Kyle Minor Blogs So You Don't Have To

Or maybe they're just drawn that way.

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:41:43 -0700

I may be in the final days of my month-long organ-meats and potatoes binge in the UK, but I did manage to get my latest offering to the Queer Eye on Comics series out to my editors before I left, and it's out this week. In it I attempt to answer that burning question "Which is inherently gayer: Final Crisis or Secret Invasion?" I also make a bunch of references to funny costumes and stuff, so it's pretty much my bog standard, award-winning stuff. Please do enjoy.

And for all my anonymous fans out there, don't forget you can find links to my previous QE offerings here, here and even here. Gotta go... I've just been served the largest calve's liver I've ever seen. Seriously. It's like the size of my forearm. Please tell me there is some arugala left in San Francisco for my return... I'm just hoping it hasn't all been sent off to Denver for the DNC.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

What I did on my summer vacation

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:10:34 -0700

Scotland: the brave, the bold, the bonnie. Though I'm lang awa, my mind's ere here among the hills and braes of the North.

The High Road.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

I don't know what he's gonna DOOOO when he sees those baLOONS!

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:46:16 -0700

Ohhhh myyyyyy gAAAAAAAAAAAHD...! Tomorrow is my boyfriend - then - domestic - partner - then - husband - then - NOT - husband - then - fiance Christopher's birthday! Surpriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssse! Let's go away together, OK?

SNL: Surprise Party on Hulu

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Basie's in-store @ Isotope!

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:32:29 -0700

Me discovering the next Alex Ross

So, Basie, the local 7-year-old whose comic I reviewed a while back to much notable acclaim over at prismcomics.org, has finally gone totally pro: he had his own in-store appearance at my LCS, Isotope Comics Lounge.

James Sime, Isotope's mad monk, was the first to champion this budding writer/artist's career, famous as the place is for its wide selection of 'zines, mini-comics, and self-published manifestos. Months ago, I picked up Basie's first offering, The Masked Mutant #1, and wrote what I thought was a not unfunny piece: treating two comics made by kids who could barely write their own names as though they were breakout talents up for the Eisners. Not that I don't know anyone like that, of course....

Well, there Basie was... bent over the drafting table James sets up for these occasions, surrounded by adoring fans, signing autographs, doing sketches, and showing off his portfolio, his original paintings, and a whole painted cityscape made of re-purposed milk cartons, mailing tubes, and even a Tinker Toy container. Folks in Artist's Alley in San Diego next weekend take note: any booth with a home-made city complete with tiny cars becomes 85-90% awesomer automatically. Fact of life.

Basie's parents were there too, and heaped mountains of undeserved praise on me for writing the review, which they said they had gotten MUCH pleasure out of sharing with friends and family. His dad even had a copy of the review printed in what I joked was Basie's "press kit." The delighted gleam in his eye made me feel badly that Masked Mutant #1 had to share my column with another kid-made comic. Maybe Wizard will finally go to press with that Basie retrospective I hear they have in the works, and thereby right that wrong once and for all.

Nigus, please.

While perusing his portfolio (I am not making that bit up: the kid ACtually had a full-on portfolio), I saw a comic starring a ninja. In a cringe-worthy misspelling moment shred by us adults, we noted he spelled it "N-i-g-u-s." Maybe he uses Jesse Helms' old dictionary? On one page, the ninja is recovering from battle injuries in that ever-popular comics device, the hi-tech tank of bubbly water -- usually a "micro-nutrient bath" or somesuch -- meant to heal anything from acute radiation poisoning to elective surgery scars caused by installing that Adamantium skeleton you always wanted.

I told Basie that this reminded me of The Vision, a synthezoid character in Marvel's Avengers, who was always getting destroyed and ending up in the aforementioned tank. It now occurs to me that we never once used the term "synthezoid" when talking to Basie, preferring the much more generic "robot." Were we somehow afraid that word might corrupt his innocent brain? I suppose it's best to leave the sensitive discussions to his parents. Like the correct spelling of "ninja."

At any rate, I found a reference pic or two in the shop and asked Basie if he'd do a drawing of The Vision in a bubbly tank for me, encouraging him to illustrate extensive damage where appropriate. What he turned out was the absolute greatest: there hangs Mr. Scarlet Witch, a few body parts floating loose in the tank, eyes closed and dreaming synthezoid dreams. The undisputed highlight, though, was that Basie even thought to include The Vision's yellow cape in the scene, hanging on a conveniently placed hook right on the side of the tank.

"Grab your cloak... and get your HAAAAAT! Leave your severed limbs on the dooooorstep...."

Please forgive me if I get a bit dramatic, but I can scarcely convey what joy it brings a fanboy like me when he sees a kid like Basie not only NOT forget Vision's cape, but also include it in a place where it won't get ruined by stubborn micro-nutrient stains. That, my friends, gives me great hope for no less than the future of the Geek Race as a whole. Excelsior!

Basie, I hope you had as good a time as I did today! As for you James, score another one for The shop and your unbesmirched rep as the dude living on the bleeding edge of coolness. Isotope Comics Lounge: They won't get micro-nutrients all over your cape.

Unless that's what you're into. This is San Francisco, after all.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

STOP reading this blog...

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:48:01 -0700

...and get your ass over to THIS ONE.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog by Joss Wedon and pals

Parts 1 and 2 are already up... part 3 (the thrilling conclusion) will be up on Saturday (7/19)! Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan "Patrick" Fillion, and Felicia "Patrick" Day, this superhero comedy meets vlog meets Buffy The Musical will only be available free for a short time! If you've ever wondered why super villains do what they do... it just might be because the heroes are dicks. And not the good kind.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Where are you from?

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:46:21 -0700

Pre-Midnight Mass dinner @ Q.

From where back East?

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Out of the Closet with Uncle Jack

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:44:21 -0700

Something tells me your door is already WIDE open, Mark.

While my posts here have again been sparse, I'd point out that it's not like I'm not writing. Why, just in time for Pride Weekend, I outed one of comics' most revered icons, Jack "King" Kirby in my latest (and, as it happens, very late) contribution to the Queer Eye On Comics series over at the Prism Comics site, the go-to spot for all things queer in the funnybooks.

In retrospect, claiming Kirby as one of or Proud Sisters might not have been the best idea; even posthumously, I'm betting he has some heavy-hitters protecting his rep. Some have enchanted hammers, some have heat vision, and one even has an Ultimate Nullifier. Bet he's used that last one on an ex-boyfriend or two, though. I know I would have.

If you like what you read, more of my columns are linked to here, and here. Next up: trying to finish my next two installments before our UK Odyssey in August. Tally ho!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Sunset over Dolores Park

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:28:33 -0700

Our cool, grey City of Love, San Francisco. Gee, we're lucky.

Those summer nights.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Farewell dinner in the ATL

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:42:41 -0700

A selection of veggie dishes (including apple fritters, collards, Brussels sprouts, and corn pudding), alongside a giant crabcake at Agnes & Muriel's in Ansley. For dessert... fried green tomatoes. Seriously.

Thanks for a great Memorial Day weekend, Kev & Lainey B! Kisses to Meryl, too!

Southern. Fried.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Graffiti I have known

nobody@vox.com(Kyle Minor) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:16:55 -0700

At Hyde & Jackson, Russian Hill

Best. Tag. Ever.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend