Monday, June 28, 2021

Post Surgery Musings

THOUGHTS AFTER SURGERY
By Alex Ness
June 29, 2021

COMMENTS

Yesterday I had surgery.  I've had lots of health issues over the last decade and a half, but I am grateful for my doctors, my insurance, my wife and son's love and care for me, (that of my cat companions), as well as my wonderful cousins. Thanks also to Rich Chapell, Steve Olle, Marie Cloutier, James Whitlock, Kim Cormack and Diedra Drake for direct support of my work.


I was asked via an urgent email what happened to me that I've recommended works recently that were "Adult" in nature. That question is easy. Both series in question, Diedra Drake's Cursed Elves and Kim Cormack's Children of the Ankh feature beings who are somehow immortal. The books all consider an idea as part of their story, that over time someone being an immortal would develop a quick and easy outlook or attitude towards pairing due to everything else being so momentary and temporal, and being that is I think an apt assumption and makes perfect sense to me, it isn't something that bothered me. I've mentioned, more than once, enjoying Anne Rice's works and they explored a girl turned vampire at 12 years old who would become hundreds of years old in spirit, due to the immortality. The idea that a physical being stays permanent but the spirit ages or grows mature is powerful when considering such themes. 

Yes, in these books people do a lot of boinking, and frankly, that happens a lot in actual existence too, but for, I'd argue, different reasons and considerations. I see the works as expressing a valid area of expression and exploration. It isn't, like some might think, including the emailer, that these are normal humans. And just how often do you read works where people are moral perfectionists? I'd suggest not often.

BOOKS TO CONSIDER WHERE SETTING MATTERS


I've interviewed and reviewed the works of Alan Dean Foster.  He is a friend, and he writes work that moves me deeply. When I'd recently had an Interview Week, with many authors, I asked often about the role of locale in their works. Not all felt as strongly as others, but I can tell you, any work by Alan Dean Foster has locale as part of the story, interwoven in every aspect of that story. I think that is why it works so powerfully for me.  

Whether a living intelligent forest, an ocean planet with sentient whales, an ice planet with species adapted to the cold and environment, he creates powerfully good stories, with thoughtful concepts, ADF is among my five favorite all time authors. The books offered today take place in semi arid regions of the American Southwest and California. There is in each of these stories a feeling of heat, oppressively dry air, and a glaring angry sun.  That the humans work and act within this world, you get the feeling in each case of overcoming the environment in order to simply survive and endure. 

Mad Amos I've spoken about here, and it is among my all time favorite books.  It is a collection of mythic and legendary events and people in places I've visited in my life.  Who knew dragons might exist in the Southwest?  

Jed the Dead is a very funny work that features a Weekend at Bernie's style adventure, with the advantage of being funny throughout, thoughtful, differently intelligent, and with surprises about life and death that were unconsidered by me before reading this. How many comedies do that?  

Pale Rider is an adaptation of a Clint Eastwood film, but, having seen the movie, I recommend reading the book first. It is well done in both, but ADF actually fleshes out much of the parts you need fleshed out, and his ability to create a narrative voice about a nameless character who represents the Death rider from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is amazingly well done. Sadly I lent my copy out to someone who also borrowed 100 copies of gaming magazines (all of my Shadis and some Dragon) and who then skipped town. So while there might be more to say, I can't remember all of it. I'd like the book back Chris, please?

So remember kids, trust in the name ADF, it promises good reading!

PRIDE MONTH: MORE AMAZING JEFFREY CATHERINE JONES

I received a dozen emails asking for more pics by Jeffrey Catherine Jones.  So here you go, click to make them bigger.  I have about a dozen of the books shown below.  They are on Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber works, so, it is a perfect combination of creative people for me. 


About Getting Reviews from Me

First off, I can be found on FacebookTwitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

My Poetry Blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
My Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Lovecraft Styled Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis and other Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com


I have an email list for my poetry blog.  If you are interested please send me an email asking to join the list.  I have 3 new poems appearing daily.  When or if I have new books, the first people to know will be on the list, and I offer deals there for new products. Send an email to Alexanderness63@gmail.com to join the list.  I promise never to sell the list or share it.

