Random Access

Monday – 04 November 2024
It’s been a while, but here we are again.

September and October had a lot going on. There was travel – including three (3) cross-country trips over the course of five weeks. Twins becoming teenagers! A new work project. FanX. The loss of far too many people I care about. An anniversary. A birthday. And, on top of all of those, the push and pull of everyday Life.

Electric word, Life
It means “forever,” and that’s a mighty long time…
– “Let’s Go Crazy,” Prince & The Revolution from the Purple Rain Soundtrack

I’d like to pause here to say a greatly belated “Thank you” to those who reached out both after my stepsister passed and to those who offered their well-wishes for my birthday a couple of weeks ago. I’m sorry that it’s taken this long to acknowledge so many warm feelings, but I was buoyed by every one of them. So, once again: “Thank you, very much.” I have been blessed to have such an amazing cadre of people around me who care about me and my well-being.

You can be the President, I’d rather be The Pope

Tonight, we’re on the eve of Election Night 2024. I urge everyone who is eligible to vote to exercise their right to do so, if you have not already. If you are not registered to vote, please click here to see if same-day registration is available in your area. As much as I would like to say “I don’t care who you vote for,” if I am being honest, I care A HELL OF A LOT about who you vote for. But, it is none of my business for whom you vote. All that I can say/ask is that you vote according to your conscience, principles, or whatever guide you employ as your north star. I would also ask that you consider not just “what’s in it for me” – or those close to you – but also for those who don’t have the same voice, privileges, and/or rights that many/most of us enjoy. It would be a truly wondrous thing if we, as a country, could actually work together for the greater good (“The greater good….” IYKYK) as opposed to widening the gaps between have and have-not.

Oh, your car got mags that be dippy dippy dope
But the whole damn nation got the same
Honey only flock to the bee that’s the Pope
Not the President with government lame

Put me on a slow movin’
Parliamentary hackin’ bandwagon
You could put me little ass in the grave
Everytime you want it I’ll be live, bring a date
I mean computer when it’s over press Save

I say you can be the President
I’d rather be the Pope
Yeah, you can be the side effect
I’d rather be the dope
– “Pope,” by Prince from The Hits 2

Stray Toasters

• A number of notable comic creators have come together to create Stop Project 2025 Comic
• I just realized that it’s been almost a year since Geekshow invited me to be a guest, which later led to me becoming a regular!
• I caught a clip of yesterday’s postgame interview with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, in which sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson referred to them as “The Dynamic Duo.” It made me laugh trying to figure out who would be “Batman” and who’d be “Robin” in that scenario.
• That said, gotta give some serious props to both Lamar and Derrick for dominant performances – Lamar became the first player in NFL history to hit the 158.3 mark four times in games with at least 15 pass attempts and Derrick already has a 1,000 rushing yard season… and it’s only Week 9!
• If you are a comics fan and haven’t checked out Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman, I highly recommend that you do so. Soon. And keep an eye on your LCBS’ shelves for Absolute Superman, dropping this week.

Tuesday – 20 August 2024
I had a Stray Toaster a little while ago…

Leviticus 19:18 states:

“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” (NIV)

The part of it that stuck in my head was “…you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

There are no stipulations.
There are no qualifiers.
No ifs, ands, or buts.

“…as yourself.”

Period. Full stop.

I thought that I recalled another citation, so I looked it up. Lo and behold, Mark 12:28-31 states:

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

And, there it is. Twice. Big as day and twice as bright. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Which (finally) leads me back to the aforementioned Stray Toaster…

Could it be that so many people today are unable to accept – let alone “love” – their neighbors (or anyone who is different from them, for that matter) because they don’t love themselves OR are unwilling to share that kind of love to someone other than themselves?

Just a little food for thought.

Sunday – 12 May 2024
Happy Mother’s Day!

This is my first Mother’s Day without my mother. While that does make me a bit melancholy, there are three considerations that help soothe my spirit and make the day:

Consideration One
I got to spend over fifty years with my mother. She was an amazing woman. No, she was a Force of Nature. Capital F. Capital N. All Diva.

Despite the fact that people said we were so much alike, we didn’t always agree on things. We definitely had our share of disagreements, arguments, and fights.

But, I never – EVER – questioned whether or not she loved me.

I could not have asked for a better mother.

Consideration Two
I have been blessed with a cadre of wonderful bonus mothers. From my stepmother to those of either blood or bond, they all helped raise me – or, at least, keep me (more or less) in line – and have allowed me to benefit from their love and wisdom.

Consideration Three
I get to help raise a pair of young ladies with the aid of Sara, who is a fantastically devoted and caring mother. I am delighted that they have her guidance and love as they grow.

And, so, I would like to wish all of the mothers among my friends and family a most Happy Mother’s Day. I hope that you are/were able to spend in the company of your loved ones or at least talk with them, across the miles.

Wednesday – 24 April 2024
The other night, I decided to wind down the evening with a White Russian. The cocktail, that is. I made it a bit stronger than planned – I couldn’t decide whether to name it “Natasha” or “Piotr,” based on how it put me on my ass in short order.

Nevertheless, it was a damned fine beverage.

Tonight, I decided to have another… though not quite as strong. I’m hoping that this is more “Illyana” than “Darkchylde.”

Bottoms up!

Tuesday – 2024-04-02
Sometimes… if we’re lucky… a confluence of events occurs and really just makes your day. Today was one of those days for me. Let me start from the beginning…

Thing One
I woke up this morning, expecting an average Tuesday. I got my morning coffee and headed to my office/Room of Stuff to read before starting the day. After my reading time was done, I looked at my Memories on Facebook to try and garner some small bit of inspiration for today’s #CapesAndCoffee action figure picture. I scrolled back and found an entry on World Autism Awareness Day from five years ago and read the comments on it… for what felt like – and may have actually been – the first time. They made me smile. Broadly.

Thing Two
About fifteen minutes later, I found myself scrolling through Twitter – that’s right: “Twitter;” I said what I said – and saw that Gail Simone had posted about one of my favorite characters, Jeff the Land Shark (or… just “Jeff”):

I stumbled across this reply…

…and it was “Game on,” because I have done a few pictures featuring Jeff and his hero, King Shark, including the ones below, in which the pair (along with Gwenpool and Ghost-Spider) do meet:

…and tweeted as much:

I figured that was the end of it, until this popped up on my phone:

What the WHAT?! The Bear, herself, retweeted me!? YeahbuhWHAT!?

Thing Three
Riding on my own personal Cloud Nine, I received a not-so-random instant message:

Hi, I just wanted to thank you for your support and thoughts on the Key Bridge Situation. I work for the MDTA communciations department (The entity that runs/ran the Key Bridge) and I was on site of the collapse last Tuesday at 2:30 am and have been swamped ever since. Hearing my favorite podcast (Been listening for over 13 years) talk about it was unexpected but super appreciated. Please tell the podcast thank you from me. Also, I think you are a super awesome addition to Geekshow and your knowledge of comics is awe inspiring. So keep being awesome!
-Christopher [last name withheld]

A bit of context: I am member of Geekshow Podcast. As a Baltimore native, on this past weekend’s show, I wore a “Vintage Baltimore” sweatshirt and spent some time talking about the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge following the collision of the container ship, Dali, into one of the bridge’s piers. I also had things to say about some of the less-than-stellar comments that people with the power – and anonymity – of the Internet have made, as well as a brilliant case of talking out the side of one’s neck from a certain politician. Given the pressure that those involved with the clean-up and recovery of the bridge are under – original estimates put the timeline for replacing the bridge at up to ten (10) years! – the last thing they need are newly-minted armchair experts dragging them with ill-informed “Why nots” and “What ifs.”

This message was the true icing on the morning’s cake. Beyond the kind words about me being on the show, learning that something I said had meaning and weight and importance to someone meant the world to me.

Coda
These things all happened within just over an hour of waking up. They were a delightful way to start the morning and carried me through the day!

Thursday – 01 February 2024
Yesterday, a friend posted the following image and I incorrectly assumed that it was a misspelling of a lyric from “The Spirit of Radio.”

