Doug: From 2009 to 2016... I reckon that's about seven years, right? Sheesh... That's a long time! I don't know what is left to say, other than I feel like I've turned a corner in my perspective of the Bronze Age Babies -- this is no longer any anniversary of "Karen and Doug", but rather it's become a way to pause and celebrate the community that gathers here either in the comments sections or just in spirit. Face it -- if no one's reading, if there are no hits in the counters, then those of us who do the writing are basically talking to ourselves.
Truly, without those who have become recognized as friends and at the least "associates", we got nuthin'.Doug: It's no secret that the Bronze Age Babies have received an injection of energy over the past many months due to the Guest Writer "program" (not really - no training, just submit!) but especially due to Martinex1 and Redartz entering the fold as "staffers". These two gentlemen have really broadened what we offer on a daily basis, Martinex1 with his thoughtful covers posts and Redartz in going off this guy's beaten path into humor mags, etc. Their contributions, along with Karen's series on Star Trek TOS have given this space a happy schedule.
Karen: Yeah, what he said. Honestly, when we started this whole deal, I didn't give any thought to how long it would last. Surely not seven years! But here we are, still plugging along. Like Doug, I'm grateful for the many new contributors, including our 'staff' -- it's exciting to open up the listing of coming posts and see regular new posts from Martinex1 and Redartz!
There's new vigor and whole areas which wouldn't have been explored without them. So many thanks to all who have brought new ideas to this space. And much appreciation to our community here, who keep things friendly and interesting. I may not jump into the comments as much as I used to (I blame work for that) but I do read them every day, and it pleases me to no end to see how it has developed.
Redartz: Wow, seven years! If this was a Major Comic Book Company, we would have had at least a couple reboots by now...
Redartz: Karen
and Doug, hats off to you both; and a deep heartfelt "thank you" for
bringing this great community into existence. Your efforts, articles and
comments over the years have provided countless hours of diversion,
pleasure and inspiration. You both have devoted so much time and work on
these columns; please know that your labors are truly appreciated.
Redartz: An
equal "thank you" is due to the wonderful array of commenters, readers
and guest posters. Actually, I'd prefer call you all "friends", as that
is how this community has always felt to me. If only the internet
overall displayed the same level of respect and courtesy that BAB does.
Redartz: Finally,
one more "thank you" for the kind words. It has been an honor, a
pleasure and a lot of fun to contribute in some small way to the Bronze
Age Babies. Long live the BAB!
Martinex1:
I only started visiting this site about two years ago, but I have had
countless hours of enjoyment. I want to share my appreciation to all
involved from the collaborators to the visitors and commenters. With
the endless stress
of day-to-day life and work, it is nice to have a consistent reprieve
if even for a few minutes. To return to the amusement of youth and
discuss the nuances of comics and other entertainment with friends has
become a daily respite. I say “friends” in truth,
because though I have met none of you it is nice to find a community
that shares and contemplates and debates in such a cordial manner. Most
of what we discuss is not that important in the scheme of things, but
it is incredibly satisfying nonetheless. And
I am grateful for things I learn here whether about Star Trek scripts
or John Buscema art! So seven years is a long time, but here is to the
next seven! To my modern pen pals, cheers!
Doug: So there you have it -- we all love this place. I don't know how long this venture will last, but as long as we get enjoyment out of doing it and our readers keep coming back, we'll be here. Have a great day, and thanks again, folks!
Not to overdo it, but...
ReplyDeleteYou guys are such a great source of fun, information, and inspiration, I don't know what we'd do without ya! Thanks for everything!!
(I wanted to put up the Flintstones' Anniversary Song, but the "IFRAME" tag isn't allowed...sigh... here's the link just in case you're in the mood to hear it... https://youtu.be/knp9-GY6fHE )
Civility without stuffiness.
ReplyDeleteOpinion without offensiveness (or defensiveness, actually).
Analysis without prior intent.
Good-natured ribbing without "edge" or snark.
