From: "John Mundt" To: Subject: march Date: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 11:00 PM *March 31 -* Time. Time, time, time. This has been an interesting, if rushed, month here in the ol' WOMP-Blog. Beyond just the "...Of The Day" theme of comic book time travelers, discussions of *time itself* factored into just about every post (as, I suppose, it always does...I just noticed it this month). I had "Blasts From The Past," plans for the future, time to spare, no time to write, and several blatherings about time displacement. Time is a weird thing, isn't it? In theory, time is simply how we humans keep track of the continuous processes around us. Science-types tell us that time travel, especially to the past, is categorically impossible (and might I ask; how can something be *especially *impossible*?* Wouldn't that make time travel to the future merely *improbable*, rather than impossible?). Still, in written and illustrated works of imagination and creativity, we travel through time constantly. Consider this; by recording our thoughts, they carry on through time, touching people of the future when we, perhaps ages long past, can not. Likewise, when we read the works of someone from long ago, our minds reach back to the past and touch the creator's. It's not much, but it really is a simple form of time travel. I am willing to concede, I suppose, that comic book style time travel may never be achieved, but those kinds of stories are not really meant to present factual possibilities, but, rather, theoretical, philosophical, and personal dilemmas. That's what makes them so much fun! This month *has*been fun for me, but - *swoosh* - it went flying by too quickly. I wish that I had more time (pun intended), but I suppose that I should wrap this up with your last *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **The Doctor (Doctor Who)!* *March 30 -* OK, so not everything about time travel would be sour and sad, which is what I seemed to suggest last night. Look, everyone can imagine the incredibly positive possibilities of jumping around through time. You could meet Abraham Lincoln. You could save Marilyn Monroe. You could patent Velcro (my plan). Heck, you could open a bank account with a few bucks in 1700, then withdraw the billions in 2000. Yada, yada, yada. I guess I didn't talk about the good side of time travel because it's so blasted obvious. As with any superpower, the trick, creatively, is to imagine how the genie's granted wish could also be an ironic curse (blasted jinn...always with the cruel irony....just once I'd like to see someone get the million dollars they wished for without being crushed by a falling pallet of bound dollar bills). Back in the day, years of creative one-upsmanship caused Superman's powers to reach godlike levels. To counter this, writers also dreamt up Kryptonite of every color, stripe, and influence. So, what I was attempting to explore in yesterday's post was what kind of "Kryptonite" would affect a time traveler. Even some of those are obvious, like paradoxes. There's the "anything you do in the past could have a dramatic, unforeseen affect on the future" paradox, the self-fulfilling prophecy paradox, the infinite number of alternate timelines paradox, etc.. Other negative aspects of time travel may be less obvious. In exploring those, I think that new, interesting time travel stories could yet be written. That's the only reason I even brought up loneliness. But, what other as-of-yet unexplored "negatives" might there be? Hmmm...just off the top of my head, how about a sort of time aphasia? Your body could travel through time, but your mind might have difficulty keeping up. Or, what about some sort of "part of the lifeforce" thing, wherein we are all pieces of a single consciousness which is split into each living thing so as to explore itself? Time travel could disrupt that, causing a lack of soul in the traveler, or an inexplicable unease felt by others toward the traveler...or even an inescapable magnetism felt by the same soul-elements toward their time displaced "self/selves." Or how about something to do with dinosaurs? Everyone likes dinosaurs! Whatever "it" may be, there pretty much has to be one. A story in which the characters risk nothing (or little) can be fun for a bit, but, ultimately, a reader will wish for there to be more at stake for the traveler...and the story's writer may wish for there to be more at stake for him or herself. Hmmm. Well, I am running late tonight, so I'd better wrap this up. Here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Superman!* *March 29 -* Well...did it seem like I took a little vacation? Sorry. I wish I *had* been able to take a vacation over the last few days, but I was, instead, so freakin' busy with stuff that I haven't been able to post anything. Again, it's the WOMP-Blog Catch 22; when I have the time to write something, I haven't done anything to write about, and when I have something to write about, I'm too busy doing it to write anything! To that perpetual conundrum, I'd like to propose an addendum that stems from a Swiss-cheese memory like mine (how about *that* sly *time travel* reference, eh?); when I finally *do* have time to write about what I've been doing, I'm too tired from having done it, and too forgetful of just what the heck I did, to do so. Tonight, then, I won't bore you with all of the stupid details of what I've been doing (and the choir shouted "Hallelujah!"). Let's get back to time travel. I've been thinking about it a lot...especially since it actually has figured into a super-secret honest-to-goodness comic book project that I'm working on (a project which, I might add, will be revealed to you all soon, even if...*when*...it all falls through, as these things always seem to do for me). As I have been wrapping my mind around this latest project, it suddenly occurred to me that my last comic book was about time travel! No, not *T.A.O.M.* #4. My last comic book was actually the 24 Hour Comic, *Continuity Crisis*. Weird, huh? It may have been a poorly drawn piece of sleep-deprived, self-indulgent crap, but it *was* about time travel along my own lifeline. Back then (almost two years ago as I type this), I remember thinking about a seldom utilized aspect of time displacement stories. Although I didn't really touch upon it in *C.C.*, I think that unlimited access to time travel would be very lonely. Let me explain by talking about a cat. Yes, I said "a cat"...