Comics June

Meanwhile, I'm really stoked about comic books in general. Carla Speed McNeil, creator of my favourite comic book, Finder is drawing a new mini-series of Oni Press's Brit spy series, Queen and Country and her love of humanity is wonderfully evident in her art. In a world of pumped-up pin-up comic book characters exhibiting, for want of a better world, a cartoon sexiness, she understands what makes people truly sexy and how that is intertwined with their expression of their full humanity.

(Oni Press seems awfully cool. They also have several 60s flavoured Vespa-cool comics about scooter dudes and the girls who love them. Hot.)

It was a Speed double shot week with a new issue of Finder featuring a "Mystery Date" story about her student at the prostitute's university. Thank god Speed doesn't have an a mainstream editor telling her that no one will get that those are ghosts populating the background. The slow realization makes the story much more poignant. And if you only get it on the second reading, so much the sweeter.

Other highlights of the last month in comic books is a new mini-series from Marvel on the adolescence of Namor, the sub-mariner. The writing is fly-weight, but the art is luscious, luscious, luscious. Shit, why is it only the majors can afford colour?

Worth a mention is Skaggy the Lost, a bizarre and brilliantly loopy mix of viking and Aztec culture. Don't ask, just get it from Slave Labour. The art reminds me of Mad's Sergio Arrogones but with a darker sensibility.

During the production meeting at work this week, I was sketching the monster from the four-page comic script I recently wrote. redrunner, I may steal it from you...

Join the Mainstream

Now that the interview meme is dying down, I'm suddenly interested. Will people please ask me five interview questions? scapegoatee! This means you! Others, too.

I'm loving this summer thing so far! The temperature is hanging on in the low 20s with lots of sun. There was the godawful hot day when I was trudging around sick with elatedpawn and redrunner, but other than that, right on target. The garden is peaceful and lovely and we eat out there most evenings. The cooler temps have meant that the neighbours' evil air conditioner hasn't even gone on once.

Snake has calmed down considerably since he found out he didn't get the job. He talked to a friend of his who was teaching in that department. She quit saying it was the worst work situation she'd ever seen.

Well, for years, he's avoiding even thinking about teaching in the public schools, but now that ESL is changing from teaching newcomers to Canada to teaching spoiled rich kids visiting from Asia, he's reconsidering. He found out the good news that the years of teaching at community colleges will count as teaching years for the board of ed and he would start off at the salary level of a teacher whose been there for a decade. He's craving stability and the identity that comes with being the teacher of the same group of kids for a whole year -- building a community with them; making a difference in some kid's life.

The bad news is that the instability will continue for another year. We were planning to go on vacation at the end of September. I was pushing for Italy, specifically Rome, Venice and Florence. But now, he'll probably have to stick around town or lose 6 months of teaching at a college. He's giving the rich kids one more chance before he moves to the public schools. I'm really disappointed. Living with B'rer Rabbit is all fine and good (it really is nice to have a little family under this roof), but I'm craving alone time with my life partner. The five days in New York made me hungry for more.

When Ontario legalized gay marriage last week, Snake joked that we should head down to City Hall. It was a joke at first, because we've never felt that we had to make a public show of our commitment and I don't believe that people have to ape heterosexual marriage (even if they're heterosexual) to justify their relationships. But when Snake said, "let's get married," it felt like a proposal. And we looked at each other and got glassy-eyed and little giggly.

I have a weird life and yet it seems so normal. I live with my life partner and my life partner's boyfriend. Snake is my one and only and I'm really his. If the bunny had to go back to China, we'd cry but we'd move on. (note: the thought of my adopted little brother leaving is making me tear up at the moment). Snake and I have a connection that is so deep and rich and I know it will only be severed by death. And furthermore, the fact of this connection is the only thing that makes me think that there is something beyond death.

Till death do us part? The vow has been made both silently and out loud over tears and in laughter. In sickness and in health? Doubtless. Forsaking all others? Well, we've negotiated past that one already.

But be calm, TTL. We don't have to get married tomorrow (even though it would be politically fun to be in the vanguard). As of today, Parliament is unlikely to appeal the court ruling in favour of same-sex marriages to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, I'm braced for a lot of homophobic rhetoric that will sweep through the land this week. It will scare me and make me feel unsafe.