Rick Olney--Fibber or Mega-Giganta-Fibber?

[Samuel Catalino]

I don't know, blanks can still hurt if they're close enough. I'd like to think of him more as a snail.

If only that were the truth, him being a snail.

[Tegan]

If only that were the truth, him being a snail.

Please don't insult snails. They are beautiful creatures, important sources of protein for many other animals, and useful in their ecological niche.

[MacQuarrie]

I can't give details, but it has been confirmed for me that somebody did in fact email the defaced photo of Mrs. Olney to Dennis, and he did forward it to Olney. If (as is most likely) Olney faked the whole thing, he did it without Dennis' cooperation. As far as I'm concerned, Dennis is an unwilling pawn in this particular incident.

And I'll leave it at that.

[Charles RB]

#10204 – Ronee states she will be taking Olney to court

#10266, 10268 – cover (by Dave Hartman) for Tales Of The Spooky #1 (by Dave Hartman) is found, posted on Brian Harnois’ Myspace (Ghost Hunters cast member), mentioned as “coming soon”; wondered if they know what’s going on with Tightlip

#10270 – Tom Stillwell finds the cover interesting because “I know for a stone cold fact Olney doesn’t even have TOTS#1 in his possession

#10275 – Lance Boucher mentions that Olney said he couldn’t get a bank loan when doing his most recent convention

#10278 – brought up that the Ghost Hunters want nothing to do with Olney after he cancelled on them on short notice

#10281 – Ronee states Harnois was meant to make money off of back end sales of TOTS, and states how Olney tried to give the Ghost Hunters a lower rate for appearing at (a cancelled) MMC, after they had signed contracts, and at least one is still owed money

#10284 – Ronee is unsure if Hartman was ever paid for his TOTS cover

#10298 – Gail is contacted by another person who Olney promised to publish, only to turn out to have no idea how to

#10302 – Olney confirms Ronee is owed $800, but continues to claim she did not accept the job ‘legally’ and lies that a deal regarding her signing a release could not be reached; he claims legal actions will be underway “soon”

#10331, 10333 – Olney denies threatening former ORCA member Michael to change his statement; Matt Doc states he can prove Olney is lying about this

#10348 – Olney claims he is taking out a civil harassment complaint against Matt Doc, in order to have Matt’s local DA issue a warrant against him; he claims Matt Doc has broken the law

#10351 – Tom Stillwell asks Olney to state a law Matt Doc has broken

#10354 – Ronee states she had a verbal contract with Olney and his comments saying she’s owed $800 are legal proof in her favour

#10356 – Olney threatens that Gail is “running out of time” and will have problems at future conventions because of her actions

#10359, 10364 – Matt Doc offers to turn himself in if Olney proves he broke a law; Olney does not take this up

#10361 – Olney tries to dodge questions of playing Gail’s husband’s travel costs by focusing on Gail Simone being her penname

#10372, 10374 – Kurt Busiek raises whether Olney’s breaking any laws by claiming the DA has issued a warrant when he hasn’t; Matt Doc notes Olney appears to be claiming the DA “will” rather than “has”

#10385 – Olney threatens he may pay someone to harass Gail at a convention

#10396 – Olney claims he has proof of several lies Gail has made; also claims pen-name’s are a matter of legality

#10409 – Olney states when he returns, he will post a lie Gail made

#10438 – Nat Gertler points out to Olney that as he’s admitted he owes money to Ronee, he’s obligated to pay her rather than her being obligated to open dialogue regarding payment

[Gail Simone]

I can't give details, but it has been confirmed for me that somebody did in fact email the defaced photo of Mrs. Olney to Dennis, and he did forward it to Olney. If (as is most likely) Olney faked the whole thing, he did it without Dennis' cooperation. As far as I'm concerned, Dennis is an unwilling pawn in this particular incident.

And I'll leave it at that.

Look, I have zero respect for Dennis, and I think he's a much, much worse guy than I suspected based on his creepy and repulsive emails. But I never ever thought he would be involved in something like that...did anyone seriously suggest Dennis doing that photo?

We still need the header for the email.

[DaveRothe]

I can't give details, but it has been confirmed for me that somebody did in fact email the defaced photo of Mrs. Olney to Dennis, and he did forward it to Olney. If (as is most likely) Olney faked the whole thing, he did it without Dennis' cooperation. As far as I'm concerned, Dennis is an unwilling pawn in this particular incident.

And I'll leave it at that.

But there is still the very REAL possibility that pRick emailed it to Dennis posing as someone else. Like he hasn't done that before. I need tangible evidence to convince me otherwise. Who'd have access to his mother's photos in the first place?

[Gail Simone]

But there is still the very REAL possibility that pRick emailed it to Dennis posing as someone else. Like he hasn't done that before. I need tangible evidence to convince me otherwise. Who'd have access to his mother's photos in the first place?

Oh, yeah, I don't have much doubt about that. He's been busted as a sock puppet so many times.

[THEDOC]

But there is still the very REAL possibility that pRick emailed it to Dennis posing as someone else. Like he hasn't done that before. I need tangible evidence to convince me otherwise. Who'd have access to his mother's photos in the first place?

Well as has been said, it was on RO's blog so they (whoever that is) could have lifted from there. I don't think anyone thought Dennis did the deed but possibly knew that RO was involved but now I don't think that is the case.

[CutterMike]

It's now been two day since I reiterated my offer to help find out who sent Dennis the defaced photo.

No emails at CutterMike-01@Comcast.net accepting my offer.

I can't understand it. It's almost like he doesn't WANT anyone to help him find out who sent it.

But THAT can't be right, surely!

[alexanderness]

It could well be that Olney posted about his mother in an effort to elicit a vandalism of the pic and that when it didn't happen he moved into a false flag operation.

[DaveRothe]

It's now been two day since I reiterated my offer to help find out who sent Dennis the defaced photo.

No emails at CutterMike-01@Comcast.net accepting my offer.

I can't understand it. It's almost like he doesn't WANT anyone to help him find out who sent it.

But THAT can't be right, surely!

AND as much of a hothead as he can be you'd think he'd want to "rip someone's head off and spit (edited) down their neck." I know I'd be angry and would definitely want to find out if it were my mother. So the question is pRick why aren't you trying to find out who did it? Perhaps you already know? By not acting you're only making yourself look more guilty. And how dare you defile your deceased mother's memory by using her as a pawn to frame others! I'm disgusted at the depths you've sunk to.

[Gail Simone]

You know, as awful as Rick Olney is, man, I just don't want to believe even he would do that.

Let's hope it was a random scumbag troll.

[DaveRothe]

You know, as awful as Rick Olney is, man, I just don't want to believe even he would do that.

Let's hope it was a random scumbag troll.

Hopefully, Gail. What I can't understand is if someone really did do that why he wouldn't want to go public with it right away. Especially if it was someone from Unscrewed or on here. All you have to do is produce the evidence, Rick. Otherwise this is looking more and more like another one of your false claims and a frame job at your deceased mother's expense.

[Crowley]

I think Occam's Razor is in effect here... simplest answer is that Rick did it.
Remember the Stale Whale MySpace? Probably also Rick.

I mean we've all stated again and again that Rick's family is off limits... But Rick is willing to go as low as he can.

Here's a fatal flaw in his logic... why would anyone e-mail Dennis and not e-mail Rick directly? where's the sense there?

[Gail Simone]

Yeah, it's not about Olney, really, I just don't want to imagine anyone who would do that, and then post it on their blog.

As I say, I just hope it wasn't him. I know it wasn't a yabser.

[MacQuarrie]

But there is still the very REAL possibility that pRick emailed it to Dennis posing as someone else. Like he hasn't done that before. I need tangible evidence to convince me otherwise. Who'd have access to his mother's photos in the first place?

Oh, absolutely. But until I received confirmation, there was in my mind the possibility, however remote, that either (a) the photo was never sent to Dennis at all and Prick made the whole thing up, or (b) Dennis knew about the hoax and was playing along. I now believe both those scenarios to be false.

As of now, there remain but two probabilities:

1. Prick defaced the photo and mailed it to Dennis using a dummy account and fake name. Highly likely.

2. Somebody else did the photo and sent it to Dennis. Possible.

Based on what I've been told, there is zero reason to believe it was anybody associated with YABS or Unscrewed; I'm ignorant of the other groups accused, so I can't say for sure, but I doubt it. Doc or Ian, I'll PM you with a possible name to check out.

[DaveRothe]

Oh, absolutely. But until I received confirmation, there was in my mind the possibility, however remote, that either (a) the photo was never sent to Dennis at all and Prick made the whole thing up, or (b) Dennis knew about the hoax and was playing along. I now believe both those scenarios to be false.

As of now, there remain but two probabilities:

1. Prick defaced the photo and mailed it to Dennis using a dummy account and fake name. Highly likely.

2. Somebody else did the photo and sent it to Dennis. Possible.

Based on what I've been told, there is zero reason to believe it was anybody associated with YABS or Unscrewed; I'm ignorant of the other groups accused, so I can't say for sure, but I doubt it. Doc or Ian, I'll PM you with a possible name to check out.

Yet he waits to respond. I think this is just a game of "I know something you don't know" childish cry for attention on his part. After all he is all about the attention. Good or bad. Simple as this Rick. 1) Post the name and PROVE that this person sent it. or 2) Say no more.

[Matt Doc Martin]

Olney quiet for a day?

It's like MacQ let him know he might end up in court or something.

Wow.

I love MacQ more than ever!

[Gail Simone]

I think he's just preparing for his picnic, or as Olney calls it, the Mighty-Mini-Con featuring Tightlip's RICK OLNEY (special guest, potato salad).

I'm sure he's making his Aunt Rose pay a dollar for his autograph and dazzling his nephew's cat with stories of the Golden Age of his crappy Apa.

[MacQuarrie]

Olney quiet for a day?

It's like MacQ let him know he might end up in court or something.

Wow.

I love MacQ more than ever!

The only way I can figure it is Prick has the emotional development and social skills of a slow child, and I have one hell of a dad voice. I will turn this car around right now!

[Gail Simone]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


Oh, my god, what a liar.

This was given to me by a very nice young lady, from a myspace page dated in July.

"Things with me are surprisingly good, given the circumstances. Yes, it has been a tough go for me since 2004. To read all the crap you'd think I was the Anti-Christ. Well I'm not. Least wise, not last time I checked. Much of what they blah,blah,blah on about is generated from hate and poorer qualities within them.

I'm writing a family history book presently. 2/3rds done with it. Working on my new home up in the Adirondacks. I actually volunteered to help organize and conduct a huge family picnic for several families connected to the Olney family next month in August.

I have two blogs:
http://sequentialsoul. blogspot. com/
http://woodgatefarmer. blogspot. com/

My finished family book will also have a 6 DVD set of 8mm home movies taken by my late Dad from the time period of 1952 until he stopped documenting the family gatherings and accomplishments in 1982. It cost me over a $1000 dollars just to get the original transfer completed. But its a great testimonial to a family that loved each other. All my siblings and my dad's and mom's siblings and surviving friends are getting a set.

I'll be publishing it (the family book) thru Xlibris.

Comics wise: I have FREEDOM 3's first 12 issues written and have a publishing house that has offered to supply the creative team and handle all the production tasks.
That first issue should drop later this year. This is the book that when originally introduced caused some concern due to how 'politically correct' it would be in dealing with terrorist factions. I got some page space within an interview in The Comics Journal on it.

"Monster Squad" has a new name. We're shooting for next year on that series.

And -- we're bringing the comics camp-a-thon back in 2009.

lastly, I'm presently writing a comic book script about the woes of self publishing and catching the ire of a few dozen people that hate because they know nothing else.
The person in my posit"


It ends like that, in the middle of a word.

I COMPLETELY BELIEVE this guy has twelve issues of his comic written, when he couldn't even supply pages to his art teams (all of whom he later cheated) for SHORT stories.


Heh. As if Rick would actually do any real WORK.

:)

[Linkara]

It ends like that, in the middle of a word.

It's amazing how many different ways we either intentionally or unintentionally describe the pRick. ^_~

I find it also eyebrow-raising that he apparently has $1000 to spend on transcribing 8mm footage...

[MacQuarrie]

Gail, your problem is that you can't deal with variable values for "truth".

Let's translate...


I'm writing a family history book presently. 2/3rds done with it. Working on my new home up in the Adirondacks. I actually volunteered to help organize and conduct a huge family picnic for several families connected to the Olney family next month in August.
Translation: I've completed the thinking about it part and the collecting material part. (EDITED TO ADD: The "collecting material part" means I stumbled onto a box of photos in the attic.) The actual writing will have to wait until I can find a willing relative to palm it off to.


My finished family book will also have a 6 DVD set of 8mm home movies taken by my late Dad from the time period of 1952 until he stopped documenting the family gatherings and accomplishments in 1982. It cost me over a $1000 dollars just to get the original transfer completed. But its a great testimonial to a family that loved each other. All my siblings and my dad's and mom's siblings and surviving friends are getting a set.
Translation: It would have cost me over $1000 if cousin so-and-so hadn't bought one of those screens that mounts in front of the camera and let me borrow it. The relatives are getting a set if they pay for one.


I'll be publishing it (the family book) thru Xlibris.
Translation: I'll be self-publishing it through XLibris via a print-on-demand setup; anyone who wants a copy can buy one.


Comics wise: I have FREEDOM 3's first 12 issues written and have a publishing house that has offered to supply the creative team and handle all the production tasks.
Translation: I've signed up with Atlantis Studios to subcontract the project, but I have no intention of paying them.


That first issue should drop later this year. This is the book that when originally introduced caused some concern due to how 'politically correct' it would be in dealing with terrorist factions. I got some page space within an interview in The Comics Journal on it.
Translation: The book would ship this year, if I paid anybody, bu tI won't, so it won't. But it SHOULD.

I tried to stir up controversy by playing on the jingoistic propaganda aspects, but it didn't really take.


"Monster Squad" has a new name. We're shooting for next year on that series.
Translation: "Monster Squad" will have a new name as soon as I can think of one, or more likely, steal one. And again, the book would come out next year, if I could talk everybody into working for free.


And -- we're bringing the comics camp-a-thon back in 2009.
Translation: I think I've found a way to make our family's camping trip tax deductible!


lastly, I'm presently writing a comic book script about the woes of self publishing and catching the ire of a few dozen people that hate because they know nothing else.
Translation: self-absorption, denial, and alcohol can justify, excuse or rationalize anything.

The person in my posit"
Translation: Goos night, pukees

[Gail Simone]

Funnier yet, this girl suggested I check out his name on myspace. It is hilarious. He is so obviously trying to rebuild his network of people he hasn't cheated yet...he writes to 'famous' people as if he knows them, he friended a beer saying it "had always been there for him", he told one podcast to "stomp a schlub for me!", and he is already hassling artists. This should be hilarious.

Guy is lonely. I mean he is requesting zillions of adds from people who have never heard of him--it's a riot!

:)

[Gail Simone]

Hey, he's befriending every comics store he can find on MySpace. Too bad they already know all about him on the private retailers' forum.

Funny. Desperate, but funny!

[the heckler]

Yeah, it's not about Olney, really, I just don't want to imagine anyone who would do that, and then post it on their blog.

As I say, I just hope it wasn't him. I know it wasn't a yabser.

id be a little surprised to find out olney didnt do it himself..it just seems like a goos night pukee thing to do.

whoever did it is lack'n in the pshop skills ..thats for sure.

[MacQuarrie]

id be a little surprised to find out olney didnt do it himself..it just seems like a goos night pukee thing to do.

whoever did it is lack'n in the pshop skills ..thats for sure.

Here's a sample of my skills:

http://www.jimmacq.com/portfolio/before-after.jpg

Of course, he's already rolled over and admitted it wasn't me.

[Gail Simone]

Yep...he's already trying to talk to all these pros about working for him, like Matt Busch.

Funny how he can never work with the same pro twice. Now I wonder why that is...could it be he cheats them all?

[Gail Simone]

Oh, my god, this made me laugh out loud.

This is unedited. He actually SAID this!

" Rick Olney





Jun 20 2008 1:06 PM

I'm back at it after a little over a year to get my head and personal life back on track. Lots happened. I made a bunch of new friends and lost some old ones. Such is the path of those who trod towards greed, envy, malice and evil.

