Mistakes Nice Guys Make In the Dating Scene

In the dating scene, Nice Guys finish last. And there are clear reasons why. These include:
An unrealistic view of women. Because most Nice guys get most of their experiences regarding women from their mother, Madison Avenue and Hollywood, they go around looking for women who look like supermodels and have the values and personality of their mothers. This distorted view usually winds up with Nice guys overlooking many great women who could be interested in him.

Thinking all women are the same. One of the biggest mistakes Nice Guys make is thinking every woman is just like the first woman in his life…His Mother. And because he puts his mother on a pedestal and thinks she’s perfect, he thinks all other women in the world regardless of their actions or character should be regarded as highly as well.

Thinking all women are “sweet and innocent”. Because most Nice Guys usually come from an overly close relationship with their mothers they think that all women are innocent like he thinks she is. This leads to him winding up treating all women the same even though all women don’t deserve the same treatment.

Nice Guys need to understand that not all women are the same, not all women are perfect, but all women have flaws. Some of these women out here don’t have a man’s best intentions at heart.

Thinking all women are good .When a nice guy enters the dating scene for the first time he thinks all women are good just like he thinks his mother is. He doesn’t understand that there are different types of women in the world. Worse he doesn’t know how to differentiate between them. This inability to differentiate between women is why Nice Guys often become the target of lowlife females such as gold-diggers, neighborhood, hoes, and other female predators.


Pursuing Women who are WAY out of his league. A Nice guy is caught up in pursuing the girls of his dreams. That’s why he always fixates on women who look like movie stars and Playboy models. And it’s why he usually finishes last.

Because all those movie star/model types he tries to pursue are always saying NO to him.

What the Nice Guy doesn’t understand is that most men and women pursue people who are like themselves. People who share similar values, ideas and beliefs. But because Nice Guys spend their time looking at the bodies of women, they don’t see a woman’s internal character traits. This is why they miss out on all the women out there and wind up dead last in the dating scene.

Fixating on one woman A common Nice Guy trait is to fixate on one woman. Most Nice guys will spend valuable time looking from afar at this one object of affection and putting her on a pedestal. And when she rejects him his world comes crashing down.

All of this valuable time a Nice guy spends fixating on that girl of his dreams is time he's wasting. Time that's precious. Time that he can't get back. What's worse is that after he's rejected he wastes even more time moping and whining about the one that got away instead of casting a line to see if there are more fish in the sea that will bite.

What Most Nice Guys don’t understand is that it takes a lot of NOs to get to YES. A Real Man talks to a lot of women to get to the one that will express interest in him. And because he’s talking to a lot of women it doesn’t faze him when women say no to him. He knows sooner or later a woman will say yes to him.

Doing the same things over and over again. In a Nice Guy’s world it takes a lot of NO to get to YES. Unfortunately, he keeps asking the same woman over and over again. Some may say this approach is persistence. That he’s wearing her down.

The law calls it stalking.

Nice Guys don’t understand the concept of time. And that Time is precious, more precious than money because we can’t get it back. Every second a Nice Guy spends chasing the object of his fantasies is time he could be spending pursuing Real Women who would be interested in sharing their time with him. If a woman says she’s not interested, charge her to the game and keep it moving.

Having no masculine energy. Because a Nice Guy comes from a close relationship with his mother he often radiates an asexual energy. And what he doesn’t understand is that this energy he projects often makes him repel all women except elderly women. Elderly women who see the Nice Guy in a childlike way.
Nice guys don’t understand that a man needs to radiate a masculine presence when he walks around to attract the attention of the women around him, especially the women in his age range. Without that masculine energy those women won’t see a man as sexually attractive.

Having no confidence. When it comes to approaching the opposite sex, Nice guys are afraid to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done. Because he’s afraid to act, Nice guys watch as life passes them by.
It takes confidence to go for what a man wants. And because most Nice Guys are too afraid to fail, they don’t make definitive decisions to go for what they want. Confident guys go for what they want, and do what they have to do in order to do what they want to do.

Stepping to women sideways. Nice Guys love to play the friend to women in the hopes of eventually being lovers. Not understanding that going this route never works. Worse, they don’t understand WHY going sideways always fails.

What nice guys don’t understand is that there are men women want to be friends with and men they want to fuck. And if a man is in the friend zone, she’s never going to see him as someone who is sexually attractive. And the reason why they see these men as friends is because they don’t see them as radiating masculine sexual energy that shows them as sexually desirable.

Most women usually know within five seconds of meeting someone that they decide whether or not they see them as a potential sexual partner. So all a Nice Guy’s his efforts to win a woman’s favor by being her friend are wasted time.

No eye contact. Nice guys often miss most social cues when it comes to women. And the main one that they miss most is eye contact. Eye contact is usually how women express their interest in men and if a woman can’t catch your eyes, they won’t be able to give you that look that lets them know they’re available. Because they’re too busy looking at the floor, they miss what’s going on in the world around them.

Poor timing. When a nice guy sees a woman he’s interested in he often doesn’t make his move when he first makes initial eye contact. Instead he often spends his time thinking about making a move or what he wants to say. What he doesn’t know is that while he hesitates TIME is being lost. And every second he spends analyzing and hesitating are moments that women see that he has no confidence.
In the dating scene it’s all about timing. Once a man makes that eye contact and a woman is expressing interest, a man HAS to MAKE THAT MOVE and introduce himself.

Afraid to express how they feel. Along with that hesitancy to act at the right time, Nice Guys are afraid to say what needs to be said. Nice guys hold all their feelings in and try to wait for that “special moment” they’ve seen in movies and TV shows to make their move.
What they don’t understand is that there are no special moments in life like that. Real Men let women know what their feelings and intentions are from minute one after making eye contact and introducing themselves.

Weak body language. Nice guys stand out in a crowd. For all the wrong reasons. Any predator can easily notice them by their lack of eye contact, slouching, passiveness and other nonverbal communications. This body language lets everyone know a Nice Guy is WEAK. And when predators see a man as weak, they go in for the KILL.

Strong body language repels predators and attracts strong people. When a man stands tall, strong with his head held high, he’s going to notice the world around him. And the people in the world will notice him. That’s why confident men have no problem finding great women.

Too accommodating A Nice Guy has only one answer for a woman: YES. And because he always says YES it leads to him getting NO RESPECT. A man who is accommodating is someone who is seen as a doormat. What Most Nice Guys don’t understand is that women want a man who will challenge her.

Moreover, she wants a man who will set boundaries. A man who won’t stand up for himself by saying no to her is someone who won’t be able to stand up with her when times get tough.

Inability to say NO. Nice guys hate to say one word to women….NO. Because they compare all women to their saintly mothers and put them on pedestals, they have a hard time establishing boundaries. And part of boundary setting is saying NO.

To a Nice Guy, saying No to a woman is akin to cursing out his mother. But Saying NO to a woman is actually a good thing. A woman actually wants to hear it. Saying No is a sign that a man has a backbone. That he’ll stand up for himself. That he will be the leader of a relationship instead of a follower.

Too eager A nice guy wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s so anxious for attention from women that they can smell it in the air. That’s what makes him an easy target for predators. When a man is too eager, he goes from being the leader to being led, misled and manipulated.

Tries too Hard One of the biggest mistakes Nice Guys make is trying too hard. What most Nice Guys don’t understand is it’s not about effort, but about execution.

When a man tries too hard and puts forth too much effort they show how eager they are to win the attention of a woman. That makes him give up his personal power.

When a man knows how to approach women he doesn’t have to try. He is confident and secure in himself to know that what he’s doing will work.

Too Avaialble. Along with being too accommodating, Nice Guys are too available. All a woman has to do is ask and they drop everything to do whatever she wants. When a man does that he shows that he’s WEAK.

Guys, remember just because a woman asks something doesn’t mean you have to say YES all the time. Part of healthy relationships is having time for yourself. And in order to have that time for yourself means you set boundaries. If you honestly can’t make something, then don’t be afraid to say no.

