AKRONOMICON (February 1, 2025)

 

My next convention guest appearance will be at the unleashing of the first Akronomicon, Saturday, February 1, 2025, from 10 am to 7 pm at Emidio’s Expo Center, 48 E. Bath Road, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Produced by the same folks who do the Akron Comicon every year, it’s a celebration of contemporary and Classic horror featuring vendors, artists, celebrity guests and movies. I’m on the guest list by virtue of the many and seldom-discussed horror and monster comics and magazines I wrote or edited for Marvel Comics back in the 1970s.

                                                                           

The guest list for this inaugural Akronomicon is amazing. Let’s start with VICTORIA PRICE, daughter of Vincent Price, one of my all-time favorite actors. A public speaker, she’s the author of the memoir, The Way of Being Lost: A Road Trip to My Truest Self and Vincent Price: A Daughter's Biography. Last I heard, she’s my next-door neighbor. I’m looking forward to meeting her and, hopefully, not talking with too much.

                                                                         

LINDA JO MILLER, the star of King Kong Escapes, is also on the list. She’s one of my favorite convention guests, always fun and gracious to her many fans. She has so many great stories about her life and career in Japan. I’m looking forward to seeing her again.

Other guests include:

Richard John Walters - My Bloody Valentine 3D

Devanny Pinn - Black Mass

Tina Krause - Silent Night, Bloody Night 3: Descent

Lisa Neeld-Infante - The Girl 2

Morrigan Thompson-Milam - Martian Girl Massacre

Eddie Deezen. - Grease, Dexter's Laboratory

Jon Abrahams - Terrifier 3, House of Wax

Lew Temple - AMC's The Walking Dead

David Hayes - Horror Writer

Scott Versago - Tattoo Artist

James L. Edwards - Actor

Chris Hahn - Axe Giant

Shawn Burkett - Don't F@#k In The Woods 1 & 2

Kelsey Livengood - Actress

Sonya Thompson - AMC's The Walking Dead, Zombieland

I know the fans are looking forward to meeting and chatting with them during the day. Me, too.

Akronomicon has announced the times for this year's Indie Horror Movie schedule and Horror Movie Cosplay Contest. They’re excited to have a great collection of local Indie Horror Talent at their show this year!

MOVIE SCHEDULE

11 am: The Girl 2 (1 hour, 34 minutes)

12:45 pm: Blood and Breakfast (1 hour, 24 minutes)

2:15 pm: Let’s Get Young (5-minute short)

2:25 pm: One Too Many (19 minutes)

3 pm: Martian Girl Massacre (15 minutes)

3:30 pm: The Legend of Crick Foot (1 hour, 12 minutes)

5:00 pm: Cosplay Contest

My booth will my usual mix of comics, books, and spiffy things not unlike my garage sales. If you have any Isabella comics or other related items you’d like signed, there’s a charge of $10 per item. I hope to see you on February 1.

Akronomicon is the first of many comics and other conventions I will be attending in 2025. Keep watching this bloggy thing and my social media for more news.

I’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2025 Tony Isabella

MY CHRISTMAS CINEMA FESTIVAL

 

It was a few days before Thanksgiving when I read a fun article about offbeat Christmas movies. In years past, I have viewed and written about Christmas horror movies. I thought I would switch it up a bit. Alas, my master plan was somewhat derailed because I took ill after Thanksgiving and remained that way through most of December as well. I even had two visits to the ER and a five-day stay in a hospital. Talk about your holiday cheer!

I did manage to watch six offbeat films, one of them in a actual movie theater. With a warning that there will be spoilers, let’s get into this kooky Christmas film festival.

KRAMPUS (2015)

From the Internet Movie Database: A boy who has a bad Christmas accidentally summons a festive demon to his family home.

Old habits die hard, so, yes, the first movie is a horror-comedy from director Michael Dougherty, who co-wrote it with Todd Casey and Zach Shields. It has a pretty decent cast, including Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman & Conchata Ferrell.

Demon and monster sightings in this movie are not overwhelming, but when they happen, they are effective. The title character has a history of invading the homes of children who have lost the Christmas spirit and slaughtering their families. The boy’s grandmother was one such survivor.