Glad to see you're still kickin' it, Hardrick.

R."

[TomStillwell]

Oh, my god, this made me laugh out loud.

This is unedited. He actually SAID this!

" Rick Olney





Jun 20 2008 1:06 PM

I'm back at it after a little over a year to get my head and personal life back on track. Lots happened. I made a bunch of new friends and lost some old ones. Such is the path of those who trod towards greed, envy, malice and evil.

Glad to see you're still kickin' it, Hardrick.

R."

Is Rick saying he's trodding towards greed, envy, malice and evil? That sounds about right.

I love it when he tries to sound very profound but end looking like a doof.

[Gail Simone]

Well, some people have been warned and given the unscrewedcomic.com link. That's a good thing.

[MacQuarrie]

He's a giver.

[Danny Donovan]

Oh, my god, this made me laugh out loud.

This is unedited. He actually SAID this!

" Rick Olney





Jun 20 2008 1:06 PM

I'm back at it after a little over a year to get my head and personal life back on track. Lots happened. I made a bunch of new friends and lost some old ones. Such is the path of those who trod towards greed, envy, malice and evil.

Glad to see you're still kickin' it, Hardrick.

R."

Hardrick? That guy from the old MTV dating show Singled Out? Has he no shame? When he gets to Jenny McCarthy it's all over people, lights out! GAME OVER MAN!

seriously though. That's pretty sad randomly commenting on people as if they've been his BFF since kindergarten or something.

I can barely find time to respond to people I KNOW! Even the ones that are local enough to actually VISIT.

>_<

[Gail Simone]

Hardrick? That guy from the old MTV dating show Singled Out? Has he no shame? When he gets to Jenny McCarthy it's all over people, lights out! GAME OVER MAN!

seriously though. That's pretty sad randomly commenting on people as if they've been his BFF since kindergarten or something.

I can barely find time to respond to people I KNOW! Even the ones that are local enough to actually VISIT.

>_<

Such is the descriptive of the moral platitude of those who trod towards...

Shit, I can't even type that fucking dreck as a joke.


IDIOT. LEARN PROPER USE OF TENSE, and LEARN THAT POOR STRUCTURE MAKES YOU the subect of that SENTENCE.

Jesus. Were the schools REALLY that bad where he grew up?

[Howler]

I have two blogs:
http://sequentialsoul. blogspot. com/
http://woodgatefarmer. blogspot. com/


I checked the woodgatefarmer blog, nothing worth mentioning. However a quick Google of that gave me another site. For those keeping track of what he claims to own so the courts can know his assets, he lists bunch of old comics w/ pictures that are part of his collection.

http://clipper220.proboards66.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=giveusthescoop&thread=1302&page=2

If you'd like to see what else he's been saying, a handy link to his posts there

http://clipper220.proboards66.com/index.cgi?action=viewprofile&user=rickolney

*WARNING* He posted a picture of himself without a shirt on. Be advised and scroll carefully.

[KJ_81]

''And, it just so happens that even here in Mohawk, we have this problem every once in a while. Kids, out walking, late, after 1am and earlier in the morning ... talking, swearing, without a care in the world. ''

OH NOES!!!!!! NOT YOUNG PEOPLE TALKING AND SWEARING!!!!!!!

[KJ_81]

Also, look at those Clipper's Board rules, where Olney has 178 post currently.

One of their main rules: By registering an account with Clipper's Busy Corner, all participants agree to abide by all U.S., California, and New York laws now in effect or that may become effective in the near future. Members will conform their behavior to those laws and agree not to hold the Staff at Clipper's Busy Corner liable for any consequences resulting from their failure to abide by the above laws.
--------------------------

I think Rick may have skipped that one

[KJ_81]

Uhhh WHAT????
-----
''Mick can ring my tone anytime. ;D


Really? You know, there is a reason why he always sings, "I can't get no.... satisfaction!"

Well, here's hoping he's behind me in line when its all said and done.

[Matt Doc Martin]

Also, look at those Clipper's Board rules, where Olney has 178 post currently.

One of their main rules: By registering an account with Clipper's Busy Corner, all participants agree to abide by all U.S., California, and New York laws now in effect or that may become effective in the near future. Members will conform their behavior to those laws and agree not to hold the Staff at Clipper's Busy Corner liable for any consequences resulting from their failure to abide by the above laws.
--------------------------

I think Rick may have skipped that one



Someone should post the warning, methinks.

[THEDOC]

Oh, absolutely. But until I received confirmation, there was in my mind the possibility, however remote, that either (a) the photo was never sent to Dennis at all and Prick made the whole thing up, or (b) Dennis knew about the hoax and was playing along. I now believe both those scenarios to be false.

As of now, there remain but two probabilities:

1. Prick defaced the photo and mailed it to Dennis using a dummy account and fake name. Highly likely.

2. Somebody else did the photo and sent it to Dennis. Possible.

Based on what I've been told, there is zero reason to believe it was anybody associated with YABS or Unscrewed; I'm ignorant of the other groups accused, so I can't say for sure, but I doubt it. Doc or Ian, I'll PM you with a possible name to check out.

Believe me Jim, Ian and I have too much going on and would never pull a stunt like that even to RO, that was just too low class ( I believe Sam, Danny, Joanne and Tim T. can back that up), I think it was RO and he sent to Dennis under a false name.

[Charles RB]

#10532 – Momma Absurd reports her lawyer’s office are copying this thread and have said it contains multiple admissions of guilt by Olney

#10545 – Danny Donovan says NDAs are void if the contract is broken and it cannot be a retroactive financial compensation

[THEDOC]

I checked the woodgatefarmer blog, nothing worth mentioning. However a quick Google of that gave me another site. For those keeping track of what he claims to own so the courts can know his assets, he lists bunch of old comics w/ pictures that are part of his collection.

http://clipper220.proboards66.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=giveusthescoop&thread=1302&page=2

If you'd like to see what else he's been saying, a handy link to his posts there

http://clipper220.proboards66.com/index.cgi?action=viewprofile&user=rickolney

*WARNING* He posted a picture of himself without a shirt on. Be advised and scroll carefully.

Do we know they are his books? Though man he has some nice GA I'd like to have. What a dope for posting this stuff. Probably thought we wouldn't find this site.

[MacQuarrie]

Believe me Jim, Ian and I have too much going on and would never pull a stunt like that even to RO, that was just too low class ( I believe Sam, Danny, Joanne and Tim T. can back that up), I think it was RO and he sent to Dennis under a false name.
Of course. Not knowing anything about the organizations or their membership, I couldn't swear to it, though that's the way I would have bet.

[KJ_81]

Do we know they are his books? Though man he has some nice GA I'd like to have. What a dope for posting this stuff. Probably thought we wouldn't find this site.

I don't know if they're his books. To me it reads like they're just examples from that Catskill guy's collection, which is sometimes marked on the grading paper for well-known collections.

[MacQuarrie]

I don't know if they're his books. To me it reads like they're just examples from that Catskill guy's collection, which is sometimes marked on the grading paper for well-known collections.

Of course they aren't his books. He just wants the people on that forum to think they're his. His need to constantly try to impress, well, anybody, is absolute. We know he's a liar; why are we surprised when he lies?

[Gail Simone]

I've just read Tony's column about Unscrewed and it is, as is to be expected, a very fine piece and should be a very good wake-up call for the few people left in comics who haven't heard of it or aren't aware of how it started. When this runs in Comics Buyer's Guide, I think it'll be very helpful. Perhaps the Unscrewed guys could take that opportunity to drum up a bit more exposure at Newsarama, TCJ.com and elsewhere?

[Samuel Catalino]

I checked the woodgatefarmer blog, nothing worth mentioning. However a quick Google of that gave me another site. For those keeping track of what he claims to own so the courts can know his assets, he lists bunch of old comics w/ pictures that are part of his collection.

http://clipper220.proboards66.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=giveusthescoop&thread=1302&page=2

If you'd like to see what else he's been saying, a handy link to his posts there

http://clipper220.proboards66.com/index.cgi?action=viewprofile&user=rickolney

*WARNING* He posted a picture of himself without a shirt on. Be advised and scroll carefully.


I doubt that those books are his or from his collection, being that he constantly ranted about how CGC was ruining comic book collecting by putting them in a slab. He did it back in the old days of Comicon, he did it in MMC and we had a lot of heated discussions about it. It does not follow his MO.

[Samuel Catalino]

Believe me Jim, Ian and I have too much going on and would never pull a stunt like that even to RO, that was just too low class ( I believe Sam, Danny, Joanne and Tim T. can back that up), I think it was RO and he sent to Dennis under a false name.


I don't remember Joanne (My memory of that is like a bad nightmare, fading away) but none of the others have ever engaged in such juvenile antics in the time I have known them.

[colleen]

Hardrick? That guy from the old MTV dating show Singled Out? Has he no shame? When he gets to Jenny McCarthy it's all over people, lights out! GAME OVER MAN!

seriously though. That's pretty sad randomly commenting on people as if they've been his BFF since kindergarten or something.

I can barely find time to respond to people I KNOW! Even the ones that are local enough to actually VISIT.

>_<

Danny, this is off the immediate topic, but it does refer to lying liars and the lying lies they tell: I found that letter I wrote you about some time ago. Took months to dig it up, but I also have the envelope with a very clear postmark. This should more than confirm my story.

Email me so I can send you a jpeg.

Knew it was around here somewhere, but it was in the wrong file. Whew.

Tell Jovan's brother I said hi. Hope he's having fun times in San Francisco...


c

[CutterMike]

Oh, my god, this made me laugh out loud.

This is unedited. He actually SAID this!

" Rick Olney





Jun 20 2008 1:06 PM

I'm back at it after a little over a year to get my head and personal life back on track. Lots happened. I made a bunch of new friends and lost some old ones. Such is the path of those who trod towards greed, envy, malice and evil.

Glad to see you're still kickin' it, Hardrick.

R."
Pet peeve time:
"...Such is the path of those who tread ..."
"...Such was the path of those who trod..."

I know... I KNOW... !

Getting annoyed that he has no grasp of verb tenses is like being upset that the ocean is somewhat damp, but still...!

Trod is one of those past tenses that people use as a present tense, like "wrought", and it just annoys the hell out of me.

(Why, no. I DON'T have a life. Why do you ask?)

[Gail Simone]

Pet peeve time:
"...Such is the path of those who tread ..."
"...Such was the path of those who trod..."

I know... I KNOW... !

Getting annoyed that he has no grasp of verb tenses is like being upset that the ocean is somewhat damp, but still...!

Trod is one of those past tenses that people use as a present tense, like "wrought", and it just annoys the hell out of me.

(Why, no. I DON'T have a life. Why do you ask?)



It takes a particularly wooden ear to write that poorly. But if you read his APA stuff, you can see he's been that untalented for a long, long time.

[THEDOC]

I don't know if they're his books. To me it reads like they're just examples from that Catskill guy's collection, which is sometimes marked on the grading paper for well-known collections.


Is someone gonna PDF that page so when he claims he has no collection we can prove otherwise he has and hasn't given to his son?

[Comcman]

Here's a fatal flaw in his logic... why would anyone e-mail Dennis and not e-mail Rick directly? where's the sense there?

I think he had put a link to Dennis' email on one of his "Join ORCA" posts, so it was probably easier to send it to him instead.

EDIT It was the July 28, 2008 blog post.

[Charles RB]

#10651 – the4thpip emails Joel Thingval re Olney

#10669, 10709 – Colleen provides more information on payment, NDAs and related legal issues, and problems encountered by freelancers

#10732 – ChrissCross confirms Ronee had him on a list of artists to work for Tightlip; says he has contracts saved as PDFs on his computer

#10741 – Gail links to a blog post by Eddie Mitchell, who recounts joining ORCA in 1997; Mitchell received abuse over liking creator Donna Barr, and was then harassed when he tried to leave & threatened with his address being made public so he could receive harassment from the rest of ORCA

#10772 – cut-and-paste of an Olney blog post; he confirms here that he emailed Val Staples saying he’d only talk to him about payments when Staples removed his posts from the YABS thread, and that he threatened to sue Staples for libel

#10774 – another cut-and-paste of an Olney blog post; he lies about having not insulted Mark Waid [he did in #3057] and claims he pays debts

#10800 – Mark Waid wonders at what point repeatedly & loudly claiming you will be suing someone becomes actionable, as it could be seen as damaging someone's reputation

[Gail Simone]

I just want to thank you guys again, Charles and Matt and Mac and Matt and Tom and everyone, for keeping such good records of all this stuff.

[Charles RB]

Did he ever post an example of a lie you made as he said he would?

[Danny Donovan]

Danny, this is off the immediate topic, but it does refer to lying liars and the lying lies they tell: I found that letter I wrote you about some time ago. Took months to dig it up, but I also have the envelope with a very clear postmark. This should more than confirm my story.

Email me so I can send you a jpeg.

Knew it was around here somewhere, but it was in the wrong file. Whew.

Tell Jovan's brother I said hi. Hope he's having fun times in San Francisco...


c

"off-topic" strange words m'lady whatever do they mean?

lol.

I always believed you, but I would love to see it, an e-mail is forthcoming. :) I will let him know the next time I see him. The little rat took my sign off his window after agreeing to put it up to promote my library workshops after like a week. His customers seemed so interested when I came in to ask him if he'd post it.

I wonder if the whole family is nuts.

[Gail Simone]

Did he ever post an example of a lie you made as he said he would?

He seems obsessed on one idea--that I had no idea whose car I was in the day I said he stank so bad, which is true. I don't know WHOSE car it was, but it wasn't the car that stank so bad, anyway, it was Rick himself. We were outside in the great outdoors when I first really noticed it. Other than that, nope, not a word. And of course I have emails and expert witnesses to back up everything I say, whereas he's changed his stupid story a hundred times and it STILL makes no sense.

[Charles RB]

THAT'S the one big lie he was boasting about way back?

Not even Libra could give him competence.

[Gail Simone]

THAT'S the one big lie he was boasting about way back?

Not even Libra could give him competence.

Maybe, but I suspect it was just more of his "I have a girlfriend in Canada" horseshit.

"I have PROOF! I will show EVERYONE SOON!"

(three years later)

"I have PROOF! I will show EVERYONE SOON!"

[Flying Saucers Over Oz]

Maybe someday, when he is dead and they do an autopsy on him, they may find a great deal of irregularities in his brain.

"There was a rumor
About a tumor
Nestled in the baase of his braaaain..."

Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, 'The Ballad of Charles Whitman'

Sad thing is, The Anti-Orgasm is the kind of person who'd enjoy 'Get Your Biscuits In The Oven And Your Buns In The Bed' without realizing it was satire.

[G-Spot]

"I'll sue ya!!!"

Well, now anyone can get info on doing it. I just read about these sites in Time magazine...

Who Can I Sue? (http://www.whocanisue.com)
*Launches next month*

Sue Easy (http://www.SueEasy.com)

[G-Spot]

From "Sequential Soul"...


"Yeah, swept the trash talk out the door!

Let justice prevail.

No more! No more! No more! Let those that traffic in it choke upon it. I'm done mixing with losers. No more vile back-n-forth games.

See you back here on Monday, August 18th for another issuance of Sequential Soul. I'm off to community theater tonight and a family picnic tomorrow. Enjoy your weekend!

Posted by Sequential Soul at 3:14 PM
Labels: Justice, Rick Olney, Sequential Soul

I have a fiver in for Sunday, 2:00 PM EST!

[DaveRothe]

From "Sequential Soul"...



I have a fiver in for Sunday, 2:00 PM EST!

Off to community theater? Rick put away the socks!!! Ok that was just too easy.:tongue:

[Matt Algren]

http://betterlate.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/olney-081608a.png

At least 26 posts from the last week deleted.

And a terrible misuse of the word 'Issuance'.

[Gail Simone]

From "Sequential Soul"...



I have a fiver in for Sunday, 2:00 PM EST!

Nasty stuff going back in, my prediction is a little later...Sunday around 8:00 est.

[Matt Algren]

Nasty stuff going back in, my prediction is a little later...Sunday around 8:00 est.
Family picnic will last until at least then. He'll see Roger Jr. there and remember the Fort Apache play set, then come home angry with a little too much booze in his belly and start posting around 11:00.

