Thursday, January 15, 2004

Only 189 Days Until the Con!

If you're thinking of attending the Comic-Con International in San Diego this year, now would be a good time to reserve a room. They will sell out, and they'll probably sell out soon.

Also, since it's been posted at the Comic-Con website, I guess I can reveal the identity of the guest I mentioned here last December. I said it was someone who was a veritable gusher of information on DC comic book history, and Jack Adler is definitely that. He was a fixture of their coloring and production departments beginning around 1951 and some people say that Jack practically reinvented both the art and science of comic book coloring. We'll be looking at examples of Jack's handiwork and also at many rare photos that he took around the office. Should be quite a panel...maybe two panels.

By the way: Some comic book experts will be shocked to hear that Jack will be at the convention since some comic book experts have been laboring under the impression he had passed away years ago. Obviously, this is not so. I suspect it has to do with the fact that a dealer on eBay has been selling off pieces from Jack's collection for years now and the ad copy always makes reference to "the Jack Adler estate." Bad phrasing.

• Posted at 7:52 PM · LINK

Recommended Reading

Gregg Easterbrook says that Bush's plan for renewed space exploration will cost a lot more than he claims and take a lot longer. In fact, Easterbrook thinks both current estimates are absurd to the point of dishonesty.

Also: Sean Penn is writing articles about what he observed on his recent trip to Iraq. Here's Part One and here's Part Two. I would never assume that anyone should put any special stock in an actor's views just because he's famous, but his report is interesting just as the view of someone who's been there.

• Posted at 7:32 PM · LINK

Recommended Reading

I linked to Joshua Micah Marshall an item or two ago. Here's an item he just posted on his site...a cute little tale of meeting Arthur Schlesinger at a luncheon. It made me smile.

• Posted at 5:47 PM · LINK

Seeking Phyllis Coates

A friend of mine is attempting to locate Phyllis Coates, the actress who (among many other roles) first played Lois Lane on the Superman TV show. This is to invite her to be part of something that she'll probably want to be a part of. I'm betting someone who reads this site knows how to reach her and can send me the contact information to pass on.

• Posted at 4:31 PM · LINK

Changing Minds

Matt Drudge is claiming to have uncovered a transcript of General Wesley Clark making the case for the Iraq War before Congress. Over on his weblog, Joshua Micah Marshall points out that Drudge's quote is an outta-context excerpt from a much longer speech that went in other directions.

I'm not sure why it's such a big deal to accuse politicians of changing positions. Everyone does...or should. You have to have a high degree of stubborn stupidity not to occasionally modify your view of some things, especially in light of new developments and new evidence. Is there anyone on any side of the Iraq matter who is not going to have to claim to have been misled at some point by faulty intelligence reports?

I don't get that Clark really changed his view but even if he did, I wouldn't assume that made it insincere or opportunistic or whatever. The guy changed his view, just as Bush seems to now be completely on the side of the Nation Building he once abhorred. I guess I'm more suspicious of the opposite, which is when a politician decides he's right and that's that, and no change in the events or facts is going to budge him from his position.

• Posted at 12:05 PM · LINK