*my* cat, Earl. On quiet nights, he will wander around the darkened basement catacombs, alone. Believing that no-one is down there with him, he'll call out in a long, low cry (something like "Mee-ooooowwwwwwwwwah?"). Although it *sounds* like he is feeling lonely, animal experts will tell you that he cries like that to judge the vastness of the empty space, and, perhaps, to draw a reply from another cat hidden in the dark...which, I might add, is about the best description of *feeling lonely* that I've ever heard. Either way, it represents what life can sometimes be. This WOMP-Blog, for example, is basically just my cry in the dark, meant to find the edges of myself, and to possibly connect with someone else. The desire to explore is always tempered with the need to connect. Time travel would provide as much exploration, of all sorts, that one could ever want (or survive), but few opportunities to really connect. Sure, Kirk-style one-night-stands with a succession of exotics from Ages Past might have its, um...*pleasures* (and little chance for the usual commensurate repercussions), but, eventually, you're gonna want someone to journey through time with you (even if only Platonically). Otherwise, your "Mee-ooooowwwwwwwwwah" will just fade into the night, useful only to confirm the vast loneliness of your predicament. There's something about our linear lives of *standard* time travel that compels us to do things in a certain way, to feel about time as we do. Just as immortality, or, really, any superpower, would intrinsically change how a person acts and reacts (search the *WOMP-Blog Archives * for my arguments regarding Superman vs. Clark Kent), the ability to slip forward or backward in time would fundamentally alter anyone. Threats of danger, loss, or even missed chances would be null and void. Why sweat even the small stuff when you could go back and prevent it, or jump ahead and ignore it? You'd eventually not fear a darn thing, and real fear always has an element of time involved, doesn't it? Heck, that's the whole premise of *24**!* If Jack What's-His-Name (I don't watch the show...sorry) could just travel through time, he could finally get some sleep (and go to the bathroom). Fear drives us. It is one of the main reasons we *do* seek to connect with someone, but, take away the fear of saying the wrong words, or doing the wrong thing, all at the wrong time, and you take away the desire...the *requirement*...to empathize. Like a Pop princess who becomes trapped within her own fame, you'd never again trust, or know, or even *try*to connect with others. Your actions would seem more and more peculiar to outsiders, and, with almost unlimited options, you'd actually choose none. Oh, and factor in the whole "You could never understand what it's like to be me" thing, and time-travelers would almost *have to be* lonely. That's probably why time travel played such an important role in the spontaneous storyline of *Continuity Crisi**s*. For most of my uber-nerdy life, I have really felt "disconnected." My "time" was so out of sync with everyone else's, that I withdrew into myself and my own imaginary worlds. How telling it is that for my story I chose to have a future version of me try to connect with past versions of me. 'Cause I'm not just talking about connecting romantically, but in even the most basic versions of interactive human contact. This is the same argument, by the way, that people often cite when criticizing The Internet, and, in many ways, it has proven true. The less *personal* we need to be, the less *personable* we become. I hope, of course, that I can buck that trend. I have spent the most recent years of my life trying to reach out to others...like you! As I travel through the rest of my time, I promise to continually try to connect! With that in mind, I'd like to wrap up this rambling post with a final thought; "Mee-ooooowwwwwwwwwah?" Now, here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Metron!* *March 28 -* Here's what should have been your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Starhawk!* *March 27 -* Here's what should have been your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **The Phantom Stranger!* *March 26 -* Here's what should have been your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Nimrod!* *March 25 -* Just to update last night's "story," I *did* get some sleep. Somehow, I even survived a particularly unpleasant and extended stint at the dreadful "real" job. I began work on the mural again by 9:00PM. It is now 9:30AM, just over twelve hours later. I'd say that I am now 90% done with the whole thing. The rest should be pretty easy to complete, especially since I have just made plans to deliver it tomorrow, instead of today, giving me an extra twenty-four hours. Hooray! I am now, even as the sun is glaring and the birds are screeching, finally heading to bed for the "day." And I'm so mixed up that I don't even know *what* day this is (it's like Thonday or Friturday, right?). I don't know why it surprises me that I am not twenty years old anymore, but it does. Back in the day, I could pull all-nighters every night for months without being so tired. Oh, and *sore!* Man, my back is killing me! I told The WOMP Staff that painting something the size of this mural is like playing a slow motion tennis match over the course of several days. It's quite the work out. And I'm no tennis player. Heck, I'm not even a muralist, so it's no wonder I'm so exhausted. Hmm. Well, I guess I should actually get that sleep now. Here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Impulse!* *March 24 -* Omigosh. I have to get some sleep. I'm wiped out. I have been working pretty much non-stop since 9:00AM, and it's now 5:00AM, twenty hours later! I have to get some sleep. I have an extended stint at the dumb "real" job (in just a little while), during which time I will be by myself for six hours! I have to get some sleep. I am on track to finish the new mural for the museum by Monday, but only if I push on through tomorrow night without sleeping. I have to get some sleep. I am already so tired that I can't even imagine how I'm going to make it. I *really* have to get some sleep. Ugh. I think I'm just spinning my worn-out tires here. I should probably just wrap this up by posting your *Comic Book (I Have To Get Some Sleep) Time-Travelers of The Day -** **Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, and Lightning Lad!