January 10th, 2023 “Dennis, Steve and I think you will be as great as Walt Disney but you need to know all the big WORDS! We hope this will help. Be creative?” – Inscription from a thesaurus I received in the early 90’s, from my Aunt Jan and Uncle Steve My obsession with Walt DisneyContinue reading “The Triumph of Never Growing Old and the Spirit of Never Giving Up”
Tag Archives: Pop Culture
Dennis’ Faves of 2022
January 4th, 2023 Looks like we’re trapped indoors another day, which means there is no better time to share what I enjoyed in 2022. This isn’t a “Best Of” list; this is the stuff that captivated and moved me, and the comics, TV, and films I looked forward to throughout the year. A ton ofContinue reading “Dennis’ Faves of 2022”
Creator of Cooties
December 28th, 2022 “Sometimes I think the goal in writing a book is to ‘create energy’ – God save us from a raft of tepid reviews or (very possible in today’s publishing climate) no reviews at all. If people are talking about a book passionately, that’s a good thing – we might even use thatContinue reading “Creator of Cooties”
The History of Sleeping Kitty Productions, Part I
December 23rd, 2022 “Why the sleeping cat?” There are questions I have been asked more than most others, and this is one of them. For as long as I’ve been releasing my work into the wild, I’ve been flying the banner of Sleeping Kitty Productions over, under and through it. It’s the name of myContinue reading “The History of Sleeping Kitty Productions, Part I”
Eyes on the Ball
November 30th, 2022 One of the most impossible and necessary human properties we can hold is the ability to live in and appreciate any given moment. My friend Steven and I are obsessed with a television show called Westworld. This year, for its fourth season, we even found time to get together every few weeksContinue reading “Eyes on the Ball”
Kevin Conroy, Batman
November 14th, 2022 Kevin Conroy passed away on November 10th, 2022. For many people, he was known as the voice of Batman. For some of us, he simply was Batman. It’s odd, because last month I started a series of essays about Halloween costumes I’d worn as a kid, and what those characters meant toContinue reading “Kevin Conroy, Batman”
Twin Cities Con 2022 This Weekend!!
November 9th, 2022 It’s only a little over 24 hours until Twin Cities Con 2022 begins! I’ll be there ALL weekend to talk my work, your work, nerd stuff, geek things and, if none of that sounds good to you, the weather. That weather. I’ll have all of my books available! I’ll have 20 limitedContinue reading “Twin Cities Con 2022 This Weekend!!”
The Characters Who Inspired Me, Part 2
October 20th, 2022 For the second installment of my Halloween series, let’s take a closer look at Steven Quincy Urkel. First things first: can we just give my mom a massive round of applause for acknowledging that her white boy loved Steve Urkel but also understood that he did not need to look EXACTLY likeContinue reading “The Characters Who Inspired Me, Part 2”
The Characters That Inspired Me, Part 1
October 17th, 2022 On hard days, people will remind you to think of the good memories, and my pockets are full of those. A lot of those memories revolve around Halloween. My mom loved to see what characters inspired me, and it inspired her own creativity every year when I inevitably asked her to craftContinue reading “The Characters That Inspired Me, Part 1”
The MCU: Far Better World
October 13th, 2022 My favorite part about watching people complain about the current phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that they are objectively wrong. The future belongs to those who can see it. At the convention in Rochester over the weekend, I had no problem choosing my favorite cosplay: a little girl, painted green,Continue reading “The MCU: Far Better World”
The Den 