Charles N. Brown, 1937-2009
As reported by Locus magazine, science fiction publishing lost one of it’s more ardent and vociferous supporters this past Sunday.
Locus publisher, editor, and co-founder Charles N. Brown, 72, died peacefully in his sleep July 12, 2009 on his way home from Readercon.
Charles Nikki Brown was born June 24, 1937 in Brooklyn NY, where he grew up. He attended the City College of New York, taking time off from 1956-59 to serve in the US Navy, and finished his degree (BS in physics and engineering) at night on the GI Bill while working as a junior engineer in the ’60s. He married twice, to Marsha Elkin (1962-69), who helped him start Locus, and to Dena Benatan (1970-77), who co-edited Locus for many years while he worked full time. He moved to San Francisco in 1972, working as a nuclear engineer until becoming a full-time SF editor in 1975. The Locus offices have been in Brown’s home in the Oakland hills since 1973.
Brown co-founded Locus with Ed Meskys and Dave Vanderwerf as a one-sheet news fanzine in 1968, originally created to help the Boston Science Fiction Group win its Worldcon bid. Brown enjoyed editing Locus so much that he continued the magazine far beyond its original planned one-year run. Locus was nominated for its first Hugo Award in 1970, and Brown was a best fan writer nominee the same year. Locus won the first of its 29 Hugos in 1971.
During Brown’s long and illustrious career he was the first book reviewer for Asimov’s; wrote the Best of the Year summary for Terry Carr’s annual anthologies (1975-87); wrote numerous magazines and newspapers; edited several SF anthologies; appeared on countless convention panels; was a frequent Guest of Honor, speaker, and judge at writers’ seminars; and has been a jury member for various major SF awards.
As per his wishes, Locus will continue to publish, with executive editor Liza Groen Trombi taking over as editor-in-chief with the August 2009 issue.
A complete obituary with tributes and a photo retrospective will appear in the August issue.
Having read Locus religiously for the past fifteen years I can attest that Mr. Brown’s insight, enthusiasm, and voice were singular in the genre. We at The Daily Planet pass our condolences to his many mourners.
Boss Hog Tee by Paul Pope
My new object of desire after checking in on Paul’s flickr page for the first time in weeks…
I’m a humongous fan of all parties involved, so every collaboration between them sends my heart aflutter. If you’re not familiar with the artist’s work I highly recommend Heavy Liquid and Batman Year 100 as jumping on points.
For those of you unaware of said rabid fandom I’m sure this will not be the only time you’re exposed.
Fair warning.
Today in eBay.
The eBays are selling off your memories.
Last week it was the Bat-Cycle, this week its ECTO-1. The auction has six hours and some change left, and the bidding is already up to 40k.
Original ECTO-1 Ghostbusters Car on eBay [via Laughing Squid].
Everbody is Stupid Except for Peter Bagge
Fantagraphics has just published a new collection of comics from “Hate” creator Peter Bagge: Everybody is Stupid Except for Me. Originally appearing in the pages of Reason- a 40ish year old Libertarian magazine with a circulation that hovers around the sixty thousand mark- the work reprinted here runs the gamut of observations from the Seattle-based cartoonist and eviscerates causehaeds, the media, malls, bums, trains, politicians, celebrities and even his fellow Libertarians alike.
Please be aware that these cartoons appeared between the roller coaster years of 2001-2008 (though that’s not to say we aren’t still strapped in), and should be viewed less like the reactionary ramblings of some political cartoonists that cropped up in that period and considered more as social commentary documented in comics form. Keep in mind that whether you agree with Bagge’s views or not, his cartooning prowess is the real spectacle to behold here. A welcome alternative (and in some ways an antidote) to the shrill talking head Punditocracy of Fox News and CNBC in comics form.
I was a big fan of the “Hate” single issues when they ran in the nineties, and despite having recommended his stuff countless times in the NYC Forbidden Planet store, for some reason or another Mr. Bagge fell off my favorite cartoonists list, the subsequent Annuals sitting towards the bottom of the never ending reading list. Dunno why. Guess I forgot how dense his work can be irrespective of panel size and how very few of his peers can display such social vitriol with such sarcastic, humorous vigor. Or I forgot how the distinct expressions and body language of his rubbery characters can emote more than hormonally charged teenagers on crank. Either way that was pretty dumb of me and he’s once again ascended to the top of the pile.
