Meet Grant

Grant Morrison is one of the most widely known and well-respected names in comic writing today. He has prolifically published work that has transformed and revolutionized not only the specific superhero genre, but the medium of comics itself for over 20 years.

Grant Morrison was born January 31, 1960 in Glasgow, Scotland. Morrison prefers not to reveal a lot of details about his childhood in Glasgow. The details he does divulge will change sporadically depending on the mood, the circumstances and the interviewer. After his parents divorced he lived with his mother and sister until he left home at 19. Even during the early years comics were always an important part of his life.

"My childhood was great, then adolescence was awful. I was isolated from people. I went to an all boy's school which was a big mistake because I wasn't gay. I hated it because I didn't know any girls and I lived in a tiny house above a supermarket with my mother and sister for more years than is healthy for a young man. I just sat and read comics and listened to records, all Morrissey-like, until I was 19 when I got a band together and got out. Though I think if I hadn't had that intense horrible time on my own, I just wouldn't be writing for a living today. Making comics got me through my teenage years and disciplined my wayward energies very effectively."

Morrison did get an early start in comics - he had several strips published in Near Myths (one of the Uk's first alternative comics) in the late 1970's and a a weekly comic strip called Captain Clyde about an unemployed Glaswegian superhero - but he spent much of the early and mid-1980s playing with his punk band The Mixers.

In 1985 Morrison began his comics career in earnest when he started working for Marvel UK. Two years later DC Comics took him up on a proposal to revamp an minor character from their catalog, Animal Man. This put Morrison prominently at the head of a new British Invasion of comic writers including Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Peter Milligan.

Morrison is known for his postmodern approach to the classic superhero genre, creating characters that are neither wholly good or completely evil. The counter-cultural leanings in his work could be considered somewhat of a trademark. This makes sense when you consider what an impact illicit substances have had on Morrison's writing.





II. Body of work
I'm having some problems with my hyperlinks, but one it's sorted out this will be a comprehensive, visual, interactive timeline of Morrisons entire body of work.
Miscellaneous British publishers
Near Myths – 1978 – 1980
Starblazer – 1979 – 1987
The Liberators – 1985
Zoids – 1986 – 1987
Captain Granbretan – 1986
Action Force 1987 – 1989
St. Swithin's Day – 1989
The New Adventures of Hitler – 1990
Steed and Mrs. Peel – 1990
Dan Dare – 1990 – 1991
Tharg's Future Shocks – 1986 – 1987
2000 AD
Tharg's Future Shock – 1986 – 1987
One Off – 1986
Zeinith - 1987 – 1992
Venus Bluegenes – 1988
Janus: Psi Division – 1993 – 1997
Really & Truly – 1993
Judge Dredd – 1993 – 1994
Big Dave – 1993 – 1994
DC Comics
Batman:
"The Stalking" (in the UK Batman Annual) - 1986
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth - 1989
Gothic - 1990
Batman & Son – 2006 – 2007
The Black Glove – 2007 – 2008
"The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul" - 2007
Batman R.I.P. - 2008
Superman:
"Osgood Peabody's Big Green Dream Machine" (in the UK Superman Annual) – 1986
All Star Superman - 2005 – 2008
JLA:
"JLA: Ghosts of Stone" (Secret Origins #46,) - 1989
JLA – 1997 – 2000
JLA: Ultramarine Corps - 2004
Earth 2 – 2000
The Flash: Emergency Stop – 2009
Aztek, the Ultimate Man – 2008
New Year's Evil: "Prometheus" – 1998
Seven Soldiers of Victory – 2005 – 2008
52 – 2006 – 2007
Final Crisis – 2008 – 2009
Final Crisis: Superman Beyond – 2008
Vertigo
Animal Man – 1988 – 1990
Doom Patrol – 1989 – 1993
Hellblazer: "Early Warning" – 1990
Kid Eternity – 1991
Sebastian O – 1993
The Mystery Play – 1994
Swamp Thing: "Bad Gumbo" – 1994
The Invisibles – 1994 – 2000
Kill Your Boyfriend – 1995
Flex Mentallo – 1996
Weird War Tales #3: "New Toys" – 1997
The Filth – 2002
WE3 – 2004
Seaguy – 2004
Vimanarama – 2005
Marvel Comics
Skrull Kill Krew – 1995
Marvel Boy – 2000
Fantastic Four: 1234 – 2001
New X-Men – 2001 – 2004
Other US publishers
Vampirella – 1996 – 1997
Spawn: "Reflections" - 1997
The Authority – 2002 & 2006
Wildcats 2006 - present