LASTLY

I was told by a couple readers that they like my positivity.  I find that both really kind to tell me, and rather amusing. I've always ALWAYS been told I am so negative about everything, that it feels toxic to me when I hear that.  Being told I am the opposite makes me happy, since being honest and positive is my intent.  I am also unwilling to lie or smile for a photo when or if I am not happy.  Telling the truth that isn't pleasant doesn't please people, but, that isn't who I am.  So thank you to those readers who told me that, and to close here is a quote and image I find empowering.

“The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white.
Neither need you do anything but be yourself.”

Lao Tzu

Monday, June 21, 2021

A Look at THE CURSED ELVES SERIES from author Diedra Drake

An Offering of Diedra Drake's epic tale The Cursed Elves Series
June 22, 2021
By Alex Ness

I interviewed Diedra Drake hereShe is someone who has been a great twitter friend, a colleague in the world of writing. She is a person so kind as to not only buy my books, but send me free ebooks for my time in recovery from surgery. She also a constant supportive force in the Twitter writer community.  So this isn't written without appreciation of her for many reasons, but I am being honest about the words here. As book six of her book series the Cursed Elves is coming out soon and before I have surgery and take 10 days off writing, I thought I'd give a brief overview of the work to perhaps entice readers to consider the work. As ever, if you need to know the bias of the reviewer, this isn't a review, it is an offering, suggesting that you consider it.  I do indeed appreciate that the difference of a review or an offering is that one comes into the work neutral or informed of bias open to a fair judgment of the work.

This story plays in numerous genres, and does so without limits found in most works of what the reader understands coming here. The various Elf Houses nearly destroyed themselves in war a millennia ago. As a result of that they've been cursed. Everything that a curse is, is explored but the reader cannot assume a damn thing. The main character is Priscilla Forester, an elf who is 500 plus years old, and is possessed of abilities far in excess of others of her kind, and that is the reason we follow the story and her development.  Drake's writing flows well, it has surprises, and she refuses to obey the "limits" of genre, and for those reasons alone I think it is a series well worth reading. As a person who wrote a number of early prose works that either were meant for comics that never happened, or books I gave up and cannibalized to turn into poems, I always had main characters dying left and right, before any reader could have developed a love for that character. Diedra Drake does not do that at all. She makes her characters complex, interesting, even dangerous. I like that a lot. She does not follow rules others create. This will confuse those who require labels and stereotyped characters and genres. But for the intelligent, I think you'll appreciate the ways she does not obey the standard.

For instance, this is truly a different take on what an elf is. Elfquest's Wendy and Richard Pini created a world where elves are small in stature, live magical and mythic, adventurous lives, and are moved to love of each other, including that of romance. They conform to some prior understandings of elves, but not all. Tolkien's elves were the first to make them equal to or greater than humans, perhaps taller, far more beautiful, and living immortal existences, unless they chose to stay in the human lands, versus the Gray Havens. They also used magic and would rightly be seen as fulfilling the fantasy expectations of such characters. Almost all books in the fantasy follow the Tolkien template. However, and note well, not Diedra Drake's. The strength of her interpretation is also an area which might confuse readers. I am not going to directly get into and compare, but the key to understand them is found in the area of immortality, and how that affects their outlook, their love, their powers, their form and how it affects how they deal with the rest of the world. For instance, they find it easy to enter into romantic love, and passionate sex, due to the fact that they've seen absolutely everything in the arena of love and sexual experience.  Their physical forms are both refined and bestial at the same time. They have fangs, but they are lithe, agile, and dangerous.  This is the key to knowing what changes exist, they are beings that are powerful, ancient, and intelligent.

