First things first. There is no such thing as the Curse of the Billy Goat. There is the collective mental composition of the Billy Goat curse, but an actual curse itself -- some sort of supernatural force wielding its power in malicious ways -- such a thing does not exist.
Still, sometimes perception becomes reality. To that end, there are yearly efforts to "end the curse," from skinning goats to blessing dugouts to whatever else people think of when they're not acting rationally. It's all pretty silly. Except maybe this: A new DC comics comic book will deal directly with the issue of the Curse of the Billy Goat, and maybe even take down the beast in the meantime. From the Chicago Tribune:
In issue No. 250 of DC Comics' "Hellblazer," sorcerer-for-hire John Constantine takes on the Cubs curse—and fights a hulking, red goat demon in the Billy Goat Tavern below Michigan Avenue. "The 800-pound gorilla in the room was the curse," said Azzarello, referring to the alleged curse placed on the Chicago Cubs by tavern owner William Sianis after he and his pet goat were denied admission to a 1945 World Series game at Wrigley Field.
"We get all sorts of ideas on how to break the curse, and this was one of the more interesting," said Bill Sianis, manager and son of current owner Sam Sianis. "It had never been done in comics."
Indeed, this is the first we've heard of such a thing, but for even casual comic book nerds out there, it's an interesting idea. For personal validation's sake, we'd like the so-called curse to be defeated in the most demoralizing, violent, and vicious way possible. It may not win the Cubs a world series, but it sure would be cathartic.
