“They Just Wanted Public Contact with Some Comic Book Personality…” – Excerpts from the Thought Process of STEVE DITKO

When Steve Ditko died in June 2018, I was filled with more of a genuine gratitude than a sense of sorrow. While I couldn’t claim to truly know the man, I was familiar enough with his belief system to recognize how pragmatic he was, especially in regard to a life lived and as to who […]

“And I Knew That Roy Was The Second Wave Guy…”- an Interview with the Living Legend, John Cimino

I’ve got to start by sharing what a gratifying experience it was to see the tremendous response from fans and industry professionals alike when it came to our interview with the great Clair Noto. Even esteemed and established comic journalists gave credit for the journalistic qualities of that conversation, and the discussions it provoked within […]

“I Don’t Like Anything That’s Contrived- I Conceive, They Contrive. OK?”- Another Look at Jack Kirby’s “Infamous” 1989 TCJ Interview

Far be it from me, the most refreshing of comic critics, to simply beat the same old mash all the time, especially when this particular interview has been discussed and covered more academically than I’m about to do. That being said, some minor instances nudged me towards thinking about this oft-cited interview with Jack Kirby […]

“I Belong To All Worlds”- on The Time Capsule Charm of Spurgeon & Raphael’s Seemingly Forgotten 2003 Stan Lee Biography

“As much as ninety-percent of what Lee said at any given time might have been bullshit, but it was delivered happily, and with an admission that it was mostly bullshit, which made him a rather hard person to hate. And hey, he cared enough to bullshit you. That’s something, right?” – J. Caleb Mozzocco, 2009 […]

“It Became Increasingly Stylish to Bash Stan…”- What Critics of Stan Lee Should Actually STOP Doing in Order to Be Successful

“In the ’80s and ’90s, it became increasingly stylish to bash Stan, to accuse him of hogging attention for his creations from the artists.” – Peter David, now cursed by the Romanians he once insulted, back in Nov. 2018 Stan Lee. The Myth. “The Man”. The legend. And one that is, apparently, bashed. The term […]

‘Thank God That Jon Bolerjack Came Back to Stan’s Side When He Did!’- On The Continuing Circle-Jerk of No-Talent Comic Grifters & Their Industry Enablers

The starting saga of the inevitable ‘Stan Lee: The Final Chapter’ continues to divide hosts of terrible comic-related YouTube shows and friends of its director; among the majority of observers however, the ones that aren’t dependent on elderly professionals, the verdict seems fairly clear: this thing is highly questionable and highly cringe. It’s quite possible […]

“I Could Trojan Horse My Way Into Meeting Stan if I Could Film Something with Him…”- On Documentaries and The REAL Last Days of Stan Lee

You couldn’t blame someone for thinking that Four Color Sinners is following the zeitgeist right now and touching on a story that’s captured the attention of seemingly all of the comic book community’s attention-starved minds- after all, we were MIA for half a year before worming our way back into your hearts this month, and […]

“One of The Hard Lessons The Comics Industry Has Taught Me is That EVERYONE LIES SOMETIME…”- on Tony Isabella and The Continued Irrational Defense of “Not In The Room”

“…but remember this, ultimately we weren’t there and to make a supposition that you have that absolute knowledge is dangerous at best.”, Daniel Best, 2011 “Unfortunately, lying to yourself does not protect you from people who are good at reasoning.” – Professor David Pinsof, Feb 2024 It seems I have to, unexpectedly, touch upon the […]

“I Have Been On The Right Side of History Since I Started Working in Comics…” – The Truly Conflicting Conundrum of Tony Isabella

Let me preface this piece by stressing that there is no degree of snark intended when I describe longtime comics pro Tony Isabella as a “conundrum”- he is the first individual written about here that I simply can’t resist having some degree of conflict over- such is my sincere and legit admiration for his burn-the-bridges […]

“You’ve Heard The Legend- Which I Think Is True…”- A Flip Thru’ the Supermarket Sleaze of 2018’s ‘Entertainment Weekly- Stan Lee: A Life of Marvel’

I’ve seen this shit. You’ve seen this shit. These compiled “special” issues of various articles from the pop culture media put out to celebrate any figure who has some topical traction and visibility at the moment- I saw a special edition magazine last week at the grocery store dedicated to Madonna, whom I remembered is […]