The timeline and geographical basis for the work is that of a story that reaches across the planet Earth, from antiquity, to modernity. This changes the fantasy genre's usual presence in the earth's medieval past, whether this Earth or another similar or alternate version of one. The lives thus lived, are worldly, wealthy in knowledge and understanding of humanity, and with a use of their immortal to build their Houses, that is, power structures based upon lineage and ancient connections. These houses are essentially a gathering of power based upon kinship as well as marriage and cross family alliances. They have specific specialties, and work based upon the transaction at hand, and the reputation of the house in power transactions of the past. That is, not only are the elves immortal and are considerable as people, they have houses that serve as to concentrate their power and to assemble a power base, as a group.

Over the course of this work, alliances and friendships are made and broken, characters are developed in unexpected ways, and the background and foreground are filled with elaborate information of mythological importance. The gods of the past might not like being replaced by the gods of the present.  The reader should not assume anything in this series, and for God's sake, be prepared for sharp dialogue, sexual interludes, and different combinations of gender, orientation, and expectations.

This work might not move you if you require certain things, like obedience to genre, characters who behave in ways expected, without complex minds and motives.  But for those who appreciate new ways of thinking, motives that are different, and characters who follow their own set of reasons of being and outlook, I'd tell you to go for it, read these books. This is an adult work, with steamy scenes, but it is also rather unique.  I do recommend it, and think if you do not mind swearing, sex and some limited violence, you'll be captivated by the use of mythology, fantasy, and adult, intelligent situations.

To order click on the title:

CURSED BY FURIES

FORGED OF RUIN

STORM OF WRATH

FATES IN SHADOWS

SEIZED BY POWER

PAIN KILLER CATS

I get asked all the time if I'm using marijuana for pain or what pain relief from chemicals I get. We're in an age when people no longer hint about using MJ, both for medicinal and recreational uses. I'm really fine with that, even as it is like alcohol in that one must not drive or do various things while under the use of it. But for the record, while I've had some pain meds, the US society has issues with overuse of opiates for recreational, illegal use, and so my access is limited. That's fine.
I fight the pain every night with repeated visits from Pain Killer Cat, Katya.

 
ABOUT GETTING REVIEWS FROM ME
 
First off, I can be found on FacebookTwitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.


My Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
My Poetry Blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
Lovecraft Styled Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis and other Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

Monday, June 14, 2021

A Different World

June 14, 2021
By Alex Ness


REVIEW


ICEBREAKER: Who Started the Second World War
By Viktor Suvorov

The Chief Culprit: Stalin's Grand Design to Start World War II
By Viktor Suvorov

Both books bought by Alex Ness, not provided by the publisher, author or amazon.

The author of both books was a defector from the Soviet Union, and had a role in the Soviet military intelligence, (the GRU) and wrote books that explored the Soviet Military and KGB, and more.


The theory behind both books is similar. Historians have long argued that Adolf Hitler and the Nazi aggression, invasions, and demands over territory, led to a greater war. By his racist and nationalist demands Hitler was the cause of every area of the conflict. Suvorov argues a new and previously unconsidered theory about the cause and reasons that the Second World war in Europe started. He argues that Stalin used Nazi Germany to fight the Western powers, to ravage the countries in between the two, and to use this war as a prime reason to liberate those same conquered nations, and thereafter remain there as a buffer zone. If the Soviet Union's Joseph Stalin was in fact trying to sucker Hitler into action, it negates the concepts that historians have long held, that there was a clear and direct reasons for war, and that it was all Hitler and Germany's fault. To enter the war and be seen as a liberator Stalin required/desired a just cause to enter the war. And, more important than for being appreciated for saving Europe, this liberation would automatically expand the reach of the Soviet Union, as well a create a zone where Soviets could in effect colonize them, and make them subservient to Soviet leadership.

Among the reasons offered is how the Soviets built primarily offensive, rather purely defensive weapons, various purges were meant to create an offensive and highly aggressive young officer corps, and the resistance to suggestions that the border ought to be built up for defense. Many have written that the Soviets adopted a tactic used in the past. Using offensive tactics wasn't how the Russian's defeated Napoleon's march to Moscow, by scorched earth and constant retreat before the superior forces of France.  Stalin wanted a reason to go to war, wanted the territory it later occupied, and to create an armed forces that obeyed him, not the long standing careerist chief officers, and was prepared to invade neighboring states with impunity. Exposing the flaws in the Soviet military by the Winter War with Finland, Stalin realized his need to move very quickly and reorganize his forces.

