Chuck Norris and Rick Lenchus...by Request

As noted here and there, I trained for many years with Hanshi Richard Lenchus. He gave me flying lessons (so to speak), my first blackbelt, and a second set of balls (the brass ones). The blackbelt prompted a letter of congrats from celebrated Sensei Chuck Norris, an old sparring partner of my sensei's... As a boy, no one ever frightened me like Rick Lenchus. And after that, nothing could.


Pictured: Aaron Banks, Rick Lenchus and Chuck Norris

Selling My Orignal Comic Art...

Not selling all of it, but it's time to say good-bye to many pieces from my 30-year-old collection. You can see the art here.

George Harrison, my 1st Hero

“Everyone has choice
when to and not to raise their voices.
It’s you who decides.”
--George Harrison ("Run of the Mill")

Those words, elegant in their simplicity, were a clarion call to this small voice when, as an adolescent, I first encountered the quiet Beatle’s messages of responsibility to spirit and self. Years later, those same seeds strengthened my resolve in writing and releasing stories like “I, Gezheh” and “Wagging the Rebbe” and, more recently, “Wagging the CEO” (in BILLBOARDS), to say nothing of fighting certain battles.

Noting that a new retrospective of George’s songs has been released, I revisited the ALL THINGS MUST PASS LP this morning and came away, as always, cleaner and emotionally wrung out. I cannot recommend this album more highly...This message has been a public service announcement brought to you by the Spiritual Sky.

Breast Feeding While Drunk

A North Dakota woman pleaded guilty today for drunken breast-feeding and now faces up to five years in prison. And I didn't even know it was illegal.

Original Art Collection for Sale

When the going gets tough, the tough sell their comics and art. I'll be posting more pieces for sale over the next few months. In the mean time, have a look.

The Cockrum / Claremont Reunion

Chris Claremont pictured with Paty Cockrum at Heroescon yesterday. Dave Cockrum was there in spirit (photo courtesy of Richard O'Hara).

Cockrum Scholarship at the Joe Kubert School

Neglected to mention several weeks ago that I was honored, again, to present the Dave & Paty Cockrum Annual Scholarship Award to a promising artist at the Joe Kubert School for Graphic Design. That scholarship continues to be funded by the generous Paty Cockrum via sales from Dave's personal collection, including his file copies. Comics are frequently added to the list of what's available check it from time to time. To see the list of what's available, click here.

Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You

Nah--not here. France, England, the Middle East, Patterson, NJ, but not your neighborhood.

Philip Jose Farmer's DARE Back in Print

IDW Publishing has released DARE by Philip Jose Farmer as part of the New Classics of the Fantastic series that I created and edited.

This new edition features a handsome cover by my friend, artist Dave Gutierrez, and a new introduction by me.

Rockaway's Garlic Run

Meanwhile back in Street Eden, tonight's 22nd Annual Gooch's Garlic Run benefits kids with catastrophic illnesses and helps parents pay for what insurance doesn't cover. Thousands of bikers left Rockaway at 6:30 p.m. with their police escort then headed up Route 80 toward Little Italy. Bikers plunked down twenty bucks each to register with money going directly to four area families: Daniel Gaudreau, 12, of Hillsborough, suffered brain damage following an asthma attack; Brendan Friedman, 9, of Hopatcong, was born blind and disabled; Christian Spalt, 7, of Rockaway, is battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia; and Lauren Nicole Krysa, 13, of Lafayette, has spinal muscular atrophy. Last year's event raised $32K. The Port Authority said 1,500 are expected for tonight's event. That's my little town.

Why I Love The Good Rats and You Don't. Yet.

You've heard me mention the Good Rats more than once--here, in my books, and when I'm hammered and dripping nostalgic. Here's some bits you might not know:

Hailing from Long Island, the Good Rats were a late-70s East Coast legend, driving fans wild at The Bottom Line in NY City, The Philadelphia Spectrum, The Nassau Coliseum, New Haven Coliseum, Hartford Civic Center, Rhode Island Coliseum, and occassionally at The Whiskey in LA and the Hammersmith Odeon in England. They shared stages with Rush, Aerosmith, Meatloaf, Ozzy Osbourne, the Grateful Dead, Kiss, Heart, and Bruce Springsteen. One member of Journey, after sharing the bill with the Rats, called them "The greatest rock band in the world." At worst, he wasn't far off.