Shoulders without chips.
Agendas left at the door.
Adults who recognize and honor the benefits of the youth within.
And some darned nice, smart folks to touch base with regularly.
A pleasure to hang out with all of you!
HB
Groove, ha! I love that episode, especially that scene (and the fact those cops help Fred and Barney sneak a stolen piano into the house).
ReplyDeleteKaren, Doug, the Professor and Mary Ann (didn't want to just call you two guys "the rest"... :P), what can I say that hasn't already been said? I love this place, and thanks to the founders, new staff and everyone else who visits most days for making it a site that has become a fixture of my everyday online wanderings.
p.s. hopefully this summer I'll be able to put together a few guest posts - hopefully at some point the hectic pace of work and other obligations will slow down a bit; another setback is that I lost the flash-drive on which I have a bunch of BAB-related stuff, i.e., outlines of prospective posts, notes and some scanned images.
Thanks for the kind words, gents.
ReplyDeleteEdo, I use an external hard drive for everything. Fortunately my wife has one that she rarely uses, so I frequently back up my files on hers. But were I to ever lose it or in some strange way both of ours became corrupted... I shudder to think of it.
Edo
Doug, I hear you. We (the little lady and I) have three 1 terabyte external drives that contain everything *really* important, and I kept meaning to copy a bunch of that BAB-related stuff to one of them, but kept forgetting to do so, and then alas, I lost the flash-drive in question (I was really upset about that, it was a good flash drive: 8 G, shorter than a forefinger and wafer thin and really reliable. Had a bunch of other stuff on it too, some work-related, although thankfully I had back-up copies of that...)
ReplyDeleteBy the way -- HB, that was eloquent, and spot on.
ReplyDeleteLooking ahead, last night I put the finishing touches on a review of Superboy #68, the first appearance of Bizarro. Always wanting to make things as interesting as I can (which doesn't always work, I know), I made the decision shortly into the writing process to turn the post into a Dueling Pencils with John Byrne's introduction of Bizarro in Man of Steel #5 (reviewed on this space - check it out in the library of reviews). I like the way things turned out, and was surprised at the extent to which Byrne adapted Otto Binder's original plot. Stay tuned!
Doug
I can never decide if, under the bombast and tinsel of Stan Lee’s sentiments, there’s real emotion or just a natural salesman, but I never doubted that the values he espoused lived for real in the fans: respect; humour; tolerance; a genuine love of human creativity and the value it brings to people’s lives and the joy of sharing that appreciation with likeminded friends. And here we are, the Bronze Age kids grown up: older, wiser, more tired, probably fatter…...bloody, but unbowed in our love for men in tights and women in inexplicable steel lingerie, and gathering round Doug & Karen’s campfire to remember our favourite stories.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know how many years I felt that I should have outgrown this, when suddenly superhero movies started grossing billions and the world seemed to say ‘hey, you were right all along’.
I stumbled onto the BAB in 2010 and even at that point, the ‘conversation’ was so dynamic yet Sympatico I didn’t realise how new it was. I love the way we can vehemently disagree with each other and yet the shared love of our underlying connection still bonds us. And I love the international membership (like the 1975 Xmen or the crew of the Enterprise we so often discuss).
Thanks Karen & Doug, and all the contributors, for this little corner of the internet that is forever bronze. At some point in the next few years, I hope to complete my collection. When it happens, it will mean absolutely nothing to my friends, loved ones, family or colleagues. But the first thing I’ll do is log on here…because nowhere else will 40 odd years of dedication to that enterprise be appreciated or applauded.
Lastly, thanks to everyone for all the recommendations and the reading list. Haven’t got through everything (Panther’s Rage is next on the list), but you guys have alerted me to so, so much that I missed, and your reflections have massively increased my enjoyment of the stuff I did know about.
Thanks, everyone.
Richard
Richard, you touched on one of the elements I treasure most about our community, and that is the recommendations aspect. Even when there are books that I am positive I would not like, I still feel the tug from those who previously received enjoyment. It gives me a confidence to stretch my tastes.
