned that Eric had left us from our mutual friend Michael Netzer, whose telling of the story makes it difficult to breath.

Eric and [his wife] Jody flew to Buffalo, NY, last week to attend the funeral of Jody’s father… and another one of Eric’s uncle. Eric was very close to both. Way too much sorrow and grief for one family, one man, to suffer at once. One funeral after the other. But Eric was almost done. Only one more eulogy for his uncle left to give. His heart, ripped into shreds, pressed on with love, grief, memories and praise. At the grave. Pressed on so hard that it couldn’t press on anymore. That’s when Eric collapsed. Giving the eulogy at his uncle’s grave. His heart. His soul. Collapsed at the grave...Way too much sorrow. (read more here)

Eric bridged many worlds--comics, Torah, publishing...many more. After moving to Israel from Buffalo, NY, he single-handedly established and maintained a comics-publishing niche for observant Jews. We spent time together at San Diego ComicCon and I later had the great merit to edit Balm in Gilead for his MW Publications. I recall Eric phoning from Israel in 2006 while small Israeli communities were under constant attack during the Second Lebanon War; he was deeply concerned and humbly asked if I'd contribute to a publishing project to help children who were living in shelters, having been made homeless by the bombs. This project meant so much to him. Everything he did meant so much to him.

Forgive me, my dear friend Eric, for not showing you the tremendous respect in this world that I'm sure you'll find in the next.

It's A Lie. Paul Isn't Dead.

The first celebrity I recall hearing a rumor about was Paul McCartney. Paul was dead. Worse, the rest of the Beatles were covering it up. Paul had been replaced with a look-alike named Billy Shears. John Lennon had slipped in the clue “I buried Paul” at the end of “Strawberry Fields Forever”. There were clues everywhere. But it wasn't true.

I suspect the story hurt some real people in McCartney’s life, not just insipid groupies hoping to land Sir Paul—but at the end of the day no real harm was done. The rumors of Paul’s death had been greatly exaggerated. If anything, perhaps another few million LPs were sold.

This isn’t the case with the rumor mill today. Yusuf Islam (the musician formerly known as Cat Stevens) gets accused of supporting terrorism by an understandably freaked out public who, following September 11, were just coming to terms with the clear and present danger of Islamic fundamentalism. It didn’t matter that everything this musician stood for to that point of his life was rooted in art and humanitarianism; John Q Public had a celebrity it could burn at the stake. The result: Yusuf was denied access to the United States.

It used to be the broad brush of communism that celebrities got painted with. The Hollywood Blacklist, which expanded into the entertainment blacklist, deprived livelihoods to scores of actors, writers, directors and musicians after initially targeting screen heroes like Jimmy Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. Good folks were denied employment not necessarily because of their political beliefs or associations, but because of suspicion.

Today, the rules have changed. Socialists are awarded professorships at Harvard and radio talk shows and seats in Congress.

Want to hurt a celebrity now? Paint him gay. And do it on the internet.

New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez saw this happen not long ago. More damaging in many ways than his steroids admission was that photoshot in Details which heralded speculation that the star infielder must be a corncob cowboy. Comments on sports websites like Deadspin concluded that because A-Rod was pictured kissing himself in a mirror: "A-Rod would very much enjoy a copy of Details magazine up the wazoo" and "they followed him to the abandoned shack that he goes to to have sex with strange and diseased men." ESPN writer LZ Granderson attributed the attitude to fan jealousy and homophobia. I disagree. It’s jealousy and homopolitics. It’s the new gay agenda.

For some gays, it’s not enough to demand equal rights. There's a nagging insistance that everyone’s a member of their party. That’s why when someone like boxer Hasim Rahman offhandedly accused opponent Lennox Lewis of using “gay moves,” the one-percenters built a rumor and ran it up the fagpole.

The truth behind most gay rumors is that they are rarely true. Like the communist accusations during the Red Scare, these rumors serve not-so-well-hidden agendas: those of the rumor starter and the minority lobby who benefit from spreading it. Someone—an enemy most likely, a female most likely—planted one of these rumors in the virtual locker of Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Kordell Stewart in 1999. Imagine Stewart’s chagrin being forced to confront his teammates—as he did in a private—with “You'd better not leave your girlfriends around me, because I'm out to prove a point.”

