My REGULAR SHOW Comic, “Sombrero World,” is Out This Week! SCRIPT WITH COMMENTARY!

And now for a special presentation! This Wednesday, August 28, sees the release of REGULAR SHOW #3 from KaBOOM!.  It is the first comic I have written that has appeared in a hard-copy form that you can buy in comic book stores and have to pay money to get. STREET CRED, yo. Well, I only …

Weird Kids’ Book: Phyllis Rowand’s THE DAY AFTER YESTEDAY

I always love finding some strange picture book with an odd storyline or sense of design. This past weekend, I went to a mini-comics show at the Durham County Public Library, and found they had a nifty wall of old books for sale from the Friends of the Library.  It was a great lineup of …

In Memoriam: E.L. Konigsburg, Author of FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER

I’ve several deadlines pressing on me, but wanted to take time out for a brief tribute to children’s book author E.L. Konigsburg, who just passed away at age 83.  That’s a good run. Konigsburg is best known for her 1967 Newbery Medal winner FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, about two kids …

Weird Children’s Books: Zilpha Keatley Snyder and BELOW THE ROOT

Wanted to write a few original posts on children’s books.  Here’s an odd tale of a SF series from the 1970s — and how its ending was changed in a different medium. Zilpha Keatley Snyder is a multiple Newbery Honor recipient for such offbeat children’s books as THE EGYPT GAME, about children who develop an …

Collection of Published Articles for 2013, Pt.2

As I’ve had some articles published all over the place recently, figured it was time to start a new compilation post. Very Sad: Beloved local used bookstore Nice Price Books is closing, and I talked to them and several other used bookstores to get the reasons why. Here’s an interview I did with reporter Jonathan M. …

ORIGINAL ESSAY: The History of Marvel Comics’ ULTIMATE ADVENTURES, with Special Guest Duncan Fegredo

On October 25, 2001, Marvel Comics issued a press release heralding the hiring of Ron Zimmerman, a TV writer best known as a regular contributor to Howard Stern’s radio program, as a writer on a variety of freelance projects. “Welcome to The House, Ron – we think you’ll find it even more strange than Hollywood!” it extolled.

Little did he know.

Two and a half years later, Zimmerman would be one of the most reviled names at Marvel, inciting a degree of Internet hatred so great that Joe Quesada himself would step in to publicly defend him. His legacy would be some of the strangest comics ever put out by the House of Ideas, including perhaps the most obscure Ultimate Universe book, Ultimate Adventures.

The true story of Ultimate Adventures is one that represents the nexus of Marvel’s output and attitude in the early 2000s, a combination of creativity and aggression that proved both admirable and regrettable.

Collection of Published Articles for 2013, Pt.1

UPDATED: This is going to be a repository for links to my published stuff for a bit. I haven’t been posting about toys because I got a paying gig blogging about them for MTV Geek!  Here’s my first few posts: Power Lords Return Django Unchained Toys Pulled from Shelves Django Unchained Toys Now Banned on …

CHILDREN’S BOOKS: Some Weird Picture Books That Are My Favorites.

Happy New Year!  Thought I would get a few recommendations down as I got back to work. These are some picture books that are so weird and wonderful and crazy that adults can enjoy them as well.  There’s tons of books like these out there, but these are a few of my favorites. First, a …

Children’s Books/Obscure Toys Post: THE IRON GIANT/THE IRON MAN

Combining a couple of my obsessions for an explanatory post… Was at a bookstore tonight and saw they had a new edition of the book THE IRON GIANT by Ted Hughes. Doesn’t look a whole lot like Brad Bird’s amazing animated movie from 1999, does it? Gather round children, I’ll explain this to the best …

The Spirit of Christmas Specials!

A couple of pieces I’m very proud of — a look at some of the great Christmas stories on TV over the years. Here’s a look at the many Rankin-Bass Specials, and how they do (or don’t) tie together. And here’s a look at everything from Charlie Brown and the Grinch to more obscure ones …