March 31 - Hey there! Well, I'm aiming for another early start tomorrow morning (followed, unfortunately, by a stint at the dread "real" job later in the day), so I will keep this entry fairly short. We've reached the end of LSH Month here in the WOMP-Blog, so I thought I'd post a thought or two about it tonight. Other than as elements of my dreams, I didn't talk much about the Legion after the first week or so, but it has actually been on my mind quite a bit. Right now, the Legion is going through another relaunch, this one apparently keeping with the trend of making each successive regeneration more disappointing and less fun than the last. It's hard to take for any old-school fans like me, but everyone should keep in mind that the Legion of Super-Heroes isn't really from the future. It's from a fictional comic book future that is, of course, a thinly disguised present day reality. The Legionnaires aren't meant to be literal prognosticants. None of us, not even Nostradamus nor Jules Verne, knows exactly what the future will hold, so our collective vision of what it might be will change as it becomes more and more what it is or has been. The 1950's Legion was sleek, moral, conservative and naively hopeful. That gave way to the late 1960's and early 1970's "future" of space-racial conflicts, increasingly sexual or confrontational relationships, and a wary optimism. Rolling into the 1980's, the LSH became a little insipid, image-obsessed, a touch darker and funnier, and marked by an almost sarcastic optimism. By the 1990's, the future was so doubtful that the Legion actually grew up, grew apart, and burned out...with only a hint of hopefulness left, like the last flower on a battlefield. Then a retro wave hit, and some of the original look and particulars of the Legion returned, but the fun and optimism had gone out of it, didn't they? Now, in a time when we really need to imagine a hopeful future again, the newest incarnation of the teenage superheroes is (so far) falling a bit short. And that's too bad. I suppose it's partly the fault of we fanboys, geeky guardians of continuity (and the status quo). Part of what makes for loyalty in comics readership is the decades of stories that comfortably play with the line between what has come before and new concepts...without stepping over it. Any missteps over that line are quickly spit upon by a nerdy backlash, and editorial parameters shrink back to what has worked before. Years of this can cause stagnation, especially in a series that is set in the future. Maybe it's time to trash the old stuff (at least for now), in favor of good stuff. Once you've established "good" stuff, you can work on reintegrating "old" stuff. I can think of two excellent successful examples of this concept, both from television. One is The Justice League animated series, the other is Smallville on the WB. Before 1989's Batman movie, the very idea of altering established continuity was so aberrant that it was reserved for "Imaginary Stories" (which always drove me nuts, by the way...weren't they ALL "Imaginary Stories?"). Post-1989, the fear (and too often realized tragedy) is that the reimagining goes too far. But Justice League and Smallville do it just right, don't they? I'm telling you, nothing gives me more glee than to be watching these shows when I suddenly perceive an intentional resonance with comics I read years ago. The TV writers may merely be mining past issues for ideas (stealing an old idea is a time-honored way to have a new one), but it sends a shiver of fanboy-joy through my entire cardiovascular system when I see animated versions of Green Arrow, The Question, or Vigilante, or when a rich kid named Bruce Wayne shows up in Smallville. That's what the Legion needs. Toss it all out, start from scratch, then go back into the archives for ideas. For anyone out there who is in any way currently involved with the Legion (and I know that you all read this WOMP-Blog religiously), I offer the following game plan for bringing the LSH "back to the future" - Sit down with members of a futurist think tank. Talk to theoreticians and ethicists and architects and genetic engineers. Look at the trends of today, imagine their evolution. Look at the people of today and find some way, somehow, to imagine their legacy. And, by all means, search your soul for a way to be hopeful. We need that optimism now more than ever in the fifty or so years since The Boy of Steel met three superteens from the Thirtieth Century. And remember, as far as the Legion of Super-Heroes is concerned, the future is always now. So, that all having been said (from my soapbox), I offer tonight the last in the series, your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Superboy!

March 30 - Whew! Somehow I was barely eliminated from the jury before the case went to trial! And I mean barely, as I was on the initial panel of twenty-three whose names were drawn as juror "finalists." First the judge, then the District Attorney, and finally the defense attorney asked the entire panel a series of personal questions, each designed to eliminate ineligible jurors. For example, one guy was the defendant's uncle (excused), one gal distrusts the D.A. (excused), and another gal had been a confidant of the alleged victim (excused). One after another, potential jurors were allowed to leave for whatever reason, and none of them were me. Each time someone went out, another candidate was called to fill his or her vacated seat. Finally, all questioning was completed, and the lawyers were each allowed to strike five juror candidates for whatever reason. I knew I was sunk. I'd hardly had to answer any questions (just whether I'd ever served on a jury and what I did for a living), so I was USDA Prime Jury Meat. After a period of silence in which the attorneys each hand-struck names from a list of we twenty-three remaining candidates, the judge finally read the names of the thirteen members of the jury (twelve plus one alternate). I wasn't the first juror...nor the second...made it past the fifth name called...not in the top ten...nor the twelfth...oh, I know I'll be the alternate...but, I wasn't! To my shock, one of the lawyers had struck me from the list! B-but why, how? In a daze, I wandered out of the courthouse just before 11:00 in the morning! I found myself with a free day, which I filled with all sorts of work. Unfortunately, I forgot that I'd been up so early in the morning, so I fell asleep as I channel-surfed at about 2:00AM. Now it's 10:30AM, and I'm all messed up again. Oh, well. Here is your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Dawnstar!

March 29 - Well, more jury duty for me tomorrow. Hooray! NOT THAT I WANT TO SHIRK MY DUTIES AS A U.S. CITIZEN, but I sure hope I don't get picked for the trial. As you know, I've been sick for a few days, and I don't foresee a sudden miraculous recovery overnight. Sniffling my way through intricate testimony, or trying to hear witnesses above my throbbing brain and plugged ears does not exactly sound like fun. Which means, of course, that I will get picked for the jury. That's the way these things go (especially since I got out of it scot-free last time). Sigh. Well, I guess I'll head to bed early tonight to give myself a fighting chance of being up to the task. Before I do, though, here is your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Wildfire!

