From Beasts!: Chenoo, by M. Brinkman

Just when you thought Fantagraphics was breaking into the mainstream – what with the new Georgetown store front and great new publications, Beasts! anyone? – the local comics store/archiver is again under attack…or still, I guess.

The facts are thus: Harlan Ellison, a well-known, award-winning author, is suing Fantagraphics for libel. For Fantagraphic’s version of events, check out today’s Flog post [#, tcj]. However, I highly recommend also checking out the court documents posted up on Harlan Ellison’s site [#]. It’s totally ripped from the hallowed halls of the People’s Court! Featuring gems like the following:

“Unfortunately, Groth revealed himself to be a scheming pathological liar and little more than an obsessively vindictive and petty man trying to be a mover and shaker. The phrase ‘no deed goes unpunished’ speaks volumes in this instance.”

Ouch! And replete with unintentional (perhaps) irony:

“These offhanded if provocative remarks were quite clearly non-actionable ‘opinions’ about Fleisher’s writing and its laudable literary origins, and not slanderous statements suggesting the speaker’s actual knowledge of Fleisher’s mental state. But there was no reasoning with or apologizing to the temperamental Fleisher; he was determined to sue and in fact he did.“

Emphasis mine, of course. I’m not going to speculate on the veracity of the complaint – I’m too chicken someone would want to sue me or, maybe, go so far as to grope me on stage (!) [wiki]. You know, if I were ever to be famous enough to be speaking at the Hugo Awards…ahem. All I’m going to say is now might be an ideal time to do some shopping for your favorite comic/graphic novel lover.