Mary Ward here...I was the one who passed on your e-mail at Yahoo to Dave Cockrum, and much to my joy, I found out from Paty, Dave's wife, that you two have been interacting! That you gave Dave your private e-mail so you could chat with him, as well! I am most pleased, and I can only hope a collaborative effort, or inspirations for Dave will abound!
My question is: I recently tried to contact you again using the Yahoo address and got an automated response that spoke of your busyness, and the need to direct all inquiries to the forum here. I recently have made the acquaintance of a colorist who lives in Winnipeg by the name of
Ian Sokoliwski. Ian is a fan, as we all are, of your work, and I said I would pass on his name to you. He is currently working with Dick Giordano and Bob Layton on the Colony series, along with other work he is doing. I told him I would pass along his website as well. he colored a picture of Nightcrawler for me from one of Dave Cockrum's inks and did an excellent job!
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=273
That is Ian's site. His stuff is also viewable at www.imwan.com
Thank you again for interacting with Dave! Paty and I would love to see him do some stuff again! I was hoping for a more private way to communicate this, but...
Good day, Alan: a question!
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Alan Davis
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Mary, I prepared the formula statement so that I could send an immediate response to any correspondence to my website e-mail. Not only did it seem to be the polite thing to do but one or two individuals had resent the same message (seven times in one case) I assumed because the sender believed I had not received their note. The formula statement at least confirmed receipt
When you said you had recently tried to contact me via my website e-mail I assumed you must have been waiting for some time or that I had failed to send a reply—but I discovered your message to my website e-mail had only arrived yesterday.
Now, in the first place, my automated statement does not say ‘… to direct all inquires to the forum…’. I make it clear it is an option that is more convenient for me and will receive a more immediate response but I can and do make personal responses when I get time. (see the full statement below) Furthermore, If you were sincerely hoping for ‘… a more private way to communicate…’ you need only have waited—certainly a little longer than twenty four hours.
((“My apologies for this blanket/automated e-mail but I am still unable to cope with the number of e-mails to my site, in fact I'm falling further behind each week, and I don't want anyone to think I'm ignoring them-- just a really slow typist.
I have also promised to give any postings to Matt Platis' Web site priority (The Forum link is on my sites homepage) because public Q&A is more efficient and I don't want all of Matt's work to go to waste-- so if you don't mind using the Forum that would be a real help. If not, don't fret, I will reply to any and all e-mails as soon as I get time.
Again, sorry for the impersonal nature of this response.
All the very best
Alan”))
When you said you had recently tried to contact me via my website e-mail I assumed you must have been waiting for some time or that I had failed to send a reply—but I discovered your message to my website e-mail had only arrived yesterday.
Now, in the first place, my automated statement does not say ‘… to direct all inquires to the forum…’. I make it clear it is an option that is more convenient for me and will receive a more immediate response but I can and do make personal responses when I get time. (see the full statement below) Furthermore, If you were sincerely hoping for ‘… a more private way to communicate…’ you need only have waited—certainly a little longer than twenty four hours.
((“My apologies for this blanket/automated e-mail but I am still unable to cope with the number of e-mails to my site, in fact I'm falling further behind each week, and I don't want anyone to think I'm ignoring them-- just a really slow typist.
I have also promised to give any postings to Matt Platis' Web site priority (The Forum link is on my sites homepage) because public Q&A is more efficient and I don't want all of Matt's work to go to waste-- so if you don't mind using the Forum that would be a real help. If not, don't fret, I will reply to any and all e-mails as soon as I get time.
Again, sorry for the impersonal nature of this response.
All the very best
Alan”))
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Alan Davis
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- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:13 pm
I understand. I am impulsive by nature myself but comments I have made in postings or personal e-mails have been used as quotes (usually out of context) or even as press releases in the past so I have been forced to become far more cautious.