Taking things to extremes.  When a Nice Guy is told to change he often takes it too far. Instead of just asserting himself and establishing boundaries, he turns into a jerk. What he doesn’t understand is that all he’s doing is being the Mr. Hyde to the Dr. Jekyll.

Part of what makes a Real Man a Real Man is his ability to be balanced. He knows when to assert himself and when to be laid back. Because he clearly states his intentions and sets boundaries from day one women  know how far to go with him and where they’re going with him. But because the Nice Guy has no standards or focus he winds up lost when it comes to women.

Guys, there’s nothing wrong with being kind. But when a man is too giving, too accommodating and too available it reeks of insecurity. When a woman sees a man as insecure it repels them. Nice guys need to understand that no woman wants to be some man’s second mother. What a woman wants is a man who will be a loving caring partner who will share with her in a relationship, not someone who is needy and co-dependent on her.

Shawn Responds to Comments on his Why Real Men Avoid Single Mothers Blog

In a previous blog I listed many of the reasons why Real Men like myself avoid Single mothers. While most of the responses I got from the men were positive, there were some comments from women filled with the usual shaming language and deflections.

Some tried to minimize me by saying my piece wasn’t an article but a rant.

Here’s the deal: This is a BLOG. A blog is not meant to be an article. It’s not meant to meet the journalistic standards of newspaper reporting. Blogs are the express written views of a writer of the piece.

I have clearly stated on numerous occasions, this blog is a place where I promote my paperback books and eBooks. It’s also a place where I present my opinion of issues in the African-American community. My views on single mothers fits within that mission.

Others think that I’m a bitter guy who was dumped or treated badly by a single mother.

I’m not bitter at all. I have great relationships with women. Over the course of my life I’ve had many women friends and I’ve had girlfriends. Most of my experiences with women have been extremely positive.

In fact, I’m single by choice. I haven’t dated in years because I’ve been focused on building my writing and publishing business. I’d like to have something to bring to the table before I get seriously involved with a woman.

For everyone’s information, I actually am the product of a single parent home. And many of the things women accuse me of generalizing about I’ve seen up close and personal here in the South Bronx. Living in the South Bronx, the single mother capital of the United States, I have experienced or observed firsthand the numerous out of pocket behaviors of single mothers.

So when I say the ex/Baby Daddy is always there I know it for a fact. This man will always be a part of that woman’s life. He will be there when a man steps to this woman and he will be there when he leaves.

He has a right to be there.

And he has a right to say who is involved with that woman because whoever he is he’s indirectly involved with his child.

And if you’re a man trying to get involved with a single mother you must understand that this guy is going to still have residual feelings for this woman. And she’s still going to have feelings for him.

So a man’s chances of getting cockblocked are high when dating a single mother are high. Very high.

Just like the chances of him being used as a pawn by Single mothers are also extremely high. In my neighborhood, I have seen women use men in an effort to make their baby daddy jealous. They were never serious about dating these guys, but only seeing them in an effort to make that Baby Daddy see them as valuable.

I know for a FACT from many of my travels here in the Bronx on the bus that some of these women call up the baby’s father just to tell him they’re seeing a guy in an attempt to make him jealous. Some of them try to have him over when the father is supposed to pick up the kids for visitation in an attempt to get some drama going in the hopes of stirring up his emotions and riling him up.

I only wanted brothers to understand this so they wouldn’t allow themselves to get played or caught up in a dangerous situation. In my neighborhood I have seen men getting into fistfights over single moms. I have heard of men getting stabbed over single moms. And a few have even been killed fighting over a single mom.

What a lot of brothers don’t know is that the father of many of these single moms children are ex-cons, drug dealers, gang bangers and other lowlife people who have nothing to lose. Another bid in prison means nothing to them. They just want to get the guy she’s dating out of the picture.

But if you are a guy who has worked hard to establish himself, you have EVERYTHING TO LOSE getting involved with a single mother. Seriously, it’s not worth the risk getting involved with a single mother. A man could lose his career, his business or even his life dealing with these women and their drama.

I know for a fact that these women are manipulative. I know for a fact that when they can’t get their way with their baby’s father they call up a guy telling them a sob story with extra salty tears. And in an attempt to defend her honor, some of the guys who date these single moms run out playing Captain-Save-A-Hoe with Mickey Mouse galoshes on and their cape flapping in the wind and wind up getting their asses kicked by Baby Daddy when they pick a fight with him.

Again, some of these men wind up DEAD as a result of this drama. In addition to seeing it in my neighborhood, I have seen thousands of news stories about these situations growing up.

And in all these instances, Single Mom sits back with a smile on her face as these guys throw down. She’s smug knowing she has two fools she can control and manipulate to do her bidding.

All I’m trying to do is let brothers know what’s up so they don’t fall for the game.

When I say single moms have a Jekyll & Hyde personality I know this to be true from seeing these women running around my South Bronx Neighborhood.

I’ve seen these women put up a nice and sweet façade to get a man interested in her. Then around the six-month mark they reveal their true character. That’s when the monster comes out. That’s when she projects all the RAGE she feels towards her child’s father out on a dude.

I’ve heard the screaming and yelling through the walls of my apartment. I’ve watched it on the street. I’ve seen the dumbfounded WTF? Looks on guys faces. Many of these dudes don’t see it coming. These brothers think they’re involved with a decent lady at first. Then she goes on a rampage and soon he’s so anxious he’s afraid to know where to step because he doesn’t know if he’ll step on a mine that will blow up in his face.

I tell men this so they can understand the danger they’re putting themselves into. These Jekyll and Hyde personality shifts sometimes include acts of violence. Yes, these women will put their hands on you when they start shit up with you.

And when a man tries to defend himself from that violence, she’ll call the police.

Or worse, she’ll call Baby Daddy.

And this dude will come in the house looking for trouble. In these situations fists usually fly.

Either which way a man can wind up in jail for domestic violence, or a body bag. And it’s your word against theirs. Because in these situations all of a sudden Baby Mama will turn on you and help out Baby Daddy.

And it’s your word against theirs. And I guarantee you men that you won’t win.

Brothers, all I’m trying to do is warn you. What you read here might save your life.

When I say that the kids are working against you I speak from experiencing my fellow classmates in elementary school, middle school and in high school. I’ve gone to school with kids who were always angry. And they were always angry about this dude invading their personal space. Who see this man as a stranger. Who resent him for taking the place of the man they know as their father.

And children who will resent your authority as a man and will make extraordinary efforts to challenge it. It’s not common for kids to accuse a man they don’t like of physical abuse. It’s not common for kids to accuse a man they don’t like of sexual abuse.

Again, these kids have NOTHING TO LOSE by eliminating you or destroying you. But YOU DO. Defending yourself from false abuse/molestation accusations can cost a man his reputation, his time and money. And in the process of defending oneself it can cost a man his career and everything he’s worked for.

And if these kids aren’t accusing you of something you DIDN’T do, they’re calling up Baby Daddy and telling him lies. They’ll say they’ve been hit when a man tells them to do their homework. They’ll tell him they’ve been beaten when all a man does is turn off the video game.

On hearing these lies from Baby Mama’s kids, Baby Daddy will rush in like the Incredible Hulk on a rampage. He’s hot and ready for a fight. You won’t even see the fists coming.

As I stated before, here in the South Bronx dudes have gotten their ass kicked over trying to discipline another man’s out-of-control kids. They’ve gotten arrested dealing with some other man’s out-of-control kids. And in some cases, they’ve gotten killed over it.

Why is dealing with the kids of a Single mom a bad situation for a man? Because a man will NEVER be able to be the leader of your household when involved with a single mom. In between the kids, the Baby Daddy/ you as a MAN will NEVER be able to control or direct your household if you decide to marry a Single Mom. Everyone but YOU will have a say in how your home is run. You are paying all the bills for a home where you have no say over anything and everyone else is dictating everything.