This is actually a pretty scary movie with the comedic elements serving mostly to set the table for violence. But this is by no means a gore-fest. It is frightening without scattering body parts all over the place.

SPOILERS AHEAD

SPOILERS AHEAD

SPOILERS AHEAD

Krampus wipes out the boy’s entire family. Though the boy takes back his earlier lack of Christmas spirit, he seems to be killed as well. But, then, he wakes up and everything is back to how it was before Krampus made his appearance. The movie ends with the demon looking at snow globes on a tree, snow globes which show the families he has spared from death. But I’m not convinced this is a happy ending. My take: the souls of his victims are trapped in the globes reliving their last Christmas over and over again for all eternity. Baubles to amuse Krampus.

SPOILERS OVER

SPOILERS OVER

SPOILERS OVER

If you haven’t seen this movie, one of many featuring Krampus,it is definitely worth watching.  

                                                                       

BAD SANTA (2003)

From the IMDB: A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid.

Bad Santa is a Christmas dark comedy crime film. It was directed by Terry Zwigoff and written by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. It stars Billy Bob Thorton as the title character with Tony Cox as Marcus Skidmore (the Little Helper) and Lauren Tom as Skidmore’s equally larcenous wife. Brett Kelly is excellent as the lonely kid. Lauren Graham is a bartender with a Santa Claus fetish.

This is a crude film. Lots of drunk and sex jokes. Yet, somehow, Thorton, Cox and Kelly pull it all together and make it work. If you had told me I would enjoy this movie, I’d have thought you were nuts. But I did enjoy it, so much so that, had I not gotten sick, I would have watched Bad Santa 2.

                                                                             

THE REF (1994)

From the IMDB: A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.

I’m amazed I hadn’t seen this movie. I’m a big Dennis Leary fan and, here, he’s his best smart-ass self. Director Ted Demme, who had worked with Leary in the past, kept that persona up front at all times. The movie was written by Richard LeGravenese and his sister-in-law Marie Weiss.

The Ref is hilarious with relatable characters and subsequent character growth. My therapist told me it’s an annual Christmas event in her family and that some of her family keep asking her if she’s this kind of therapist. She tells them she is. You know any therapist of mine has to have a sense of humor.

                                                                             

RED ONE (2024)

From the IMDB: After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security must team up with a notorious hacker in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

Saintly Wife Barb and I watched this at an actual movie theater, which is rare for us. The commercials had been running for a few weeks and they won us over. Though the film is garish and silly, it did make for a fun night.

Security Honcho Dwayne Johnson is his usual self, the character we’ve seen in many other films. I find the persona entertaining, though his attacks on Biden and subsequent support of Trump did diminish my regard for him personally. I don’t think I’ll ever be forgiving of anyone who voted for the felonious traitor and his equally vile Republicans sycophants.

J.K. Simmons’ portrayal of Santa was a winning take. There was typically good work from Chris Evans and Lucy Liu. Kristofer Hivju was hilarious as Krampus, Santa’s estranged brother. All in all, Red One delivered heart-warming moments along with crazy laughs. It’s one of those Christmas flicks I can see becoming an annual event.  

                                                                                 

 

LOVE HARD (2021)

From the IMDB: An LA girl, unlucky in love, falls for an East Coast guy on a dating app and decides to surprise him for the holidays, only to discover that she's been catfished. This lighthearted romantic comedy chronicles her attempt to reel in love.

From Wikipedia: The title is a portmanteau of Love Actually and Die Hard, the respective favorite Christmas films of the main characters.

My therapist recommended this movie when we were talking about the holidays. Yes, I have holiday-related issues, but I’ll write about them some other time.

Love Hard was a compelling romcom. Leads Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang were likeable despite her cynicism and his deception. It was easy to root for them, not that the outcome of this film was ever in doubt. There are good reasons many people find romcoms comforting. Happy endings are almost always assured. I was truly impressed by Yang. I plan to check out more of his work in the near future.

                                                                     

TRADING PLACES (1983)

From the IMDB: A snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.

Trading Places is the oldest film in my mini movie marathon, one I hadn’t re-watched in at least two decades. I remember it mainly for the great performances by Dan Ackroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott and Jaime Lee Curtis. It’s also when I fell in love with Curtis.

