Articles by glenn-hauman
Wed Jan 23, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
Heath Ledger's Funeral to be Picketed
Church plans protest due to actor's portrayal of gay character
As much as sites like TMZ are picked on for being media whores, they've got nothing on Fred Phelps. Fred Phelps’s Westboro Baptist Church announced that it would picket the funeral of Heath Ledger, presumably because he starred in Brokeback Mountain.
"God hates fag-enablers," the WBC proclaimed in a news release issued yesterday, concluding with: "Heath Ledger is now in Hell and has begun serving his eternal sentence - beside which, nothing else about Heath Ledger is relevant or consequential."
Phelps and his followers are known for other fun picket-sign messages such as:
- "Thank God for 9/11"
- "Thank God for the Tsunami"
- "Thank God for Katrina"
- "Thank God for Dead Soldiers"
- "Thank God for IEDs"
- "Thank God for California fires"
- "Thank God for AIDS"
Hat tip: Lisa Sullivan.
Sun Jan 20, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
Edward D. Hoch: 1930-2008
Mystery grand master wrote over 900 short stories
From Mike W. Barr:
I have just learned that prolific short story writer Edward D. Hoch died Thursday, January 17, 2008. Ed created many fondly-remembered characters including Simon Ark, who claimed to be 2000 years old and a warrior against Satan, and Dr. Sam Hawthorne, a New England physician who constantly found impossible crimes to solve. He had a story in every issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine since May, 1973 (the issue in which my First Story was published). He could also be construed as a tie-in writer, having written stories about Sherlock Holmes and Ellery Queen.
His output and his quality were an inspiration to us all. He's already missed.
Hoch (pronounced hoke) was born in Rochester, New York and began writing in the 1950s; his first story appeared in 1955 in Famous Detective Stories and was followed by stories in The Saint Mystery Magazine. In January 1962 he began appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. In December 1962 he kicked off his most successful collaboration, with the appearance of his first story in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine; in the years since EQMM has published over 450 of Hoch's stories, roughly half of his total output. In May 1973 EQMM began publishing a new Hoch story in every monthly issue; as of May 2007 the author has gone an astonishing 34 years without missing a single issue.
In 2001 Hoch was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America, the first time a Grand Master was known primarily for short fiction rather than novels.
And every so often, he even blogged.
Hail and farewell. You'll be missed.
Sat Jan 19, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
Mercury x2
Deck us all with Boston Charlie
Think of it as Battle of the Planets, round one.
Warren Ellis is preparing to launch Anna Mercury from Avatar Press sometime soon. However, Archaia Studios Press has got The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury scheduled for February of this year.
One is a kid's book. The other isn't. Guess which is which.
Tue Jan 15, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
Will the writers strike affect the San Diego Comic-Con?
My Magic 8-Ball says "ALL SIGNS SAY YES". Valerie D'Orazio links to this piece in Wired's blog (which links to Marc Bernadin, which links back to Heidi MacDonald and Peter Sanderson):
Comic-Con is a ways off, but people are already talking about the effects the Writers Guild (and possible Directors and Actors Guild) strike will have on the geek event of the summer.
The second half of the TV season is already a doozy, and if production doesn't start soon next season may never start. Since TV shows like Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, and Lost draw in a large part of the crowd at Comic-Con, can we expect a way smaller audience this July? ... To make matters worse, if the Directors and Actors Guilds follow-suit with their own strikes, will movies that are expected to promote themselves in San Diego, like Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince, Watchmen, Star Trek, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and G.I. Joe, show up without their stars? If a movie promotes itself and no one is around does anyone see it?
The real question will be the ripple effects outwards. Will we have Kristen Bell and Hayden Pantierre doing even more conventions? Will the autograph tables at WizardWorld start having actors from Grey's Anatomy? And most importantly: will I be able to get a hotel closer to the San Diego Convention Center than National City?
On the other hand, we could get great shows like this one: Murder, Unscripted:
Mon Jan 14, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
Roger Avary arrested for manslaughter and DUI
Co-writer of Beowulf and Pulp Fiction
This just in from AP:
Oscar-winning screenwriter Roger Avary has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and driving under the influence after a Ventura County car crash that killed a man and injured Avary's wife, authorities said.
Avary, 42, was the driver in the single-car collision shortly after midnight Sunday in Ojai, said Capt. Ross Bonfiglio of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.
Killed in the accident was Andreas Zini, 34, a resident of Italy who was apparently visiting the couple. Firefighters cut Zini from the car with Jaws of Life, and he died several hours later at Ventura County Medical Center.
Avary's wife Gretchen, 40, was ejected from the car and found in the road by deputies, Bonfiglio said. She was hospitalized in stable condition.
Avary was booked but later released on $50,000 bail, Bonfiglio said. He did not know whether Avary has hired an attorney.
Avary won an Academy Award along with Quentin Tarantino for writing "Pulp Fiction," and was also a co-writer of the recent epic "Beowulf." He and his wife live in Ojai, a popular artists' colony and tourist destination 14 miles north of Ventura.
We'll post more as we hear about it.
UPDATE: Neil Gaiman writes:
I just read the news about Roger Avary, and am mostly posting this because people have already started writing to let me know about it, and to stop that turning into a flood. (I still can't access Blogger except via a sort of email work-around right now.)
