Three years ago at the bi-annual conference for the Society for the Study of Southern Literature, Brannon Costello and I began considering the possibilities of the question:how do comics represent the South? To what extent do comics creators wrestle with what Scott Romine calls the “qualitative geography” of the region, that elusive sense of place and specter of history that shadows nearly every author, poet, or artist whose creative aspirations wander below the Mason-Dixon line?

How Do Comics Represent the South?.

By now, you’ve probably seen Gail Simone’s fierce, utterly awesome rebuttal to an aspiring comic book writer who said, essentially, that characters should not be forced on publishers for the sake of inclusion. Specifically, gay characters. This person’s argument is annoying for a number of reasons, but what struck me is how frequently I’ve heard versions of this from otherwise reasonable people. Say that you want to see more high-profile minorities in comics, and someone inevitably will respond, “Race/sexual orientation shouldn’t enter into it. I hate it when someone does that just to look progressive. A good character is a good character.” What they’re really saying is the default is white and straight (and often male), and anything outside of that default is possibly tainted by a 1) a quota system or 2) an attempt to appease a narrow, agitated fan base.
I’m sorry, but that is both insulting and outrageously presumptuous. When was the last time someone took issue with the creation of a straight, white, male hero? Fans might deride the character for being lame, but no one will say, “I think the publisher is trying to make some kind of statement here.” Exhibit A: Batwoman. When Greg Rucka rebooted Kate Kane as a modern heroine who happened to be gay, some cynical fans claimed her sexuality was a naked publicity stunt. You could practically hear the sneering. Look, I understand that reporters need a newsworthy hook for a story, and launching a high-profile, gay, female character IS quite a hook. But as Rucka later explained — and readers eventually saw for themselves — being gay is just one piece of who Kate is. Like being an alien is just one piece of who Clark Kent is. Like being obsessive is one piece of who Bruce Wayne is. If Batwoman’s stories had sucked or been strained and inauthentic, that would have nothing to do with her sexual orientation and everything to do with poor writing. Of course, that turned out not to be the case.

Gail came down hard on old boy, but I think she just snapped, and understandably so. Comics are far more inclusive than they used to be, and they keep getting better. But the fact that someone felt moved to complain about a fan’s desire for a marquee, gay, male superhero — in 2011! — floors me. People of color and gays happen to be, I dunno, part of society, not mere artistic fetishes. But what do I know? Perhaps I’m just an angry, unreasonable black geek with an agenda and a quota Excel spreadsheet.

Borrowed from Girl Gone Geek

With the release of Smoke & Demons (order it if you haven’t) I’m proud to say that my Tales of Urban Horror series is the first YA multi-ethnic urban Fantasy effort on the stands
There remains this sentiment that a good story is all that matters, I agree in part because the reader still wants to identify with the character and my series allow readers of diverse backgrounds to do that
Try the light up test

Give a copy of one of my novels to a reader of color that enjoys vampires, werewolves and other spirits that go bump in the night and watch them light up!
In that moment you will understand

http://www.everythingisaremix.info/everything-is-a-remix-the-matrix/

The Matrix still remains one of the most exciting series of all time. Great, yes! Original, n0t so much

Films

0:27 – Fist of Legend (1994)
0:38 – Tai-Chi Master (Twin Dragons) (1993)
0:44 – Fist of Legend (1994)
0:48 – Tai-Chi Master (Twin Dragons) (1993)
0:53 – Drunken Master (1978)
1:02 – Fist of Legend (1994)
1:09 – The Killer (1989)
1:19 – Fist of Legend (1994)
1:21 – Iron Monkey (1993)
1:31 – Once Upon A Time In China (1991)
1:36 – Fist of Legend (1994)
1:41 – Tai-Chi Master (Twin Dragons) (1993)
1:45 – Philip K. Dick Speech (youtube.com/watch?v=jXeVgEs4sOo&feature=related) (1977)
2:18 – Strange Days (1995)
2:24 – Akira (1988)
2:30 – Total Recall (1990)
3:24 – Alice In Wonderland (1951)
3:42 – The Killer (1989)
3:53 – A Better Tomorrow (1986)
4:05 – Ghost In The Shell (1995)
4:32 – Akira (1998)
4:39 – Koyannisqatsi (1982)
4:49 – Dr. Who: The Deadly Assassin (1976)
5:10 – Ghost In The Shell (1995)

Music

(All sourced from The Matrix Soundtrack)

0:20 – Rob Dougan – Clubbed To Death (Kurayamino Variation)
1:44 – Hive – Ultrasonic Sound
2:30 – Lunatic Calm – Leave You Far Behind (Lunatics Roller Coaster Mix)
3:38 – Propellerheads – Spybreak
4:39 – Rob Dougan – Clubbed To Death (Kurayamino Variation)

October 4th