Because, let’s be honest: My baseline default for many things is Rush lyrics.

Said friend corrected me with lyrics from “The Sound of Silence,” which NEVER even crossed my mind because “The Sound of Silence” is WAAAAAY down on my Pop Culture Meter. Almost to the point of not even being ON the meter.

Another friend deftly swept in with this picture, one I’ve seen before, but never fails to make me laugh:

My immediate response to which was: “Well, his fries are not for rent…”

But, given the way I’m wired, I couldn’t just leave well enough alone with just that one line…. and three minutes later, I’d come up with the following:

No, his fries are not for rent
But his poutine is heaven-sent
Maple syrup’s a worthy expense
For his pancake excellence!

Chopped liver!

::: guitar riff :::

I regret nothing, but do apologize to the late Neil Peart for my impertinence (imPeartinence?).

Monday – 25 September 2023
My mother, Gwendelyn Bell, left the stage for the final time last night (Sunday, 24 September 2023).

She passed barely 24 hours after I last saw her. I was fortunately able to go home and spend time with her last week. We often think of things in terms of “The first time I…” With this, a portion of my life shifted to “The last time I…”

• …heard her voice.
• …watched and heard her play the piano.
• …got a hug from her.

Looking back, I am thankful for all of those moments.

Gwen Bell was many things to SO VERY MANY people: Sister. Cousin. Wife. Grandmother. Aunt. Friend. Teacher. Mentor. Inspiration. And, surprising no one: She excelled at all of them. Her presence commanded attention when she entered a room. The respect she held from those around her was well earned.

But, there was one role that only my sister, Kristen, and I were blessed and fortunate enough to have her fill: Mother. And, in this too, she excelled. She nurtured us, pushed us to be our best, and above all, she loved us unconditionally. This isn’t to say that we always agreed – far from it – but even in our worse differences of opinions, at no time did I ever question whether she loved me.

She was a talented pianist whose style was definitive and distinctive. She never bragged about her talent, choosing instead to let her ability speak for itself. I noticed that certain flourishes in her playing were reminiscent of those of Nina Simone, one of her favorite artists. I also relatively recently learned that she once performed for then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson.

She also set an exemplary standard of selflessness and compassion. She never wanted anyone to ever feel left out or not good enough. She gave of herself without a second thought. This was readily apparent in her work as a teacher. For over forty years, she did not just teach students; she brought them together as extended family. If they needed something, the time of day or day of the week didn’t matter. They were her kids. She was not going to let them go without. No matter where life took them, whenever former students were in town, they came to see and spend time with her. If she had a concert and put out a call for alumni, they were there. Every. Time.

To say that her passing has left a void in many lives is a gross understatement. But, I am sure that if you were to ask anyone with whom she came into contact if the sadness we feel now is worth the time we got to spend with her, the answer would be an unequivocal, resounding “Yes.”

I am proud that I could call her my mother.

I hope that I can live up to her example.

I will always love and miss her.

Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday, 06 May 2023! You may be asking: “What is Free Comic Book Day?”

Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is the biggest event in the comic book industry—a single day when participating comic book specialty shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops! Founded on the belief that for every person out there, there’s a comic book they’ll love, the annual event offers a huge selection of free titles designed to appeal to a broad range of age levels and their tastes.

Most comic shops will allow you to take up to five (5) of the free books, others may allow you to take more. Please be sure to ask the employees of the shop you visit for their particular rules.

In the Salt Lake City area, participating shops include:

• Dr. Volt’s Comic Connection in Millcreek,
• Black Cat Comics in Sugar House (across from the Cinemark Theatre), and
• The Nerd Store in Valley Fair Mall.

Diana and Vanessa will be going to our favorite local shop, Dr. Volt’s. Doors open at 11:00 am, but we will be getting there a little before 10:00, as there will be a line. And costumes are welcome! In fact, Dr. Volt’s will have members of Heroic, a local charity cosplay group, and members of SLC’s own Velleity Studios, publishers of comics like Salt City Strangers, The Gull, and Ruthless. (Check other stores to see who they will have as guests!)

