Okay, I write this not from the position of a longtime fan who sees a childhood love being warped and manipulated (although that is certainly true), but who in their right mind thinks that the appearance of Archie, Betty & Veronica is what makes the stories dated? Do the girls really have to be anorexic to be hip or maybe - just maybe - the storylines could be updated a little bit before you make them all unrecognizable.
I hate this and yes, I will be voting my displeasure with my wallet. Bad decision folks - very bad decision. (And for those of you who are wondering, yes Betty looks like the secret love child of Britney Spears and one of the Olsen twins.)
All I've to say over the Judith Regan mess is that even without her, Harper Collins seems to be leaning towards the title of "sleaze publisher" of the year award. Do we really need Jackie rape novels or Mickey Mantle boinking Marilyn Monroe? Doesn't anyone write anything that isn't icky anymore?
Bennett Madison points us all to How Sassy Changed My life (link via Gwenda originally). I must admit I was too old for Sassy (technically anyway) and grew up on Seventeen, which was very East Coast prep school but still bridged the gap until I dove head first into a dozen other magazines that ranged from Vogue to National Geographic (I'm quirky, what can I say?) I'm very interested in just what in the heck happened to Sassy though - why it disappeared when absolutely nothing has taken its place. Look for this one in April. (And like everyone else, I'm wondering about those ARCs!)
There is an enormous amount of insanity going on over at TEV that involves books, boobs and if being pretty counts. I am delighted to say that I have read the posts but refrained from posting. I also stand by Scarlett Thomas as a wickedly cool writer who may not be genius, but is certainly getting ever closer to the mark. And I don't think she preaches, she just has her characters think big thoughts. When did that become a bad thing in literature?
And this, apparently, is because nothing is cool unless someone gets hurt. I image that Betty and Veronica will soon be appearing as models in a runway show in Riverdale. Hopefully they won't be drawn on six-inch heels but one never knows.
December 19
2006
03:40 AM
Sassy really did change my life, out there in the sticks. I don't think I'd have been aware of riot grrrl or any of the things I got into (the music, making zines, etc.), if I hadn't discovered it at that gas station in the middle of nowhere.
It disappeared because Teen bought it and promptly ruined it. Here's the story. It directly inspired the creators of Bust (and I'm sure some other magazines for people who grew up reading Sassy -- but, you're right, no paper mags I can think of; wonder if the internet has kind of filled that gap?).
What's amazing to me is that the fashion editorial spreads still look so current -- although back then people were always complaining how ugly the models were!