Provoking and annoying is how I will simplest portray 2023. As appears to be the case in most favorite years, the comic-book industry showed virtually no pastime in hiring me…and that has a debilitating attain on my truly writing comics. Then again, I’m rather jubilant with the gags I wrote for John Lustig’s fun and rather playful Final Kiss characteristic and must still proceed contributing to it within the fresh yr.
Physically, I’m in correct well being, set for a deplorable lawful knee that has me in virtually chronic anxiousness. It’s arthritis and no longer yet to the point where replacement is crucial. As a rule, I’m rocking the swish Prince tribute I name “Pink Cane.” In anxiousness or no longer, I remain hilarious.
Mentally? How can someone be mentally and morally glad in a international where Donald Trump, the most felony, racist and traitorous president in U.S. history is the Republican Procure collectively frontrunner for this yr’s election? No matter his over ninety indictments on very indispensable costs. The more or less costs that must still do him in penal advanced for the remainder of his disgusting life. Meanwhile, the Republicans are continuing their cruel and unconstitutional assaults on the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans other folks.
But I remain longing for the fresh yr. I’m engaged on diversified fresh projects with the hope of getting them to the marketplace. I acquire taken steps to give a boost to my mental and bodily well-being. I hope to be invited to many conventions on this nation and in a international nation because I like meeting each and each compose of readers.
As continually, even in my darkest moments, I acquire happiness in an incredible many issues. I like sharing them with you. Listed below are the issues that introduced me pleasure in December…
December 1: GalaxyCon Columbus. From the moment I arrived, I used to be in pop culture heaven. The convention and volunteers made me in fact feel most welcome, as did the fans and my fellow professionals. It used to be one amongst the most improbable conventions of my career.
December 2: GalaxyCon Columbus. Reuniting with broken-down chums like Mike DeCarlo and Steve Englehart. Assembly fresh ones like Dan Chichester, Tana Ford and Tim Seeley. Chatting with fans of my writing. That’s what makes an incredible convention.
December 3: GalaxyCon Columbus. The special “Originate You Take into accout Mid-Ohio-Con?” tribute panel used to be nothing short of improbable with so many passe company celebrating Roger Price and the stellar convention he created. Great pleasure used to be shared by all.
December 4: GalaxyCon Columbus. I’m a sucker for convention-themed area of skills drinks and the Hyatt Regency’s Mountainous Bar on 2 had a doozy. The “Home Cadet” used to be Malibu rum, strawberry puree, pineapple juice and a blue Curacao glitter swirl. Scrumptious.
December 5: GalaxyCon Columbus. I used to be honored to be on the improbable “Fright in Comics” panel and be acknowledged for my 1970s work as an editor and creator on Monsters Unleashed and such. I’d treasure to edit a journal like that this day. Publishers?
December 6: GalaxyCon Columbus: I enjoyed being on the Ghost Rider panel with Cory Smith and Scott Hepburn. I’m intrigued by the total Rider has long past by plot of since I wrote Johnny Blaze. Catching up will most seemingly be attention-grabbing.
December 7: Dial N For Naked! My wacky ideal friend Will Meugniot gifts “The Untold and Fully Unsuitable History of the Nudie Age of Comics!” Published in 2018 and on hand on Amazon, this book is hilarious and actually correct type for most ages.
December 8: The iZombie Omnibus by Chris Roberson, Michael Allred and Laura Allred. I wished to reread this legendary thriller sooner than I embark on watching the TV series, which I simplest watched for most of its first season.
December 9: Weird and Unsung All-Stars of the DC Multiverse by Stephanie Williams appears to be like like mountainous fun. I haven’t began studying it yet, nonetheless I bet a bunch of writers are utilizing it to created pitches for fresh comic books and flicks.
December 10: Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism by Rachel Maddow is an fascinating upsetting history of when vile People sided with Hitler. It does give me hope we are in a position to crush the fascists of this day as we did within the 1940s.
December 11: Godzilla Minus One. I’m loving the field-effect of enterprise success and anxious acclaim this spectacular movie is receiving. Made on a comparatively modest funds, the movie goes beyond Godzilla fandom and into deserved favorable mainstream consideration.
December 12: Funko Pop! At the same time as I put collectively to thin my contain series for next yr’s garage sales, I proceed to be amazed, amused and overjoyed by Funko’s ingenuity and selection, Their fresh “tasty treats” figures are proof of every and each.
December 13: Offer drivers. United States Postal Carrier. UPS. FedEx. Amazon. They ship us cool stuff. Their jobs are no longer straightforward, even more so at present of the yr. So, must you earn the probability, thank them for their labor.