* *March 23 -* I know that I should be happy that I'm so busy with art related projects, but, honestly, it's wearing me down. Worse, just when I thought I was getting ahead of my many, many looming deadlines, I foolishly took on *another* job this afternoon...which has to be completed before I go to work at the dumb "real" job tomorrow. That's on top of trying to complete a new mural for the local museum by Monday! Before you think I'm completely nuts to complain about all of this "business," I should tell you, in all candor, that *only* the art job I picked up today is going to pay anything (twenty bucks!). As per usual, all others are being done *gratis*, out of the kindness of my heart (and the stupidity of my brain). Someday I may feel like I should require payment for my work, but I guess that day isn't here yet. I will gladly take money offered to me, mind you, but I just don't think that I am quite to the point where people would pay for what I do if they were asked to do so. I do ask for a lot of money for caricatures (six dollars per face), but that's mostly to compensate for the stress of it (I'm sore for days after a caricaturing gig). Ugh. I'm rambling/ranting, I think. I'm just too tired to care. So, once again, here's a lesson for you kids out there; learn to manage your time and charge for your work. Don't do as I do, do as I say! Hmm...I think it's time for your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Bishop!* *March 22 -* Yowza! Lot's of doin's here at WOMP Central. The last forty-eight hours have brought us enough surprises to fill several days' worth of WOMP-Blog postings, but, in order to keep from going insane, I will just summarize them here for you (because they are too interesting to ignore). Where to begin...? Oh, I know... 1) We "babysat" The WOMP Staff's brother's kids for several hours last night. That's always fun. The Staff really seems to enjoy the littlest one, but I'm not much of a baby person. I have nothing against them, per se, but I prefer to hang around with kids who can converse. That describes the other two kids pretty well. We played *Candyland* (wherein I kicked candy-@$$), set up the model railroad (which, apparently, *never* gets boring), and drew comics. That is the coolest part of all, especially since, no matter how much I try to convince them otherwise (and I really do work at it), the kids think that I'm a famous cartoonist. Since the exact opposite is true, I always get a chuckle out of their requests for "autographs" and for drawings of Monkey kicking the snot out of a succession of supervillains. They aren't free, though. I always demand autographs and drawings in return. Last night, I got some pretty cool artwork, including a new black, green, and silver villain, the gap-toothed (if slightly familiar) Monkey Boy! 2) Yikes! What a crazy storm we had last night! I thought that the windows were going to get blown out by all of the hail. I'd tell you that it was marble-size, but marbles are smaller! We lost power for about an hour, then everything just went back to normal, with no apparent harm done. 3) Omigosh! As of this writing, there are still two days left to check out what is probably going to be considered one of the greatest comic book related auctions in eBay history. In one ginormous lot, Kevin Eastman is selling *all* of the original art, including even hand-drawn logos and ads, for the first issue of *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles**!* The sale also comes with his pristine file copy of the finished comic (one of only three-thousand printed). When last I checked, the highest bid was $250, 099.00!! Over a quarter-million dollars, and two days to go! Holy Splinter! 4) Just a note about the passing of Calvert Deforest. As any long-time WOMP-Bloggers will remember, I have been a David Letterman fan for decades, and I've watched his talk-shows "religiously" since his ill-fated morning show. Calvert appeared on each late-night show, originally portraying befuddled everyman, Larry "Bud" Melman, in peculiar walk-ons and bad comedy sketches since 1982, culminating in his final appearance, as himself, in 2002 to celebrate his 82nd birthday. Actually, he didn't so much "portray" *any* character, as he just was introduced as Larry "Bud" Melman and never seemed to mind. He was clearly always in way over his head, never understanding that we were laughing at him so hard that we were were laughing with him too. I'm also sure he'd have no idea why anyone would feel like they'd lost an elderly great-uncle today, but that *is* how I feel. I was so sad to hear that he had no family, and no funeral. He deserved something more, something that reflected the place he holds in the hearts of a generation of insomniacs. For whatever reason, I really loved that weird little guy...which may be the greatest stupid human trick of all. 5) My Keystone Kopps Activation Code, of quite some time ago, has finally been answered. Fellow Kopp Joe Becwar has contacted me,. It's been about ten years since we last spoke. If all goes well, we will meet up early next month. Awesome! That means, of course, that it is time to goad another high school buddy into writing to me, so... *Keystone Kopps Activation Code #1187 - **Michael Haefer**, please write! * (for good measure, I'll also add the following searchable phrases; Mike Haefer, Michael R. Haefer, Lord Michael Rollin Haefer IV). 6) Hmm. I'm running out of steam again...and I've got crud-loads of work to do yet today before I hit the sack. I guess I'll just wrap this all up with your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Hiro Nakamura!* *March 21 -* Heh - heh. I skipped another day. Well, the power was out for a bit as a hail storm hit WOMP H.Q. right when I wanted to post something, but, honestly, it passed by 2:00AM, so I could have posted something after that, but I was so stinkin' tired that I went to bed at 3:00AM. What a wimp! Sigh. Here is what should have been your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Per Degaton!* *March 20 -* Just a little time travel discussion tonight. Basically, as I have recently been finding myself lacking the time to post anything here in the ol' WOMP-Blog most evenings, I've begun to wish for *more* time. As I've gotten older, I've realized that *time* is the most precious of all commodities, and it becomes increasingly scarce and valuable as it's spent. How much would I give to have back some of the hours...days...*years* I've wasted? With the options and advantages of more time, I'd be able to do what I am pretty sure I will now never have the time for. But, would this be selfish? Probably. Like Bill Murray's character discovered in *Groundhog Day*, an unlimited cash of time could be used for such selfish reasons...for awhile. Eventually, though, spending that time with, on, or for others would be more rewarding anyway. And, some of those "wasted" years of mine * were* spent on others. Not a great percentage, I suppose, but I have given of my time to persons who were not actually me. Strangely, though, I have also found that time spent helping someone else pays back dividends greater than the original investment. But...it still *spends* that time, and, once it's gone, it's gone. Where would I be with my cartooning "career" if I hadn't taken a fifteen year hiatus from actively pursuing it? Where would I be if I had earlier declared my love for the girl who is now my wife, instead of waiting (wasting) six or seven more years? How would *who I am*be different had I better used my time? As I sit here, at 5:00AM, at the end of a very long day, I wonder these things. I wonder about the time I have lost...and about the time I have left. Right now, it feels as though the greatest advantage of time *travel* would be just the time itself. Hmmm. Well, speaking of time, I think I'm out of it for now. Here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **T.O. Morrow!