It’s that time again, where I tell you what’s really grinding my gears for the week of December 19th, 2018.
Some weeks it’s mostly likes, other weeks it’s dislikes.
So what’s grinding my gears this week?
Border Town Canceled
This came as a surprise. The new hit series Border Town that saw some nice spec heat on it’s issue #1 Cover B variant has been yanked and canceled by DC/Vertigo after reports of sexual abuse by the writer and co-creator Eric M. Esquivel.
The artists have fully backed the publishers stance of terminating the title and backing the accuser of this alleged abuse.
We live in a new world now where your actions have consequences. I’m a big believer of innocent until proven guilty but I’m also a believer of those associated to remove themselves from accountability, which Vertigo has done in likely good taste until all the facts come clear.
If all the allegations and the story are true, Eric M. Esquivel deserves what comes his way.
It’ll be interesting to see how the existing issues of Border Town fair on the secondary market. I’m expecting them to plummet and start to vanish as I’d be really surprised to see them start to go up in value. But I’ve been surprised before.
Hindu Organization Asks Marvel For An Apology
Apparently a Hindu Organization that represents Hindu’s in America are urging an apology from Marvel from a scene in Uncanny X-Men #5 that suggests all religions are fake (not in those exact terms but claiming “fake houses of worship”). X-Man did a magic trick to make them all vanish (including a well known Hindu Temple) so he could be the only religion or god in the story.
The organization stated that it was “highly inappropriate, and urged Marvel to immediately issue an official apology for hurting the sentiments of Hindu devotees, and publish it prominently on its website.”
Honestly one should ask themselves, if a fictitious story (and in this case a comic book of all things) upsets you because it questions your faith, perhaps you should rethink your own faith.
To me this is more of a PR stunt. If Hindu’s are this upset over a make believe story in a comic book, perhaps they should urge apologies from every religion that is basically laying claim that their faith is fake since such religions don’t follow their god(s).
I’m not knocking religion, I’m just pointing out the absurdity of all of this. People just need to learn to relax a little and stop being so easily offended, particularly over just a story in a comic book.
A New Creator Owned Comic Publisher
Looks like we got another comic book publisher pushing it’s way into the industry. TKO Presents claims they want to reinvent the industry, creatively and commercially.
With writers like Garth Ennis and Jeff Lemire
included in their cast of creators and Steve Epting
(I love Epting’s artwork, he was one of the few reasons I got into Captain America
) in the artist category, this new publisher looks promising.
One of the things they’re promoting is that every first issue of every new title will be available for free digitally. This is smart, it’s giving people a taste so they come back for more if they like it.
It doesn’t seem as if TKO Presents will be distributed by Diamond so stores must order directly from the publisher. This could be both a good thing and a bad thing.
Definitely worth checking out and so far I’ve read the first issue of Sara since I’m a huge Epting fan, his artwork is just killer. I might just have to order the remaining issues (Unless someone from TKO Presents is reading this and wants to send me some review copies… hint hint… )
That’s all I got this week that’s grinding my gears. I know some of this post has some controversial topics, they are my own opinion and I ask that if you do comment on them, let’s keep it clean. We’re all adults who should be able to have a conversation on any topic without ever letting it get personal.
Apparently DC has advised retailers that ALL issues of Border Town are now returnable, which will throw an even bigger wild card into the #1B covers’ future value.
I hate shipping around x-mas. So many packages which are either delayed or missing!
Most of my online shopping is on Amazon so it’s pretty much on time.
Poka I’m with you. Next year I’m just going to take a break after thanksgiving till probably the new year. I lost a few bucks when I got my conspiracy comics 2 weeks later
Yeah, those Conspiracy books are now worthless.
Religions are mostly fictitious…maybe comics are gaining market share.
Right on! Copyright infringement. LOL
Ever watch The Power of Myth on Netflix? It was a documentary interview series with Professor Joseph Campbell on PBS back in the 80s.
Campbell breaks down the idea of the hero and the importance of myth in human society. Campbell even analyzes Star Wars and how it is an example of modern day myth on the same level as many of the religious tales told throughout the ages.
Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Moses, etc, all of these figures and their stories were an embodiment of the hero myth.
Norrin Radd is my favorite but I may convert to Peter Parker. it’s always been a dilemma for me.
Lmao @ that last sentence, Krypt. Too funny, man. And I totally agree with Prof. Campbell. Our whole lives we are told stories of wonder. From Santa Clause, the Easter bunny and the Tooth Fairy to Jack and the Bean Stalk, Paul Bunyan and Dracula and Jesus Christ. Our societies and cultures are rife with fables and myths that inspire us to be greater, think bigger and achieve the unimaginable. Todays absurdities are tomorrows realities.