But for some unfathomable reason, the Good Rats failed to break beyond their loyal East Coast following. Their song "Dear Sir," with the refrain “I’d rather clean the cages at the zoo than change my songs for you” (written for music impresario Clive Davis) is perhaps the best explanation. The band was relentlessly uncompromising.


To this day, Rat fans remain legion, following writer/frontman Peppi Marchello through various incarnations of the band, despite an almost conspiratorial effort, decades later, to keep their music (on Warner Bros. and other labels) off the airwaves. Peppi describes Rat fans as “everyone from bikers to dentists, captains of industries to the guys in jail for rape and murder.”

Listen to one of their classic concerts here courtesy of the brilliant Wolfgang's Vault. Or see one of The Good Rats' more recent music videos here.

There's a rumor that Peppi and I are working on a rock-and-roll screenplay together. Am I honored? Hell, I'm ossified!

The Whorehouse Madrigals...Sneak Peak

I'd previously announced that my new short fiction collection from Aardwolf Publishing would be entitled A Structuring Absense. That's changed. The new book, slated for early 2010, will be called The Whorehouse Madrigals. Cover by celebrated SF/fantasy artist Kelly Freas and Christain Krank (who worked on SNAKED with me). Here's one of several cover treatments (left) that are being considered--still rough and unfinished but very cool. Also pictured is one of my favorite Kelly Freas' images from Astounding (and reused on Queen's News of the World LP cover).

Dave Simons: The Tribute I Couldn't Write

Roy Thomas asked me to write about Dave Simons for the next issue of Alter Ego. I think that's the first time I've ever said no to Roy, an editor/writer that I respect immensely...but I told him I'm the wrong guy. I barely knew Dave.

Then, out of nowhere, I received the following from a friend of Dave's--as fitting a tribute as I've seen:

Dave Simons' middle name was Lloyd. It was his grandfather's name...and his grandparents lived up the road from me in Seelyville, Pennsylvania. Dave and I connected somehow in our middle teens, one summer when he was visiting his name-sake. We drew comics together, swam in the river, rode horses, played golf (Dave couldn't hit the doggone thing to save his life!) and dreamed of becoming comic book pros. Dave's dream came true.

I have many wonderful memories from those years which now feel like fantasy. Dave's first printed comic work (that I'm aware of) was a comic strip in his school newspaper called "Night Rider" (I have photocopies of some of them). NR was a motorcycle character, and Dave revisited his love for such characters in his later professional work on Ghost Rider.

His first printed comic work in Fandom (to my knowledge) was in my own fanzine, Comic Courier...and later in a zine that he and I worked on together: The Wonderful World of the Wild and Wicked West. I have that artwork still (and stuff we hoped to publish but never did).
Dave wanted to go to art school after high school, but parental pressure pushed him into the Coast Guard. He was stationed on Governor's Island off Manhatten and fell in love with the Big Apple.

Scientology got a hold of him...and took all his money ( I wrote him a song during that time, reaching out to him when it seemed that he was so lost). He took classes under John Buscema. He lived in a roach-filled apartment in Greenwich Village. He lived in a warehouse at the lower end of Manhattan. He fell in love...wanted to marry... it didn't happen. He was pencilling the first issue of Red Sonja during that time: beautiful pencils (ruined by Vince Coletta's inks!) He lived lots of other places...made new friends...kept drawing. He made his mark in the real comic book world--and beyond.

He and I lost touch. I tracked him down in California. Then back on the East Coast. Then no word. A phone call. A letter. Where was this guy? Then a couple of days ago I found him online! I saw pictures of him. I discovered that he'd been battling cancer. I saw that he had moved to Jersey City. I found his blog...an e-mail address...I sent him an e-mail...and then I revisited the site where I found his blog...and discovered my friend had passed from this planet two days earlier!

