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August 31, 2005
The Vacation Report
I'm back and had a wonderful trip. Thanks for asking. For those who really care (such as our families), behind the cut is the extended blow by blow version.
The family always takes a vacation together during the summer. We try and find new places to visit and make sure there's something for everyone. This year, we had a very narrow window of opportunity given the kids' schedules but we found a week that actually fit.
On Saturday, we packed the car and were on the road at 9:20, which for Greenberger time meant leaving 5 minutes late. Our first stop, at kids' request, was the Bronx Zoo. In honor of the trip, Deb put together a small play list for the iPod featuring appropriate songs from Peter, Paul & Mary and Tom Chapin and sure enough, the four of us were transported back at least a decade if not more.
It was cloudy and looked to remain that way keeping the heat and humidity and crowds at bay. This worked to our advantage since it wasn't overly crowded and we had a chance to wander freely. Interestingly, the kids first wanted to check out the Children's Zoo. So, we saw all the cute critters and let them feed animals in the petting area. Amazing how quickly we can revert to earlier versions of ourselves. Robbie heard all the animals we wanted to see and plotted our course and over five hours we managed to see just about everything we wanted. He also figured out that by buying one gigantic animal-topped souvenir cup of soda, with free refills, we'd actually save money by sharing. Conveniently, they both picked the tiger so a fight was avoided. The newly renovated Butterfly Garden happened to have its grand opening that day so it was a delight to check out.
We finished up and hit the GW Bridge and into New Jersey. The road was crowded for late afternoon but not too bad and we worked our way through the state without incident. We then crossed over the Delaware Memorial Bridge and crossed through Delaware en route to Kennett Square, PA, which seems to be about a stone's throw over the state line.
After a mere two wrong turns, we found Patrice and Beau's house. Patrice, Deb's sister, fell in love with the house right around the time they first visited us after relocating from Colorado and this was our first chance to visit. It's nice, with room enough for them, the two kids, and the two dogs. Beau has all sorts of projects he intends to do, improvements and maintenance but it looks nice and cozy. Upon arrival, Patrice was at work and the screen door was locked with no sign of Beau. He of course took that exact moment of arrival to take a shower and the kids followed their orders not to open the door for anyone. Including us. Once Beau found us, we had a quick dinner and then prepped to join Patrice. But first, the siren sound of the Mr. Softee truck distracted everyone and Kate insisted we buy ice cream. Colton (5) and Faith (2) thought this was great and we watched as they attempted to eat their cones before the heat had ice cream dripping down their hands. They managed pretty well.
Meantime, Patrice works at Longmeadow Gardens, the largest showplace for plants and flowers in America. Built and funded by Pierre S. DuPont, the gardens are huge and sprawling with an amazing Conservatory with many attached green houses. It's easy to get lost in the mammoth structure (or to kill Miss Scarlet with the lead pipe, but I digress...) and the girls were thrilled. At night, the many fountains on the great lawn are turned into performers as the lights go down around the area and, set to classical music, the water gushes up in varying configurations with a selection of rainbow lights. Think wet fireworks set to music and you sort of get the idea. It was very sedate and very pretty and soon enough, I was nodding off.
Sunday was a quiet day at the house. There was a lazy morning and then various families went to various places of worship as I stayed home to play on line and read my vacation novel (Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell). When everyone returned, we made sandwiches and headed to Stroudsburg where we browsed outlet shops. There must be something about the way we plan our road trips because we are always stumbling over outlet stores and like moths drawn to the flame, we stop and shop. Fortunately, they had some thing Robbie needed for his new job so it wasn't just wasted time. We also stopped at an official Thomas the Tank Engine store so Colton could spend his birthday money on a new engine. After much deliberation, he selected Edward. Colton is five and I recall Robbie being much the same age when Thomas first reached the states and the fascination among young kids has never wavered. So, for two days now, we've been caught in an odd family time warp and it's more comforting than not.
When we returned to the house, Deb, Kate and Faith sat at the picnic table and began doing watercolors. Deb has said for a while now she wanted to try her hand at watercolor painting so earlier in the day she picked up a bunch of supplies. She worked studiously on her first picture of a sunflower. Faith, at 2, showed remarkable concentration and enjoyed her own more freeform painting for quite some time. Beau barbecued some fine dinner and the evening devolved into relaxed hanging around.
Monday morning had Beau head out on business while we started to put the house back in order, getting ready to leave for the next phase of the trip. Deb, Patrice, Kate and Faith headed back to Longwood Gardens to fully experience the wonders of the place and allow the artists some time amidst nature. I stayed back with Robbie and Colton. The two boys played and played and played and played. Colton didn't want me involved but also asked that we leave Robbie behind for a few more days. I busied myself with laundry and cleaning the kitchen and finally some more reading. The girls got back much later than expected and we were finally on the road by 4. Our first stop was a local Mexican ice cream store where we sampled some of their custom flavors such as guava and cream.
The drive to Intercourse was uneventful and pleasant. Our hotel, the Best Western, was nice and clean and ideal for our simple needs. The hotel has a restaurant with good, old fashioned local PA cooking. We all delighted in trying some of the local fare from baked sausage to shoofly pie. Alone, relaxed, our family still finds things to talk about and ways to make each other laugh. These are some of the most cherished parts of the trip. After dinner we returned to the room and played one of the kids' favorite games, Munchkin. I managed to win and Deb remains largely baffled by the nature of play. One episode of 2 1/2 Men later, it was lights out.
Tuesday morning had everyone up and moving early. We returned to the restaurant for a hearty local breakfast and then it was off to Hersheypark. We got there without incident and then entered the gates for a full day. Given how sore Deb's healing foot was after a few hours at the zoo, we decided the electric go-cart was in the family's best interest. She was zipping along, having a ride all to herself. The park is large but not as large as say Six Flags New Jersey or any of the Disney parks. Still, it was clean, well maintained, and crowded with options. Oddly, despite the warm, sunny day, everyone was somewhat lethargic. We went on a number of rides but for whatever reason, people were dragging. Robbie likes a limited number of rides and was frequently sitting beside Deb, plotting out our course, while Kate and I stood on lines for rides. One difference I noticed: the rides are shorter in duration than elsewhere. We hit most of the roller coasters with the Sidewinder or Great Bear the best of the bunch. Everyone changed into bathing suits and we hit the water rides but the water was cold and not all the rides were to everyone's liking so we changed back and moved on. Throughout the day this pattern continued, we'd walk around, see something to do and invariably Kate and I did it. After lunch, Robbie got tired so we attended one of the cheesy shows, Nerds: The Musical. As he napped, we sat enthralled in how awful the show was -- basically a geeks vs. cool college students story that involved singing many, many pop songs from "I Need a Hero" to "The Boys are Back in Town" to a horribly re-written "Born to Run." It had its moments and afterwards, Kate delighted in critiquing the singers.
The day continued in this fashion, although the rest perked everyone up. We saw more attractions and got serenaded during dinner by a country western sextet that was energetic and pretty good. We continued to explore, going on the occasional ride. I turned to Robbie at some point and said, "I'm here for you and Kate. Whatever ride you want, I'm there." A little later, he said, "I'm here for you and Katie since you like more rides than I do." While I fretted about him, he was genuinely content at the park, as was Deb who went on fewer rides than I'm used to her joining in on. Finally, just before closing at 10, we left and drove back to the hotel and everyone crashed.
