Quick announcement: You won’t be able to get the “Queen Victoria” collected editions through Amazon any more; as of tonight I’ve revoked their right to market.
A copy of the notice sent to them can be seen at the strip’s official page, http://www.newadventuresofqueenvictoria.com
Good on you, Pab! Amazon’s actions have prompted me to take my business to other booksellers… and as a graduate student in English Lit, I buy a lot of books!
Go, Pab! I didn’t know about this idiocy, but as a former bookseller I can assure you that Amazon is bad news for publishers, writers, and bookstores. This is another excellent reason to buy elsewhere.
Speaking of idiocy – the octomom has a TV show?
mivins: Our local independent book store, where I preferred to shop, closed last summer when its lease was up at the local Mall. The big chains in every business have been pushing the mom and pop shops out for far too long now. Amazon is just one more big business.
And with an illiteracy rate of over 30% in the county I live in, we’ll never get a big chain to come here, so I have to drive a half hour for my book fix now. Argh.
Just another example of the weakening of democracry in the US. Disappearance of newspapers, lowered literacy rate, bookstores going out of business. One by one all the traditional methods of spreading information, and dissent, are disappearing. We’ve few freedoms left in the land of the free.
Let’s see: What makes a lesbian? Oh yeah, she sleeps with other women instead of men. Where I come from sex is an adult subject. A tad oversensitive are we Pab?
JanCinVV - there’s more to it than who a person chooses to sleep with. One’s identity is established a long time before one chooses to act on it, and the constant discrimination against people “who just aren’t like your mommy and daddy” is damaging to children’s psychological adjustment, especially if said children find out (and they WILL) what “gay” and “lesbian” mean, and realize that they themselves are “guilty” of similar feelings!
Roger: Applause Applause!
Thank you for the most amusing piece of parroted psychobabble I’ve heard this year. If you really believe that I feel sorry for you.
Homosexuality is about sex, period. It has been recently (in the last 40 years) promoted as an alternate “lifestyle”, but it is and always has been about which gender you decide to share your bed (and sometimes life) with. I really don’t care who you (or anyone else) sleeps with, but I fail to understand why I should get special rights (I already have the regular ones) just because I choose to sleep (and live) with Eve instead of Steve.
The autobiography of Ron Jeremy and a collection of nudes from Playboy are but two of the books Amazon did NOT squelch. Your homophobic blinders are showing, Jan and Massha. PS to the latter: Bob Asprin would roll in his grave to know someone using the name of one of his characters was that deliberately naive.
I really ought to know better than to try to convince the closed-minded to open their minds… what was that quote about wrestling with pigs? SIGH!
I really do believe, it, Jan, from personal experience, and I will thank you, from the bottom of my gay little heart, to NOT feel sorry for me. You will not see me in whatever form of heaven you believe in, and at least one of us will be very glad of the fact.
There are two problems with the “gay = sex so it shouldn’t be discussed in front of the children” argument. The first is that anti-gay bigots have no problem indoctrinating children with their hatred at a very young age. Given this, those of us who believe there is nothing wrong with homosexuality should have the right to make our case. The second problem is that children know their sexual orientation long before they are 18. Gay kids have the right to see themselves portrayed in fiction as much as straight ones do.
Not to bring the discussion back to, you know, THE CARTOON, but didn’t Victoria have 8 children? You’d think she’d be a bit more sympathetic…
No to beat a dead horse, but Ira, I’m a bit bothered by the first part of your comment. And I realize I can’t speak for everyone, and most of the people who fill your description are the loud and obnoxious “Christians” out there, but how can you say and blanketly write off that if someone doesn’t agree with homosexuality it automatically means they “hate” gays. Isn’t that just like those “Christians” saying what they say so blanketly about you and yours?
I personally don’t agree with the lifestyle, but I HARDLY have any hatred towards those in the community. I spent several years, in school, in the theatre community, and if you don’t end up with a load of the kindest, most caring gay friends there, you won’t find them anywhere. BUT, as much as I love and treasure the friendships I have forged there, they also knew/know where I stand in my own beliefs and that I don’t agree with their lifestyle. And it’s done nothing to affect how great our friendships are.
A human being is more than a label, and it frustrates me to see how often those who are feeling victimized by the labels of the extreme right-wing community tend to be just as equally closed minded in their own opinions of the world and society. I have a difficult time seeing how your mindset is any different from theirs, just simply on the other side of the coin, if it were.
And for the record, Pab. Bravo!!! I applaud you for your stand, and fantastic willingness to, very simply, stand by what you believe in. If there is going to be such blind generalization of categorization of these and other books, Amazon should NOT have the right to sell these books. If there’s anything I despise more than prejudice, it’s making flat generalizations of any group of people, no matter what defines them, and to do the same for books is just plain ridiculous in my mind. Again, bravo.
margueritem over 15 years ago
Oh, Grandpapa, sigh…
Gordonne over 15 years ago
she has got that one right - - kids should be taken away and put in decent homes
Pab Sungenis creator over 15 years ago
For those who missed it late last night:
Quick announcement: You won’t be able to get the “Queen Victoria” collected editions through Amazon any more; as of tonight I’ve revoked their right to market.
A copy of the notice sent to them can be seen at the strip’s official page, http://www.newadventuresofqueenvictoria.com
I apologize for the inconvenience.
sharlit159 over 15 years ago
Good on you, Pab! Amazon’s actions have prompted me to take my business to other booksellers… and as a graduate student in English Lit, I buy a lot of books!
mivins over 15 years ago
Go, Pab! I didn’t know about this idiocy, but as a former bookseller I can assure you that Amazon is bad news for publishers, writers, and bookstores. This is another excellent reason to buy elsewhere. Speaking of idiocy – the octomom has a TV show?