Dave and I were both born in 1954. I have missed him through the years---I miss him terribly just now.

"Life is a brief minute...eternity follows."

Mark Ammerman

Bullying Policies. Again.

A full 18 months after the incident, I still get email and comments about the great Kushner Academy fiasco that spawned this very blog. Like this one from Lawrence Duplessis:

"Thank You Mr. Meth. Your son's adventure has given me some hope. I've been seeing signs in my son's school of like treatment by some of the kids and an equal amount of ignorance from the school. My son is five and has just finished junior kindergarten. He attends an international school here in Indonesia. I teach at the same school...so I see the administration's foolish-posturing from two very frustrating sides. The school pays lip service to the problem of bullies, but offers no real solutions. Your solution was eloquent and timeless. Having dealt with bullies as a kid, and as a teacher, I know the best way is for the kids to sort it out...in an "as socially-acceptable" way as possible. I'll try to keep an eye on my son's progress and step in when I'm needed."

Teach him to fight, kimusubi. It will be easier than teaching him to hold back once he's capable.

Name Dropping at Twitter

Taught Marv Wolfman how to tweat today. He'll be sorry... Spoke with Peppi Marchello of the The Good Rats about our secret project... Bought strong beer but have no one to share it with except my 14-year-old.

Dreamed last night that I had become irrelevant. Then woke up and half of my integrity was gone.

Dave Simons: Post-Mortem Guilt

When I'm still scribbling at nearly 3 ayem, there's usually something gnawing my kishkes. But Daniel Best just sent some balm via a comment at FaceBook: "Cliff, you did a bloody lot... We'd hit a slight brick wall when we started up; once you attached your name suddenly people took us seriously and began to donate a lot more items. Remember, I told you at the time, sometimes all you need to is give your blessing to a project and good things happen. Dave went from scraping for his rent to being a position where he didn't have to worry about his finances in a very short time--for that I thank you, and I know Dave appreciated it no end."

So it's still gnawing, but the Nexium is helping.

The Company You Keep

Spoke with Peter David today, traded email with Roy Thomas, then discussed music with Peppi Marchello for an hour. In the last few weeks, Ian Anderson, Bob Silverberg, David Lloyd, Steve Forbert, Harlan... I may not rank with the greatest talent of my generation, but I have the pleasure of knowing them.

Dave Simons: 1954-2009

I just learned that artist Dave Simons has died after a long battle with cancer. There's a nice tribute at Daniel Best's site. Daniel was the force behind getting Dave help when he really needed it and he stayed with Dave's situation throughout the ordeal.

"In my last interview with Dave," writes Daniel, "I asked him what his perfect comic book would have looked like. His reply, "Conan The Barbarian. Figures by John Buscema, costumes by Steranko and the whole thing inked by Wally Wood. Written by Roy Thomas, of course. Wouldn't that have been great?"

The extra attention that Daniel gave Dave went a long way toward Dave's quality of life, and the quality of his death. Lesson learned: There's not a damned thing you can do about cancer. But there's a world of things you can do when someone falls from grace.

So long Dave Simons--it was swell to know you.

Twitter

Still unsure if these social networks have any value beyond the exit strategy that their founders may have in mind. In all events, I am now on Twitter and you can "follow" me at http://twitter.com/CliffordMeth. I will post occassional bits that may or may not be part of something larger that I'm writing. How's that for non-commital?

Somebody Up There Likes Me

The first review of Billboards has finally appeared.

"For all those still coming down from the high of the Obama promise to the Obama reality, Billboards will ease your descent. Clifford Meth deals in the
gritty details and never indulges in hopeful fantasy, but his fiction, especially this collection focusing on what’s wrong today, always provides the bracing slap across the face that steels us for tomorrow."

Peppi Marchello & the Good Rats: Still Doing It in NJ

Peppi Marchello of the Good Rats, who was quoted prominently in my trade paperback SNAKED, is still making the rounds with a new line-up of Rats that includes his son Stephan. There's a free show tonight starting at 5 p.m. at The Jefferson House,
139 Nolans Point Road, Lake Hopatcong, NJ. I'll be there with at least a Beta Upsilon or two.