III. Blurring the Lines of Reality
Morrison has a very unique view of religion and spirituality. A self-described Chaos magician, Morrison's personal belief system is an amalgam of magical rituals and esoteric beliefs.

"My dad was an atheist and my mother was a lapsed Catholic so I didn't understand any of it. I lived in Glasgow which is a city torn apart by sectarian violence but somehow, in my naiveté, I grew up without grasping any of the alleged difference between Protestants and Catholics. I went to school with Baptists, atheists, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims while some of my friends went to a segregated school that only accepted 'Catholics'. I didn't really question it for some reason and I had no idea I was watching bigotry and separatism in action. I used to go to Sunday School but that was for the free orange juice."

This muddled religious upbringing left Morrison with a dim view of organized religion, so he adapted traditional religious views to fit within his postmodern, esoteric belief system.

"As I’ve said before, the solid world is just the part of heaven we’re privileged to touch and play with. You don’t need a priest or a holy man to talk to “god” on your behalf just close your eyes and say hello: "god” is no more, no less, than the sum total of all matter, all energy, all consciousness, as experienced or conceptualized from a timeless perspective where everything ever seems to present all at once. “God” is in everything, all the time and can be found there by looking carefully. The entire universe, including the scary, evil bits, is a thought “God” is thinking, right now."

In this Interview at ComicCon 2008, Morrison attempts to explain his theory of the "hyper-entity" that encompasses all of reality since the beginning of time.
This video is a little long, I'm going to edit it down to the meaty bits.




The dialectic of the sublime, Morrison's theory of fiction becoming reality.
The story arc runs from issues #19 - #22 of The Doom Patrol and is entitled "Crawling From the Wreckage". There is a book which was written by philosophers to outline utopia. This utopia is called Orqwith and eventually it escapes and steadily replaces our reality, rendering it fictional. Followers of the book are known as "Scissormen", and they have power to cut people out of reality with their large scissorhands even though these scissormen are themselves from the book and therefore fictional. The Doom Patrol eventually stop the growth of Orqwith by presenting it's priests with a paradox which convinces them that Orqwith cannot exist in reality, and everything disappears.

The Trouble with Mormons: Liminality and Communitas in a Latter Day Saints Congregation

Mormon Schoolgirls in Schleicher County, Texas

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints exists in a liminal place in the American religious community. Since it's inception, the LDS church has been in high tension with the world around them, and it's history is a story of schism and discrimination. The congregation of the Second Ward on Hendricks Avenue in Jacksonville, Florida is all too familiar with this position and its members have experienced the pain of that discrimination personally. But what has occurred in their community is an increase of fellowship and a true picture of Victor Turner's communitas. The liminality and uncertainty that they feel outside the church has brought them together in an egalitarian manner which is reflected not only in the way they worship and interact on a personal level, but in the way the congregation itself is structured.