Wednesday was a chance to explore Intercourse. After a hearty breakfast, we wandered into town, which is stuffed with quilt and fabric shops and other things. There's a tiny Edged Weapon museum a block from the hotel so we made sure Robbie got to see that. The owner has been amassing this collection for 48 years and has been in this location for 19. He has over 2600 weapons on display with pikes dating back to the Revolutionary War all the way up through today. It’s heavily concentrated on WW I and WW II but is well organized with some terrific history cards attached to each display case. Decorating the walls and even inside some of the cases were patriotic posters, postcards, and other memorabilia from each era. I was particularly fascinated by the spy tools from the O.S.S., having never seen any before. The girls had a fine time at Zooks, a world renown fabric shop. When we rendezvoused, we wandered some of the other nearby shops such as one that canned and sold their own items with plenty of samples on display. I’m a sucker for that stuff and wound up bringing home some salsas. We also checked out a pretzel factory and took the little tour in their kitchen where we all got to roll and twist dough.
We hit a local deli and sampled some of the local wares, bringing them back to the hotel’s gazebo where we picnicked. From there, we drove to the outskirts of Intercourse where we took a horse and buggy ride through the area. While waiting for the ride, Deb realized she must have left her camera back at Patrice’s house. After a call or two it was settled that Patrice and the kids would bring us the camera and in exchange, we’d treat them to dinner. Our Amish tour guide, Amos, tried to engage us in conversation, told us some of his lifestyle but I was disappointed it was little more than describing the area and listing what they can’t do. Our other companions in the wagon were all silent. Twice, we left the road to ride through a home and a farm and both times we stopped so kids from the house could come out and sell us handcrafted or homebaked goods. I felt slightly sympathetic towards them and highly manipulated.
After the ride, we hung out back at the hotel. The kids were watching some TV, I was reading and Deb was in the gazebo working on her second watercolor painting. I glanced up at one point to be surprised by her parents. Deb was even more surprised. They were coming to see Patrice for a few days and when they heard the new plan, detoured from their plan to stop in Intercourse to join us for dinner. It was, after all, their one real chance to see Kate before college. Everyone was thrilled. We went back to the horse and buggy ride, located by the Plain and Fancy Restaurant. They serve family style, with everyone picking three entrees from the menu and then having copious amounts of food brought out from salad to dessert. Patrice’s kids loved chasing after Kate and Robbie which lasted well after dinner.
Once the relatives left and it was just us, we returned to the hotel. I flipped on the TV, looking to check the Mets’ score only to find the movie Witness playing. We stopped what we were doing and more or less settled in for the night, watching this well-timed film (and well recommended for those who never saw it).
On Thursday, we were up and out on the early side since we had places to be. One final breakfast in the restaurant got everyone ready and we hit the road, leaving Amish country and headed for Maryland. But first, a stop at The Mannings. The Mannings is located in nowhere, PA. I mean, it’s so out of the way, that if you don’t know about it you won’t find it. The Mannings is a famous yarn shop with classes for knitters and weavers, selling a wide range of yarns, notions, books, looms and the like. Having been warned of this stop, I had my book at the ready and Rob had his Game Boy. The girls spent quite a bit of time there and I was surprised with how little they came out with but they were quite happy with the visit.
Once more on the road, we figured we’d drive for a bit and stop for lunch before hitting Towson University. Well, that changed when we spied Tropical Treats, an old-fashioned lunch spot with curb service. The menu was fairly extensive and really cheap. We buzzed the shack, yelled our order into the microphone and then waited for girls to bring us lunch. All that was missing were the roller skates. The food was okay but the experience was certainly fun.
The drive to Maryland remained uneventful and we arrived at Towson in mid-afternoon. Rob had heard about the school and its teaching program from people who run Shore Leave so he was intrigued. It’s a nice, pretty campus but the Office of Admissions was unhelpful. No tours. No one to talk to. Robbie had called the Department of Education before arrival and no one ever called him back. So, we drove around campus and he likes it so it’s now on The List.
From there, we headed right into Annapolis and the Loews’ Hotel, which was quite nice. Once we unpacked, the kids wanted to hang in the room so Deb and I strolled into the downtown area by the state capitol, a few blocks away. Annapolis is a Colonial era town, with much of the tourist stuff down by the water with many small shops and a few chain stores spread over several blocks between the Governor’s Mansion and the water. It’s pretty.
Since Robbie really wanted a crab feast and we felt we owed him something after the disappointment at Towson, we found him Buddy’s. Sitting outside, on the sidewalk, the rest of us had normal servings of food while Rob dug into the crabs with gusto. He was still whacking open the hard shells long after the rest of us were done.
On Friday, we slept late; our last real morning to do so. Finally ready, we wandered towards the shops, stopping for breakfast and then exploring. Deb found more and more shops to check out. We stopped here and there for more coffee. Deb and Kate settled on the dock with their art supplies, freeing me and Robbie. He returned to the hotel for some stuff while I checked out a local bookstore. As time passed, they continued their art so I killed an hour in an internet café and finally headed back with Robbie. We stopped in Chick & Ruth’s Delly, a local business with a fine menu and long-standing reputation. The food was hot, good-sized and filling, which was consumed back in the room as we crashed for a while. The girls finally finished their work and headed towards the mall for pedicures.
When we were all united and rested, we walked back down the block to stop at an Irish Pub for dinner. It was timed so we’d be eating when the live music was to begin. The band was in the next room, but loud enough to hear and sure enough, as time passed the pub filled. Still, our excellent server told us, after the meal was cleared and paid for, that we could stay at the table as long as we liked. Hearing that, Robbie whipped out his deck of cards and we sat there, enjoying the music and playing Palace for quite some time. The night ended when Deb read to the kids from a book she found in town, Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, which she thought was appropriate given Robbie’s recent performance in Into the Woods.
Saturday was gray and the threat of rain remained all day, sort of like the previous Saturday oddly enough. Undaunted, we were excited to drive just outside of the city to attend the opening day of the Maryland Renaissance Faire. We met up with our friends Jim, Paula and Clarissa Rhule, who joined us for the day. Kate, through her Boogie Knight cohort Linda, had gotten a job at the Festival, selling hats, but wasn’t due to start for two weeks so this gave her a chance to check out the place. It’s nice set-up and certainly well spread out, not as large as Tuxedo Park in NY, but still good-sized. Plenty of choices for food (very reasonably priced) and some fine shops. Robbie came with a fistful of cash to buy himself a souvenir and something for his girl friend. He also borrowed from Linda a kilt so came somewhat dressed for the affair.
Entering the fair was like being the new kid in school. So many people knew one another, came in costume, and were part of a large club. They knew the bands and comedic performers, knew when to chime in and where to be without looking at the schedule. It felt great and not at all exclusionary (unlike, say, high school). The Rhules took us to see some of their favorite performers such as The Rogues (an instrumental, bag pipe heavy group) and Hack and Slash (two comedians). We sampled other stuff along the way. Kate got herself shoes, a corset, earrings and a drum, stuff she will need to complete her Boogie outfit for both performances (such as this weekend’s trip to Dragon Con) and for selling at the Faire. Robbie, with Kate’s help, got a necklace for Stephanie and then bought himself a finely made wooden katana and hilt.
The Faire ended with a pub sing where two different bands jammed in the band shell. Lyric sheets were handed out and we spent an hour or so in fine company, enjoying the music — some familiar, some new — and had a great end to the event. Kate’s going to love working there through the fall.
We returned to the hotel and chose to stay in. I ran back out to pick up KFC for dinner and we ordered our first hotel movie of any vacation. After much debate we settled on National Treasure which was well-made and fine entertainment for winding down.
On Sunday, we headed back down the block to a coffeehouse for breakfast, then loaded the car and left town. We found a Safeway and loaded Kate up with lots of food for the dorm. Then we headed to Washington, D.C. and the end of the vacation. By arriving Sunday, we avoided the freshman move-in madness of the day before. Still, parking was an issue so we pulled in front of her dorm, unloaded and I went to park. Deb guarded the goods while Kate and Robbie began hauling things to the room. Her new sophomore set-up is much nicer than the freshman dorm. It’s really an apartment: two bedrooms, two bathrooms, closets, a kitchen and a common area. The dorm is air conditioned and each dorm room has a mini washer and dryer so laundry is much easier. Her three roommates were out so she could drop her stuff and put things away without distraction.
