It used to be an annual tradition, my column of thanksgiving. My pseudo-vacation over the holiday here in the States has given me some time to reflect, so I wanted to bring the tradition back and go over my list for 2001.

Now, obviously, in light of recent events--I think we all have reprioritized what we give thanks for. I'm thankful first of all that my immediate family, friends, and the staff of this site are all still with us. I'm thankful that the members of my family who travelled over this past weekend did so without molestation from either terrorists or stupid airport security personnel looking for plastic toothpicks or the like. I'm also thankful that, apart from some discomfort and a predilection of the media to be overzealous morons, the post-9/11 world is so far (knock on formica) still a place where it's good to be. I'm thankful that the people responsible for the travesty of 9/11 are being killed and taken prisoner in large numbers, and I wholly advocate the continuation of such measures.

Okay, so on to other matters.

I'm thankful that the aforementioned Chicken Littles that comprise the newsmedia entertainers of the United States are being called on their hyperbole by the American people.

I'm thankful that the Batman, Superman and Batman/Superman movies went absolutely nowhere over the course of the last twelve months, exactly like I knew they would.

I'm thankful that J.K. Rowling is pissing off religious whackos and is making buckets of money at the same time. She's a credit to single mothers and an example to those who are on the dole/on welfare. And she's, like Cat has said, in a steel cage match with illiteracy. God bless her.

I'm thankful that comic books are such a cool medium that not even the moronic tendencies of the Big Two will be able to completely kill them.

I'm thankful that the Paradigm is pretty universally recognized to be Shifting. As The Bob once said, "The times they are a'changin'."

I'm thankful I'm not the guy who has to stand at the throne of God on the day of my judgement and explain why I named a movie "Attack of the Clones."

I'm thankful that Stephen King is getting around to working on Dark Tower 5. Because I was started to bleed from my eyelids again.

I'm thankful that there is already a smattering of fan fiction for The Authority on the Internet. Once AOL Time Warner crumbles, somebody will pick it up at auction and start publishing the sucker online and making Ellis and Millar proud. DC, you people are rotting bastards.

I'm thankful for the Internet. Now we all own a printing press and we're all monkeys with typewriters. We haven't created a new Shakespeare yet, but just give it time. We're going to be a civilized species and go beyond opposable thumbs yet.

I'm thankful there are still independent filmmakers. Their time is coming. Mark my words.

And I'm very thankful that no matter what a complete schmuck I am on this site, for some reason more and more people show up and want to know what I have to say, and more and more people want to start saying things with me.

I think that covers the high points.

Be good.

=Widge