March 28 - Sick. Sick, sick, sick. Yuck. This has been a waste of a day due to my flu/cold (I'm guessing cold). Well, I guess I did get out for a couple of hours, but that probably only made the cold worse. I tried to get some art stuff done, too, but that was a waste as well. Of course, it's usually a waste any other time I try as well. About the only thing that I did well today was dream. I had a very vivid dream, too...another in a very long series of dreams about the secrets and mysteries of the buildings in which I went to school. In fact, the earliest dreams I can still recall, some which I know predate the Sixth Grade (if not the Third Grade as I believe), involve my imaginings of a second-story balcony-track which traversed the length of what would later be my Junior High gymnasium. Today's dream, coming mid-day due to a cold-induced nap, followed the familiar theme (even though it was set at the Kubert School). In these dreams, I am either returning to the school to guide someone through it, or am attending school and discover a hidden door or room. In either case, I invariably find myself sneaking through secret passageways with an odd mixture of wonder, intent to trespass regardless of consequences, sense of pretending to be confident and knowledgeable in spite of exactly the opposite being true, and a genuine desire to discover and explore. Long-time readers of the WOMP-Blog may even remember a few such dreams that I've written about. I haven't really delved into these as much as I probably should, which is odd considering their frequency and powerful imagery. Today's, for example, was rich in convincing detail, from the collection of peculiar items gathering dust in a dark rafter-straddled attic, to the worrisome rust tingeing the aged silver paint on the antiquarian fire escape. Hmm. I'll have to think about why I haven't even attempted to see something deeper in my sleeping school explorations. Off the top of my head, I'd guess that it's because of the cinematic nature of them that has precluded them from interpretation as anything other than just interesting adventures. Ah, who knows? For now, I think I'll call it a day. Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Star Boy!

March 27 - Long story short, I'm really sick today. Ugh. Oh, well...here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Karate Kid!

March 26 - Sick all day, but it was bearable. Work at the dread "real" job was slow and steady, so that helped. Now, at 3:00AM on the 27th, I'm actually much better. Being sick is so stupid, isn't it? Beyond the physical discomfort, it's just so annoying...like the physiological equivalent of a yipping dog. I still should conserve energy, so this won't be one of my long-winded rants, but I did want to tell you about the brainstorm of which I wrote last night. First, I want to offer some advice, gleaned from years watching the History Channel. Sometimes, solutions are achieved not by trying to solve a problem, but by seeing a link between two or more problems. In this way, they are perceived as opportunities. Some of history's most noted geniuses, be they good or evil, have been those who could do this. Napoleon comes to mind. Now, I'm no genius, but I can take a lesson from their lives as well as anyone else. So, while in the shower the other day, I was tossing some "problems" around in my head. Suddenly, I saw that two of them were actually solutions to each other! First, I've been trying to think of a fun display for our local library (something that the WOMP Staff and I have been doing for several years now), but nothing came to mind. Also, as you may remember, I want to draw a big piece featuring my "Most Fun To Draw Characters" list of a few months ago, but, even though I have a great idea for it, I never seem to have the time to work on it. In the shower, it hit me; I'll put the blank paper, a description of what it is going to be, support and reference materials, and all of my pens and such in the display case at the library, then, every Wednesday until it's done, I'll work on the drawing at the library, re-placing the artwork in the case each time until it's done. That way, library patrons can see the weekly progress (even watching on those days when I'm there), while I have a schedule for completing it. I think it should be pretty interesting for everyone involved. By chance, I bumped into the librarian-in-chief at the Post Office. She liked my plan, so all I need do now is clear Wednesdays with my dumb "real" job. I'll probably begin that in May. I figure that it should take about a month or so, and I'll probably leave the finished product in the case for another week. You know what? I'd already planned to photograph the weekly stages of the artwork, so I should also display a photo of the previous week's progress each time I go in to work. That way, when I'm all done, the display will still show how the artwork advanced. Hmm. Anyhoo, that was my brainstorm. Now, I'm off for more recuperative snoring. Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Dream Girl!

March 25 - I think I have my co-worker's cold. It's just starting, but I already have that raspy-throated, swollen necked, mucous-filled head thing going on, just like he did all day at the dread "real" job. Maybe I can head it off at the pass by getting some extra sleep. But I have so much I wanted to get done tonight! For example, I wanted to tell you about a little brainstorm that I had while in the shower the other day. Maybe tomorrow (it's about stuff for next month, so it's not that urgent anyway). I also have some eBay stuff ending tonight, as well as more stuff that I'd hoped to list, but, you know what? Even if I don't get better overnight, I will benefit more from some extra rest now, rather than push myself in spite of the cold (which is my natural instinct). Chalk that one up to unfortunate experience. So, with that, I leave you with your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Light Lass!

March 24 - It's working! My twisted plot to expose the unsuspecting public to the creators of mini-comics last month is working! I feel just like Dr. Frankenstein! And here's the proof, an e-note from UK-based cartoonist Simon Mackie -

Hi John

You have a very cool web site. I looked it up ‘cos your blog from Feb 15th mentioned ‘A Girl Called Scribble’. Man, I haven’t seen that strip for years. I think I drew it over 20 years ago. Where did you come across it? I really don’t mind you sticking it on your site. I also have a web site on www.simonmackie.org.uk and if you want to do a link that would be cool.

Regards

Thanks, Mr. Mackie! I must admit that I was introduced to "A Girl Called Scribble" by mini-comics savant Geoff Hamerlinck (he of the often heaped praise). The strip (and it was always a series of one-page strips as I've seen it) features a sweet, flighty girl, about 20 years old (just a guess), who bubbly-bumbles her way through life. As his web-site shows, Mr. Mackie has accomplished much more than just the Scribble comic, including other stuff in my own tiny collection, so I'm happy to have been able to call some e-ttention to his talents. Now, here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Blok!

March 23 - Again with the busy-busy. I'm also cutting the day short so that I might have a real early start tomorrow (like 6:00AM!). No big deal, just the local Hospice having a fundraising rummage sale. There has been a lot of activity here in the last 40 hours or so, some of which may even be WOMP-Blog-worthy, but I'll have to regale you with it later. Here, then, is another in the month-long series; your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Saturn Girl!

March 22 - Hey there. A little busy today, so not much time to post much except your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Karate Kid!

