Another Open Letter to Steven Moffatt

Dear Steven Moffatt,

I was very pleased - pleased as punch, you might say - to read that you've chosen Peter Capaldi to play the Doctor afterMatt Smith leaves later this year.

Quite frankly, we need, more than ever, an older Doctor. Admittedly, I felt the past two seasons of Doctor Who were more about "magic" - the Doctor waves his magic wand, er, I mean sonic screwdriver, and things get fixed. There's a rush to the end that just doesn't feel right narratively, or even in terms of tone.

An older Doctor...well, you can get a companion who does the more action-style stuff, but ultimately, you're forcing the Doctor - and your writers - to be more clever. Having a Doctor use his wits - rather than his magic buzzy stick, er, I mean sonic screwdriver - to solve problems.

And for whiny fans who claim that I'm not being fair....keep in mind, Mr. Moffatt, that you're the producer. Fans always whine - in fact, I know a guy who complained violently about Dinosaurs on a Spaceship. Which, for me, is like saying that one jar of maraschino cherries is "better" than another....but I digress.

I know you have a lot on your plate, Mr. Moffatt, so I'll just say - good choice. I'm glad. Especially since I feel older yet geeky fans like me are sorely underrepresented in the media.

Thanks again, and good luck.

Your pal,
Gordon

An Open Letter About "Going Viral"

Just wanting to get a little bit of a pet peeve off my chest....

As I'm freelancing/researching opportunities, I've been reading quite a bit of articles about social media. In fact, I'm reading a lot more about how to make items go "viral".

Those who are writing those articles need to stop it. Right now. Seriously.

I understand that it is important to get the word out, but you might want to heed The Oatmeal's take on this subject. Matthew Inman might not be a "social media guru"....but he is a great cartoonist. So great, in fact, I wish I had a ton of money I could drop on his front porch so he could make more magic.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some comic stories to write and pulp stories to proofread. My comic stories involve Victorian-era detectives, time traveling adventurers, and a sleuthing social worker.

And possibly, pandas on mopeds. 

Open Letter to Chris Roberson

Dear Chris,

I'm posting this publicly one in fannish admiration (I loved your Star Trek/Legion of Superheroes Crossover, and liked what you did on Superman), but also to offer my support.

You've come under fire for quitting DC Comics due to its impending Before Watchmen series, as well as its overall treatment of creators. You have cited this article as an impetus, and you've also made your thoughts more apparent in this Comics Journal interview. As a humble blogger, I just want to say....

...thanks for taking a stand. And having the courage of your convictions.

Many of my colleagues have either taken the obvious Roberson's-being-egotistical, or more likely, "It's a shame, but at least we'll have Before Watchmen." Online, we're more likely to hide behind keyboards and screens and declare what should be done, but we rarely - if ever - take a hard line ethical stance. It's easy to forget that behind one of our favorite art forms there are business and ethical matters that we may not take an active interest in.

It's easy to be a cog in the machine - I'm proud that you are actually not just quitting an unethical company (a company that's going to play the "creator's-family's-lawyer-is-an-opportunist" card in order to protect their interests), but making it clear that this is ultimately about rights, not about money, or credit, or anything.

It's also a shame that many of my comics-loving brethren have been vocal about looking forward to Before Watchmen - from a business standpoint, it makes sense (DC has characters, and they're reusing them); from a creative and ethical standpoint, it's bankrupt, showing that corporate interests are being moved forward at the expense of - and not in service of - creative ones. I think it's particularly damning when you said, about one of the supporters of the project (and whom you replaced on a book given his other writing commitments):

As I said on Twitter then, anyone who uses past injustices against creators to justify new injustices against creators is beneath contempt. I think that that is despicable and abhorrent. The mindset— I don’t agree with that, I guess you could say.