We brought along one prop to complete the trip. Deb has taken First Day of School pictures of the kids, all standing front of the mailbox. Since we replaced the mailbox the day before vacation, we added it to the car – much to Kate’s surprise. The final thing we did as a foursome, was have Kate pose in front of the mailbox by her dorm. She thought it was cheesy but indulged her mother. I swore, though, we wouldn’t bring it to Cairo for Kate’s junior year abroad.
After hugs and kisses, three of us returned to the car and hit the road. Last year, the trip home took 8 hours. I was hoping to cut it down closer to the Should Be 5.5 hours. Well, it took 7.5 hours given all the volume through Maryland and Delaware and then the Garden State Parkway and Tappan Zee Bridge. Robbie and Deb napped a lot, I listened to the Mets give away a game to the Giants, and we got home around 8 p.m. The car was quickly unloaded and everything put away within an hour (which is how I like it).
And that was it. Nine days of lots of fun and family bonding. As I talked about the trip a little to people at work, it was noted by the listeners that we must have done something right raising the kids if we could still have this much family fun while they were 17 and 19. They’re right, and I take a lot of pride in that. It was fun. Everyone got to do things they wanted (except for not playing mini-golf) and we did plenty together. It was a terrific way to end the summer.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 11:03 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
August 28, 2005
Small Town Politics
The third and final rumination before I return from vacation...
You can always tell when the campaign season begins in Fairfield. Just check the letters to the editor in the two local papers.
People write in either castigating the opponent or praising their guy. They usually pick some recent comment or issue and use it as a platform. And they’re so obvious about it. However, they get column inches and people read it and most nod in agreement regardless of what’s being said.
As I’ve stated previously, I’m appalled at how people glean their local news on the issues that directly affect them not from the page one stories but from these letters. Some are so regular in their writing, usually one-note cranks with too much time on their hands and I suspect readers finally twig on to the fact and screen those out. But the other letters, those may make or break an election.
Our current incumbent actually lost his first re-election bid because the weekend before the election a mass mailing from the Republicans grossly distorted quotes and facts. Rather than ferret out the facts, these people seemed to believe the clearly political mailing and it swayed the vote. The winner that year lasted a mere one term and was last seen arrested on DWI charges (no kidding).
I remain amazed and appalled at the levels people will stoop to get their message out. You think the national campaigns are ugly? Try small town politics. A few years ago, a member of our Board of Ed sent out anonymous e-mails to the Republican candidate for First Selectman. These were nasty and sent anonymously. The candidate, seeing a potential threat, turned the e-mails over to the police. The police, in turn, contacted AOL and asked the identity of the e-mail account. The results outed the Board of Ed jerk and he slunk off, out of the spotlight. But not entirely. He struck back, suing the town for revealing his name. The multiple count case, it was ruled last week, may go to trial because it appears the police made some mistakes. One of them was faxing an unsigned search warrant to AOL, which AOL honored. So, he’s now the hurt party but I can only hope Dick Saxl, the town’s nattily-attired attorney, will remind the court that this Board of Ed member hid behind a false name to viciously attack someone else. No guts.
It’d be nice if people discussed the issues calmly, rationally, using 27 8x10 color, glossy photographs with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one. And then, it’d be nice if the electorate bothered to read up on the issues, the candidates and paid more than a passing interest in what’s happening in town. All too often they remain in a fog until something directly affects them and suddenly the NIMBY crowd forms from the ether and they get loud and annoying.
I can always dream.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 10:05 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
August 25, 2005
More Cowbell
Snurched from Wired.com
START/ZeitgeistFive years ago, Saturday Night Live spoofed the making of Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) the Reaper." The laugh line: Guest host Christopher Walken, playing a superproducer, tells the band, "I've got a fever, and the only prescription is … more cowbell!" But unlike other SNL one-liners - "You look mahvelous!" "Isn't that special?" - "more cowbell" didn't catch on instantly. It incubated online for years, only recently reaching the mainstream as the ultimate universal inside joke. Here are the memorable moments in the catchphrase's rise.
MAY 2000
The editors at Geek Speak Weekly start the Cowbell Project, dedicated to listing all rock songs that feature a cowbell.FEB 2003
A band in Rochester begins calling itself More Cowbell after seeing the skit online.AUG 2003
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell, including the Blue Öyster Cult skit, is released on DVD.JUL 2004
"More cowbell" is entered into the Urban Dictionary. Definition: 1) something everybody needs more of. 2) a remedy.JUL 2004
The Sports Guy - aka ESPN's Bill Simmons - adds the phrase as the tagline for his online column.AUG 2004
Busted Tees rolls out one of the first More Cowbell T-shirts. It becomes a best-seller.OCT 2004
"I hear about it everywhere I go," Walken tells the Orlando Sentinel.OCT 2004
Wilco covers "(Don't Fear) the Reaper" for the first of many times.JAN 2005
The New Yorker mentions the phrase in an article about CollegeHumor.com.JAN 2005
"I've seen [the skit] 20 times and I'm still not tired of it," BÖC guitarist "Buck Dharma" Roeser tells The Washington Post.MAY 2005
Queens of the Stone Age performs on SNL - with Will Ferrell on cowbell.- David Goldenberg
As proclaimed previously, the BÖC’s Eric Bloom is my uncle and it’s sorta cool that they’re involved in something that has entered our pop cultural lexicon.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 10:09 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
August 22, 2005
Bibliography - One Year Later
It's been just over a year and a few new things have been added so I thought it'd be worthwhile to post a revised list.
BOOKS
Non-Fiction
As Xavier Einstein:
Trivia Mania: Comics & Cartoons / Zebra Books, 1984
As Robert Greenberger:
The DC Comics Encyclopedia (with Phil Jimenez, Scott Beatty and Dan Wallace) / DK Books, 2004
3 essays
You Did What? : Mad Plans and Great Historical Disasters Edited by Bill Fawcett / Perennial Currents, 2004
Young Adult Non-Fiction:
all published by Rosen Books
Baseball Hall of Famers: Lou Gehrig
Basketball Hall of Famers: Wilt Chamberlain
Cool Careers Without College for People Who Love to Drive
Famous Movie Monsters: Godzilla
Great Scientific Questions and the Scientists who Answered Them: The Nature of Energy
Gus Grissom: The Tragedy of Apollo 1
A Historical Atlas of Pakistan
Juan Ponce de Leon: The Exploration of Florida and the Search for the Fountain of Youth
The Library of Graphic Novelists: Will Eisner
Primary Sources of Revolutionary Scientific Discoveries and Theories: Darwin and the Theory of Evolution
The Technology of Ancient China
Cool Careers Without College for People Who Love Organzing (2006)
Fiction
Novels
As David Evans:
Time Station Berlin
Ace Books, 1997
As Robert Greenberger:
Star Trek
#59: The Disinherited (with Michael Jan Friedman and Peter David)
Star Trek: The Next Generation
#12: Doomsday World (with Michael Jan Friedman, Peter David, and Carmen Carter)
#35: The Romulan Stratagem
Q�s Guide to the Universe (with Michael Jan Friedman)
Doors into Chaos (Gateways Book 3)
What Lay Beyond: �The Other Side� (Gateways Book 7)
A Time to Love
A Time to Hate
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
#20: Wrath of the Prophets (with Michael Jan Friedman and Peter David)
Star Trek: S.C.E.
