Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
I owe Andrew over at Gray Haven Magazine an apology. I've been away from the computer for a few days. Harry and I and Cosmico... we all responded to this in our own ways, and we all will get back to updating as we can. I have a number of friends in New York, and my father was travelling in the area on Tuesday and was out of touch for a while. In addition, it turns out I knew someone on one of the planes, and I've been flashing back on sitting in her kitchen and laughing with her in the days since I learned. I needed some time away, and as a result, I wasn't able to post this week's AICN Comics column in a timely manner.
I'll hand you over to him now, though, and I think you'll appreciate what he's got to say. After all, he was actually in New York this week. Andrew?
The Tragedy, The Boycott (Called Off) and The Charity Auction
Tuesday, September 11, 2001 will go down as one of the most surreal moments of my life. After wishing my wife well on her way to work, I gave my son a bottle and watched the news as a 'special report' sounded off on a plane that had crashed into the World Trade Center. By the time I was off the phone with my wife (giving her an update on how a plane ‘accidentally’ crashed into one of the Twin Towers), I, along with millions of others witnessed the second plane hitting the other Twin Tower. With that act came the sudden realization that this was much more sinister than some freak accident.
My day was spent online and on the phone with friends and loved ones, making sure they were okay. The phone lines in and around New York were jammed. Even living just outside of the city, as we do, calls couldn’t reach us. I could call out but no one could call into me. Life around us had seemed to stop. Televisions in two rooms in our home aired different channels and different reports on the attacks. The radio was tuned into the Howard Stern show (who did amazingly responsible and detailed up the minute coverage of the news) and I followed along, with everyone else, transfixed to the day’s tragic events.
Between reassuring friends and loved ones that everyone we knew was okay, I began to get emails from people I knew only from ‘screen names’. They knew where I lived geographically and asked for help in reaching their loved ones in and around the city. Sometimes I was successful and others times I was not and I may never know if the unsuccessful attempts at reaching people were due to overworked phone lines or something far worse. I can only pray that it was the former.
Having been ‘online’ for the last 6 years, I found some comfort in familiar haunts like creator Brian Michael Bendis’ Jinxworld. Dozens of us have come to know each other on the site through posting alone and as the day went on, and known New York residents signed on to say they were okay, there was a sense of relief. To people who are unfamiliar with these types of message boards and the little communities that spring up from them, this concept may sound incredibly strange. It’s even strange to look back on yesterday and what happened. But online at least, it was one place where I could go to talk with people who were feeling just like I was: scared, shocked, and angered. They did a fine job of reporting the news, weeding out those who sought to make light of the situation and confirming or rejecting reports that were pure speculation at some point.
My wife, like most other people, was able to leave work early. The remaining hours of daylight, on an otherwise beautiful day, was spent watching the news, and then we took our son for a walk in the neighborhood. The sun was out with hardly a cloud in the sky. The birds were chirping and squirrels were running around the lawn. There was a sense of peace from the tragic events of the day, and brief moment of normalcy. And then there came a rumbling in the sky that grew louder and louder by the moment until we saw the military jets soaring overhead. Normal was a word, a state of being…that had no place in yesterday’s events.
It was a day where the world as we knew it changed. Where friends and family held each other a little tighter that evening. Where strangers became bonded by horror and loss. Where a nation was mercilessly attacked and innocent people had their lives shattered.
We have temporarily 'shut down' our own site, urging readers to donate time, blood, or whatever they can instead of spending time on our little corner of the Internet. We’ll be back online soon and like everyone else, we’ll try to pick up the pieces and move forward, but I don’t think anyone will ever be the same again. Not anymore. The illusion of security and safety has been shattered. We don’t know what lies ahead in the days and weeks ahead and beyond, but we all need to do what we can together. We need to stand by our President, regardless of political affiliation. We need to stand by each other, regardless of past differences in opinion or ideology. We need to help the victims any way we can and we need to more forward and we can only do it all, together.
Along with this, I’ve decided to back down from any further efforts or mentions of skipping DC’s Last Laugh event, or boycott as it’s been called. The contest prize of the 35 comics will still be rewarded at a later date, based on the hundreds of emails I received to this point, but I’d like everyone to cease with any further action in regards to this. I still feel strongly in my beliefs about these types of ‘event’ storylines, but in light of what transpired yesterday, it’s an act that serves no purpose in the grand scheme of things. This is a time when everyone needs to focus on the positive things around us and in our lives. The energy required by myself and the fans that supported such an action can be better used to donate their money, time or blood to the relief efforts around the country.
To anyone that’s interested, a former Marvel editor, and my friend and frequent collaborator, Glenn Greenberg, wrote a marvelous piece covering yesterday's tragedies. It’s now on line at the Scholastic News Web site. Included is his first hand account of standing on the roof of the Scholastic building and watching the second twin tower collapse in on itself and disintegrate.
“The material is written for a somewhat younger audience, primarily ages 10-17, but I think it's sophisticated enough that adults can appreciate it as well. The addresses for each of my articles are below. -- Glenn Greenberg”
I give my thanks, knowing that when all was said and done, my loved ones were safe from harm. Many people weren't so lucky. We won’t know the ultimate toll this act of war took on us for some time and one can only hope that the final numbers are far less than the estimates being reported today. This is perhaps the darkest time in the history of our country.
For now, I think it's more appropriate that we all just take the time to be with or talk to our friends and families and reflect and pray for ourselves and everyone who's be affected by this cowardly act against our county.
ITEM!!!!
Earlier this week, Jamie Rich of Oni Press organized a massive charity auction to raise money for the victims of the terrible tragedy that occurred in our nation on Tuesday. His auction, which will begin on October 8th, will feature items donated by professionals in the comic industry including Greg Rucka, Warren Ellis, Brian Michael Bendis, Chynna Clugston-Major, Judd Winick and many, many more. Anyone is open to bid on the items and a full list will be available by the auction start of October 8th.
Before the Pros do their part for the victims of this attack, Grayhavenmagazine.com will be handling the Non-Pro Charity in which anyone who’s not a professional in the comics industry can donate comics, art, toys, music, videos or whatever they can part with for other people to bid on.
What I need from you all is a list of items that you are able to put up for auction, along with a minimum bid that you seek. Keep it low, but fair. It’s my hope that for a cause such as this, people won’t haggle about prices and perhaps will donate even without the incentive of items. I need the list of items emailed to me by September 22nd (next Saturday), though the earlier you can send them to me the better. Remember, it doesn’t just have to be Comic Book related materials that you put up for bid. Anything you think may be of interest to people is welcome to be featured on the site.
We will be placing the items you donate on the website on September 29th to give people a few days to look over the items. On October 1st, the Auction will begin. Readers will email me their bids on the items and I will keep them informed of any bid changes up until the final day of the auction, October 7th. So your work is done (with the exception of sending the items out) after you send me the list. I’ll be running the auction and monitoring bids and emailing people of counter bids and so forth. There’s no extra work for you.
Once the money from the bidders is collected (via check or Paypal), the items can be sent out to the winners. The money we collect for the auction will be spread out to The American Red Cross, The United Way, Daily News Charities Inc, Make a Difference Fund (the latter two focus on the widows and children of police, firefighters and emergency workers).
Last year, a similar Holiday charity auction for jinxworld.com (Brian Michael Bendis’ site), on short notice for only 3 days, managed to raise close to $12,000. I know that with everyone's help, we can surpass that number. I'm counting on everyone to try and offer their support, their items and to pass word along to everyone to check out what we have available when the time comes.
So please, do what you can for a great cause and get me a list of Items as soon as possible.