Such honesty and directness is frowned upon not just in the comics industry, but in our day-to-day lives. When given the chance to take such a high-minded stance, some of us avoid it, because we don't want to rock the boat. We allow ourselves, to misquote one of my favorite shows, to be pushed, filed, indexed, stamped, briefed, debriefed, and numbered. I'm very heartened and inspired that someone, at the very least, is saying, "No, I won't. This is wrong."

So in that spirit, I'm going to start seeking out your other, non-DC, creator-owned work, and look forward to reading your future efforts. After all, it's the least that I can do. I appreciate anyone willing to put their reputation on their line in such a positive way, and that shouldn't be flamed....it should be encouraged.

Thanks again,
Gordon

An Open Letter to Russell T. Davies

Dear Russell,

I know I've been hard on you in the past, but right now, I'm writing this blog post as a way to offer some support....but also, as a way for me to talk to my friends about a very awkward subject.

Recently, you gave an interview about how you had to set aside your television career to help take care of your partner, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. (For my dear readers, please check out Two Minute Time Lord's piece on the matter). I'm writing you this letter because I, too, had to suddenly pick up and leave because of care taking.

Circumstances, though, were different - it was my mother. And it was post-transplant care.

Gratefully, Mom also has home care (which I'm sure you'll be acquiring), but I wanted to use this as an opportunity to educate our mutual (and not-so-mutual) friends about how to handle caretakers.

Because people like you and I...give up quite a bit. Our lives are filled with caring, but it also means that our time is much more precious, and limited. It means that there will be some sacrifices to be made. But it also means that we have to be more willing to express our needs and wants, whether directly or (as in the case of this blog post) passive-aggressively.

For example, last year around this time - while everyone else was gearing up for the holiday, I was fighitng my mom's doctors and their wish to put her in a nursing home. (Thankfully, Mom ended up going home). For me, December 1 - 23 of 2010 were a blur....with me resenting some friends doing something nice for someone else and wondering, well, where the heck was my gift?

The answer is part of my unsolicited advice to you - that there are people who are doing cool things, but they're subtly cool. It's the person who asks you out for a coffee or some other beverage. It's the Facebook invite that you don't expect to get. And if you can get some time for yourself, Russell, please take it. You're taking on a huge task; getting those small moments of time for yourself is invaluable - trust me.

And finallly - if anyone tries to convince you that you're being selfish when you assert your rights, or share your feelings....they're not your friend. You're  not asking for the world - just some consideration. You have a lot on your plate. Letting go of people who insist that this is your burden to carry without complaining...well, that's the best thing you can do. Trust me.

I realize this has been a bit rambling - I'm posting it because, quite frankly, I rarely - if ever - discuss this publicly. I'm hoping that this can be taken in  the spirit in which it's offered.


Best wishes. I know it means putting your writing on the side, but it also means that you're willing to do the human, caring, right thing.

Thanks for everything, including Torchwood.


Your pal,
Gordon

Another Open Letter to Dan Didio

Dear Dan,

Yes, it's me again - I know; you're really busy with September's upcoming relaunch/reboot/whatevertheheck is. It's in that spirit that I wanted to run a suggestion past you.

Last night, I was guest hosting the excellent Zone 4 podcast from Comic Related, and we were talking about DC. We were also talking about the recent court decision regarding some of the Superman rights, and I made a comment....one which I wanted to state publicly for the blog.

Sit down with the Siegels, Shusters, and all attorneys involved. Work out a fair deal where they get compensated for the creative aspects of Superman (basically anything outlined in Action Comics # 1) for you to use in your books.

Why? Because (spoiler for Zone 4) as pal Ron states, it's the decent, fair thing to do. Siegel and Shuster were taken advantage of decades ago....this would be a good way to "set things right". It would be an admission that the DC of today is much more ethical and considerate of creators' rights than the National Periodicals of back then. It would speak volumes that DC is much more open to making amends for past acts than its illustrious competition.