The movie was directed by John Landis and written by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod. It’s not an overwhelmingly Christmas film, though Christmas does figure into the plot. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are more essential to the story. Viewing it again, I was reminded how dark it is at times and how certain events make me uneasy.

SPOILERS AHEAD

SPOILERS AHEAD

SPOILERS AHEAD

Dan Ackroyd’s character tries and fails to commit suicide only because of a gun that doesn’t fire. Later in the movie, he dons blackface, always a stomach churner for me. Even more so, the millionaires’ agent ends up sewn into a gorilla suit and likely sodomized by an actual gorilla. As much as I like other parts of this movie, I don’t think I’ll watch it again.

SPOILERS OVER

SPOILERS OVER

SPOILERS OVER

What’s your opinion on the holiday-themed movie reviews I have been doing in the bloggy over the years? Especially in the realm of horror movies, there are multiple flicks for every holiday. And I do mean every holiday. I could even do a bunch of reviews for Presidents’ Day, though nothing is as chilling as the sad reality of Trump’s reelection.

Let me know if you’re interested in more holiday film festivals. Let me know if you want me to stick to horror movies or expand into other genres. Also, if you have suggestions for any upcoming holidays, feel free to send them along.

I’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2025 Tony Isabella

MY NEW SUPER-HERO SERIES

 

If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve seen mention of my creating a new super-hero comics series. My post-Thanksgiving hospital stay and subsequent recovery slowed me down, but I’m feeling very close to 100% of pre-illness Tony and eager to get back to work on this and other projects. But I could use some help in an area of this creation. There’s no payment involved, but you will get a “special thanks” mention if the series makes it to press.

The protagonist is a young trans woman about 21 years old. She has been on her own since she was 16 and working her way through college. Which means she doesn’t have a lot of money for clothes and hair. Just the basics.

Physically, she’s not tall. She is feminine and thin and almost completely passable. Due to her appearing/dressing in an average style. She’s pretty without being a knockout.

I’d love to see photos of young trans women who also dress in basic styles. I want this new character of mine to be as real as I can. If you’re a young trans woman in similar circumstances, I would love to hear from you. If you’re not trans but have photos you think would be useful to me, I’d also love to hear from you. You can e-mail me directly or through Facebook Messenger. I want to have the pitch ready to go by this time next week.

I’m pretty excited about this character and the kinds of stories I can tell with her. She’s been in me for several months now and it’s time to share her with the world.

It’s premature until my pitch is finished and ready to be shown, but, at that time, I’d be interested in hearing from artists or publishers who would want to partner with me on this. When that time comes, you know how to contact me to start discussing terms of that partnership.

I’ll be back soon with some belated holiday cheer.

© 2025 Tony Isabella

AKRON COMICON COMICS HAUL

 

I never was able to write a proper report on Akron Comicon 2024, as wonderful as it was, but I have now read all of the comics I bought or was given at the event. It’s a healthy stack. I’m only going to write about the ones I liked because I’m swearing off negative reviews of comics, especially indy comics, for this new year. I’m a sweetheart of a human being.

My pal Craig Boldman’s The Adventures of Cap’n Catnp #4 [Hooha Comics; $5] is designated a “Special Cat Nap Issue” in that the lead character isn’t seen in the comic. We get a glimpse of him in various disguises and a house ad or two. Instead, the issues has stories of sidekick Womble the Wonder Gerbil, Inspector Drummond and the short Good Rat/Bad Rat.

In the Womble outing, the gerbil hero finds it difficult to stay awake to fight crime during the day because he’s nocturnal. It’s a funny concept and the high point of the issue.

Meanwhile, Drummond finds his job in jeopardy because the Cap’n has been capturing all the crooks and villains. But perhaps the feline felon-buster is doing that job too well. Another funny tale from one of my favorite cartoonists, Boldman had a stellar run on Jughead, which is worthy of the archives treatment.

Adventures of Cap’n Catnip is a solid squarebound comic printed on glossy paper with bright colors. It’s 36 pages of critter comedy. Recommended. 

                                                                               

 

Exciting Comics #31 [Antarctic Press; $4.99] is the 100^th Legacy Issue of the title. The original series, which introduced the Black Terror and other 1940s super-heroes, ran 69 issues and AP has published an additional 31.

