Freaks (1932)

Thanks to Darren for reminding me this was on Google Video

Brandon Lee Portrait for Sale!

I'm selling my original Brandon Lee portrait on ebay! It's 16x20, acrylic and it could be yours!

On Moral Rights

I was recently discussing the issues of Moral Rights with a friend and it seems to be a subject a lot of people are in the dark about, so I will elaborate for any who may be curious about this issue.

I first came to my understanding of moral rights while investigating the market in which I work, comic books. Sometimes a company, such as a major comic book publisher or a certain internet apparel company, will hide a statement within a sea of legal jargon declaring that the artist will surrender their "moral" rights to their artwork. Being as so many people are in the dark about it, they agree without any forethought. This is the stupidest thing anybody can do.

What are moral rights? I will provide you with an excerpt from the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing and Ethical Guidelines which may have a long ass title but carries a very concise explanation of what moral rights are:

"Moral Rights are derived from the French doctrine droit moral, which recognizes certain inherent personal rights of creators in their works, even after the works have been sold or the copyright transferred. These rights stand above and distinct from copyright.

The doctrine traditionally grants to artists and writers four specific rights:

• The right to protect the integrity of their work to prevent any modification, distortion, or mutilation that would be prejudicial to their honor or reputation.
• The right of attribution (or paternity) to insist that their authorship be acknowledged properly and to prevent use of their names on works they did not create.
• The right of disclosure to decide if, when, and how a work is presented to the public.

• The right of recall to withdraw, destroy, or disavow a work if it is changed or no longer represents their views."

So basically, you have the right to make sure that both the content and context of your work remains the way you intended it and that you get credit for your work. In the case of surrendering your moral rights, say in a comic or other written work, the vendor could take your work, make a porno film out of it, put YOUR name on it, and there would be absolutely nothing you could do about it because you gave up your moral rights to your work. Congratulations, your name and reputation have been dragged through the mud for a lousy paycheck, was it worth it?

Certainly, some companies may be asking you to do this so they can make appropriate alterations to your product before marketing it, but you really have to analyze the context of the situation and decide if the money you're receiving is really worth the risk.

As a general rule, don't give up your moral rights, it's just stupid.

~D

I'm back!

Action Adventure Comics :D

Score my t-shirt design!

Everyone needs to score this shirt! It's pending approval, but once it's in the running, score it!

Shit for Sale

I'm parting with a few beloved items on ebay. Here are the links:

Xbox 360 Limited Edition RE5 Elite 120GB

McFarlane Toys Harvesters of Sorrow Box Set (Metallica)

I need money, so buy them. There are some extra goodies included with the Elite and the Metallica set is still in the box. Full descriptions are available at the linked auctions.

Back on the Soap Box

Disclaimer: What you are about to read is another tirade about people's lack of understanding of what Satanism is.

I am a member of the Church of Satan, but I am not an Active Member and therefore am not authorized to represent the Church of Satan publicly. What you are reading is merely my opinion, despite any relevance it may have.



I have returned from the shadows of my college crazy life to rant some more. This knol written by Magistra Ygraine of the Church of Satan has once again clarified, for the one-billionth time, that there is only ONE Satanism. Despite the 40+ years that the Church of Satan has been working to make this abundantly clear to the public eye, nobody seems to understand this.

I am baffled as to why it is so hard to understand when a little bit of research would clarify that there has never been a single organization or collective of individuals prior to the Church of Satan itself to claim that name. Why is that? Because the only time Satan was ever connected to these collectives was when the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian organizations used it to slander their behaviors. Most were Wiccans or Pagans, with a side of actual devil-worship cults. Yet despite all this information being a few mouse clicks away, people will always say that we are not the first, the only, Church of Satan. They will say we are fakes, charlatans, and carny scum while in the same breath claiming to be scholastic minds; despite not having done their research.

In the meantime those who have left our organization have branched off into so many alternative versions of Satanism, most theistic, and claim that they are what Anton LaVey truly intended Satanism to be. Well, I've got news for all of you: what Anton LaVey codified and defined as Satanism lies in a 200+ page book that can be bought in most bookstores for less than $8 known as The Satanic Bible. This is not including the numerous other texts written by the Church of Satan hierarchy that entail what Satanic dogma is. 200 pages is an easy read, most can do it in a few days despite their busy schedules. Hell, college study requires far more than 200 pages of daily reading.

Most of you will want to retort that without a god, there can be no religion. Wrong! This system is perfectly structured with dogma, ritual and a fellowship. Satan is represented perfectly within our practices without having to fall to our knees and pray to an invisible man. We are our own gods and we shape our own destinies, just as Satan did in all the Christian lore. We are certain of who we are and with that comes great joy; and it is my belief that when people see others who are actually happy and confident with the directions their lives are taking, they have the urge to shit on the floor before throwing themselves out the window. Well I am sick and tired of cleaning up other people's shit. So please have the courtesy to just throw yourself out the window and save us the mess.

We are the makers of music and we are the dreamers of dreams.

I feel like I'm beating a dead horse, so I can only imagine how the Church of Satan must feel after having to address this matter countless times throughout the course of four decades and countless more to come. For those members of the hierarchy who have to address this issue daily, I commend your strength and fire. May the Black Flame burn ever-brightly within you!


Hail Satan!

~D

Citizen of the Infernal Empire