Bull Justice

A bull takes several spears in the back. Then Spanish matador Israel Lancho takes one in the maracas.

Harlan Turns 75

"The internet is the ultimate villain," Harlan Ellison once told me. "It has made all information suspect."

Happy 75th birthday, pal. You've been one tough conscience. When all is said and done, our friendship will be one of the things I enjoyed most.

Here is a Truck Stop Instead of St. Peter's

Unqualified genius Andy Kaufman.

January 17, 1949-May 16, 1984

Dave Cockrum's personal comics...half price sale

The list of comics for sale from Dave Cockrum's personal collection is updated regularly. Through June 15, for every order of $100 or more, the Estate will match your order with randon books from Dave Cockrum's collection. That means, for example, if you order $130 of books from the Estate, you will receive $260 in books. You pay exact postage/shipping. Click here to see what's available. If you need additional information, write cliffmeth@aol.com

Seven Thin Cows. And Getting Thinner.

If you're a reader of mine and plan to purchase my new book, please order it directly from me (cliffmeth@aol.com). IDW Publishing plans to release BILLBOARDS, my first hardcover collection in nearly six years, by the end of the month. BILLBOARDS features cover and interior art by Dave Gutierrez, along with an introduction by legendary science-fiction author Robert Silverberg. You can purchase the book signed or personalized for $14.99 plus $3.50 shipping. There are also 26 signed/lettered copies available for $40.00 each plus $3.50 shipping.

While you're at it, if there's any of my other books you can't live without, get those from me, too, and save on the combined shipping. As always, my books come with full money-back guarantees.

Please visit the blog post below re: comics from Dave Cockrum's personal collection. Dave, the co-creator of the X-Men, left a wealth of file copies which we sell to fund the annual Dave & Paty Cockrum Scholarship. I'll be presenting the award on May 14 at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon Art & Graphic Design.

Help for Comic Artist Dave Simons

Comic artist Dave Simons was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Throughout his ordeal, Dave has continued working and remained cheerful--wanting neither sympathy nor special treatment--but the chemo has taken its toll, both physically and financially. The cancer also spread to other parts of his body and the diagnosis is grim, requiring a heavier regimen of radiation and chemotherapy. While the bulk of Dave’s medical costs are covered by the Veteran's Administration, day-to-day costs (utilities, rent, groceries) are a struggle and won’t become easier as his condition worsens.

Dave never asked for help. But a few of us are offering it anyway. Want to help us help Dave Simons?

1) Donate cash directly to Dave via PayPal at davidlsimons@earthlink.net -- If you want to remain anonymous, PayPal Daniel Best at Jet_blaq@bigpond.com or Dave's art agent Bob Shaw at midget3162002@yahoo.com and they will get the cash to Dave, every cent of it.

2) Donate art or signed books (with values of at least $10) for a series of on-going auctions designed to benefit Dave. Items should be sent to Dave’s art rep, Bob Shaw is establishing an eBay account solely to assist Dave (Help_Dave_Simons). Auctions will proceed as items come in; all money will go directly to Dave. Items should be sent to: Bob Shaw, PO Box 650, Derry, NH, 03038 - USA.

3) Contact Dave and commission a drawing. This keeps Dave active and you'll get a nice piece of art.

4) Spread this message on blogs and message boards.

For more information, contact Daniel Best at snoopy967@gmail.com or Bob Shaw at midget3162002@yahoo.com.

If you’re on Facebook, join the Dave Simons Appreciation Society and send your thoughts to Dave directly. Let’s all help Dave, a great fellow and artist who gives much and asks for little.

Iraqi Orphans Help Build Shoe-Throwing Monument

The director of the orphanage noted that they will be praying to the shoe five times a day. For all the good it will do them.

Ponzi, not Fonzie

Charles Ponzi (1882-1949) was an Italian immigrant who became one of the greatest swindlers in U.S. history. His aliases include Charles Ponei and Charles P. Bianchi. The term Ponzi scheme describes any scam that relies on a pyramid of investors who contribute money to a fraudulent program.