* *March 19 -* Uh, I skipped a night. Here's what should have been your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Vance Astrovik/Vance Astro/Marvel Boy/Marvel Man/Justice!* *March 18* - So, what are some possible ways to make time travel more interesting to modern readers? Oh, I don't really know. If I did, I'd be rich and famous (instead of what I am now; poor and famous-only-among-my-immediate-family). What I *can* say, though, is what * I'd* like to see. Look at NBC's *Heroes*. Hiro has time travel abilities, but, compared to how such powers traditionally have functioned, they are tweaked a bit. He can also move in space, he can freeze time, he has trouble controlling his powers, and his trips through time have peculiar residual effects. Look at a film like *Danny Darko*. That movie so well plays with the disturbing, confusing nature of time travel. These are two excellent examples from recent Pop Culture, both proof that audiences are still receptive to time travel storylines, as long as they are given that tweak. Gone, I think, are the days of characters getting knocked unconscious and waking to find themselves in a different time. Today, we all want something more complicated, and, frankly, more meaningful. Time travel, like most other-worldly story elements, should represent something deeper. If an allegory can be established, or intended, between, say, visiting The Past and regret, or seeing The Future and bravery (or whatever), I think that it can still hook a reader. Also, don't try to explain everything. Leave some of the "how the heck did that happen" in something so clearly impossible. Trying to mumbo-jumbo-ize the particulars is as useless an exercise as trying to explain why you love someone. All words are going to fall flat, but actions can be observed, interpreted, and understood without need for any details. Give some of the mystery back to me. I want to wrap my mind around what's going on, not be spoon fed your garbledegook. Puzzles are more fun with more pieces, not fewer...just be sure I can still make out the big picture. Also, time travel should be grand (hmm...unless trips just slightly forward or backward are specifically the emphasis of your story). Otherwise, what's the point? After all, we time-travel all the time, right? We just do it in a conventional way. It does remind me, once again, of Einstein's humorous descriptive example of Relativity. Paraphrasing, he said that "A minute spent with a pretty girl seems too brief, but a minute sitting on a hot stove feels like an eternity...*that's* Relativity!" And that's something to explore in a story about time travel, I suppose. The pace of things has changed over the years. Do you remember the classic episode of *The Twilight Zone* that featured Buster Keaton as an 1890's scientist's assistant who was transported to "today?" Watching that show now, with all of the further change having taken place since it aired originally, the point of Buster being appreciative of his own, slow paced times in light of the "hustle and bustle" of 1960-something seems almost comical. If he thought things were crazy then, try jumping ahead just forty more years. The cacophony of cell-phones alone would drive him insane...and a brief glimpse of *Halo 2*being played on a large flat screen with surround sound would cause him to spontaneously combust! Now, we know that The Future is probably going to be faster and louder and more confusing than anything that's ever been seen. And, The Past? It may seem so freakin slow to a modern character that he or she might die of boredom...like a day-long visit with your parents to the home of an elderly relative you don't even know (sheesh...talk about * Relativity!*). Hmm. Like I said, I don't have any good ideas, really, about what comics creators could do to encourage interest in time travel story elements, but I am sure that the smart ones still can. Well, Here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Waverider!* *March 17** -* Hey there. OK, let's talk a little more about time travel comic book stories. As I mentioned a couple of nights ago, it seems as though they have fallen out of favor with today's readers. Part of that may stem from the proliferation of alternate dimensions, parallel realities, alien worlds, and biennial continuity re-launches (how many times have they tried to re-invent Aquaman in the last twenty years? Ten? Fifteen?). The kinds of stories that used to be told using the gimmick of characters displaced in time can now be told in so many other ways, without either the extensive research required to set a story in The Past, nor the far-sighted, and insightful, vision to base a story on The Future. The Past is fraught with emotionally-charged interpretive decisions (Thomas Jefferson; icon of liberty, or philandering slave owner?), well established chronology and period specifics (a bowler hat in 1915? That's OK, but a bowler hat in 1916? WRONG!), and the constant revelations that "the history books" have to be rewritten. The Future offers similar challenges, including unforeseen world-altering events and the ever-changing nature of advancing technology. That last one, technological advancement, may be the secret to why The Future doesn't hold the same creative interest for writers and artists that it once did. Look at *Star Trek*. Granted, no-one is being beamed from place to place yet, but we already have "communicators" that make Captain Kirk's look like a joke...and no comics creator wants to be laughed at in retrospect. Back then, creators knew that their work was for today, and, as such, it helped change "tomorrow." Today's creators try too hard to be timeless seers whose work will always have the same impact, even as our "communicators" are eventually built-in to our eye-implants. Of course, many of the most interesting time travel comic book stories featured healthy doses of all time periods, as well as explorations of all of the inherent paradoxes and problems. Heck, the best *science fiction stories*, in general, run *toward* the unexplainable and contradictory, not *away* from them. For creators who know how to embrace these "problems" and see them as opportunities, the device of time travel, as a story element, can be very rewarding...especially for readers! More about that tomorrow. Here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Immortus!