December 14: My dwelling town of Medina installed two electric automobile charging ports within the parking deck next to Metropolis Hall. It’s a neat thing to total and, so some distance, no one is screaming “woke” at this commonsense addition.
December 15: Sad Lightning: Chilly Ineffective Fingers. My present of my most most favorite work used to be dwindling, nonetheless I used to be ready to aquire over a dozen mint copies at an cheap mark. I’ll acquire them at my convention appearances as lengthy as they closing.
December 16: Taylor Swift. Time journal selected well in naming her 2023’s Particular person of the 365 days. No longer simplest is she a talented performer, she inspires fans to be thoughtful, type and inclusive. She’s her technology’s Dolly Parton.
December 17: Transitions: A Mother’s Slouch by creator and artist Élodie Durand is the in most cases heartbreaking nonetheless one plot or the other jubilant real-life yarn of a woman working to procure her transgender son. Needed studying for the rationale that need is so great.
December 18: The Parker Women Omnibus by Terry Moore. This lumber-off from Strangers in Paradise finds the atmosphere pleasant and beautiful ladies investigating the murder of 1 in all their very contain. Why don’t they compose ladies folk-led action/suspense movies this correct?
December 19: Hallows’ Eve by Erica Schultz and Michael Dowling used to be a straightforward-to-apply solid yarn with a palatable conclusion. I treasure title great-heroine Janine Goodbe and hope to gaze more of her.
She’d be great in a Disney+ Halloween special.
December 20: Lobo #1 [Dell; 1965]. I just re-learn this prominent comic by D. J. Arneson with paintings by Invoice Fraccio and Tony Tallarico. Racist distributors killed Lobo after two points, nonetheless it deserves to be reprinted and persisted.
December 21: My 2023 Christmas sweater is a tribute to Die Exhausting, an incredible Christmas movie and, as I now perceive, also an incredible Hanukkah movie. It’s a heartwarming movie that brings other folks of all faiths collectively. Ho ho ho Hans.
December 22: Santa Suossos. For my birthday, Barb and our youth took me to this great Italian restaurant in Medina. The pasta and pizza were good. We’re going to expose pizza from there for our Unusual 365 days’s Eve earn collectively.
[Santa Suossos crushed my dream by not being open on Sunday. But I will have a fix of their pizza soon.]
December 23: If birthdays were measured in pricey chums, I may per chance likely well be 5,000 years broken-down. As a result of all of you who despatched heat greetings on my birthday. They were liked greater than I will inform.
December 24: Downfall by Inio Asano. A in most cases soul-crushing myth of a manga artist who doesn’t powerful like manga, who simplest cares about promoting books and who doesn’t care about someone’s anxiousness nonetheless his contain. I do know comics creators like him.
December 25: With few bumps within the commute facet street, Christmas Eve and Christmas 2023 were jubilant instances for me. None of the bumps were all that unexpected and each and each were minor annoyances. Subsequent yr, I idea to costume as a piquant elf.
December 26: It’s a Astonishing Knife. Billed as a awe comedy, the movie is a sound thriller that respects It’s a Astonishing Life. Low on gore, high on emotional stakes with an incredible efficiency by Justin Long. Extremely instantaneous.
December 27: Invoice Foster one plot or the other will get into action as Huge-Man within the second episode of What If…? Season Two. I’m obvious that overjoyed Lawrence Fishburne, who used to be disappointed he by no strategy purchased to head mountainous in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Thanks, Marvel Studios!
December 28: Rite Support in Medina. I purchased my flu shot this morning and it used to be a temporary and painless skills. I arrived a little early, nonetheless used to be given a shot inner 5 minutes. No fuss, no muss, no facet results. Science rules!
December 29: Maniac of Unusual York Vol. 1: The Loss of life Mutter by Elliott Kalan and Andrea Mutti doesn’t destroy any fresh flooring within the slasher model, nonetheless it’s artistry, characterization and depth compose it a have to-learn for fans of that model.
December 30: Cherish from Godzilla by Olivia Luchina with paintings by Jordan Bradley and Milo Moore. This minute book is the most charming younger readers book I will take into consideration. Every single page will compose even older readers dart “Awww!” Extremely instantaneous.
December 31: The Hunters by Jimmy Palmiotti and Chad Hardin wraps up 2023 favorite. It’s a anxious-hitting western with cool characters and a can’t-flip-the-page-rapid-sufficient yarn. It’s one other triumph for the team-funded Paperfilms.
Thanks for stopping by this day. I wish you the happiest of most favorite years and great success in attaining your individual goals. I will most seemingly be encourage quickly with more stuff.
© 2024 Tony Isabella