Touched by a man (I barely knew) on my birthday!

Yeah.  OK.  Calm down.  Yes it is my birthday. But no …

The comic title that I published
that “non-comics” people know

The suggestive headline is true … but it is also a joke and doesn’t mean what it seems to mean. I was trying to come up with a clever headline for this (mostly self-serving) post … and this amused me. So sue me. And please accept my apologies in advance Marty.

Facebook is a terrific tool to stay in touch, especially if you are part of community or family separated by geography. Such is my life, both personally and professionally. I live in Southern California. My family (and extended family) mostly live in the Midwest. Many others are scattered to the four winds.

Comics professionals are distributed all over the globe. When my birthday rolls around friends and acquaintances use the opportunity to check-in and say “howdy.” It is really great to hear from people I like and love on my birthday.

The ULTRAVERSE is how most comic
fans would know my work.

It is better yet, when someone you’ve only met a small number times uses your birthday as an opportunity to say something really thoughtful. So this is me sharing a private message I got from comic industry stalwart, writer supreme and all-around good guy Martin Pasko.

I fully admit this is self-serving. But I wanted to share. I did what I did in comics for a number of reasons. Let’s see how many I can name on the spur of the moment. (1) I love comics and have for nearly as long as I can remember (2) I have wanted a career in comics since my early teens (3) I went to college hoping to find a career path into comics (4) I needed a paycheck to feed my family (5) I wanted to provide for my employees as well as myself (6) I wanted to make a positive impact on the comic book industry and be “in the club” (7) I wanted creators who trusted me and worked with me to be glad that they did and (8) I wanted to do the right thing and be able to look at myself in the mirror.

Grade: B- (mostly successful, but with huge and noticeable shortcomings)

Getting this message from Martin Pasko was an amazing surprise and warmed my heart. It touched me. I wanted to say THANK YOU in the most public way at my disposal. And if I’ve violated your privacy by publishing your message to me, please forgive me.

That’s my version of the story.

Alan Moore isn’t Obama’s official biographer. Don’t you wish he were.

Alan Moore at a party

A Funny Book Fanatic can dream can’t he?

And so can the humor dudes in Wisconsin.

From the “too good not to pass along file” comes the following story from America’s finest daily humor source, The Onion.

Click on the graphic below to read the whole “story.”

CLICK ME !!! • CLICK ME !!!

Consider this an official Funny Book Fanatic plug. Read my blog first (just in case I update it more often … sorry about that regular readers!) then go directly to read The Onion, which is full of great stuff every day and often makes extremely funny comic book references.

Too bad Moore would probably never let Vertigo publish this non-existent biography. But it is good for a “mass media meets geek” inside-joke giggle nonetheless.

That’s my version of the story.

— Dave Olbrich (DWO) Tue. Nov. 4, 2009

MEGAN FOX: Perhaps the best looking Funny Book Fanatic EVER!

I wasn’t a fan of Megan Fox … but I’m seriously considering changing my mind. It isn’t due to peer pressure. It didn’t have anything to do with the attractive pictures that were taken of her while she was partially clothed (not that there is anything wrong with that). It is due to the following segment on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!

My open letter to CNBC about Melissa Francis and Larry Kudlow

If you don’t watch cable financial news channel CNBC, the following post will mean nothing to you.

I promise you won’t see this kind of post very often. In the morning, I often turn my television to CNBC. I don’t know how much longer I will continue this practice. I like to know what is going on in the world, especially in the world of money. I like to expose myself to differing thoughts and opinions. But sadly it seems that the recent financial crisis and the election of President Obama have had a negative effect on the broadcasting at CNBC.

Zac Efron and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in JONNY QUEST … or not?

Before we get to the news story (well comics/movies/animation news anyway) that has been jerking me around so bad that I’ve got whiplash, we need to cover a few housekeeping chores here first.

1. Don’t forget … if you’re reading this blog and you want me to answer a question that you might have about comic books, especially behind the scenes stories that may have occured since I went professional in 1982 … ASK! We’ve even given this special fanatic feature a name and its own logo. This is your chance to ASK THE DWO. If you’re curious about me and what I might have some intimate knowledge of … check out the BACKGROUND page.

2. Vote for me. Immediately below the “Calendar” and the “Contact the DWO” headers in the right-hand, there is a little blue box that says “Vote for me.” While I admit that I don’t know exactly what this does, apparently the slaves rowing in the galley of the internet get an extra bowl of gruel if you vote regularly.