* *March 16, Now-ish -* OK, so I have run out of day at the end of my time...or words to that effect. I'll have to get back to my blatherfest about time travel comics later (hooray?), but, before I retired for the morning (it's almost 8:00AM...UGH!), I wanted to at least post your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Tom Strong!* *March 15, 2007* - Back to "now." Well, actually, by the time you read this, it will be "then." Hmm. Come to think of it, it's "then" a split-second after I think it's "now." So, let's try...Now-*ish?* Well, now-ish I wanted to blather a bit about time travel stories. Wikipedia has some very interesting information on the subject, about thirty-percent of which may *actually* be accurate. When it comes to comic books, it seems as though early comics creators were more comfortable with *pseudo*-time travel, wherein modern day characters traveled to mysterious, hidden lands which were either far advanced or barbarically behind "us" developmentally. Invariably, the everyday knowledge and life-experiences of these more-or-less ordinary heroes seemed almost like superpowers to the out-of-sync cultures. Futuristic societies were devoid of the passions and physical strength which are common in "our" time. Backwards cultures were amazed by matches and eyeglasses. Either way, the point seemed to be that the present was where it was at...in spite of almost all evidence to the contrary. People of the Depression Era, and then World War Two, seemed to be strangely unnostalgic about the past, and peculiarly optimistic about the future. I suppose this isn't surprising, considering how much they were sacrificing for "now-ish." But, after the war, time travel stories became more and more frequent, didn't they? The world with which everyone was familiar was gone, to be replaced by, well...no-one knew what. People began to imagine "The Future" as something like an account into which wise investments could be made, and "The Past" as the source of the funds. By the mid-1950's, time travel was so popular and pervasive that it may be difficult to find a single continuing comic book character from the period which didn't have at least one time-displacement adventure. Then came The Canon. The established publisher-wide continuities built up over the years (mostly at DC and Marvel, but just as canon-esque at Archie, Harvey, etc.), until neither The Past nor The Future offered the thrills they once did, so they fell out of readers' favor. Time travel is currently utilized generally as the source of humor, or, at best, is used as just another plot element in a larger story. Ironically, today's time travel stories are nostalgic homages to past time travel stories! They no longer pack the wallop they once did. "I just went back to the year 1864!" Big deal. So, what would make time travel more interesting to today's readers? I'll blather on about that tomorrow. Now-ish, I'll just leave you with your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Dr. Samuel Beckett!* *Let's go forward in time tonight... **March 14, 2016* - I don't mind being fifty years old, I really don't. What I *do* mind is all of this "fifty is the new fifteen" garbage. I can still remember what it was like to be fifteen, and I definitely don't want to go through *that* again. Still, I have to be happy that people think that I'm about forty. I credit The WOMP Chairperson for that. She keeps me on my toes. Literally. She makes me do these thoroughly peculiar yoga exercises, many of which require that I position my awkward frame in ballet poses. It's pretty funny, I must say. Here, I'll post a vidcapture to my Soulspace page. Check it out! Oh, and that reminds me to thank *Official Mundt Family Friend*, Dr. Eric Gillitzer, for sending me his Virtudiscussion about plans for my next *Finders, Inc.* graphic novel. Even though it's only a computer program based on his past writings and personality profile, it argued, nearly as effectively as Eric himself might have, that calling it *Arks* was too ambiguous. Maybe. We'll see. I still have some time before I have to pitch it to fellow * O.M.F.F.* Tim Seeley. As Editor, maybe he will have some ideas (or *his*Virtudiscussion will). Otherwise, things here at WOMP Amalgamated are quietly rolling along...and if there is one thing I've learned in my half-century of Earth, it's that "quiet" is good! I imagine that things will spark up a bit soon, though, when we host the annual dinner for the Fallfire Planning Committee. I swear, Fallfire might as well be called * All-Yearfire* for as much work as goes into it now. Not that I'm complaining, mind you! Being a Senior Advisor (Ugh..."Senior") sure beats the years of doing it all by myself (not to mention *paying* for it all myself). This Spring, Fallfire will have enough capital to hire a dedicated Director to guide the contest and related charitable events. I hope that goes through. Again, we'll see. I suppose that I should get back to work. Until tomorrow, here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **The Flash!* *Even further back in time we go... **March 13, 1991* - The play opens in just ten days, and I'm not ready! Well, John "The Director" is ready (more or less), but John "The Idiot Who Thought He Could Act In His Own Play" hasn't memorized his lines yet...and he/I wrote them! ACK! OK, so *Irish Lullaby* isn't exactly Shakespeare, but I should still make an effort to remember what's written, instead of just winging it like I do now. Even Brent has memorized the play, although, as Narrator, he will have the script in front of him at all times! Hmm. Maybe *Brent* should have been dumb "Billy Erickson" instead of me...but that would be such a waste of his warm personality, and that booming "radio" voice of his. Brent is a lot of fun, but, between his heavy work schedule at the station, and my patented laziness, we don't get to hang out together too much. Still, he has become a pretty good friend. Besides Eric (who's just 15 years old anyway), Brent's about the only person I can talk to about that girl that I like. I told Brent about my sneaky plan to have her come to the show by giving complimentary tickets to *everyone* at her job! Heh heh heh! I'm so smart! Since it's *dinner* *theater*, this will be almost like taking her out to eat! UGH. I'm such an awkward dork. I'll never have the guts to ask her out for real, especially while I'm always directing these community theater productions. Is this what's meant by being a "suffering artist?" It's all so stupid, I guess. I want to be a comic book artist, but I'm comfortable in the role of Director. The world of comics represents an even greater chance for failure and embarrassment than singing and performing in front of a live audience. Someday soon, though, I'll make that leap. Until then, I'd better reread the lyrics to *My Wild Irish Rose* before I have to sing it in front of my dream girl. Sigh. Here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Rip Hunter!