March 21 - When they talk about "one of those days," they probably have days like today in mind. Granted, I didn't get hit by a car or shot by a Vice-President or anything, but I definitely had what could be called "one of those days." You see, already in a weakened, vulnerable state from my re-realization of my intrinsic suckfulness, I really needed at least something to go right today to help me recover my sea-legs. And everything went wrong. For example? Well, still expecting payment for three art jobs (no, wait...four jobs), I found unexpected bills and another jury duty summons in my mailbox instead. That, however, is just the most obvious example. Everything else was of the always-in-the-slowest-lane-no-matter-which-one-I-pick sort. On a day when I really could have used just a little good fortune, I found that my suckdom extended to my luck as well. Do you remember that episode of The Twilight Zone starring Dick York as the guy who tossed a quarter into a box at a newsstand? Unbelievably, the quarter landed on its edge, standing precariously all day until he repeated his action later in the day, knocking it over. In the mean time, he had super-ESP powers, which he used to finally put his life on track both at work as well as romantically. That's all he did with his unexpected power, even though he probably could have changed the world. Man...I felt like trying to throw a quarter onto its edge all day! Sigh. Oh, well. I think I'm finally coming out of my suck-funk a little (and, by the way, I shouldn't be using the phrase "suck-funk" in public like that). I started by forming, then repeating, this mantra in my mind; "the sucking stops now." I know, of course, that even if the sucking could stop, a mantra won't do it, but just the words helped me focus on the possibility. In fact, they even encouraged me just a teeny-tiny bit as I was able to at least imagine a way out of suck. I have Wednesday off from the dread "real" job, so I plan on finding a way to expand upon my fledgling optimism. Wish me luck (or start throwing quarters!)! Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Mon-El!

March 20 - Here's a suggestion for any of you out there who, like me, become easily discouraged when confronting how much you suck; don't Google your college classmates. Earlier today, unaware that I'd ever develop such sage advice from tragic personal experience, I Googled a small handful of my closest college friends, just to see what they've been up to. Well, they've been "up to" amazing twenty-year careers, full of triumphs, accolades, and financial reward. My first thought after learning this was "That's so cool!" My next, and still prevailing, thought was "Oh, wait...I haven't done a darn thing...I suck!" I mean, I want to be happy that one guy, who was probably my best friend at the Kubert School, is an award-winning children's book author/illustrator (after a successful career as an Academy Award winning animator), but I'm still too focused on my own suckiness. My deep, entrenched suckiness. And that pretty much brings us to right now. I am wallowing in the slop of my own suckdom, and it's hard to ignore that...especially since I also suck at writing this WOMP-Blog thingee. Yep, I may be the black hole of dark sucking, but I do have one thing going for me; I am also too stupid to just give up. I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again, but it's true. I literally don't know when to quit. As far as I can tell, although dogged persistence is perceived as a virtue, for me it's obviously a serious character flaw (one of several). So, off I'll go, oblivious to the inevitability of a lifetime of failure and delusion, like it's some sort of fun trip. Maybe...maybe, if I live to a thousand or so, I'll eventually get better...yes...there is always hope, isn't there? UGH. Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Element Lad!

March 19 - Nanu-nanu, Earthlings. How are you all tonight? I wanted to talk to you a little about comics gods John Byrne and George Perez tonight. Other than in their roughly similar career timelines, these two comics artists, easily among the best of all time, are not often compared, but I'm going to do so tonight. In my never-ending rant about the dearth of cartooning in today's comic book biz, I felt that I should try to describe just what I think "cartooning" is. Hmm. Let's see...it's not all about Archie or Disney style characters. Some cartooning is less obvious to the uninitiated, like the work of Mr. Byrne and Mr. Perez. I think that a hallmark of cartooning is a style which can instantly be recognized. Perez and Byrne artwork, although both of the "serious" style, can be instantly spotted, and differentiated, from 500 feet away. Pseudo-realistic artwork, which I feel doesn't fall squarely into the "cartooning" category, is seldom noticeably unique from one artist to the next. I don't mean to be a snob about it, especially since I like to look at it as much as the next person, but I feel that it's the easy way out. Anyone could have transposed an image of a guy from a photo, but only a cartoonist could draw Plastic Man as a Swiss Army knife, or Doctor Strange battling dreamwraiths, or even, frankly, Superman standing, fists on hips, in front of an American flag. With the notable exception of the brilliant Alex Ross (the rare realistic-cartoonist), few realists can uniquely capture the fun, mystery, or power that these images should invoke. That may be the secret of cartooning. True cartooning is more about the intended impact, and less about the reality, of an image. It's what ties everyone from Bob Montana and Carl Barks to John Byrne and George Perez together, and, not so coincidentally, a large part of what makes them great. When I freak out about how awesome a cartoonist is, that "feel" element is what I am most jazzed about...and, the lack of it is the reason I don't buy many comics anymore. Oh, well...I can already see signs that the trend is passing, and that cartoonists are being valued again. A fine example would be the DC superhero stamps coming out this year from the USPS! Several great cartoonists, from Jack Kirby to Jim Lee, are represented in this series because they have the ability to encapsulate the entire character of these icons in a single tiny image that is literally the size of a postage stamp. That may be the best test of cartooning. Well, I've pontificated enough for one night, so here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Ultra Boy!

March 18 - Ever have one of those "blah" days? That's what we experienced at WOMP H.Q. today. Just blah. Besides some laundry, we got nothing done, did nothing, watched nothing on TV, and barely said a thing all day. I can't explain it, but I can say that blah days are pretty rare here, so we actually enjoyed it (sort of). I even tried to draw something, but it was so blah that it just wasn't working. I think that the hardest thing for me is to pull artistic motivation completely out of thin air. Most stuff that I do is either for hire, or in reaction to something. On rare occasion, I'm able to self-motivate as a reaction to pent-up ideas or inspirations, but not so today. Today was so blah that I was too bored to take a nap. And you know what? That was OK. We just sat around, quietly chatting with each other. I guess I did cook a blah dinner, which we ate together. Yep, all in all, this is one blah day about which I can't really complain! Here's your anti-blah Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Supergirl!

