Merry Christmas, pal. The holidays are always tough on single people.
- Joe Kelly in conversation

"World of Tomorrow"
I have absolutely no idea what strange twist my life is going to take in 2004.

Isn't that just wonderful?

"Daredevil"
I've been giving a lot of thought to working without a net today, and honestly, I'm starting to think that it may just be the only way to go.

"Deadpool"
I still have yet to see the Chuck Jones classic "Much Ado About Nutting".

"X-Men"
To this day, I still wonder about Bill Pullman's character in Sleepless in Seattle. What do you think ever happened to that guy?

There's this episode of Dawson's Creek (actually, there's at least 120 episodes of Dawson's Creek, but that's just me making with the semantic-antic routine, isn't it?) where Dawson's interviewing this old washed-up movie director, and the guy's telling the story of the day he ended up the jilted corner of a love triangle and he says "For every bit of happiness, there's a little piece of unhappiness, and if you don't show both you're not getting the full story."

It's part of what fascinates me about the guy-who-isn't-meant-to-be. The eligible-bachelor-unchosen. The lovelorn-loser. The X-Man. How can you ever be sure that you won't be him? And how can you feel any joy when you know he's out there?

"Action Comics"
Joe Kelly has written his last regular issue of Action Comics, which means it's official: I'm done buying Superman comics.

It's been a weird four years and look what I've got to show for it? Krypto the Superdog Plush Toy for one. The dull ache I still feel for having lost that t-shirt emblazen with the crest of the House of El which I foolishly taped to my door in the Fall of 2001 and never replaced when it was stolen, and every Wednesday night, the tug of war between watching Ed and watching Smallville continues.

Mr. Kelly's moving on. We all should be so lucky.

"Steampunk"
I've never been a full-steam-ahead kind of guy. Or at least, I don't remember ever being a full-steam-ahead kind of guy. I remember a lot of hemming an hawing. I remember a lot of giving in to self-doubt, and a lot of soul-searching and head-scratching, but no real "Full steam ahead, damn the consequences, this is where I want to go!"

I think we could all use a lot more of that. Except perhaps for those of us who're self-indulgent enough all ready.

"Superboy"
Do you know what's the difference between confidence and arrogance?

I don't, but I've finally decided it's damn well worth trying to figure out.

And would you describe me as a sweet person? I always thought I had more of a sour disposition. Really. I practice my scowling in the mirror all the time.

"JLA"
THE STORY THUS FAR: Hearing an eerily familiar siren song, I wandered from the path. Now I find myself facing circumstances beyond my control on a grand stage as far-reaching as the Dark Continent, and as remote as a pretty little red head and a great big glorious heart...

Just Like Amazing Spider-Man #489.

Next:
6 AM, Day After Christmas...