Jethro Tull Performs Mumbai Benefit Tonight

Jethro Tull rescheduled their previously cancelled Mumbai concert for tonight at 7:30 pm, at the Shammukhanda Hall, in Mumbai, India, where they will perform with special guest, Anoushka Shankar. All artist fees are going to local charities in the wake of the recent terror attacks.

Says my friend Ian Anderson, "We have all been outraged at the awful atrocities of the last week and were forced to take the decision to suspend the Mumbai concert in the light of the Taj Hotel siege which, at the time of cancellation, was still ongoing. In the light of today's new India terror warnings and airport alerts, we are all understandably a little nervous about the show but hiding under the bed is not really an option."

Tonight's Billion Hands charity concert will feature Tull's Classic Rock and acoustic music as well as specially written new material for the collaborative set with Anoushka Shankar.

BruHed vs. JR

From the "we read your mail" department... JR (late of Rosemary's babies) responds to artist Mike Pascale's comment on the Septimus Orion re-dux CAGED art by Dave Cockrum:

You don't see this as the creative interpretation of art? I know, spray painting graffiti on a Matisse canvas is not creative interpretation, it is an act of defacement. I agree, and the cover of this CD is not defacement. It is making a point. Most importantly, the colored version of the work without the title CAGED plastered over the mouth is on the third panel of the insert; with muzzle in place, however. Are you referring to that as well? Because the version with the muzzle represents certain aspects of Cliff's story, as well as better fitting to other contours of the work; it is simply more appropriate than the original. Where is your respect for the evolution of art as a tool for contemplation?

Big Yellow is Watching

But who is Big Yellow? And why should you give a damn if it's watching? And what's this have to do with the eroding price of camal shit in Arabia?

More Dave Gutierrez art from Billboards pictured here. I can't wait to see this book.

Death by Blogging

Some months ago, Aardwolf Publishing's Jim Reeber warned me that blog addiction was dysfunctioning my already erratic fiction jones and scared the bejezus out of me. I watched as little bejezus dripped out of my pant leg, dashed across the floor and dove beneath the couch where it sat biting its nails next to an old, ratty slipper. Warned thus, I exercised the better part of valor and beat a hasty retreat back to the ribboned typer only to discover precious little fiction was forthcoming anyway. Alas. But the good news is that IDW Publishing will soon release my SF novella Billboards with some lovely illustrations by Dave Gutierrez (pictured pre-color) and a new introduction by science fiction Grand Master Robert Silverberg. And rumor has it that Gerry Conway (the nifty author and creator of the Punisher, not the drummer for Cat Stevens and Jethro Tull) ordered a copy of Meth, Colan and Other Theologians, presumably for the illustrations by Gene Colan.

And you can order one, too.

Change You Can Believe In

Septimus Orion - Best in Breed

Like most of you, I'm usually disappointed by everything artistic that I allow myself to look forward to. Not this time. CAGED, the first CD offering from my friends Septimus Orion (featuring sensational cover art by the late Dave Cockrum), is frankly the best musical project I've heard this year, and one of the finest in several years. With the exception of my guest appearance (I read "Queers" on the last track), I keep playing it over and over like an old Pink Floyd L.P., with each playing bringing new nuances and a broader appreciation. The guitar work, the vocals, the subtle production work, the sanctioned violence by J.R. -- it all adds up to a superior musical experience. Jethro Tull meets Franz Kafka.

Visit their website and download a track, then play it a few times. If you don't find yourself halucinating, I'll send you a mushroom.

Arab Terrorist Stabs 9-Year-Old

My friend Moshe Goldsmith from Itamar, a beautiful settlement in Israel, just informed me of a distressing story you won't see on CNN.

This past Shabbat, a terrorist infiltrated the nearby settlement of Yitzhar and stabbed a nine-year-old boy after setting fire to a house in the community. Thank G-d the boy survived the attack [despite] having been stabbed numerous times in his back.

Today, some Arabs set fire to the Itamar forest intending to burn down some of our houses that border the forest area. The army verified our account of the story. This of course did not stop the media from bad mouthing us as usual... This year alone, tens of times the neighboring Arabs have fire bombed our fields and caused fires in our community's surroundings.