Remember when someone targeted Met’s catcher Mike Piazza? There’s no question in my mind that the fag tag lost our power hitter some serious money in endorsements that year. Perhaps for the rest of his career. Who was behind that rumor? Follow the money.

Following his 1991 disclosure of his HIV status, Magic Johnson had to appear on the Arsenio Hall Show to tell Hall (and the audience), “I'm far from being homosexual. You know that, everybody else who's close to me understands that.” Johnson’s career was coming to a close; his endorsements certainly weren’t coming in after the AIDS story. Why deny being gay? Because it wasn’t true! And no one wants to be accused of that if it’s not true.

It’s not a crime to be a Muslim either. But how quick was our president to deny that story?

Which brings me to Ovie Mughelli. As I recently noted, some skunk with an agenda and no sense of decency just went after the Atlanta Falcon’s fullback claiming to be Ovie’s ex-lover. Where did he do his outing? On the website of a no-name blogger (who can barely string sentences together) with her own clear agenda. The next thing you know, it’s a running wildfire on the Black Gay Chat boards and blogs because they have an agenda, too. No validation. No proof. But they treat it like gospel.

Ovie says it’s not true. And he has a daughter. And the women he dates are smoking hot.

Will the rumor cost Ovie endorsement deals? Definitely maybe. But as Meyer Lansky pointed out, “When a man loses his money, he loses nothing; when he loses his character, he loses everything.” That in mind, I was heartened that Ovie didn’t take the bait, didn't dignify the rumor with a dramatic response. He shrugged and said sorry--you've got the wrong man. As I see it, #34 is a class act.

Others see it, too, apparently. Pine Crest School’s students just awarded their first-ever Earthman’s Pro Football Eco Player of the Year award to Ovie. The replica of the football is being made with recycled glass fused in a kiln and mounted on recycled wood. “Atlanta Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli is teaching youngsters the importance of caring for the planet,” said a spokesperson for The Earthman Project, a nonprofit founded by Lanny Smith, the 2006-2007 North American Environmental Educator of the Year. Ovie’s own foundation works with environmental leaders to develop football camps, green speaking events and eco-challenges that educate 8- to 17-year-olds.

As my friend Kurt Vonnegut noted in “The Unicorn Trap,” life comes down to a singular struggle: It’s the wreckers against the builders. There’s the whole story of life!

And Paul still isn't dead.

Orphans Successful

No injuries. No arrests. Even Hank Magitz had nothing to complain about when all was said and done last night at The Black River Barn in Randolph, NJ, where the Orphans reunited for the first time in more than two decades. Pictured below: lead guitartist Rich Grunes looking guilty, as usual.

My Sensei's Tougher That Your Sensei

Hanshi Richard Lenchus, founder of The Legend (a hybrid Shotokan system) wrote to his blackbelts this morning:

Learning 22 katas doesn't mean anything if you can't do one well, but I have this problem of loving to teach even things I don't know well, as you all know. I think you all should go to Staten Island at least once a week to be polished up... Here are the katas I have taught you all:

Heian Shodan
Heian Nidan
Heian Sandan
Heian Yondan
Heian Godan
Tekki Sho
Tekki Ni
Empi
Chinte
Kanku Sho
Kanku Dai
Bassi Sho
Bassi Dai
Jion
Elbow Kata
Sepai (goju kata)

In Vermont we also did:
Jutte
Gojushiho Sho
Gojushiho Dai
Gangaku
Mask 1
Mask 2
Earth
Wind
Bo kata Evening Storm

We must review all before we go on to:
Nijushiho Sho
Nijushiho Dai
Tekki San
Kurumfa
Tensho
Seiochin
Unsu
Seiza

Orphans Reunion Tonight!

The Orphans, those late-1980’s post-garage-rock wunderkinder hailing from Rockaway, New Jersey and Parts Unknown, will be reprising their frenetic pop-Rockaway-rock experience tonight only at The Black River Barn in Randoph, New Jersey. Fronted by Hank Magitz (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Jim Reeber (vocals, keyboards) and featuring Rich “what are the chords?” Grunes on lead guitar, the Orphans last appearance was at CBGB’s in 1989.

