Just noticed this... In the instructions given by Program Director Tony Isabella to prospective panelists and speakers at the Mid-Ohio-Con (a comic book convention), as reproduced in Isabella's column in Comics Buyer's Guide #1640 (Apr. 2008), he urges the guests to provide him with some information about themselves in advance of the convention. Then, he goes on to say:



In another media mention, tonight's Simpsons episode had villain Sideshow Bob rushing to check a fact on Wikipedia to settle an argument with Lisa about the wording of a Shakespearean quote.

Sideshow Bob's trial reminded me of the Mantanmoreland ArbCom.

Bob: "He continues to harass and harangue me! That's what drove me over the edge!"
Bart: "He tried to kill me and he's lying!"
Bob: "See!?! See how he still torments me!"
Jury and judge look at Bart disapprovingly and look at Bob sympathetically

I almost fell off my chair when he mentioned Byrne. Sadly, it's John, not Patrick.

That other Byrne has had a squabble with Wikipedia, too.

This is actually a serious problem for convention organizers who bring in marginal celebrities (such as comic-book artists) as panelists. In many cases the invitees don't think of themselves as famous (i.e., "notable") enough to even warrant writing biographical information on themselves, much less worry about BLP articles on Wikipedia - which in turn are quite prone to vandalism and axe-grinding, as comic-book fans aren't generally known for their devotion to academic or journalistic rigor.

Given that comic books, and particularly web-comics, have been under attack on WP for some time now, you can sort of see how one of these artists might be wary of submitting such information to a convention organizer - for fear that it will end up in Wikipedia as a "reliable source." Far better to keep the sources "unreliable" (i.e., self-published) in case it eventually becomes necessary to make an enemy of oneself in defense of the work, irrespective of what happens with any BLP article that might be created.

I heard somebody once introduce no less a person than the Secretary of the British Cabinet, Sir Gus O'Donnell, by quoting bits of his Wikipedia entry. GOD (as he is known) said that of the six "facts" quoted, three were right and three were wrong, but he didn't amplify.