* *Back, back, back in time we continue to travel... **March 12, 1998* - Well, there's nothing left to do but sit back and wait for the orders to roll in. As of today, *The Adventures of Monkey* #4 is done and will be officially listed in *Previews*. The promo bookmarks have been printed and are on their way to Timonium, and the ads have been purchased and placed. I can't believe that I actually *did* it. This issue was easily the most difficult one to get done yet. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. Who'd have thunk that getting married and moving in with my new wife would be the least of the changes in my life? It's bad enough that I was "laid off" from my job a month ago (still don't know what that was all about), but to also be called for *jury duty* while trying to get the darn comic finished? UGH! Well, I think I have a bead on a new job (I hope), so that worry may be off my shoulders. And there's always the chance that #4 will make money...HA, HA, HA, HA! I couldn't even *write* that with a straight face! Ugh. I'm already getting depressed. Just calm down, John. *T.A.O.M .* #4 has a lot going for it. It will have the free ashcan contest slip in it. It has a back up story by Eric Gillitzer and Tim Seeley. Every copy will be signed (some will even be triple-signed by Eric, Tim, and me). And it features Dustman, who...shoots, um, dust...out of....his....er, hands....and, hmm. Well, maybe it will have some sort of *cult status*...after collectors find it in the "ten for a dollar" back-issue box at Comic Land and Stuff. Who knows? I'm just so freakin shocked that I even *finished*it, in the face of all obstacles expected and unexpected, that I'd be happy if I never produced another issue (but that's only a distant likelihood...I'm *so excited* about the next issue that I've already written and laid out *#6!*). Odd. I'm actually feeling a sort of...optimism. I even worked some more on my "Monkeyverse Files," redesigning or re-imagining several more of my old characters, including Nylona The Plastic Girl, Major Failure, The Blackhawk, The Hero, and The Blue Blade. One that *won't* be making a "comeback" anytime soon, though, is The Blackhawk's insipid sidekick, the dreadful Maroon Falcon (what was I thinking when I came up with that one? Put him in the same category as Erlingston Codstric Nerdman III and Old Uncle Jumpy Frog, I guess). I'm going to talk to Eric about some more Freshman stuff, too. I think that we may have already lost Tim to more *professional* work (no surprise...Timmy is gonna be *big* someday). Oh, and I have to check out that eBay thing. Everyone tells me that I should sell my comics there. Yep, things are really looking good for the future! OK, here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Cable!* *More time travel...with a **shocking coincidence!* *March 11, 2006* - 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 < ** *That was fun! Now, here's your* *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** * *Philip J. Fry!* ** *Let's travel back in time, shall we? **March 10, 2005 -* It must be the flu. I hope it's the flu. Something has made me sick, and I'm hoping for something that I can easily recover from. Whatever it is, I could not ignore it anymore. Yesterday, even though I did actually get quite a bit done on the mural, I ended my day at about 10:00pm, quivering in agony from a series of interesting pinpoint head pressures, intermittent loss of equilibrium, and just a touch of what I like to call "Party Bowels" (a condition marked by your digestive system jumping out from behind a couch and shouting "SURPRISE!"). Today, the head pressure has finally localized behind my ears and in back of my eyes, and the "Party" seems to have died down. I didn't have much energy, though, so I haven't done much artwork, mural or otherwise. I did post a few more things on *eBay *. I also did some more preliminary work on a couple of caricatures for *Official New Acquaintance of WOMP*, *Shelina Fitzpatrick* (Hello, Shelina!). Other than that, I've spent much of the day just loafing around, doing nothing (so, business as usual). I did watch the DVD of the film *Mystery Men*, based on the characters that Bob Burden created for his *Flaming Carrot*comic book. I liked it! It didn't do well when it came out theatrically, but it is pretty cool. The highlight of the film as a whole is probably the fantastic cast, which includes many of my favorite actors...all in a comic book based project! How cool is that? It reminded me of an exercise in futility that I used to indulge in, oh so many years ago. I would "dream cast" *The Adventures of Monkey*, as if it would be the basis for a movie. Strangely, I can't remember any of my choices from back then, but I do remember that it was fun (if also a little self-indulgent). Since those days, there have actually been MANY comics movies which featured "dream casts." I mean, how perfect is Halle Berry as Storm, for example? Isn't that exactly who you'd have wished would play that part? Even better; Patrick Stewart as Professor X! Of course, there have been surprises, both pleasant (Michael Keaton as Batman) and miserably unpleasant (I mean, Michael Clarke Duncan as The Kingpin? Ugh), but, today, "dream casting" superhero movies seems to be not only common, but *de rigueur* (Ha-ha! I have finally used *"de rigueur"* in a sentence! Take THAT, anonymous snooty judge at State Forensics in 1984!). Hmmm...maybe I will think about the "dream cast" of *The Adventures of Monkey* again over the next few days. If I come up with some good choices, I'll post them here. If not, at least it will keep me occupied while attending my next "Party." See ya later. *That was fun! Now, here's your* *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** * *Professor Zoom (Reverse Flash)!