My pals Ash Aiwase and David Brothers and I were trading emails about this latest week-long dain bramage that got people on comic book message boards all riled up. So I had occasion to post this to them, and since I like to repurpose content just as much as the next guy (and here in San Francisco, the next guy is apt to be repurposing quite a lot, electronically), behold this public glimpse into a private thought:

"I don't know why creators pay attention to reviews at all. Critics aren't writing for the artistes, they're writing for the audience. As a publisher, I have to read them, so as a creator I long ago came to an understanding of the role of perceived 'bad' reviews in the conversation between creator and audience (which I assume is what Scott is talking about). As a creator, you just do your thing, and hope it connects with the people who like that sort of thing and don't worry about the folks who don't like that sort of thing. Getting mad at a reviewer who doesn't respond to your work is like getting mad at someone for not liking anchovies on their pizza.

"Besides, if you believe every review that says you're a genius, you have to believe every review that says you're a schmuck. Best to let the work just be the work and have people figure it out on their own. I once famously told Greg Burgas that I don't care if you like my stuff or not; I just care that you read it and give it your attentions. Anyone who's in comics to be loved is in comics for the wrong reason.

"This is why my long-discussed fake autobiography is going to be called THANKS FOR YOUR THIRTEEN DOLLARS because that's all I really have to say about that. Sorry you didn't like this one; thanks for your thirteen dollars. Maybe the next one will be more to your liking. You miss the bus, another will be along in the next PREVIEWS. It's not like we've been publishing ten years of one sort of book. Little something for everyone here, while we're Making Comics Better."

So, really? Next you'll be telling me a non-Neal Adams, non-Dave Sim, non-Warren Ellis, non-me, non-Matt Fraction creator will be this month's poster child for creator-owned work advocacy.

Ooops.