Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Black Friday, Bats and Sleep

     Hi everyone, guess it's been a few days since I last blogged.  There's a reason for that.  You see I did a 17 hour book signing at the Great Lakes Mall last Friday.  In total I was up for 45 hours and it took several days to shake that groggy feeling from my brains.  Hopefully this does not come across as a "Groggy Blog."

     But I did indeed shake the drowsy feeling and got back to sleeping and reading comics.  Right now I'm in the middle of some very old Popeye comics that are busting me up.  Then I switched to a couple of issues of Fantastic Four (#148-150) comics.  Great stuff, but there's a reason why this blog is named, "Comics: Don't Get Me Started!"

     Talk to all of you soon.  Take care and adopt a comic book today.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Bat Signing & Black Friday

     Hi everyone, hope all of you are ready for the big bird carving day.  Personally, I'll be sleeping for most of it since I'm going out on Black Friday and need my rest.  Where am I going out to you might ask?

     I'll be signing autographs for my new book, "My Batman (and maybe yours too)" over at the Great Lakes Mall outside Comics and Friends right next to Macy's.  My artist David Russell will be with me signing also.  I'll be there from 12:01 am through as long as I can last.

     The book is selling well and many people seem to be purchasing it for stocking stuffers for friends and relatives for X-Mas.  The book, priced at $17.95, contains many essays and pictorial evidence on the different aspects of Batman's career.

     Hope to see you then and don't eat too much.  But don't forget to adopt a comic today.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Twinkies Gone? Comics Here!

  
     Hi everyone, hope you're all doing fine.  Well I'm not.  I heard the news (today, Oh boy) about Hostess Twinkies going out of business.  This brings me flashing back to my youth when I'd buy the Snowballs and the Twinkies and Ding Dongs.  I'd round out my eating experience with a comic book. 

     Sometimes on Fridays, my mom would go to Hough Bakery and bring me back some chocolate cake squares.  I remember specifically eating one in the mid-1960's (I was a mere infant) reading a Jimmy Olsen comic, "The Helmet of Hate!"

     Mostly I would get a "Mickey's Banana Flip for 12 cents and pick up a comic with another 12 cents and have a penny left over from my quarter a week allowance that I would use to buy a pretzel log with.  What a great country!

     But let's hope that Hostess can pull it together because then my memories of childhood comic reading would not only be a great one, but a sweet one as well.

     Take care and adopt a comic book today.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Late Vet Day & Comics

     Hi everyone, just a late comment on Veteran's day.

     1)My older brother Terry, served in Viet Nam and wound up a Colonel in the Air Force.  He collected comics and still talks about them with me.

     2) My Dad was a Lt. (JG 3rd grade) in the Navy during Korea.  He collected comics and got me started.  We still talk about them.

     3) My Dad's cousin Roy, served in the Navy during WWII.  Before shipping out to the Pacific, he bought my Dad a stack of comics and a soda and spent the afternoon with him.  He died weeks later when his ship was sunk in the Pacific Theatre.  My father still talks about the last afternoon with his relative.

     4) My Dad's Uncle Niles, served in WWII as a B-17 bomber pilot and wound up a Brigadier General.  He did not collect comics only because they had not been invented yet when he was a child.

     So many vets in my family and throughout everything, comics have been, for the most part, a friendly distraction before, during and after the conflicts that have shaped our world.

     Take care and adopt a comic (and hug a vet) today.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Comic Con and Bats

     Hi everyone, I had a freat weekend attending the Akron Comic Convention.  The reason I went was for all of the Batman writers and artists that were attatched to the Dark Knight throughout their career.

     I met artists Joe Staton and Norm Breyfogle.  I'm lucky enough to own a piece of Norm's original art.  In fact the piece in question was shown at the News-Herald Bat book debut a few weeks back.  Norm was so touched he insisted on buying a copy of the book and asking me to autograph it.

     I also met Mike Barr, who wrote Batman in Brave and Bold comics from the 70's and early 80's.  Also attending was Gerry Conway who wrote some of my favorite Batman periods as well as creating the Punisher and killing Gwen Stacy over at Marvel Comics.  Gerry also spent many years as a writer/producer on Law and Order- Criminal Intent, so yes I'm a big fan of Mr. Conway's.

     I also bought a small collection of comics over the weekend and found a prequel to one of my top three comics of all time.  More on this and my comics/Veteran's day memories soon.  Take care and adopt a comic today.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Signing and Chatting

     Hi everyone.  After a few days of rest, I'd like to tell all of you what a great time I had at the Great Lakes Mall, right outside Comics and Friends. 

     I sold a pretty good amount of my book entitled, "My Batman (and maybe yours too!)."  I also met a lot of nice people, like the lady school teacher (sorry I did not get your name) and Jim and Justin who REALLY knew their Batman stuff.  I also talked for quite a while with Linda and Bob, a very pleasant couple who bought a few copies for themselves as well as early Christmas presents.

     I had such a great time that I stayed an extra two hours just signing autographs and "Chatting the Bat" with plenty of friendly people.  I hope all of you reading this had as much fun.

     Take care and adopt a comic today.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Book Signing and Joe

     Hi everyone, I hope you're weathering Sandy and that you all have power in your homes about n in aboutow.  Just want to remind everyone to stop by the Great Lakes Mall comic shop, Comics and Friends, about thirteen hours from now (Sat. November 3, 2012 from 1-3pm) to pick up a copy of my new book..."My Batman (and maybe yours too!)."  Or just stop by and "Chat the Bat" with me, it'll be fun for sure.

     Also, just picked up Joe Kubert Presents, from DC Comics the other day.  It was great to see Joe Kubert write and draw another Hawkman story since he has been linked to the character for over 70 years.  It also made me think of his recent passing, since his talent was still in the fore of things and this is a series that I wished he could have lived long enough to enjoy.

     Hope to see you tomorrow at Comics and Friends.  Take care and adopt a comic today!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Disney, Star Wars and Book Signing

     Hi everyone, hope you're all drying out from the superstorm. 

     I just heard that Disney bought Star Wars.  That makes sense to me since I thought that Jar Jar Binks was always a bit Goofy.

     Don't forget to stop by Comics and Friends at the Great Lakes Mall Saturday from 1-3pm.  I'll be signing copies of my new book, "My Batman (and maybe yours too!)"  Stop by because I'll be ready to talk some Dark Knight.  After all...Comics (and Batman): Don't get me started!

     Take care and don't forget to adopt a comic book today.