Monday, November 17, 2008

Better than the Tan Torpedo.

Did you know I’ve been published in an internationally distributed magazine read by thousands across the globe? Sure, it may have only been in their reader-mail section, but I’ll take what I can get.

And don’t worry, Mom. It didn’t start out with, “Dear Penthouse.”

It was in Wizard Magazine. If you’re not familiar with the publication, their content is geared mainly for the comic book crowd and geeks such as myself. I’m sure you’ve seen their Wolverine-emblazoned covers on the newsstands from time to time. They have a letter section called “Magic Words” at the beginning of the magazine where they answer their readers’ questions about the comic industry and other fanboy stuff.

“Does the Flash have to buy new shoes on a regular basis?”

“How does Daredevil know when he’s done wiping after going to the bathroom?”

Stuff like that.

If letters that fascinating could get in, I thought I’d give it a shot myself. I sent in a random comic rambling, and in November of 2006, i got inked. Read it for yourself.

Not exactly Pulitzer material, I know. I was just looking to be printed. And the second I thought up the Brown Bomber, I knew I was in.

So why bring this up after all this time, you ask? It’s been two years already. Why mention it now?

I make a habit of reading comic books every day on my train ride home from work. In addition to keeping me entertained, it keeps me from falling asleep. I started doing it shortly after the time I passed out and missed my stop by four stations and had to walk a couple of miles in the pouring rain without an umbrella to get to my car. Anyways, last week, the comic Justice League of America #26 made it into my evening reading.

The issue had come out a week earlier and was written by some guy named Dwane McDuffie. In the book, reality had gotten all funked up and the Justice League team was completely changed. Some members had their histories drastically altered in addition to some completely new members being added to the team. Their roster went like this. (Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the pic.)

I nearly fell out of my seat. There on the bottom of the page was my guy. I couldn’t believe someone finally made a Brown Bomber. Personally, I pictured him being some skinny guy in brown tights throwing around brown explosives instead of a racist, white guy who turns into a super-powered black man, but I was still astounded the comic world finally had a “brown” superhero.

As soon as I got home, I rummaged through my closet for that old copy of Wizard. Unfortunately, I hadn’t kept track of which issue it was in, so it took me nearly an hour of pouring through my old magazines to find it. But I found it. Issue 181, page 13. After reading my letter and laughing a bit to myself, I thought I’d give the magazine a quick scan to see what was going on in the comic world two years ago. I flipped eight pages ahead and noticed a short article about the comic Firestorm. It featured a short interview by the books writer, Dwayne McDuffie.

The same Dwayne McDuffie who wrote Justice League of America #26.

Was it coincidence? Or had Dwayne picked up the issue to see how his interview turned out, noticed my letter while skimming through the rest of the magazine, and was inspired to create his own Brown Bomber?

Who knows! I’m planning on writing Wizard again to see if they can find out. I’d like to think that somehow I contributed to a couple of pages of comic history. But even if it does turn out to be just a coincidence, I think I’ll at least be assured another printing in the Wizard mail section.