You know, I'm almost reluctant to introduce you guys to Mark Evanier.
Why for? Well, a lot of you folks regularly come by JimHillMedia because you seem to enjoy the stories that I tell about the Walt Disney Company. Particularly those articles that take you behind the scenes, which reveal in great detail how a particular Disney film and/or theme park attraction came together.
But -- truth be told, folks -- I'm not really an industry insider. I'm just a writer who's works out of the woods of New Hampshire who's lucky enough to have some really great sources. People who ARE on the inside, who are happy to share these stories with me ... so that I can then in turn, share the same stories with you guys.
Whereas Mark Evanier ... well, Mark is the real deal, people. A true industry insider. A veteran of both the comic book world as well as TV animation. Here is a guy who has hundreds of great stories to tell not because Evanier's heard them second hand. But rather, because Mark has actually experienced them ... and then lived to tell the tale.
Don't believe me? Then follow this link over to www.povonline.com. But -- before you do -- maybe you'd better make sure that you're sitting in a really comfortable chair. Or better yet, maybe you'd better go stock up on supplies. Food. Drink. Duct Tape. Something that will help you get through the next couple of hours.
Because I promise you -- once you open www.povonline.com -- you're not going anywhere for a couple of hours, guys. Why for? Because Mark has literally hundreds of great articles archived here. Truly wonderful pieces like his series on animation vet Daws Butler. Or Evanier's somewhat bizarre encounter with Sam Kinison in Las Vegas. Or his oddly touching tale about Billy Barty. The list goes on and on.
Dozens and dozens of great show biz related stories. Written with lots of style and wit. Trust me, guys. You're going to love what you discover over at www.povonline.com. I just hope that -- once you find out how great Mark Evanier's web site is -- that JimHillMedia.com isn't going to look like a pale imitation. A povonline wanna-be.
So why am I mentioning Mark's truly fine web site here in JHM's book review slot? Well, as it turns out, some of the very best POV columns that Evanier has written for "Comic Buyer's Guide" have been collected in a slim but fun volume.
This book -- "Comic Books and Other Necessities of Life" (TwoMorrows Publishing, July 2002) -- is actually more fun to read than anything over at Mark's web site. Though I suspect that a lot of that additional pleasure comes from the extremely cool illustrations that Sergio Aragones (best known for his in-the-margins work for "Mad" Magazine, not to mention Aragones' collaboration with Evanier on the long running "Groo the Wanderer" comic book series) has crafted for this book.
And -- if that's not enough Evanier for you -- Mark's just announced that he's got another book in the works: "Wertman was Right!" a second collection of POV columns which is supposed to be published this coming June from TwoMorrows Publishing.
No matter how it is that you finally get your first Mark Evanier fix -- whether it's by reading all those great columns that Mark's got archived over at www.povonline.com or by picking up a copy of "Comic Books and Other Necessities of Life" -- I guarantee that you're gonna get hooked.
Just please try to remember -- as you dig deeper and deeper into that seemingly bottomless pile of great show business stories -- who it was that first sent you here.
I mean, I'll admit it: I'm no Mark Evanier. But I still have a couple of interesting stories up my sleeve. Which you'll get to read ONLY if you remember to drop by JimHillMedia.com again sometime in the not-so-distant future.
Sigh ... I KNEW it was a mistake to introduce you guys to Mark Evanier ...
Do you want to buy a really cool book as well as help support JimHillMedia.com? Then order your copy of "Comic Books and Other Necessities of Life" from Amazon.com by clicking the link to the right.
Your cost will (unfortunately) remain the same. But - if you go there through us - we get a tiny cut of what you spend. So if you're planning on picking up the book, help keep Jim Hill behind the computer where he belongs and order a copy of "Comic Books and Other Necessities of Life" through the link to the right.