Horror Comics Redux

Just a quick overview of some horror comics history.

Those old horror comics are great things. More so when you take into account the impact they had–in part because of the people who tried so hard to ban them. Yeah, the legal action kind of killed the industry for a while, but, like any good zombie or vampire, you can’t ever totally get rid of them and they always come back.

In this case, it seems horror came back with a vengeance. At least if the movie theater of the 80s is any indication. And the current stead stream of horror-themed comics that are still being produced.

If you’re not aware, there was a huge push against the “corrupting influence” of horror comics spurred and epitomized by the book. It lead to actual Congressional hearings and, ultimately, the creation of the Comics Code Authority… which pretty much put a stake in the heart of horror comics (and anything that wasn’t kind of shallow). Read more than a little about it here.

There have been a ton of books written about the subject, and, now that we’re in more tolerant (and creative) times, you can get reprints and collections of a lot of those classic comics and magazines. The ones I mentioned in the vlog include:

And then there was the glorious In The Dark: A Horror Anthology anthology that I backed via Kickstarter (which you can, indeed, get on Amazon… and you should).

So, take a few minutes and and wander back in time to when the scariest thing about horror comics was the people who wanted to ban them… in today’s vlog.

Don’t forget that you have some say over what goes on for the next 100 days… click the big green button below here to get to the page where you can submit topic suggestions and questions (so I know what kinds of things you want to see go on in these videos).

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Bees, Furguson, Fictional Horrors, and Needed Distractions

This entry is part [part not set] of 100 in the series Today's Tidbits

I spent more time than I probably should have discussing the goings on in Furguson, MO, today.

Can’t say that before yesterday I’d really ever heard of that St. Louis suburb before, but after today it’s going to be hard to forge.

You see, there’s some massive police action going on there. That’s in reaction to some massive public action–including looting and riots. And that’s in reaction to a shooting that left a black man definitely dead and a cop reported injured.

Chains of events like this aren’t all that uncommon.

It’s a symptom of the ongoing and underlying racial and economic divides we’ve got going on here. That we’ve had going on here pretty much forever.

It’s tragic all around.

First that there’s any legitimate question that an altercation with a law enforcement officer was uncalled for or that the cop’s response was out of scale. Further that pretty much any any event between white people and people of a different race will far too often set off protests and riots.

I’d like to say “It didn’t used to be this way…” But that’s not entirely true. There is a tremendous history of those in power (who have always happened to be white, and almost always male here in the United States) abusing those of different races, genders, and sexual orientations. So much so that any “event” involving a minority has to be deeply questioned and, in many communities, serves as a flashpoint for the pent up frustrations of the population.

In Fuguson, the death sparked riots (which, in and of itself is an utterly counter-productive reaction–“Let’s mess up our own town to protest the actions of the powers that be!”). Those riots sparked a highly militarized police response (which, in some cases, was definitely called for–if you’re setting things on fire and robbing stores, the cops are kind of supposed to stop that). The problem is, because the police force itself was seen as the aggressor in the ongoing tension in the town, having them show up at even peaceful gatherings looking like an occupying military force and then moving in on the crowd isn’t going to do anything but incite resistance and more distrust.

Which is exactly what’s been happening over the past four days.

It’s a problematic and unfortunate situation that has done near irreparable damage to the community in many ways. Law enforcement and those in power are going to have a very difficult climb to even get back to the strained point of tolerance they had with the residents before this all fell apart. The residents are going to have to deal with numerous issues this is inevitably causing in their own community–when neighbors of yours are burning down buildings you shop at, there’s going to be some lingering frisson there.

And then the country, not as a whole but as a divided population of “us” and “them”, has yet another example of why they shouldn’t trust those we’ve put in power. That brings us one step closer to collapse… and that helps no one get anything positive done.

Anyway, there are 70 or so back and forth exchanges, all filled with fantastic and diverse opinions attached to the articles about it in the feed. Definitely check those out.

Also, there are baby ducks swimming in a sink.

And a dancing tree.

Just to balance things out.

Here’s the feed…