March 17 - Happy St. Patrick's Day! Not much goin' on here at O'WOMP (or is it McWOMP?). I meant to tell you a whole bunch of stuff over the last few days, but have felt compelled to write about my crazy dreams instead. Tonight, just to get them into the WOMP-Blog while I can still remember them, I offer this quick list of...

Top Ten Things I've Been Meaning To Tell You (But Have Been Too Lazy To Do So Until Now)

10) I got my complimentary copies of the issue of Knucklebones magazine bearing my artwork on the cover. It's "cool," in a way...but I'm still trying to process whether it's real or not (maybe it'll seem real when, or if, I get paid).

9) I mentioned something called The Abbey Load in passing several entries ago. That's the name I gave a large Silver Age comics collection that I purchased almost twenty years ago from a family named Abbey. There were hundreds of comics, mostly of the non-superhero type, in the collection. This week, as I coincidentally began to sell off some of them on eBay, I finally found my original list of what was in the "Load" when I got it. While all of that may not be interesting whatsoever, I wanted to tell you about it so that I can relate the full story of how I found it...later.

8) I watched the U.S. premiere of the new Doctor Who tonight...and I liked it. For those of you out there who are both under thirty-years-old and NOT geeks, this probably has no resonance for you, but, if you are a nerd who is thirty-one or older, you may be a bit giddy to hear about how they did not change the exterior of the T.A.R.D.I.S. in any way, even making a joke that such a 1950's police box was unknown to Londoners of today. And the fun was still intact as well!

7) Have I mentioned that I'm working myself up into a foamy lather over the release of the V for Vendetta film? Well, I am. And this time, unlike Sin City, I plan on actually SEEING the movie for which I am yearning.

6) My favorite Legionnaire? Hmm...I have been trying to determine that all month. I think I have it down to just a few; Chameleon Boy, Brainiac 5, Ultra Boy, Dream Girl, Shadow Lass, and Wildfire. Wildfire has the early lead, but I grow wistful when thinking about Dream Girl.

5) Johnny Depp may be the greatest actor of his generation. He may be the Gen X DeNiro. I offer this opinion because I just saw the much-maligned Tim Burton Charlie and The Chocolate Factory movie. The film is OK, but Depp again dissolves into a thoroughly singular performance as Willie Wonka. I suppose that his Wonka will always be compared to that of the brilliant Gene Wilder, which is a shame because it's like comparing The Beatles to Elvis. OK, that may be a bit of a stretch, but you get the point.

4) The original Superman, The Movie, which is on TV as I write this, really sort of sucked, didn't it? It's carried almost completely by the immensely likable Christopher Reeve and the beautiful advances in creating the illusion of flight.

3) I am now down to just 30% sure that I will have some sort of showing of my artwork later this year (or ever, for that matter). The twentieth anniversary of my last show is this October, so I've been making tentative plans...but no artwork. That, and I'm not sure how to physically display it. Most stuff that I do is tiny (one illustration for the Baum short story book measures less than 2" x 3" in size). That, and I suck.

2) I wanted to tell you that Official Friend of WOMP, Millie Garside, is writing and illustrating a children's book based on a story from her childhood. I've been offering what little advice I have to her for a couple of days, right as she is struggling with what are the biggest problems. No, it's not the idea (everyone gets ideas). Neither is it the artwork nor the writing. It's not even finding the funding. If you know where to look, there is money all over the place for a project like this. The hardest part of a big project like that is just assembling all of these elements into something you like. As Mr. Sondheim said, "The art of making art is putting it together."

1) It's now 6:30AM on the 18th, and I am, of course, exhausted and near passing out from need of sleep. I mention this because, well...I mention it every night. And I mean every night. Sorry about that. It all stems from the place that writing the ol' WOMP-Blog occupies in my daily routine; dead last. It's like reading a little something before going to bed. When I finish this entry, I'm going immediately to bed, then immediately to sleep. And that's the way it has been, and probably will be, for some time. So, as I struggle each night to think of things to write, I plumb the depths of what I'm feeling and thinking and....and I'm usually feeling very tired and am thinking I should be sawing logs. That, then, creeps into my typing each night. Well, from now on I'm going to make a conscious effort to leave my weariness out of the WOMP-Blog...unless it really is the story of the day (like if I'd climbed a mountain or something). Promise! That having been said, I'm going to b...I mean, I'm going to leave you now with your St. Patty's Day inspired Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Chlorophyll Kid!

March 16 - There's something in the water here at WOMP H.Q. or something. As you've read, I've been having incredibly vivid and memorable dreams all month. Last night, it was something of a nightmare as the skin on my hands began to unravel like a knit sweater while I was trying desperately to blend into a crowd while masked gunmen chose hostages. That was fun. The night before, it was lighter fare as I was helping behind the scenes at a live action Winnie The Pooh children's show (I was responsible for fabricating parts of Kanga's costume). This afternoon, though, took the cake. While the WOMP Staff was off to workout at the gym, I took a two hour nap (please, save your snide comments until later). In those couple of hours, I dreamt that the large white owl we kept in the fridge was dying, so I had to find a new home for it in a swamp. Apparently, I'd normally ride the owl, but it was too sick, so I drove a hovercraft (orange!) through the swamps in search of a good, healthy home. Somewhere along the line we picked up Richard Pryor, who imperceptively turned into Fred "Mr." Rogers as we went along. I seem to remember something about a wedding cake, then we were all on the set of Sigmund and The Sea Monsters (this part influenced by some Krofft tie-in comics that I'm listing on eBay in real life). This is very significant for me as I really was somewhat traumatized by a fire that destroyed this set back in the 1970's, effectively both canceling my favorite show at the time, as well as the illusion that it was a real place that I might someday visit. Anyhoo, back to the dream. The owl, now getting much smaller as it weakened, asked to be left alone to die in peace. I refused, and Mr. Rogers helped me load the owl into a large tube for safety (?). Almost frantic now, I gathered as many small flowers as I could find, wondering whether baby's breath counted. The owl was now a pretty young woman, with white hair nonetheless, and the tube was a blue dress. She looked so sad that it nearly broke my heart. I tried to comfort her by stroking her hair, but she softly cried "It's no use. I can't hold on." Then...I woke up. I stared at the blaring TV with bewilderment as, just for a moment, the waking world seemed like the dream and the dream was the reality. When I came to my senses, I grabbed a nearby stack of copy paper and a pen and jotted down what I could remember. Then, I wondered...did the owl woman die? Had I let her down? It sure felt like it, and that feeling has lingered even until now. I have no idea what all of this means, if anything, but I just had to share it with you. Weird, eh? Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Invisible Kid!

