Here are their exact words:

I'm sorry to inform you that your strip was rejected because a lot of people are very upset by what happened in the EU papers, especially since there's a lot of violence surrounding it and we can't print it. We all liked it though...

So, that's the ball game. Over at suncomics.com I'll keep posting the Mohammed strips as I draw them. And I'll be using this space to sound off more about the issue in general. For example, WHY are images of Mohammed forbidden in the first place? And is just ANY image, even POSITIVE ones (or at least scrupulously historically accurate ones), "offensive" enough to justify all the outrage? And if even positive images of Mohammed are enough to spark outrage, will mainstream Islam at least disavow VIOLENT outrage?

We'll see.....

I went and saw the first Chronicles of Narnia movie last week, and I think the only truly disappointing thing to me was Jim Broadbent's Professor Kirke. I mean, he's only in this movie for a few minutes, and he won't appear again until... The sixth film! And maybe not even then, since he's mostly a child in that story! Broadbent might not get another crack at the character until the SEVENTH flick!!!! Judas Priest!!!

And what sucks about this go-round? Basically, they take a fairly mysterious character who plays his hand very close to the vest, and turn him into a Chatty Cathy doll.

In the book, when the older children tell Kirke about the fantastic story their sister has made up about a magical land called Narnia, the professor sits back, reacting not at all, and only after hearing the entire tale postulates: "How do you know she's not telling the truth?"

In the movie, as soon as Kirke hears the name "Narnia," he resondes with (and I'm quoting here): "NARNIA???? DID SHE PET ASLAN'S GOLDEN MANE????"

The child actors playing Peter and Susan were completely devoid of any personality whatsoever. So at least they got SOMEthing right.

Out of everything I've read of Disch (and I read all of his stuff I can) this was the one element I found unconvincing. America? Even in the face of a horrible virus, resorting to rounding up innocent people and locking them up en masse? No. Never gonna happen. If we hadn't had the example of the Holocaust, then maybe.... But we DID have that example. Never Again.

Not that the Superdome represents intentional genocide. But the occupants of the stadium WERE forced back inside at the barrel of a gun. Back into a de facto prison, then, run entirely by the inmates...

Actually, I got no clue what's going on. So, I'll try posting just the Dormitory Glories after the fiftieth one. For 1-50, you can check out www.suncomics.com.

Despite having just visited, I have only one comment to make on the city of New Orleans. One extremely tiny tid-bit of second-hand hearsay from many decades ago, which I hope won't be taken as some kind of vicious attack. It isn't meant to be. It's just a story I think is true.

My grandfather had a story from a construction project he was operating in New Orleans. The first day, he was approached by cops who wanted to talk about the trucks he had parked along the street. At first he thought they were saying there was some law against their being parked there... But that wasn't it. The police wanted cash, and if they didn't get it, the windows were going to be broken in by morning.

I gather this happened in the late 60's or early 70's. That was the last business my grandfather had any interest in doing in Louisiana.

I don't mean to blame the cops for what's happening in that city now. But there is a longstanding tradition there of having law that is not worthy of respect. The looting isn't surprising, at all.

And then there's the treatment of the refugees: Searching them for weapons? Okay, if they're gonna be in a stadium, sure. But confiscating booze? People not let out of the Superdome for a smoke break? Or for that matter, to get some fresh(er) air? What's up with THAT?

Mind you, these are extremely minor problems compared to the problems I think we're about to start seeing.....

Here's how!!!

STEP ONE! Insert "Logan's Run" into your DVD player!

STEP TWO! Push "Play!"

STEP THREE! Smash a hammer directly into your face! REPEATEDLY! Hint: ...But not unto Death!

STEP FOUR! (and this step is crucial!!!) Spitting out teeth all the while, mumble to yourself every extremely recent commercial jingle and product name you can think of! Giggle inanely at the idea of today's trendiest and flimsiest magazines and game systems still being in the forefront of daily life twenty years hence.

STEP FIVE! At some point, arrange with a friend to change discs to "Bad Boys II" on the sly.

STEP SIX! As you begin to realize the movie has changed to a series of aggressively pointless and viciously stupid car chases, you'll want to start in with the hammer again. You'll wonder is the movie is really bad enough to kill yourself, or if maybe, once it's over, you'll wish you stayed alive to finish it. I promise: You'll wish you'd used that hammer when you had the chance. Do it. Do it. Do it.