An Unexpected Present

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So yesterday, I went out to the mailbox to find a few packages waiting for me.

This isn’t exactly an unusual occurrence, especially at this time of year. After all, I do a lot of shopping online, and sure enough, one of the packages was a copy of Jim Kelly’s Black Belt Jones that I’d ordered as a present for myself. The other one, though, was something of a mystery, mostly because the return address didn’t have a name.

In fact, other than a West Coast address and the “DO NOT BEND” scrawled across the back, there weren’t that many identifying features about it at all. So of course, curiosity piqued, I opened it up.

Inside was this:

 

 

Yep: A copy of Marvel’s first Anita Blake hardcover. A pretty weird thing for me to get in the mail, especially considering that I already own one, thanks to the fact that it had a new story in need of annotation and a pullquote from me on the dust jacket.

So I flipped through it, and that’s when a post-it note stuck to the title page caught my eye:

 

 

Now, I’ve done a lot of freaking out in my time. It’s pretty much what the entire website here is based on, and between Haney, Kanigher and Mantlo, I think I’ve built up a pretty good tolerance for the unexpected twist.

But this?

 

 

Well played, Post-It. Well-played.

45 thoughts on “An Unexpected Present”

  2. West Coast? Her website says that her P.O. Box is in Webster Groves, Missouri! That package really went out of its way to get to you, sir!

  3. Gotta admit… her stories may stink like Rockaway Beach at low tide but this gesture just moved Laurell K. Hamilton to Todd’s “Classy” column.

  4. Wow…Anita Blake loves you to no end…

    …she’ll go halfway ’round the country to find you.

    So, are you freaking out?

  8. this gesture just moved Laurell K. Hamilton to Todd’s “Classy” column.

    More like some ISB reader went to a signing. But we already knew ISB readers were a classy bunch, no?

  10. Write mean things about bad comic books, receive gifts. I see this racket you’ve got going, Simms.

  11. Be careful, mate! Setting a dangerous precedent, here – next thing will be signed copies of Tarot fronting up on your doorstep.

    Cheers!
    Mal

  12. Gah, I meant Laurell K. Hamilton, not Anita Blake. I guess it doesn’t help that when I don’t actually read the comic, I can’t tell the difference between the author’s name and the character’s name, does it? ^^;

  14. We’re watching the Top 50 worst films ever in my History and Film class, Black Belt Jones was listed around number 40, I believe. However, it WAS described as the ‘best worst movie on the list’.

    A review might be in order, I believe.

  15. I can tell you we don’t know who you are. Never heard of you (sorry if that offends)until someone told me about this blog. That hardback was sent in by someone to get signed and then returned to the sender, which is why the address is the West Coast and not St. Louis. The Post-it-note is their addition, not Laurell’s or mine. I don’t recognize the hand writing. You should look to your friends who are playing a prank on you. Though all in all, it is a good one.

    Darla Cook
    Assistant to Laurell K Hamilton

  18. Oh, I knew it wasn’t from Laurell K. Hamilton herself, which I figured from the fact that it came from the West Coast. I just liked the idea of the mysterious envelope with no return address.

    Of course, I shall treasure it always.

  20. But Mick, Darlas’ sending a nice polite note, is proof that she and her employer by inference, are actually,

    “High Class”

  21. Black Belt Jones is the martial arts film you’ve always wanted to see, even if you didn’t know it. And the soundtrack is almost perfect. I watched a VHS copy of it until it wore out. Not before or since has a team of martial artists/catburglars attempted to use a trampoline and shaving cream AT THE SAME TIME. Chris, I’ll review it if you don’t!

  23. I like how Ms. Cook opens with “we don’t know who you are and we’ve never heard of you,” rather than “I’m sorry there’s been a misunderstanding.” Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

  24. Maybe it’s not Ms. Cook or Laurell K. Hamilton herself, but somebody knows who Sims is, since there’s a pull quote on that book from him.

    Of course, we’re all assuming that “Darla Cook” isn’t a sock puppet for “Dave Campbell”. (Note the initials.)

  25. I just hope these free gifts won’t taint your objectivity when your ruthless pursuit of the truth leads you to annotate future Anita Blake comics.

  26. “I can’t imagine the shame you must feel having been lectured by Laurenn J. Framingham’s assistant.”
    Yeah, why would she do that? It’s not like Sims has repeatedly trashed the author’s work or any… oh, ok, yeah.

    Still, at least we known from the annotations that the work thoroughly deserved it.

  27. It’s weird she would have “never heard of” someone who was quoted for a book blurb. Isn’t she the publicist?

  29. Now if you were sent a Jack Kirby book made out to you, you would freak out like never before! Perhaps enough to destabalise your molecules, the ensuing vibrations leveling your neighborhood!
    (Is anyone a good forger here? Science is calling)

  33. I’m actually surprised more comics bloggers don’t get stuff like this all the time. I run a music blog, and it’s not at all unusual for me to get multiple free CDs and DVDs several times a week. Seems the indie publishers at least would be well served to get promo copies out to bloggers who’d talk them up. Seems like most comics bloggers fork out their $3 on Wednesdays like the rest of us, unless they work at an LCS.

  35. Ms. Cook, if you are still reading this:

    …Could you please direct Ms. Hamilton’s attention to the Annotated Anita Blake series, and ask her to post her response to it, either via comments or in an email to Chris?

    Pretty please? I understand that it may not be the standard practice of authors to respond to online satire, but, inquiring minds need to know. ^_^

  36. Well, at least now you can get rid of your other hardback of this. I suggest EBay with the note, “Signed by the blurber!”

  37. UncleTigger,

    Oh, of course. I never intended to imply that they weren’t people of considerable class, style, elegance and awfully good manners.

    But they’re not hardcore on it. That’s only apt to say when one refers to Mr Blake Thai Tuxedow.

  38. Well, we should remember that the comic is an adaptation of the stuff she actually wrote… She’s not a comic author, she’s horror/detective/vampire/romance novelist, and let’s face it… This isn’t the HDVRSB.

  39. How can Black belt Jones be on anybody’s worst movie list ? I consider that blasphemy of the highest order.

  41. Interesting that they never heard of you, Chris, yet somehow found your blog to respond. Of course, it could be a very clever fan who is quite aware of the “no criticism” stance LKH’s blog takes.

    http://laurellkhamilton-forum.meadors.net/showthread.php?t=12784

    I’m just surprised Laurell’s husband, Jon, hasn’t come over and given us one of his bon mots, such as, “I’m not sure if this is going to be helpful or not, but I’m the kind of person to throw gasoline on a fire. sometimes it puts the fire out, sometimes it just makes it worse.”

  42. BLACK BELT JONES IS ON DVD?

    THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER? AT LAST ON DVD?

    I AM NOW FREAKING THE HELL OUT!

    Sweet Scatman Crothers, it took a long time for it to happen. The angels of cinema wept tears of greatness upon its hallowed production.

    Remember…”every three seconds!”

    SWEET.

  44. ‘I’m just surprised Laurell’s husband, Jon, hasn’t come over and given us one of his bon mots, such as, “I’m not sure if this is going to be helpful or not, but I’m the kind of person to throw gasoline on a fire. sometimes it puts the fire out, sometimes it just makes it worse.”’

    I question that man’s grasp of physics.