Several folks (including its proprietor, Jonah Weiland) have written to me concerning my comments on the website, Comic Book Resources. All have noted that one can avoid pop-ups by skipping the first page and going directly to, for instance, Scott Shaw!'s Oddball Comics Page. Or Augie DeBlieck Jr's Pipeline column. Or even Steven Grant's Permanent Damage commentaries. I suppose I should have thought of that. I don't begrudge Jonah whatever income the pop-up ads generate for him and I don't mind sneaking in the back door. (I do wonder how effective pop-up ads are, anywhere on the Internet, but that's not his fault.)
Regarding the message boards there: I guess I'm bothered that the wonderful tool of Free Speech and Communication that is the Internet isn't put to better use. I've had fine, informative exchanges on many conversation boards but sooner if not later, those forums all seem to be made dysfunctional by (generalization alert) loud folks who (another generalization alert) hide behind fake names and therefore feel empowered to be a little ruder than necessary. CBR is better than most but it seems to happen everywhere. Among folks who fit vaguely into the dubious category of "comic book professional," I am more tolerant than most but even I find myself lately avoiding public Internet forums. To participate means to eventually find yourself in a rather pointless slap-fight with some probably-anonymous soul who preempts meaningful discussion with hostility or sheer, unadulterated Attention-Getting.
I talked about this with a few industry professionals at the Comic-Con and heard every one of them utter a cliché about life being too short. As creative folks, we are (yet another generalization) usually reticent to suggest that anyone be made to shut up, so we just withdraw. Oddly enough, when I've done this in the past, I've sometimes been accused of advocating censorship. Apparently, some folks' definition of Free Speech requires that all parties stick around and participate in discussions they no longer enjoy…so, for emphasis: I am not suggesting anyone anywhere not be allowed to post whatever opinions they have, even anonymously, in any venue that welcomes that. I'm just wishing for some different kinds of venues. I've been thinking for some time about one that I want to set up, and this may get me off the dime to do so.
Anyway, I apologize if I was dumping on Comic Book Resources. It's one of the better comic book sites out there, especially if you can dodge the pop-up ads and certain people who post stupid messages. They have every right to post them and I have every right not to read them.