The second and third stories are the stars of this 56-page comic book. In a tale by writer Dan Johnson and artist Dan Gorman, we see the transformation of Atomic Blonde into the more powerful Blondeshell. That’s followed a crazy fun team-up of quirky 1960s heroes Herbie and Fatman the Human Flying Saucer by writer John Holland and artist Larry Guidry. That’s a lot of entertaining bang for your five bucks.

                                                                                

Sitcomics Presents The Heroes Union Binge Book #1 [$4.99]. It’s 68 pages introducing a new generation of heroes by Roger Stern, Darin Henry, Ron Frenz, Sal Buscema and Chris Nye. I confess I’m a bit conflicted on this one. The writing and art are top-notch, but there’s so many characters and so many plots that it’s hard for me to follow. I definitely recommend the book, but think the creators and readers would have been better served by a more focused premiere.

                                                                           

It’s Only an Island If You Look at It from the Water #0 by story guy Tom Hutchison and artist Jason Hehir [Big Dog Ink} is an eight-page trailer to what seems to be a sequel to the original Jaws. Names have been changed. The island is called Harmony and a street has been named for Chief Rhodey. But this brief taste has a decent sense of dread. If there are subsequent issues, I’ll buy them.

                                                                        

Mayhem Inc 80pg Ginormous by George Broderick Jr. [Comic Library International; $19.95] is a cosmic quest featuring Crimefighter Dude, Strongarm Armstrong, Go-Go Rilla, the Rampaging Caribou and many other characters from my pal George’s seemingly endless imagination. His cartooning chops are so vast I’m forever in awe of them. This is a big thick bundle of fun for readers young and old alike.

                                                                         

William Russell’s Psycho Sal #1 by Chris Hays and Marcelo Salaza [Charter Comics]. It’s 1986. Rain pours down on New Orleans as a serial killer terrorizes the city that has known so much tragedy over the years. A special agent is on the trail of this fiend, but the bodies keep piling up. At the convention, Russell was my next door neighbor and gave me a copy of an exclusive and sold out trade edition. The writing, art and production values are of the highest quality. Standard issues are priced at #14.95. I’m hoping for a reasonably priced collection in the future.

                                                                                 

                                                               

U-Knighted [Route Eight Studios] is a Kickstarter anthology by several Akron-based comics artists and writers. Its contributors include Cameron Blakey, Dan Gorman, Chris Kasmar, Damion Kendrick and Robert Kraus. During the Comicon I had a brief conversation about the group with one of the above. I learned about what they do and how they work together. We discussed the possibility of my working with them and even possibly writing some comics material for the studio. Anything like this would be quite a ways off, as I have two personal projects on my desk, but it’s something that could happen.

A SIDEBAR IN WHICH I BREAK MY WORD ABOUT NOT WRITING ABOUT COMIC BOOKS I DON’T LIKE. While I won’t mention this comic by name, I will say it triggered my “ick” response. Picture the cliché of a slovenly fan whose “love life” consists of doing the nasty with bedsheets featuring life-size anime characters. Not heeding his cries that he always put them in the washing machine when they “got too sticky,” they come alive and slash him with swords. Do they kill him? I’ll never know. I won’t read another issue of this series. There might be a market for this comic book series, but it sure ain't me. END OF SIDEBAR.

                                                                       

Zira #1 by Nathan Pinsoneault, Stacie Pinsoneault and Colin Richards [819 Comics; $6]. The title heroine is a sorcessess and creature-hunter. The style is somewhat reminiscent of 1970s and 1980s fantasy/horror anthologies. Though the writing and art didn’t quite click with me, I think the characters and creators showed a lot of potential. Definitely worth checking out.

                                                                          

Finally, we have Don Simpson’s Victory Folks #1 [Fiasco Comics; $20], 44 magazine-size pages featuring dozens of super-heroes and super-villains going at it in a cool adventure that frankly left me speechless. My friend Don’s exuberance in drawing armies of public-domain characters is infectious. Heck, it inspired me to dip into the well-traveled public-domain territory myself, as you will hopefully see in a project I’m currently developing for myself. Which is all the tease you get for the moment.

