Bye

I think it’s time for Zombie Cat Bacon to take a permanent dirt nap. I need to be me. ZBC was fun but it doesn’t really serve a purpose anymore. All of the ZBC outlets will merge back into my personal channels, and into my new Substack newsletter It Was A Day.

Shockingly, I had nearly 1000 people reading this when I was doing it somewhat slightly consistently between 2010 and 2018. But I fell off due to life and I have grown increasingly uncomfortable with the anonymity, believe it or not.

I really don’t think I have anything to hide so I’ve decided to publish under my name and write about things that might interest those of you that have read what I’ve written before and those of you who have no idea who I am or care.

I have so many passions and interests and ideas that I want to share and discuss and explore. So I’ve just decided I’m going to do that in a different format in a different way and I really would appreciate it if you went along for the ride. 

I am going to resurrect All Blogs Go To Heaven. I won’t talk much about comic collecting (but I might). I won’t touch on politics really at all (you’re welcome).

Not sure what comes next but I’m excited about it and I can’t wait to work on it and I would really love your input so thanks. And thanks for reading the crap I wrote over the last 10 years

The Monster

I am a Canadian, and still a citizen. I legally reside in the US, and have, off and on, for most of my life. In my time in the States, I have rarely, if ever, felt unwelcome. There have been frequent (and often humorous/exasperating) episodes, wherein an encounter with an American results in a series of questions. I'll be asked of climate (do you still live in igloos?), of voting rights (why can't you vote here?), of language (how long have you been speaking English?), of food (do you have McDonalds up there?)...you get the idea.

It's easy to roll with, and those encounters often lead to sharing bits of Canadiana, and to contrast and compare, and to celebrate the treasures and highlights of our neighboring countries. As in Canada, 99.9% of everyone I've met in the States has been, at the very least, pleasant. There are certain American attributes I find to be odd (love of guns, religion, basketball), but, ya know, easy to roll with.

(Maybe not easy, regarding guns/religion, as I rarely think about either of those barbaric/medieval vestiges of modern society, and when I do, I am immediately repulsed. Basketball is just...ugh)

I went to the grocery store last evening to get a couple things for dinner, and found myself looking over my shoulder, and sizing up everyone around me. I've never done that before. I didn't realize until returning home that the compulsion to set my sensors to Alert was driven by fear. Real fear, the sense of not knowing when It would happen, or who would do It.

What is It? I'm not quite sure. Someone pulling a gun? Cheering for Trump? Harassing someone? Being a dick?

And what would I do? Run away? Run at them? Reason with them? Be a dick?

I have no idea. The Venn diagram of actions in this fantasy scenario are all slightly plausible. But why has this crazy fantasy suddenly manifested itself in my conscious life with such seeming near-reality?

Because yesterday (1/6/21), It came to life in ways I never thought I'd see. The Unpleasant .1% took action. Very quickly it occurred to me that the .1% is a new version of the Frankenstein Monster, physically acting out the racism, the paranoia and the ignorance of the larger group - the 40% of Americans that voted for what ultimately created this Monster. This group includes friends, family, coworkers, teammates, neighbors and strangers. 

I have lived my adult life mostly unmoored and untethered, and that's just fine. I am not connected to any significant plurality. I am not extremely patriotic (such a strange thing for it to run so deep, as it is merely the result of the luck of birthplace), and I am not in any way a political animal (loyalty to a political party seems completely absurd to me). 

To be clear, I live in a safe, friendly, clean city, with all the attributes a person like me would need or want. However, I am certain now the divide between reason and unreason, and the depth of xenophobia, and the complete absence of empathy in this country is now impassable, bottomless and irretrievable. This Monster can't be controlled. And I don't think I'm wrong in assuming the Monster lives here too, and, if it knew me better, I don't think I'd be welcome anymore.

The Bridge: An Attempt to Figure Out the Purpose of One's Actions (online edition)

Why do I read? Why do I write? Why do I "link"? To learn, interpret and share, I guess. To help people understand the stuff I like, and by extension, me. Why is that important to me? Is it a cry for attention? Is it a gesture of good will? Or some sort of indescribable compulsion?

I like to think I'm a Good Online Person, and as a GOPer (I may need to rethink that acronym), I strive to avoid adding to the shitpile of negativity and ignorance that comprises 78% of all Internet traffic. I like to point out writers and subjects and articles and things that are fun, interesting, maybe nostalgic, usually nerdy, always cool.

I really don't care about pageviews or "traffic" (well, not too much). I'm happy if one person sees a ZCB blog or Facebook post, or a tweet, and grins a little. And if everyone misses it, eh, there's a lot more where that came from.