First, it is necessary to explain what I mean by liminality in this context. Turner says that liminal entities are "neither here nor there; they are betwixt and between the positions assigned and arrayed by law, custom, convention and ceremony" (Turner 48). The LDS Church is betwixt and between its inception as a highly contentious, cult-like sect and the status or a solid, settled branch of Christianity. The church has left the dusty, Utah desert of its birth and spread its way across almost every continent thanks to the diligence and devotion of it's missionaries. The religion grew by leaps and bounds and is continuing to grow. In her book, "Building the Kingdom" Claudia Bushman says "The little sect led by the prophetic voice of one man, has grown into a vast movement winning converts in all parts of the globe" (Bushman ix). In spite of all of this the LDS church still occupies a space in public perception that is tenuous at best. Due to their views on the Trinity and temple worship some people doubt their status as a Christian faith. In a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center 31% of non-Mormons polled did not consider Mormons to be Christians (2007). The misconceptions and discrimination are furthered every time mass media has a reason to focus the spotlight on the LDS Church or their splinter sects. With Elizabeth Smart, Mitt Romney and the polygamy scandal plaguing the FLDS splashed regularly onto the screen it creates a vicious cycle that reinforces this liminal state. With their liminality reinforced so regularly and for so long it is no longer a fleeting phase that the church is passing through, it has become permanent.

A (Very Brief) History of the Mormon Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. Smith claimed that as a young man he had experienced visions of God and angels that led him to write the Book of Mormon and found the Mormon faith. The church was started in New York state on April 6 and by October missionaries were on their way to finding their first converts in the mid-west. The Latter Day Saints moved from New York to Ohio and then to Missouri where they settled in the town of Independence where the foundations and doctrines of the church were formally created. Just a few years later they were forcibly expelled after several violent attacks on the Mormons went unchecked by the state government. From there, they went to Illinois and founded the city of Nauvoo (Hebrew for "the city beautiful") where their internal struggles began. Disagreements over doctrine, and particularly about Smith's adoption of the process of polygamy, let to rioting and Smith's murder at the hands of an angry mob. Brigham Young took the majority of the LDS followers to Utah to found the Great Salt Lake City. Those that stayed behind were the first members of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints. In 1890, the Mormon Church officially gave up the practice of polygamy so that the Federal Government would admit Utah to the Union. Mormons that were unhappy with the end of plural marriage would found the Fundamental Church of Latter Day Saints. Since the beginning of the 20th century the Mormonism has spread its way across the globe and today, American Mormon families are "likely to be young and urban, with one more child then the people next door" (Bushman 88)

The Second Ward
The Second Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is situated just to the East of the St. John's river in San Marco, nestled between an Episcopal Church and the burned out remains of a Baptist Church. It's a beautiful Sunday. A little light rain had drizzled earlier but as I arrived only a slight haze hung in the sunny, mid-morning air. It's about an hour before the service is scheduled to start but the parking lot is already mostly full of mini-vans and mid-sized sedans--family cars. The Spanish language service, held a little earlier in the morning, is just ending and people are milling around, some departing while others arrive. There are loud, jovial conversations being carried out in broken English and tentative half-Spanish. As I make my way into the mid-century brick building I'm greeted by broad smiles from every angle. I took a seat in the lobby and waited for my contact, a work associate of my husband's, to meet me. It's a little noisy as children run around squealing happily and the organist warms up a little in the chapel. Several people stop to say good morning. Before my contact shows, I'm entertained by a very young man showing me all of his crayons. My contact, Jeremy, is twenty-four and he's been a member of this ward since for eight years. He's soft spoken and I have to lean in to hear him over the cacophony in the lobby. He takes a minute to explain that the The term "ward" in The LDS Church means a congregation. They are divided up according to size and geographical location. There are different kinds of wards, some for young, unmarried people, some for older widowed or divorced people. Jeremy gestures towards my friend with the crayons and says "This is what you'd call a 'family ward'." Unlike most denominations people are not encouraged to "shop around" for the ward that they like best but are expected to attend the one nearest to where they live. We talk generally about the church and what to expect in the service as people continue to file into the chapel. He tells me that several members of the congregation will be giving talks today which is a common occurrence. As the music starts up, he gives me his contact information to answer any more specific questions I have after the service and then goes inside to sit with his family. Later, over email, I ask if he feels that people outside the church understand the distinction between the sects of the Mormon faith and can generally tell them apart from the polygamous Fundamental Church of Latter Day Saints.