[Gail Simone]

You're on, huckleberry.

Next meltdown and rash of nasty posts COUNTDOWN!

Hey, remember how last week he wasn't going to post again til Monday and he didn't even make in a half hour?

[Charles RB]

I give it a day.

[Matt Doc Martin]

Tuesday at 3:00 pm Eastern Time

[bert]

today by Midnight

[Gail Simone]

Tuesday at 3:00 pm Eastern Time

That is surprisingly charitable of you!

[Matt Doc Martin]

That is surprisingly charitable of you!

I'm a giver.

[rummblestrips]

Monday, around noon.

[Erik Burnham]

I'll go with the wee hours of Sunday morning.

[Samuel Catalino]

I'll go with the wee hours of Sunday morning.


I am inclined to say late Sunday evening.

[KJ_81]

Monday afternoon.

[Linkara]

I shan't enter the betting pool, since I'm a patient sort and just want to see it whenever it comes. :tongue:

[Danny Donovan]

I'm going to spread the bet around the time of Sunday from 12pm-3pm just enough time to get all liquored up while Barb is at church and get his synapse firing. (no, that's not a typo, I am speaking in the singular)

[DaveRothe]

I'm going to spread the bet around the time of Sunday from 12pm-3pm just enough time to get all liquored up while Barb is at church and get his synapse firing. (no, that's not a typo, I am speaking in the singular)

And yet one TOO many.:smile:

[DaveRothe]

Now he's taking a break until Monday? Sure doesn't seem to be too interested in bringing whomever sent that defaced pic of his poor deceased mother to justice? Your actions are making you look more and more like the fraud you are Mr. Olney.

[MacQuarrie]

Now he's taking a break until Monday? Sure doesn't seem to be too interested in bringing whomever sent that defaced pic of his poor deceased mother to justice? Your actions are making you look more and more like the fraud you are Mr. Olney.

That's very mean of you. Can't you see he's trying to change the subject?

[Smileybonex]

My word! Rick is becoming very diverse with the sock puppets!

[Cam63]

I think he's just preparing for his picnic, or as Olney calls it, the Mighty-Mini-Con featuring Tightlip's RICK OLNEY (special guest, potato salad).

I don't think he's a salad eater.

...That would make him a cannibal.

[Danny Donovan]

My word! Rick is becoming very diverse with the sock puppets!

not a sockpuppet. just a dumbass scammer goldfarmer.

I am so sick of those people.

MMOs need to crack down on this type of "business" play the damn game and earn your gold and gil. Of course that would ruin the MMOs racket of allowing you to buy fake money with real money.

[Danny Donovan]

board hiccup

[Cam63]

Oh, my god, this made me laugh out loud.

This is unedited. He actually SAID this!

" Rick Olney





Jun 20 2008 1:06 PM

I'm back at it after a little over a year to get my head and personal life back on track. Lots happened. I made a bunch of new friends and lost some old ones. Such is the path of those who trod towards greed, envy, malice and evil.

Glad to see you're still kickin' it, Hardrick.

R."

He's Sideshow Bob.

[Danny Donovan]

Bad Yabsboard!

[Cam63]

I know, Dan... I know.

...You gotta be like Humphrey Bogart on the African Queen some days.

[J. Morgan (Bat) Neal]

Sunday evening, around the time of 60 mins.

[Crowley]

Sunday evening, around the time of 60 mins.

I think that's about right...

It's pretty sad that this thread and that pathetic blog are the only thing he;s got in his life and he can't even do those right.

Homer Simpson once said "Trying is the first step towards Failure."
Rick fails at step one each and everytime.

I wonder what he's been successful at?

Oh yeah being a lying cheating smelly deadbeat.

[Scott Shaw!]

Whenever it appears, Olney's next mental meltdown will be a big and outrageous one.

This thread is approaching its 3,000th page and to an organism like him, having a thread that long which is devoted to the discussion of RO himself is like some sort of twisted "personal best" achievement. Believe me, he's unable to resist hastening its arrival with more intentional acting out.

Aloha,

Scott!

[Matt Doc Martin]

Whenever it appears, Olney's next mental meltdown will be a big and outrageous one.

This thread is approaching its 3,000th page and to an organism like him, having a thread that long which is devoted to the discussion of RO himself is like some sort of twisted "personal best" achievement. Believe me, he's unable to resist hastening its arrival with more intentional acting out.

Aloha,

Scott!

Nah. It is only 1,115 pages long.

[DaveRothe]

That's very mean of you. Can't you see he's trying to change the subject?

This is only the third day I've asked him to produce the name and proof that someone sent him that defaced picture of his mother? I know things like processing and bill payment take an eternity with him but surely forwarding the email (click forward in Outlook, just one click of a mouse button and the forwarding address I think you know how to do this I'm sure) or typing out a simple name or even getting his henchman Dennis to do it for him wouldn't take this long. You've lied about this Rick. You know it and I know it. In the process defacing your dead mother's picture and again harming more innocent people and their reputations. This is your chance at a tiny bit of redemption but if you don't take it nothing really will have changed. We all know you're a deadbeat that lies, cheats and steals and corrupts everything he touches. This will be just one more example.

[Scott Shaw!]

Nah. It is only 1,115 pages long.

Well, so much for THAT theory. I guess the thread's page count depends upon your computer's settings.

Aloha,

Scott!

[PatrickG]

not a sockpuppet. just a dumbass scammer goldfarmer.

I am so sick of those people.

MMOs need to crack down on this type of "business" play the damn game and earn your gold and gil. Of course that would ruin the MMOs racket of allowing you to buy fake money with real money.

...?

I'm digging around but I can never manage to stay up to date on this thread.

How does Rick Olney connect with goldfarmers?

[the4thpip]

Well, so much for THAT theory. I guess the thread's page count depends upon your computer's settings.

Aloha,

Scott!

I guess you and I have the default setting then... 2973 pages for now.

[Danny Donovan]

...?

I'm digging around but I can never manage to stay up to date on this thread.

How does Rick Olney connect with goldfarmers?

They're both wastes of carbon?

No, there was just a spam post a few things up saying "oh hai! gold farm nao?"

Of course I am paraphrasing. It wasn't anyone in this conversation, it wasn't a person, just some automated thing the username was wow_gold or something. where it pretends to be a person but all it is, is a link to a gold farming website.

Someone made the joke it was one of Rick's sockpuppets to get back in the thread, but its not. it's just a bot.

[Blake Petit]

Is anyone else experiencing a board glitch? The forum keeps showing new posts here, but for some reason I can't see anything after Scott's message in post #44595...

[Charles RB]

Is anyone else experiencing a board glitch? The forum keeps showing new posts here, but for some reason I can't see anything after Scott's message in post #44595...

Sometimes happens to me around here, usually sorts itself out after a while.

[Blake Petit]

Yeah, seems back to normal now. Weird...

[Crowley]

how sad it is that Rick has fallen so far when it comes to that picture of his mom that the number one suspect we all immediately go to is him?

[Matt Algren]

Sometimes happens to me around here, usually sorts itself out after a while.
Like now!

[Danny Donovan]

it's still wonky for me!

And yes, that does say a lot about a persons character when something terrible happens and the most plausible response is they did it to themselves for attention.

[Matt Algren]

or now...

[Danny Donovan]

or now...

now works!

[DaveRothe]

I have to say I'm disappointed Rick. I mean after all you took your laptop with you to the cabin in the woods when you were cutting your scotch pines but couldn't take it with you to the family picnic? Whatever your BS excuse is for not answering the question I posed will be lame and laughable. Do you know how guilty you look right now? Or is your mother's memory just not worth the effort it takes to bring that terrible person that defaced it to justice? This would help explain your misogynistic behavior at least. So keep on not answering. We all know you did it.

[Matt Doc Martin]

how sad it is that Rick has fallen so far when it comes to that picture of his mom that the number one suspect we all immediately go to is him?

Well, it was a juvenile, poorly written, and lacking in any skill or imagination.

Who else could it be?

[MacQuarrie]

how sad it is that Rick has fallen so far when it comes to that picture of his mom that the number one suspect we all immediately go to is him?I think it's just patently obvious, given the people involved. The only person who has repeatedly demonstrated that he's willing to go that low is Prick himself.

Oh well, it's only a matter of time before he screws up and lets it slip that he did it.

[MacQuarrie]

I have to say I'm disappointed Rick. I mean after all you took your laptop with you to the cabin in the woods when you were cutting your scotch pines but couldn't take it with you to the family picnic? Whatever your BS excuse is for not answering the question I posed will be lame and laughable. Do you know how guilty you look right now? Or is your mother's memory just not worth the effort it takes to bring that terrible person that defaced it to justice? This would help explain your misogynistic behavior at least. So keep on not answering. We all know you did it.

He's going to get OJ to help him find the real culprits.

[Samuel Catalino]

Well, so much for THAT theory. I guess the thread's page count depends upon your computer's settings.

Aloha,

Scott!


Hello Scott!

Not to worry, my page count is the same as yours. Different strokes for different folks. Hope all is going well with you and the family out there in the Golden State.

Best,

Samuel

[Samuel Catalino]

He's going to get OJ to help him find the real culprits.

Yes, but there has been no trial for that yet.

[DaveRothe]

He's going to get OJ to help him find the real culprits.

He did everything but sign it. He might as well have.

[Danny Donovan]

my apologies to Sam.

Phone cut off!

[Samuel Catalino]

my apologies to Sam.

Phone cut off!

No problem, Danny, you are aces with me. Even when we disagree, you are okay with me.

[Danny Donovan]

No problem, Danny, you are aces with me. Even when we disagree, you are okay with me.

Good to know! Didn't want you to think I hung up. I am having trouble with my phone and cable/internet lately. I think Whatever work the crews were doing on the street this week they must have hit something.

One of the annoying thing about bundling your services is if one thing goes out, they all do.

[DaveRothe]

Good to know! Didn't want you to think I hung up. I am having trouble with my phone and cable/internet lately. I think Whatever work the crews were doing on the street this week they must have hit something.

One of the annoying thing about bundling your services is if one thing goes out, they all do.

And all this time we thought it was because you couldn't get a signal inside the orange hat.:tongue:

[colleen]

And all this time we thought it was because you couldn't get a signal inside the orange hat.:tongue:

The tin foil lining keeps out the rays.

[Danny Donovan]

The tin foil lining keeps out the rays.

and the gob'ment from stealin' my thoughts!!!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/dannydonovan2/031124.jpg

[DaveRothe]

The tin foil lining keeps out the rays.

...and the voices! (Sigh! I miss The Adventures of Superboy...)

[Danny Donovan]

...and the voices! (Sigh! I miss The Adventures of Superboy...)

DVD box sets Dave!

It's being collected!!!

[colleen]

Danny, didn't get an email from you yet.

c

[DaveRothe]

Was just over on Sequential Soul to see if there was an answer yet. Down on the right hand side under the traffic bar there's an ad by Google titled. "Bathroom Ideas." Oh the irony!!! Are they implying that his ideas are sh--? Can't wait for him to start ranting that Google is against him.too.:smile:

[Danny Donovan]

Danny, didn't get an email from you yet.

c

Sorry! Sent!

^_^ <3!

[Danny Donovan]

Was just over on Sequential Soul to see if there was an answer yet. Down on the right hand side under the traffic bar there's an ad by Google titled. "Bathroom Ideas." Oh the irony!!! Are they implying that his ideas are sh--? Can't wait for him to start ranting that Google is against him.too.:smile:

He'll sue those damn dirty google bastards.

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/images/040926.jpg

[colleen]

Sorry! Sent!

^_^ <3!

It's in your email, buddy.

Read it and make someone weep.

Or better yet, print it out and hand it to the sonofabitch.


c

[DaveRothe]

It's in your email, buddy.

Read it and make someone weep.

Or better yet, print it out and hand it to the sonofabitch.


c

Note to self: Do not make Colleen angry. I may not like her when she's angry...

[MacQuarrie]

Note to self: Do not make Colleen angry. I may not like her when she's angry...
Note to self: Make Colleen angry at the right people and then point her at them. I will very much like her when she's angry.

[DaveRothe]

Note to self: Make Colleen angry at the right people and then point her at them. I will very much like her when she's angry.

Well yeah when ya put it that way!!! Get 'em Colleen!!!

[colleen]

There's a very funny and rude story behind all of this, and I may post it. I am giving it some thought.

What's your take, Danny? Shall we spill it?

It's a unique situation in my professional experience.


Kind of silly, really. But damn, it is bad to lie. Bad bad bad. Especially this kind of lie.


I keep excellent records.

[Danny Donovan]

There's a very funny and rude story behind all of this, and I may post it. I am giving it some thought.

What's your take, Danny? Shall we spill it?

It's a unique situation in my professional experience.


Kind of silly, really. But damn, it is bad to lie. Bad bad bad. Especially this kind of lie.


I keep excellent records.

I say go for it Colleen. The story is yours to spill, and it really is a doozy.

I will say this though, DON'T GO MESSIN' WITH VA BABY! :p We know too many of the same people!

Colleen had a run-in with this really confused individual, (the nicest way I could put it) and years later, I actually did some work for his brother who was telling some whoppers of Colleen stories when he found out I worked in comics.

Apparently, the rumble in the jungle was nothing compared to how he valiantly protected his brother from the mean heart breaker, dream taker, love faker, don't you mess around with Colleen...

(Or am I thinking of Pat Benetar again?)

But of course that is a lying liar who lies. I will let Colleen tell her part, and fill in what I traded with her ages ago via PMs. ^_^

[Gail Simone]

I now desperately want to hear this tale!

[Linkara]

I now desperately want to hear this tale!

Agreed! Come on, let's have storytime! :biggrin:

*Gathers the YABSers around Colleen*

[Danny Donovan]

I now desperately want to hear this tale!

Even though I am awake and I know it, I will let Colleen go first. But I can assure you Gail, you will love it. It has absolutely everything you can want in an awkward story. :p

SECRETS AND LIIIIIIIES SECRETS AND LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIES!

[THEDOC]

No problem, Danny, you are aces with me. Even when we disagree, you are okay with me.

Ain't it great even RO can't bring this group down as hard as he tries.

[MacQuarrie]

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that nobody has commented on the lovely grammatical flub that our favorite imbecile has sputtered out.


Yeah, swept the trash talk out the door!
Let justice prevail.

No more! No more! No more! Let those that traffic in it choke upon it. I'm done mixing with losers. No more vile back-n-forth games.
Being the giver that I am, I'll help the nimrod out.

Prick, when you use a pronoun (in this case, "it"), it is assumed to refer to the last noun used. In other words, you apparently intended to say "Let those who traffic in justice choke on it."

What is that supposed to mean?

[LomiMonet]

I think he's just preparing for his picnic, or as Olney calls it, the Mighty-Mini-Con featuring Tightlip's RICK OLNEY (special guest, potato salad).

I'm sure he's making his Aunt Rose pay a dollar for his autograph and dazzling his nephew's cat with stories of the Golden Age of his crappy Apa.


I chuckle, heh-heh, potato salad, heh-heh.

[colleen]

Story Time! Story Time!

OK, I am going to have to tell this one in several parts, because it is long, it is kind of funny, and yet I have deadlines to meet.

So, let's go back in time. It's 1987. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

OK. I was working for a skanky company called The Donning Company Publishers, which had a fledgling soon-to-be-defunct graphic novel division called Starblaze.

You can read of many of my sad misadventures with them here:

http://adistantsoil.com/blog/?cat=112

My editor at Starblaze, a woman known only as The Woman, came dancing into my slave quarters - otherwise known as my cubicle - one day with very happy news.

Two young men, both attractive brothers, had come into the office hoping for a portfolio review. My editor was utterly delighted to have a couple of hotties at her potential disposal. And to my utter shock, she announced, "I'll take the older one, you can have the younger one."

What rapture.

OK, my editor had major issues.

Both of these young men were very young. My editor was well into middle age at that point, and she was drooling over a couple of guys with the youngest, (we'll call him Joe) no more than a teen. Both were Asian. Neither of them had anything like impressive portfolios, but the younger had promise. I think the elder brother was my age, making him a good decade younger (as well as at least half the size) of my editor, who was behaving like a giddy schoolgirl in his presence.

