WORLD AROUND US...

[JVJ (RIP)]

Actually, my memory fails me again.

Malan's source was a list from Bill Briggs updated by Hames Ware (and me only indirectly). The credit in Malan's book is "Bill Briggs, Hames Ware, Jerry Bails and others.", a cast worth mentioning by all accounts. The list I shared with Malan was nowhere near as complete as the Briggs/Ware list (my copy of which is even more complete than what appears in Malan's book or on the website).

I have SO much data just stashed in binders, books, folders and on note cards here, narf, that finding the time to write such a book might tax even my ability to grasp at informational straws. I spoke to Hames tonight about the possibility of conspiring on such a definitive project and we both gasped at the magnitude of the research necessary and the organizational skills we'd have to throw at the task.

Who knows? Hames has notes and correspondence with people like Raphael Astarita, the second artist hired by Chesler in 1936, and Hames claims that he had a photographic memory. We're wondering if we might not HAVE to do it, since no one else really has access to the resources. Where does one find the time for such a project? We have TAPES of conversations with Astarita and who even HAS a reel to reel recorder/player any more. Even technology is conspiring against us.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[JVJ (RIP)]

ps. Bill Jones wrote a book on CI that is probably as up to date as anything yet done. And FWIW, the second version of The Adventures of Cellini (C.I. 38) is drawn by Italian artist Dino Battaglia. I don't know if that has ever been officially recorded anywhere. I confirmed it when looking at some Battaglia reprints in Paris two years ago.

(|:{>

[narfstar]

As you say Jim but if not you who. There may be a college that will give credit to students who would help you undertake such

[Yoc]

Interesting idea Narf.
Something like Cat Yronwode did with Eisner for her complete Eisner listing only times 1000.

[narfstar]

Narrative fills space and makes more pages and takes longer to write. An encyclopedia would not be a "fun" read but would present all the information factually. Another option would be an error report. There are lots of books on comics with good facts but some errors. Crawford's appears to be so poor it would take a book to fix but others have better and a few fixes would help to stop perpetuating the fallacies. The more I think about it the more I think that would do the most to end the fallacies. Does that sound like an easier task Jim? A book or web posting "Fixing the Fallacies: Error Correction from Comic Book Histories"

[Yoc]

There is already a Yahoo group based on that idea Narf:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ComicsHistoryMistakeHunters/

But it doesn't get much action much like most Yahoo groups these days with some notable exceptions.
-Yoc

[John C]

The problem with groups is that we're back to the original issue:  Where did SiegelFan0638 get his information...?

Brian Cronin does an "Urban Legends" series of articles on comics, and while I appreciate the effort that goes into it, a lot of times the answer is "yes, that's correct; I read a third-hand account of it somewhere that said so."  Which...y'know, you might as well flip a coin.

What's probably needed is a way for Jim and company to dump as much information out as the motivation strikes and then set the minions (whether they're us, some literature students, comic book clubs, or whoever can be drafted) to work cleaning it up.  Think Wikipedia, if Jimmy Wales cared about the honesty of the articles...

(I might have a lead on something.  I just haven't had time to pursue it.  Hopefully, I can give it a once-over this weekend.  I'll explain what I find if it turns out usable.)

[narfstar]

Sounds good Jon. I think there is a lot of interest in accuracy. I know some people do not like all the rigor involved in the GCD. But, the GCD has a very strong desire to be accurate. Yes there are mistakes, but most were made years ago and are weeded out as best we can. If you check on who does what it is a very small pool doing a very large amount of work.