The arguments presented by Suvorov have been called Anti-Soviet, that his works are nonsensical, a-historical, or works created by fringe theorist, by those historians who've addressed it. I think there is reason to debate the arguments presented, as in, delve deeply and find the truth. I'm not arguing that everything in the two books is perfectly accurate, but I'd argue, it is mostly so, and the real question being asked, is which competing theory makes more sense. History is something woven, perceived and analyzed. Humans are flawed, so, among our problems is a focus upon subjects that becomes narrower and narrower, as others add to it. When someone writes about a subject that differs, the orthodoxy of historians seems to rarely consider the information, and more often, try to destroy the new messenger. Part of this, in the subject of World War Two is that Hitler is a good person to hang the cause of war upon. Part of this, is that it fulfills the role of innocent nations being invaded then have a righteous cause to go to war.  I don't perceive this argument as being anti-Soviet. I see it as being a decidedly focused look at the actions of a dictator that didn't make sense. If you apply the outlook of Suvorov, I think it does make sense. Beyond that, it is important to know that the Soviets did in fact kill more Nazis than all the other Allied forces combined. It presents evidence for a reason behind the creation of a super war machine that was effective, and powerful.

(Thanks to Karl Wyant for helpful discussions to focus on the subject here).

PRIDE MONTH

 
Art by Jeffrey Catherine Jones©

Jeffrey Catherine Jones was a painter of great talent and her work appeared on book covers and prints throughout her lifetime. But she began her career and appearance in popular culture as a male. Over her lifetime she had realized her mind saw her form as being wrongly gendered. She acknowledged fighting mental illness but much of that changed when she eventually had gender reassignment surgery, and expressed regrets that she hadn't made her change earlier in life. I called her a friend, and I still think of her as such, I also interviewed her and over a two year period exchanged hundreds of emails with her. While she may have begun our acquaintance humoring me, and I do think she was a deeply kind person, we became friends for seeing the world similarly in a number of areas. When she suggested that she might like to paint an interpretation one of my poems I was in ecstasy.

Sadly, in 2011 it was reported that she had died "Jeffrey suffered from severe emphysema and bronchitis as well as hardening of the arteries around the heart".  I cared greatly for her and think the world lost a great talent when she passed.  Sadly I had to deal with hatemail about gender issues when I announced it on my blogs.  People weren't ready to accept other people for who they are, more for what the package they arrived in.  But love is love, and I cared for her a great deal.
 

ABOUT GETTING REVIEWS FROM ME

First off, I can be found on FacebookTwitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

My Poetry Blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
My Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Lovecraft Styled Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis and other Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

"Comrades, Red Army and Red Navy men, commanders and political instructors, men and women guerrillas! The whole world is looking to you as a force capable of destroying the brigand hordes of German invaders. The enslaved peoples of Europe under the yoke of the German invaders are looking to you as their liberators. A great mission of liberation has fallen to your lot. Be worthy of this mission! The war you are waging is a war of liberation, a just war." Joseph Stalin

Thursday, June 10, 2021

Storm King Comics All Ages Title Stanley’s Ghost Nominated For An Eisner Award

 

 
 
Storm King Comics All Ages Title Stanley’s Ghost Nominated For An Eisner Award
 
(Los Angeles ,CA) Ghastly, Rondo, Foreword Magazine Indie Fab award-winning comic publisher Storm King Comics has added an Eisner nomination to their impressive collection of accolades. John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids: Stanley’s Ghost has been nominated for the Best Single Issue in the comic book equivalent of the Oscars, the Eisner Awards. The single issue is available at comic shops and can be purchased directly from the Storm King Comics store https://www.stormkingproductionsstore.com/product-p/stanleysghost1.htm. Storm King will have a booth at the following 2021 conventions: FanX Salt Lake City Comic Con, New York City Comic-Con, Emerald City Comic-Con, and Comic Con Revolution Ontario. 
 