It’s an emasculating situation to be in. Men who date single moms get no respect from the women they’re involved in or their kids. They’re just treated like an ATM machine and a JOKE. What man wants to live in a home where makes NO DECISIONS? What man wants to live in a home where his needs are DEAD LAST?

A Simp Maybe. A Mangina definitely. But I don’t know a Real Man alive who would do that.
When I say a man won’t get any respect when he dates a single mom it’s because I hear the conversations of these women on the bus, in the street, on the train and in the supermarket. I hear how they talk about us men. How they get with their girlfriends, how they get on their cell phones, mock and laugh at the guys they date. How they compare a man to their ex. How they say a man’s dick is smaller than their ex. How a man can’t fuck like their ex. How the man they’re dating is boring. And how they’re just using him to get their credit card bills paid or to get stuff out of him.

Most guys who date single mothers have no idea that they’re just TOOLS that these women use. It’s rare that a single Mom ever cares about a man she gets involved in; most are just ends to a mean for them. Spare dick when they need sex, an ATM machine they get money from, and a babysitter when she wants to have a girl’s night out. A Pullman Porter doing cleanup duty for another man’s woman and another man’s kids.

When I wrote that blog advising men to avoid single mothers it was to let men understand their value as a man. Men who value themselves don’t sell themselves short by getting involved with women who carry a bunch of baggage. Real Men know this is a world with six billion people in it. And life is just too short to be some woman’s Pullman Porter cleaning up her messes and taking out her garbage.
 

How to Beat the Mangina At His Own Game

The most dangerous kind of SIMP is the Mangina. However, there is a way to overcome these predators.

The Mangina’s main goal in his social interactions is to get power over other men. And the way he gets his power over another man is to get him to buy into his psychological games. If a Mangina can get a man to start playing at his table, he’s lost.

Why? Because he holds all the cards. He knows all the rules. He has you chasing him for his approval.

And just when a man thinks he’s winning, the Mangina re-writes the rules. Worse, when a man starts looking like he’s going to win, he starts using his array of tactics like shaming language and deception to tell you that you’re not playing by the rules.

When he’s already stacked the deck against you.

That’s right the Mangina wants you to play his game and play by his rules.

The goal of the Mangina’s psychological games are to make a man feel insecure and inadequate about himself. To trick him into give his power away. To break down his confidence and self-esteem so he can establish himself as superior over them. To make himself a pseudo Alpha Male.

A Magina is a weak male and he needs to break other men down so he can feel superior over them. And as long as a man plays by the Mangina’s rules, he always loses.

Because you’re playing on his terms.

The Mangina will try to bait a man into playing his game. Usually he does this by telling a man about some personal or social deficiency he has. Some will ask a seemingly innocent question like if a man has a girlfriend. Others will ask a man who is a new hire what their plans are for the future at a job. The goal is to bait a guy into answering his questions so he can have information to use against him.

If a man believes his lies, he’ll start offering his advice and “help” to assist the guy in getting ahead. Only when a man takes a Mangina’s advice he winds up further behind.

No matter what a man does it’ll always be wrong in the eyes of the Mangina. Manginas love to criticize other men about their behaviors. This is how they maintain control over someone. As long as a man feels inadequate and insecure he can keep him coming back to him for more of his wonderful “help”.

Not knowing he’s being manipulated like a puppet on a string and stranded in a vicious cycle of co-dependency with a man weaker than he is.

How can a man overcome this? Don’t play the Mangina’s game from the start. If a man walks away from the table where the Mangina is playing his game, he wins.

Walking away from that table will require a man to have strong self-confidence and a strong resolve. The Mangina will return again and again to try to bait you into playing his game. Telling you where you’re going wrong. That you need his “help”

Stand your ground. By walking away from the table, a man maintains his power and his position. And by playing your own game by your own rules you get to dictate the terms and conditions you engage life on.

When you stand your ground, the Mangina will try to use shaming language to guilt you into taking his wonderful advice.

Don’t break down. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re not doing anything wrong if you choose NOT to listen to him.

Remember if a man needs help in any situation, there are other objective sources to get it from. People like counselors, professional associations, and other experts with much more experience and better advice. And if those sources can’t help, he can always go to God for advice.

A man never needs the help of a Mangina.

As a man become more familiar with his tricks, games, and tactics, he’ll soon learn that the Mangina is full of shit. Most of what comes out of his mouth is lies, and most of his actions are meant to sabotage another man in his personal, professional and social life so he can get ahead. Don’t let these guys take you out of the game of life with their psychological headgames. Beat the Mangina at his own game by living life on your own terms.

The Rodimus Effect

In an effort to retire old Japanese Diaclone molds in 1986, Hasbro toys launched Transformers: The Movie. In the first 10 minutes of the film, popular characters like Brawn, Ratchet, Ironhide, Wheeljack, and Prowl were killed off and and it all climaxed with the death of Optimus Prime.

Hasbro thought that by killing off all the popular characters they’d be able to introduce new characters like Kup, Arcee, and Rodimus Prime in the film and that viewers would embrace them when they went to the toy store.

It was one of the biggest marketing disasters of all time.

Transformers: The Movie was a box-office failure. Most kids back then were horrified watching characters they grew up with die in numerous disturbing ways. Worse, many kids HATED the new characters, especially the new autobot leader Rodimus Prime.

What Hasbro didn’t bank on back then was that kids had formed relationships with the first generation of Transformers characters. To many of those kids Optimus Prime and his Autobot crew were like their friends. Someone who they could come home to every afternoon and spend time with while mom and dad were out at work. Someone who made a hard day of school that much easier when they came home to them.

Now I have a theory to why the Transformers brand collapsed after the 1986 Movie. I call it The Rodimus Effect. Others will call this the New Coke effect (New Coke came out two years earlier) because Coca-cola also alienated its customers by introducing a new formula in 1984, but by 1986 the Coca-Cola company was smart enough to see the error of their ways and return to the original formula after a public backlash and get back to good customer relations by 1987.

But when it comes to comic book/fantasy/sci-fi characters it can take much longer to repair the damage to a brand. Hasbro felt the impact of Rodimus Prime for nine years. Even after they brought back Optimus Prime in 1987, the damage was still felt throughout the transformers brand for years. Products such as headmasters, targetmasters, actionmasters, powermasters and Generation 2 all struggled at retail, and The Transformers cartoon went into reruns after 1990. It wasn’t until the 1996 Beast Wars reboot that the Transformers brand returned to popularity with consumers.

My theory is when a company tries to replace a kill off an iconic or popular character and replace it with another character in the same role, the audience immediately rejects said character and demands a return of the original.

After the establishment of Rodimus Prime and his Autobot crew as the main characters in the Transformers TV show, many kids were turned off. Rodimus was quickly seen in a negative light by many who perceived his indecisiveness and insecurity as being weak. Others saw him as cowardly. A few kids even saw him as a tool.

But in comparison to Optimus Prime he just didn’t measure up. Rodimus was mocked, ridiculed and reviled. Even to this day Rodimus Prime/Hot Rod toys struggle to sell at retail because of the way he was introduced to viewers.

Even in the face of the disaster that almost destroyed the Transformers brand, some companies still try to force permanent changes onto customers without taking into consideration the relationships they’ve formed with said characters.

In 2006 DC Comics killed the popular character Blue Beetle. Ted Kord, the character who readers had grown fond of over 20 years was graphically and violently murdered by Max Lord in the panels of a DC Comic.

A few months later, DC Comics tried to introduce Jamie Reyes, a Latino kid in the role of Blue Beetle. While the character was very fun and had his charms, and has been pushed heavily in merchandise by DC in TV shows like Batman: Brave and the Bold and Young Justice, unfortunately he never gained any traction with fans who never warmed to him.

Why? Because like many of the Transformers fans who mourned Optimus Prime, many of those DC Comics fans were mourning the loss of Kord, who represented the everyman character that readers identified with. Someone who they considered a friend.