Own Dave Cockrum's Personal Comics Collection

CGC has created the Dave Cockrum Collection pedigree and ComicLink will soon auction the CGC'd comics from Dave’s personal collection, as well as file copies of comics Dave personally worked on. We're told to expect eye-popping bids on Dave's Golden Age and Silver Age books, to say nothing of his file copies... In the mean time, you can buy books from Dave's personal collection that have not yet gone to CGC. Click here for details.

Who Watches the Watchmen?

Of all liars, memory is sweetest.

Young Ellison

Just found this terrific picture of my friend. Forget writing as well as him--I'd have been happy to be this good looking.

SD ComicCon & The Other Glass Teat

Aardwolf's Jim Reeber has warned me for some time to suspend my blogging activities and get back to the task of writing stories; that the blogging nipple would satisfy the writing jones and leave me with all the spiritual nurishment the rest of you seem to get from tee-vee. And he was right. So I've cold turkeyed the little bugger for nearly four weeks now and return only with some snapshots from the left coast. Le de da.

Pictured below: Mrs. Meth's boy Clifford with Peter David, Joe Hill, Steve Niles, David Lloyd, Jerry Robinson, Al Feldstein, and Jim Steranko at San Diego ComicCon. Not pictured: Nelson DeCastro and Billy Tucci who, when last seen, were fishing their room keys out of a beer bottle at Dick's Last Resort.

Other Theologians

Meth, Colan & Other Theologians is almost complete. The new book from Aardwolf Publishing reprises Perverts, Pedophiles & Other Theologians with two new stories, including a horror tale that Gene and I collaborated on and that he's working up a new illustration for. The cover is being painted by Mark Staff Brandl, the Chicago-born, Swiss-repatriated artist whose shows include galleries and museums in Basel, Paris, Moscow, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. Mark is also a frequent contributor to London’s The Art Book and a Corresponding Editor for New York’s Art in America. Recently, works of his have been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Whitney Museum in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the St. Gallen Art Museum, The Thurgau Museum of Fine Art, The E.T.H. Graphic Collection in Zurich, The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and the International Museum of Cartoon Art... And he's painting my cover.

You can read a recent interview with Mark here or see one here.

Meth, Colan & Other Theologians is in the July Previews for books shipping in September. You can reserve the book now with your local retailer or order the signed edition here.

Wizard loves SNAKED

From Wizard Universe: The paperbacks you should be reading:

SNAKED (IDW Publishing): In this cleverly concocted political horror-thriller, Bill Timmons is born with scales and a latent ability for bloody outbursts. But when he makes it to the high-profile political scene, he finds it’s his co-workers who are the real snakes. In fact, his straight-laced principles make him, according to one slithery colleague, “almost inhuman,” setting up an analogy charged with the power of today’s most popular politicians. After being framed, fired and cheated on by his wife, Timmons goes on a bloody rampage that jumps out in stark red against the book’s dramatically dark and grimy palette. Snaked features sharp writing, a fun crude streak and an innovative plot encompassing a volatile backdrop of far-fetched, reality-based political intrigue you have to read to believe. Incredibly entertaining! JULY $17.99

Methage in a bottle

A dozen years ago, Matt Schwartz reviewed Perverts, Pedophiles & Other Theologians for BarnesandNoble.com calling me “one of dark fiction’s best-kept secrets.” Twelve years later, I still get notes from secret admirers:

“I first found one of your books in Chile (of all places) where I was living at the time,” writes Gonzalo Baeza who just bought MethO.D. “I've acquired all of your other books in the last 3-4 years but I was missing this one. I can't believe the ‘big’ publishing houses haven't decided to publish an anthology of your stories. Then again, it's not as if they know what they're doing and you'd probably not have the freedom to say what you say in your stories…”

MethO.D. was my last offering from Aardwolf Publishing. My next anthology, One Small Voice, was published by IDW Publishing—not exactly a “big publishing house,” but certainly not small press. TOR and others have asked for my first novel, but that assumes I’ll write one. For the nonce, short-fiction still wets my whistle.

