Mike Wieringo 1963-2007

I have just learned comic book artist Mike Wieringo, known to folks in comics as 'Ringo', died on August 12. He was 44, a vegetarian, and died of a heart attack.

He drew several of the familiar MARVEL favorites such as Spiderman, Fantastic Four and Rogue, as well as DC's Justice League and The Flash. From Newsarama:

Wieringo was born June 24th, 1963 in Venice, Italy, and first caught the attention of comic book fans when he joined writer Mark Waid on DC's The Flash with issue #80 in 1993. Together, the two co-created the character Impulse, the future speedster brought back to the present. Wieringo (or, 'Ringo as he was better known by then) moved on to Robin at DC, and then moved to Marvel, where he settled in on Sensational Spider-Man with writer Todd DeZago.

The pairing with DeZago was something of fate, as the two co-created and launched their creator-owned property Tellos, which saw several projects and miniseries published over the years. Ringo moved back to DC for a run on Adventures of Superman, and then, in 2002, reunited with Waid for a run on Fantastic Four that was perhaps best known for fan outcry when Marvel announced that they were going to replace the team. Marvel quickly reversed their decision, and the two completed their run on the series.

Ringo then moved to Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man with writer Peter David, and most recently, completed a Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four miniseries written by Jeff Parker. His next project had not been announced, although, as readers of his blog knew, he was very excited at the prospect of doing more Tellos work, with an eye on being able to debut something at next month's Baltimore Comic-Con.

This was Mike's webpage and Wikipedia entry.

Rest in Peace, Ringo.

On Senator Graham

From the blog Down with Tyranny, we have this example of homophobia, written back in February:

Lindsey Graham (R-SC), an unmarried/never married 52 year old with a funny, forced way of walking, has been far more fastidious with his homosexuality. Again, "everyone" knows-- except the voters in conservative South Carolina. Not that it doesn't come up from time to time; people talk. In fact, the head of the Democratic Party in South Carolina said something when the effeminate Lindsey decided to run for Thurmond's senate seat. "He's a little too light in the loafers" to succeed Strom Thurmond. Graham got into a really queenie tizzy fit and loudly threatened to sue-- although he didn't. (They never do.)

We ain't stupid in these parts, okay? Fact is, the right wing has been (mostly) happy with Graham until recently, and they decided to put up with the rumors. And the left doesn't usually pick on politicians, even Republicans, for that reason. South Carolina Democrats do not want to gay-bait Graham, although several have in the past.

I know it's an old question, but unfortunately still very pertinent: Is it homophobic to out a closeted politician, if he is himself supporting a homophobic Republican party? Lindsey Graham has voted against gay adoption, and has predictably and faithfully supported the family-values crowd throughout his time in office.

The more powerful Graham gets, the more pertinent the question. Graham was recently censured by the SC Republican Party , for his stance on immigration. So, even under attack from the far right, it's notable that he has barely missed a beat. He doesn't seem at all worried.

If Senator Graham can trumpet his military service in the Gulf War to put forth the proposition that his experience as a veteran makes him particularly knowledgeable about foreign policy, it seems reasonable to ask why a big family-values fella like himself still isn't married. (How knowledgeable can he be about family values, if he has no family?) He used to make a lot of cutesy jokes about taking over Strom Thurmond's Senate seat, since Strom didn't get married until he was 45. The difference, of course, is that Strom was a known womanizer, and Graham is now 52. (It's pitiful he thinks he will get points comparing himself to Strom in that way.)

Then again, read Down with Tyranny, above. It's unpleasant.

Your thoughts?

The Four of Cups

A beautiful chalice is held out to the uninterested (petulant? sad?) youth. Ho hum. He isn't impressed. Yawn!

Got boredom?

Are you apathetic?

What is boring you in your life? What is thoroughly monotonous now, that was once wonderful? Or was it always monotonous?

Are you ignoring a golden chalice? What's in it?

As for me, my apartment is boring me. It's a disaster and a mess. (Particularly the nearly-threadbare rug, every square foot of which has been puked on by cats at least once!) Beyond that, I have lived here forever (too embarrassed to tell you just HOW long) and I'm ready to move... and yet... well, I am too bored and apathetic to look for anywhere else to live! Complacency thus leads to further boredom. This self-perpetuating cycle of apathy is what the card refers to.

Obviously, this is why I drew the card.

How about yourself? Any fours of cups in your reading?

The Catawba fight for economic survival

Tribal Affairs

South Carolina’s Resilient Native People, the Catawba, Fight for Economic Survival (excerpt)

BY GARY HYNDMAN, Upstatebeat.com

The irony isn’t lost on Donald Rodgers. Dressed this day in a polo shirt, slacks and running shoes, the professional credit counselor is just weeks into his new mandate - and no doubt the greatest vocational challenge of his life: to lead his people out of a wilderness of near financial ruin, lawsuits, mismanagement and internecine conflict.

Last month Rodgers was elected chief of the Catawba Nation of South Carolina, the state’s only federally recognized Native American tribe. He succeeded the embattled Gilbert Blue, who resigned under pressure last March after a 34-year tenure that began during the Nixon administration.

Rodgers understands the job won’t be easy, citing “backbone” as an essential asset for a tribal chief.

“I knew this was going to be a tough ride,” he says.

Several years ago the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs suspended the Catawba’s approximate $1.5 million annual federal grant, pending a long overdue audit of its financial records. And earlier this year, its Rock Hill bingo operation, the tribe’s other major source of income, was shut down.

The financial bind is so dire, there’s no money to pay Rodgers’ salary. He supplements a small tribal stipend by continuing to work part-time at Charlotte’s Alliance Credit while his wife has taken a job as a dental assistant to help support the family’s three children.

There does appear to be some light at the end of this dark fiscal tunnel, however. BIA has agreed to reinstate the Catawba’s grant - probably by this fall - and a consultant is working with the tribe to update its bookkeeping practices.

Meanwhile, the new chief is concentrating on healing deep-seated internal strife. Division between supporters and critics of Blue’s administration that Rodgers compares to the legendary Hatfields and McCoys dispute became so hostile that deputies from the York County Sheriff’s Office were assigned to maintain order at Catawba tribal meetings.

And there are even thornier issues awaiting the new leadership, including the need to provide for the long-term economic survival of the Catawba. This could depend on the settlement of a lawsuit against the state of South Carolina currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. On an even more basic level is the tribe’s struggle to preserve its self-determination in a dominant culture often indifferent to its right to exist.

Read the whole thing

Feast of Elvis Presley

Alphabitch just reminded me that it's Elvis week! I was gonna post on him tomorrow, since I always (mistakenly) think his date of death was the same day my dearly-departed friend/mentor Steve Conliff hit the Governor of Ohio with a banana cream pie (Aug 17), but in fact, Elvis died the day before. However, Steve was always proud that he made the cover of the NEW YORK TIMES the same day as Elvis!


Since I am feeling like a bad Catholic today, I thought I'd try to keep with the general theme. Photo above: Elvis and Mary Tyler Moore in CHANGE OF HABIT! Tagline that should have been: I'll bet you never knew Vatican II could be like this!

In fact, Elvis did drive one beautiful, broken-hearted actress into the convent, where she stayed. If you can't have Elvis, the only logical man is Jesus. Makes sense to me.

AND WOW--she is actually MOTHER DELORES now! The other nuns are probably in awe. Why not? I am!