Another week of strong opinions and interesting Vince Colletta anecdotes. Sadly also a week where we lost a great artist, Dave Stevens. But it’s not all sadness, as we even have a quote from Client 9.
“There are a lot of awful, awful graphic novels coming out these days. Whoever’s guarding the gate, be it retailers, journalists, ‘journalists’, whatever, I beg you; be discerning in your praise, don’t pass along PR without having vetted the project yourself, stand behind your recommendations and, if you can’t, own up to your mistakes.”
- Christopher Butcher, trying to build a metaphorical dam to cut off a flood of awful graphic novels
“I don’t really know how to end this and maybe I don’t want to…because it will mean another level of loss regarding one of my closest friends. As long as I can keep writing about him, I feel he’s still with me in some manner. And the thought of losing a great guy like Dave Stevens is just too, too sad.”
- Mark Evanier, using his words to both pay tribute and hold on to Dave Stevens for just a little bit longer
“I’m getting in contact with as many artists as I can for a charity project to help raise money to help the families of kids with cancer.”
- Thomas of Say It Backwards (blog), making me feel good about the power of comics
“Honest to God, the guy looked at my portfolio, went through the whole thing, and said to me, ‘You know, kid, I’d tell you you could make it in comics, but I’d just be jerkin’ you off.’ And he did the hand gesture at the same time.”
- Fred Hembeck, recalling a portfolio review of years ago by Vince Colletta
“My lawyers took the case on a contingency basis and the entire episode never cost me a dime. I was content to have had my day in court. I was neither bitter nor angry.”
- Michael Fleisher, on his 1980s lawsuit against Harlan Ellison and Fantagraphics, as well as disputing the notion that he was broke, bitter and angry (Thanks to Chris Mautner for this link.)
“Media content has gotten more graphic, more violent and more sex-based… Currently, nothing under New York State law prohibits a fourteen-year old from walking into a video store and buying… a game like ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ which rewards a player for stealing cars and beating people up. Children can even simulate having sex with a prostitute…”
- Soon-to-be unemployed New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, showing off his campaign skills back in 2006 (Thanks to JK Parkin for the link [by way of GamePolitics.com])
March 15th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Man, the week, it was bugfuck. You know, certifiable.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
I actually remember when the case ended and it was reported that the judge didn’t just find against Fleisher’s claim but felt that it was without merit and made him responsible for $30 thousand in court costs. Who paid those, or did Fleisher declare bankruptcy to avoid them? I don’t think his answer in that interiew told the whole story.
March 15th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Well, the interview as a whole was kind of evasive, wasn’t it?
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:43 am
Didn’t see any Vince Colletta anecdotes besides the letter from his granddaughter to Eddie Campbell.
Dan
http://ismarkevaniermentallyill.blogspot.com/
August 28th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Colletta was right when he told Fred Hembeck that he didn’t have the chops for super hero art and Fred has been whining about it ever since. I think I have read this exact remark of his at least twenty times over the years.
Get a life, Fred.