What most in the entertainment business don’t understand that people form a bond with these fictional characters. For many fantasy is an escape from reality. For others it becomes their reality. But in both cases, the characters readers and viewers meet are like friends and family. People grow close to these characters. They form connections with them.

When these fictional characters are killed off in an abrupt, violent fashion it can lead to a public backlash from fans and casual customers. People need to deal with their feelings regarding these fictional characters. In the eyes of many, especially young children seeing someone like Optimus Prime or Ted Kord die is like watching a real close friend or loved one die.

The adverse effects of a prolonged Rodimus Effect can cripple a brand long-term. Indifference by a publisher or producer by forcing changes onto customers can lead to their alienation. Because people aren’t allowed to deal with their feelings regarding those characters and aren’t given closure, they may stop buying products.

Worse, they may not share said characters with their children as their fond memories are tainted by bitterness. As they accept the fact that their favorite characters may never return It may prove next to impossible to reach the next generation and show them how great said characters are.

If a character isn’t working, there is a natural and organic way to introduce new character designs or new characters with the same name. For example, in 1986, the second Flash Barry Allen was in the middle of a creative slump. Three years of bad writing had stalled the title creatively and led to a sales slump.

DC Comics had no choice but to kill Barry Allen to save the Flash Brand. So in the maxi-series Crisis of Infinite Earths the character was sacrificed in a noble effort to save the DC Universe.

It was considered one of the defining moments of comic book history. A symbolic passing of the Silver Age (which Barry Allen ushered in with his first appearance) and the start of the Modern age for DC Comics.

But creatively, it saved the Flash brand. Because readers saw an organic series of reasons for Barry Allen’s death, they were able to accept his loss, mourn and move on.

Moreover, they were able to accept it when Wally West, the sidekick known as Kid Flash adopted his costume and took on the identity of The Flash. Because he had an established relationship with Barry Allen, DC Comics readers were eager to accept him. For some youngsters growing up in that generation, (Generation X) West’s adoption of the Flash mantle was like a son inheriting a parents’ cherished personal effects after they died. Most could relate to his struggles as he tried to live up to the standard established by someone they admired and loved.

West’s mourning of his uncle was documented in the pages of Flash Vol.3 and allowed readers the closure they needed to accept the passing of Barry Allen as permanent fixture in the structure of the Post-Crisis DC Universe. When the grieving process was complete, readers were able to fully accept Wally West as his own iconic Flash in his own iconic costume starting with the 50^th issue.

Due to the respect DC Comics editors had for the human grieving process then, Wally West grew to become one of the most beloved characters in the DC Universe. Over the past two decades, West has actually grown more popular than his predecessor, being featured prominently in DC Comics merchandising and licensing.

Other examples of natural, organic character replacement include justice Society member Mr. Terrific. The original Mr. Terrific was a white male. While not a popular character, he did have a following. But his death was handled so tactfully that readers were able to accept an African-American, Michael Holt in the role of Mr.Terrific. Due to the tactful way the death of the original Mr.Terrific was handled, Holt was able to connect with a new generation of readers and become popular with them.

A Rodimus Effect can happen to any fictional character. If a writer doesn’t respect the readers relationship with said characters, the reader has no reason to respect the publisher and continue to buy their products. If a publisher or producer wants to introduce new characters or new characters with the same name they have to execute their stories in such a way that it gives those fans and customers the closure they need to move forward.

In order to prevent a Rodimus effect, where readers turn away from a series and walk away from a brand, fiction writers have to understand that their readers or their viewers do grow a personal and emotional attachment to the characters they create. If they don’t respect that relationship, readers can become alienated, turn away from a series and never return. 

DC’s New 52 is here to stay- Comic Fans it’s Time to Move On.

According to Dan Didio and his editorial team, DC Comics’ New 52 is here to stay. It is to be the new standard for the brand from here on in.

If this is the case, then Shawn is urging his fellow comic fans to move on. Your money is valuable, but more importantly your TIME is precious.

I know many DC fans are frustrated. I am too. But unfortunately, we the comic fans don’t own the DC Comics superheroes or its catalog of over five thousand characters. Those properties are owned by corporate conglomerate Time Warner. And as owners they can do whatever they want with those properties.

But what we do own is the money in our wallets. Moreover we control how we spend it.

In addition to our money we also own our time. And since time is more valuable than money because you can’t get it back it’s just not a good investment of it hoping, wishing, praying and waiting for DC Comics to change.

That’s giving your power away.

I’m not going to waste any more of my time waiting for an indifferent and hostile editorial team to change its direction. If this is the course Time Warner is allowing Dan Didio and his editorial regime to go in, then let them go in it.

I don’t have to spend my money on it.

Just remember my fellow comic fans, YOU are the customer. You don’t have to buy anything from someone who you think hasn’t earned the right to your money. Moreover, you don’t have to buy anything from someone you believe doesn’t respect or value you as a customer.

When it comes to the storytelling medium of comic books, DC Comics and Marvel Comics aren’t the only game in town. Right now there are lots of great comics currently being published by independent artists who publish their own work. These men and women (Yes women) deserve your money and support.

Over the past few years I’ve been spending most of my money and my time with independent artists and writers. From what I’ve seen on that side of the comic book market writers and artists have been producing some of their best work. There’s a reason why Books like The Walking Dead are building a following, it’s because the books are that good.

And if you’re reading this blog, then you can read comics on your computer. The Webcomics scene has been exploding with some great strips. I can personally recommend several I’ve been following the past couple of years:

Randy Milholland has a great strip called Something*Positive. But in addition to the laughs he provides with the S*P Strip, he self-publishes a great comic called Super Stupor. Having bought all four issues and read them cover to cover multiple times, I can tell you it’s one of the best comics comic fans don’t know about.

Super Stupor #3 is a brilliant commentary on the aftermath of a reboot on comic book characters. It’s a comic I urge every comic fan to read.

Danielle Corsetto draws a strip Called Girls with Slingshots. It features some of the most well-written lesbian characters in comics. In her storylines characters like Thea and are shown as multi-dimensional characters with thoughts and feelings, not cardboard caricatures.

Jeph Jacques has a great strip called Questionable Content. This is a fun one about a group of twentysomethings and robots.

Yale Stewart’s JL8 Captures the heart and soul of DC Comics heroes in fun stories that will put a smile on any comic fan’s face. If you’re a fan of the classic DC Universe, then this is the strip to get behind.

All of these independent creators own their own properties and self-publish their own strips online. Most self-publish trade paperback compilations as well that you can order directly from them. You probably can score an autograph too!

And if you want to branch out of comic books, then try some fantasy fiction. There are dozens of great paperbacks out there with just as much white-knuckle action as a 32-page comic or a TV show like Smallville, Buffy, or Arrow. I self publish several fantasy titles in print and digital format like the Isis, Isis: Trial of the goddess, Isis: Amari’s Revenge, Isis: The Ultimate Fight, and The Temptation of John Haynes and I’ve been told they read just like comic books.

And all of us creators want the support of comic fans. We work hard for it day and night. We’re making our best efforts to serve the reader. If more than a handful of comic book readers threw us one percent of the hundreds of dollars they spent on DC and Marvel comics it’d make a huge difference towards improving our lives and helping us take our craft to the next level.

Long-term your support of independent artists and writers levels the playing field and makes the industry more competitive. When you the comic fan spend money with us it opens the market up and allows it to move forward.

I’m urging everyone to move past complaining about DC’s New 52. Take this time to try out some new forms of entertainment like webcomics, indie comics and self-published independent fiction. If you like what you read and see, bring those creators to the forefront of pop culture and make them the new icons for the new millennium.

Shawn’s Experience On Federal Jury Duty

Last week I was doing Jury Duty in United States District Court. I wasn’t looking forward to it. But to my surprise it was one of the best experiences I ever had with the court system.