Akron Comicon is always a great time and always features lots of great comics creators. I plan to attend year after year and hope to see you there too.

I’ll be back soon with some belated holiday cheer.

© 2025 Tony Isabella

THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY IN DECEMBER

 

December was rough. The fear of how terrible life will get under another Trump administration was ever-present. I took ill and had to bow out of GalaxyCon Columbus, one of my favorite events. I got even sicker, which let to a five-day stay in the hospital and an excruciatingly slow recovery at home. Somehow, thanks to my wonderful Barb and Eddie and Kelly and friends, I managed to have a nice birthday and an even better Christmas.

There’s a lot wrong with my country and the world. My main New Year’s resolution will be to continue to support trans people in every way I can while defying and fighting against the criminal Republican Party on other fronts. They don’t have a mandate and we must make them aware of that time and time again.

When I look at the persecution of the trans community, I like to think back on the commercials, TV shows and other media from my youth to present. We never saw many black people in such things. We never saw interracial couples. We never saw gay couples. All of those are now commonplace because some folks had the courage to make them commonplace. While there is considerable work to be done in the ongoing quest for diversity, equality and inclusion, our progress is evident.

I’ve contended for some time that the trans community could see the same kind of progress if advertisers and entertainment companies showed the same courage. Yes, I know we live in a time where a trans woman enjoying a beer makes MAGA scum lose their collective shit, and where mighty Disney is cowed by the hatred directed at trans people, but there is also evidence that, in the true American tradition, most of us are more than willing to let people live their lives in peace. I want to see trans people in commercials. I want to see trans folks in TV shows just being their authentic selves. I want to see HGTV’s House Hunters help trans people find their dream houses. Heck, HGTV had an episode with a trouple and the world didn’t end.

“Stand by your trans” is my rallying call for 2025. I hope and expect my readers will make it theirs. And now, here are the things that made me happy in December…

December 1: Saintly Wife Barb is the queen of Christmas around here. She kinda goes crazy (in mostly good ways) for the holiday season. For example, we have FOUR Christmas trees. It’s fun and occasionally terrifying to watch her in action.

                                                                         

December 2: Shrink: Story of a Fat Girl by Rachel M. Thomas is a powerful very personal graphic medical account of the author’s journey growing up with a large body in a world that seldom sees beyond that. Especially recommend for young adults. 

December 3: Tracker: “The Night Movers.” The man who finds lost people crosses paths with a woman (Freda Foh Shen) who helps them disappear. I found it a winning combination and one ripe for a spinoff. I am available for a supporting role.

December 4: My Time Machine by Carol Lay.This gripping sequel of sorts to the H.G. Wells classic has a modern woman duplicating the journey of the Time Traveler. Fascinating and inventive, it earns my high recommendation.

December 5: Pop Culture Jeopardy. This fun spin-off is hosted by Colin Jost and streams on Amazon. Three teams of three players each compete. The original is more challenging, but I like the bar trivia feel of this version as well.

                                                                             

December 6: The Creature Commandos. I love this beautiful and violent animated series. It’s funny and terrifying with terrific acting and characters. One thought: the creatures are not the monsters. We are.

December 7: The Creature Commandos. I want to write a G.I. Robot comic book almost as much as I want to kill Nazis with him. This character truly speaks to me in the times of Trump and his vile supporters.

December 8: Tomato soup. My love for this soup could almost be considered an addiction, all the more surprising since I never even tried it until I was in my 70s. I’m definitely making up for lost time.

December 9: When I fell ill on this night, Barb was able to take me to the emergency room. I am grateful my health insurance made this possible. I know that’s not a given for far too many people in our country and it should be. 

                                                                     

 

December 10: After waiting 12 hours in the ER, I was taken to MetroHealth’s Glick Center where I had a beautiful private room and excellent care from the doctors and nurses there. More than once their kindness brought me to tears.

December 11: My medications often make me emotional. One early morning, everything became so overwhelming I was openly weeping. Which is when an amazing medical student sat down next to me and held my hand. I will never forget her. 

                                                                       

 

December 12: Hospital food? MetroHealth’s Glick Center gave me a three-page menu that was better than many restaurants. For example, the salmon with lemon was incredible. If I had to be in a hospital, I’m glad it was this one.