March 15 - The Ides of March - Yo! I'm still all mixed up from that 24-hour workday earlier this week, I guess. I passed out asleep by 3:00AM, and never got back to the ol' WOMPuter to post an entry for the 15th. Now, late on the 16th, I should just skip it and go directly to tonight's entry, but I feel like I owe you something for last night...so, here it is, the absolute least I could do; your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Chameleon Boy!

March 14 - It runs in the family, I guess. Yesterday, I accompanied my Mom, sister, and sister's twin two-year-old boys as they went to visit my ninety-seven-year-old Grandpa Fry. He's doing very well, which is always a welcome sight. He knew we were going to join him for lunch, so he'd arranged to have meals delivered to the dining room of his assisted-living home. We arrived a little early, so we all sat around a nice table and quietly waited. Suddenly, unprovoked, Grandpa began to speak; "I had a dream the other night..." What follows below is as close to verbatim as my feeble memory can produce. The first person narrator is Grandpa himself, with my comments in brackets [like this]. Oh, and I've given Grandpa's dream a title...

The White Dog

I had a dream the other night. I was standing in a big field near a fence, and a man walked up from the field to talk to me. He was dressed in black, and he had a big white dog. As we talked, we walked into the field. I don't remember what we talked about, something about bulk tanks I think [dairy equipment]. After a while, we walked back toward the fence. When we got there, we saw that the dog didn't come back with us. The man called for the dog, but we couldn't see it. I tried whistling, and we saw the dog come over the rise running toward us...but it was being chased by the cows! The dog ran between us and through the fence, but the cows weren't stopping, so I dropped down to the ground and rolled under the fence...and woke up when I hit the floor in my room. I had fallen out of bed. My ankle cut open, and the skin on my knee split, and I hit my head hard. I laid there for a minute, then tried to get up, but couldn't. I laid back down and thought "I wonder if I broke anything?" Then I tried getting up again, and this time I did it, so I figured I was OK. I went back to bed, but this time I put the back of the chair next to the bed to keep me from rolling out again. That morning I was sore, but I didn't tell anyone. I just walked more slowly to breakfast. This last Thursday was the first day I didn't feel the pain. I didn't tell anyone about falling out of bed until now. [long pause] But I'm OK.

When Grandpa hit us with this, we stood with gaping, silent mouths for a few moments. How close we'd come to losing him, and no-one knew it. Mom, a retired nurse, checked him over a little bit, but he was indeed OK as far as she could tell. Grandpa has already made an appointment with the doctor who visits the home monthly, so he will have a full check-up then. Shortly, the meals came and the mood lightened as we "enjoyed" the antics of my precocious nephews. After lunch, we spent some time in Grandpa's room, where he showed us the nice high-backed padded chair that he backs up next to his bed each night. I looked at the marble floor and shuddered. Then Grandpa said, almost as an afterthought, "It's been a year now since Mom died," meaning Grandma. It all began to snap together in my head. The white dog. My white-haired Grandma. The stranger in black, the near death experience...it all was so significant. After some photos and hugs, we left. Since then, I haven't been able to get the white dog out of my mind. As always, I can't control my impulse to read into dreams, especially one like that. Here is my first impression; the conversation with the mysterious man was Grandpa's lifetime, or something like that. The white dog was Grandma. They all walked together to the middle of the field, but the dog/Grandma couldn't follow after a point, and he lost sight of her. That the dog came running back to Grandpa's whistle, chased by cows, reminds me of the herd of serious medical problems that Grandma had in her last year, almost as if she was running toward death to avoid them. She passed under the fence, and Grandpa, seeing the cows/medical problems coming also toward him, tried to follow...and nearly did. That was what first came to me, and there may be something to it. Recently, though, I've been wondering whether I may be thinking too literally. I figure that Grandpa, a man who has lived for nearly a century without losing his mental faculties, has a lot of stuff going on in his subconscious. Regrets, triumphs, loves and fears, be they big or minor, just have to "build up," providing his dream-self with lots to play with. Is the mysterious stranger in black "Death?" Was the white dog really my Grandma, or her place in his psyche, or nothing more than a white dog? Who knows. The truth is that they are probably all of that, then moments later none of it, as the shifting sands of dream premise and meaning move at the speed of thought. In the end, like everything, it may matter most how you apply the imagery of my Grandpa's dream to your own life. So, how have I done so? Well, I think about the man in black. A lot. He could be death, or life, but he may also be mystery itself. The unknown. And the white dog? It may be a glimpse of order, or love, but I think that the white dog may actually represent many things, things which will mean different things at different times. Right now, the white dog simply reminds me of Winter. Now, here's your somewhat appropriate Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Phantom Girl!

"March 13" - It's actually after noon on the 14th as I type this. My long day of work on the 12th, coupled with about two hours of sleep and a full day on the actual 13th, finally caught up to me and I passed out shortly after midnight. I will post something later, but here's the 13th's Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Cosmic Boy!

March 12 - So...what's big and white and whimps-out every other night? If you guessed Moby WOMP, you'd be close; it's me! At least I have the excuse that I've been awake and working on either artwork or the dumb "real" job for nearly 24 hours! It's actually 10:15AM on the 13th as I write this, and I've yet to go to bed from a day that began at 11:00AM yesterday! UGH! Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Duo Damsel!