I had been summoned to jury service way back in 2010. By both the federal and state courts. At the same time. So I tried to serve the jury duty to get it out of the way then. But it was telephone service. That led to me being stuck in a holding pattern for 2011 and 2012, waiting for one of the two summonses to show up again and worrying about when I’d have to disrupt my writing schedule again.. Thankfully, now I’m out of that holding pattern and the jury duty albatross no longer hangs over my head. I can get back to storytelling for the next couple of years.

I had to do my service was in the Federal Courthouse on Pearl Street, not too far from the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall train station in lower Mahattan. It’s a great place to be. Chinatown and Little Italy aren’t too far from there and Wall Street is on just a few blocks away. I had an 8:30 and got downtown around 8:15 or so.

Security at the courthouse is tight, but courteous and professional. I was in and out of the screening in less than a minute even with a long line. Having done jury duty twice at the Bronx county courthouse I’d have to say the security there is much more efficient than over there. This place ran like a machine.

The lobby on the way to the jury room is white marble and quite stylish with nice picture windows and a nice little corner detailing the history of the late former New York State Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. If you’re ever on a lunch break, check out that area. You’ll learn something about one of New York’s most influential politicians.

The Jury room itself is also nice, with wood paneling on the walls comfortable lighting for reading,  and lots of comfortable leather chairs in the waiting area. Nice and soft chairs, you could easily sit here and enjoy a nap for an hour or two while waiting for your name to be called.

The clerks there were extremely professional, courteous and downright pleasant. The brothers and sisters who worked there provided some of the best customer service I’ve ever experienced. If you want to see an example of what excellent customer service looks like, head into the Jury assembly room at the Moynihan courthouse. That’s what it looks like

In administering their duties, The clerks in the jury room were efficient and well-organized. After showing us the usual video about jury service,they quickly started calling names for cases. I got called to go upstairs for a tax evasion case.

In between court breaks, I did get so see a nice view of the skyline lower Manhattan. From one set of tall picture windows of the Moynihan courthouse you can see the Empire State building and all the skyscrapers across the New York City topography.

From the other set you can see the Freedom tower being constructed.

After spending the first day in jury selection, I didn’t get picked. I returned to the jury room where I waited, watched the food network had a cup of hot cocoa (They provide free hot beverages at the US District Court for jurors) and got a breakthrough on an Isis story that I’d been stuck on for a couple of months.

 After about another hour of waiting, I and a bunch of others were dismissed for the day. We were told by the clerks to call in Tuesday night. After a day off, I called in Tuesday night after 5 PM and was told to report for Jury Duty Wendesday.

I spent most of Tuesday writing chapters of that new Isis story and running errands.

Came back Wendesday and after filled out a juror questionnaire that morning. This was to see if people were available to spend three weeks on a trial for securities fraud. I’d love to have done it, logistics prevented me from doing so. After being out of work for four years, Shawn’s money is just too tight to spend commuting  back and forth to a courthouse and then waiting 8-10 weeks to get reimbursed. Filled out the questionnaire, handed it back and went to lunch. Returned to lunch and just relaxed.

Around 3:45 I had my name called along with a few people from Monday and was told to call Friday night. With Federal Jury duty being a two-week commitment I was crossing my fingers for two days while continuing to write chapters of that new Isis story. My service was over at 5:30 (Shawn overslept) and I quickly got back to work on that all-new Isis story.

With Jury duty over I’m feeling a lot more relaxed. A lot more creative and a lot more passionate. That summons hung over my head for two years dividing my focus and making me anxious about starting any new novel projects. I’d hate to be involved in the middle of a story and be forced to stop abruptly. I feel I may not tell the same story when I resumed work on it again. 

All being said, I had a great experience doing jury duty at federal court. If I had anything to complain about, it’s that was that we couldn’t bring cell phones or laptops into the Moynihan Courthouse like people can do at other federal courthouses. If they had Wi-fi in that jury room then it’d be perfect. The jury room was so quiet and serene I feel I could stay there for hours.

So if you ever get a blue envelope in the mail for Federal Jury Duty in New York, don’t hesitate to answer it and serve Jury Duty in the US District Court. You won’t be disappointed.

Taking Characters in a New Direction- Writing 101

Sometimes a character runs their course in a storyline. There’s nothing else a writer can do with them on the story path that.

That’s when it’s time for a writer to change course. To take a character in a new direction.

Dead...But alive with promise!

For example after Isis speared E’steem at the end of Isis and she died, it seemed like the character had run her course. She was the principal villain of the piece and with her defeated at the conclusion of the story there were no more stories to tell with her.

Of course I could tell more Isis stories, but they wouldn’t have been good stories. How many times could Isis have fought E’steem? How many schemes could E’steem have plotted to kill Isis in her quest to get Ladyship in Hell?

After about the third of such of these plots things in Isis’ world would have gotten repetitive and boring. Sure this kind of monotony and repetition is great for a series focused at very small children like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but for older readers it’s no fun at all.

And I can tell readers from experience it’s no fun to write either. No good writer wants to go around in circles writing the same stories over and over and over again.

To avoid this kind of stagnation, a writer has to take a character in a new direction.

New directions for characters enable a writer to move a character forward. Sometimes a character has stalled creatively. It seems like every story possibly has been told that can be told. That’s when it’s time to change course.

Smart writers know at the end of every story is a beginning. And at the end of a story conclusion is an opportunity to take an existing character in a new direction.

New directions also allow writers to introduce new characters and expand a characters’ world. Sometimes in order to grow a character a writer has to go out of their world into a new one.

A character who just needed
 the right story told about her

When I killed E’steem in Isis, it seemed like the character had nowhere else to go creatively. Unfortunately, without Isis’ principal antagonist, the Isis series had no place to go as well.

So I had to bring her back. In The Politics of Hell, I use a technicality to bring E’steem back from the dead. However I didn’t want the character to return to the stagnant Isis Vs. E’steem plot. So I did some things to change her direction.

To keep the storyline interesting when I brought E’steem back I had to introduce a new antagonist. And with E’steem being a powerful herald to a rogue god, I needed to introduce someone more powerful than E’steem.

The next Chapter of E'steem's story.

Bringing in a new more powerful antagonist like Lucifer allowed me start E’steem down the road to becoming a protagonist in her own stories readers could relate to and identify with instead of someone readers hated.
Moreover, with Lucifer being more powerful than E’steem he was an powerful antagonist that would give E’steem a challenge to overcome in her quest for political power.

I also further explored the Heirarchy of Hell. By promoting E’steem I moved past the stale Kill a god to get ladyship plotline. While She does have a confrontation with Isis, the primary focus is on her tryinig to outwit Lucifer.

At the end of The Politics of Hell, E’steem winds up defeated not only defeated by Isis, but outwitted by Lucifer as well. Lying at Lucifer’s feet she realizes she’s been conned by the father of lies.

Story wise, that defeat at Isis’ hands in the Politics of Hell ends E’steem’s conflict with Isis and begins her conflict with Lucifer. And that Change of conflict and changed the direction of the character I left for dead. Giving E’steem a new life. Making the character fresh again for a new audience of readers.

The final chapter in E'steem's new direction.

With this new direction I was able to fast forward the E’steem character a hundred or so years later She’s still in the library of Hell in that dead end job. But from a writers’ standpoint she’s ready to be taken to the next level in her new direction. A direction I explore further in The Temptation of John Haynes.

At the beginning of Temptation, The E’steem character is still in the process of change. On the surface she’s still a villain, but readers can sympathize with her. They see her in this dead-end job going nowhere.

But even when a character is in a dead end they’re still going somewhere. E’steem was still moving forward in her new direction. And those changes in direction were allowing me to further develop things for the better story wise.

By changing the E’steem character’s direction I was able to introduce new characters into her storyline. Without this change of direction, I would never have been able to introduce John Haynes and his supporting cast.

Nor would I have been able to expand the world of Lucifer’s Legion. Thanks to this new direction I took the E’steem character in, I was further able to explore the hierarchy of Hell and the subtle politics transpiring behind it. The modern “Corporate Hell” component allowed me to make things relatable to new readers and refreshed the older Hell as a hierarchy concept from Isis.