#15: �Past Life (also collected in the book Star Trek: SCE No Surrender)
#32: Buying Time (to be collected in 2005�s Star Trek: SCE-Aftermath)
Star Trek Short Stories
Hour of Fire in Star Trek: Enterprise Logs
Lefler�s Logs in Star Trek: New Frontier No Limits
A Song Well Sung in Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War
Command Code in Star Trek Voyager: Distant Shores
Fiction
Short Stories
Memories of Erin� in Bolos Book 4: Last Stand / Baen Books, 1997
Solo in Mob Magic / Daw Books, 1998
A Matter of Faith in Oceans of Space / Daw Books, 2002
Comic Books
"Tomorrow is Canceled" (with Barbara Randall)
Action Comics #574
"The Back-Up"
Batman Annual #11
DC Comics Presents #93 (with Barbara Randall)
Firestorm #80
"A Princess' Story"
Secret Origins #28
Star Trek #28
Suicide Squad #38
Articles, Introductions, Reviews, etc.
Amazing Heroes
The Comics Journal
Comics Scene
Cosmic Odyssey
Fangoria
Headliner
Heavy Metal
Justice League of America Archives Vol. 7
Starlog
Editorial Work
Starlog Press
Starlog, associate editor September 1980 - January 1984
Comics Scene, founding editor, first run, 11 issues November 1981 - Septmber 1983
Fangoria #9-17, managing editor
DC Comics
Editor
Action Comics Weekly #601-642
all covers, various features
Alien Nation movie adaptation
The Atlantis Chronicles mini-series
Blasters Special
DC Challenge #3-12
DC Focus
DC Sampler #3
DC Spotlight
Deadshot min-series
Doom Patrol #6-25
Doom Patrol/Suicide Squad Special co-edited with Mike Gold
Flash Gordon #1-9
The Hacker Files #1-12
Heroes Against Hunger
Lois Lane mini-series
Mask co-edited with Mike Gold #1-6; #7-9
Mister Miracle Special co-edited with Richard Bruning
The Phantom mini-series, #1-6
Power Girl mini-series
Secret Origins (modern day half) #4, 6-16, 20, 21
The Spectre #1-15, Annual #1
Starman #1-12
Star Trek #20-56, Annual #1-3, #1-31, Annual #1-2
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock adaptation
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home adaptation
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier adaptation
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country adaptation
Star Trek: The Next Generation mini-series, #1-31, Annual #1-2
Star Trek: The Modala Imperative mini-series
Suicide Squad #1-30, Annual #1
Teen Titans Spotlight #19
Time Masters mini-series
V #7-18
Warlord #109-131, Annual #6
Who's Who #13-26
Who's Who in Star Trek #1-2
Who's Who Update '87 #1-5
Wrath of the Spectre #1-4
Associate Editor
Crisis on Infinite Earths #1-12 (co-plotted #1)
History of the DC Universe#1-2 (coordinating editor)
Legends
Star Trek #9-19
V #1-6
Who's Who #1-12
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 19, 2005
Hitting the Road
Yesterday I reviewed a ton of projects and discovered that my biggest titles are well in hand. A good time to go on vacation.
Today, DC happens to be closed for a summer holiday today so I get to be home to run errands, do laundry, pack, stop newspaper delivery and…write. I just completed the sample chapter a media tie-in pitch and sent it off, my chief personal goal of the day. Now I can concentrate on the family, which should be fun. Kate will accompany on some errands, we may catch a flick and tonight we host a gathering of her pals so she is certain to see most of them before heading back to college as part of the trip.
We’re making a swing along the east coast, stopping in the Philly suburbs, Hershey Park, Annapolis, Towson College, the Maryland Renaissance Faire and finally, George Washington University. Something for everyone.
I’ve left a few posts to upload while I’m gone and will be back with fresh commentary and observations the 29th.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 10:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 17, 2005
At Last, the Answers
I invited questions and I got them. Not as many about non-DC stuff as I would have liked but them’s the breaks. I’m going to do the best I can with what’s been asked without giving away secrets and the like.
1) It's July 31, after 4pm. How do you like your Mets?
I didn’t want Manny Ramirez and just as happy that deal fell through. The Mets can’t seem to get into a rhythm and are the posters boys for average. They can’t seem to put together a few winning streaks to push themselves well beyond the .500 mark so I think we’re stuck for the rest of the season. They needed bullpen help and the best arm out there went to the Braves. However, we’re setting up a team that should break out of mediocrity next year when Mike Pizza is gone and they have his $15 million salary to spend on a few guys.
2) Absolute editions are hard to resist. They're really a great format. 2005 sees four such volumes set on the schedule, including three in the last half of the year! This seems to me to be evidence that this is a format that DC is really excited about. Can we expect a similar output of Absolute editions next year?
Yes, DC likes the Absolute format but we’re being selective. 2005 was an unusual year and just because we’re releasing four this year doesn’t mean we’ll release four or more in future years.
3) What advice would you have for someone looking to break into the industry as an editor?
Ask a dozen editors how they got in and you’ll get at least a baker’s dozen replies. Having a college degree in English or related fields certainly helps. Being an intern who wows the top brass doesn’t hurt. Starting at a smaller publishing house isn’t a bad way to go. Honestly, getting any staff job in publishing, not just comics, is tough. Timing and location has as much to do with your qualifications. Determination and drive are also key qualities.
4) Who cuts your hair?
A lovely woman named Grace, who cuts not only my hair, but Deb’s, and has been handling us for, gosh, about a decade now.
5) Any plans for the '70s All-Star/Adventure JSA/Super Squad stories? The
Wood-inked stories would fit nicely in one volume with the Joe Staton stuff filling
volume 2. This would be a great follow-up to the recently completed All-Star
Archives!
Nothing currently planned but it’s something we’re always talking about given how many of us are fond of the material.
6) What are the factors when deciding which books DC decides to collect into
TPB? I ask as one of those people still waiting for the next editions of Gotham
Central and Greg Rucka's Wonder Woman...
As with any of our titles, sales history, retailer and reader demand gets taken into consideration. We have only so many hours in the day, so many books we feel will sell in a given year and we try and strike a balance across not only the DCU options but the entire line from WildStorm to Vertigo. Every year is juggling act that gets constantly refined as we watch changes in the marketplace. There will be more volumes from both of those titles.
7) What sort of work goes into editing a collected edition of material already
published in the magazine format? The actual story's already been done, but I'm
sure there's more to it than that when it comes to the TPB, extras or no
extras...
Well, if it’s current material, we determine how many issues make up the proper volume which helps set page count. Since we work in multiples of 16 or 32 (the way the paper is folded into signatures for printing), the story content helps determine the page count. Once we see what’s leftover, we figure out the front and back matter which can be as simple as title, credits, cover gallery and a backlist. Other times we have room and material to do things like the recent two-pager on the Flash statue in The Secret Life of Barry Allen. We also pick a cover, sometimes commissioning a new piece of art.
If it’s older material that needs reconstruction or recoloring, we determine what materials are on hand and get started on ordering film or stats which then have to checked, proofread, colored and turned into digital files. The rest is pretty much the same. Trust me, I’ve simplified it a lot .
8) Do you see any chance for softcover versions of DC Archives ever happening?
We’ve pretty much said there won’t be softcover versions. The closest you’ll find are the Chronicles series of titles we’re starting. We release Batman Chronicles this year and have announced Superman Chronicles for next year.
9) With the Showcase books coming up, (which I have preordered and will continue to with each one -- I have been waiting for something like this from DC for a
long time) how obscure can the characters showcased (pun not intended) get? Not
that I expect to see B’wana Beast, Congo Bill, or Ultra the Multi Alien, but is
Eclipso or Bat Lash possible? What about Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen or dare I ask,
Superboy or Sugar and Spike?
Honestly, we have the first 10 or so mapped out and once we see the sales figures this fall, we’ll figure out what to do afterwards. By sampling major and minor heroes plus off-genre stuff in the first 10, it’ll help gauge what we think will work best. Everyone has their wish lists ready so the debating should be fun and spirited.
10) Continuing with Showcase -- how often will a second Superman, Green Lantern,
Justice League et al follow after the first? And are the stories chronological?
To quote myself, “Once we see the sales figures this fall, we’ll figure out what to do afterwards.” Yes, everything is planned to run chronologically.
