Due to my ridiculously circuitous holiday plans collapsing at the last moment, I find myself spending Thanksgiving alone this year. Utterly, utterly alone. This is not something I’m particularly upset about. I’ll eat less and get a lot more reading and writing done. Plus, I won’t have to eat someone else’s weirdo idea of stuffing (raisins, really?), and I won’t have to explain why even though I’m a vegetarian, I find it whimsical to eat a slab of tofu shaped like a turkey. I might even go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One again, for the third time. Or maybe I’ll just sit at my computer and post stuff all day, until someone feels sorry enough for me to respond and chat. Until then, I can’t think of a better time to reflect on a few things that I’m grateful for as 2010 draws to a close. So, here’s my list. Feel free to share your own!
Things I Am Thankful For
My iPad
Truly, I don’t know how I lived without it. I use it to check on the site while I’m on the go. I use it as a television. I use it to start conversations with cute Apple fanboys. I was even sleeping with it for a while, before I started to worry about accidentally rolling over on it. It has a special place on my nightstand now, playing a special selection of music to help me sleep, then acting as an alarm clock when I need to wake up. Plus, the FBOTM desktop calendar images look great on its desktop.
Gays in Comics
You know, it wasn’t too long ago that comics were completely devoid of LGBT characters. Now, I can think of a dozen right off the top of my head, and that’s in no way a complete list. Gay kids today have LGBT references my generation never had. Wiccan and Hulking, Apollo and Midnighter, Kate Kane, Renee Montoya. And representations of the gay community are getting more diverse all the time. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty awesome to be able to open any number of titles and find gay characters who are managing to survive well past their “After-School Special” moments.
Prism Comics
A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting gay comic book creators and fans, Prism Comics has opened my eyes to a whole world of independent LGBT storytelling and art. The artists and the work I’ve discovered through Prism have been remarkable. The comics are personal, authentic and tell our stories in a way no other medium can, or event attempts to. Buy comics from Prism. Support Prism. Make Prism a priority in 2011. You’ll be glad you did.
Team FBOTU
Sometimes I get emails from other sites or from the media or even site members that say, “Hey! Love the work you guys are doing!” Or “Why don’t you guys attend this con?” Well…up until very recently, there were no “guys.” There was me. Just me. A one-man show. Not only have the contributions from Eduard, Johnny, Brian and Adam added a new layer of voices to the site, but the days they’re adding content are days I can work on other aspects of the site, usually technical behind-the-scenes stuff. In 2011, we’ll continue to expand the Team and give them all more to do. We’re just getting started, and I’m extremely grateful for all their help and inspiration.
FBOTMs
I’ve said it many, many times over the years, but it bears repeating. It takes balls to be a Fanboy of the Month. I think people are so used to seeing scantily-clad models and amateurs on the internet, they don’t consider the courage and trust it requires to open up and put yourself out there. It’s been a great year, with a great group of guys. I fall in love with each and every one of them and become fiercely protective of them. I’m also thankful for the warmth and enthusiasm you all show them month after month. And I’m especially grateful to everyone who ordered a 2011 Fanboy of the Month Calendar. It’s a huge undertaking and labor of love, so it’s very gratifying to see it making the journey from concept to reality and, finally, into your hands.
FBOTU Site Members
Expanding on the entry above, let’s talk about the nicest guys on the internet: the Fanboys of the Universe site members. This year, I decided to do a “rainbow tour” of conventions, specifically to meet and chat with site members. We’re so lucky we have a group of smart, witty and insightful members who also just happen to be nice guys. Meeting so many of you in person was an extremely valuable experience, and I got a tremendous amount of helpful feedback. And I look forward to meeting even more of you in the coming year! Remember, if you’re in the Southern California area, be sure to come to BENT-CON on Sunday, December 5 and look for the FBOTU booth!
Homoeroticism Run Amok
Whether it’s the Smallville guys getting tied up naked every week or Thor‘s bulging codpiece in Thor for Asgard or a partially naked Ryan Reynolds promoting Green Lantern, clearly the guys are bringing sexy back. After a decade of oppression and “that’s gay” mentality, it’s refreshing to see so many fanboy characters and actors getting their masculinity, sexuality and cute butts out there for the whole world to appreciate and enjoy. However, on a more solemn note, I’d like to ask for a moment of silence in remembrance of Nightwing’s legendary ass, which is now completely covered on a regular basis by Batman’s stupid cape. Will a new Nightwing emerge? I don’t know. But it’s going to take one impressive set of glutes to fill those tights.
Finally, my thanks to Johnny M for reminding me about this little bit of sublime Thanksgiving theatre. Hope you all have a great day and thank you again for being part of FBOTU!