Tuesday – 10 January 2023
Starting up again.

A new year has started. It has been good thus far. And really, that’s all one can ask for.

Stray Toasters

• This is Red Five. I’m going in…
• As the happy owner and user of Commodore 64 and 128 computers, I was intrigued by this movie. I haven’t watched it yet, but it’s on the near horizon.
• Can You Actually Live in a Hangar Like Maverick in Top Gun
• After a lot of searching, I managed to find an archived link to An American Pantheon, by Terry McCombs.

And, that’s a wrap.
(Which was almost “warp,” which would have been a totally different thing.)

Sunday – 30 October 2022
Fifty-two trips around the sun, while simultaneously avoiding The Dark Lady’s embrace.

I’d like to start off by thanking everyone who took time to wish me well on my birthday. It may seem like a small gesture, but I truly appreciate the thoughtfulness.

Oh… and let’s take care of the comic elephant in the room: DC used “The New 52” as their banner for their umpteenth reboot universe. And… it wasn’t… great. Different? Sure. Were there some decent things that came out of it? I’ll grant that, too. But, on the whole? Meh. But, using “The New 52” as a starting point for the next year? Brilliant. So, I’m liberating it in the name of the people! Sorry, Jim Lee. #sorrynotsorry

It’s been a good birthday extended weekend; I took Wednesday through Friday off. I mean, it’s one thing to take your middle-of-the-week birthday off, but who wants to turn right back around to go to work for two days and then get a weekend? Besides, that’s what vacation days are for, right? I also received two of THE BEST gifts ever from Team Diva: Vanessa painted a Green Lantern and Diana made a piece of embroidery

The most productive thing I did with most of the time was get back into something of a gym routine.

Three straight days in – and my usual Saturday morning two mile walk with Evie. It was good. And painful. And a little humbling – I can see what I used to be able to do in the gym; it’s going to take some work to get back there. The biggest hurdle is going to be figuring out how to fit gym time into the rest of my day. The nominally “best” thing I’ve come up with so far is to start my days about an hour earlier and hit the gym first thing in the morning. We’ll see how that shakes out.

Friday, Sara and I had 1-on-1 night with the ladies. This week was my time with Vanessa. She wanted to go bowling. So, I broke out my bowling bag and off we went. We bowled 2.8 games before our time was up. More importantly: We both had fun.

Saturday saw us getting a jump on weekend chores, errands, and other housework things. We also had friends and family over for cake, ice cream, and conversation. It was a great way to spend the evening.

Sunday, we headed to The Kinlands to pick pumpkins. Despite being the day before Hallowe’en, they had a great assortment of pumpkins and gourds from which we were able to select.

Back home for football… and installing a new porch light… and then, off to the in-laws’ for dinner and cookie decorating! And, next, home again, home again, jiggety-jig for pumpkin-carving and setting up a few decorations in the yard.

Tomorrow, it’s back to the grind… but I had a fantastic weekend, with just the right kind and amount of recharge to power through the next few weeks.

I look forward to seeing what the coming year brings.

Saturday – 18 June 2022

I am riding on FrontRunner (northern Utah’s commuter rail line), on my way to a toy show in Ogden.

A stop or two after I boarded, an older Black gentleman boarded the train. We exchanged pleasantries and then resumed quietly enjoying our ride.

He exited the train one stop before me and, as he departed, we again exchanged pleasantries. He wished me a good weekend and, if it applied, a happy Father’s Day.

Lastly, he wished me a “Happy Juneteenth;” and I returned the wish.

That warmed my heart in a way that I never expected.

News spread yesterday of the passing of Neal Adams, at the age of 80.

For those who don’t know, he was a legendarily famous artist and writer for both Marvel and DC, as well as his own studio. He championed creator rights and diversity in the field of comics. You may have seen some of his iconic work on such titles/characters as:

• The X-Men;
• Batman;
• Superman, including:
  • Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, and
  • “Kryptonite Nevermore;”
• Green Lantern/Green Arrow, including:
  • The controversial “My Ward Is a Junkie” comic (Issue 85), and
  • The creation and introduction of GL John Stewart (Issue 87);
• The Avengers;
• and dozens of others.