Pab Sungenis creator over 15 years ago
mivins: Our local independent book store, where I preferred to shop, closed last summer when its lease was up at the local Mall. The big chains in every business have been pushing the mom and pop shops out for far too long now. Amazon is just one more big business.
And with an illiteracy rate of over 30% in the county I live in, we’ll never get a big chain to come here, so I have to drive a half hour for my book fix now. Argh.
Durak Premium Member over 15 years ago
Just another example of the weakening of democracry in the US. Disappearance of newspapers, lowered literacy rate, bookstores going out of business. One by one all the traditional methods of spreading information, and dissent, are disappearing. We’ve few freedoms left in the land of the free.
JanLC over 15 years ago
Let’s see: What makes a lesbian? Oh yeah, she sleeps with other women instead of men. Where I come from sex is an adult subject. A tad oversensitive are we Pab?
ChiehHsia over 15 years ago
JanCinVV - there’s more to it than who a person chooses to sleep with. One’s identity is established a long time before one chooses to act on it, and the constant discrimination against people “who just aren’t like your mommy and daddy” is damaging to children’s psychological adjustment, especially if said children find out (and they WILL) what “gay” and “lesbian” mean, and realize that they themselves are “guilty” of similar feelings!
JanLC over 15 years ago
Roger: Applause Applause! Thank you for the most amusing piece of parroted psychobabble I’ve heard this year. If you really believe that I feel sorry for you. Homosexuality is about sex, period. It has been recently (in the last 40 years) promoted as an alternate “lifestyle”, but it is and always has been about which gender you decide to share your bed (and sometimes life) with. I really don’t care who you (or anyone else) sleeps with, but I fail to understand why I should get special rights (I already have the regular ones) just because I choose to sleep (and live) with Eve instead of Steve.
massha over 15 years ago
Frankly, I too think that homosexuality is about sexual preference, and as such an adult topic…
BlueRaven over 15 years ago
The autobiography of Ron Jeremy and a collection of nudes from Playboy are but two of the books Amazon did NOT squelch. Your homophobic blinders are showing, Jan and Massha. PS to the latter: Bob Asprin would roll in his grave to know someone using the name of one of his characters was that deliberately naive.
ChiehHsia over 15 years ago
I really ought to know better than to try to convince the closed-minded to open their minds… what was that quote about wrestling with pigs? SIGH!
I really do believe, it, Jan, from personal experience, and I will thank you, from the bottom of my gay little heart, to NOT feel sorry for me. You will not see me in whatever form of heaven you believe in, and at least one of us will be very glad of the fact.
Pab Sungenis creator over 15 years ago
A flame war in comments? Did I click on “Non Sequitur” by mistake?
aardvarkseyes over 15 years ago
There are two problems with the “gay = sex so it shouldn’t be discussed in front of the children” argument. The first is that anti-gay bigots have no problem indoctrinating children with their hatred at a very young age. Given this, those of us who believe there is nothing wrong with homosexuality should have the right to make our case. The second problem is that children know their sexual orientation long before they are 18. Gay kids have the right to see themselves portrayed in fiction as much as straight ones do.
Not to bring the discussion back to, you know, THE CARTOON, but didn’t Victoria have 8 children? You’d think she’d be a bit more sympathetic…
JP Steve Premium Member over 15 years ago
Who you chose to sleep (and live) with is an adult subject? So all the stories that end “and they lived happily ever after” should be rated adult?
Pab Sungenis creator over 15 years ago
Ira: She didn’t have them ALL AT ONCE.
kfaatz925 over 15 years ago
Cheers, Roger.
Pab, bravo- this makes me want to rethink my Amazon purchasing too. And the strip is excellent.
Pab Sungenis creator over 15 years ago
It gets difficult to write for Grandpa. Each time I have to have something even crazier for him to do. I don’t think I will ever top this one.
MissElphie over 15 years ago
No to beat a dead horse, but Ira, I’m a bit bothered by the first part of your comment. And I realize I can’t speak for everyone, and most of the people who fill your description are the loud and obnoxious “Christians” out there, but how can you say and blanketly write off that if someone doesn’t agree with homosexuality it automatically means they “hate” gays. Isn’t that just like those “Christians” saying what they say so blanketly about you and yours?
I personally don’t agree with the lifestyle, but I HARDLY have any hatred towards those in the community. I spent several years, in school, in the theatre community, and if you don’t end up with a load of the kindest, most caring gay friends there, you won’t find them anywhere. BUT, as much as I love and treasure the friendships I have forged there, they also knew/know where I stand in my own beliefs and that I don’t agree with their lifestyle. And it’s done nothing to affect how great our friendships are.
A human being is more than a label, and it frustrates me to see how often those who are feeling victimized by the labels of the extreme right-wing community tend to be just as equally closed minded in their own opinions of the world and society. I have a difficult time seeing how your mindset is any different from theirs, just simply on the other side of the coin, if it were.
MissElphie over 15 years ago
And for the record, Pab. Bravo!!! I applaud you for your stand, and fantastic willingness to, very simply, stand by what you believe in. If there is going to be such blind generalization of categorization of these and other books, Amazon should NOT have the right to sell these books. If there’s anything I despise more than prejudice, it’s making flat generalizations of any group of people, no matter what defines them, and to do the same for books is just plain ridiculous in my mind. Again, bravo.