According to the news reports (and I have no other information), Roger crashed his car yesterday. His wife Gretchen was thrown out of the car and is in hospital with serious injuries, and the passenger, an Italian friend of Roger's called Andreas Zini, was killed. Roger has been arrested for suspicion of manslaughter and DUI, and released on bail.
And I'm worried about all of them. Worried about Gretchen and their kids, worried about the family of their poor friend, and worried about Roger (who, it's probably worth mentioning, I've known well for over a decade, and who barely drinks).
Sun Jan 13, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
R.I.P., Vampira, 1921-2008
Horror hostess was 86
Boing Boing points us to the passing of Maila Nurmi, famous for her portrayal of the original horror movie hostess Vampira, on this past Thursday. Miss Nurmi was 86.
We raise a glass of O+ in her memory.
Thu Jan 10, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
The Dark Primary Knight
Sure, NOW you're interested
How do you get comic book fans interested in the political process? By framing it in terms they understand... using Batman villians.
(Not responsible for any votes cast as a result of watching this video. I believe in Harvey Dent.)
Wed Jan 9, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
Jon Sable Freelance, stop-animated
Really, stop
As the publishers of Jon Sable Freelance, and as your one stop shop for all sorts of pop-culturey goodness -- well, we're the only ones who would even think of showing this to you.
So until the next Friday installment, this may tide you over. Or not. Or -- well, it's a bit bizarre. Actually, it's a lot bizarre. But somebody was going to link to it, and it might as well be us.
Actually, if Grell is ever late with pages, I'm hiring the woman who did this instead. You've been warned, Mike.
Wed Jan 9, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
Marv Wolfman wins National Jewish Book Award
Dayenu...
This just in from Marv Wolfman:
I don't know too many details or the specific category as I just got the phone call but my book, Homeland: The Illustrated History of the State of Israel
Homeland has previously won the Moonbeam Children's Book Award for non-fiction, the USAbooknews.com adult award for history/politics and last week received a Notable Book for teenagers by the Sydney Taylor Book Award for the Association of Jewish Libraries. That means the comic-based book, actually inspired by my old History of the DC Universe book, has won non-comics acclaim for kids, teens and adults. As I say I don't yet know the category for the National Jewish Book award but in that world this is the big one.
Homeland is drawn by Mario Ruiz and published by Nachshon Press.
Mazel tov, bubby.
Sun Jan 6, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
Happy 35th birthday, Schoolhouse Rock!
What's your function?
On a Saturday in 1973 at about 8:56 in the morning, right after Super Friends on ABC, kids were introduced to a new hero, Zero.
This was the first appearance of Multiplication Rock, brought to you by Nabisco ("You'll find quality in our corner"). It was the beginning of Schoolhouse Rock, which taught millions of kids across the country multiplication, grammar, history, science, and finances.
So let's all take a few minutes and watch the video for the first song written for the project, and give thanks for all those lessons learned-- it's okay to sing along, you know how it goes:
Fri Jan 4, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
I Am Legend... 2?
Oh good grief. According to ShockTilYouDrop.com:
An inside source, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells ShockTillYouDrop.com author Richard Matheson has signed off on sequel rights for the smash hit I Am Legend. Matheson wrote the original 1954 novel upon which Francis Lawrence's film is based.
Just what we need-- I Am Legend Of Curly's Gold.
Hat tip: Lisa Sullivan.
Thu Jan 3, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman
The GOP Primary Field as Buffy the Vampire Slayer villians
On the day of the Iowa caucuses, we bring you this post from Neil Sinhababu: The GOP Primary Field as Buffy Villains.
Note Rudy Guiliani as Angelus:
A genuine threat to destroy the world, with a string of broken hearts behind him.
We'd add: Seems to only shine when the end of the world is nigh. Spends most of his time trying to disavow past actions. Intimately connected with evil law firm which may eventually bring him down.
Sat Dec 29, 2007 — by Glenn Hauman
Happy 40th birthday, tribbles!
Hair balls unite!
On this day in 1967 -- well, actually, on Stardate 4523.3, but you get the idea -- Cyrano Jones sold Lt. Uhuru an adorable little fur ball of the species polygeminus grex that quickly began to multiply like a rabbit on steroids. The creatures found their way into every nook and cranny of Deep Space Station K-7 and the visiting Enterprise, endangering the crew and their mission in the premiere of "The Trouble With Tribbles."
Of course, the concept was revisited in 1996's Deep Space Nine episode, "Trials and Tribble-lations". Here's a brief comparison between the two episodes:
And remember, when you're up to your ass in tribbles, your initial assignment was to poison the grain.
A Tribble is expected to have a cameo in the upcoming Star Trek prequel movie.
Sat Dec 29, 2007 — by Glenn Hauman
Happy 84th birthday, television!
Geez, this is the week for medium birthdays, isn't it?
On this day in 1923, Russian scientist Vladimir Zworykin, working for Westinghouse, filed the patent on his "television system," laying the groundwork for the one of the most powerful cultural forces of the late 20th-century.
Didn't you always suspect television was a Russian plot?
Fri Dec 28, 2007 — by Glenn Hauman
Happy 112nd birthday to the movies!
On this day in 1895, the Lumiere Brothers opened the world's first movie theater at Paris. Their opening night feature is a collection of 46-second shorts, including the riveting verite masterpiece 'Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory.'
Gene Shalit raves, calling it one of the best films of the year.