Fiction in the works:

• Billboards, a novelette illustrated by Dave Gutierrez with an introduction by Robert Silverberg (IDW Publishing)
• Meth, Colan & Other Theologians -- reprints Perverts with two additional stories and new forewords from Marv Wolfman, Mark Evanier, and Gail Simone (Aardwolf Publishing)
• god’s 15 minutes: deluxe edition – new French, Hebrew, and English language editions of my 2003 collection with additional stories and an afterword by Harlan Ellison (Mahrwood Press)
  

Mark Evanier's KIRBY: Best in Breed

Once in an indicolite moon, a comics publication reminds me why I misspent my youth on the porch reading comics while the cool kids on my block were tossing firecrackers at helpless cats. And it just happened again: Mark Evanier's KIRBY (Harry N Abrams Inc.) is 223 pages of the coolest book I've ever seen. The layouts are smart, the writing is inviting, you hold it in your hand and feel the sunshine in your face. I can't say enough about this hidden treasure other than if you have any sense left, you'll buy two copies because someone (probably one of the assholes from my block) may borrow yours and never return it.

More on Nazi "Rights"

I’ve had a bit of mail today regarding my previous post--among it, a note from a savvy, highly intelligent, reasonable man of the Hebrew persuasion I respect very much who writes, “Do you want to live in a country governed by the rule of law, or by the weight of a gun in someone's pocket? When the constitutional rights of a hate group are confirmed and upheld, all of America wins.”

Let's not confuse my own adoration and wholesale gratitude for a country governed by law with the question: How does a Jew, of all people, volunteer to defend a Nazi's 'right' to hurt Jews? It wasn't the government who provided Collin with a public defender in '78; it was the ACLU, which was under no obligation to offer those shitballs aid. And if they were, if I've misread their charter, if the ACLU's raison d'être mandates that every sick fuck no matter what their intentions must be defended by their donations-supported organization whenever so-called civil rights are in question, then the Jew who was offered the pulpit should have STEPPED DOWN, claiming conflict of interest.

But it wasn't a conflict of interest for that lawyer. Which begs the question, "If I am not for myself, than who shall be for me?"

Even in the U.S.--the greatest country in the world, the solar system, the whole universe--even here, a Jew need not feel obligated to put a light bulb in his mouth when someone comes to turn his head into a lampshade.

The Nazis in Skokie: 30 Years Later

When I caught the date on the calendar, an alarm went off in my memory. It was 30 years ago this week that we demonstrated the meaning of Meir Kahane’s slogan "Never Again."

The Nazi-Skokie story opens in late 1977 when Frank Collin, head of the National Socialist Party of America (Nazis) in Chicago, applied to the Skokie Park District for a permit to hold a rally in a Skokie park. The Chicago suburb’s population at that time was 66,000, about half of them Jews; many, survivors of Nazi Germany. The park district required Collin to secure a huge liability insurance policy to cover possible damages. So Collin responded by saying his followers would march, in uniform, in front of the village hall on May 1, but the village's lawyer obtained an injunction to block the demonstration. The village board also enacted three ordinances: Requiring insurance for demonstrations, banning persons from parading in "military-style" uniforms or displaying offensive symbols, and banning distribution of hate literature.

A lengthy series of court battles ensued after Collin obtained Jewish counsel from the Illinois Division of ACLU. Both the injunction and the ordinances were declared unconstitutional. Here’s Federal Judge Bernard M. Decker expressing the principle in striking down the Skokie ordinances: "It is better to allow those who preach racial hatred to expend their venom in rhetoric rather than to be panicked into embarking on the dangerous course of permitting the government to decide what its citizens may say and hear…The ability of American society to tolerate the advocacy of even hateful doctrines…is perhaps the best protection we have against the establishment of any Nazi-type regime in this country."