ReplyDeleteDoug
Hi Doug, Yup. It has also happened quite a few times that people have enthused about comics that I actually did read as a kid and didn’t appreciate how great they were, so as well as having my appreciation of favourites further expanded AND all the stuff which completely passed me by, there’s stuff which I myself passed by, due the folly of callow youth, and never re-visited. A few overlooked gems have been pulled from straight from the vault without ever troubling ebay.
ReplyDeleteRichard
First of all congrats guys on yet another stellar year of BAB. And another congrats on the Dynamic Duo becoming the Fantastic Four!!
ReplyDeleteBAB is the first site I visit every morning when I sit down at my computer to start work. (If I'm lucky enough to have any to do that is. lol). It's such a pleasure to visit with friends here and talk about the good old days. It's especially nice now since I pretty much gave up on reading new comics and decided to just concentrate on the classic stuff again.
I have received a lot of good recommendations here for things to read as well as other helpful advice. Like Doug mentioning that he loads up his Kindle with digital comics to read on the go. I followed up on that one and got a new Kindle for my birthday a couple of weeks ago. Planning on loading it up with some comics when I get a chance.
I'd also like to think that I've given a recommendation or two that has maybe helped someone else discover some gem they may have not been aware of.
I also love all the articles and book reviews and etc. I have a an idea for a couple articles I'll have to submit soon myself. Meanwhile, keep up the good work guys and long live BAB. Excelsior!!!
Happy Heptanniversary BAB!
ReplyDeleteLately I have not had the time to visit as much as I used to, but I try to peek in most days and I can always count on this place to bring back some fond memories and put a smile on my face.
What a great group! Thanks all!
Tom
Congratulations on seven years, and thanks to Doug and Karen (and everyone else) for making this a great place to visit. On most blogs I'm a lurker not a commenter, but BAB is great...almost like a home away from home (so to speak).
ReplyDeleteMike Wilson
Happy Anniversary! Love coming here. HB, I thought your post was spelling out something, like coagulate? But turned into COAGSAAAAH. ; )
ReplyDeleteAh-- yes--
ReplyDeleteYou see. . . my thoughts are continuously controlled by a lower-level, assistant Lovecraftian elder demi-god (really, a semi-demi-god at best. . . ), and keeping its influence out of my keystrokes is a perpetual struggle. It's name is actually "COAGSAAH"-- but it struggles with a bit of a stammer, so you see the result. . .
And Doug, thanks most kindly-! My poor boss/artistic director is about ready to murdelize me, 'cause the style of my work email is exactly how I write here. . . and it's just toooooo blooooody long! Workin' on the "concise" thing a bit, now.
HB
Hey Doug and Miss Karen. I'm a sorta recent BAB,but I love this site. Thanks so much for creating it and maintaining it. I work with 20 somethings, and they are all very curious about what background I can give on the characters they see in the movies. this is like a nerd renaissance!
ReplyDeleteI don't get a chance to visit here as often as I once did. I do try to catch up when I get the chance, but then that means I don't get to comment as much as I am too busy reading.
ReplyDeleteThe job I got in fall 2014 ate my "free" time, so I have not even been able to contribute as I once did. But I love this place and the new additions from the community, and even the stuff I don't know or have much interest in, I am happy to see that other folks are getting something out of it.
Here's to SEVEN MORE YEARS!
Many thanks, again, for the well wishes.
ReplyDeleteSome have commented that they don't get here as often as they'd like, etc. Believe me when I say that you are missed. As we remarked to David B. a couple of weeks ago, Karen and I (and perhaps some of our other regular commenters) notice when a friend has been absent. So as some of you value our output, we likewise rely on your input. And we're always waiting for new folks to join the fray.