In addition to making the concept relatable, changing E’steem into a humanized corporate company flunky allowed me to use her as a catalyst for change. The relationship she has with John Haynes enables his character to change and move forward changing from a shy vulnerable man to a confident leader. And as their romance progresses, The E’steem character starts to have conflicts in herself. Conflicts that make her question the direction of her life. Conflicts that further change the direction of the character.

All these internal conflicts lead up to the powerful climax of The Temptation of John Haynes. E’steem’s makeout with John session where she tries to seduce him is contrasted by her inner personal struggles. Confronted by her desires to do good, she takes control of her life. By refusing to do what Lucifer sends her out to do, ironically she takes the very power she tried to get through achieving Ladyship in Isis!

At the conclusion of The Temptation of John Haynes, E’steem finishes her change in direction from villainess to heroine. And that ending opened up the door to new beginnings for her.
At the end of The Temptation of John Haynes I allude to E’steem reconciling with Osiris. That hint opened the door for all the Isis characters to come through.

Endings and beginnings.

A new story begins for E'steem
This brings her full circle.

The ending of The Temptation of John Haynes allowed me to write Isis: Amari’s Revenge and reintroduce the goddess in modern times.

Will E’steem stay a heroine? Yeah. Her story in the realm of Hell has pretty much concluded. And the new direction has allowed the character to grow and change in ways she couldn’t have as just a villain in Isis.

A new direction can give a character new life. Moreover it can allow a writer an opportunity to expand a characters’ world, introduce new characters and expand on new concepts. Don’t give up on a character when a character seems like their story has run its course. Sometimes all it takes is a different approach to storytelling to breathe new life into them and make their stories fresh and exciting again.

Let’s Move in Together- RED FLAG AHEAD!

Some women are desperate to get a man they’re not only willing to offer their bodies to him, but their homes as well.

Brothers, don’t fall for the bait. That offer of a place to stay is an attempt to put you on lockdown.

When a woman asks a man to move in with her after a week or two weeks, it’s a clear red flag. And a clear sign there’s something wrong with her.

Any woman who wants a man to move in after a week or two hasn’t fallen in love with him that quickly. She’s not moving a man in to get to know him better.

If anything, she’s got something to hide.

And she’s trying to move that man into her home so he won’t see all the skeletons and emotional baggage she keeps in her mental closet. They’re offering up their homes in an attempt to deflect a man’s attention from their numerous character and personality issues. They’re scared that if he finds out the truth about her, he won’t want to be involved with her.

And in most cases he has every reason to not get involved with her.

The offer to move a guy in so soon after meeting him is just another variation of the Pussy Trap™. But along with the offer of free pussy, these desperate women sweeten the deal with the incentive of three meals, a bed to sleep in and all the other amenities to make a man comfortable in an attempt to lock him down.

Many of the males they offer to move in with them are often desperate themselves. Usually they’re thirsty Simps, naïve Mama’s boys or immature Baby boys stranded in a state of arrested development. Weak men looking for another Mommy to take care of them. Men so eager to have a bed to lie in, three meals and a seemingly unlimited supply of pussy they can’t see that the woman of their dreams is scheming to turn the tables on them.

What most of the guys who moves in with a woman in like this don’t understand is that they are literally giving control over their lives to that woman. She controls the lease on that apartment. Or she controls the deed to that house. The electric bill is in her name, the cable bill and just about everything else.

She may ask a man to pay for something but at the end of the day he owns absolutely nothing. Worse, he controls absolutely nothing. Everything regarding his relationship with that woman is on her terms.

Men who get involved with women and move in with them wind up trapped in an impossible situation with no way out. When a desperate woman gains the upper hand on a man she often uses it to place him in an emasculated role where he submits to her.

And if he doesn’t submit to a relationship on her terms he can wind up homeless. That’s how the Move-in Pussy Trap™ works.

Smart Men understand a warm bed, three meals and pussy aren’t worth sacrificing priceless intangibles like a man’s personal power, dignity, and self-respect. They understand that early on in a relationship having one’s own personal space allows them the room to think clearly about a situation. And that taking the time to get to know someone is important to building a strong relationship. They’re not in a hurry to move in with a woman after a week or two. If a woman asks a Real Man to move in with her he’s in a hurry to move away from her.

Brothers, you have to ask yourself some questions when a woman asks you to move in with her a week or two: Why is this woman so eager to move a complete stranger into her home? Why is she so open with her personal space so early into a relationship? Why doesn’t this woman want to take the time to get to know me better? Why does everything have to move so quickly? What’s she trying to hide?

No Real Woman wants to move a man into her home just two weeks or a week after meeting him. No, a Real Woman is going to take her time and learn all she can about his personality and character. A Real woman is still meeting a man at the coffee shop in the first two weeks.

A Real woman is extremely selective about who enters her personal space. For her, A Real Man has to earn her trust to get invited to her place. And he has to be someone special to be allowed to enter the intimate space of her bedroom. For her to accept a man’s invitation to move in with him, she needs to see him make a commitment to her.

Brothers, your time is valuable. And the short time you spend with a woman who wants to rush things along is time that will be lost in the future dealing with her drama. Whenever a woman is so eager to move you in with her so soon after meeting her, move on. There is no such thing as a whirlwind romance. All that’s going to lead to is a vicious cycle of problems that’s next to impossible to get out of.

A Word About Commencement: I Need to Hear From You! Guest blog from Author Lawrence Cherry

In response to some comments that have been made about my first project Commencement, I just wanted to clear up some things. First, Commencement is available as a whole book (616 pages) or you can try it out in four parts (Books 1- 4). I decided to present it in this way so that those of you who are pressed for time and money could try it out, without having to waste time and money downloading the whole book in the event that you’re not feeling what I’m saying. I know it’s a long book, but I have read so many books with one-dimensional, cookie-cutter characters with no background or complexity, I just didn’t want to make more of the same. I wanted every character to be able to stand out on their own, with their own story and issues that people from different backgrounds could relate to. Commencement is simply to introduce you to each of them. None of their stories could be finished in one book, which leads me to my second point.


Commencement was planned to be the first book of a series (that is if anyone is interested in following it, if not, then there goes my plan). When I was writing the first book, I had a hard time finishing it. A lot of the endings I came up with seemed like absolutely ridiculous “happily ever after endings” that were just so mundane and typical of Christian fiction. That’s when I started thinking about how God has worked in my life, my own Christian upbringing, my coming to faith, the various tests and trials I’ve gone through and new ones I’m facing, and I realized that the only way to see how God works in a life is to follow it to it’s end. Even in the Bible, God has chronicled the lives of most of his Saints from the beginning to the end and then when we look at the whole, we can see just what he’s done. Even as I am writing on my computer right now, I can’t truly say what my  “purpose” is. I know that writing is a part of it.  Things are still being revealed to me day by day. To say that Allen would get saved and then get this miraculous revelation and be absolutely certain about what was going to happen with his life would just be silly (in my humble opionion). Moses was uncertain after Pharoh made Israel’s burden’s harder (remember when Pharoh told them to make bricks without straw). David wasn’t certain what the outcome was going to be when he was hiding in caves. Sure, he knew God would keep him, but I’m not sure he knew exactly what God was keeping him for. I think God reveals what we need to know at certain times and keeps us in the dark at other times because he wants us to trust Him. That’s when I realized that Commencement had to be about more than just salvation.