Rumor has it that Moshe “Tok Sho” Morgenstern, an original member of the flab four, will be sitting in on bass. “It wouldn’t be the same without Morganstern—we'd be in tune,” quipped Magitz in a rare phone interview this morning from his home in Parts Unknown.

“We expect all of our fans to turn out for this long-awaited event,” said Reeber, who has spent the last two decades fronting New Jersey’s Own Hoi Polloi. “We’ve reserved a table in the back for them.”

The Orphans disbanded in 1989, shortly after their fabled CBGB’s appearance, when Morganstern elected to pursue a solo career, which led to the hideous state of unemployment he now finds himself in. “If you’re not willing to die for your art, or at least kill for it, you’re just another gut worm,” said a bitter Magitz to Rolling Stone at the time of the band’s breakup. Magitz, who refused to revisit the bitter momment in this morning's brief interview, has a new book that will be available in March.

The Orphans will be taking the stage tonight after 10:30. Everyone should be good and drunk by then.

Books for Sale: The Meth Library

This post will be updated regularly as I add new books.

Many of my books are now out of print. I have author's copies of each of the following. If you'd like one or more, email me at cliffmeth@aol.com. Also, let me know if you want books signed or personalized.

Books written by Clifford Meth:
Billboards (IDW Publishing, 2009) - hardcover - $15

This Bastard Planet (Aardwolf Publishing, 1996) Cover by Joe Linsner - TPB $8

Conflicts of Disinterest (Aardwolf Publishing, 2004) TPB $10

Crawling From the Wreckage (Aardwolf Publishing, 1998) Cover by Joe Kubert - TPB -$10
god's 15 Minutes (Aardwolf Publishing, 2004) Cover by Wm. Michael Kaluta, afterword by Harlan Ellison - 244-pg. hardcover $35

god's 15 Minutes (Aardwolf Publishing, 2004) - Trade paperback of above - $22

Aardwolf #1 (rare comic from Aardwolf Publishing, 1994) - Cover by Gray Morrow and art by Dave Cockrum. Contains two Meth stories. Signed by Gray Morrow, Dave Cockrum & Clifford Meth. - $6

Snaked #1-3 (comic series from IDW Publishing, 2008) - Cover by Ash Wood, art by Rufus Dayglo, story by Clifford Meth; full series (all three comics) $12

Edited by Clifford Meth:
Strange Kaddish (Aardwolf Publishing, 1996) Stories from Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Clifford Meth, Bill Messner-Loebs, others; art by Gray Morrow, Dave Cockrum, Nelson deCastro, Mike Pascale - $10

Stranger Kaddish (Aardwolf Publishing, 1997) Stories from Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Clifford Meth, Peter David, Bill Messner-Loebs, Mike Pascale, Ilan Stavans and Walter Cummins; art by Bill Messner-Loebs, Janet Aulisio, Paty Cockrum; cover by Dave Cockrum - $12

The Dave Cockrum Benefit Auction Catalog (Heritage Auctions, 2004) - $5.00

Lori by Robert Bloch (IDW Publishing, 2009) - $12.00

Heroes and Villians (Two Morrows, 2005) The ltd. edition William Messner-Loebs benefit sketchbook, with cover art by Neal Adams and contributions from John Cassaday, Dave Cockrum, Gene Colan, Alan Davis, Adam and Andy Kubert, Joe Kubert, Joe Quesada, John Romita Jr. and Walt Simonson... and essays by Clifford Meth and Neil Gaiman - $25

Other books worth having in your library:

Whirlwind: Stories and Art by Dave Cockrum (Aardwolf Publishing, 1997) Ltd. edition; cover by Marie Severin, introduction by Chris Claremont. - $10

Kelly Freas Covers Meth

My new book is finally being solicited. And it features a cover by the sensational Kelly Freas art by Mike Henderson, a foreword by Bob Duggan, an introduction by punk-rock legend Richard "Handsome Dick" Manitoba and an afterword by the brilliant Avram Davidson. And Aardwolf Publishing is offering it with a money-back-if-not-delighted guarantee. How's that for confidence?

Order it here.