Storm King Comics CEO, Sandy King explains Horror is an allegorical medium in storytelling. Kids need a way to process their fears safely and in an age appropriate manner. Kids get scared."
rror is an allegorical medium in storytelling. Kids need a way to process their fearsWhat others have said about John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids: Stanley’s Ghost: 
 
“Paul Storrie and Jeff Balke (both comic industry heavy hitters) collaborate on this tale, which is wildly reminiscent in both content and style of Looney Tunes, Duck Tales, and Scooby-Doo. The readers meet and follow a group of neighborhood friends who go on the trail of a mystery that leads them to the local haunted house, complete with a creepy backstory and ghosts! Such a blast! While the tale does include some supernatural aspects (it is a Halloween story), it is very age-appropriate and family-friendly. I would not hesitate to hand this off to upper elementary or for this to be a read-aloud for young elementary.”
-The Pullbox.com
 
“Have a nice treat this Halloween Season with Storm King’s new tale, it may be the next Halloween Ritual read for your kids or even your inner child heart.”
-Everything Horror Podcast
 
“This book is a perfect gift for young readers, but also a wonderful Halloweeny comic experience for every age.”
-Pop Culture Squad
 
Voting for the awards is being held online using a two-step voting process. The first step is for prospective voters to apply at https://form.jotform.com/211246268258054. After filling out the form, eligible voters will be invited to go to the ballot and cast their votes. Those who were invited to vote for the Hall of Fame will automatically be invited to fill out the new ballot. All professionals in the comic book industry are eligible to vote. The deadline for voting is June 30. The results of the voting will be announced in July in a virtual ceremony as part of Comic-Con@Home.
 
About John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids: Stanley’s Ghost 
Oh no! Who’s been stealing fruit from all the gardens in Arbordale? Was it the prankster Chester Chipmunk? Or maybe Baby Fang? Accusations fly until someone suggests that maybe it was the Ghost of Bunnyburrow Manor! Neighbors have claimed to have seen it flying around, but are ghosts even real? And if they are, why would they be stealing fruit? Stanley Squirrel offers to lead an expedition into the house to see if it is haunted and find out just what’s been going on. But as the gang creeps around the house looking for answers, what they find isn’t what any of them were expecting!
 
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are presented by the San Diego Comic Convention (Comic-Con), a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation organized for charitable purposes and dedicated to creating the general public’s awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular artforms, including participation in and support of public presentations, conventions, exhibits, museums, and other public outreach activities which celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture.
 
For more information visit www.stormkingcomics.com.

Sunday, June 6, 2021

Creative Talents, Moral Flaws

June 7, 2021
By Alex Ness

My surgery, the one that caused me to try to gather interviews and content prior to the event, but was postponed and canceled twice, is now finally firmly scheduled for June 28th. For those who supported me with information, finances, compassion, time and attention, and kindness, I will be forever grateful.  Getting the opportunity to be out of pain after 1 year of constant pain, is beyond hopeful for me, it is a blessing.

UNPLEASANT THINGS

As a disclaimer, I am responding to a question, have zero primary evidence or knowledge.

I don't want to treat this column as any kind of gossip corner.  I want to cover the work of an artist and perhaps focus on why the artist works, or how they created the work. I also focus upon the creative forces that go into creating the work as in cultural or personal influence. Less about creative talent, as I don't often know the who or why they created it. I have mentioned before that I'd done an experiment, showing people images of paintings by Adolf Hitler without telling them that it was his work. Upon telling the people who almost universally said the work was good and looked pleasant, they mostly acted indignant, and angry. The point I had tried to make, was that judging art by a creator is the reverse order that you should consider.  The art itself is one thing, but that art's creator, however flawed is entirely different. Some creative artists are moral paragons, while others can't even spell the word. As far as I've been able to find out, there is no formula for great art equal to great artist.  Sometimes humans achieve something, but are anything but moral people. Sometimes a human strives to create, and is moral, but never achieves the heights of art.


WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE FOCUS ISN'T THE CREATIVE WORK

As a sort of perspective for why I prefer not to use my blog for accusations or insults... Almost two decades ago a comic book writer made some indiscreet comments and actions. He'd also just done an interview with me so I'd forwarded emails people sent to me, as he'd told me that I could do so, because I'd interviewed him on my website and didn't want to share his private email. Upon his receiving the emails he proceeded to attack me, and said I had written the damn things. That poisoned the well with him and his publisher, despite my innocence. In another case in an interview a writer or publisher had essentially said an artist had behaved badly, had purposely sabotaged a project, and they had the proof. In the interview I didn't let the discussion go into detail, as I thought it was bad form. Beyond that, I knew the artist would want me to "correct" the record, so the less revealed the better. In fact, that artist did write to me, and argued that it never happened. When I showed them the proof, they essentially said, so what if I did do that? That event led me to losing review products from that company, and enmity from the artist towards me, as well as the writer/publisher. Over time on my website I experienced numerous events where I hadn't said the thing in question, but I was accused of being complicit due to having been tangentially involved. I lost being sent loads of review products and good relationships over time, not for anything I said or did (which there are plenty of burned bridges for me, but not in this case), but for things someone said in the process of interview or commentary. But, in all of that, no accusations of illegality occurred.

TWO EMAIL REQUESTS

In an email I was recently asked by a person if I understood or knew more information about the sexual accusations toward Arthur C. Clarke and if I'd please address it here. I don't want to open cans of worms that followers of Clarke or enemies of Clark might want to pursue or to obscure in any comments section. I also do not want to address the kinds and levels of bad adult behavior argued regarding Clarke outside of simple descriptions. One person writing about the accusations has said that your judgment of guilty or innocent might come down to which person you believe rather than clear definitive proof of guilt or innocence.  I don't necessarily think this, but there may well be different information used depending upon who you think is telling the truth.

In an email from a different reader I was asked why Dave Sim seems to have become a pariah in the comic book community. The person said they've read the collections of his work, but never the single issue comics. When they went to buy one of the collected editions at a comic shop the store's employee said, 'Sim is a prick, we don't keep his work in stock.'


Arthur C. Clarke and others

What was Arthur C. Clarke accused of doing? Pursuing for sex young males. and when he was going to be arrested or pursued by interrogators, he fled to Sri Lanka, where his fame and relative wealth would allow him to be immune from police investigation. Other science fiction writers of his generation also have been accused. Forrest J. Ackerman who produced the magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland was said to collect nude pics of people of younger than legal age.  Marion Zimmer Bradley is said to have abused her daughter.  Isaac Asimov is said to take opportunities to grope younger fans. When the Me Too movement happened (mostly) women began speaking about what men did to them, finally felt able to share the terrible secrets that terrible sexual crimes occurred and society ignored the victims or tried to silence them, presented the world with an enormous recent history of terrible behavior, and more than just accusations.  Many people came forward, perhaps due to the ability to share one's experiences via computer, where victims aren't subject to immediate societal pressure to retract their words. I believe that the ability to speak out, more safely and freely is a good thing.

I will say though, that when 92 people accuse John Q. Public it is easier to believe than when one person accuses a famous person. However, even when there are great numbers, there can still be a case where many opportunists are seeking either attention or financial gain. I know that cynicism runs rampant in modern society, and the lure of financial gain or even the gain of fame can be powerful in motives. I once did a deeper look at the people who accused Michael Jackson and Frugal Gourmet Jeffrey Smith. In each case there were oddities about the person accused, but less than solid accusations. I don't know what happened. I do think that if they were not wealthy and/or famous, they might not be accused. 

Everyone is flawed and of course, I'm flawed too. I have made many mistakes in terms of how I've lived. I try to be better, but I have failed as well. Even so I'd suggest that my personal flaws aren't magnified by my being any sort of famous. Clarke, Ackerman, Bradley and Asimov all did whatever they did, if they did so, in the world aware of their relatively famous being. That isn't said to forgive or forget, simply that if one looks online they can find the many different accusations, whereas I am sure the list of who has offended sexually is enormous and mostly filled with people who are anonymous to the world. Personal sins made public are embarrassing.