Everyone likes stories about salvation, but salvation is just the first step. Living for God is much more than that moment. Once you are saved, you go through a process of sanctification where you begin to let go of your life and by degrees let God take over and live through you. I want to do more writing that illustrates this process with everything that comes along with it. No one becomes a saint overnight and this has never been illustrated in the Bible – ever, and I can’t stand Christian fiction with paper-board perfect characters who get saved and then “live happily ever after”. No one comes to God perfect. If we were perfect, Jesus wouldn’t have had to die for us. (We all know people who think Jesus died for everyone except them, don’t we.) I also don’t think people are ‘instantly’ perfected. I like to think God changes you over time. He takes old useless things out and puts new more necessary things in. As you grow in God, He works in you to make you stronger. The evidence is in the thoughts in your mind, which in turn, influences the things you do and the choices you make. In order for God to take over our lives we have to want Him there. We show Him that we want Him there by our faith and our choices.  Because of our fallen nature, many times the choices seem difficult. Still, if we love Him like we say we do, we have to push past ourselves to make the choice that God wants for us. Over time we would like to think it would get easier, but as long as we are alive there are going to be tests and trials. As the Bible says “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne…”(Revelation 3:21). The struggle’s not over until we rest with Him.  And yes, we can fall away from grace if we allow ourselves to be deceived by the devil and his works.


As such, I left a lot of things open in Commencement. Each one of the characters has a long way to go toward sanctification. I totally intended to go back to each of the threads in different books (in fact, I have been working on the second draft of the second book since the late December) and wrap up some of the issues. However, if those who have read  Commencement aren’t really interested, then maybe I’ll find another hobby. I do promise that I will try to make these books shorter than the original Commencement and try to keep things under 300 pages or so.

Now I’d like to hear from anyone who has read the story. Did you like it? Why or why not? Do you have a favorite character? Are there characters that get on your nerves? All of them used to get on my nerves in the beginning because they were always arguing and their expectations of the world were just plain unrealistic. However, I don’t know many 22-24 year olds who are any different. If you liked it, who would you want to read about in the next book? Who do you think was the most interesting? I’m hoping someone responds. Even if no one does, I’ll probably keep writing the series anyway because with all the insanity on my job, God and my writing are the only things that are keeping me sane right now.  I can’t promise to churn out books every year because I just do not have the time. I wanted this next book to be finished by the end of the summer, but it depends upon my work schedule, which has increased dramatically this year.  I have a day job that is demanding to say the least (I take work home every day) and the only time I have to write is on Saturdays and holidays. I’ve been trying to blog and stay in the loop, but then the blogging takes time away from the books. Anyways, I do want to get better at this writing thing, so I am open to constructive criticism. That being said, if you are a troll, atheist, or just a plain hater – keep your comments to yourself. Peace.

DC Comics Threatens Writers, Artists, and Creators- WTF?

I was reading on Dark Knight News, in the aftermath of coming behind Image Comics’ The Walking Dead and Marvel NOW! in sales, DC Comics editorial is alleged to be threatening its artists, writers and creators. The punishing measures include loss of future work, and taking down interviews about new creative teams that are being terminated.

It’s clear The environment at DC Comics is hostile. First Gail Simone is fired from Batgirl by e-mail, now threats of loss of future work for other writers and artists.

It looks like DC Comics is having a Crisis. A Crisis of Editorial Direction. Which is damaging the brand infinitely.

I find it ironic that Co-publisher Jim Lee is allowing Dan Didio and Warner Brothers Management to enact such a draconian policy to be enacted at DC Comics. Twenty years ago he left Marvel Comics to form Image Comics with fellow artists Rob Lifeld and Todd McFarlane to get more creative control over their characters and stories.

Now that he’s in charge at DC he and DC’s editors deny other writers and artists creative control they insisted on getting to tell their stories back in the 1990’s.

It’s also ironic that after Jim Lee left Image and sold his creator owned WildStorm characters to DC that Image actually became a better company publishing numerous creator-owned indie comic classics like Bone and The Walking Dead. Could it be just Jim Lee and his Wildstorm/Image cronies don’t know how to create good comics? Could they be stuck in the 1990’s creatively?

It sounds like DC’s editiorial gang of four (Didio, Lee, Harras and Johns) are frustrated by the mixed reaction the New 52 is receiving. Big numbers to start with a significant drop-off back to the old 2009 Sales numbers.

Worse, no new readers, especially those in the younger demographics. So for all that hoopla, the impact of the New 52 is negligible.

And it sounds like the editorial management at DC is trying to take a page from Jim Shooter’s book to correct the course of their misdirected New 52.

Only it’s the wrong page.

Threatening writers and artists future work isn’t a smart thing for a publisher to do. Especially when over the past few years DC has alienated top writers like Greg Rucka, Warren Ellis, and John Rozum. And driven away top artists like George Perez and Rob Liefeld (Okay, Lifeld kind of sucks, but still…that speaks volumes about how bad it is at DC when he’s complaining about creative control).

Seriously, editorial can’t threaten writers into creating stories that sell. All that’s going to do is drive talent away from jobs at DC and into working at a competitiors’ brand.

It’s not the writers’ fault that editorial mandated they work within a flawed story structure framed with an inconsistent five-year timeline. Nor is it their fault that that editors refuse to talk to them or re-write their stories without consulting them.

For a creative type, working in that kind of environment is frustrating and downright aggravating. I couldn’t imagine showing my friends and family a book with my name on it knowing that 90 percent of the dialogue was re-written by an insecure editor who didn’t trust my talent and ability.

Most of the people who know my style would immediately point out that my distinct style and distinct dialogue weren’t there. They’d point out that the work wasn’t good enough. They’d clearly see that the work was micromanaged and I was prevented from writing the best possible story in my own inimitable style.

I really feel for all the writers and artists at DC. They’re doing the best they can within a set of fucked up story parameters established by a dysfunctional up group of editors and executives. It’s been clear to me back as far as 2004, DC has a problem. And that problem is at the top. An editor-in-chief that knows absolutely nothing about publishing.

As a professional with close to twenty years in publishing and writing, I know it’s a long-haul business. There are going to be more hard times than great times. And it takes a grit, tenacity and determination to overcome all those obstacles and see the light at the end of the tunnel.
A Seasoned editor and a seasoned publisher will tell readers the truth. That a gimmick like the New 52 will bring some short-term sales.

But it won’t help develop long-term growth. Nor will it take the industry in the new direction it desperately needs to go in. Threatening creators, writers, and artists only exacerbates things at DC and further prevents the industry from moving forward.

What Dan Didio doesn’t understand is along with that tough love Jim Shooter showed his writers and artists there was guidance and support. Yes, Shooter was strict. But he had the help of seasoned editors like the late Mark Greunwald and Tom DeFalco to help him work with writers and artists towards making the best quality comics possible.

Even as brusque as Shooter is alleged to be even he himself knew how far to take it. I doubt he’d even be as cruel to threaten to deny talent future work. Those are the kinds of hostile words that can come back to bite a publisher in the ass four or five years later.

That same writer or artist could be horrible at DC and then go on to do spectacular work at Marvel, Archie, or an indie like Image, BOOM!, IDW, or Dynamite! And become a household name. It’s funny how a change of environment can lead to some of the most inspired work from a creator. When given the space to really cut loose and the guidance to keep that creativity within a structure, that same talent Mr. Didio is threatening could flourish.

They could go on to make the next Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles while DC and its New 52 become a forgotten brand like Ultimate Marvel. It’s not smart to threaten creative talent with draconian policies. They may cross the bridge after it’s burned and never return.

There’s a reason why The walking Dead is the Number one comic. It’s creator-owned with minimal editorial oversight. The writer and artists have the breathing room to craft a quality story that grabs the reader. And they have the skills to keep a reader coming back for more.

Didio, his editors and Warner Bothers executives just don’t understand the publishing business. Sure the New 52 would sell comics at high numbers for most of 2011. The concept was new and exciting then. But a year has passed. And the Old 52 is just not NOW. Competition like Marvel has introduced new products and titles like The Walking Dead continue to build on their following while DC continues to have the same editorial problems that have plagued their brand since 2004. In spite of all the changes of the characters and the costumes, and the numbers on all the DC Comics, it’s clear the mismanagement of the Dan Didio editorial administration is the same.