A Joe Phillips Thanksgiving. Pass the gravy!
Due to my ridiculously circuitous holiday plans collapsing at the last moment, I find myself spending Thanksgiving alone this year. Utterly, utterly alone. This is not something I’m particularly upset about. I’ll eat less and get a lot more reading and writing done. Plus, I won’t have to eat someone else’s weirdo idea of stuffing (raisins, really?), and I won’t have to explain why even though I’m a vegetarian, I find it whimsical to eat a slab of tofu shaped like a turkey. I might even go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One again, for the third time. Or maybe I’ll just sit at my computer and post stuff all day, until someone feels sorry enough for me to respond and chat. Until then, I can’t think of a better time to reflect on a few things that I’m grateful for as 2010 draws to a close. So, here’s my list. Feel free to share your own!
Things I Am Thankful For
My iPad
Truly, I don’t know how I lived without it. I use it to check on the site while I’m on the go. I use it as a television. I use it to start conversations with cute Apple fanboys. I was even sleeping with it for a while, before I started to worry about accidentally rolling over on it. It has a special place on my nightstand now, playing a special selection of music to help me sleep, then acting as an alarm clock when I need to wake up. Plus, the FBOTM desktop calendar images look great on its desktop.
Gays in Comics
You know, it wasn’t too long ago that comics were completely devoid of LGBT characters. Now, I can think of a dozen right off the top of my head, and that’s in no way a complete list. Gay kids today have LGBT references my generation never had. Wiccan and Hulking, Apollo and Midnighter, Kate Kane, Renee Montoya. And representations of the gay community are getting more diverse all the time. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty awesome to be able to open any number of titles and find gay characters who are managing to survive well past their “After-School Special” moments.
Prism Comics
A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting gay comic book creators and fans, Prism Comics has opened my eyes to a whole world of independent LGBT storytelling and art. The artists and the work I’ve discovered through Prism have been remarkable. The comics are personal, authentic and tell our stories in a way no other medium can, or event attempts to. Buy comics from Prism. Support Prism. Make Prism a priority in 2011. You’ll be glad you did.
Team FBOTU
Sometimes I get emails from other sites or from the media or even site members that say, “Hey! Love the work you guys are doing!” Or “Why don’t you guys attend this con?” Well…up until very recently, there were no “guys.” There was me. Just me. A one-man show. Not only have the contributions from Eduard, Johnny, Brian and Adam added a new layer of voices to the site, but the days they’re adding content are days I can work on other aspects of the site, usually technical behind-the-scenes stuff. In 2011, we’ll continue to expand the Team and give them all more to do. We’re just getting started, and I’m extremely grateful for all their help and inspiration.
FBOTMs
I’ve said it many, many times over the years, but it bears repeating. It takes balls to be a Fanboy of the Month. I think people are so used to seeing scantily-clad models and amateurs on the internet, they don’t consider the courage and trust it requires to open up and put yourself out there. It’s been a great year, with a great group of guys. I fall in love with each and every one of them and become fiercely protective of them. I’m also thankful for the warmth and enthusiasm you all show them month after month. And I’m especially grateful to everyone who ordered a 2011 Fanboy of the Month Calendar. It’s a huge undertaking and labor of love, so it’s very gratifying to see it making the journey from concept to reality and, finally, into your hands.
FBOTU Site Members
Expanding on the entry above, let’s talk about the nicest guys on the internet: the Fanboys of the Universe site members. This year, I decided to do a “rainbow tour” of conventions, specifically to meet and chat with site members. We’re so lucky we have a group of smart, witty and insightful members who also just happen to be nice guys. Meeting so many of you in person was an extremely valuable experience, and I got a tremendous amount of helpful feedback. And I look forward to meeting even more of you in the coming year! Remember, if you’re in the Southern California area, be sure to come to BENT-CON on Sunday, December 5 and look for the FBOTU booth!
Homoeroticism Run Amok
Whether it’s the Smallville guys getting tied up naked every week or Thor‘s bulging codpiece in Thor for Asgard or a partially naked Ryan Reynolds promoting Green Lantern, clearly the guys are bringing sexy back. After a decade of oppression and “that’s gay” mentality, it’s refreshing to see so many fanboy characters and actors getting their masculinity, sexuality and cute butts out there for the whole world to appreciate and enjoy. However, on a more solemn note, I’d like to ask for a moment of silence in remembrance of Nightwing’s legendary ass, which is now completely covered on a regular basis by Batman’s stupid cape. Will a new Nightwing emerge? I don’t know. But it’s going to take one impressive set of glutes to fill those tights.
Finally, my thanks to Johnny M for reminding me about this little bit of sublime Thanksgiving theatre. Hope you all have a great day and thank you again for being part of FBOTU!
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