This weekend, you’ll be able to see a number of ComicMix folks at the National convention in New York City. No idea where we’ll be exactly, but you should be able to recognize us by the old-school ComicMix shirts (or as I like to think of it, the Earth-2 version of our logo). Stop by and say hello, particularly if you’ve got any good stories.

Meanwhile, I’ll be down at PhilCon in Philadelphia, appearing on a number of panels (the favorite so far looks to be "Ninja, Pirate, Mad Scientist, Robot!") and hyping my new book, Star Trek Corps of Engineers: Creative Couplings. I just received a copy of it from Simon & Schuster, which means it should be available for sale any day now, and it makes a lovely Christmas present for that Star Trek fan in your life. (Buy heavily. Daddy needs a new passenger side mirror for his car.)

And contrary to popular belief, it’s not true that the reason I’m going to PhilCon instead of the National is because Hayden Pantierre took out a restraining order against me. Get your scurrilous Internet rumors right, people. Kristen Bell did.

Then next week, a large number of us will be heading to Mid-Ohio Con, where we’ll be making some announcements about some upcoming projects. Watch this space…

Well, the film adaptation of the novel The Golden Compass hasn’t even opened yet and the Christian right-wing is already foaming at the mouth about it. The book is the first in a children’s fantasy trilogy called His Dark Materials by British author Phillip Pullman. Pullman is an agnostic/atheist (depending on the article that you read) and has said he is promoting his views through books to children, much as C.S. Lewis did promoting Christianity with The Chronicles of Narnia.

You’ve probably already seen the previews and commercials for The Golden Compass at the movies or on the TV. It’s got Nicole Kidman and a pretty cool looking armored polar bear (which may disturb Stephen Colbert even more than the atheist slant – assuming the writer’s strike ends in a timely fashion for him to comment on it). It’s also got Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, upset. That’s another point in its favor, insofar as I’m concerned, since I really dislike Donohue.

A note or two about the League and Donohue. The League’s full name is The Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights. From their own website: “Founded in 1973 by the late Father Virgil C. Blum, S.J., the Catholic League defends the right of Catholics – lay and clergy alike – to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination.” The League’s office is located in the headquarters of the New York archdiocese. Donohue is its main and some say virtually only employee. The site claims "The league wishes to be neither left nor right, liberal or conservative, revolutionary or reactionary.” Donohue, however, is an adjunct scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation and his frequently bombastic statements link him with the blowhards on the Right. (more…)

Today is Dana Snyder’s 34th birthday.  Most of us only recognize him when he is playing a narcissistic talking milkshake with a penchant for irrational shenanigans, but the voice over artist is a favorite all across the Adult Swim board, not just as Master Shake in the absurdist hit, Aqua Teen Hunger Force.  His voice has been featured on Minoriteam, Squidbillies and even Robot Chicken. 

What most of us didn’t know is that his most famous character, Shake, is pistachio flavored.  Fancy that.  You hear of pistachio ice cream, but you never see a pistachio milkshake.  Why is that?  Too chunky?  But Shake isn’t made from pistachio ice cream: he’s made from pistachio flavored ice cream and that’s different.

Mmmm, pistachio ice cream.

Excuse me.

As mentioned previously on ComicMix, last night’s "MoCCA Monday" panel was held in conjunction with Friends of Lulu and the Ormes Society, and featured three enterprising women of color working in the comics field.  Moderator (and Ormes Society founder) Cheryl Lynn Eaton interviewed Rashida Lewis, Jennifer Gonzalez and Alitha Martinez about their various projects, experiences in comics as both fans and creators, and hopes and expectations for the future.

The event was so well-attended that MoCCA volunteers were putting out extra rows of chairs to accommodate the crowd.  This seemed to speak to comics fans’ need to see and support images represented in their favorite hobby, both on the page and behind the drawing board, that aren’t always the white male default.  Even so, the very talented women seemed to want to keep an arm’s distance from the mainstream comics scene.  Lewis has a nice portfolio of work for Marvel Comics but felt constrained by corporate dictates, and is following her muse by painting and working on her upcoming manga title Yume and Ever.  Gonzalez takes her inspiration from Mad Magazine, underground and even horror comics to continue in the alternative world with Too Negative and her other dark humor works.  And Lewis has expanded her Sand Storm series into a downloadable game soon to be available for mobile devices, and is intrigued by the world of animation in general. (more…)