The Pussy Trap

In the dating game there are many obstacles a man faces in his quest to find the right woman for him. One of the most dangerous pits he can fall into is The Pussy trap.

What is the pussy trap? It’s a strategy used by desperate women to snare some poor fellow and force him into a relationship with her. Unable to get the man of her dreams due to her numerous character and personality issues, she’s offering up easy pussy so she can snare a SIMP and lock him in the vice grip between her legs.

The pussy trap is often used to snare young guys with little experience in the dating scene. Weak Men like teenagers and Mama’s boys are often the victims of this trap. Because they’re so eager for the attention of a woman and so caught up in her looks they’re often unaware that she’s using what’s between her legs to keep him from finding out what’s between her ears.

The Pussy Trap usually works like this: A woman meets a guy at a club, a bar, or other public place. They connect. They start vibing. For many men, it feels like love at first sight.

And in the beginning she does come off like the woman of his dreams. The woman is very open with her body language and her body. She may even start making moves on him right at the place where they meet. She makes it look like she wants him. Like she has to have him. In most cases they have sex that very night.

For many men, especially sexually inexperienced men, it’s the best sex they’ve ever had.

The morning after she makes breakfast for him. And it tastes great! The man feels like he’s in love. That he’s met the woman of his dreams. He wants to see her again. So he can get more of her.

More of her pussy.

And that’s when the woman turns the tables on a man. Knowing she’s got him addicted to pussy, she becomes distant. Not returning phone calls. Not answering her phone or replying to e-mails and text messages. Giving him vague answers when he asks whether or not they’ll see each other again in the future. Controlling the terms of the relationship.

Trapping the man’s dick between her legs and making him beg for another chance to get inside her vagina.

Some Simps wind up so strung out on pussy they become pussy beggars, desperately doing anything to seek the attention of the woman they had a one-night-stand with. Like a crack fiend, they’re willing to give up their dignity and self-respect for a little whiff of one of her vaginal farts.

These weak males often wind up at the mercy of the woman they slept with. Women who operate the Pussy Trap™ often manipulate these Simps into tricking away all their money buying clothes, shoes, cars and jewelry just for their next fix of pussy. Others who utilize the Pussy Trap™ often keep their victims strung out on pussy until they get that wedding ring.

And if they want to keep a man on board for the long haul, a few of the more predatory females use pregnancy to make the Pussy Trap™ permanent. When they have a baby for these poor fellows, they wind up trapped in a miserable co-dependent relationship with a woman for 18 years.

The end result of a Pussy Trap is often a poor emasculated man who winds up with his penis locked in a vice grip between the legs of a woman who won’t let it go. Knowing that a man won’t chew his own dick off to escape the trap, the male often submits to the will of the female, letting his manhood sink deeper and deeper into the soft wet abyss until he loses all semblance of his maleness and male identity.

Most victims of the Pussy Trap wind up becoming Manginas, agreeing with the woman and giving into her will. A few become so addicted to pussy they begin worshipping women and believing they’re gods, giving up all their power and control over their own lives.

There is a very easy way out of the Pussy Trap™ early on: Don’t fall for the bait. If a woman seems eager to sleep with you so soon after just after meeting you, hold off and tell her you want to get to know her. Offer to give her a business card and exchange information. You can call her later and arrange a meeting in a place of your choosing.

Because she’s so desperate to snare a man in her pussy trap, she probably won’t call back. Sure a man won’t get any pussy with that woman.

But he gets to keep his dignity and self-respect. A little self-control will allow a man to control the terms of the relationship. A smart man understands that not all sex is good sex.

The thing with women who operate Pussy Traps™ are that they’re desperate. They don’t want to take their time. They don’t want to get to know someone, they want to shoehorn some man, any man into a relationship with them. And to get those men, they use sex as a distraction to trick men into getting involved with them.

What men don’t know is that women who operate the Pussy Trap™ often carry lots of mental or emotional baggage. Chances are that she’s presenting the pussy first because she has nothing else to offer you in a relationship. Her greatest fear is that if a man found out the truth about her that he probably wouldn’t want anything to do with her.

So she has to deflect from her personal and character issues with her vagina.

Brothers, the next time you’re out and that incredibly beautiful woman walks up to you offering up incredibly easy sex, chances are she’s trying to snare you in a pussy trap. Remember, if someone seems too good to be true, they often probably are.

YouTube Is Becoming The New MySpace

You Tube is becoming the New MySpace.

Remember MySpace? Remember when it was a place for friends.

Now it’s a place for trolls, attention whores and assorted losers. And bands. Lots and lots of bands. Bands no one listens to. Bands no one cares about.

Because they’re on MySpace.

Way back in 2008 I had a MySpace page. It was the primary way I used to promote my books. It was a place where I met a lot of cool people.  I found a lot of writer, model and actor friends there. People who used to come by and read my blogs and I’d go and read theirs. I loved all the content and I loved sharing ideas with like-minded people.

Now no one gives a shit about MySpace.

Why? After NewsCorp bought MySpace back in 2009, it became a nightmare to use. The MySpace 2.0 update that was forced on everyone made the site load like molasses. People couldn’t use the e-mail because it kept crashing. Pages wouldn’t load. The site kept crashing ALL THE TIME.

Worse, all good thought-provoking content was driven away by trolls and attention whores. Over the course of a year MySpace quickly went from being the destination for social media to a black hole of slow loading custom pages with 5 MB photos of kids and cats, 10 MB pictures with songs attached to them, 100 MB videos and spam accounts from trolls. Not to mention the dozens of bogus accounts from attention whores who wanted you to see their tits and asses or see them crawling around in ill-fitting lingerie.

MySpace went from a fun place to hang out and meet new people to a cesspool filled with junk content. It was like all the shit from every site ever designed by amateurs on Homestead and Angelfire over the past decade was dumped into one place.

Notice the similarities between Corporate run MySpace in 2009 and Google owned YouTube Today?

If you’re an internet veteran like I am you do.

Notice how YouTube has been through three useless upgrades that have made the site harder to use than before. The third recent update of You Tube’s interface PC Users in December 20l2 (If you have a Mac it hasn’t happened yet) has made the site a pain in the ass to use for new and casual visitors.

And Notice how the trolls and attention whores have taken over You Tube. Four years ago, You Tube was a place for thought provoking content and intellectual discussion of religion, politics and other social issues.

Now it’s a place filled with crap content similar to the horrible websites filled with slow-loading junk content that made Angelfire and Homestead unwelcome places.

Worse, it’s more and more a place for attention whores like booty shaking, coons, singing on the toilet hoodrats fighting or Black women singing about chicken.

Stuff I don’t need to wait to buffer. I can watch that kind of ignorance outside of my window for free.

Four years ago YouTube was a place where people could make statements about themselves and the lives that they led. In between the music videos, movies, and TV shows like Batman: Brave and the Bold, Transformers: Animated, The Avengers Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and Daria I learned about weight loss, science, computer repair, art, and a host of subjects.
Now I sadly watch as it devolves into a cesspool of junk content that says nothing about nothing.

If you shout people will hear you. But if you don’t have anything to say when you’re shouting, no one will listen to what you have to say.

All junk content does is shout at people without saying anything substantive to them. It’s nothing more than noise for noises’ sake.

And in a virtual world like the information superhighway It’s content that drives a websites’ traffic. Most people have no interest in watching dumbed down content produced by imbeciles. The easiest way to drive away web traffic from site like YouTube is to have it filled with puerile content that wastes peoples time. The kind of content that shouts at people and says nothing at all to anyone.

People go where they can find good content. And if the information in that content isn’t quality, they have no reason to come there. Their time is too precious to waste watching stupid content.

If YouTube continues on this road it’s on it’s destined to join MySpace, Angelfire, and Homestead on the social media scrap heap. No one wants to get on the information superhighway to take a trip to a flea market filled with tacky sundry items. They go down that road for specialized information that will help them move forward in their lives and improve the quality of their lives.