In reference to today’s absurdities are tomorrow’s reality, MIT discovered a shrink ray recently from common stuff lying around the lab diaper gel and a laser. Wasn’t long ago Honey I Shrunk the Kids was a blockbuster movie.
Mostly fictitious? They are Wholly fictitious. However, I believe that faith is a good thing, and more power to the people that have it.
DMT will give you faith of more to life than this reality.
This is the second post, that I can remember, where you mentioned DMT, Alana. I know what somebody does on their Saturday nights. Lol ?
Some would even say the original communion is a flatten mushroom cap the body of Christ and Ayahuasca (drinkable DMT) the blood of Christ. The passion fruit is named so because it’s flower looks like a cross in the middle and is an MAOI used in Ayahuasca hence passion of the Christ. I read a book on how different hallucinogens may have been what started most religions. There may of been some truth to them in the past before being twisted into tools of control.
Ive never seen God while on hallucinogens, but Ive been to a few different planets. ?
I read a really good theory and hypothesis that religion or the “afterlife” per se could have been sparked by dreams. Before language was created, dreams of lost ones created the so called afterlife because we had no understanding or explanation of how dreams worked, thinking they were real. This was communicated as those that have perished went off into the unknown, spirit world, afterlife, etc. I’ll have to find the book that covered this, it was an interested theory which I think holds weight into how religion we have today was sparked.
People who get offended are the most offensive thing to me. As long as no one is getting physically hurt, then to each their own, I say.
And I dislike (once again) when Tony is late with his video. I swear that if I didn’t know Tony better I would think he is waiting to see moves on eBay before given his specs 🙂
The man could be ill, or the family ill. Lots of it going around. There’s nothing good this week, spec wise. I’m going for back issues this week.
I second that. This week seems like a dud.
Vader 1:25 is shaping up nicely. Same with Dekal on Killmonger 2. Batman 61 May hold some surprises, and that ASM Granov is a beauty.
I had the Vader 1:25 as my pick this week.. but that’s not scheduled until later this evening. 🙂
Hah, nice!
Haha… I know he was busy this weekend and Monday which is one reason for the delay.
just came to congratulate the comment section here. Nicely done everyone.
Undecided what to do with my Bordertown 1B. Couldn’t flip it before the harassment allegations. Feel “dirty” trying to make a buck off it now. Do you take it to your local lcs for a refund? I don’t have the receipt…to prove I bought it there.
May just hold onto it…never know maybe these characters get reinvented or revised later…and the book becomes sought after again…
What exactly did Esquivel do again? I could not understand what the woman wrote, it was like a novel. Nowhere summed it up easily, I imagine because no one else read it all the way either.
Sexual assault.
I got the sense it was that sort of relationship we saw in the movie “Sleeping with the Enemy”…
I’m going to check out Sara and order the set
I have to admit to a certain amount of schadenfreude seeing a far left SJW comic writer get Kavamaugh’d lol
Yet we have a porn star loving pervert sitting in the Oval Office…and the justification is the typical answer from the Christian Far Right….it’s Clinton’s fault so we don’t have to uphold our moral integrity…lol
And porn star loving pervert is his best quality, by a country mile.
Awesome and truthful comment !! You always make me laugh, Krypt!!
Another good job Poyo, and like how you didn’t steer away from controversial topics. As far as the Bordertown thing I do wish we didn’t jump the gun everytime an accusation was made. He may have done something wrong and maybe we are just seeing it through the accuser’s eyes but I don’t know if is cause to ruin someone’s career without due process. Especially because it is so one sided. Apparently she seems credible but Esquivel did give a just as credible response. One thing I very much dislike is how some people are claiming this is the norm in comic culture, in which I would totally disagree.
if marvel apologizes I am going to be very,very mad.i will never read an x men book again.reglion is the biggest crcok of b.s.s on the planet .I have learned more about living a good,decent life from comic books then I ever did from that fairy tale theyc all the bible .#testify.i am also sick and tired of all the s.j.w.’s in comicsw I am sick and tired of p.c. culture I am sick and tired of everyone getting offeneded by everything can someone please tell me what in god’s name happened to America??really I want to know when did we become anation of cry babies and victums???can we as a nation plase grow a set??thank you that is all blind adam the c.p. out
Nicely said Blind Adam. I’ve been wondering the same thing.
Some people’s actions have consequences………….others do not.