The late Bruce Pelz advised me, “Never make a fan artist mad at you.” Why? Because that’s the way to get yourself unflatteringly caricatured in front of a big audience. Presidents never recover from that kind of thing — what can a mere fanwriter hope to do? Or even an icon of American literature?

Skipping over the first 66 pages of Fans!, an online graphic story, we arrive in time to see “Arlen”, the spitting image of Harlan Ellison, embroiled in a ridiculous free-for-all.

Funny coincidence, that. When Bruce was giving me his advice, the example he used was Tim Kirk’s comic “Harlan Elephant.” It seems Harlan’s capacity to attract lightning-in-a-pen is every bit as great as ever.