When Collin’s court victory was announced, thousands of Jews were mobilized by Rabbi Meir Kahane, z"tl. I was among them, a 17-year-old street fighter bussed in from Rockaway, New Jersey. The Nazis might march in Skokie, but we’d be there to meet them. The slogan Never Again has often been misinterpreted as meaning never again will there be a Holocaust. That’s a mistake. The slogan meant never again would we stand idle while Jewish lives were threatened. The slogan meant that our generation—the post Irgun Jew—understood with the greatest simplicity that there are causes worthy of the ultimate sacrifice. Especially when the enemy is making it.

Was Collin victorious? No. There were too many of us. The band of several dozen brown-shirt goons were no match for what we'd brought to Chicago. Hell, they'd have been no match for my friends in Rockaway. Forced to change the site of their march from Skokie to Chicago's Marquette Park, these Nazis were clandestinely transported in U.S. mail trucks then protected by nearly five hundred police—mostly mounted, in full riot gear—who had been imported from multiple Chicago suburbs to protect these thugs. Protect them from thousands of men who had come to twist them into swastikas.

One sad note: If the ACLU had not agreed to represent Collin, he would have lost in court. "Skokie would have prevailed," said David Hamlin, the director of the Illinois ACLU in a later interview. "There's no question about it. The Nazis couldn't afford to hire a lawyer, and even if they could have, I don't think there is a lawyer who would have taken the case."

Palestinian Gunmen Ignore Ceasefire

Reports on Friday "Israelis Attacked by Gunmen" neglected to mention that these were just students on a hike. My friend Moshe Goldsmith, a rabbi in Itamar who knows the boys, just emailed me the details. "A group of boys that learn at our Yeshiva on Itamar were hiking near a community in Shomron called Neveh Tzuf. While enjoying the beautiful hills of Shomron they were ambushed by terrorist gunfire. Three of them were injured, one of them seriously who I happened to have taught for four years and am personally very close to… right now he is undergoing surgery! Please pray for the Refuah Shelema [speedy recover] of Avraham Meir ben Malkah Chaya."

The shooting occurred 12 hours after the official ceasefire in the Gaza.

Gene Colan Update, Marvel Steps Up & Man Struck by Lightning in Rockaway

Not only has Marvel Entertainment awarded Gene Colan a generous retirement bonus, but also plans are underway for an impressive tribute book for early 2009. While the project has not been officially approved, it appears that I will soon be editing THE INVINCIBLE GENE COLAN for Marvel. I'll share more details as they emerge.

On the home front, Gene is feeling better but is certainly not out of the woods. Medical tests are inconclusive and a biopsy is forthcoming while my friend is functioning on only 10% of his liver. Nevertheless, he reported a healthy appetite yesterday and got out to enjoy the weather now that the heatwave has blown by. Gene attributes his "improving health" to the love and devotion fans and peers have shown him these last six weeks. What a guy!

In an unrelated story, a minister from Pequannock, NJ, was reportedly struck by lightning yesterday in my town and lived to tell the story. "The lightning burned a hole in my hat, entered through my head, exited through my left ankle, and blew off my sneaker," the 47-year-old Rev. told reporters. My son Jesse and I heard the report on 1010 WINS this morning. "I don't believe it," said Jesse. "You think the radio's full of crap?" I asked. "No," said Jesse, "but I don't believe that man." Now that I think about it, I'm not sure it's fair dinkum either. Hard to imagine a man my age who can't tie his sneakers well enough to keep them on, rain or shine.

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Gene Colan: Medical Update

The news has been encouraging in the Colan home with the addition of a new doctor.

Adrienne Colan, Gene's wife, shares her recent letter to Dr. Nancy Bach at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York:

I'm generally so focused on and attending to what is wrong with Gene that it just occured to me I can share one thing positive for sure with you tonight: There is no question since under your care that Gene has made a 1000% return to better stamina than I've seen on him for a very, very long time. Even a year ago, he was falling asleep in the middle of conversations, in the middle of dinner, even if it was at a restaurant. We didn't know what was wrong. This week, it is so evident that he is awake and alert and even back to drawing his beloved comic books (he's currently drawing Captain America). So tonight, Dr. Bach, you are the superhero. I can't thank you enough for your remarkable devotion to trying the best you can to restore quality to Gene's life.