March 11 - OK. These crazy dreams are getting out of control. I don't remember every detail of last night's dream, but the central theme was that I had to help Superman defeat terrorism while also bringing peace to Iraq. Really. I mean, I know I'm a comic book geek, but to actually have a dream about being Superman's sidekick? That's just geeky beyond words! And I was so earnest, too! I was all "Look at me, Superman! I can help!" The whole thing had something to do with Supes perpetrating a huge bluff, to which I was privy. I remember him asking me to keep his secret until the bluff had been played out, adding "Because I can only try it once before they catch on." I have no idea what "it" was, but it worked. All terrorists in the world either disappeared or were destroyed, and Iraqis were safely dancing in the street, praising Superman and hugging American G.I.s. I wish I could remember what Supes did, because I'd run over to Iraq right now and do it. Unfortunately, I don't think that there is any sort of "it." There may be lots of "its," some bigger than others, but no single answer. Except time travel. Yep, time travel could solve all sorts of things...and to heck with the consequences! Of course, how far back would you go? Stop the current Iraq war? People tried to do that back then, but no-one was listening. Carefully explain to the nation that there never was any relation whatsoever between 9-11 and Iraq? Lots of people did that, but it didn't matter. How about go back and warn everyone about the September 11th attacks themselves? People did that, too, but no-one was listening then either. Hmm. OK, OK...so even time travel wouldn't help. In fact, even if there really was a Superman, I don't think even he could do anything, even with all of his powers. It's all so frustratingly ironic, isn't it? Considering that ours is a nation called "the only remaining superpower," we ordinary citizens sure are powerless. Ugh. I have to try to think about something else. I'm getting depressed. Let's see...how about...um...KITTIES! I love kitties! I've got one on my lap right now. Yes; kitties. Just imagine a grassy field filled with kitties playing and jumping and purring. Kitties. Yep, that did it. I've completely forgotten about the impending end of the world. > J < Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Lightning Lad!

March 10 - Hey there. Gotta whimp out tonight after a long day of work. Oh, well...here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Princess Projectra!

March 9 - Another dream about the Legion of Super-Heroes last night...well, sort of about the Legion. Like most dreams, I remember only the highlights, and have no idea how it all started. I suppose that's the difference between a story and a dream. The narratives are much less defined in our continually rolling subconscious than in something we purposely create. Anyhoo, however it began, eventually I was dreaming that I was at an auction of collectibles and antiques. I call this dream...

Always Outbid

I was sitting in the front row at an auction house (nothing fancy, like Christie's or anything, just a nice place). Always up for finding a bargain, and continually cash-poor, I was squirming in my seat as deal after deal went before the hammer, each one quickly surpassing what I would, or even could, bid for them. At first, the items were of general interest, such as boxes of antique sports equipment, vintage photos, and books. Strangely, though, the lots became increasingly of personal interest to me. First came an antique quilt (always popular with the WOMP Staff), then a box of early 1900's advertising items from Prairie du Chien (WOMP's home town). Still, the bidding zoomed far past my ability to participate, nonetheless win. Up came a lot of Star Wars toys and memorabilia. Two-hundred dollars. Next it was comic books, a mint run of old Adventure Comics with Legion appearances (I told you that it was sort of about the Legion). Three-hundred dollars. It was interesting to see all of this cool stuff, but frustrating just the same. Finally, the auction items were specifically personal! First came a lot of ephemera from a musical that I co-wrote, then co-directed, with my friend, and fellow Keystone Kopp, Michael Haefer! There was a signed program, poster, and copies of the script and music. I have all of that stuff already, of course, but how could I pass it up? The auctioneer asked for a starting bid of twenty dollars, to which there were no takers...including me. I knew that the starting bid would drop until there was interest (remember, I was trying to get a deal). He asked for ten dollars, then five, finally for a single dollar. Now I was too mortified to bid. Where were the people with the hundreds-of-dollar-bids now? The lot went unsold. I thought that was embarrassing, but it was a minor joke compared to the next lot; that box of every drawing I produced during the first half of my life! You may remember that I wrote about it here in the WOMP-Blog a couple of nights ago, but you could not be more surprised that it was up for auction than I was!! This time, when the auctioneer started the bidding, he asked for fifty cents! Since this was a dream, I not only neglected to question just how, or why, these drawings were for sale in a public auction, but I suddenly had no money (even though I'd clearly been bidding, unsuccessfully, earlier in the dream). I panicked as an unseen bidder raised his hand from behind the people on the far side of the room. Fifty cents! Someone was about to get every single drawing I'd saved for decades for just fifty cents, and I couldn't bid even seventy-five cents to get them back! The auctioneer strained to elicit another bid, any bid, from the disinterested, stern looking crowd. Although I'd previously felt like someone was with me at the sale, there was now no-one I knew in attendance from whom I could even borrow some money. Finally, BANG! The hammer fell, almost as hard on me as it did on the auctioneer's podium. I was crushed. Fifty cents! In despair, I scrambled to find the winning bidder, hoping to make some sort of deal with him to get my artwork back. But who was it? I kept one eye on the box as it and I each worked toward the back of the room. I converged upon it as a pair of hands took it from the auction worker. Imagine my surprise when I saw that the hands, and the box, belonged to ME!! But, not me. This was me of about 1986, the me to whom the stuff truly belonged. I looked at him (me then), and he looked at me (me now) with complete ignorance of who I was. I was just too shocked to say or do anything, so he (still me) left, and I went back to my seat. The dream must have progressed slightly from there, because I remember thinking about how I could buy replacement glass for an old window (see how exciting my dreams are?) just before I woke up.

As I thought about the dream, several things were pretty obvious about it (like my feeling that my artwork is worthless, and that old drawings I did years ago may physically still exist, but truly belong to my past), but other stuff occurred to me throughout the day, especially while I was at the dread "real" job earlier. First, as the auction lots counted down to the box of art, they also went backward in time in respect to my interest in collecting them (which reminds me to tell you that the Star Wars stuff included Episodes 1-3 things as well). I realized that my own artwork was the first kind of thing I collected in a life of collecting things. That's a neat revelation. Moreover though, I've been thinking about just how my fevered brain designs these dreams, and how it allows my conscious self to recall selected portions of subconscious ramblings. I like to think of myself as, well...as a thinker. Truth be told, I'm much, much more of a "feeler." As far as thinking goes, I'm a muller. I put stuff on a mental back burner to let them simmer slowly until they are fully cooked opinions. Otherwise, I have instant emotional reactions to the world around me, reactions which have very few logic tests to go through before I settle on an impression upon which I might act. In time, I've learned to allow my long-thought-out opinion come to a boil before making any important decisions. Likewise, I tap quickly into the emotional aspects of stuff when doing day-to-day things (comes in handy for humor, artwork, etc.). So, somehow, my subconscious mind actively plays with these aspects, while some portion of my conscious mind keeps one eye out for elements that it can use, like ingredients for that simmering opinion. How similar all of this is to my dream about being at an auction, then. What better analogy for my thought processes could be found? Auctions are where emotions, reasoning, quick impressions, knowledge, personal tastes and memories all converge in a sort of public competition. I've always enjoyed auctions, and feel that I do well at them, limited only by the amount of money I can spend. I guess that means that I've been happy, for the most part, with how I've conducted myself elsewhere as well...limited also by the amount of money I can spend. I wonder what kind of jerk I'll become if I ever do get money...sigh. Well, here's your (repeated...see last December 16th's entry) Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Ferro Lad!

