Byrne victims: Graeme McMillan draws my attention to new rabid rants by John Byrne, this time on his message board.

Byrne leaps swinging into a discussion over the mature nature of the cover to "Caper" #1, and whether something like this should be under the DC Universe bullet.

When a poster argues that the graphic image should tip off most parents that this isn't children's fare, the ever-eloquent Byrne chimes in with, "Bullshit."

In fact, he responds with "bullshit" on at least three separate occasions.

Byrne continues to court fans by telling that poster to "Pull your head out of your ass for a moment," and "Please -- go away somewhere and grow a BRAIN, or at least some organ that allows you to perceive the world outside your basement window. THEN, and ONLY then come back with an opinion that will be worth the bandwidth."

Then there's one of my favorites: "So you're an even BIGGER idiot than I thought you were?"

The saddest thing is, these fans stick around and take the abuse. Some of them seem to bask in the glory that is Byrne's unfocused contempt.

Maybe that's it: Byrne's message board is really a virtual group home for self-loathers and masochists. It's a den of S&M indulgence.

Now it all makes sense. Byrne assumes the role of dominator, dishing out abuse to all those unworthy of his presence, but who cannot function without feeling the lashes of his virtual whip.

And John wonders why all these bad stories circulate about him ...

(Thanks, Graeme, for giving me something to muse about on an otherwise dull morning.)