December 13: It was Discharge Mania as my probable discharge date went from Saturday to Sunday to Monday. But with my health much improved, my test results negative and my numbers going in the right direction, I got to go home on Saturday.

December 14: On this date in 2023, I began my current therapy. Despite all the shit in the world, I am feeling better and more confident in myself than ever before. The only direction I’m going is forward. 

                                                                         

 

December 15: Dinosaurus! Home from the hospital, I watched Dinosaurus! (1960) on Svengoolie. The stop motion effects were rushed, but this childhood favorite holds up well. Well-crafted characters. Honest suspense. It’s comfort food for the brain and soul.

December 16: The DC Ultimate Character Guide tries to encompass my most recent take on Black Lightning and other takes. It’s not entirely successful, but I did appreciate the mentions of Cleveland and Amberjack.

                                                                                 

December 17: Perfect World 10 by Ale Aruga. Newlyweds Tsugumi and Itsuki want to have a child, despite all the obstacles before them. This series just keeps better and more moving with each new volume.

December 18: 20 First Chapters by Brian Clopper. He calls it “a unique storytelling experiment.” The initial chapters of various books that don’t exist...yet. They’re fun to read and offer some solid insights for fledgling writers.

December 19: Costco. It may not be gourmet dining, but you can get a fine foot-long hot dog and a large Pepsi for only a buck and a half. The hot dog was so big I got two small meals out of it. Their pizza is pretty good, too. 

                                                                           

 

December 20: This adorable Sleeping Godzilla plush figure was an early birthday gift to myself. Unlike my cats, it will sit on my lap. It brings out my nurturing side. You’ll understand that unless you’re a monster yourself.

December 21: Laura Benanti. I first saw this actor and singer as Melania Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Since then, I have become a big fan of her YouTube videos. She is an amazing talent. I look forward to seeing more of her.

December 22: I celebrated my 73^rd birthday with the three people I love most in this world: my saintly wife Barb and our terrific kids Eddie and Kelly. Our restaurant choice wasn’t the best, but time with them is always wonderful. 

                                                                       

 

December 23: It’s always nice to see my name in the credits of a Marvel production. This time it was “What if?...the Red Guardian Stopped the Winter Solider?”, which featured Bill Foster getting large to take care of business. I loved it!

December 24: Let it be known that I really want to write a G.I. Robot and Red Guardian crossover. Come on, DC and Marvel. Make this happen and soon. You know the world will be a much better place if you do.

December 25: 2024’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Day could not have gone better. I had a great time with only one easily-ignored jerk to ignore easily. I know Christmas is challenging for many, but I hope they found some joy this year.

                                                                     

          

December 26: Elsbeth. In an ongoing sub-plot, it’s great fun to watch Carrie Preston opposing a murderous and influential judge played by real-life spouse Michael Emerson. I’m on the edge of my seat watching this.

December 27: Lunch with Bob Ingersoll, Roger Price and Thom Zahler for our annual holiday Herd Gathering. No matter what life throws at me, I can count on the friendship and support of these fine people.

                                                                           

December 28: Funko Pop! Movie Poster: Godzilla vs Mothra. It’s 11” wide x 17” high x 5.5” deep of monster magnificence. Such a great gift from a dear friend. It will have a place of honor in my office.

December 29: “Superman and the Challenge from Space” by Gail Simone and Eddy Barrows (Action Comics #1067-1069) has a pre-Black Lightning Jefferson Pierce. Great story and great use of my creation.

December 30: I was back in the ER Sunday night. The good news is I received excellent care and got to go home. There are too many tests in my future and I’m very weak, but I’m still kicking and still fighting.

                                                                           

December 31: Jimmy Carter. Our nation was privileged to have had him as our president, even if many did not realize that. He was the most decent and giving person ever elected to the office and his life was a testimony to that.

Finally, here’s my pick for the best of the best from the things that made me happy in December,

BEST COMIC BOOK/GRAPHIC NOVEL: Perfect World 10 by Ale Aruga

BEST BOOK: The DC Ultimate Character Guide

BEST MOVIE OR TV SHOW: The Creature Commandos

BEST PERSON: Jimmy Carter

BEST OTHER THING: tomato soup

Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2025 Tony Isabella

BEFORE WE WERE SO RUDELY INTERRUPTED

 

Happy birthday to me! I turned 73 yesterday. Among the many things I was not expecting, even beyond being still alive at 73, was that the most criminal president in American history would be reelected by clueless and/or evil people and seemingly take marching orders from one of the most vile billionaires in the history of the world. It’s going to be a challenging four years, two if we get lucky and the Republicans lose control of both the House and the Senate.