11) My question is, with all the work you do in the comics *field,* did you ever
want to write more (or any) comics yourself?
Good question. I don’t think I’m anything more than a middling comic book writer, but with a mere five or six stories, I also don’t know if I ever got the chance to really see what I could do. Also, I never had a burning desire to write any one character that had me campaign for a shot. At the time I did these stories, I was more interested in editing and then managing than actually writing. Also, at the time, my disciplines was more for non-fiction than fiction but that evolved with time.
12) Any non-superhero reprints (a la Jonah Hex and Rock's Battle Tales) that
you can tell us about? I'm especially interested in old romance comics (though I
doubt there's much of a market for 'em), Bat Lash, and Mark Chiarello's idea for a
Best of Toth collection ...
Sorry, you’ll have to wait for announcements.
13) Is DC going to try different genres with Showcase besides super-heroes (e. g., Sugar & Spike, Sea Devils, "The War That Time Forgot" from Star-Spangled War
Tales, Rip Hunter, plus countless others)?
As I mentioned, we’re looking at other genres, not just western with Jonah Hex. Again, wait for announcements.
14) Are obscure super-heroes (such as Metamorpho) more likely to debut in DC
Showcase versus DC Archives?
As I mentioned, we’re looking at other second tier heroes, not just the Man of 1000 Elements. Again, wait for announcements.
15) For SHOWCASE: Can you tell us the expected ratio between releases which have
some material already Archived and those which will be collected for the first time?
There’s no set formula in place. Everything is being taken on a case-by-case basis.
16) I've enjoyed a seeming change in DC's trade paperbacks over the last three years more toward resembling graphic novels; for example, the retitling of issues as "chapters" in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, and the removal of author credits at the beginning of each issue in Teen Titans: A Kid's Game. Was this a conscious effort, and if so, what were some of the catalysts or thinking behind it? What changes or improvements do you think we'll see in trade paperbacks over the next three years?
Yes, we wanted to improve the reading experience for everyone. By collecting these stories into one volume, we wanted the books, where appropriate, to feel like a single experience. Having the lettering all digital now helps those efforts tremendously. Since the mass market world considers any comics material between cardboard covers a graphic novel, we try and deliver on that promise.
Changes in the next three years? Personally, I’d love to see more non-super-hero stuff from our library as well as constantly experimenting with different formats from digests to coffeetable books. As the marketplace evolves, it’d be nice to find, say, a western collection in the western section but convincing the retailers this works is another matter.
17) What is some of the division of labor in the Collected Editions department?
Do the Collected Editions editors both copyedit and, say, choose the color and
embossing of a hardcover's endpapers, or does that go to a design department?
How much input does a monthly title's editor have on their titles' trade paperbacks?
DC has a Collected Editions department consisting of four editors, plus a Design Department with three people dedicated to the collections. So, once we have approved titles, we divide the titles among ourselves. With the Art Directors, we discuss cover choices and decisions over the look of the collection. It’s the ADs who request special treatments on our covers, usually just the hardcovers. If we’re collecting recent material, we always consult with the original series editors from content to cover choices. Again, a very simplified version of the work.
18) A little fan speculation: The trend this year appeared to be two trade paperbacks for many titles (Catwoman, Flash, Adventures of Superman and Action/i>, Superman/Batman, JLA/i>), with JSA even seeing three, moving toward lining all the trade paperbacks up with Identity Crisis by the year's end. Was this indeed intentional? Is there a move (or any interest) toward lining up the collected editions with milestones (bringing them all to the same timeframe as Countdown, then bringing them all to the same timeframe as Infinite Crisis)? What will the focus or some of the goals of the mainstream DCU trade paperback program be next year, during the year of Infinite Crisis?
There’s been a great deal of debate among fans and retailers regarding the timing of a collection. With no clear cut answer out there, we try and do our best when crafting a publishing plan. Obviously, with the renewed interest in the DCU as a whole thanks to these major events, we’ve quickened the pace on some collections to take advantage of that interest.
19) How much emphasis is placed when making the trade paperback schedule on catching the trade paperbacks up with "real time"? Is there a length of time that you feel is too soon for a trade to come out after the monthly issue? Too long after?
See above. I’ll add that yes, sometimes too much time has passed for a potential collection if the status quo or creative team changes and going back doesn’t make commercial sense.
20) Do you find it difficult to focus at work and not just start reading all the great classics you get to work with? I could never do your job... I'd be distracted!
Difficult? Sometimes daunting if I have to read through 500+ pages of a Showcase title in a week, fitting it in around the rest of the work. I do relish the chance to re-read a story arc in one sitting or stuff I’ve never gotten to read such as the first Archive I’m collecting for the end of this year.
21) Do you find that re-reading the classics is not as fun as it used to be now
that it is your job?
I’m still a fan and re-reading the classics is a perk. No question about that.
22) Is there any work for a young dynamic old-timer like me back at the home-ranch?
I’ve answered this one privately, but I’ll say this: if someone can still write or draw and wants to work for DC, checking with the current editors never hurts since, after all, you never know what may happen.
23) Any chance of using the new Showcase format to reprint the Rozakis-era SSOSV books and related JLA issues? I think it would make a nice tie-in to the Villains United collection.
For now, the Showcase titles are looking at a slightly earlier era than the mid to late 1970s.
24) I really appreciate the extras you put into the TPBs you edit. (For example, the JSA intro pages and the bonus cover repros in the Imaginary Stories book).
I would like to ask if you could try to include something that really shouldn't be considered extra -- page numbers. Unlike other publishers, DC is usually pretty good about putting page numbers on their books, but lately I've noticed more and more seem to be lacking this basic feature.
Yeah, I like page numbers too. However, it can be tricky given the way artists bleed the drawings off the bottom of the pages these days.
25) You work for media company (DC Comics) and you also do writing projects for other companies and publishers (the Eisner bio, your Star Trek novels, etc.)
Obviously, the "outside" writing you're doing isn't really competitive with anything's DC's doing. But I've come to realize that every media company has different policies and attitudes toward employees' extra projects. Does DC have any (formal or informal) opinion or approval over your other projects?
Most major corporations have police regarding this and Time Warner is no exception. It’s only been a problem once over all these years so I have nothing to complain about. A buddy of mine, though, got a far more draconian document to sign over at his mega-corporation. Once he and his lawyer read it over, it became apparent that his life as freelance writer would be forever compromised. Being a member of the Screenwriter’s Guild allowed him to bring in their lawyers and the mega-corporation was stunned to see just how restrictive and possibly illegal their original document was. Things got worked out but I’m thankful this wasn’t me.
26) Does DC plan to do a TPB of Tony Isabella's Black Lightning? And if not, can
you push for one? It's the book I would most like to see from DC.
Never say never.
No plans right now.
28) Marvel recently published a Steve Ditko Visionaries volume. Are there any plans for DC Comics to publish any of Ditko's DC works in trade paperbacks or hardcovers?
No plans right now.
29) Do you follow The Phantom in the recent newspaper strips? How do you feel about the comic series after Lee Falk passed away?
Honestly, it’s better written now than in Falk’s last few years where clearly his imagination and storytelling skills were fading. That said, the current daily storyline, Paul Ryan’s first as artist, has dragged out about a month longer than necessary. The Phantom is an action/adventure strip and watching him endlessly walk through a tomb has gotten very boring.
The Sunday feature, with neat art by Graham Nolan, is more lively. In both cases, though, it’d be nice to see a little more character interaction. Diana and the kids are way too off stage for my taste. It’s about time the twins grew up and we watched the current Phantom start to age and so on.
I do like the fact that both storylines are drawn by old pals of mine since I have loved the Phantom ever since I first read his adventures in the Long Island Press.
30) You have written and co-written some great comic books. Will you do any freelance work for DC in the nearest future?