March 8 - Well, I survived jury duty. After a whole lot of standing around (five hours of actual standing...only twelve chairs in the jury room, and the assembled jury pool consisted of 28 people), the cases before the court were settled and we potential jurors were dismissed without ever being questioned. I may have to go back at the end of the month, but I feel lucky to have made it past today. I've served jury duty during two other periods in my life, three times serving on an actual jury, one of those as foreman. It was never fun, but it's not that bad. In fact, the only bad part about today (beyond the five hours of fidgeting from foot to foot) was that it messed up my normal biorhythm. Now, at just 2:00AM on the 9th, I'm about to pass out because I am so tired. I had all sorts of plans for tonight, but I only got to a couple of them. Oh, well. Here is your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Colossal Boy!

March 7 - Hey there. This is going to be a very short entry as I have to get some sleep before serving jury duty bright and early tomorrow morning. Yippee. Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Matter-Eater Lad!

March 6 - Busy, busy day. Lots of odd projects, most of them unrelated to cartooning or comics. One job, though, was to continue the forced evacuation of my stored stuff from Mom and Dad's house, including assembling 20 years' worth of my childhood drawings. All of them. From nursery school, through high school, and for the couple of years just after that; every single piece of artwork that I produced during the first half of my life. Well, actually, it's just the "good" ones (just to spite posterity, I threw away all crummy artwork as soon as I made it). Although they are all in fairly good condition physically, they are in an unsorted jumble. With the second grade crayon portraits (Paul Bunyon, George Washington, etc.) and junior year art assignments (fantasy record albums) are also all of my wirebound notebook tablets (30 or so?), each one jam-packed with sketches and drawings and very, very little actual school work. Believe it or not, with the exception of the fifteen or so over-size pieces, and whatever I might have given away to grandparents back in the day, everything fit into just one Rubbermaid container about the size of a 24" TV. To see the entire "artistic" output of twenty years boiled down to a single sterile plastic box...well...it's having some sort of effect on me. I haven't been able to exactly pinpoint the feelings that the situation has evoked, but it's clearly something to do with confronting a reality about just how much of an "artist" I was...or am. It's a bit like believing yourself to have been a fisherman, then someone scares up every fish you ever caught, and they barely fill a bathtub. Or something like that. Anyhoo, now I'm on my way to bed a bit earlier than usual (3:30AM). Maybe I'll sort this all out in one of my patented interpretable dreams. They seem to be all the rage recently. Well, here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Timber Wolf!

March 5 - 'Sup? How about those Oscars, eh? I didn't see any of the movies nominated, nor many that weren't, so I didn't have a lot of emotional investiture riding on the outcome, but it's always worth watching, if only because I actually get a kick out of the technical awards (especially since they started showing nifty behind-the-scenes footage as the nominations are being read). Now, at 6:30AM on the 6th, I've already begun to forget some of the winners. Oh, well...I have to get some sleep anyway. Here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Bouncing Boy!

March 4 - Hola! Yesterday I told you about my odd Legion dream. I thought there was an outside possibility that I'd dream about them again last night, but, instead, I had an equally futuristic dream about Blade Runner! Is there some sort of theme going on here? Are The Jetsons next? There actually may be something to all of this. Over the last week we've gotten many, many "futuristic" upgrades to our machines at my dread "real" job, and I have been smarting a little at the pace of technology in respect to my ability to keep up. I've said before that my high school graduating class was the last one to have a completely computer-free education (although a rudimentary computer basics class was offered to a select number of Seniors...like four). Therefor, everything I do on a computer, including this WOMP-Blog, is a later-learned skill, not something that I grew up with. That's why it's ironic (or is it just sucky?) that I am one of the "go-to-guys" when the computers at work have trouble. Or, should I say I was one of the "go-to-guys?" The new system was installed while I was off for a few days, so I'm coming to it blind again, just like a rookie. It's going well so far, but a hint of techno-anxiety may have seeped into my dreams. In fact, there are many correlations between my dream about hanging out with the polite but dismissive Legionnaires. Those teens of the future remind me of my co-workers, who are mostly in the 20-year-old age bracket. So, what of Blade Runner? To me, one of the core elements of that film was a future that is so overly cybertronic and technotrashed that it is always broken down, the pace of technology having long since far outpaced human adaptability. The result is a world that looks a little like the back room at the electronics repair shop, with thin, awkward paths winding through crooked stacks of things that were meant to be fixed but have become obsolete in the mean time (with the oldest stuff on the bottom, and the newest stuff toward the top). That, too, reminds me of the dumb "real" job. Especially since, in my dream I was wearing my work clothes! ACK! That was a first for me. Never before have I allowed my subconscious to wrap my self-image in the uniform of my shameful servitude. Now I'm almost afraid to go to sleep! Oh, well...it was just a dream. After all, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Of course, sometimes it's also a symbol of an impending dark fate closing in on you. One or the other. Whatever. For now, then, here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Shadow Lass!

