Tagged: Clifford Meth

Dave Cockrum estate donates comics to Newark Beth Israel Children’s Hospital

Dave Cockrum estate donates comics to Newark Beth Israel Children’s Hospital

Kars4Kids, the national
car-donation program that benefits children, and Newark Beth Israel
Children’s Hospital in Newark, NJ, distributed a generous,
unique donation from the estate of Dave Cockrum, co-creator of Marvel
Comics’ popular X-Men series. The donated comics were part of Cockrum’s
personal collection.

“My husband loved to help people—he was
generous to a fault,” said Paty Cockrum, widow of the popular artist
and creator who died in 2006 from complications resulting from
diabetes. “Dave was extremely happy that the characters he created—such
as Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler—became a part of the childhood
memories of millions of children. He knew that was his legacy. Dave was
also an avid comic book collector. I’m delighted that kids in need will
benefit from his personal collection.”

The comics were given
out on February 19 to children who
are hospitalized.

Kars4Kids
is a national organization providing for the spiritual, emotional and
practical needs of children from impoverished or dysfunctional
families. The national, 501(c)3, non-profit organization was
established in 2000.

Hat tip (and happy birthday!) to Clifford Meth.

Snaked, eyed: a review

Snaked, eyed: a review

Are you tired of the Christmas spirit? Clifford Meth and Rufus Dayglo’s Snaked is guaranteed to wash all that away.

In one of the more audacious acts of counter-programming in comics, IDW is releasing Snaked today, in the skip-ship days between December holidays. And Snaked is about as far from Christmas treacle as you can get.

If you’re already a Meth addict, you probably suspected no less. Clifford Meth is a man who does benefits for Bill Loebs and Dave Cockrum– but as a storyteller, he would take Harlan Ellison calling him bugfuck and use it as a cover pullquote. Clifford’s stories have often been dark and mean and nasty and this is no exception. His story hints at, in no particular order, violence, politics, mayhem, cannibalism, September 11, the Bush Administration, the Clinton legacy, and prison rape. Rufus Dayglo’s art reminds one of collages compiled from lunatics’ sketches with crayons drawn on newspaper clippings of murder and corruption trials.

Like I said, the feel-good story of the season.

I wouldn’t recommend this book if you’re trying to smile after a few days with the in-laws*– Snaked is a brutal piece of work. But if you’re looking to dispense with plastered on holiday smiles, this book is the comics equivalent of listening to speed metal to get Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer out of your head. And that’s a good thing.

* Unless you’re hoping your in-laws meets the sort of fate that happens to some of the characters. And if so, I don’t want to know about it.

Clifford Meth: Fantagraphics’s Legal Defense Fund — Decisive or Deceitful?

Clifford Meth: Fantagraphics’s Legal Defense Fund — Decisive or Deceitful?

Clifford MethBefore you give your hard-earned money to Gary Groth and Kim Thompson for their recently announced Fantagraphics Legal Defense Fund, you should know a few facts about publishing companies and their insurance obligations. Fact #1: It is highly unlikely that a company the size of Fantagraphics isn’t covered by a standard publishers insurance policy for lawsuits precisely like the one they now find themselves entangled in with author Harlan Ellison.

While it is rare when a publisher is found liable for incitement or negligent publication, there have been certain well-publicized instances where publishers have been forced to pay damages resulting from the content contained in their publications. For instance, the publisher of Soldier of Fortune was held liable for the death caused by a "hit man" following the magazine’s publication of an advertisement for a professional mercenary. Speech may be protected by the First Amendment, but that doesn’t give you the right to yell, "Poker game!" in the middle of a crowded firehouse. For instance, speech designed to incite lawlessness isn’t protected by the First Amendment. Neither is slander. When slander is written, that’s called libel.

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