The boys got a tour of the office, and The Woman was utterly thrilled, making rather lavish promises about their futures, inviting them to come over any time they wanted, etc. It was an embarrassing display that would not get a repeat, because within a relatively short time, The Woman was ditched by the company - before she pounced on some unsuspecting kid, thank God.

I stayed in touch with Joe. He was a nice kid and sincere, and he wanted to get into comics. I hired him to help me out with some coloring on backgrounds on a graphic novel, and he did a good job. We started hanging out and became good friends, going shopping, buying comics, etc. Joe got a graphics job at a boxer short company where he did illustrations for t-shirts and other clothing. I even went to visit him at his office. We went to local conventions and I introduced him to people I knew as well.

Both Joe and his brother - whom I did not know well at all and can't even remember his name, so if I make one up and call him Ralph no harm done - had figured out very early on that The Woman was on the make, and there were a number of unattractive conversations that came out of that experience. The Woman was awesome with weird, and usually announced her bisexuality and other personal interests within five minutes of first meeting. This is the sort of thing best not discussed to potential young artists who have come to show you their portfolios. Good riddance to The Woman.

Anyway, after The Woman debacle, I went on to introduce Joe to other people in the industry I thought might actually do him some good as opposed to just doing him. One of those people was a woman we'll call Moe. Moe had worked in the art and entertainment industry for years, and was all over Joe like white on rice, before she even had a chance to assess his fledgling talents.

Uh Oh.

Moe was a very early fan of manga, one of the first people in the US entertainment industry to push it, far too early for her to reap any of the major benefits of the manga industry. She was long gone before manga caught on.

But way back in the late 1960's, early 1970's, she recognized the value of manga and touted it to anyone who would listen. Unlike The Woman, Moe was genuinely smart, genuinely talented, and a genuine visionary. Unfortunately, over time, I began to realize that like The Woman, Moe was genuinely weird.

Moe was obsessed about manga, and Japan in general. She lived, ate, slept and breathed Japan, She studied Japanese, was obsessed with Japanese pop culture. She had very little interest in the classics or fine art, except as it concerned whatever shogunate based TV show she happened to like at the moment. Her entire tiny apartment was a shrine, but not in a good Shinto way. The walls were lined with bookcases stuffed with videotapes of Japanese TV shows, and cd's. This doesn't sound like a big deal now, but in 1989, that shit was expensive. These videos could run $120-$150 a pop. She had tons of them.

She was utterly crazy about Japanese idol singers. She bought every cd, every video, and taped every show/special/series and catalogued it. She bought stacks and stacks of imported pop idol magazines from every Japanese bookstore in New York, and carefully clipped out pictures of all her favorite idols. Then she made extensive scrapbooks of them and filed them into file crates that were stacked five feet high around her home. Her entire home was a rabbit's warren of videos, crates, and piles of books.

I don't think it would be uncharitable to state that I think Moe had a problem, because Moe wasn't a starry eyed teen while doing this. Moe was pushing age 40.

Moe got one look at my friend Joe and decided he was quite a dish. And he wasn't just a dish, he was Asian cuisine.

Now, for the fun part: after getting a look at my attractive buddy, no woman was getting anything else out of him because Joe was gay. He wasn't just sorta gay or kinda gay, he was really, really gay.

It took awhile for me to catch on, but Joe liked having me around so much because he liked using me as his beard. Eventually I learned of his gayness straight from the gay man's mouth as there had been a tearful confessional about It All. Still lots of people assumed Joe and I spent so much time in each other's company because we were an item.

We were an item all right, we were just packaged in separate containers.

I know Joe's brothers knew he was gay, because one of them actually spoke to me about it at some point, but his mother did not know. I would drop by the house for a visit, alas, and his mother practically had us married. I remember the first time I met her, as she squealed with delight and announced "You look just like a little girl!" and I felt like shit, because she practically had us down the aisle at that point. She wanted me to sit next to her while she played Mah Jongg because she thought I was a lucky charm, but she always lost, and that should have told her something.

Anyway, there I was, gay man's beard, standing between Joe and the full eyes of Moe, who took one look at Joe and thought she had her very own personal Ninja, even though he was Filipino.

Hey, beggars can't be choosers.

Moe would tell me she didn't really think Joe was really gay because why would he spend so much time with women if he was? He just hadn't met the right woman. She thought he was really bi.

Good lord.

Anyway, time passed for this awkward and motley crew. A few times I had Joe help me out on gigs, doing some more background coloring. Once I had him help on a few pages of background work on an issue of Spiderman. He complained bitterly that drawing backgrounds was hard, and frankly, he did not do a good job. If the work was hard the few times he assisted me, I did not know how he was going to weather a professional career. I did not hire him to do any kind of background drawing again, and haven't hired anyone since. This was around 1989 or 1990. His entire work output as my assistant lasted less than an entire week's worth of effort, and I knew him for about 5 years.

Moe was not doing so well. She had been let go from her very cushy job at a major publishing house. She had told me she retired, but I was told later by people at the company she was told to retire or be fired. Her behavior had become erratic. She was volatile and unreliable. Her creepy obsession with all things Japan was starting to intrude into her professional life, too, with writing gigs being taken over by Japanese pop culture references no one understood but her. She was having serious money problems and had begun borrowing money from me to make ends meet.

She would spend hours on the phone with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, a habit that was not only depressing the hell out of me - since sometimes those calls could last four hours a stretch - she called nearly every day, sometimes multiple times a day, and there were no flat phone call pricing plans at that time. Phone bills ran into the hundreds of dollars every single month. This was not healthy. And FUCK ALL it was expensive.

Come back later for Part II.

[Charles RB]

even though he was Filipino.

I burst out laughing at this bit.

[Crowley]

I anxiously await part 2.

[Flamebird]

I anxiously await part 2.

As do I.

However, did we learn nothing from Golden Girls? All good stories should start "Picture it, Cicily, 1922. . ."

:wink:

[colleen]

Ah, hell. I'm on a roll.

Let me finish this off.

Part II

OK, so Joe wants to get into comics and leave his sad life drawing flying pigs on boxer shorts, Moe wants to get gigs and an Asian boyfriend, and I just want to get on with my life.

So, in 1990 or 1991 (?), I began making plans to self publish. I'd gotten a fat check from a cushy legal settlement from one of A Distant Soil's ex-publishers, and I put it to good use. For about six months, I gleefully discussed my self publishing plans with my pals Moe and Joe.

BTW, Joe was local, but Moe lived in NY.

One day I went out to lunch with Joe. We were planning going to his company's Christmas party where I would once again act as girl beard. We were also making plans to go to a Robert Plant concert. And I gushed about my self publishing hopes. Included in those hopes was the idea that I might publish short stories by other writers and artists in the back of A Distant Soil (something I did do, eventually) and I shared this idea with Joe. I think I had actually mentioned this to him several times.

After some hesitation, Joe then asked if I would publish his work, maybe even publish a series by him.

I gave him my frank professional assessment, which he did not appreciate. I told him I did not think he was ready, that I did not think his work would sell enough to make a return on my investment, and that if I had the funds to advertise, promote and publish work by him - a beginner, I would have the money to advertise, promote and publish the work of a creator whose work was much likelier to make a financial return. It was far more difficult to push the work of a beginner than it was to push the work of a reputable pro. I was not even sure if I was going to be able to make a return on my investment in A Distant Soil. I could not take the risk on someone else's work. No, I would not publish his book.

He seemed to take the news well, just appeared a bit disappointed. We finished lunch, and then I went home.

A week later, he stood me up for the Robert Plant concert, and I didn't find out he wasn't going until I called up to find out why he hadn't shown up.

Then, when it was time to go to the company Christmas party, he was also a no-show. I called to ask if he was OK, and he said he didn't feel well.

Brrr, December was cold.

The next day, I walked into a comics shop only to have a bunch of the fanboys smirking, pointing, and giggling at me. What the hell was going on?

Well, they delightedly relayed all the gossipy goodness: Moe had dropped in all the way from New York, and had stopped by the shop with Joe to inform everyone that Joe (my pseudo-boyfriend) was going to the company Christmas party with Moe, and by the way, don't tell Colleen about it! Big secret! Tee hee!

So, I was being informed that my best friend Moe was cheating on me with my boyfriend, except my boyfriend wasn't my boyfriend, he was really gay. But I couldn't tell them that, even to ditch the humiliating stigma of being dumped by my not-boyfriend and being betrayed by my best friend who freaking owed me some money at the time, but had the funds to fly down to Virginia secretly to go out with my not-boyfriend, who was standing me up and going behind my back to cheat in the most public way possible.

Are you confused yet?

I was.

So, a few days later, Moe calls, and I tell her I know she was in town. She hems and she haws, and informs me that Joe was really angry with me, she didn't know why. She had come down to Virginia after he had begged her to be his guest at the party. She was very badly treated by Joe, who wouldn't dance with her or introduce her to people. They just sat at a back room table and sulked.

She had only kept it all a secret because she didn't want to hurt my feelings. It was no fun, and she had a lousy time, so it was a good thing I hadn't gone.

If she had wanted to keep it all a big secret, perhaps going to a comics shop in another state to announce that she was dashing off to a party with the man who wasn't my boyfriend wasn't the best way to accomplish it.

What to do? Blow Joe's big secret as a closeted gay man, or endure the public humiliation?

Talk about a moral quandry. My bruised ego was taking a bruise it didn't deserve, and because of the bruising, I was very tempted to out Joe. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

I didn't have a clue why Joe was angry with me either, because getting pissed off that I would not publish his work would never have come into my mind as a reason to be angry. I never get personal about professional decisions like that.

Not so Joe, and I was about to get an earful from him about it.

A few weeks later I was at the local library book sale, which always draws a huge crowd. And guess who showed up, bargain hunter that he was? Joe.

I made the huge mistake of going right up to Joe and asking him how he was doing and why he wasn't staying in touch. Were things OK?

That wasn't just a huge mistake, that was the mistake-apocalpsye, because he then launched into a massive tirade that was long, it was loud, it was brutally insulting, and it was so freaking mean it nearly made me faint. As far as I was concerned, it came out of nowhere, and, interestingly enough it didn't really seem to have anything to do with me not publishing his book. It was just this long brutal assessment of all my personal failings. The guy obviously hated my guts, and that was that.

I went home extremely hurt and humiliated, because this volley was launched in a crowd. I don't know how many people had heard it, but some of them were people who knew me.

Anyway, afterward I gave Moe a call and let her know what happened.

Moe was all soothing words, told me I was better off without the talentless leech, and that he was just a rat anyway.

OK, end of story!?!

Not a chance.

While Moe was telling me Joe was a rotten guy and a talentless leech who was better off on Pluto experiencing an embolism, she was making her move on him.

She was flying him up to NY to bring with her to conventions, announcing to my colleagues that she had stolen my boyfriend. I shit you not. It flattered her ego immensely that she was on the arm of an attractive young man and that she had nabbed him away from a conceited younger woman like me.

And she had gotten him a gig. The one and only gig he would ever have.

And here's where this tale gets even more unfortunate.

They went to a convention together in upstate New York and he shared her apartment while on a visit.

To hear Moe tell it, he was an utter rude boor. He had told her many horror stories about me, and she shared them all, which was uncharitable of her both on his part and on mine. I really didn't need to hear them, and in retrospect, I can't say she was telling the truth about what he said anyway.

She claims he put the moves on her. I do not believe this for one second. Not only was Moe at least 15 years his senior, but folks, gay is gay. She claims that after he put the moves on her, she just wasn't interested. He behaved badly, not like a gentleman. She wasn't going to work with him any more.

She had been all hot for his work, getting him a two-part short story gig at an independent publisher. Suddenly, after his alleged attempt to vamp her (does anyone believe this?), she decided his work wasn't any good anymore. He had no talent. He had done a terrible job. He had drawn it badly and put things in the backgrounds of the art specifically to insult and upset her. She was very angry and would never work with or have anything to do with him again.

The End.

JUST KIDDING!

[colleen]

Part III

Even at the time, I did not believe her. I saw his short story, and it was OK, but wouldn't win any awards. I didn't see anything in the art that was a specific attempt to hurt her. It became obvious that Moe had put the make on Joe and had been rebuffed. Moe took it badly and suddenly Joe didn't have any talent anymore.

And you thought this sort of thing only happened to girls.

I was glad to be rid of Joe because he had treated me shabbily, but for some inexplicable reason, I stayed friends with Moe for a little while longer, concluding she had been driven temporarily insane by love or something, and had behaved badly because she just had to get close to Joe. I doubt I would have been as forgiving of the behavior if it had come from a man.

And Joe came back for another chapter of the tale.

Several years later, I was attending Comic Fest, a convention in Philadelphia. During the height of the self publishing boom, I had a line two hours long. This was pleasing. I looked up to sign the next autograph, and who was standing right in front of me?

Joe.

"Hi, how's it going? When's the next issue of A Distant Soil coming out?"

I sent him a withering blast of chill, and asked his name so I could personalize his autograph.

OK, that was bitchy.

He froze (hah), and then went on his way.

A short time later, I got a letter from Joe in the mail. It included a check for a subscription to A Distant Soil, and the following:

"I would also like to take the time to say I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you in Philadelphia. It was actually part fo the reason I attended ComicFest."

Well, that's nice. He came all the way to another state to see me when he knew where I lived one hour away from where he lived. He could have saved a lot of gasoline

"My intention is not to rekindle an old friendship, but to apologize for wrongfully ending it. The way I treated you was wrong and I have regretted it ever since."

OK, maybe it's unkind of me, but I tend to think he regretted it because he ditched me and lost his only real pro contact in this business. Hooking up with Moe who was looking for a hookup hadn't worked out so well.

"I thought I had based my decision on carefully examined reasons, but they weren't. The true reasons were ignorance and pride."

OK, fine, whatever, I was done. Thanks.

I filed it away and pretty much forgot about it.

It would be harder to forget about Moe.

Moe had one more brief career flair, and then went belly up. I don't think she has done any substantive work in any area of art and entertainment in nearly 15 years. Shortly after getting Joe's letter, my relationship with Moe continued to devolve, as did her behavior. She was irascible, backstabbing, suspicious, continually accusing people of betraying her and hitting on her. While at one convention, she accused a retailer of sexually assaulting her when all he did was touch her elbow.

One young artist (another good-looking Asian man, can you see the pattern?) she accused of threatening to kill her when they had a dispute over an assignment. I heard the entire conversation, and would not back Moe up when she demanded I do so. Furious, she bellowed "Well you may have HEARD the conversation, but I KNOW what he meant!!!"

Bye, Moe.

I got on with my life.

Years later, in Sexy Chix, an anthology of short stories by women creators from Dark Horse, I did a story called "Yellow Fever" based on this experience.

And then I got a post on this board from a guy named Danny Donovan.

Danny had a friend who was having trouble with a guy who ran a local copy shop. This guy claimed to know me very well, because I had dated his brother.

Oh, shit.

Cruel woman that I am, I dated his brother and broke his heart. Alas! My wicked, cruel heartbreaker treatment has so demoralized him that he had been unable to pick up the pieces of his life. He was shattered by my rejection and coldness.

Why, his brother had even been a big shot artist at Marvel Comics! And my wicked self had brought down his dream of a comics career. He was getting big Marvel Comics money, knew all the important people, worked right there in the bullpen. And I had destroyed EVERYTHING for him!! That evil Colleen Doran!!!

OK, let's review.

This guy was not my boyfriend. He was gay. He still is gay, and if his living in San Francisco now isn't a clue...

Second, his brothers knew perfectly well he was gay. We discussed it face-to-face.

Third, this guy has never in his entire life worked at Marvel Comics. I'm pretty sure he's never been to Marvel Comics. He's never gotten a big Marvel Comics check. He has no Marvel Comics credits. He's never worked in the Marvel Comics bullpen. The closest he ever got to Marvel Comics was drawing some cars in the background of a couple of pages of an issue of Spiderman very badly for me way back in the day to help me make a deadline, and if I knew it would cost me so much in the long run, I would simply have stayed up later for a few days and drawn the damned things myself.

I didn't break this guy's heart. I didn't dump him. I got our friendship dumped by him in the most public and humiliating way possible, and here I was being gossiped about 18 years later by some schlub in a copy shop who was using me as the ontological excuse for why his once famous and talented brother did not have a big, famous comic book career anymore. Colleen Doran had DESTROYED him.