* *March 9 -* Well, where do I begin? I never really know how much of my personal life is appropriate to share with you. Some things are clearly off limits, but other things are borderline. Today pretty much falls into that category. It was a very emotional, stressful day for us, so I've decided to tell you about it, just to try to explain what may be affecting me over the next few days. Basically, my In-Laws' beloved dog was struck and killed by a train this morning. Within just two hours from when I posted yesterday's entry, it fell upon me to run across town to deal with everything. It was just so, so sad. I will spare you the details, but I could not spare them from my wife and Mother-In-Law, who were also present. This sadness has affected my wife's entire family, right down to my niece and nephews, who loved that dog so much. By the evening, those kids were at WOMP H.Q. for a few hours (another long story), so we drew pictures of the dog for their grandparents. Now, everyone has gone back to their homes, and the phone calls between us all have ceased, so I have a moment to post this entry, such as it is. I think that I'll be OK tomorrow, but it's been a very long day, so please forgive me as I just throw in the towel for now. Sorry. *March 8 -* Oh, so swamped! It's about 6:30AM on the 9th as I type this, and I have at *least* an hour's worth of work left to do before I retire for the day. UGH! Needless to say, this entry in the ol' WOMP-Blog is going to be very short. In fact, that was it. Now, here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Stryfe!* *March 7 -* A sad, stupid day for comics, eh? One of the greatest comics characters has "died." I love...*loved*...Captain America as much as, or probably more than, most comic book fans, so I am understandably upset to learn of his "passing." But, well...we've been through this crud before. Even in the light of the recent editorial edict that "dead is dead" in the Marvel Universe, Cap's demise seems like a temporary condition. Heck, even before his "death," there have been many other guys wearing Steve Rogers' costume, so, at the least, some version of Captain America will be back, and soon. I suppose that this is the equivalent to killing Bruce Wayne, then...except that Clark Kent died once, too. I'm *not* jaded (well, maybe just a little), I'm just a realist...about fantasy. It's all made up. They can shoot Captain America, blow him up, freeze him in ice, or ignore him for years (oh, wait...they did all of that already), but someone, sometime, will bring him back. Not to mention that he is not a Captain *Marvel* (one of whom has remained more-or-less dead for two decades), he is Captain *America *, a symbol of the strength and nobility of the entire nation. As such, it may be poetically appropriate that he has died ignominiously at the hands of a sniper. The "good ol' USA," as the classic Cap knew it, died *years*ago. And then came back. And then died again. And came back. And died. Then was back for a little while, but has definitely died again. And that's where we are right now, isn't it? Actually, when it comes right down to it, the U.S. itself is a fictional character as well. Created, *on paper*, by brilliant men of vision, the character of the United States has been altered and tested and seemingly killed off many times, only to be re-envisioned, revised, and reanimated by others who believed in the strength and nobility in its core idea. So, Captain America is dead. Long live Captain America! Now, here is your *completely unrelated* *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **T-800, Model 101 (The Terminator)!* *March 6 -* OK, I'm dropping the ball a bit...again. I worked on art stuff until about 3:00AM, leaving me too tired to post anything for the 6th. Same old story, right? I *was* going to try to explain my ramblings from the previous entry, but I'm not sure that would have been possible, even with rest. Basically, I had intended to point out that a time traveler would have difficulty blending in with people from a different era, even one within reach of his or her own lifetime. Instead, I posted a sleep-deprived half-thought about stereotypes and judging people against their times. Sigh. I think you know what I was getting at. Here's what should have been the *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Swamp Thing!* *March 5 -* Howdy, y'all! My Monday was very interesting. First, thanks to The Blizzard of '07, I was able to attend the rescheduled middle school play for which I'd provided set designs. It was called *Hillbilly Hankerin' *, and it was pretty cute (if "cute" is the right word...sweet, maybe?). I enjoyed it, especially some of the improv that the kids came up with to vamp during miscues, missed lines, and other mistakes. The cast consisted of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, so the talent levels of the actors were as varied as their heights. Even at that, everyone involved was a lot of fun to watch (some just by accident, others by design). The special 1:00PM showing was actually intended to be for the combined third through eighth grades, so the "cafetorium" was also jammed packed with squirrely youth. Perhaps not surprisingly, the younger kids were better behaved than the older kids, but no one in that room of about three hundred students was really unruly or disinterested. Well, some of the teachers may have been quietly grading papers in the back of the room, but everyone else seemed to have a great time. This play, about feudin yokels, comes a day after the airing of an episode of *The Simpsons* wherein Lisa chastised people for propagating the hillbilly stereotype. All of this has given me pause...especially since I am, proudly, of pure hillfolk stock. On my Mom's side, our bonfides as backwater mountain bumpkins are indisputable. Oh, I may be four or five generations removed from it, but my intrinsic hillbilliness is still evident in many of my actions and thoughts, and is even a source of odd pride. So, I feel somewhat empowered to speak on the subject. I suppose, as insult, being called a "hillbilly" now carries about as much potency as being called a "honky," but it is still an insult based on negative stereotyping. Being thoughtlessly prejudiced is probably never good, but the whole idea of political correctness can go to ridiculous extremes, can't it? It's like the "so easy a caveman can do it" ads. Yes, I know that Geico ads, *The Simpsons*, and *Hillbilly Hankerin'* are just harmless larks, but it reminds me that no opinion, based on noticed differences, is safe from the whims of ever-changing public opinion. What is funny fair game today may be outrageously offensive tomorrow. How, then, do you judge yesterday's morality against today's? For example, were Golden Age animators racist monsters who perpetuated offensive stereotypes, or comic funsters who used commonly accepted caricatures to produce humor for their audience of the day? Some, like Chuck Jones, lived and worked long enough to try to find ways to make amends for such transgressions, but what of others who never had that chance? Are all of Tex Avery's works tainted by the handful of images which we now find unacceptable? Even comics creators are "guilty," and not just those