So even as I neglect my own blog for the next week or so as I write furiously on my novel, I find myself finding a new way to procrastinate by making time to blog for Jeff. Here’s the opening bit:
Not too long ago there was a bit of a dust up regarding the anti-racist, anti-fascist anthology Never Again, put together by a couple of U.K. editors. [Technically, I do have dual citizenship (which only is a problem come World Cup time when England plays the U.S.). And “editor” is one of the hats I wear (along with “writer” and “person of color”), so let’s see what kind of trouble I can get into.] As with most internet dustups, I simply made some popcorn, watch the ever-so-polite drama unfold and then went about my business. However, in discussing why there were no people of color, one of the editors made this remark: “Would you have preferred us to target and include writers on the basis of their skin colour, not their writing?”
Hmm, OK, interesting.. Might I ask after the racial make-up of Nick? Mamatas is a Greek name to my ear. I assume he’s not a blonde six-year-old girl!
Further ideas: why not give some of this gyp to a big multinational fat firm, not just a small press? Why not yell in the ear of Time Warner Inc? Like about the lack of black people in their comics? (old theme.) Or – the lack of real true pagans (who R Dawkins claims don’t exist btw) writing mythology-based comics? Instead of Jewish Christian-educated Scientologist (atheists), which is what I believe N Gaiman is! No-one wants “exclusive rights” – just a change from the conservative white MEN would be nice! (And the Christians, and the cultural Christians, eg Dawkins, who has thus self-identified.) Sorry!
Why did it miss out the smiley?
nick IS greek, fwiw.
i give the grief to whoever pops on my radar. the “history of the genre” antho DID come out through a major house (if i recall correctly). and if you check out the weekly round ups, you’ll see the commentary on the super-hero issue.
Nick the Greek it is then! (That’d be his handle in an old Michael Caine movie. Before the latter started playing butlers.)
Yeah of course you were right to run the item. Superhero post? Where? Apart from thePhelps thing!!