But more importantly - it allows DC to avoid the obvious how-do-we-account-for-these-aspects-we-don't-have-the-rights-to. If this were a newer character, it would be a challenge; one with 70 plus years of history is even more so. I think being able to show that you can do the right thing despite years of conflict would show that DC is a much more caring entity. (You also might want to consider how your decisions will affect retailers - recently, the Comic Vault in Chicago announced that it was closing, and Evil Squirrel came slightly close. It would be a good idea to see how you can go digital and help retailers.

There will be those fans who will complain that the Siegels and Shusters are being "greedy"...to which I only have two things to say:

1. Please go and read Men of Tomorrow by Gerard Jones first, to get some background before you snark about this; and
2. Remember this when you complain that your employer doesn't pay you enough, or you feel cheated that you're not given value for your work.

Because, Dan, some of us actually do love comics - in fact, you might want to give this week's Zone 4 a listen, as Brant, Ron and I discuss Marvel/DC Mashups. (We also have a great proposal for your DC Universe Presents, if you're interested). We want DC to make good comics...but we also want you to live up to some pretty high expectations. Yes, things are tough for everyone, but I think the awkwardness of sitting down and setting up payment/compensation for use of specific rights is ultimately the right thing to do.

After all, it's what Superman would do.

Thanks for your time and attention. Looking forward to seeing what you do next.

Your pal,
Gordon

An Open Letter to Dan DiDio Re: Doom Patrol

C2E2 - Dan Didio 01
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Dear Dan,

I don't know if you remember me, but I'm the guy who suggested that DC put out Showcase Presents: The Inferior Five at your panel at last year's C2E2. With the show coming back this year, I wanted to see if you and I could sit down and talk about a really huge mistake you are about to make.

I'm talking, of course, about canceling Doom Patrol with issue # 22.

Now, I realize that you may be citing less-than-stellar sales for the book, but if this blogger's online petition doesn't convince you, please consider this:

You're dealing with a group of characters with a small - but passionate - following. So much so that DC, in the past, has made various attempts to revive the concept, and there are the numerous copies of Doom Patrol # 1 to prove it.

What Keith Giffen and Matthew Clarke are doing is, in short, to combine aspects from past efforts - with a healthy dose of Arnold Drake-esque humor - into a pretty solid read. And rather than put efforts to build that readership, it seems as if DC is doing the old let's-let-the-franchise-cool-down-and-we'll-start-again-later trick.

(I know all about that one. I saw it on Get Smart once).

But why wait until news of a newer iteration of the Patrol - say, an animated series - arises? Why not take a stand and say, "Hey, we admit - this isn't a huge seller. But the people who read this book love the characters. And we're standing by them...even if it means telling Geoff Johns he can't write the book, because we absolutely adore Giffen and Clarke's work"). Why not support a book that may not have the pull of Brightest Day....but then again, must every comic be an event comic? Can't we have a plain and simple good read?

I say, "Yes", and would strongly encourage you to un-cancel Doom Patrol.

But I would like to speak with you face to face in an effort to...well, bribe you. I can take you for an expensive meal - my foodie pals at Chicago Bites can make great recommendations for any type of cuisine you would like.

But really - please reconsider canceling Doom Patrol. Why not do something that can actually save the company money, like cut down on JMS' Oreo budget, or something?

And, while you're at it, please make Paul Cornell's Knight and Squire an ongoing.

Thanks again, and looking forward to hanging with you in March.

Your pal,
Gordon

Open Letter to Sarah Palin

Dear Governor Palin,

First, congratulations on being nominated for Vice President for the Republican ticket. I realize it's not quite being the governor of the good state of Alaska, and with everything that's going on in your life, well...it's not easy.

I did want to have a nice, public talk - no, I won't bring your private life into this. Quite frankly, it's not fair, and honestly, I used up all my best jokes for Dan Quayle. No, I wanted to bring an issue to your attention, and being we're coming up on the sad anniversary of a traumatic national event, I thought it best to bring it up now.