Doug
Say, I did want to echo Richard's comment up there regarding our international pool here, 'cause I do think that's still one of the GREATEST(and possibly most taken-for-granted?)aspects of this-here interweb that some of us remain a perpetual quarter-generation behind the curve on, y'know? Sure, it may seem passe' to the greater chunk of modern society, but it STILL gives me a giggling thrill to be able to carry on an exchange in more-or-less real time with folks from all around the globe. (Depending on how late or early Edo's getting up or going to bed, mind you--) It's just. . . it's SO cool--! I continually marvel at this phenomenon. It reminds me again and again that we are all existing on the planet at the very same time. . . that all of our moments are the SAME moment. And that connection feels more personal, I think, because each of us is in our own comfortable space when we read and/or post on this blog. From my perspective, you folks are all here at my house (or my shop, or down at the DCJCC, etc) chatting away, offering your thoughts and observations and (often) treasured memories. It's as safe and as comfortable as anything can be. And yet Doug, there you are in the midwest Windy City, and Karen you're down there doing science in the deep southwest desert. There's our happy contingent in the British Isles (Don't Brexit, guys!!!), and at least one or two in NYC. (Osvaldo, yes?)
ReplyDeleteWe're everywhere. And yet we're all right here.
(I'm losing that whole Concise-ness thing. . . yeah. . . )
HB
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ReplyDeleteSorry for being late to the BAB festivities, last night of bachelorhood here.., lots to insure well tomorrow, from the venue to the music, you name it.
ReplyDeleteHard to chime in on the warm home we have here where other's haven't already done it far better, but like Mike said..
It's Home. It's like walking into the 'Cheers' bar every morning, everyone knows your name.
I will never be able to say enough about both you Doug and Karen. Always insightful, always fun, always attentive to our occasional topic-hijaaks (not me of course...), yet you both (now 'you four'..) always seem to have a plan in place, whether it's 'best rock vocalist', worst costume updates.., theme comic covers.., how long should a Band stay together, horror flicks, 'JUST WHEN DID THE BRONZE AGE START and END??' discussions, you name it.
More importantly, we get key, poignant understandings of our faithful 'true believers' here at BAB, comic collections coming and going's, signed art..,, even a column on my geeky Big-Bang-Theory government cube (obviously a decision based on a rare 'we're outta ideas here' conclusion..).
We're all treated like royalty.
Even Edo.. (hey, I kid, I kid, we both have great FB pages..).
Soooo, as I mentioned back in 2010.., I still come back each day with a warm cuppa java and reminisce. While comparatively, my actual comic collectin' stints were far less than others, my early Zuvembie days ushered in love that continues to be nourished and enjoyed.., right here at BAB.
My humble thanks to a job well done.
It's so great to see so many of our folks here today -like Doug said, we really do notice when people are gone for awhile. We know how life catches up with you though. Thanks for all the kind remarks -when we started this shindig, we just wanted to try and see if we could put together some fun posts and maybe garner a few regular commenters. Never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined what a wonderful group of people we would meet through this blog. It has been and continues to be a genuine pleasure.
ReplyDeleteAnd David B - good luck on the Big Day!!
It is indeed terrific to see so many folks chiming in today; kind of like a family reunion (the kind where the cranky old uncle stays home).
ReplyDeleteHB- I too am still jazzed by the global, instantaneous nature of internet conversation. Being old enough to remember the lag time in earlier communications, perhaps we take it less for granted. Or maybe it's just really cool, no more need be said...
And David_b- best of luck, and congratulations!
I'm late as always, but wanted to say Happy Anniversary! I get so much enjoyment out of the posts, and though I rarely get to comment, I love them nonetheless! Congrats!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm late as well, but wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone involved here, especially Doug and Karen. BAB has become one of my favorite places on the net, a welcome sanctuary from the tedium of the real world, a place where my fire for all things comics (and more!) is constantly stoked. I really appreciate all the hard work that goes into the daily posts. I also admire the friendly tone of the comment section. It makes all the difference. BAB is really something special. Cheers, JJ.
ReplyDelete