A Descent into Dullness

Neil Gaiman responds to a question about George R.R. Martin and delays in "the next book in a series":

George R.R. Martin is not your bitch. Gaiman is awesome...

My Nemesis points out this article on costuming and cosplay from SDCC from The Star. Not sure WHICH The Star, but one of them.

These part is..um..nice:

From which we can draw only one conclusion: some people have way too much time on their hands.

I mean this in the nicest possible way. Over the past four days, I have met some of the friendliest, most intelligent and good-hearted folks I have ever seen gathered together at one time in one place.

I respect and admire their dedication, their passion, their enthusiasm, their fellowship, their uncanny ability to withstand intense temperatures ...

This less so:

But if I see one more "adult" dressed up like a kid in a costume, cape or catsuit, I will be tempted to rip it off and smother them with it.

Fun may be fun, but enough is enough. It was amusing for a day or so, then repetitious, but when I started to notice their ranks being infiltrated by some of those creepy "furry" people – you know, the ones who get off on dressing up as plush toys and rubbing up against each other ...

Uh oh. Scary furries!

I guess any fringe behaviour attracts its share of excess. But halfway through the weekend I found myself longing for a real conversation with someone – anyone – whose voice wasn't muffled by a mask or helmet.

I exaggerate, of course. Comic-Con has its share of socially acceptable, normally dressed, perfectly presentable genre enthusiasts.

Ha ha. Don't worry not all these nerds are freaks other normal people. Ami goes and makes some good points regarding mainstream media's need to report on some "fringe" activity like its new and the "normal" people need to be informed. Others in the comments make the normal remarks about the difference in how nerd/geek fandom is treated by the media vs. sports fandom. About how little real difference there is between the two...

Which is wrong. There's a HUGE difference between them. Nerd fandom doesn't regularly light cities on fire and riot when their fandom loses and/or wins...

Ok, my fellow Science Fiction fandom nerds, a question for you. While reading several blog, journal, forum, etc posts about the new FOX series New Amersterdam I wondered something. Can anyone think of one tv show, American, Brit or Canadian; that has a non-White as the lead? I can't. Hell, I can only think of TWO that feature women. The terrible Highlander: The Raven spin-off about Amanda. And the second half of Hex when it switched focus from the Chosen Witch Girl to Slightly Crazy Ancient Slayer Girl...

ETA: Ok, so far we've got MAYBE Sisko from DS:9. And Blade from his brief series. Thats not many really even for a sub-genre...

2ETA: To make more clear. Minority lead for a SciFi show about an Immortal character. Vampire, Highlander, Cursed roman Centurian. Looking for either the lead OR I'd accept a MAIN villain like Longinicus in Roar.

( More of Jimmy's thoughtful responses )

So to give the many who couldn't care less about my attempts to create an internet feud, lets talk about comics that have moved to the web. Namely Girl Genius and Finder. Both the Foglio's and Carla Speed McNeil made the decision to move their print comics to web only versions. And then make their money selling trades. Now for McNeil I haven't heard how well thats working. But for the Foglio's everything I've read seems to indicate it was a HUGELY successful move for them...

Plus of course both are great books. Girl Genius was moving a little slow of late, but then it kicked it back up a notch with Gilgamesh's recent showing of Utter Bad-Assery. If you enjoy Steampunk style settings, then hopefully you're already a fan. If you're not, you should go now and check this comic out...

Finder was always a difficult book to describe. Its SciFi, and the setting seems to be one of those Far Future ones where Human society is barely recognizable from its current state. But its mostly about a man named Jaeger who is a former soldier, sin-eater, tracker and general ittirent charming rogue. And also about a family he got himself involved with that lives in one of the large cities. Heres an intro page. I own the first four trades for the book, all based off an odd-issue I once got for free at a con. The series hooked me THAT easily. Right now McNeil posts working pages and then when she has enough done, sells the trade. Hmmm. Going back down her newsblog I see that the first trade is now available as a Hard-Cover. Thats a good sign as to the success of her current business plan...

Oh yeah, a link to the latest page button and rss feed. Theres also already an lj-feed...

Well there are probably lots. But the big one right now? Obsessive completism. Where you feel the need to have EVERYTHING (or at least as close as possible) related to your fandom. Books, movies, Burger King toys, etc, etc, etc...

Especially bad when you discover something new and are teetering on the brink of fandom. For example, tonight I finished my first Robert B. Parker book, Playmates. A paperback edition published 4 years ago. Which lists 27 other Spenser books. Plus I remember there was a tv show. Which I bet is probably collected on DvD by now. It had the Sisko (Avery Brooks) as Hawk. And I see there are three books for a Jesse Stone series. And isn't that a series of TV movies on CBS? With Tom Selleck? I like Tom Selleck. Maybe those are out on DvD as well...

I mean look at that. Thats not right. Thats crazy behavior. I shouldn't be thinking, "But what can I move around to free up shelf space". I should be thinking library and netflix and it was just one book! I can stop! Stop anytime...

Do you think they made Spenser For Hire action figures?