March 3 - Not much for you tonight, I guess. I'm pretty tired from an extraordinarily "fun" day at the dread "real" job, so I think I'm going to cop out a little to get some sleep. I did want to tell you that, in the few hours of sleep that I got last night, I dreamt about the Legion of Super-Heroes! Shocking! I can't remember all of the details, but I do recall that I was interacting with the members as they were living through the period when Chameleon Boy discovered that the President was his Dad. I seemed to know what was coming (having read the comics so many years ago), but had difficulty conveying any of this information to the Legionnaires. They were cordial, but politely dismissive of me as they continued to delve into the story at hand. I didn't seem too frustrated by this situation, especially since events around me were moving so quickly that there wasn't time to sulk anyway. Another thing that struck me as I was dreaming along was just how young and immature the Legionnaires were in person. Not "immature" in the screwing around, not taking anything serious sort of way, but in the foolishly optimistic, ignorant of anything very far beyond themselves sort of way. Even Brainiac 5, in spite of all of his intellect, was kind of like a handsome nerd, oblivious of how even just his manner of speaking was affecting the people around him. I don't remember much more than that, except to say that at some point I was no longer living the story, but reading it. Odd, eh? I wonder what the next chapter will be like? Only one way to find out...so, good night! Now, here's your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Sun Boy!

March 2 - Keeping with the theme presented last night that the Legion of Super-Heroes parallels my own high school experiences, I have to wonder; were the Legionnaires the snobby popular kids? I don't base that question on their obvious good looks nor their athletic builds. I base it on their strangely strict membership requirements. They were so restrictive that they bordered on racist (especially in light of the great number of white Earthlings who were members). Think about it. They even had a "cool kids only" hang-out. In many ways, I more identified with the Loser Legion of Substitute Heroes, those brave young people (for the most part) who only wanted to use their gifts to help people...but were shunned by the Legion for not being "good enough." I'm not saying that I believe that this situation made the LSH bad, any more than popular kids are really bad (just pukey). I'm just suggesting that there was a hint of snobbery in the Legion. Then again, there was a bit of snobbery in the whole imagined future, wasn't there? A product of the dreams of the Eisenhower era, the 2900's looked a lot like the 1950's, only with fewer minorities. I guess we've always used imaginings of the future to help us come to terms with today (and our perceptions of what we should or should not be doing to bring about, or prevent, that vision). Look at the transformations of Saturn Girl. Originally, she was a coquettish Republican, with a smart eighty-five piece multi-color suit, a conservative short hairdo, and every silly stereotype about being a girl going for her (even though, presumably, she had not grown up in Earth society). By the late 1970's, Saturn Girl was a naked stripper wearing lavender body paint, with long luscious blonde hair, and enough attitude and personality that she should have been called Mz. Saturn. In those twenty intervening years, and the thirty since, the Legion had its ups and downs, just like their counterparts (us) back here in the ever-changing present. As the writers and artists have more or less been merely trying to keep up with the trends of the day by reflecting them in the tales of the Legion, they've accidentally helped us all move further and further away from that sterile 'Fifties future, and more toward what we hope will be a better one. So, to answer my own question about Legion members being the popular kids, I guess that, originally, they probably were. They were so conceited that they actually went back in time to first meet, then pester, and finally befriend Superboy just because they wanted to. That's the act of thoughtless snobs who think they are so privileged that they can literally do whatever they want, regardless of the monumental consequences (even if they did claim it was because they were inspired to become teen superheroes by Superboy's example). Eventually, I think that the exclusivity factor wore off as it began to also do so in American society. The more integrated and accepting we all became, so it was reflected in the Legion, and, in the long run, they were no longer so stuck up. Ugh. I'm whipped from just thinking about it. Time for this twentieth-century teen (and twenty-first-century dork) to get some sleep. Oh, and it's time to post your Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Shrinking Violet!

March 1 - If you haven't done so yet, please go to the WOMP-Blog Archives and read last night's entry (Feb. 28). It wrapped up "Mini-Comic Month" pretty well, and provided a lot of news...shockingly positive news. Tonight, as I take a night to just kick back and enjoy having nothing to do (before I start freaking out because I have nothing to do), I have no plans but to begin the second month of the special-theme Comic Book Character Of The Day feature. This month's theme, already on my short list, shot to the top of the charts when O.F.O.WOMP Derek Anderson also suggested it (adding "Because, let's face it...there's a million of them!"). I am speaking, of course, about nightly listing the members of The Legion of Super-Heroes! Please excuse me if I wax nostalgic (or wane poetic) when discussing the LSH, but there is just something so special about them. Like any good comic book geek (which I was), I have had many, many discussions about the Legion with friends. I remember trying to justify their hokey, pathetic "Boy" and "Girl" names (my reasoning was that, like all publicly held ideas, each generation tweaks words in reflection to their previous usage. In the same way that "aids" used to be something you'd wish you had, "Lightning Lad" may sound dorky to us, but to the far-flung teens of the future, it may be the height of what's hot...or cool...or scradgek...or whatever). I also discussed how influential the concept of a mega-team was to me. I felt that the million or so members of the Legion added to my enjoyment of the comic rather than distract me from it. Even here in the ol' WOMP-Blog I've posed a question, in regards to Ultra Boy, asking which one superpower would you like to have. But it all goes deeper than that, doesn't it? If you are a Legion fan, and chances are pretty good that you are if you also read this WOMP-Blog, the Legionnaires are closely tied to your own early teen years. For me, there was a LOT of interest in the, ahem, female members (I told you I was a comic book geek)! Legion characters were so well defined (if a little two-dimensionally) by what they could do, or what they looked like, that they were like classmates. Most teens create for themselves similar mental characterizations of the others in their school (The Sad Girl, The Football Star, The Comic Book Geek, etc.), then operate in a simplified world of their own definitions. It's not a slam, just an observation. Only a handful of the people with whom I grew up seemed more real than characters in a story, even though I knew full well that they were. How, then, could I resist the charm of shy-but-strong Shrinking Violet, or the dark mystery of Shadow Lass, or the curvaceous form of the aptly named Dream Girl? Real teenage girls may have (rightly) thought of me as a greasy creep (or should I say The Greasy Creep?), but I began to understand them all a little better thanks to the comic book teenage girls I knew so well (which were, ironically, created by middle-aged men). All of that, and the villains were mind-blowing, the stories were scradgek, and the chances that a main character would die in any given issue were about 10%! I'm sure I'll talk about the Legion throughout the rest of the month, so why don't we just get the ball rolling by posting the first Legion Of Super-Heroes Character Of The Day: Brainiac 5!