Boy, was I pissed.

I found the letter that Joe had sent me and forwarded it to Danny. Makes it pretty clear that I was ditched and treated badly by Joe, and not the other way around, and this is definitely not the letter of a broken-hearted ex-boyfriend.

Danny told the copy shop guy that he was friends with me, and Danny related the info that copy shop guy was not nearly as effusive with info about me and his broken-hearted brother anymore, and even removed advertising posters Danny had had permission to place in the copy shop.

My, must feel pretty badly to be busted like that.

So, anyway, that's my story.

The moral:

Uh, I dunno for sure if there is one, but because of incidents like this, I am a lot less anxious to help out newbies. Damn, do they get pissed in inappropriate ways sometimes.

Also, I would never let another guy use me as a beard. I thought I was doing him a favor, but I got used pretty badly, and am still getting used for this entire dipshit of a family to cover up for their brother's sexual orientation, and his lack of ability and drive. I think that's pretty awful.

The irony: I actually DID have a REAL boyfriend at the time, to whom Joe objected strongly. Weird, hunh?

And I guess this is a good moral: save your correspondence. You never know when you are going to need it.

I have no idea what happened to Moe, but last I heard, she had an exciting career at an insurance company. Cutting her out of my life was one of the best things I have ever done. She was extremely destructive.

If Danny has any details to add, especially considering the fate of Joe, please feel free. Knowing his real name, it was simplicity itself for both Danny and me to search for any big Marvel Comics career for Joe online, and of course, no one under that name has ever worked for Marvel.

I hope this is The End now.

Wow, that took a long time to type.

It's going to be a late night.

Watch out for the weirdos.

Hey, there's a moral after all.


c

[Gail Simone]

Colleen's story has invaded my brain.

Colleen, a tell-all book from you, I say!

This story is awesomely gruesome!

[Linkara]

I'd say the moral of the story is don't be a selfish or crazy person, since as we saw with The Woman, Joe, and Moe, that it eventually leads to heartbreak, shattered friendships, unemployment, and/or just sadness. A very telling story, Colleen, and a great read. Thanks for sharing!

EDIT: Hey, you think Joe ever came out to his mother?

[Gail Simone]

I have to say, I've had lots of 'enemies,' since I got the internet. Usually, I lose interest and move on (unless, as in RO's case, they are actively trying to cheat or defame friends of mine, then I really don't ever quite 'get over it').

They really don't bother me. You guys have seen the kinds of names they stoop to, and the kind of personal attacks they will make. I don't know how to tell them that it really doesn't bother me the way they hope. Who cares what an asshole thinks? A guy like Rick simply isn't capable of insulting me in any way I care about. He's too stupid, crooked, evil, and unimaginative.

But the thing that does hurt, and this pre-dates my involvement with the net, is when you go out of your way to help someone and they find a way to spit on you for it. They're happy to get the help, but the moment they don't need it, you somehow get blamed for their own personal failures.

I had a hairdresser in my salon with real troubles. She was a good stylist, with a fairly loyal clientle. She had every kind of problem--boyfriend troubles, kid troubles, money troubles, on and on. I felt bad for her kids and did everything I could to help her. I loaned her money, I let her pay her station fees late, I invited her to my home, on and on. Not to own her, or buy her friendship (we weren't friends--nothing in common at all). She let me down a few times, wouldn't show up or call, didn't pay back money owed, on and on. I would have had to fire her if she'd kept it up.

At that point I was getting comics work and decided to move both to a new home and a new salon. I didn't want any employees, so I had to let her go. She said she'd come by and get her stuff. I told her she was welcome to do so, but I HAD to be there (hairstyling equipment is expensive and I was concerned about her taking things), AND she had to pay back the money she owed.

She agreed, and sure enough, she waits til ten minutes after I leave for my new shop and comes in while my husband is there moving these huge mirrors. He's busy, it's dangerous and tricky work, she says, "Oh, Gail said come get my stuff right away." My husband couldn't reach me and couldn't stop what he was doing.

She took her stuff, quite a lot of my stuff (not things like styling chairs, but things that are easy to carry but quite expensive like hair colors and perms and perm rods). And of course, she paid nothing towards what she owed.

I could almost forgive her...she was obviously messed up and it's BARELY within the realm of possibility that she could, in her deluded state, think some of that stuff belonged to her. Not really, but I could tell myself that. But the fact is, she lied right to my husband's face. "Oh, Gail said come get my stuff right away." There's no getting around that. And it made my husband feel bad for trusting her--he thought he'd let me down. But the truth is, he didn't know what a liar she was so there's no reason for him to feel bad at all. But I was doubly pissed at her that she'd used him that way when he'd never done her anything but kindness.

I could have called the police. But over perm rods? Yes, they're expensive, but how the hell would I ever prove they were mine?

I thought about it, and I wrote off the money she owed me, mentally. To me, it seemed like a bargain to never see her again because most deadbeats avoid the people they have cheated like the plague. Most have a little bit of a sense of shame. But in this, she was like Olney...eventually she turned on everyone stupid enough to do a kindness for her.

So I've seen her a couple times since, and holy shit, she looks like she's aged thirty years. She's GOT to be on drugs, because she really looks and behaves like she's two inches from the edge of madness.

I was hurt and pissed at the time...but now? Totally forgiven. That woman made her own hell and couldn't tell the difference between a kind gesture and a sucker, and that, my friends, is one shitty, reprehensible way to live your life (Hi, Rick!).

But yeah, some of the people I've tried to help the most have caused me the most misery. It's an odd phenomenon. I think one of the dangers of having a kind heart is that you do, like walking on a minefield, seem to find the users eventually. But I wouldn't change anything. It's THESE people who don't understand a good deed who have the problem, not the ones doing the good deed in the first place.

They suffer for it a lot more than I do.

Gail

PS. The 'Joe' in Colleen's story sucks.

PPS. So does 'the Woman.'

PPPS. So does Moe.

PPPPS. So does Joe's family.

[Erik Burnham]

Holy smoke, Colleen.

[Crowley]

these stories were both awesome! Moe and Joe sound like they were made for each other.



But next time you should both included misspellings and stock photography like Rick O.

[TomStillwell]

But yeah, some of the people I've tried to help the most have caused me the most misery. It's an odd phenomenon. I think one of the dangers of having a kind heart is that you do, like walking on a minefield, seem to find the users eventually. But I wouldn't change anything. It's THESE people who don't understand a good deed who have the problem, not the ones doing the good deed in the first place.

I totally understand this. It happens to me all too often.

Just recently it happened with someone I've worked with in comics. I did a ton of stuff to help this person, going above and beyond what was required as an employer. This is a person I considered a friend and I was always ready to listen if they had a problem or needed something.

At one point an issue came up and I had to call this person on something that wasn't right. Immediately I went from being their friend to snubbed. E-mails weren't returned. Even they showed up at a con and totally snubbed me in person.

It was a complete burning of bridges, which was pretty foolish, since I had been helping this person a great deal. It was no problem finding someone to replace them on the work involved but I felt like a chump having invested myself in this person.

I'm not going to change. I'll still help people as much as possible. I'll be more guarded for now on though.

[Charles RB]

Colleen, how the hell has all the crap you've dealt with not turned into a supervillain?

[Corrina]

I have a story like that, only it's about my mother.

Cut back to when my dad died. He was 30, my mom was a widow with three young kids.

My father's best friend had been this guy, Shmoe, we'll call him. Mrs. Shmoe had been BFF with my mother in high school. The friendship meant a lot to her.

So when they came to her asking to borrow $2000, my mother did it for them. She didn't have the money, not really, but these were her friends and they were using it to open a business and they'd been nothing but good to her.

No, they never paid it back. My mother was hurt but, like Gail, she wrote it off. Later, she heard this couple had gotten divorced. And my mother would have filed this under "life lessons" until a few years back, when my sister was getting married.

She went to this local dress shop, near where she grew up. It's a good 45 minutes from where she lives, so it was just a whim that took her to a new shop, to look for a mother of the bride dress.

Who's running the shop? Yes, her former BFF.

And this is where it has a good ending. Her former BFF apologized over and over. She'd gotten divorced, left with her three kids and little money, and the husband had basically thrown away the $2000. And she was afraid after all that mess to re-contact my mother because she knew that it was wrong not to repay the money.

My mother found the perfect dress in her store. Her friend gave it to her for free. REfused flat to take money in any form, and it was a very expensive dress that needed tailoring. There were tears. This friend came to my sister's wedding. They have lunch frequently now. They're friends again.

(Hey, I just thought a story where it worked out might be nice. Of course, the husband is still an ass. If my father were alive, he would have taken him apart a long time ago.)

[dragonbat]

Dave,

I am surprised that anyone would have gone through a thousand pages of this stuff.

I guess everyone rubbernecks when they see an accident, IMHO.

Best,

Samuel

Yep. It's taken me about 3 weeks to get this far. Should be caught up soon...

[RJCarter]

Colleen, how the hell has all the crap you've dealt with not turned into a supervillain?


You mean she hasn't? :evilsmile:

[Linkara]

Great story, Corrina, and a nice contrast on the others, which are more bittersweet. ^^ So if they know the husband is still a jerk, does that mean he's tried keep in contact or harrassed your Mom's BFF?

[colleen]

Ah, Gail and Tom, sometimes I think we are woven of the same cloth.

And here's what I think happens.

People like us assume that when bad things happen to people it is because of circumstance, not through the fault of the people to whom bad things happen.

When houses flood, and stock markets go south, and people lose jobs, these are things over which we have no control. Our friends have no control over these things. We assume that the people around us who are suffering are suffering through no fault of their own.

Except, sometimes they ARE suffering because they cause their own problems, or they do nothing to prevent difficulties from popping up in future. They don't plan. They don't behave themselves.

OK, take Moe. Now, Moe was a lot wackier and more horrible than what I have related here, but frankly, she was so off the scale I rarely share stories with people who did not have direct experience with her because only those who have been touched by the wonder that is Moe really get it: the woman was bumfart crazy. And she was malicious as hell, in my humble opinion. That goes double for The Woman.

And in retrospect, I have come to realize that almost every single problem I ever had in my entire career - and this is not an exaggeration in the least - was in this small circle of people who all knew each other, worked together and hung out together, from my very first gig right on to the last serious problem I had that ended a few years back.

Most of them worked at or were associated with this loser publisher Donning, including Moe, who had a couple of manuscripts there that were never published. She briefly worked with the Woman, who turned out to be too crazy even for Moe (and in the interest of fairness, Moe's bad behavior escalated over a period of about a decade. If she had been this nutty in the beginning, I would never have associated with her.) All of my early publishing problems with A Distant Soil were in and around people associated with that company, and close friends of those who worked there. Even my most recent problem - a very thorny issue with a guy I sometimes write about on my blog called Moondoggie Writer Bob - he was with Donning for awhile.

All of these people (with the exception of a couple) are not what you'd call successful. In every case they've blown career opportunities, money, great chances for advancement, mismanaged relationships, and have generally made a serious hash of their lives. The few that did have careers made disastrous missteps for which they never took responsibility. Everything that ever happened to them was because of some sort of bad deed that was someone else's fault.

Out of money? Can't be because of bad investments or overspending!

Falling out with colleague? Maybe it's because you were months late on delivery of assignment? Maybe it's because you didn't pay someone? Maybe your bad reputation is deserved, hunh?

Never! Someone's always out to get them.

We all try to help people because we know that many bad things happen to people that don't deserve them.

But I can no longer just fall for a sob story anymore. I double check. I ask around. I look for clues. I don't believe what I hear just because someone boo hoos at me. Sometimes people are convincing as hell about what they are saying because they invest a lot of emotional power into how they say it. But there's a big difference between fact and emotional truth, and I think I am a lot better at spotting it nowadays.

People in this business, of course they get upset when things don't go their way. We see them weep and wail, they cry, they pout, they have major meltdowns, all is sad.

But sadness doesn't mean you didn't bring it all on yourself.

We respond to the sadness because we want to help people, but you can't help people who aren't willing to be better people. If they want you to take them and accept them just as they are, then sometimes that means they want you to put up with their sickness, and affirm them as perfect wonderful people without judgment or objectification. But doing that just means they want you to wallow in it with them, and I am not willing to participate.

If you're making a mistake, or if you are responsible for what is happening in your life to whatever degree, then it is on you to clean up that mess.

I'll help you clean up the mess, but I won't stick around to watch you wallow. Wallowing is for pigs.



c

[Paul D. Storrie]

Colleen,

Wow. That's just ... wow.

It really does remind me of the old and cynical saying: "No good deed goes unpunished."

It also reminds me of a former friend of mine who, having decided we weren't friends anymore (without informing me, of course) decided to lampoon me in a comic strip he was doing. When I saw it, I called him up to ask what the hell was up.

He told me that it was his way of telling me ... well, let's say "Screw you." Because months before, I had said some things that he felt were cruel or condescending or hurtful. Except that he never TOLD me that.

See, he had a very distinct way of dressing and acting and he felt that it made people not take him seriously and/or assume he was gay (which, I gather, he turned out to be). He asked my advice. In the course of the conversation, I said he basically had two choices. 1) Change the way he dressed/acted or 2) Learn not to worry so much about what other people thought, hard as that might be. Needless to say, I leaned towards the latter.

This was a late night conversation. The next morning, fairly early, my phone rang. It was my friend calling to indignantly inform me that he didn't think he should have to change who he was to be accepted. Blearily, I agreed whole heartedly. I reminded him that, in fact, that was pretty much the option I had recommended the night before: be yourself and don't give too much weight to other people's opinions or assumptions. The conversation wound down, I got off the phone and went back to sleep.

Afterward, the friendship carried on pretty much as before. A bit strained at times, but we still hung out on occasion and caught up by phone fairly often after he moved out of town. Once or twice things seemed a little off, so I asked if there was a problem. I was assured emphatically and effusively no.

That was about the same time he was working on the strips that portrayed me (not by name, but by a recognizable caricature) in an extremely insulting way.

I was fortunate, I suppose, that I was just getting started in the industry. Not a lot of people knew me on sight. Also, that either his strip wasn't as widely read as I assumed or his caricature wasn't as recognizable as I feared.

I've run into him a couple times since then at conventions (though not for years now) and a few times he's passed messages along through mutual friends. He always expresses his congratulations on my successes and well wishes for more. Seemingly interested in letting bygones be bygones.

Although I wish him no ill, I had no interested in renewing an acquaintance with somebody who tried dragging me through the mud publicly and then tried to make peace privately and through surrogates.

PDS

[MacQuarrie]

Warning signs:

1. If a person looks at the things that you've earned and tells you you're lucky, run. They don't understand the cause-effect relationship between doing and having, and they have a misplaced sense of entitlement, as demonstrated by their belief that successful people are lucky and they are unlucky. Nothing reveals a selfish and lazy vulture like a lot of talk about luck.

2. On that same theme, watch at all times for that same misplaced sense of entitlement. It's one of the roots of almost all the crazy that Colleen describes. It's easy to exploit people and take advantage of their kindness if you think you deserve it.

3. If anybody uses terms like "he owes me a favor" while offering to have someone else do you a favor, run like hell. Only accept or offer favors to people who don't keep score. If you accept a favor from this person, you will owe them one. If you offer a favor to them, they will assume that you will do another and another and another ad infinitum. They will also decide for themselves the relative value of these favors, and you will always get the short end of the stick.

4. Pay attention. In particular, pay attention to how the person in question treats people when he doesn't want anything from them. Sure, he's nice to you; he wants something from you. How does he treat the waitress? This cannot be overstated. The selfish and exploitive consider kindness to be weakness and forgiveness to be permission to do it again. They will reveal themselves, if you pay attention to how they treat others.

5. Pay attention to who they pay attention to. If your friend is impressed by successful people and is constantly looking for you to introduce them to your more successful friends, odds are he's using you. If he inflates the significance of his interactions with these people, later claiming to know them, he is definitely using you.

6. Do not mistake "charming" for "nice". I can't tell you how many times I've heard somebody describe absolutely despicable behavior and then immediately say, "I don't understand it,; they're so nice." Nice people do not do despicable things. Charming, likable and ingratiating people are quite capable of it, but none of those are the same as "nice."

[LomiMonet]

Warning signs:

1. If a person looks at the things that you've earned and tells you you're lucky, run. They don't understand the cause-effect relationship between doing and having, and they have a misplaced sense of entitlement, as demonstrated by their belief that successful people are lucky and they are unlucky. Nothing reveals a selfish and lazy vulture like a lot of talk about luck.

2. On that same theme, watch at all times for that same misplaced sense of entitlement. It's one of the roots of almost all the crazy that Colleen describes. It's easy to exploit people and take advantage of their kindness if you think you deserve it.

3. If anybody uses terms like "he owes me a favor" while offering to have someone else do you a favor, run like hell. Only accept or offer favors to people who don't keep score. If you accept a favor from this person, you will owe them one. If you offer a favor to them, they will assume that you will do another and another and another ad infinitum. They will also decide for themselves the relative value of these favors, and you will always get the short end of the stick.

4. Pay attention. In particular, pay attention to how the person in question treats people when he doesn't want anything from them. Sure, he's nice to you; he wants something from you. How does he treat the waitress? This cannot be overstated. The selfish and exploitive consider kindness to be weakness and forgiveness to be permission to do it again. They will reveal themselves, if you pay attention to how they treat others.

5. Pay attention to who they pay attention to. If your friend is impressed by successful people and is constantly looking for you to introduce you to your more successful friends, odds are he's using you. If he inflates the significance of his interactions with these people, later claiming to know them, he is definitely using you.

6. Do not mistake "charming" for "nice". I can't tell you how many times I've heard somebody describe absolutely despicable behavior and then immediately say, "I don't understand it,; they're so nice." Nice people do not do despicable things. Charming, likable and ingratiating people are quite capable of it, but none of those are the same as "nice."

Sage advice indeed.

[MacQuarrie]

The same people who mistake effort for luck also mistake kindness for weakness.

[Gail Simone]

Warning signs:

1. If a person looks at the things that you've earned and tells you you're lucky, run. They don't understand the cause-effect relationship between doing and having, and they have a misplaced sense of entitlement, as demonstrated by their belief that successful people are lucky and they are unlucky. Nothing reveals a selfish and lazy vulture like a lot of talk about luck.

2. On that same theme, watch at all times for that same misplaced sense of entitlement. It's one of the roots of almost all the crazy that Colleen describes. It's easy to exploit people and take advantage of their kindness if you think you deserve it.

3. If anybody uses terms like "he owes me a favor" while offering to have someone else do you a favor, run like hell. Only accept or offer favors to people who don't keep score. If you accept a favor from this person, you will owe them one. If you offer a favor to them, they will assume that you will do another and another and another ad infinitum. They will also decide for themselves the relative value of these favors, and you will always get the short end of the stick.

4. Pay attention. In particular, pay attention to how the person in question treats people when he doesn't want anything from them. Sure, he's nice to you; he wants something from you. How does he treat the waitress? This cannot be overstated. The selfish and exploitive consider kindness to be weakness and forgiveness to be permission to do it again. They will reveal themselves, if you pay attention to how they treat others.

5. Pay attention to who they pay attention to. If your friend is impressed by successful people and is constantly looking for you to introduce them to your more successful friends, odds are he's using you. If he inflates the significance of his interactions with these people, later claiming to know them, he is definitely using you.

6. Do not mistake "charming" for "nice". I can't tell you how many times I've heard somebody describe absolutely despicable behavior and then immediately say, "I don't understand it,; they're so nice." Nice people do not do despicable things. Charming, likable and ingratiating people are quite capable of it, but none of those are the same as "nice."

This is all good advice...I have to add beware the sympathy junkie, the person who lives for your sympathy and takes advantage of it ruthlessly and endlessly. There IS no shining mountaintop for people like that. Making you feel bad for them IS what they like.

[colleen]

Warning signs:

1. If a person looks at the things that you've earned and tells you you're lucky, run. They don't understand the cause-effect relationship between doing and having, and they have a misplaced sense of entitlement, as demonstrated by their belief that successful people are lucky and they are unlucky. Nothing reveals a selfish and lazy vulture like a lot of talk about luck.

2. On that same theme, watch at all times for that same misplaced sense of entitlement. It's one of the roots of almost all the crazy that Colleen describes. It's easy to exploit people and take advantage of their kindness if you think you deserve it.

3. If anybody uses terms like "he owes me a favor" while offering to have someone else do you a favor, run like hell. Only accept or offer favors to people who don't keep score. If you accept a favor from this person, you will owe them one. If you offer a favor to them, they will assume that you will do another and another and another ad infinitum. They will also decide for themselves the relative value of these favors, and you will always get the short end of the stick.

4. Pay attention. In particular, pay attention to how the person in question treats people when he doesn't want anything from them. Sure, he's nice to you; he wants something from you. How does he treat the waitress? This cannot be overstated. The selfish and exploitive consider kindness to be weakness and forgiveness to be permission to do it again. They will reveal themselves, if you pay attention to how they treat others.

5. Pay attention to who they pay attention to. If your friend is impressed by successful people and is constantly looking for you to introduce them to your more successful friends, odds are he's using you. If he inflates the significance of his interactions with these people, later claiming to know them, he is definitely using you.

6. Do not mistake "charming" for "nice". I can't tell you how many times I've heard somebody describe absolutely despicable behavior and then immediately say, "I don't understand it,; they're so nice." Nice people do not do despicable things. Charming, likable and ingratiating people are quite capable of it, but none of those are the same as "nice."

May I put this on my blog? It's brilliant.

Moondoggie Writer Bob used to be abominable to the help. I never saw anyone nastier to waitresses. I strongly criticized him for it, and he used to watch himself around me ever after, but I repeatedly saw him being curt and rude when he thought I would not notice.

And the famous people thing? Right before I cut him off some years ago, he wanted to borrow my rolodex. He wanted Neil Gaiman's and Frank Miller's addresses. Hell, no.

I have had a hard time learning the difference between charming and nice, to my deep regret.



c

[SUPERECWFAN1]

WOW....Colleen ...reading that story and how Danny was involved was crazy. I really don't have a big story like that. I have a smaller story...and its about when I worked at a local steak house for a year. In fact heres the story...

Its been a few years and I worked at a local steak house. For a few months I had developed this mantra of being cool and everyone who closed at night with me would get along and we'd all be friends ect ect. We'd all bust our asses to do our jobs and get done as soon as possible. And we'd help each other.

There was me , a big dude I'll call Mike ...a guy named Stanley and the new girl named Lisa. Now Lisa was a pretty nice girl when she was hired. She was in her mid 20's and the single guys were all over her at times. Me ...I always knew the fastest way to fuck up a good working relationship is to get involved with a girl working beside you. So I basically was her friend and we'd joke about shit all the time.

Now some of my guy pals took that me and Lisa were screwing around weirdly. And some females there as well. I'd walk in and hear whispers...and they'd stop. One good older lady was named "Becky" who did a lot of cooking there and really was a great worker. And we got along so well , she'd sneak me fresh biscuits she'd make and we'd share a brief 5 minute breakfast !

Of course working in FAST FOOD is always a pressure packed enviroment and as the whispers grew ...one day me and Becky get into a disagreement over "closing cleaning" as they say. She yells at me "You'd do it for Lisa since you 2 are dating..."

I froze...it shocked me. I told her we weren't dating. That even if Lisa was hot , we ran like fire and ice. She was more of a downer type person and me...I'm a optimist type. Plus the work reason ...Becky finally believed me. It took longer to convince Mike and Stanley this who would joke there was a reason I smiled and was so happy a lot . (No one believes I'm a naturally happy person weirdly...til they get to know me ) Plus there was changes...ahead... MAJOR CHANGES...which would help me and hurt me as well.

Lisa at this point had met this new returning guy named Jack. Now Jack served in the army and was back at the restraunt and we'd joke around. Jack was like a f-ckin model from TV. He had the chisled chin and looks and once Lisa saw him she lost it. Faster than you could say "Sex" they were a couple.

Which helped me (Becky had managed to tell everyone by this point me and Lisa were not a couple thank god...so no pity for Lisa dumping me LOL) and as I realized hurt me. Since now Lisa became such an angel that whenever Jack was around she'd never joke with any male workers...even me ! And it was strictly business which I think fuckin sucks...because I believe in joking and having fun. Lisa had became a born again christian it seemed...above all that.

And her work started slipping bad. Because Lisa didn't wanna close anymore. It was a race to her to get to Jack that night. I think she was half afraid that Jack with his army good looks would nail a hotter chick perhaps.

So she gets into an arguement with me..one night closing and walks out...leaving her work area looking like shit , never cleaning it. Seems she lied and told our Manager that I'd clean it with the boys that night. That pissed them off at me...and pissed me off a lot.

I told my manager the next morning the story and he told Lisa... this bullshit wouldn't pass much longer. Lisa finally again pulled this same bullshit weeks later on another closing guy and the manager fired her. She tried to actually use Jack as excuse and that they had planned a weekend getaway for her vacation. (Weird I know...for not doing work)

FAST FORWARD A YEAR...



I had quit awhile and did work at another place and came back. I was mulching the restraunt area and making a hell of a pay day for that outside hot work when Jack pulled up. And Lisa was with him....

She never said one word to me. Jack laughed and joked and told me they had called him back to duty. I told him to be careful and that he'd be back in no time and its likely I'd be there . (I wasn't...thank god)

Anyhow she seemed all pissed he'd talk to me. Maybe she worried I'd tell a dirty joke we shared once. Its been years and last I heard Jack came home and I had heard Lisa cheated on him ending that relationship. I haven't seen either one in YEARS.

There is no moral I suppose.:wink:

[Matt Algren]

In addition, watch body language. I've learned to pay attention to how someone shakes my hand when I first meet them. Let them decide the position of your hands. If they turn your hands mid-shake so theirs is on top, beware. It's an subconscious effort to show superiority.

[Scott Shaw!]

May I point out that Jim's words of wisdom -- and wise they are! -- do not come from someone who one might assume to be a bitter old grouch. If anything, Jim MacQuarrie's one of the kindest, most generous and helpful people I've ever known.

It's ME who's the bitter old grouch.

That said, I'm a big believer in "paying it forward". I was fortunate to have been encouraged and mentored by a variety of professional cartoonists -- including Jack Kirby, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, Gene Hazelton and Berny Lansky -- back as a kid and while on the job. I can't pay them back -- they're all deceased -- but I can make sure that the time and effort they generously spent on me will be kept "in motion" by doing the same for talented, passionate and driven newcomers to the field.

I may not be a big shot, but some of those I've helped have done quite well for themselves in comics, film, animation and videogames. Maybe I've been lucky, because so far, not a single stinker in the bunch!

Aloha,

Scott!

[MacQuarrie]

May I put this on my blog? It's brilliant.

Moondoggie Writer Bob used to be abominable to the help. I never saw anyone nastier to waitresses. I strongly criticized him for it, and he used to watch himself around me ever after, but I repeatedly saw him being curt and rude when he thought I would not notice.

And the famous people thing? Right before I cut him off some years ago, he wanted to borrow my rolodex. He wanted Neil Gaiman's and Frank Miller's addresses. Hell, no.

I have had a hard time learning the difference between charming and nice, to my deep regret.



c
Absolutely you can use it. It took me 50 years to learn this stuff, most of it the hard way. If anybody is willing to learn it the easy way, God bless 'em.

[Gail Simone]

May I point out that Jim's words of wisdom -- and wise they are! -- do not come from someone who one might assume to be a bitter old grouch. If anything, Jim MacQuarrie's one of the kindest, most generous and helpful people I've ever known.

It's ME who's the bitter old grouch.

That said, I'm a big believer in "paying it forward". I was fortunate to have been encouraged and mentored by a variety of professional cartoonists -- including Jack Kirby, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, Gene Hazelton and Berny Lansky -- back as a kid and while on the job. I can't pay them back -- they're all deceased -- but I can make sure that the time and effort they generously spent on me will be kept "in motion" by doing the same for talented, passionate and driven newcomers to the field.

I may not be a big shot, but some of those I've helped have done quite well for themselves in comics, film, animation and videogames. Maybe I've been lucky, because so far, not a single stinker in the bunch!




Except for that Gail Simone person! She amounted to nothing! :)

[colleen]

This is all good advice...I have to add beware the sympathy junkie, the person who lives for your sympathy and takes advantage of it ruthlessly and endlessly. There IS no shining mountaintop for people like that. Making you feel bad for them IS what they like.

Argh.

I have fallen for them over and over, which is why I let The Woman and Moe lead me around by the nose for so long. The Woman disarmed me with so many sad tales of abuse, I dismissed a lot of what she was doing for the longest time as a "bad day at therapy" reaction.

Same with Moe. Daily, hours-long, brutal post mortems of every sad tale she ever experienced. She loved being miserable and making everyone else miserable. Drama was her drug. And I let her do it, and it took me a long time to wrest myself away. I'm still wondering why I hung around for so long.

Super Drama Mama behavior used to really get to me. Can't say as I won't fall for it again, but if someone is telling me a serious tale of gross personal abuse within a short period of meeting them, I do not look at is as a sign of vulnerability, but an attempt to disarm. If I feel a great deal of sympathy for them because they have had a bad experience, I am less likely to evaluate what they are saying critically.

If they are telling the truth, then a critical ear may actually help them with their problem. If they are not, or they are attempting to tenderize the meat, a critical analysis will help spot trouble before they get too close.



c

[Corrina]

Great story, Corrina, and a nice contrast on the others, which are more bittersweet. ^^ So if they know the husband is still a jerk, does that mean he's tried keep in contact or harrassed your Mom's BFF?

Well, the BFF has kids with him, so she sees the husband on occasion. He went into a total tailspin when my dad died. (They were both about 30, and best friends.) The wife got annoyed with the husband using grief as an excuse to duck out of all his responsibilities. "This is not about you," she said.

The time frame between all this is about 20 years or so, so it was a long estrangement.

Colleen, that just sucks. I meant to say that. And then I made it all about me. :) Sorry.

[MacQuarrie]

More of what I learned the hard way:

When listening to a tale of woe, remember there are only three possible reasons behind it....

1. They are complaining, which means they want you to do something about it. You may or may not be able to, and remember that you get to choose whether or not to try.

2. They are bitching, which means they know you can't do anything about it, but they want to make themselves feel better. A certain amount of that is acceptable, if they in turn listen to your bitching.

3. They are whining, which means they know you can't do anything about it, but they want to make you feel as bad as they do. This is unacceptable.

Learn to recognize the difference and act immediately upon it.

[Hodge]

More of what I learned the hard way:

When listening to a tale of woe, remember there are only three possible reasons behind it....

1. They are complaining, which means they want you to do something about it. You may or may not be able to, and remember that you get to choose whether or not to try.

2. They are bitching, which means they know you can't do anything about it, but they want to make themselves feel better. A certain amount of that is acceptable, if they in turn listen to your bitching.

3. They are whining, which means they know you can't do anything about it, but they want to make you feel as bad as they do. This is unacceptable.

Learn to recognize the difference and act immediately upon it.


My stock answers to the above:

1 "So what are you going to do about it?"
2 Nod sagely and say "I know"
3 "Shut the fuck up"

[MacQuarrie]

Hodge wins the thread today.

[J. Morgan (Bat) Neal]

Colleen: Harrowing story. And you seem to have way too many for your share. Like the old saying: "It should happen to a dog" I do second the suggestion from Gail about the book. Heck your site has enough material for most of one and as this story demonstrates, sadly there appears to be more. Perhaps the second part of the book can be instruction on how to protect yourself.

Gail: I have a friend who I have known since the 4th grade. He is the living embodiment of the sympathy vampire. And has been that way since he reached adolescence. He thinks the world owes him and is always negative. He can be a right pill. In fact he left my house not two hours ago angry because I assume I wasn't paying enough attention to him. Yeeesh.

Scot Shaw: I second your comments about paying it forward and Jim McQaurrie.

Jim: You need to write a self help book man. It would immediately be worth more than whole libraries of that other pap psycho- babble thats out there. You could call it the Common Sense Guide to Life or Life for Dummies. LOL.

JMN

[NatGertler]

Colleen, how the hell has all the crap you've dealt with not turned into a supervillain?I find that amazing, too. It would be easy for someone like Colleen to turn into a supervilain. In fact, there's a supervillain that strikes around her who is almost exactly like Colleen. Same height, same flowy hair, same sharp fashion sense... only she has a green eyepatch!
I don't know if Colleen has ever met her. I don't think I've ever seen them two of them in the same place at the same time.

[colleen]

My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure.

I suppose I could write a book, but I don't know who would publish it.

[colleen]

I almost forgot, a few years back, Keith Giffen and I were working on a fictionalized account of my misadventures in comics entitled "Meanwhile..."

We were co-writing it, and I was drawing it in a manga style. It was brutally funny.

Before things went south at Tokyopop, we were considering them as publishers, and they were interested. But I think Keith got cold feet and also got REALLY busy. And, of course, the Tokypop contract really sucks.

We haven't done anything with it since, but there were parts of the unfinished script that were so funny they had me in tears. Imagine my wacky life as seen through the Keith Giffen filter.

The opening scene (based on another true experience) had "Maggie" discussing nipples on comic book characters with a male editor. Nipples on fully clothed women poking out of their clothes so far they could win a wet fur coat contest: OK. Nipples on bare chested men: not OK.

Don't know what to do with it at this point, but it was a hoot.


c

[MacQuarrie]

Jim: You need to write a self help book man. It would immediately be worth more than whole libraries of that other pap psycho- babble thats out there. You could call it the Common Sense Guide to Life or Life for Dummies. LOL.
If I ever do write it, I'll steal the title my old drama teacher said he was going to use but never did....

"What Your Daddy Never Told You Because the Poor Dumb SOB Didn't Know it Himself."

[THEDOC]

I almost forgot, a few years back, Keith Giffen and I were working on a fictionalized account of my misadventures in comics entitled "Meanwhile..."

We were co-writing it, and I was drawing it in a manga style. It was brutally funny.

Before things went south at Tokyopop, we were considering them as publishers, and they were interested. But I think Keith got cold feet and also got REALLY busy. And, of course, the Tokypop contract really sucks.

We haven't done anything with it since, but there were parts of the unfinished script that were so funny they had me in tears. Imagine my wacky life as seen through the Keith Giffen filter.

The opening scene (based on another true experience) had "Maggie" discussing nipples on comic book characters with a male editor. Nipples on fully clothed women poking out of their clothes so far they could win a wet fur coat contest: OK. Nipples on bare chested men: not OK.

Don't know what to do with it at this point, but it was a hoot.




I think that would be great to publish. I (IF) would like to do that and I won't even use a NDA. Starting an imprint so this would be a great project.

[colleen]

Well, we've had several small presses interested, and have never taken it to a big publisher or agent.

The problem with the small press is the bad money. I can't afford to do it for a small advance.

What I ought to do, is package the thing, and get it off to an agent and settle things once and for all.


I would gladly take it to Image, they already are interested. But there is no up front money at Image, and I'd starve to death waiting for the back end to pay off.

c

[colleen]

By the way, I actually did publish some art and a portion of script from Meanwhile in my how-to books for Impact books called Girl to Grrrl Manga and Manga Pro Superstar. So, plans for this project go back quite some time.


c

[Gail Simone]

By the way, I actually did publish some art and a portion of script from Meanwhile in my how-to books for Impact books called Girl to Grrrl Manga and Manga Pro Superstar. So, plans for this project go back quite some time.


c

I have the first of those books...it's really excellent. Lea Hernandez did a really enjoyable book of a similar nature. Even non-artist me enjoyed them a lot.

[MacQuarrie]

May I point out that Jim's words of wisdom -- and wise they are! -- do not come from someone who one might assume to be a bitter old grouch. If anything, Jim MacQuarrie's one of the kindest, most generous and helpful people I've ever known.

It's ME who's the bitter old grouch.

That said, I'm a big believer in "paying it forward". I was fortunate to have been encouraged and mentored by a variety of professional cartoonists -- including Jack Kirby, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, Gene Hazelton and Berny Lansky -- back as a kid and while on the job. I can't pay them back -- they're all deceased -- but I can make sure that the time and effort they generously spent on me will be kept "in motion" by doing the same for talented, passionate and driven newcomers to the field.

I may not be a big shot, but some of those I've helped have done quite well for themselves in comics, film, animation and videogames. Maybe I've been lucky, because so far, not a single stinker in the bunch!

Aloha,

Scott!
Geez, Scott! Between you and Evanier, I'm going to end up with a swelled head.

Thanks for your kind words!

[Cam63]

My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure.

I suppose I could write a book, but I don't know who would publish it.

I'd love to see Colleen Hulk.

[Cam63]

I have the first of those books...it's really excellent. Lea Hernandez did a really enjoyable book of a similar nature. Even non-artist me enjoyed them a lot.

Hey, your self portraits were cute.

...in a " Cathy " kinda way.

[DaveRothe]

Day 4 Mr. Olney. Who was the culprit that emailed the pic of your mom? Why so quiet? Hard to believe you'd defend your country but not your own mother.

[Linkara]

Colleen, I just finished reading through the entirety of the epic.

Short response: Sweet merciful crap! :eek:

Long response: Wow. Just wow, Colleen. I mentioned earlier in the thread how shocked I was that Olney was able to screw over so many people and stay in contact with all of them and still keep them straight so he could continue lying through his teeth, but at least Olney had the decent sense to hate someone and then CONTINUE hating them until the end.

Just reading some of those stories made my jaw drop. An unauthorized biography of J.K. Rowling and yet NO ONE EVEN BOTHERED TO LOOK UP WHAT THE BOOKS WERE ABOUT? For crying out loud, up until this year, I had never picked up a Harry Potter book or glanced at the movies and yet I knew it was about freakin' wizards!

It seemed pretty clear to me while reading it that Mr. Disney was fishing around, especially when he said very little during the actual meal. I envisioned him glancing over at Tom each time you refuted one of his outright lies and doing a Spock eyebrow and "O RLY?"

Oh, and I was rolling on the ground when you mentioned how drawing yaoi would automatically get you a book deal these days. ^_~

Needless to say, as someone who's trying to break into the industry, reading this stuff is really, really useful information. Thanks for sharing this, Colleen! (Also, how do we know she isn't a supervillain already?)

[RJCarter]

I have led a boring, boring life.

Thank you, God. :smile:

[Dreadstar]

Has this summer's Olney flare-up faded away?


Huh. I guess Prep H works after all.

[DaveRothe]

The Morn of Day 5 Rick and you still haven't produced the name of the person that supposedly defaced your mother's picture. As far as I and everyone else are concerned YOU'RE the one that did it. You've tried to frame people from YABS and Unscrewed and defaced one of the momento's of your dead mother. You dishonor her memory by what you did. This is sickening beyond belief.

[Charles RB]

Has he posted anything at all or has he fled from his blog, realising it was a dumb thing to have (until the next one)?

[THEDOC]

The Morn of Day 5 Rick and you still haven't produced the name of the person that supposedly defaced your mother's picture. As far as I and everyone else are concerned YOU'RE the one that did it. You've tried to frame people from YABS and Unscrewed and defaced one of the momento's of your dead mother. You dishonor her memory by what you did. This is sickening beyond belief.

I doubt we'll ever know the truth. He's probably trying to think up his next ruse to 'prove" someone here or from IF did that defacing. It's just a wait and see game now.
I see the blog is still in the archives and didn't realize when you click "InterFan" it went to my site. That's just nice, and that I promote hate, the only think i hate is what RO represents.

[DaveRothe]

Has he posted anything at all or has he fled from his blog, realising it was a dumb thing to have (until the next one)?

I think maybe he didn't pay whomever was doing his blog and they stopped services. You don't think he checked all that spelling himself do ya? LOL

[DaveRothe]

I doubt we'll ever know the truth. He's probably trying to think up his next ruse to 'prove" someone here or from IF did that defacing. It's just a wait and see game now.
I see the blog is still in the archives and didn't realize when you click "InterFan" it went to my site. That's just nice, and that I promote hate, the only think i hate is what RO represents.

Well it's gonna have to be proof like the ACTUAL email that was supposedly forwarded to him. As for interFan I wouldn't worry no one reads his blog anyways but us. We know InterFan is not a HATE group. All an unknowing person has to do is Google Rick Olney. They'll see the truth.

[Matt Algren]

Has he posted anything at all or has he fled from his blog, realising it was a dumb thing to have (until the next one)?Nah, he'd've deleted it.

[Crowley]

Has this summer's Olney flare-up faded away?

Huh. I guess Prep H works after all.

shiny metal bracelets will tend to silence one's voice on the internets.

[Jared H.]

shiny metal bracelets will tend to silence one's voice on the internets.

Do you know something the rest of us don't, Crowley?

If so, please tell!

[NatGertler]

He hasn't been off the internet. He's been redacting his blog again. Looks like he's updated his bio blurb, too.

[DaveRothe]

shiny metal bracelets will tend to silence one's voice on the internets.

Does this mean we'll be seeing him on a future "COPS" episode?

[colleen]

Colleen, I just finished reading through the entirety of the epic.

Short response: Sweet merciful crap! :eek:

Long response: Wow. Just wow, Colleen. I mentioned earlier in the thread how shocked I was that Olney was able to screw over so many people and stay in contact with all of them and still keep them straight so he could continue lying through his teeth, but at least Olney had the decent sense to hate someone and then CONTINUE hating them until the end.

Just reading some of those stories made my jaw drop. An unauthorized biography of J.K. Rowling and yet NO ONE EVEN BOTHERED TO LOOK UP WHAT THE BOOKS WERE ABOUT? For crying out loud, up until this year, I had never picked up a Harry Potter book or glanced at the movies and yet I knew it was about freakin' wizards!

It seemed pretty clear to me while reading it that Mr. Disney was fishing around, especially when he said very little during the actual meal. I envisioned him glancing over at Tom each time you refuted one of his outright lies and doing a Spock eyebrow and "O RLY?"

Oh, and I was rolling on the ground when you mentioned how drawing yaoi would automatically get you a book deal these days. ^_~

Needless to say, as someone who's trying to break into the industry, reading this stuff is really, really useful information. Thanks for sharing this, Colleen! (Also, how do we know she isn't a supervillain already?)

LOL! Glad you enjoyed it. Wasn't fun going through it, but writing about it afterwards was pretty cathartic.

I hope you read the comments. The son of "Tom" piped in! While defending his dad as a nice guy who was really very important in the history of graphic novels (no he fucking wasn't, he wasn't even a blip on the radar and I would bet money no one reading this has ever heard of the guy), he confirmed many of my observations about what a lousy businessman his own father was. That was interesting.

[Matt Algren]

He hasn't been off the internet. He's been redacting his blog again. Looks like he's updated his bio blurb, too.
That's new. An hour ago it still had the justice post at the top. In place of the quasi-apology, he has this:


People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest. Regardless of how many years one many have spent donning the garb of a hero, or the numerous battles one may have faced and overcome, sometimes it is refreshing to know that those around you truly appreciate your unique abilities =)
I think he's saying he has courage and character. Or something. The rest of it doesn't really work. I think the second 'many' is supposed to be 'may'.

It's awfully self-congradulatory, isn't it? 'You all hate me, but you just can't see how awesome I am. I am couragous. Nay, heroic. See my cape?'

[Matt Algren]

He just added the line "Oh! and content here is also ™ respective owners."

Who has MacQuarrie's emergency sedative?

[MacQuarrie]

Oh! and content here is also ™ respective owners.
No, it's not. Content can't be trademarked, you massive fucking tool.

A trademark is a Mark of Trade. It's a mark or brand or logo or word that identifies the source of a particular product, good, or service, you massive fucking tool.

The content of your site is your goods and services; "Sequential Soul", "Rick Olney" and "TightLip" are your trademarks, you massive fucking tool.

I've never met anyone so willfully ignorant as you. I know I've explained the difference between trademark and copyright at least four times in this very thread, and countless other times as well, you massive fucking tool.

But you still don't get it.

You massive fucking tool.

[MacQuarrie]

He just added the line "Oh! and content here is also ™ respective owners."

Who has MacQuarrie's emergency sedative?

God bless you, Mr. Algren.

[Stressfactor]

You massive fucking tool.

I gather you think he is a massive fucking tool.


Sorry, I couldn't resist :biggrin:

It occurs to me -- and it may be too late or too much trouble for this -- perhaps the "back matter" for the Unscrewed! Anthology comic could contain some of Mac's most awesome observations as well as some tips from Colleen and a series of internet links to good sites on Copyright Law, Trademark and the like?

[NatGertler]

I think he's saying he has courage and character.Yeah, the "character" to rip off a quote without attribution, and the "courage" to rip it off of a guy who can't get back at him, as Mr. Herman Hesse's been dead more than half a century. The rest of it shows up here (http://beastofthexmen.blogspot.com/2005/10/appreciation.html)... including the smiley.

[Crowley]

Do you know something the rest of us don't, Crowley?

If so, please tell!

Nothing concrete... but it's pretty obvious that Rick is now terrified again of the police knocking at his door.

Or he's curled into a ball sobbing.

AGAIN.

[Erik Burnham]

Or he's curled into a ball sobbing.

AGAIN.

Well, he has trademarked that.

(I'm going for irony, MacQuarrie, put down the bow and---*)

[Matt Algren]

Yeah, the "character" to rip off a quote without attribution, and the "courage" to rip it off of a guy who can't get back at him, as Mr. Herman Hesse's been dead more than half a century. The rest of it shows up here (http://beastofthexmen.blogspot.com/2005/10/appreciation.html)... including the smiley.
Ha. I'm not surprised.

That leads to a question though. What do you suppose he searched for to find that quote. The blog hasn't been updated in three years, so it's not like he happened upon it or something.

[Linkara]

LOL! Glad you enjoyed it. Wasn't fun going through it, but writing about it afterwards was pretty cathartic.

I hope you read the comments. The son of "Tom" piped in! While defending his dad as a nice guy who was really very important in the history of graphic novels (no he fucking wasn't, he wasn't even a blip on the radar and I would bet money no one reading this has ever heard of the guy), he confirmed many of my observations about what a lousy businessman his own father was. That was interesting.

I can imagine it wasn't, especially seeing that taxable income list for the Eighties. :eek:

I admit I hadn't read the comments, but now I'm going to! :biggrin:

EDIT:
Oh, and since I kind of missed the conversation earlier about people who will do nothing but whine and moan about their problems, I would like to point out that when I do it, it's because I just want to vent and get it out of my system. XD Sympathy is nice, but I don't expect it or expect others to do anything about it, I just want someone to be listening so I can get it off my chest before I get back on the horse. At least, that's how it is for me. Otherwise I like to announce GOOD news, like turning 21. ^^

[MacQuarrie]

Oh, and since I kind of missed the conversation earlier about people who will do nothing but whine and moan about their problems, I would like to point out that when I do it, it's because I just want to vent and get it out of my system. XD Sympathy is nice, but I don't expect it or expect others to do anything about it, I just want someone to be listening so I can get it off my chest before I get back on the horse. At least, that's how it is for me. Otherwise I like to announce GOOD news, like turning 21. ^^

I believe that was option 2 on my list, and a certain amount of it is normal and acceptable, provided you also let others do it to you on occasion.

[Erik Burnham]

I believe that was option 2 on my list, and a certain amount of it is normal and acceptable, provided you also let others do it to you on occasion.

And for the record, I remember Frente!

[Linkara]

I believe that was option 2 on my list, and a certain amount of it is normal and acceptable, provided you also let others do it to you on occasion.

Oh, of course. ^^ If you give it, you should be willing to take it.

...That sounds a lot dirtier than I meant it to.

[Matt Algren]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FBXGhy-QmVw/SKrX8Dnte4I/AAAAAAAAB9o/LIbLQnyMFBo/s320/card1732.JPG

[Linkara]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FBXGhy-QmVw/SKrX8Dnte4I/AAAAAAAAB9o/LIbLQnyMFBo/s320/card1732.JPG

Science triumphs once more!

[Gail Simone]

No, it's not. Content can't be trademarked, you massive fucking tool.

A trademark is a Mark of Trade. It's a mark or brand or logo or word that identifies the source of a particular product, good, or service, you massive fucking tool.

The content of your site is your goods and services; "Sequential Soul", "Rick Olney" and "TightLip" are your trademarks, you massive fucking tool.

I've never met anyone so willfully ignorant as you. I know I've explained the difference between trademark and copyright at least four times in this very thread, and countless other times as well, you massive fucking tool.

But you still don't get it.

You massive fucking tool.


Weren't you giving us all a speech about name-calling a while back?

;)

[Crowley]

So just a poll here... where do we thinking Rick is curled up and sobbing at the moment?

A. Couch
B. Bed
C. Jail Cell
D. Septic Tank


or other?

[Matt Algren]

So just a poll here... where do we thinking Rick is curled up and sobbing at the moment?

A. Couch
B. Bed
C. Jail Cell
D. Septic Tank


or other?
We know it's not C or D, because he was online this morning. I'm thinking A with a big bag of Doritos and Fig Newtons.




I really shouldn't post when I'm hungry.

[alexanderness]

We know it's not C or D, because he was online this morning. I'm thinking A with a big bag of Doritos and Fig Newtons.




I really shouldn't post when I'm hungry.

I think he'd be more into Oreos and Pork rinds really.

[Crowley]

He can't afford Oreos. He's probably got some Murray's action going on there at best.

I don't even believe he has the very best cable!

[MacQuarrie]

Weren't you giving us all a speech about name-calling a while back?

;)

Yeah, but it needed to be said.

[alexanderness]

He can't afford Oreos. He's probably got some Murray's action going on there at best.

I don't even believe he has the very best cable!

He meant to say he steals the best cable that his neighbor gets.

And if not Oreos perhaps generic chocolate sandwich cookies from the Dollar store?

Cause I cannot believe he'd have the good taste to eat Hydrox, cause those are easily the best.

[colleen]

Folks, you are not going to believe this, but this just came in my inbox:

Colleen,
You made a remark about my father being a 'bad' businessman. My father was NEVER a bad businessman. He actually had a great business and had much more than you could ever realize or be willing to give him credit for. It was not until after his brain bleed and subsequent operation saving his life back in 1995 that his life began a slow decline. Your idiotic comments about my family are something you should be proud of. I'm going to tell you once, knock it off. Talk about your worldly theories about me all you like but leave my parents out of your crap slinging. I realize that you can't help yourself It must be tough living a life of estrogen driven, dysfunctional personality psychosis, with overtones of jealousy and insecurity.

R.


WTF????????

What the hell is this guy talking about?

"Tom" is not a euphemism for Olney, but a guy who ran a publishing company I used to work for in the 1980's, to which I clearly linked here:

http://adistantsoil.com/blog/?cat=112

"Tom's" son came over to my blog and wrote about his father on it. The company was called The Donning Company Publishers. My post had nothing to do with Olney, and neither did my response. Holy cow.

Meltdown alert!


I have absolutely no idea what this letter is supposed to be about and I never mentioned Olney's father anywhere. This is just freaking weird.

Excuse me, but where the heck did I refer to Olney's family, in particular his father? HUNH???

I'm sure he got it all from here, but dang, my posts and my experience at this company had nothing to do with him. Olney is not "Tom" and if he were, i'd just come out and say it:

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=7405538&postcount=44698

[G-Spot]

Excuse me, but where the heck did I refer to Olney's family, in particular his father? HUNH???

In his mind, that's where.

I'm sure he was reading between the lines of your story, and his ego saw himself as the subject of it all.

[alexanderness]

I have absolutely no idea what this letter is supposed to be about and I never mentioned Olney's father anywhere. This is just freaking weird.

Excuse me, but where the heck did I refer to Olney's family, in particular his father? HUNH???

He is speaking in the language Retardic which is largely undecipherable.

[Flying Saucers Over Oz]

Well, we've long established reading comprehension isn't Toadface's strong point...

Re: Sympathy.

Last year, my mother died. (See, Olney? You're not the only one!:tongue: ). Even more fun, I was the one who found the body, called the paramedics, called relatives, etc.

I didn't mention it to anyone on the 'Net for a couple months. For one thing, I needed a place where everything was 'normal' and nobody knew I was in mourning. For another, everyone would say, "That's too bad," everything would drag to a dead halt, and we'd all stand around looking awkwardly at each other until we moved on to another thread. And finally, if I mentioned it, then cracked jokes afterward, it'd weird people out a bit.

And, oh yeah, of course I paid all my bills on time. (Yet again, :tongue: )

[colleen]

I'm thinking this letter may be one of the most delusional I have ever received in all my years in comics, and I got one from a guy who believed he was linked with me, Neil Gaiman, and J M DeMatteis in a psychic triumverate, (which would make us a quad, not tri), so that's saying something.


I'm just jealous! Ho ho!


c

[Flying Saucers Over Oz]

Re: The psychic. So he's delusional AND he can't count.

That's precious, really...

[colleen]

In his mind, that's where.

I'm sure he was reading between the lines of your story, and his ego saw himself as the subject of it all.

I must assume so. Man, that took six kinds of stupid to send me that letter.

[Gail Simone]

"Estrogen driven?"

Who is the littlest girl in this whole thing?

It's Little Miss Olney!

[colleen]

Well, we've long established reading comprehension isn't Toadface's strong point...

Re: Sympathy.

Last year, my mother died. (See, Olney? You're not the only one!:tongue: ). Even more fun, I was the one who found the body, called the paramedics, called relatives, etc.

I didn't mention it to anyone on the 'Net for a couple months. For one thing, I needed a place where everything was 'normal' and nobody knew I was in mourning. For another, everyone would say, "That's too bad," everything would drag to a dead halt, and we'd all stand around looking awkwardly at each other until we moved on to another thread. And finally, if I mentioned it, then cracked jokes afterward, it'd weird people out a bit.

And, oh yeah, of course I paid all my bills on time. (Yet again, :tongue: )

Yikes, that is awful. I am terribly sorry to hear all this.

[OzBat!]

Then he's holding some in reserve, because we all know Olney is capable of at LEAST 7 kinds of stupid; 8 or 9 when he's got some alcohol in him.

[colleen]

"Estrogen driven?"

Who is the littlest girl in this whole thing?

It's Little Miss Olney!

My super estrogen power makes me not write posts about Olney's father (about whom I know nothing, and have no idea why anyone would think I'd want to write posts about his business, about which I also know nothing), but it takes oodles of weird to read huge post blocks that clearly do not refer to you and conclude they are about...your dad.


MAN, that's crazy.

[GCom]

Folks, you are not going to believe this >SNIP<

That's not a good sign for Mr. Olney.

Mr. Olney, as soon as you settle your debts, I'd suggest you find counseling. If Collen's post is accurate, you have a deep problem.



With Tolerance For Evidence On Top Of Evidence...

GCom

[colleen]

I've saved Olney's letter and metadata. If it came from him, it's easy enough to prove.

If it did - and I'm sure it did - it's very disturbing.



c

[Linkara]

My super estrogen power


See?! She IS a supervillain!


Seriously, pRick, what is even the hell?

[Sally Sensational]

It's worse than a train wreck. It's like a train with an airplane sticking out of it that was derailed by a bus full of cows.

You just can't look away!

[MacQuarrie]

Excuse me, but where the heck did I refer to Olney's family, in particular his father? HUNH???
Excuse me, Miss. I speak stupid; maybe I can help.

The MFT (Massive Fucking Tool) was monitoring this thread as is his habit. He saw your post in which you referred to the story on your blog about "Tom" and his son.

Being stupid, MFT didn't try to look for context or follow your links. Instead he chose to make assumptions based on his own paranoia.

MFT knows that he is the center of the universe, and therefore any and all veiled references must refer to himself.

MFT knows that his late father had some business difficulties, and he knows that we know about them, though we don't discuss them because they aren't relevant to the case at hand.

Knowing these two things, MFT automatically assumes that you were taking an underhanded dig at him by way of oblique reference to his father. He assumes this because it is exactly the kind of chickenshit behavior he would indulge in if he were smart enough to manage the trick.

But of course he is wrong, because MFT is stupid.

I hope this clears it up for you.

[colleen]

I'm sorry, but my brain has overloaded from an influx of creepy.

There is no way a rational person could have looked at anything I wrote and concluded it was all a veiled dig at RO's father.

We're in La La Land.


Especially the part about me writing about it all because...I am JEALOUS!!!


Great mother of Jesus.

[Comcman]

So just a poll here... where do we thinking Rick is curled up and sobbing at the moment?

A. Couch
B. Bed
C. Jail Cell
D. Septic Tank


or other?

E. in his Nook

[colleen]

Excuse me, Miss. I speak stupid; maybe I can help.

The MFT (Massive Fucking Tool) was monitoring this thread as is his habit. He saw your post in which you referred to the story on your blog about "Tom" and his son.

Being stupid, MFT didn't try to look for context or follow your links. Instead he chose to make assumptions based on his own paranoia.

MFT knows that he is the center of the universe, and therefore any and all veiled references must refer to himself.

MFT knows that his late father had some business difficulties, and he knows that we know about them, though we don't discuss them because they aren't relevant to the case at hand.

Knowing these two things, MFT automatically assumes that you were taking an underhanded dig at him by way of oblique reference to his father. He assumes this because it is exactly the kind of chickenshit behavior he would indulge in if he were smart enough to manage the trick.

But of course he is wrong, because MFT is stupid.

I hope this clears it up for you.


Why thank you, kind sir, this is indeed a great help to me.

Now I am going to allow my estrogen to drive me over to the fridge and get a frappucino to fuel me up. I'm ovulating.

[DaveRothe]

Folks, you are not going to believe this, but this just came in my inbox:

Colleen,
You made a remark about my father being a 'bad' businessman. My father was NEVER a bad businessman. He actually had a great business and had much more than you could ever realize or be willing to give him credit for. It was not until after his brain bleed and subsequent operation saving his life back in 1995 that his life began a slow decline. Your idiotic comments about my family are something you should be proud of. I'm going to tell you once, knock it off. Talk about your worldly theories about me all you like but leave my parents out of your crap slinging. I realize that you can't help yourself It must be tough living a life of estrogen driven, dysfunctional personality psychosis, with overtones of jealousy and insecurity.

R.


WTF????????

What the hell is this guy talking about?

"Tom" is not a euphemism for Olney, but a guy who ran a publishing company I used to work for in the 1980's, to which I clearly linked here:

http://adistantsoil.com/blog/?cat=112

"Tom's" son came over to my blog and wrote about his father on it. The company was called The Donning Company Publishers. My post had nothing to do with Olney, and neither did my response. Holy cow.

Meltdown alert!


I have absolutely no idea what this letter is supposed to be about and I never mentioned Olney's father anywhere. This is just freaking weird.

Excuse me, but where the heck did I refer to Olney's family, in particular his father? HUNH???

I'm sure he got it all from here, but dang, my posts and my experience at this company had nothing to do with him. Olney is not "Tom" and if he were, i'd just come out and say it:

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=7405538&postcount=44698

Colleen as per usual, Rick assumes everything in thie thread is about him. And he knows what happens when he assumes he makes an @$$ out of himself again but not me. LOL

[colleen]

I think if he wanted people to leave his parents out of crap slinging, he wouldn't have posted a defaced picture of his own mother.

And he'd be getting to the bottom of whoever sent it, not writing creepy letters to me to complain about my posts that have nothing to do with him.

But we all have our own suspicions about who sent that picture of his mother, and none of the suspects are members of YABS in good standing now, are they?

[Guapo Méndez]

As per usual Colleen, Rick assumes everything in thie thread is about him. And he knows what happens when he assumes he makes an @$$ out of himself again but not me. LOL

If you think that's nuts, you should see him read the Olympics thread.

"My father wasn't a russian female pole-vaulter who broke the world record!"
"My father wasn't a kenyan sprinter who won gold in steeplechase!"
"My father wasn't a team of jamaican bobsledders who tried mightily and even got a Disney movie out of it!"

[Matt Doc Martin]

Folks, you are not going to believe this, but this just came in my inbox:

Colleen,
You made a remark about my father being a 'bad' businessman. My father was NEVER a bad businessman. He actually had a great business and had much more than you could ever realize or be willing to give him credit for. It was not until after his brain bleed and subsequent operation saving his life back in 1995 that his life began a slow decline. Your idiotic comments about my family are something you should be proud of. I'm going to tell you once, knock it off. Talk about your worldly theories about me all you like but leave my parents out of your crap slinging. I realize that you can't help yourself It must be tough living a life of estrogen driven, dysfunctional personality psychosis, with overtones of jealousy and insecurity.

R.


WTF????????

What the hell is this guy talking about?

"Tom" is not a euphemism for Olney, but a guy who ran a publishing company I used to work for in the 1980's, to which I clearly linked here:

http://adistantsoil.com/blog/?cat=112

"Tom's" son came over to my blog and wrote about his father on it. The company was called The Donning Company Publishers. My post had nothing to do with Olney, and neither did my response. Holy cow.

Meltdown alert!


I have absolutely no idea what this letter is supposed to be about and I never mentioned Olney's father anywhere. This is just freaking weird.

Excuse me, but where the heck did I refer to Olney's family, in particular his father? HUNH???

I'm sure he got it all from here, but dang, my posts and my experience at this company had nothing to do with him. Olney is not "Tom" and if he were, i'd just come out and say it:

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=7405538&postcount=44698

Any time anything bad is said about someone, pRick just assumes it is about him. He is a fucktard like that.

But, since pRick WANTS this to be about his dad....

Hey, pRick!


Did your dad's mental problems explain him being involved in tax evasion, income tax fraud, bankruptcy, and excessive credit card abuse?

Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

You lose!

[TomStillwell]

Folks, you are not going to believe this, but this just came in my inbox:

Colleen,
You made a remark about my father being a 'bad' businessman. My father was NEVER a bad businessman. He actually had a great business and had much more than you could ever realize or be willing to give him credit for. It was not until after his brain bleed and subsequent operation saving his life back in 1995 that his life began a slow decline. Your idiotic comments about my family are something you should be proud of. I'm going to tell you once, knock it off. Talk about your worldly theories about me all you like but leave my parents out of your crap slinging. I realize that you can't help yourself It must be tough living a life of estrogen driven, dysfunctional personality psychosis, with overtones of jealousy and insecurity.

R.


WTF????????

What the hell is this guy talking about?

"Tom" is not a euphemism for Olney, but a guy who ran a publishing company I used to work for in the 1980's, to which I clearly linked here:

http://adistantsoil.com/blog/?cat=112

"Tom's" son came over to my blog and wrote about his father on it. The company was called The Donning Company Publishers. My post had nothing to do with Olney, and neither did my response. Holy cow.

Meltdown alert!


I have absolutely no idea what this letter is supposed to be about and I never mentioned Olney's father anywhere. This is just freaking weird.

Excuse me, but where the heck did I refer to Olney's family, in particular his father? HUNH???

I'm sure he got it all from here, but dang, my posts and my experience at this company had nothing to do with him. Olney is not "Tom" and if he were, i'd just come out and say it:

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=7405538&postcount=44698

How dare you call my father a bad business man!

Your vagina powered rants are most pugilistic!!!

[TomStillwell]

I gather you think he is a massive fucking tool.


Sorry, I couldn't resist :biggrin:

It occurs to me -- and it may be too late or too much trouble for this -- perhaps the "back matter" for the Unscrewed! Anthology comic could contain some of Mac's most awesome observations as well as some tips from Colleen and a series of internet links to good sites on Copyright Law, Trademark and the like?

Colleen has already graciously agreed to lend us some of her awesome wisdom for the book.

[colleen]

How dare you call my father a bad business man!

Your vagina powered rants are most pugilistic!!!

More accurate:

How dare you call someone else's father a bad businessman! You're supposed to be talking about ME!

Oh yeah, and you're ovulating, and that hurts your brain you envious female!

[DaveRothe]

Methinkst pRick thou art paranoid. Methinkst= Me thinkin' you iz paranoid and be trippin. Word, homeslice?

[DaveRothe]

How dare you call my father a bad business man!

Your vagina powered rants are most pugilistic!!!

There's a dirty joke in there somewhere but I ain't touching that with a 10 foot pugil stick! Always poking fun... D'oh!!!

[colleen]

Stop poking at the vagina power.

[TomStillwell]

Vagina Power was the band I fronted in high school.