from the Golden Age. Whether it be Will Eisner's Ebony White, or Tim Seeley's Lovebunny, even great comic book creators from all eras have used stereotype characters. Because of this, when I read something, I feel like I must put myself into the time during which it was written. I can "forgive" certain things if I also understand that they were widely accepted at the time. It's an important lesson, to judge people of the past not just by today's standards, but against their own. Sometimes, it's obvious that everything was harmless, sometimes an insidious personal prejudice comes through, but either way, I think that it's important. So, what about hillbillies? Well, while I think they're still funny, but I can't vouch for my descendants...especially since they tain't got no book larnin. Ugh. I'm rambling. I had a point here, somewhere, about time-travel, but it's time (past time) for some sleep, so I think I'll just wrap this up with your double dose of *Comic Book Time-Travelers of The Day -** **Mr. Peabody and Sherman!* *March 4 -* Greetings! So, I watched the much anticipated G4 television program *"**icons**,"* featuring Frank Miller. It was very cool...but. OK, let me back up a bit and say that I am still enough of a fanboy, especially when it comes to my All-Time Comics Idol, that I was freaking out during every moment of the half-hour special. The interview with Mr. Miller, which was interspersed with comments from everyone from Jessica Alba (give me a minute....*Jessica Alba*....sigh....) to Stan Lee (..*.Stan Lee*....sigh), was worth watching in and of itself. The show provided no point of contradiction with my general impression that Mr. Miller is a genius. It's just that...well, all they did was say "everyone agrees that Frank Miller is a genius." They didn't try to explain *why* "everyone" thinks that way. I will admit that there was a healthy amount of Mr. Miller's artwork shown, so viewers may have drawn their own conclusion based on those snippets alone (a distinct possibility, since there seemed to be heavy emphasis on the many naked girls of Sin City). Also, of course, there is a "transitive property" thing at work here (Benicio del Toro is cool, he thinks Frank Miller is cool, therefore Frank Miller *is* also cool). And Frank Miller is charming, in a way (an odd way), so he may have won over some skeptical viewers with the force of his quirky personality. But no one really tried to explain just what he did that was so ingenious. "He changed comics," but how? The only nod in that direction seemed to be to say that it was the often-dark tone of his work that was so revolutionary. And it was, sort of. I mean, few have ever done as well with the same sorts of themes, but he wasn't the first to plumb the black depths of Humanity's dark-side, was he? We comic book geeks know better. The producers of the show *must* have been given some of the specifics of what Mr. Miller did that was so unique (comics experts interviewed included Erik Larsen and Paul Dini), but decided to leave it out of the mere 30 minute production (or 22 minutes, without ads...or 18 minutes without credits and title shots...15 without ad bumpers in and out...hmm). That's too bad. The whole thing reminded me of the *"Jolly Good Fellow"* song; *"For he's the jolly good fellow, for he's the jolly good fellow, for he's the jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny."* Even though no-one ever says why nobody can deny the fellow's jolly-goodness, I will still always join in when they are singing about Frank Miller! Well, here's your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Korvac!* *March 3 -* Uhn...I wish that *I* could go back in time like this month's "...Of The Day" characters. To stop Hitler? To meet Jesus? To patent Velcro? No. I'd do it just to keep from eating whatever has made me so sick today! I thought that I was going to die! Really! Worse, I was at the dread "real" job when it hit me...and I was all by myself! I even checked out early (two minutes, but it was still early). Once home, I collapsed into an uncomfortable pile, gasping for air. Somehow, I was able to fall asleep. As I slept, I dreamt of death. Not a pleasant dream, to be sure, but I really did dream about death. My cats were dying, my hand "died," my dead relatives were talking to me...it was all a little too much. I woke up about two hours later, still in my work clothes, drenched with sweat and freezing cold. Hmm. I *am* feeling a LOT better, but I've decided to cut this day short (it's only 1:00AM as I type this) in favor of some more rest. I did want to mention that I will be changing the *WOMP Character of The Week* on the WOMP-Site's *Main Page * tomorrow, so, if you haven't already, you might want to check out *The Hero* before he's replaced. Now, I'm going to leave you with your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Q!* *March 2 -* Listen, I have been working on this rotten WOMPuter all day, and I'm whipped, so skip down to the "March 1" entry to see what I've been up to. As for tonight, I have just enough energy left to post your *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Booster Gold!* *March 1 -* OK, OK...how many times do I have to tell you that I suck? I have been so swamped with other stuff, that I haven't posted anything in the ol' WOMP-Blog for days! Normally, this might not be that big of a deal, but the end of a month and the start of another means that I've got me some wrappin' up and archivin' to do...not to mention, of course, that I left everyone (both of you) in a perpetual state of "to be continued" as I neglected to post the final chapter of my *Sidekicked* story until - GULP - *March 2nd?* ACK! Sorry! So, here's the deal. If you'd like to read the final chapter as I posted it earlier, go to the *WOMP-Blog Archives * and read it in the February 2007 Archive. If you'd like to re-read the first three chapters first, or read the whole thing for the first time (I know that many of you check in on my WOMP-Bloggings about once a month), I've provided a *LINK * to a special *Sidekicked* page above, where the whole thing can be read in chronological order (well, *ascending* chronological order...you know, the way that makes the most sense). If possible, I will also post some vintage images of The Blackhawk and The Maroon Falcon with the story...but, I must warn you that the earliest ones were drawn when I was in the 8th grade (ie: they *really* suck). Now, though, I need to tell you about this month's "...Of The Day" theme; Time-Traveling Comic Book Characters! As per usual, I'm sure that I'll blather on and on about this over the next month, but, now, I just want to get the ball rolling with the first *Comic Book Time-Traveler of The Day -** **Deathlok!** *