And it isn’t just a case of avoiding controversial topics. In Bristol last weekend, in one of those conversations that can only happen at a convention, one guy got quite heated over a comment he claimed I had made on this Forum about the Flash and Atom’s mask/helmets. ((I say claimed because I didn’t agree with the comment or remember the discussion thread. I’d appreciate anyone who does recall any such discussion pointing me in the right direction))
Getting back to the point, my request for people to use this Forum is directed to those asking general interest questions— about upcoming projects, drawing techniques or storytelling… etc. I wouldn’t expect anyone to post business or personal matters on the site and if they do I will not reply or comment publicly. I really do appreciate the time and effort of those who write to me and I am sure it is frustrating that I take so long to reply but I will reply as soon as time allows.
Alan
And it isn’t just a case of avoiding controversial topics. In Bristol last weekend, in one of those conversations that can only happen at a convention, one guy got quite heated over a comment he claimed I had made on this Forum about the Flash and Atom’s mask/helmets. ((I say claimed because I didn’t agree with the comment or remember the discussion thread. I’d appreciate anyone who does recall any such discussion pointing me in the right direction))
Getting back to the point, my request for people to use this Forum is directed to those asking general interest questions— about upcoming projects, drawing techniques or storytelling… etc. I wouldn’t expect anyone to post business or personal matters on the site and if they do I will not reply or comment publicly. I really do appreciate the time and effort of those who write to me and I am sure it is frustrating that I take so long to reply but I will reply as soon as time allows.
Alan
Thread -> JLA The Nail -> 1st DC BookAlan Davis wrote:And it isn’t just a case of avoiding controversial topics. In Bristol last weekend, in one of those conversations that can only happen at a convention, one guy got quite heated over a comment he claimed I had made on this Forum about the Flash and Atom’s mask/helmets. ((I say claimed because I didn’t agree with the comment or remember the discussion thread. I’d appreciate anyone who does recall any such discussion pointing me in the right direction))
..And don't doubt your sanity for this as you didn't write any comment on this thread!Nimbus wrote:I have to agree with Alan though (in his comments in the TPB) that the Flash's and the Atom's heads look a little wrong. The skin-tight head covering makes 'em look like big headed baldies.
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Alan Davis
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Thanks for the speedy research Moonboy. A pity you were not on hand in Bristol.
This appears to be another instance of someone agreeing with something I never actually said or wrote-- at least as my own opinion! The Atom does make fun of the Flash’s bulbous noggin at the end of Another Nail (as in… you can’t afford to get any more big headed) —BUT it was the characters speaking in the context of the story and consistent with their relationship.
As a little ‘in-joke’, the jibe also played into the title of the afterword I wrote for the Nail TPB entitled ‘Barry Allen has a big head and skinny neck’ but this was an affectionate description in reference to my first awareness of how stereotypical physical characteristics can define a personality. Barry Allen had a big forehead because he was a scientist and ‘really smart’ and skinny because he was a runner. Alternatively, Ray Palmer although also a scientist, had a gymnast’s physique to suit his tumbling prowess— and Gil Kane’s phenomenal ability to draw muscular figures in graceful action.
I must emphasise however that my observation about the Flash’s proportions were NOT intended as criticism, quite the reverse. I believe the Flash and Atom have two of the very best costume designs in comic history.
Alan
This appears to be another instance of someone agreeing with something I never actually said or wrote-- at least as my own opinion! The Atom does make fun of the Flash’s bulbous noggin at the end of Another Nail (as in… you can’t afford to get any more big headed) —BUT it was the characters speaking in the context of the story and consistent with their relationship.
As a little ‘in-joke’, the jibe also played into the title of the afterword I wrote for the Nail TPB entitled ‘Barry Allen has a big head and skinny neck’ but this was an affectionate description in reference to my first awareness of how stereotypical physical characteristics can define a personality. Barry Allen had a big forehead because he was a scientist and ‘really smart’ and skinny because he was a runner. Alternatively, Ray Palmer although also a scientist, had a gymnast’s physique to suit his tumbling prowess— and Gil Kane’s phenomenal ability to draw muscular figures in graceful action.
I must emphasise however that my observation about the Flash’s proportions were NOT intended as criticism, quite the reverse. I believe the Flash and Atom have two of the very best costume designs in comic history.
Alan