This blog started as a simple diary about my attempts to sell a bunch of comics. It then started sprouting new offshoots on a variety of subjects that interested me. And then it got to be too much - too many things interest me, and there were too many Real Life distractions to write about it, and I never got any traction or momentum. After the initial series of posts, I kinda lost my purpose for Zombie Cat Bacon.

Today, as I'm listening to Ta-Nehisi Coates being interviewed by Chris Hayes, a thought occurred to me. Something Ta-Nehisi said got me thinking about ZCB. As I'm writing this, I can't even remember the specifics. But he spoke of the energy he had to share. Suddenly, I had an image of a metaphorical bridge in my head. The idea that my reading/writing/sharing had something to do with a desire to have people do more than grin. I wanted them to remember and understand. I wanted to "bridge" the space between us.

We forget our history, every day. Hayes said every day is like Momento. I laughed and realized he's right. The news cycle and the news feed and the present are all never-ending, looping constantly and eradicating every prior moment. (Did you know there was an Olympics this year? I forgot about that. It just nine months ago. And I love sports. This blog was started during the LAST one.)

For 2019, I'm going to try to build my own bridge, and connect with time again, and with the timeline I share with you. I'm going to do that by writing. I can guarantee there will gibberish. But, for me, this will be a chance to pause and stop and rest, and when I write, I can do that.

So, soon, I'll start. There will still be comics and booze and sports and food and t-shirts and TV and games and books and other potentially grin-inducing content. Haven't quite fleshed out the format, or even if I'll stay here on Blogger. Regardless, I'm looking forward to it and I welcome you along for the ride during our all-too-brief time together.

All Blogs Go To Heaven Part XVI

Sweet 16!

CBU

Comix 411 - Now part of a larger entity called Gear Live. However, the comic page hasn't been updated in over four years.

Francis Manapul's Art Journal 2.0 - This was abandoned in 2011. Francis can be found on Twitter and Tumblr.

The Kid's Comic Book Reviews - They made a "we've moved!" announcement in 2011. The site to which they moved is gone. They were going strong for a couple years though (08-09).

I Believe In Bat-Mite - Almost the same story as the above Kid. Hot'n'heavy in 08-09 and dead by 2011.

CHESTERFEST - CB Cebulski's been busy since this blog stopped in 2011. He's now Editor-In-Chief of a small publishing outfit called "Marvel".


UAT

Ordster's Random Thoughts - Jerry Ordway has been blogging here intermittently since 2007, but only one post in the past few years (last August).

The Defenders Fansite - To be honest, I'm a little surprised to see a recent post (May). They've gone from a weekly to a monthly blog schedule.

Big Glee! The Albert Bryan Bigley Archives - Al Bigley has gone from a daily to a monthly, but he's still going, bless 'em.

Retroactive Continuity Redux - Well, his dog died, and so did his Twitter feed: "Evidently my Twitter feed no longer works. I shall investigate it in the timely manner to which you've all become accustomed." Just all gone now.

Brainfreeze: Comic Love - I don't know. Is this it now? Probably not...


I've been visiting old comic blogs to see what's still alive and where everybody went. Some are still going, some are dead dead dead and some have evolved into a Big Deal. Most of the links are Twitters.

I've been using Comicblogupdates (CBU) and Update-A-Tron (UAT) to facilitate this project. (Quite a few of the links on these two sites rely on RSS/feeds. Some sites are still there; the provided link is just defunct)

All Blogs Go To Heaven Part XV (and T-Shirt of The Week)

More bloggity bloggity...

I've been visiting old comic blogs to see what's still alive and where everybody went. Some are still going, some are dead dead dead and some have evolved into a Big Deal.

I've been using Comicblogupdates (CBU) and Update-A-Tron (UAT) to facilitate this project. (Quite a few of the links on these two sites rely on RSS/feeds. Some sites are still there; the provided link is just defunct)

CBU

Dollar Bin Blues - moved to Blogger in 2011 but by early 2012 it ended. Jamie Rosen is still on Twitter occasionally.

Cover Date Chronology - Chrono Nomo II

Comics Comics - I was positive I'd covered this one. But looking back, I guess I hadn't. Weird. It feels like I did. Anyway, this site was a big one for me. Check out this Murderers Row of contributors:
EDITORS
T. Hodler
Dan Nadel
Frank Santoro

CONTRIBUTORS
Dash Shaw
Jason T. Miles
Jeet Heer
Joe McCulloch
Nicole Rudick

About seven years ago, most of this crew took over the Comics Journal online. I will check to see where each of these fine comic folk are now, later.