Nice of you to say. Once a year, a project comes along that I’m suited to and get permission to contribute. This year it was writing nearly half the questions for a Batman Trivia Game; last year was the terrific DC Comics Encyclopedia. Makes curious to see what next year brings. Also, I do a lot of uncredited writing in all of my collections such as the Cast of Characters and What Came Before type of pages so I get to flex here and there.
31) Are there plans for more Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League trade paperbacks?
Well, I Can’t Believe it’s Not the Justice League will be out later this year and I’d still like to get the older The Secret Gospel According to Maxwell Lord back into print but no such plans right now.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 10:03 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
August 16, 2005
In Happier News
Just to show that not everything has been depressing or frustrating, allow me to mention the good things that have happened lately.
On Saturday, we spent the afternoon at the home of Paul and Robin Kupperberg, joined by several others. The moment I stepped foot into the house, they lost power. What’s odd about that is the fact we had rain and thunder the night before but it took over 12 hours before they lost electricity. Regardless, we had a swell time, eating loads of good stuff and chatting up a storm.
We left in time to return to Fairfield and catch Robbie in his final performance as the Steward in the Fairfield Teen Theatre Company’s Into the Woods. The Steward was originally described to me as comic relief and he did what he could with it, having fun along the way. Since he accompanied one of the princes on his quest, and the prince was using a toy horse as his steed, my son came up with a great bit – he’d use his souvenir Spamalot cocoanuts to provide the appropriate sound effect. And sure enough, the audience laughed. It was a stronger performance than opening night and the kids were genuinely sad to see the experience come to an end.
During Intermission, we were working our way out of the theatre when we were assaulted by Katie. The Katie that wasn’t due home from Washington until today. She arranged, a month ago, to take her Arabic final early, and sneak home to surprise us. Her co-conspirator Kelly arranged tickets, collected her at the Amtrak station and slipped her into the theatre after us. It was an absolutely terrific surprise.
Robbie’s reaction after the show was quite positive, as he threw himself around her and wouldn’t let go for some time. Having performed with many of these kids over the last few summers, once they spotted her, was quite the joyous reunion all the way around.
She has delighted in being home, sleeping in her bed, reading at her leisure and cooking whatever inspired her. We loved having her around to chat with at the dinner table or indulging her suggestion of watching Raiders of the Lost Ark afterwards (and boy, does that still hold up well after 20 years).
I’ve lamented to some that I was going to have to suffice having Kate around for just nine days and this surprise gave her to us for a full two weeks and I intend to enjoy each of those precious days.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 09:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 15, 2005
The Family Pets
Growing up, I had an allergy to pet dander plus my parents grew up in pet-less homes so I never had any animal as a part of my life.
Once we had kids, a pet seemed inevitable. Since Deb grew up with dogs, we started with Spooky, a mixed breed we picked up at the North Shore Animal League. He was great, growing up with Kate and then Robbie so was terrifically good natured. Then, around 8-9 years of age, we noticed his breathing was labored. The vet said it was as if he had been hit by a car, impossible since the yard is fenced. He was at the vet’s, under observation for a few days when I headed for the Chicago Comic Con and Deb attended an off-site meeting. And sure enough, we got the call from the vet, as he sounded bewildered. Spooky passed away without ever getting better and he wasn’t sure how and why but I know it stunned me as I took the call on the convention floor.
After Spooky passed, there was no question he’d be replaced and after a time, he was, with Dakota. A slightly larger dog and very friendly. He’s strong-willed and smart and despite the most powerful invisible fence collar and setting, still goes through the field when something piques his curiosity.
From age two or so, Kate wanted a cat. She spent nearly a year meowing when the mood struck her, lobbying as only a two year old can. Finally, for her fourth birthday, if I recall, she received a kitten, Zeke. They were an ideal pair and as Zeke aged, spent more and more time just hanging out in her room. Unfortunately, as she slowed down, our two dogs got more rambunctious and they’d tussle occasionally. Well, Robbie came home from school one afternoon last year, to find Zeke’s body in the living room. We swung into action, keeping Kate away from the house, breaking the news to her by phone as I rushed home to clean up. It was all very tragic and very sad.
After Zeke arrived and proved a successful addition to Spooky, we somehow got talked into adding a second cat. This one, a black and white named Thimble. I liked this one a lot since she fit snugly on my shoulder and liked it there. Turns out, Thimble had a heart defect and passed away within a year. This time, Deb rushed home to be with the kids.
Undaunted and kind hearted, Deb and Kate fell in love with Ben, a 13-year-old golden retriever who had been abandoned by his owners and was taken in by a rescue society. They were showcasing him at the local pet store when the girls found him. Somehow, I got talked into bringing him home and he joined the family. He was overweight, mostly deaf and slow. Still, he would go walkabout every now and then resulting in one of us chasing him up the block. Well, age caught up with him after nearly six months with us and he was ailing mightily in March. I took him to the vet a few times and was assured he needed to eat more and be watched. Instead, he ate less, grew a little incontinent and wasn’t improving. On the morning of Kate’s birthday party, he was barely moving. Without her noticing, thanks to houseful of girls who slept over, I took him to the vet, who drew blood and was ordering tests. When I returned home, I couldn’t move him out of the car. He had died on the way home. I went back to the vet, who joined me in the parking lot and that was that.
One day, in a moment of weakness, I mentioned that when Dakota needed replacing, we should get a golden retriever. Somehow, Deb and the kids turned this into we need a second dog…now. And we researched breeds and went to a dog show to sample the types and wound up settling on, not a golden, but an Australian Shepherd. We actually bought Dixie from a breeder and she’s been a fine addition. Often, when writing in the basement, she’ll curl up under the desk and keep me company, which I’ve grown to like.
So, with the constant comings and goings of animals, it was inevitable that Thimble would be replaced since the notion of a second cat worked. We got Snickerdoodle, named after the color of the cookie of the same name. She was trouble, this one. Liked to climb into the basement ceiling, her weight twisting and bending the drop-ceiling frame, clawed at our furniture, liked to sit in my lap and nibble at my fingers while I tried to write and, to me, was a general pain-in-the-ass. She and Zeke tolerated each other but never really bonded. Dakota also tolerated her. Dixie less so, and they’d snarl and snap at one another so we kept them apart. Over the last year or so, maybe in the absence of Zeke, they’d actually be near one another, nose to nose, or in the same room without incident. And just as quickly, someone would twitch and they’d be at one another with Snick hightailing back into the basement for safety.
About two weeks ago, Robbie noticed Snick’s front right paw at an odd angle and she was licking it. We took her to the vet who x-rayed it and said it was a serious sprain, not a break. We suspect Snick got into it with the dogs, but weren’t there to see what happened. Anyway, she was to be kept in a crate and observed. There was a risk of self-mutilation and it was almost a race to see if the paw would heal before she hurt herself further. Snick accepted the crate, listlessly staying put, barely eating and drinking. The only time Snick indicated a spark of life was when Kate turned up this weekend. But by then, the paw had gotten worse and we feared infection.
Yesterday, we paid a visit to the vet who examined the cat and agreed, the infection was worse and getting worse. We had two choices: amputation with a long recovery period or putting her to sleep. The one advantage to having Kate around was having her input. The one disadvantage to having Kate around was the emotional toll it took on her.
And us. We chose to put her to sleep and as the three of us said goodbye to the cat, it grew very emotional even for me, who never got along with the animal. And I’m writing this to work it through the emotions my system and I realize I’m tired of saying goodbye to the pets. It’s proving much harder than I imagined.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 10:08 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
August 14, 2005
America's Service Economy
We’ve been told that manufacturing jobs have moved south of the border because America has been shifting from an industrial economy to a service economy. The move has been gradual throughout the last century and picked up speed over the last decade or two.
In the mid-1980s, Time ran a cover story on this new service economy and pointed out that the service we were counting on, well, it wasn’t so good.