I served a mission for my church and one of the overwhelming problems that the LDS church faces is Polygamy. Yes, we practiced it over 100 years ago. Yes, it was part of our doctrine. But there are many people who still consider RLDS (the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints, now known as The Community of Christ Church) and FLDS the same as Mormons. I think most people know there is a distinction, just most people dont care to find out what those distinctions are.

This problem can be clearly illustrated with poll results from the Pew Research Center in which 132 out of 1,461 people (9.04%) associated Mormonism with the words "polygamy" and "cult" (2007). People always fear what they don't understand and that fear can cause them to lash out. I asked Jeremy about any personal instances of discrimination he's experienced as a result of his association with the church. He told me that the list was long and that most of the incidents occurred doing one of the things he likes the best about his faith, missionary work.

My friend and I were riding our bikes home one evening. We were on one of the main roads and we were having a race back to the apartment. We were almost home when a car pulled up next to us and some young guys started shouting at us and flagging us off. I honestly do not remember what they said, but it was not pleasant. They recognized us and were letting us know what they thought of us. I have had friends, fellow missionaries, have bottles thrown at them, words shouted, even guns or knives drawn.

Jeremy is very quick to point out that he does not hold a grudge about any of the discrimination that he's suffered. He explains that he cannot let the actions of "a few ignorant people" affect the way he practices and feels about Mormonism. Another member, Ben, who Jeremy introduced me to, acknowledged that media scrutiny sometimes served to exacerbate the problem of discrimination, but he took a very optimistic view saying that anytime the LDS Church appears in the news for any reason it can be used as a tool to teach the public about the faith.

The first thing I notice when I enter the chapel is the diversity of the congregation. There is a fairly equal mix of Hispanic and Caucasian worshipers with several African-Americans in the crowd. The room is fairly full but I find a pew near the back occupied only by a young woman with two rambunctious toddlers. There is a very relaxed air about the place. The dress is relatively casual, young men in polo shirts and women is sun dresses or skirts. No one bothers to shush the children who are playing just as boisterously inside the chapel as they were in the lobby. The little boys next to me are particularly excited about rubbing crushed up pretzels into the fabric of the pew. Lots of people look over, but just to give their mother warm, knowing smiles, not to scold. The theme of the service is Fathers and several of the congregates give moving, personal talks about their own fathers and what fatherhood means to them. One young man gets a little choked up relating a story about his father taking in a homeless man and helping him find a job. I was fortunate enough to meet him after the service and he explained a little bit about the organization of the church. Mike is 28 and he has been coming to the Second Ward with his parents and his brothers since he was a child. He told me that they don't employ clergy, rather the congregation nominates a member they feel would be the best leader and that person serves until, for whatever reason, they need to step down, at which point the process happens all over again. These positions are voluntary and the congregates are not paid for their service. This contributes to the feeling of egalitarian communitas within the congregation.

The service has ended but no one seems anxious to leave and people sort of mill around making easy conversation until cranky babies start to encourage them to head home. When I spoke to Jeremy later I asked him if he thought that the adversity they felt from the world outside the church increased the sense of fellowship they felt inside.
Well, when I have encountered someone that has been discriminated for whatever reason they tend to grow stronger in their faith and more firm in their testimony of the religion. I don't know of anyone who hasn't been in some way shape or form looked down upon or questioned about being a Mormon. In that sense, yes, it can and does bring us together as a ward family. Uplifting each other and being able to relate with one another is very important. I would say the amount of fellowship among members definitely increases but the quality of it has also increased. It feels like an extended family you see every week that shares your same principles and beliefs. Its really cool to have people surrounding you like that and wanting others to feel what you feel.

Drawing Conclusions
What does the future hold for the Latter Day Saints? They have secured their place as one of the most hotly contested religions in American history but is that enough to earn them a place at the same table as mainline Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant religions? One thing is certain, the members of the Second Ward congregation will continue to support each other through whatever hard times they go through.