Back at the RNC Convention, both you and Mr. Guiliani made some very negative comments about community organizers, especially in terms of Mr. Obama's past career. You seemed to indicate that, well, community organizers didn't do much except, well, check out cool sites like the Community Tool Box, and read such books as Organizing for Social Change and Soul of a Citizen

(OK, I made up the last three points, but I think you get the picture).

The irony is that, in many ways, Republicans have attempted to be community organizers in the wake of 9/11 - to encourage people to work towards a common goal.

After all, it's been part of our history - when England wanted to tax our ancestors over tea, we collected it and threw it overboard. When England was about to invade, a silversmith got on a horse and mobilized the community to prepare for a military strike. Then, when we needed a constitution, our forefathers organized a committee and wrote a document that's served as a model for over 200 years.

My point is - community organizers do the work that politicians can't - they mobilize the citizenry. They provide the people without power the ability to hold those with power accountable. They work hard dealing with many people - and many agendas - and attempt to use a small amount of resources to engage in a large amount of social and political change. In short, they make sure that you are doing your job.

But allow me to show you a short clip of myself, back in 2005, engaging in hot, exciting community organizing (note the Hartnell-esque lapel pull):



In short, I can understand why you might be a little hesitant to embrace community organizing - after all, it assumes that people are able to take control - say, using the "Share This" button on this note to socially bookmark this post. (Or the classic "For Chicago - And Democracy", for that matter). That democracy isn't another spectator sport - it's a responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly.

But you know what? I'm ranting. I'm taking seriously a comment meant solely to pander to your supporters and garner votes...and that's Ok.

But I, most likely, will not be voting for you. Personally, the only Palin I want in the White House will protect the rights of silly people, dead parrots, and lumberjacks who wish to wear women's clothing.

Thanks for reading!

Your pal,
Gordon

Open Letter to the Mythbusters

Dear Adam, Jamie, Kari, Tori, and Grant,

Although, yes, I have proclaimed my love of Mythbusters in the past, I wanted to especially commend you on your excellent Moon Hoax episode. But more specifically, I wanted to thank you for all your efforts, not just to debunk myths...but in also help teaching people to think critically.

A few months ago, during a jobless period, I actually found myself watching Fox's rather inferior clone of Regis & Kelly (Hey, I was desperate, and Oprah was a rerun. I'm not proud.) But they had someone who cited your testing of gas mileage and keeping car windows open, and proclaimed that you guys "did it wrong."

But your team does it right - unlike, say, Penn and Teller, you don't take the moral high ground. Your reliance on the scientific method - of performing controlled experiments, of questioning your own assumptions - is a skill that is barely used in our culture. When you have a culture that promotes shows like Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (which suggests that most people aren't - or at least, aren't smart enough to avoid public humilation on television) or Deal or No Deal (which seems like Jeopardy for the inarticulate).

For all of our talk about valuing education, as a culture - in all honesty, we do not. Granted, there are exceptions to the rule (I know several people who believe the Internet revolves around them...and quite frankly, who take every opportunity to remind us how wonderful they are), but we value "commonality". We value "normalcy." In a perfect world, the Bad Astronomer would have tons of media spotlight...and Perez Hilton would be, well, a relative nobody.

Am I being mean spirited? A little. But the five of you do what very few do - make learning fun, make it interesting, and more importantly - make it cool to be smart.

And as someone who has put up with a lot of hassle over being educated, it's heartening to know that there is an increasing movement of skepticism, rational inquiry, and most importantly - a refusal to pander to baser impulses.

Thanks for your hard work, and keep making more episodes...and blowing stuff up. I like the explosions as well.

Your pal,
Gordon

P.S. If Kari has a twin sister who's single, please give her my e-mail. Thanks.

Open Letter to Dave Campbell

Dear Dave,

First, I am really saddened to hear that you are ending your comics blog - quite frankly, it was a pioneer. A breath of fresh air amongst the pontificating, mostly my own. You brought me many hours of joy, whether it be focusing on Power Girl, or bringing us the best in climactic moments from films....or even furthering the English language...which is much more than Sims ever did.

I'll even forgive you for featuring that goofy guy from Days of Our Lives. And that "marching in my plaid shirt" video.

But anyway, I wanted to say - thanks for making the blogosphere fun again. My only wish is that you and Sims had fought against a common foe (I even said so about a year ago). But I understand that ABC calls, and that Tom Bergeron is probably hipper to hang with than say, oh, Mike Sterling.

(Which, if that's the case, I want to head to a parallel universe where the opposite is true)

But thanks again. And I would like to offer the following as my meager tribute to your genius:



Thanks again, and best of luck.

Your pal,
Gordon

P.S. I could take Sims in a bar fight. Honestly.

P.P.S. Ever watch Ironside? The man is drinking bourbon out of diner coffee cups in the afternoon. He rolls in a 1930's police van. Hardcore.

Open Letter to Sherri Shepherd

Dear Ms. Shepherd,

First, I want to just say that I enjoyed your performance on Less Than Perfect. OK, I watched it mostly for Sara Rue, but you were a great part of that show. It must have been really tough working with Andy Dick and Eric Roberts on a daily basis, so I have to commend you. I'm not a big fan of The View, but my mother and my aunt watch your show daily. (Plus, working with the other hosts must be a dream compared to working with Mr. Dick and Mr. Roberts)

However, you've come under fire for making some recent - as well as past - uninformed comments. Normally, my tendency is to make some pithy-yet-sarcastic crack, such as, "You put a couple of extra spoonfuls of stupid in your coffee this morning, didn't you?" However, that's not fair to you...in fact, your comments real demonstrate the major problem we are having in this country.

Basically, this country suffers from a distinct lack of critical thinking skills.

My fellow blogger Greg, of Delenda Est Carthago and Comics Should Be Good, recently wondered aloud why more people seemed to be afraid of gay marriage, but not of impending illiteracy. Mostly, I suspect, it's because reading and writing actually take some work - it means moving past one's own assumptions and actually being challenged. It is a lot easier to stay in the "safety" zone of prejudice than to move forward. It's one of the reasons why I have a real problem with Ellen DeGeneres - she publicly cried over giving up a dog after breaking the adoption agency's rules, yet caved when it came to supporting the WGA Strike. One is a personal distress where she had to take some responsibility; the other has greater implications for public welfare and she chose to avoid responsibility.

Consider two game shows that are incredibly popular. One - Deal or No Deal - could be easily dismissed as Jeopardy for dumb people. However, that is an insult to Jeopardy, Alex Trebek, fans and former contestants, including near-twin Roger. This contempt for basic evaluation reaches its nadir with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, which openly shows its contempt for anything resembling adult, contemplative thought. (The answer is yes, I am smarter than 5th grader, because I refuse to accept anything blindly without considering known fact as well as other opinions)

Case in point, Ms. Shepherd - I recently read The God Delusion, a book by noted atheist Richard Dawkins. As someone who is a Jesuit-educated Catholic, I have my issues with the Church, especially a Pope more concerned with turning back the clock than the spiritual welfare of his congregation in an ever-changing time. Am I going to become a full-out atheist? No - short version: the universe is too orderly to have happened randomly. But conversely, the skies did not open, I was not struck down by lightning. I was open, and found...some good arguments, but nothing convincing.

My advice, Ms. Shepherd, is to read more books. Books that you normally might not read, and that may actually have ideas counter to your own. You could order some through this blog's bookstore...but since you have a child, why don't I suggest taking him to the library? Libraries have tons of great resources, and more importantly - they allow you to explore different areas of thought, to stimulate your imagination, and more importantly - to paraphrase a famous thinker, how attacking reason can be bad theology.

(For you atheists out there - I may not totally agree with you, but I see where you're coming from. Keep fighting the good fight. I'm a sympathetic ally)

Thanks for reading, Ms. Shepherd.

Your pal,
Gordon

P.S. Again, I am really, really sorry you had to work with Andy Dick and Eric Roberts. I hope the experience wasn't too traumatic.