As mentioned elsewhere, December 14 was the first anniversary of my starting my current therapy. It has changed my life and will continue to do so. I feel better and more confident about myself than ever before. I know the road ahead will be fraught with all manner of peril, but I’m moving forward and I will never stop moving forward.

Among the other things I wasn’t expecting was that I would spend near a week in the hospital. Sparing you the more gory details, here’s how that went down.

Just a few days after Thanksgiving, I developed what I thought was some sort of flu or virus. I figured it would pass within a two or three days. But it didn’t. It got steadily worse. So bad I had to make the tough call to cancel my weekend appearance at GalaxyCon Columbus, one of my favorite conventions.

The personal reason was my realization I did not have the energy to do the hard work of being a guest at such an event. The more altruistic reason was that I didn’t want to spread whatever I had to anyone else. I thought of the many recent conventions where large numbers of fans and guests returned to their homes with the oh-so-special souvenir of flu or worse. I didn’t want to be Patient Zero at this convention.

Fortunately, GalaxyCon was understanding and appreciative of my decision. I hope to be a guest at some of their other fine shows in the coming year.

I was depressed about not seeing the fans and other old friends at the convention. But I knew it was the right call as I got even more sick during the weekend and beyond. By Tuesday night, December 10, Saintly Wife Barb drove me to the MetroHealth emergency room in nearby Brecksville. Following initial tests, I spent the next twelve hours waiting for a bed to open up at one of the MetroHealth hospitals. My tedium was broken only by trips to the restroom, where I never once actually rested, and nurses coming in to draw blood and take my vitals. Most of the time I sat in a chair and tried to sleep. I maybe managed a hour or two in short naps throughout the evening.

On Wednesday, around noon, an ambulance took me to MetroHealth’s Glick Center. It’s the main campus of the health care provider. I was still tired and in pain, but this amazing building lifted my spirits even before I got to my private room. I thanked my health care coverage and the luck of the draw that had placed me in this room. A bed, a chair, a couch. A large window with an incredible view of the surrounding area. A large bathroom with a shower. I’ve stayed in “deluxe” hotel rooms that weren’t this nice. On the wall was a large flat screen TV and a second screen showing my name, the names of my doctors and nurses and notes on things like diet, probable discharge times and so on. I felt more on top of my medical care than ever before.

The staff was beyond wonderful. They were great at their jobs, kind and patient. Without going into detail, the past several weeks have been extremely emotional for me. I broke down crying one early a.m. morning. The medical student sat down next to me, holding my hand while I got it together. I constantly feel as if I’m letting people down. My family, my fans and friends, the comics industry. my country and myself.

                                                                              

On the plus side, the Glick Center had a three-page menu and the food was terrific. My favorites were the salmon with lemon and the tomato soup. I’d call the food service, tell them whatever I wanted and have my meals delivered to me within an hour. There were so many choices every meal choice was a challenge.

There was no consensus on what was wrong with me, so many tests were performed. My white cell count was dangerously high. My condition was eventually determined to be some kind of kidney infection. The good news was that I tested negative for a couple of nasty things and that my numbers, including the white count, were all heading in the right direction.

My likely discharge date on the white board went from Friday to Saturday to Sunday and even to Monday. Happily, I was discharged on Saturday. It was good to be home.

Since then, I’ve been resting and taking it as easy as possible, not the easiest thing to do this close to Christmas holidays. I was and remain behind on several fronts. I know I’m going to be late on some things. But my main job is to not let stress make me sick again. I’m getting stuff done, just more slowly than I’d like. In the end, it will all be good.

The holidays will be a bit more of a struggle this year, but I’m happy to be celebrating them with Barb and the kids and not, no matter how swell they are, the staff at the Glick Center. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of them and all of you. I’ll be back in 2025 with more stuff.

© 2024 Tony Isabella