Recent experiences in 2005 prove things have not gotten much better.
Three weeks ago, we went to the local Verizon store to make an adjustment to Deb’s plan. We were told wait for the paperwork to clear in two weeks and then you can call and get everything adjusted to our liking. At the two week plus one day mark, I made the call and the woman at the Service Center was baffled why the paperwork hadn’t been done. I was directed to deal with the store directly. I waited until yesterday and made a visit only to discover the paperwork had still not been processed. The sales rep showed me a three inch stack of air with her fingers, indicating the backlog. “Yeah, we’re getting two or three of these a day and you just have to be patient.” I was told. Two or three a day and it takes over three weeks? I wouldn’t have been so frustrated had I not followed the company’s own instructions. So I wait.
About the same time, I took a Pepsi Star Wars promotional items to the local Mailboxes Etc. I paid them to pack the items and ship them to Louisiana where my good buddy Alan Chafin was awaiting receipt. The box gets there a day or two later than expected but arrives. However, Alan informs me, the box arrived half the size it was intended to, which meant the motorized Death Star looked like the Rebels had already paid it a visit. Apparently, it wasn’t packed very well nor was any care taken in its shipping.
A week later, our dishwasher died. It was old, estimated to have been installed somewhere in the late 1970s, early 1980s. The time had come and fortunately, it occurred while Sears was still having a dishwasher sale. In fact, it was the sale’s last day so we rearranged our plans and hightailed it after work to Milford. We deal with Dave, a lackadaisical and monotoned sales man. Deb had done her research at consumersreports.com and we had four models to check out, two of which they actually had. We debated the options and the warranties and the different rebates and discounts. We settled on our model and processed the paperwork. Dave hands me the receipt and I’m told that the unit will be ready on Aug. 6 but I should call Frank tomorrow morning to get an appointment set up. So, bright and early Saturday morning, I call Frank and get a guy who sounds as if I woke him up. Turns out, Frank’s an independent contractor and doesn’t normally work Saturdays. Thanks, Dave. I explain what’s up, he says since it won’t be ready until the 6th I should call back then. But, we make a tentative appointment for the 8th. Well, I call on the 6th to confirm the appointment since it would mean Deb working from home. Frank has no idea what I’m talking about. As we reconstruct events, he realizes he never received the paperwork from Dave. I call Dave. He swears he sent it and was re-faxing it immediately. Meantime, work intrudes and Deb can’t be home on Monday. I ask Frank if we could do it Saturday and since we both work in Manhattan, he takes pity and agrees. Then, Friday night, he leaves a message to say Saturday’s no good, can he do it Sunday? Sure, and yes, at 9 this morning Frank arrived and 90 minutes later, we have a new dishwasher installed and ready to use.
Last Sunday, Deb and I wanted to replace our mailbox. We took the old one off and noticed that the mounting board was really too small and we were better off getting the right sized one now. A quick trip to the local Home Depot, maybe half a mile from the house and we stare at an empty slot where the mounting boards belong. The helpful associate said the computer shows that a truck was arriving that night with fresh stock and by six a.m. Monday morning we could stop by and buy it. On Monday, we dispatch Robbie to pick up the item. The spot was still empty and the new associate informed him that stock never arrives on Sunday nights and regardless of what date is on the computer it’s always plus or minus a day or two. Come back in a few days he’s told. I return yesterday and the slot is still empty. The associate du jour looks it up and says, yep, 38 pieces arrived this week and he can’t find them. Must have sold out already. And there’s no indication a re-order was place. He wants to direct me to the Bridgeport or Norwalk stores. Instead, I go and find the store manager and point out he has a poorly trained staff and an inventory management issue. He looks up the SKU number and realizes that yes, 38 pieces arrived, but none were sold. This begins a hunt in the Loading Dock and elsewhere until I’m informed it’s here, probably buried beneath larger stock on a pallet somewhere. Come back in a few days. Which means I will now be making a fourth trip to a buy a $4 item.
It’s vexing to say the least. The number of gaffes above made by representatives of some major firms, shows this service economy of ours still has a few kinks to be worked out.
(And let’s not get me started on Cablevision again…)
The good news, though, is that Robbie got a job serving at the newly opened Cold Stone Creamery. I can guarantee you that his service will be exemplary – he’s having a lot of fun. Tip him and he’ll sing loudly.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 11:50 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
August 12, 2005
Tres Cool
Every morning I climb onto the 6:40 a.m. train into Manhattan with a cup of coffee and USA Today. I start with Sports and work my way through the sections.
Imagine my surprise getting to today's Weekend section and finding a cover image of my DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories Ever Told staring at me. The collection went on sale last week and, judging from the reactions on the Message Boards, it's a hit. I certainly enjoyed putting it together, from the new Brian Bolland cover to the final story, a personal favorite from my childhood.
Here's the brief write up:
DC compiles best of 'what if?' tales
Everyone knows superheroes are imaginary, but there was a time in the 1960s when some stories were too incredible to believe, even for a comic book. That's why comic-book fans of a certain age will grin like the Joker when they hear DC Comics has collected 11 such tales in a $19.99 softcover called DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories, on sale this month. These were stories readers wanted to see — Clark Kent choosing between Lois Lane and Lana Lang, Batman flying, Superman having twin sons — but which occurred outside regular continuity.
Among highlights: A 1946 story in which Captain Marvel is the last man left alive after an atomic war; a fanboy's fantasy in which Jimmy Olsen marries Supergirl; and the first official imaginary story from 1960, called "Mr. and Mrs. Superman."
Even though Superman ismarried these days, that cannot replace the charm of these simpler tales. The collection includes one of the most dramatic "what if?" tales of all: "The Death of Superman" from 1961, which imagined Lex Luthor murdering the Man of Steel, who is seen waving to his fans from the clouds in a touching final panel.
- David Colton
What a nice way to end the work week!
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 08:43 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
August 07, 2005
At the Movies
While I’ve never read War of the Worlds, I was fascinated by the story ever since I heard a re-broadcast of the Mercury Radio Theatre’s adaptation from 1938. I also really liked George Pal’s interpretation from 1953. So I was predisposed toward liking the current movie.
Deb and I finally got to see it last night and we were surprised by our strong dislike of the final product. Since it’s been out for weeks, I’m going to speak freely about it.
As written, the Tom Cruise character is an asshole. But also apparently, the only smart guy around. He seems to be the only one to figure out there’s something amiss, adding up a clue here and a clue there so he always knows how to get out of trouble while his fellow humans get trashed.
As written, the Tom Cruise character is an asshole. But also, apparently, an idiot. When he gets to Eowyn’s home, he immediately pulls out his old peanut butter to feed the kids. He’s standing in a kitchen, complains about the crap Robbie packed, and starts making PB sandwiches. He’s standing in a kitchen and doesn’t take time to restock his food supplies And as he watches the TV people stock up on bottled water from the crashed airplane, he doesn’t think to take any for him and the kids.
The way the aliens operate is also wildly inconsistent. Established early on, we get the storm, the EMP pulse and the lightning which is actually shooting the aliens to their craft. It happens several times. Except at the Ferry when the alien craft just rises out of the water without any of the above and we know that because the Ferry manages to work. So, these aliens seem to require human organic matter to operate the machines or live on while they begin terraforming the world. But early on, all we see them do is zap people into dust, we don’t see the collection process until much later nor do we see those underside collection baskets until Tom and Rachel are captured. Didn’t the earlier ships require organics? And if they want to eradicate life as we know it, boy are the inefficient seeing as how many people are still surviving in each town we pass through.
Apparently, in the America depicted in this movie, people would rather stand stock still in stupefaction or work as a mob. Except for our hero. He seems to be the only one to think and act about self-preservation (well, except of course stocking up on food and water more than once). When the car is stopped by the mob, I found it odd that in small town America; people had all of one pistol among them. This in a country where people vigorously fight to keep arms and yet…where were the rifles, the bullies appointing themselves in charge and other aspects of American life as we know it? Missing.