I had the fortune and privilege to meet him, while he was in town for that winter’s Salt Lake FanX. He did a signing even at Dr. Volt’s Comic Connection. I had a couple of comics signed and bought three prints of his work. The whole story can be read here.

The comics world has lost one of its great ambassadors and advocates. And, the world at large has lost a good man.

Sunday – 17 April 2022

Happy Easter / Resurrection Sunday to those who celebrated it today. Wishing you all the peace, joy, love and hope that the day promises.

Today was the first holiday without my uncle.

Which means that it was also the first holiday on which he did not call to wish us well. There was a little bit of melancholy attached to that fact. But, that did not mean that it was a bad day. Far from it, in fact…

I spoke with my parents and two of my siblings.

There was an Easter egg hunt for the ladies.

We had a lovely late lunch/early dinner with Sara’s side of the family.

And Mario Kart. Because, with the advent of the newly-released – or, at least, recently-released – tracks, there’s a renewed enjoyment of the game for Team DiVa.

For those who are interested, below is the tribute I wrote for my uncle’s memorial.

I meant to post this a week ago, when I got back from North Carolina, but Life, the Universe, and Everything (along with a heaping helping of “I just forgot”) conspired to keep me from doing so.

Good day and, on behalf of our family, thank you for your thoughts, your prayers, and most importantly: your time. We appreciate that you have come to share with us as we celebrate the life of Dr. Ronald Joseph Smith. 

Many tributes will tell you of the accolades of the recently departed. This is not that tribute. 

Instead, I am here to tell you about the MAN behind the DOCTOR. 

Ron Smith was my uncle. 
My Godfather. 

But, more than that: He was my friend. 

He had a magnetic personality and knew no strangers. And, if you knew him, you also know that his laughter filled rooms. 

He was a man of faith. He served many roles in and was beloved by the congregation and clergy in his home church. This was no more evident than when word of his passing reached a former priest – now a bishop – he said that he would clear his calendar to attend his memorial in New York…. coming from his current post in Africa. 

He believed in and strove for excellence. In his life. In his work. He also sought it in, from, and for the people around him. 

He loved the works of Beethoven, finding perfection in the structures of his music. 

He is the man the one who suggested – in the middle of the eye of a hurricane – that we go out to pick up a pizza. 

He’s a man who faced and embraced his fears. He called me after completing a drive down California’s Route 1. He was audibly shaken. He set aside any pretense of ego and asked me to meet him in California and help him drive across country. I don’t recall “why,” but I didn’t. And he also enjoyed never letting me live that down. 

He would call me and my family every couple of weeks, to make sure that we never lost touch with each other and that our family bonds remained strong. And, depending on when he called, he might also rub in a Steelers’ win over the Ravens. 

He may be gone from us, but I also know that he is still here.  

There is a saying that my Jewish friends use upon the passing of a loved one: “May his/her memory be a blessing.” 

There are many phrases in the Jewish tradition that address death in different manners, but they also focus only on the dead or only on the living. 

“May their memory be a blessing” speaks to both. It comforts the mourners and honors the memory of those they mourn. It is an active statement that people offer to one another, wishing something for the dead while at the same time acknowledging and maybe easing the pain of the living. It’s not a descriptor. It’s not a sharing of information. It is, itself, a kind of blessing. It’s a kind of injunction. It wishes not only that when the living think about those who have died, they do so with warmth and joy. It also offers the possibility that the lives of the dead serve as a blessing, marking the ways those lives have mattered and continue to matter in this world, even if they are no longer in it. 

In closing, I challenge you to embrace your fears. Laugh and bring laughter to others. Keep your faith. Strive for excellence. Keep and be strong in your faith. Love your family. 

May the memory of Ron Smith be a blessing.  

Saturday – 01 January 2022
A new year begins.

For whatever 2021 may have brought you, I hope that 2022 brings you and your loved ones, peace, happiness and prosperity.

Be well and be good to each other.

Namaste.

Saturday – 25 December 2021

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Wishing you all the best in the year to come!