YFZ Ranch in Eldorado, Texas

Skin Deep: Cultural Relativism and Body Modification

Some people consider tattoos and body piercings to be a new trend in society. Body modification is really an age old tradition in every corner of the world. It has long been a way for people to express their individuality and allegiances, but tattoos and piercings are only the beginning. The lengths people will go to modify their appearances are becoming more and more extreme and today it not uncommon to know several people with body mods. In the hustle of modern society, people are still relying on this ancient tradition to have an ultimate human experience.

Tattooing is an ancient tradition has no real point of origin. It has been practiced concurrently by indigenous peoples all over the world since the Neolithic Era. The Ainu people of Japan have been practicing this permanent art for the last ten thousand years. In 1991 the mummy of a man was discovered in the Italian Alps that dated to 3300 C.E. When the mummy was examined scientists found 57 carbon tattoos on his body, probably created by cutting the skin and then rubbing wood ash into the wound. The technology of tattooing has come a long way in the last century; what was once done with a rock and a sharp stick is now done with a hand-held, electronic tattoo machine.

Body piercing is another practice with roots in the distant past. The same tattooed mummy discovered in 1991 also had ten millimeter ear piercings. The Bible makes several references to piercings, dating them as far back as the time of Abraham. Women in India and Pakistan have been piercing their noses since the 16th century. Today piercing is the most common type body modification among men and women in Western and Eastern societies. The act of gaging, stretching a piercing from a few millimeters to several inches, is also becoming much more common in mainstream culture.

Extreme forms of body modification are becoming more popular today. In the last decade more people have been opting for branding or scarification, burning designs into their flesh instead of using ink. Silicone shapes are implanted under the skin to create raised patterns. Tongue bifurcation is accomplished by splitting the tongue starting at the base to create a fork, and it is a rapidly growing trend. Some people are even engaging in cosmetic amputations by cutting off fingers and toes with no medical purpose.

Older generations tend to look down on the practice of body modification, but they neglect to see the everyday ways in which people try to alter their appearance. Someone might be aghast at the idea of a person covered in tattoos, yet they straighten or cap their teeth without a second thought. One might never consider cutting off a finger for cosmetic purposes, but shaving a centimeter off the nose is perfectly acceptable. Body modification may be considered to be an extreme behavior by people in the fringe of society, but it is a common thread that binds together cultures from all over the world.

The O'Reily Factor: Can We Escape Subjective Journalism?

Can journalism be truly unbiased? What appears to be bias is in some cases thorough reporting and it is often difficult to discern the difference. Journalism must be almost anthropological in nature; observation without participation and strict adherence to the facts. It requires not only the journalist but also the institution that employees him to be unbiased and objective. But, is it possible? I would suggest that it is not possible for any person, journalist or otherwise, to be 100% unbiased on any subject. However, there is a journalistic obligation to attempt objectivity in every situation.

The issue of showing graphic images to a national audience is a tricky subject. It can be particularly emotional for viewers when the images in question are of dead or wounded soldiers during wartime. But, everyone knows that soldiers die during war. It is not the idea that is offensive but the images themselves; this suggests a society that is apathetic towards the pursuit of truth. When America goes to war, the people literally pay for it. If the public supports a war with their tax dollars then they are not only entitled, but beholden to see every aspect of that war.

It is difficult to maintain journalistic integrity when the power of a journalistic institution is too centralized. An excellent example is the controversial Fox News Network. In the 2000 Presidential Election Fox news was the first to report George W. Bush as the winner based solely on the decision of one man, Roger Ailes. Rupert Murdoch holds complete creative control over the media conglomerate and his personal conservative bias influences all aspects of the network. A division of power within a network is necessary to create an environment that encourages balanced reporting.

Al-Jezeera is not exempt from the plague of propaganda. Donald Rumsfeld very publicly accused the Arab network of concocting inflammatory editorials and using women and children to make false claims about military events. Their decision to show American P.O.W.'s and dead U.S. soldiers was reviled by the administration and the public, but images of dead Iraqi soldiers and citizens were shown every day with no such outcry. Part of the responsibility of journalism is to report the facts and while the picture my be unpleasant it is also a truthful representation of what is really happening.