Dave Sim and his views

I think Dave Sim's perceived great flaws are not those of moral or legal nature. As an independent creative artist his work was never bound by the code of comics or by any corporate publisher limitations but his work CEREBUS was to famously reach 300 issues. While he wrote and drew most of those issues, backgrounds were done by a collaborative partner by the name of Gerhard. There are over 6000 pages of work in the CEREBUS run and once it went beyond a satire of Barry Windsor-Smith's Conan run, it delved into areas of intellectual debates, gender debates, and secular ideals versus religious morality.  Keeping in the context of a book about a speaking aardvark who lives and adventures in a medieval setting, Sim took upon himself to write a number of long, well written, but politically incorrect essays, or stories.  In the latter part of the series there are considerably well designed and intelligent story telling techniques, sophisticated character development and thoughtful and humorous events. 

Having said all that, if you aren't aware of why people would be offended or despise Dave Sim, I think it can be summed up by saying, Dave Sim is the sort of writer/artist who sees it as his role to throw hand grenades into the comfort areas of readers. In doing this all he became an agent provocateur, trying to tempt readers into becoming angered or horrified, and thereby lose their minds.  In the case of retailers, there was a point in time when he tried or actually did succeed in selling his collections directly, and made the cost for a retailer greater than if the buyer went directly to Sim himself. That was a way to keep more of the money through sales, but it was also a way to control how his works were presented and to give himself the ability to not be beholden to things such as minimum pre orders.  That is, if he had to get a certain number of pre-orders to get a work on the shelves, he was being prevented from pursuing his own plans. I am going to be told by people that I either misrepresented one side or the other, but if you want more info look on google and do your own research.

Do I think Dave Sim was a prick? Well I think he was and/or is a Misanthrope. I think he disliked many categories of people and enjoyed making them angry. I've been told by two very different people from the comic book industry, not sharing Sim's various political or cultural worldviews, that in person he is wonderful and kind person. I've also been told, but someone who knew/knows Sim very well, that he was cruel and loved hurting other people, especially those close to him. I like the products Sim created, and wonder just how much of the public perception comes from his acting a certain way, or because he IS a certain way. I have NO idea how he behaves in real non comic book life acting. If the writing of Cerebus about women, religion, or politics were his actual views, he is problematic. If he was writing them as a narrative first person voice, he might have been foolish to play such a role without telling others his plans.  People might mistake his words for views otherwise.


FINAL THOUGHT UPON THIS SUBJECT

I don't get caught up in details of the creative person regarding art. I think for me that comes from a realization that usually whoever creates art, of any sort, will be flawed. Maybe it is because I am so flawed that I think this. While some people can't like a work when they know the kind of person who created it, I'd suggest that most of us would have skeletons in the closet, if not something we would hate for others to know.

It would be true to say that Ezra Pound's writings move me deeply. But in his later life he'd come to believe that people with money caused World War 2, it was therefore not due to unresolved problems, and not due to extreme nationalism. His belief in this then bled into a sort of Anti Semitism.  I am greatly offended by that. He came to regret that view, but, he also spent 10 years or more in prison for having done radio broadcasts for Fascist Italy. I believe his creative mind was still powerful but he was broken by his desire to save mankind from a conflict caused by greed. It turned out badly for him. But his work is still powerful. I am not cynical though, I think for him his regret came from moral evolution, not imprisonment, and I can accept that.

Another "dangerous"creative person I like the works of is HP Lovecraft who wrote the Cthulhu mythos and was a distinctly racist man. He did not act personally immoral, as in his behavior, that I know of, but he was someone who believed some terrible things.  And I still like his work.

Next time I promise no more unpleasant subjects...

ABOUT GETTING REVIEWS FROM ME

First off, I can be found on FacebookTwitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

My Poetry Blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
My Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Lovecraft Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com