The Want List - In 2007-08 Foldedsoup blogged and blogged and blogged some more. The blogging started drying up by 2009. Marriage fatally struck this blog down on 1/1/11.

Twilight Guardian - I really enjoyed Troy Hickman's Common Grounds back in 2004. This blog was devoted to his next project, Twilight Guardian. TG came out in 2011. Really not sure what Troy's up to now, though he does have Twitter.



UAT

According To Me - Christopher Priest moved his blog over to Wordpress. Believe it or not, he's still somewhat active on it.

Looking To The Stars - "Starman" has been blogging nearly every day for nearly a decade, but he's now at My Geeky Geeky Ways. Each post (either TV recaps or comic reviews) are lengthy and detailed. So far in this project, I've come across very few blogs with this quantity of content. Good job.

When Fangirls Attack - WFA was a big deal back in the mid-oughts. By August of 2011, it just stopped.

Random Longbox - TomO reviewed random comics from his big ol' comic collection, and blogged about until 2011.

Nedor A Day/Ragmop/Boxburning - These are three separate blogs. All lived briefly and then died in 2011, about the time Facebook started to grow exponentially and consume the world.

Oh yeah, this too...

T-Shirt of The Week

It made me giggle.

Have a weekend.

No one needs to read about my thoughts on Anthony Bourdain, but here they are anyway

Let me try to explain my feelings about the sudden death of Anthony Bourdain.

I spent a decade in the restaurant industry, at all levels - dishwasher, cook, server, bartender, manager. I worked in pubs, chain joints, all-night breakfast troughs, a fancy place or two.

I loved/hated it for all the reasons one does - late nights, tax-free cash, shitty managers, insane owners, random hook-ups, long-term friendships, good food, free booze, access to drugs and parties and places most never see, for it is where the night people roam.

I discovered Kitchen Confidential in 2000. I was in transition from working in pro baseball to something new. Not sure what the "new" was yet, but I was kinda/sorta certain I was going in the right direction.

The business I started in 2000 imploded in September 2001, when my business partner, having lost friends due to the 9/11 attacks, bugged out and vanished. I had to do something to keep the lights on so I returned to the industry which sustained me through my twenties.

I read Kitchen Confidential and immediately recognized the voice. It was me, kinda, though I never dabbled in the hard(er) stuff and hadn't been to the Cape (yet). At the time, I began to work on a new life, an ideal life, and through a series of serendipitous circumstances I may describe at a later date, the ideal began to become a tangible, real thing. And I once again freed myself from living on tips.

I may have pursued my chosen path anyway, and after seeing his new show, A Cook's Tour, I had no fear of moving, of keeping the ground under me fluid and changing. It wasn't just a TV show that pushed me towards parts unknown (yes, that's intentional). It was the action itself. A self-perpetuating machine, seeing it set in motion by dudes like Tony, and realizing I already owned one of my own. I just hadn't really figured out how to turn it on to full power. I was certain I could survive and thrive on my own, with full Ownership of my present.

I was confident, driven, happy, optimistic. I owned It. Still am and do, by the way.

He seemed to own It too, moving from one network to another, improving his situation with each new deal. CNN gave him total control. Ownership.

I don't know Depression. I can't comprehend that kind of darkness. I don't understand the depths of despair one must feel to make that ultimate decision. I haven't a clue as to why one would leave behind that life, really any life, so full of love and adventure and success.

He, as many others have, inspired me to do things that may have never even occurred to me were possible.

I guess he no longer found it possible.

I'll never understand. And I am selfishly mad. And very very sad for those left behind that were infinitely closer to him.

I don't know how to end this, so I'll end it by imploring all 17 of you who'll read this to help those that need it, including yourself.

Just take care of each other, please.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Call 1-800-273-8255

T-shirt of the week

New thing announcement...

I'm going to highlight a t-shirt every week, chosen by it's connection to something I love. Could be food, booze, TV, comics, sports, obscure/defunct corporate logos, anything really.

I was just reading an article about barbecuing pork featuring Chris Lilly, the pitmaster at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, a Decatur, Alabama institution I have had the honor of visiting a while ago.

I like this shirt

I receive NO compensation for highlighting this product. If this link results in a mad rush to buy apparel from Big Bob, and Big Bob realizes I am the Bringer of Apparel Revenue, and wants to share his new found bounty with your humble reporter, I won't say no. And I'll let you know if he does. Cuz that'd be cool.