Journalism is integral to our society. As citizens of a democracy it is our responsibility to stay informed on the state of the world that we live in. While no one can completely remove themselves from any situation, particularly if one has strong personal feelings on a subject, the public depends on the journalistic community to tell the whole truth with no spin. No one person, or small group of people, should have the power to decide what the public has a right to know.

Separated at Birth: Harry Potter vs. Tim Hunter

It is safe to say that everyone has heard of Harry Potter. Love him or hate him, Potter is one of the most well known fictional characters in the world. But what would you say if I told you that long before Harry was even a twinkle in J.K. Rowling's eye, there was another magical, bespectacled, disgruntled teenage boy wandering around Britain? Tim Hunter, created by author Neil Gaiman, bears some uncanny resemblances to The Boy Who Lived, but they have crucial differences that make them that make them two fundamentally different characters.

Physically, Tim and Harry are almost indistinguishable. They are scrawny, unkempt boys with the look of having been too long without a mother's care. They both wear thick glasses constantly in need of repair. Being unfortunately teen aged, Tim and Harry are both subject to irrational anger and violent outbursts. The boys are also both permanently marked by their magical escapades, though in very different ways. While Harry bears the infamous lightning bolt scar on his forehead, Tim has a, enchanted tattoo of a scorpion fighting a butterfly across his chest.

Magic is the biggest commonality between Tim and Harry, but the way it is received and used is one of the most crucial differences. Harry is informed of his magical lineage and whisked away to Hogwort's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry to receive a strict, structured education in the ways of magic. Tim finds out about his powers from four strange men in trench coats while skateboarding through a dark alley in East London. Tim never receives any instruction and his magical education comes entirely through trial and error. There are shadowy prophecies surrounding the births of both the boys, making them targets for magical rivals. However, while Tim battles his way through countless enemies and obstacles, Harry has the benefit of only one arch-nemesis in The Dark Lord, Voldemort.

People say you are known by the company you keep. If that is true, then it is the biggest difference between Tim and Harry. Harry's best friends and constant companions are his school mates. Ron and Hermione posses important qualities that Harry lacks, and together they provide him with a balance he could not achieve on his own. Dumbledore is Harry's doting mentor and father figure, providing him with wisdom and comfort when times are hard. Aside from the rare appearance of the acerbic, chain-smoking John Constantine, Tim has no one to council him in times of uncertainty and despair. Tim is an outcast at school and his only human companion is his sometime girlfriend Molly, but their relationship is frosty at the best of times. Tim is a loner, though he has been known to pal around with demons, faeries, the occasional succubus and Death. Both of our heroes have owls as pets and confidants, but Tim's owl is actually a transfigured yo-yo.

Tim Hunter's story was first published in 1990 while The Sorcerer's Stone did not hit the shelves until 1997. Tim's seven year head start have some people some calling Harry's originality into question. Both Gaiman and Rowling have acknowledged the astounding number of similarities between their two creations but claim that it is their fundamental differences that really make them who they are. Truly, there are several literary characters that could be endlessly compared to these two; Peter Parker as Spiderman is the most obvious example. I would like to suggest that that this is an example of collective cultural consciousness. People who live in the same cultural schema are likely to beatify the same qualities, in this case a mousy, angst-driven kid as an unlikely hero.

The Justice League

When most people think about comic books there are certain images called to mind. Comics are brightly colored books filled with bad art, silly stories and flying dudes in tights. They are read by lonely nerds in basements who collect decorative swords and action figures. In reality, lonely nerds make up only a fraction of the vibrant, thriving community of readers devoted to the medium of comics. This community is important to me, and countless others, for a variety of reasons; great artists and great authors bring new excitement into the genre every day, new media allows anyone to publish creative work independently of big name imprints, and conventions allow fans a regular opportunity to interact with creators on a personal level.

