Time & Attention

Our sheer existence, our mere experience, is, at its best boys and girls, precarious to say the the least, scatalogical by nature, and limited to a fault. There's so little time and so very much to breathe. I find that often when writing for this newsletter, while I'm very proud of the corner I've carved out for myself on this plane, I rue that which my time and attention limit me from experiencing. I, like Mr. Steve Martin before me, wish to be the All-Being, master of time, space and dimension (and if that comes off as super-villainy: sue me, I'll be your Huckleberry). I, too, wish to be omni-prescient, omnipotent, obsequious, kind, and omnivorous. And in many ways the J-MAN is. But, in rare moments of clarity and self-effacing despondence I'm man enough to realize I ain't. You can't be everywhere at once, and cool gigs can slip through the cracks. There's only so much geekdom one can ingest before one's chest bursts, a la John Hurt.

This was never more recently apparent than when viewing this past weekend's SPX correspondence. (SPX, for those of you not in the know, stands for Small Press Expo, and is THE east coast event for such comickers.) Having to help hold down the fort in NYC, plus having personal plans, meant not being able to attend the show, not even for business, while boatloads of friends and co-workers got to make the trek down to Maryland. I spent much of this past Sunday night and Monday PM catching up with friends and bloggers about what I missed, and, not to diminish the good times this weekend brought me here, jealous of SPX karaoke jams, new books, and a comics community together in one place.

But that's cool. I knew it was coming up, and focused neither my time nor attention to the show, having other concerns. That's life and sometimes that's gonna happen. But in this communication thing you and I have going here, kids, it's our job to alert you to what is worthy of your time and attention. And hopefully we pull that off pretty well. If there's anything you want to share with us, or anything of yours for us to possibly plug, send a merry email to me: jeff.fpnyc@gmail.com.

Oh -- and next year? We're gonna tear SPX up.

There's often little to suppress the twelve-year-old in me, thus the allure of the phrase "time and attention." Sure it has its pragmatic usage (in this case alerting you guys of cool new stuff and happenings), but it also shortens to the wonderful T&A >snicker<. Without further ado, let the T&A fly!!!

Items and To Do's Worthy of Your T&A:

FIRST ANNUAL FORBIDDEN PLANET D&D GAME DAY

WHERE	Children's Aid Society 219 Sullivan Street (between Bleecker and W. 3rd St.) New York, NY
WHEN	Saturday October 27, 2007 11am - 3pm 3:30 pm - 7:30pm

• Ever wondered how to play D&D? Is it just for Nerds and Geeks? Are you a Nerd or Geek?


• This is your chance to find out the answers to those questions and more, and have some fun doing it.


• Enjoy a great, imaginative, interactive game, run by a DM with over 20 years of experience.


• There will be treasures available to take home and coupons given away for you to use for cool stuff at your favorite comic shop.


• There will be adventure, excitement, and perhaps a bit of horror -- PLUS you'll be introduced to a medium for your imagination whose scope is boundless.


• All for only six bucks.


• RSVP Zane at sumofallbears@yahoo.com by Wednesday October 24th to reserve your spot.

Persepolis - This past Sunday I was privileged to attend the NY Film Festival screening of Persepolis, the wonderful animated adaption of Marjane Satrapi's splendid graphic novel. Believe the hype. It's that good. All that and a bag of chips, etc. In terms of review the film differs slightly in tone (I feel the 1976 Marjane to be portrayed as a little too cutesy, and some storytelling shortcuts grating), but it conveys the young woman's very heavy story of politics, nationalism, and growing up so magically and so poignantly that I have to make sure that each and every FP adult customer has some desire to read the source book TODAY and see the film when it releases stateside in December.

You lucky boys and girls in Europe get to see it sooner than us, and in its intended French! We Yanks are gonna get a dub, featuring Sean Penn and Iggy Pop (?!). This is not at all necessary, as the subtitles do not hinder the film whatsoever, but I suppose their vocal "stylings" will draw some kind of mundanes to the picture. In a world of pixels and Pixars and cliched done-to-death family animation, Persepolis looms like Citizen Kane (especially apparent in that since I had to turn the anesthetic, odious, idiotic and hollow Happy Feet off fifteen minutes into watching it earlier that day). Go to IMDB to for more details on the film.

Come to Forbidden Planet ASAP to pick up your copy of Ms. Satrapi's masterpiece, Persepolis, or any other of her fine comics (the similarly lovely Embroideries, and Chicken With Plums), as we will strive to have each and every one of them in stock at any time!!!

Forbidden Planet is hooking up with (heh, heh) Comixology.com for an incredibly wild stab at informing our customer base better than ever. Don't believe me? Check out comixology.com/forbiddenplanet for details. But trust me, when you sign up for your free membership, your comics-buying habits'll never be the same.

Last but not least, it's that time of year again! Fall convention season is upon us here in NYC, and two biggies are coming up:

• Big Apple Con's National is Fri-Sun 11/16-11/18. Big name guests? You got 'em. Hayden Panettierre (Claire from Heroes) and Adam Hughes and Tim Sale and tons more! And as usual, we'll have a big, sexy booth, Their website: http://www.bigapplecon.com/





• And the inaugural New York Anime Festival sponsored by New York Comic-Con kicks off December 7th-9th, and, even in its infancy is poised to be one of, if not THE biggest east coast celebration of Japanese pop-culture on the East coast. FP will be selling tickets soon! Their website: http://www.newyorkanimefestival.com/

Gotta Jet,
JEFFY