Chip & Matt take Ohio
[Guess what,] ? [Chicken butt,] .
- kelly sue deconnick -
I was raised "Catholic." The scare quotes indicate the kind of Catholicism born more of heritage than religion. We're Irish-Italian, my family, very Italian on my father's side, and though I've been through CCD classes, and the bizarre coming out party that was my confirmation and first communion, I couldn't tell you the last time I went to mass. My children have never been. We are not, how you say, "devout."
Though as a theatre major I do maintain a certain affection for the rites, sets and costumes of the Church, its attitudes about women in particular would be the thing that kept me away... if it weren't for the even more distancing fact that in my heart of hearts, I am a staunch agnostic. To many of you this is, I know, akin to being a fierce advocate for the shoulder shrug, and I get that. It's not that I don't believe in God; I do... sometimes... in a way. My personal theology boils down to an ever-so-safe and uninspiring "golden rule" and "God is love" kind of cop-out and my religion, if I have one, is probably something based on the idea of the Power of Story. My agnosticism expresses itself in that I can't be convinced my theology matters.
Nor does any of this matter you and I'm not quite sure why I'm prattling on about it except that November 2nd is approaching and as I put the Día de los Muertos images into this mailer I was thinking about All Soul's Day and how it is a part of the religion of my heritage that I cherish and now perhaps, this year in particular, it may be a celebration that I need.
My subconscious, like my taste in fashion, is not and never has been particularly subtle. I'm 44 this year and if middle age weren't enough to prompt rumination on my own mortality, our family experienced a number of deaths this year: Maggie, Polly, Tommy, Mildred, Pop... as I type this Lucille (the family calls her "Pumpkin") is in hospice and has, I'm told, weeks, if not days. This year has been a storm, taking the all the uppermost leaves from our family tree. I miss them. I miss just knowing they were there.
Given that, and the religion of Story, it's not all that shocking that I find myself thinking and writing about Death so much of late. Pretty Deadly, in particular, has been a kind of medicine, treating my grief like balm on a bruise. It doesn't make it go away any faster, but I get the comfort of feeling like I'm DOING something to make my way through. In Captain Marvel, Tracy Burke, who owes so much to my Polly, continues her cancer struggle, after Polly has lost hers. I can't help but wonder if I keep her alive as a way of forestalling another step in saying goodbye. I haven't cried yet for Polly yet; but I think about her every day.
I think, if my schedule will allow it, I'll take some time on November 2nd to have my All Soul's Day. I think perhaps I will start a book for myself where I will write down a story about each of those who've left my life this year. Maybe this is how I will practice my faith.
________
- matt fraction -
everyone i went to high school with is dead
- kelly sue demonic -
Smartass.
#ICYMI
An American Horror Story: An open letter from the Ferguson protestors.
KS is Comixology's Creator of the Week. Check in all week for discount codes and bonus materials.
Bitch Planet #1 is in stores 12/10/14. 32 pages; $3.50. If you'd like to check it out, pleas tell your retailer you want to pre-order.
January Solicits
from
Milkfed Criminal Masterminds
BIG HARD SEX CRIMINALS HC
story: MATT FRACTION
art / cover: ZIGGY CHOOCH
JANUARY 14 / 320 PAGES / FC / Mx1000 / $39.99
Collecting the first ten issues of the Eisner and Harvey award-winning, TIME Magazine Best Comic of the year of our lord 2013, SEX CRIMINALS, in an oversized hardcover format guaranteed to embarrass you to order.
BITCH PLANET #2
story: KELLY SUE DeCONNICK
art / cover: VALENTINE DE LANDRO
JANUARY 14 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
Now framed for murder INSIDE the prison, Kam is offered leniency if she'll train her crew for a death sport bout against a visiting team of male prisoners. From 2014 Best Writer Eisner nominee KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) and VALENTINE DeLANDRO (X-Factor) with colorist CRIS PETER (CASANOVA).
CAPTAIN MARVEL #11
KELLY SUE DECONNICK (W) • DAVID LOPEZ (A/C)
• Christmas comes to the Carol Corps!
• You could even say this will be a CHRISTMAS CAROL.
• That's a hint, guys.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99
CASANOVA: ACEDIA #1
story: MATT FRACTION & MICHAEL CHABON
art / cover: FÁBIO MOON & GABRIEL BÁ
JANUARY 7 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
Marooned in Los Angeles with no memory of his past, Casanova Quinn takes on the mystery of his criminal benefactor's tangled and bloody history—as strange occult forces from the future conspire to… do stuff? To him? To Los Angeles? To you? YES.
Featuring the first in a series of backup stories by Pulitzer Prize winner MICHAEL CHABON and CASANOVA co-creator GABRIEL BÁ.
ODYC #3
story: MATT FRACTION
art / cover: CHRISTIAN WARD
JANUARY 28 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
O and her crew encounter...the Cyclops.
tl;dr
October 22 - KS PDX Fire and Stone Signing
October 23 - Crafting Your Hustle with Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky (Columbus, OH)
October 26 - KS at Hollywood Theatre ALIEN showing w/Q&A
November 12 - Casanova: Luxuria HC in stores
November 12 - KS & MF Anaheim, CA signing (Details to follow.)
November 14-16 - KS & MF at Avengers Half Marathon (Disneyland)
November 26 - ODY-C #1 in stores
November 26 - Casanova: Gula hC in stores
November 26 - Just The Tips in stores
November Something: F4/FF Fraction Omnibus
December 1 - Fraction's Birthday
December 10 - First issue of Bitch Planet on shelves.
December 24 - ODY-C #2 in stores
January 7 - Casanova: Acedia #1 in stores
January 14 - Bitch Planet #2 & Big Hard Sex Criminals Vol. 1 in stores
January 28 - ODY-C #3 in stores