The most recent flap in the blogosphere, probably since wiped out by the twin blog-fodder hurricanes of Wizard World Philly and Heroes Con, concerns some ill-considered remarks made by the magician wife of one of DC’s current star writers. Can you tell which of the following statements she made?

Quote #1: “And you know, also, someone raised the point in, I don’t know if it was in a forum I was reading but it’s something I’ve heard a million times before – but usually, the strongest and loudest protest over sexy things come from ugly fat girls. And now I don’t necessarily agree with that and I’m probably going to get some awesome flame mail as a result of this, but as somebody who’s relatively secure in her sexuality — I don’t think I’m the hottest broad out walking around — I definitely don’t think I compare to some of these comic book chicks — but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like to look at ’em. I find the feminine form very appealing and I’m not at all offended by that.”

Quote #2: “My pretty-girl allies stick out like a sore thumb amongst the corn-fed, no make-up, natural fiber, no-bra needing, sandal-wearing, hirsute, somewhat fragrant hippie-chick pie wagons they call ‘women’ at the Democratic National Convention.” (more…)

The Licensing Show in New York City is a three-day orgy of consumerism.  I don’t mean like Las Vegas is an orgy of consumerism, or like Christmas has been debased into an orgy of consumerism.  No, the Licensing Show is an entire Javitz Convention Center full of companies large and small, looking to expand their properties onto more properties.

Of course, Marvel and DC are there.  So are MGM, Paramount, Disney, Nickelodeon and NASCAR.  If you want to make a toy, a lunchbox, a videogame, a paper plate or a cell phone, and you don’t quite trust yourself with your own ideas, you can buy yourself some help from a brand with a proven track record.  I can understand why you want a license for Batman: The Dark Knight if you make toys or Halloween costumes.  I don’t understand why you want a license for Pledge or Crisco.

As with most conventions, the most interesting stuff is not always the biggest.  Yarto Licensing, for example, is a British company there to promote Hackman: A Dog in a Bucket, a comic strip created by Bill Houston (recently collected into a book by Harper Collins).  Hackman is a spaniel who is so anxious, so paranoid, so stressed out that he scratches himself into one of those over-sized collars.  Naturally, he lives in Manhattan.

There were lots and lots of Asian companies trying to be the next Sanrio (there was also Sanrio, for that matter).  I was especially pleased to discover Aska Studio, a Taiwanese company with lots of properties.  The best, IMO, was the Mouchoir Club, about a box of tissues and a roll of toilet paper that have adventures.  As the handout says, "They bring hapapiness to people; heal them of broken heart.  Moreover, at the same time, they found the meaning of life."  I’d buy a pillowcase that could do that for me.

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