The storytelling is also not at the same level one would expect from a Steven Spielberg production. We, the viewer, can add two and two about the EMPs around the world and odd lightning, but apparently, no one in the movie can when it begins to happen in New Jersey. And the whole conversation between Tom Cruise and the TV truck people is an info dump that brings the movie to a grinding halt. Similarly, Robbie vanishes and somehow makes it to Boston unscathed and we aren’t told how, just a pat Hollywood ending. So, Boston is trashed, except for this one upscale section of town. And those streets are deserted o why on Earth is Eowyn at the door, when Tom and Rachel make it to the street? And how did they know to stay in their home rather than flee for safety?
(A peevish aside: just the day before, I read Ann Robinson’s interview in Starlog, where she extolled the magnitude of the role she and Gene Barry – stars of the original film – played, comparing it as more significant than the Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill cameo in Superman—the Movie. Then I saw the movie and they stand in the doorway, waving at the camera for about as long as Alyn and Neill sat on the train watching a speedy Clark run by them. Boy, talk about self-delusional.)
We don’t know a thing about what drove Tom and Eowyn apart, what makes Tom tick, why he’s a bad father (and sorry, no father would ever forget a peanut butter allergy since his daughter’s birth), why Robbie is a jerk to everyone but Rachel and so on. Lots of screaming and yelling, “Little Deuce Coupe” in lieu of a lullaby (awww), and running but nothing that tells us who these people are and why we should care.
The movie does a nice job building suspense and creating a sense of terror but that’s about it.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 09:51 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
August 04, 2005
Joining the Club
Growing up reading comics, I found myself drawn more to comics featuring teams than individuals. Books like JLA and Legion of Super-Heroes (then in Adventure Comics) rose to the top of my reading pile and I adored any issue of Green Lantern that featured the Corps.
Professionally, I consider myself a top-notch team player and enjoy the collaborative process both at DC and in some of my freelance work.
So, you might imagine I enjoy being a member of clubs, of sorts. I subscribe to a number of mailing lists covering topics from Star Trek to the nearly forgotten TV series Search. Recently, I joined another list for media tie-in writers and now they’re forming a real club, or organization similar to the Science Fiction Writers of America.
From the chair, my old Starlog colleague Lee Goldberg:
What is a Tie-In Writer?
We write science fiction, westerns, mysteries, romance and thrillers and sometimes all of the above. Our work embraces just about every genre you can think of, from Star Trek to CSI, from Gunsmoke to Murder She Wrote, from Dune to James Bond, from Resident Evil to Lizzie McGuire.
Our books are original tie-in novels, comic books and short stories based on existing characters from movie, TV series, books, games, and cartoons -- or they are novelizations (books based on screenplays for movies and TV shows).
Tie-ins and novelizations are a licensed works -- meaning they are written with the permission and supervision of the creators, studios, or other rights-holders of the original characters.
Well-known tie-in writers include Kingsley Amis, Kevin J. Anderson, Raymond Benson, Gregory Benford, Lawrence Block, David Brin, Greg Bear, Max Brand, Orson Scott Card, Leslie Charteris, Arthur C. Clarke, Max Allan Collins, Peter David, Ian Fleming, Alan Dean Foster, John Gardner, Elizabeth Hand, Stuart Kaminsky, David Morrell, Robert B. Parker, Robert Silverberg, Theodore Sturgeon, and Jim Thompson to name just a few.
Our books are published by the major publishing companies, are available everywhere, sell tens of millions of copies worldwide and regularly appear on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists -- but the actual craft of tie-in writing goes largely unrecognized and is greatly misunderstood.
The International Association of Media Tie-In Writers will change all that.
Why the IAMTW?
Tie-writers and their work are often overlooked and under-appreciated by existing organizations like the Mystery Writers of America, Science Fiction Writers of America, and the Romance Writers of America, even though some of their most respected members work in the field. Tie-ins represent a huge percentage of the books published each year, they are enormously successful and are widely enjoyed by readers. And yet we have no organization that represents our unique business and professional interests nor acknowledges excellence in our field.
Until now. Until the IAMTW. The name itself is a declaration of pride in what we do: I AM a T ie-in W riter. We say it with pride because we are very proud of what we do and the books we write.
The IAMTW is dedicated to enhancing the professional and public image of tie-in writers -- to working with the media to review tie-in novels and publicize their authors -- to educating people about who we are and what we do -- and to providing a forum for tie-in writers to share information, support one another, and discuss issues relating to field. Our members include authors active in many other professional writer organizations (MWA, PWA, WGA, SFWA, etc.) and who bring those unique perspectives to their work for their fellow tie-in writers.
Every major industry has an award for excellence in their field...not just books, movies, records, and TV show. Awards are a demonstration that people take pride in their work and strive to constantly do better. Respect from ones peers is important...and, up until now, tie-in writers haven't even been able to enjoy that, despite our impressive sales. Our Scribe Awards will celebrate excellence in our craft and, at the same time, draw attention to tie-in writers among publishers, booksellers and readers.
Since Lee posted this to the mailing list, people have considered the ramifications of the organization but have spent more time dissecting what the awards should be and how they should be handled.
To me, it’s putting the emphasis in all the wrong places. The organization needs to find an identity, picking what we like best from not only SFWA but all the other genres that have groups from Suspense writers to Romance writers. Then, once we get our footing established, then worry about things like awards for greater recognition.
Having never been in on the ground floor of such an organization before, this should be fascinating. I should make popcorn.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 01:28 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
August 01, 2005
The 41-minute Hour
Over the weekend, Robbie expressed a desire to see Stealth. I told him it was an old story, better told by Star Trek. After dinner last night, we were looking for something to watch and Deb suggested we show him the episode. Well, twist my arm…
Sure enough, “The Ultimate Computer” was a little over-the-top, a little ham-fisted in its message but still, a very entertaining story. About the biggest difference between this and the new movie is Jessica Biel in a bikini.
One of the things I noticed about the show was that the characters talked to one another. It wasn’t just exposition, but the characters discussed their feelings, their doubts and fears about man being replaced by machine. Even Spock got off some interesting observations such as his desire not to serve under a machine.
I delighted in letting the characters breath, so to speak and then I was reminded of an article I read the other week. David Kelly, the terrific producer of Boston Legal, etc. lamented that going into the new season he had maybe 41 minutes to tell his story every week. He lost time to opening and closing credits but the vast majority of the remaining 19 minutes was devoted to commercials.
The Star Trek episode, with credits, ran 51 minutes. So, since the late 1960s, producers have lost 10 minutes of storytelling time. Who suffers? Well, the actors for one who generally don’t get a lot to do. The writers also are hurting because they need to strip down their stories or worse, dumb them down.
Obviously it can be done. We’ve delighted in Aaron Sorkin’s use of language and theatrics for several seasons and lately there have been Battlestar Galactica, Gilmore Girls, and yes, even Boston Legal which seem to rise above the time constraints.
Still, Kelly complained that at this rate he would have to look to the basic cable or pay cable channels to get more time for his stories. After all, when HBO says you’re getting an hour program, you’re getting as many as 58-59 minutes of that hour most weeks.
I suppose an alternative would be to lengthen the shows to 90 minutes, have few clutter the schedule and really let the writers have a field day. Guys like Kelly could rise to the occasional and even Dick Wolf might find ways to make the extra time work. Other shows, weaker efforts, would merely flounder. Then again, it’s always been survival of the fittest and this would just be another test.
With so many commercials cluttering the hour, it’s no wonder our family has evolved to time shifting just about all out TV watching so we can zip through the commercials and do 4-5 hours of programming in closer to 3.5 hours. A much more effective use of my time, but not necessarily equaling better entertainment.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 10:40 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack