(Comics) Journalism: One More Thing…
Jun 27Okay, I sorta swear this is the last I’ll say on this subject.
As this conversation about comics journalism has wound its way around the web, folks have been asking in the comments, “What’s the big deal?”
For me, it boils down to this:
“CONSTANT VIGILANCE!”
There is so much bullshit in the media at every level in every way possible that it sorta shocks me to hear folks expect such antiquated notions as “journalistic standards” from their sources of information. Is “information” even the right word anymore? It’s all “infotainment,” isn’t it? The daily metropolitan newspaper delivered to my Orlando doorstep has less reporting than the paper put out by the high school up the street; questions for “hard-hitting” interviews are faxed in advance so that the interviewee can have every response carefully prepped by a PR flack; some douchebag with a camera crew shows up at a trailer park, spends twenty minutes talking to a neighbor of a felon, and files a story about the “bad economy” and how it makes people steal.
Lemme paraphrase Alexander Hamilton, or maybe Bob Dylan, here: If you don’t question everything, you’ll fall for anything.
I personally think most major and minor media outlets of any kind, from Newsarama to the New York Times, should be questioned, absorbed, and dismissed, in about that order. Journalistic “standards” have always been a bit of an illusion, designed to camouflage whatever imperceptible biases and flaws are inherent in the process of reporting; that’s never been more true than it is today.
So buy a salt shaker, toss out lotsa grains, and consume with voracious pleasure. And if you’re not tossing the salt, you deserve whatever shit you eat.
I think that’s about it. Back to geek now.
Dr. Horrible — Starring FELICIA DAY
Jun 25According to totally reliable journalistic source Twitter, certain mainstream media blogs have cut out the words “FELICIA DAY” whilst slobbering all over the Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog trailer (below — awesome, no?). In order to remedy that, I am going to just say that Dr. Horrible stars FELICIA DAY and not mention anyone else. After all, if you’re reading this site, you already know exactly what this is and exactly who is involved. So be sure to watch Dr. Horrible, featuring lovely FELICIA DAY, when it comes out this summer! And in the meantime, the trailer has some really great moments with FELICIA DAY. (Also: is that a certain pair of Buffy writers as the news anchors? I’m not even going to mention their names. I’m pretty sure you know who I’m talking about.)
Teaser from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.
In Defense of Heidi; Or, What Blogs Is
Jun 25It sure seems to me that Heidi MacDonald may be taking it on the chin a bit with regards to the issue of comics “journalism” these days, such as it is. (Although as I’ve already pointed out, and no one seems to have noticed, journalism itself these days is a true rarity outside maybe the hallowed halls of the NYTimes and the WashPost; certainly the idea of entertainment “journalism” is long dead, including comics “journalism,” which one could argue never got itself born to begin with.)
These rants across the comics web are coalescing with some “day job” crap that I’m encountering regarding the idea of “blogging,” and what it means. Namely, that few people understand it whatsoever, leading to massive confusion over what any individual blogger’s “responsibility” may be to his/her “audience.”
So lemme ramble atcha and see what you think. If you are out there. But you must be–I can feel you clicking.
Berkeley-ites: Riches Await You!
Jun 25Hey, do you live in Berkeley? Do you like comics? If so, you might want to toddle on over to Half Price Books (conveniently located next to the amazing Comic Relief on Shattuck), which currently has a small-but-pretty-neat selection of graphic novels available at a con-worthy discount. I spotted some Andi Watson Love Fights, a near-pristine copy of Lynda Barry’s wonderful One Hundred Demons and a couple of Ellis tomes.
Most curiously, there was a copy of Come in Alone signed by the man himself “to Marti.” WTF, Marti?! Why are you giving up your autographed Warren Ellis stuff? I’ll try to give you the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you had TWO autographed copies and decided to be generous. Maybe you needed money for text books and Half Price cut you a deal. Maybe you just went through a bad break-up with an Ellis-loving SO and the memories were too painful. Maybe you’re moving somewhere where people are only allowed to have ONE BOOK AT A TIME and you chose something else. Whatever the case, someone else can now benefit from your stupidity/generosity/heartbreak.
WAAAAAAH-LEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Jun 24Here’s the robot his own self, walkin’ around for reals!
Whatever you may think of Disney, those Imagineering folks are stone-cold brilliant.