It’s Not The First Time...
That someone thought I was English. I stumbled on this review of PS Artbooks’ Pre-Code Classics: Weird Mysteries Volume One, a book for which I wrote the introduction a couple of years ago. Captain Comics, who I must admit I’ve never heard of before today, posted a review of the book. His words on my essay made me laugh.
“And the foreword, as is common in PS ArtBooks volumes, is a completely worthless essay by some Englishman I’ve never heard of waxing nostalgic about reading comics as a kid. (As if everyone reading the book couldn’t write the same essay, or a better one.)”
So I, a nearly 43 year-old comics fan who was born and raised in Southeast Ohio, am English. Now, Captain Comics is not the first to think this. I’ve lived in Italy with my lovely wife since 2001, and some of the locals have thought I was English, which is a huge honor for me. Could it be all the Doctor Who I’ve watched over the years? Pass me the sonic screwdriver while I reverse the polarity of the neutron flow, Sarah Jane.
In Captain Comics’ defense, Weird Mysteries Volume One was only my second professionally published work and my first one without a co-author. We all have to start somewhere. Weird Mysteries Volume One may not be my best work, but I enjoyed doing it. In fact, it’s perhaps my favorite piece of all the things I’ve written along with Volume Two. Richard Chizmar didn’t or couldn’t do the foreword for reasons I do not know. I jumped at the chance to work with Peter Crowther after my pleasant experience working with him and Roy Thomas on Roy Thomas Presents Captain Video. I’d still gladly write for both of those fellows again, and I have on two other occasions. However, I do have to ask some questions.
1. If Captain Comics finds the PS Artbooks Inroductions, essays or whatever you prefer to call them so worthless, why doesn’t he just wait for the softccover release? PS has been releasing trade paperback versions of some of the collections they put out in hardback form. I’m sure they’ll do that with Weird Mysteries someday. Said trades normally don’t have introductions. Yet, that brings to mind question #2.
2. Why did Captain Comics shell out the $48 for the book if he thinks the intros are so worthless? I’m the type that if I don’t like something I just don’t buy it, watch it, read it, etc. When I saw Bruce Jones’ run on The Incredible Hulk was going nowhere, I stopped buying the book until Peter David returned. I did this with other comics I didn’t like as well. That seems logical to me, but the human race has never been a logical one.
3. Roy Thomas. Bill Black. Paul Cornell. Joe Hill. Those are just a few of the names who have worked on introductions for PS Artbooks’ hardcovers. If one follows Captain Comics’ generalization of PS Artbooks’ forewords, does this mean he also thinks that their work for Peter Crowther and the PS Gang is worthless? I personally don’t mind what anyone calls my writing. You could line a birdcage with it if you wish, but guys like Roy, Bill, Paul and Joe don’t deserve to be lumped into said generalization.
On that note, I’ll return to the TARDIS to laugh some more about my being an Englishman born in Ohio.
Pip-Pip Cheerio and ALONS-Y