When American publishers first started distributing comic books in the 1930's they were specifically targeting children. Story lines and art were not particularly important and were kept very simple. In the 1960's and 70's an explosion in the trend of "underground comics" meant for older audiences. This attracted great artists and writers like Will Eisner and FrankFrazetta, who completely revolutionized the game and changed the way people looked at comics forever. Todays readers are mostly adults with a more refined taste when it comes to content and illustration. Some of the greatest works of literature have been translated into graphic novel form. Contemporary authors, like NeilGaiman and Michael Chabon , have not missed their chance to contribute and are causing many people to take a second look at the genre. Comic art has gone from the simple black and white line drawings of the past to brilliant, complex work by some oftoday's top artists. Creators have taken on a celebrity status, but they don't get to have all the fun.

The Internet has leveled the playing field in the comic world. With the invention of the Webcomic anyone can create and publish with a minimal cost, and have their work immediately available to a worldwide audience. Even big publishers like DC andDarkhorse have started putting out web exclusive content on blogs and social networking sites like mySpace. Most publishers hold open calls for fan submitted art and writing.

The first Comic Book Convention was held in 1970 in San Diego. That convention is still going strong, attracting bigger crowds every year. Since then "Cons", as they're called by attendees, have popped up all over the world. These Cons offer the opportunity for fans to meet the creators of their favorite comics, get books signed, and buy exclusive merchandise directly from the artists. Most importantly it allows the fans to meet each other, and make social and professional connections based on a common interest.

In the past decade comic books have finally come out of the basement and into the spotlight. A recent rash of blockbuster movies adapted from graphic novels has caused an explosion of interest from people who never considered comics as entertainment. Concurrently, the fiercely loyal base of lifelong readers has not diminished. Comics, graphic novels and Webcomics have created a global community that is growing and reinventing itself every day.

Cash Money Millionaire

If you could hang a price tag on loyalty to your country, what would it be? If I were offered ten million dollars to leave the United States and never come back I would accept. I love the U.S. and my life here has been wonderful, but there are a few reasons that make this a very easy decision; the current political climate, the serious downturn in the economy and my obsession with foreign culture.

This country has changed a great deal since I was younger. I remember the carefree America of the 80's and 90's when our biggest problems were a minor recession and a philandering but lovable president. Today we are constantly on edge, feeling under constant threat from outside forces. Since 9/11 congress and the administration have made changes to the constitution that the old America would have been in an uproar about. Today we let our fear excuse the stripping of our civil liberties. The government spies on us but we allow it, saying if one has nothing to hide then one has nothing to fear. We fight an endless war in a foreign country and tell ourselves that it is to keep us safe. This war, along with other factors, are on the verge of destroying the American economy.

Just a few years ago the dollar was equal to the British pound in value, but that is not the case today. The value of the dollar of the world market has been steadily slipping, and it could be much more lucrative to invest ones money in a foreign economy. The housing market is in an abysmal state with a record number of people defaulting on their mortgages. The war in the Middle East and an impending global food shortage have caused the price of gas and groceries to sky rocket making it harder and harder to afford even the bare necessities of life.

For as long as I can remember I have been in love with foreign cultures. My father used to read us folk tales from Japan and China. Stories about dragons and samurai that enchanted me with the idea of living somewhere with such an ancient history. As a westerner the thought of a place like Japan, with a culture so completely different from my own is thrilling. The elite technology of the Akihabara district and the wild fashion of the Harajuku district would seem like a different planet to someone who had grown up in Florida. When I was a young teenager I visited Great Britain and I returned home with an obsession with British music, films and literature. Many of my favorite bands are from the United Kingdom and living there would give me a better opportunity to see them live.

It would be hard to leave the United States forever. My family and my friends are here. All of my memories of growing up and becoming the person I am today are here. However, today it is easier than ever to travel from one side of the world to the other and they could always come to me. Leaving the country is something that I have always considered as a possibility anyway, and with ten million dollars to comfort me it would be the easiest decision I have ever made.