Holy Cowbells Batman! Delays!!!

A few months back, I commented on Marvel Comics' ongoing crossover event titled Civil War. The crossover deals with the registration of the Marvel Universe’s superheroes after a couple of them accidentally killed a group of civilians. Mark Millar, the brain child behind the whole thing, frequently claimed that it was some type of allegory for the American Patriot Act, something I took issue with.

Well for any of you who cared, the entire event has been delayed significantly. For those of us who read comic books religiously, delays are not a new thing. This delay has hit harder than others however. You see, when one comic gets delayed, it simply comes out a month or so behind schedule and it pisses off the readers who pick it up regularly. But when it does eventually come out, it continues the story and you eventually forget that the pace had been busted. With a massive crossover event like Civil War, one where almost every title within its universe is somehow affected, it messes with the entire publishing schedule for all the other books that somehow deal with the event. Let me explain.

In issue 2 of Civil War, Spiderman unmasks himself on live television to show his dedication to the cause of superhero registration. For a hero that has so actively protected his identity over the last 30+ years, this was a big thing. But lets say issue #2 of Civil War was delayed 2 months, but the folks who work on the monthly Spiderman titles were not. Obviously, this would ruin the entire punch line for the main Civil War book. On top of that, the writers working on the Spiderman titles would only touch on the fact that Spiderman has reviled his identity to the world; they would not include that actual scene because it was happening in another book. So if Marvel wanted to make that pivotal moment within Civil War issue #2 important and jaw dropping, they would have to delay all the Spiderman books until it was ready to print issue #2.

Now that is just one important event within the Civil War crossover, so what Marvel will end up doing while it delays the main Civil War series is delay other related monthly books so no major plot arcs will be ruined. So for Marvel fans, it means nearly everything they publish will likely be delayed.

While I believe firmly in the free-market and the power of my buying power, I know that I will continue to pick up the Civil War series when it is eventually published. I will not be punishing Marvel Comics for their flagrant lack of respect for their readers. Lord knows I just wish they could make their deadlines!

Location, Location, Location

Via Simply Jews:



And go ahead and read their new article titled “Zionism, necrophilia and a bit of a profit on the side” while you are at it. I know that all you necrophiliacs who read this blog want to.

Back to the Grind

While I fully intended to get the other two parts of my “the State of Popular Music” done this weekend, they simply could not come to fruition. I may have said all I needed to say about the subject in part one for the time being. I figure I will produce those other two parts at one point, but there are more interesting things to talk about right now, and I have neglected my duties here and elsewhere long enough.

Like oh, I don’t know, the Iditarod.

For all of you not in the know, the Iditarod is an annual dog sled race in Alaska, where mushers and teams of dogs cover nowadays about 1,100 miles (1,760 km). The teams cross a harsh but starkly beautiful landscape under the canopy of the Northern Lights, through tundra and spruce forests, over hills and mountain passes, and across rivers. While the start in Anchorage is in the middle of a large urban center, most of the route passes through widely separated towns and villages, and small Athapaskan and Inuit settlements. The Iditarod is regarded as a symbolic link to the early history of the state, and is connected to many traditions commemorating the legacy of dog mushing. There is a good chance that you have seen a Disney movie about the race at one point in your life.

Of course, nothing gets Indybay writers angrier than using animals for any purpose. A group by the name of “Sled Dog Action Coalition” released a statement criticizing the New York Times for writing a favorable piece concerning Gary Paulsen and his support for the Iditarod race on. This coalition is apposed to the race because dogs are forced into human servitude. Dogs have also been known to die during the race.

I am not sure I understand their criticism of the race however. Their website is very selective when it comes to substantiating that the race is cruel. I am sure you can find trainers who treat their animals poorly, but you can easily find those same types outside of the Iditarod. It seems as if their criticism is with the fact that the dogs are used to begin with. While it is true that injuries, and usually one or more deaths (though not always) happen each race, given the number of active, working dogs, and the time span, the number of injuries and deaths is not extraordinary.

So all you farmers out there who have literally enslaved mules and livestock to do your bidding had best watch out. I am sure a “coalition” is already in the works…