Here Bagge’s at his finest depicting the stupid crap that spews out of the mouths of otherwise presumably intelligent beings. Among my faves: Fascists Have Feelings Too (”What’s so evil about trains running on time?”), Ex-Pats Say the Darndest Things (”…the people here exhibit a deep spirituality that is non-existent back home.”) and Taking Out Arnold (”…Twins is practically an ad for genetic engineering!”).
Above all else, Everybody is Stupid Except for Me showcases a comics artist who remains at the top his craft. Almost a decade’s worth of work years removed from that which he’s most recognized for, yet still relevant, still angry, still funny, and still cartooning about the whole mess with aplomb.
Finally, let me just take a moment to say that there are very few cartoonists on this planet who incorporate the “arrows pointing at something funny, or with self-mockery for their lack of being able to draw something” well enough to use this overdone and despicably cliched technique ever again. In fact only three come to mind: Robert Crumb, Evan Dorkin, and Peter Bagge. Everyone else: STOP IT RIGHT NOW. If you absolutely have to point at something cute in your drawings (and you probably don’t), remember: sparingly, people, sparingly.
Today in links.
Sam Kieth cover for Batman/Lobo
- Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian is writing a new “Lobo” series with Sam Kieth. This is today’s “get me this book, right now” moment.
- Brian Bendis is getting on the Amazing Spider-Man crew with number 601. I think Bendis is probably the best Spider-Man writer today and considering what has happened with the Ultimate line of books, I’m just really happy to see this happen. Its been a long time coming, as far as I’m concerned.
- Dan DiDio was on Fox News Business talking about Wednesday Comics.
- Robot Chicken creators are going on tour with Gym Class Heroes.
British SciFi vs American SciFi.
Torchwood: Children of Earth poster
Over the weekend, Graeme McMillan over at io9.com had an interesting story that got me thinking about the differences between American science fiction and British science fiction television.
I can’t agree with any argument that disses Blake’s Seven while holding Quantum Leap up as an ideal of good science fiction – but there’s a certain ring of truth to it, nonetheless… For all of British TV’s genre successes, whether they’re Primeval, Being Human or even Jekyll, there’s always something weirdly… apologetic about them. It’s not just a question of budget and ill-conceived special effects – although, yes, that as well – but almost as if they can’t quite conjure up enough abandon to let themselves not be slightly embarrassed and/or arch about the whole thing.
For me, the difference has always been similar to the DC vs Marvel Universe argument. British Sci Fi tv has always been fun, whimsical and adventurous, and American sci fi television has always played in real world themes but in fantastic settings. This is probably why the Fox attempted revival of “Doctor Who” in 1996 didn’t work. It was trying to put a character in American Science Fiction, making him half human and all of that business which, so far, I think hasn’t even been touched by the hugely successful British restart. And I love the revival, I get hives thinking about a new episode its so good and so fun.
Where American Science Fiction, like Marvel, puts you in a fantastic setting but works in themes that are very much the real world with real people concerns. You know, literally, “Your Universe” as Marvel pushes. “The Twilight Zone” literally started this thought process, and it continued to today with “Battlestar Galactica.” The idea behind American Science Fiction plays with things that are reminiscent of today’s issues but putting it in a fantastic setting.
Where British, like DC, just puts it in a fantastic, completely unrealistic setting and just gets more and more fantastic and out there. I mean the season ender of “Doctor Who” season four was the TARDIS towing multiple planets back to their original locations. Sorry, that just can’t be done in American television without being totally laughable.
Though apparently where these two roads meet is in “Torchwood.” According to some of the early reviews of the Children of Earth miniseries that aired in the UK this past week shows a combination of these two thoughts. I guess, I’ll just have to wait with baited breath until it airs on BBC America on July 20th.
Also, for the record, I’m a Doctor Who guy over Star Trek.
