I Didn't Write That!
31 July 2012
Mitt Romney's Only Political Principle... (Updated)
...is to be president. He has no other convictions than that, which is why he's ready to reverse any position, any time, if it will get more of the Republican base behind him, as we saw most clearly in the primaries when he said he would readily sign a bill outlawing all abortion across the country. No matter what the reason--even in cases of rape and incest.
Maddow called his a "vague" stance. That's far too charitable. No, it's quite clear. He will hand the base whatever they want, if they make him president. Romney has no convictions, just tactics(which are barely thought out anyway). This is why on his trip to Israel he did something truly frightening: after insulting the Palestinians as an "inferior" culture(and saying the same of Ecuador and Mexico) he told them that he would greenlight an Israeli attack on Iran, something that could actually start a world war. Whatever you think of Obama, and I've been clear I'm not entirely cool with him for either his habit of giving in to the GOP or his drone strikes, those of you who see no difference: there's a big one right there.
He's exhibiting the ignorance of a man who just doesn't care and will say anything, and knows nothing about the region he could set afire with comments like this.
What is worse: actually believing this, or being willing to do it because you have absolutely no scruples?
To answer that, let me bring out something I know as a former Southerner. Let me tell you a little story about Gov. George Wallace. A far worse example but relevant.
Wallace was not actually a racist himself, at least by 'Bama standards. In fact, when he was a judge, he forced white lawyers to refer to black attorneys and defendants as "sir" and "mister"(sometimes they'd call them by their first names or "boy" out of disrespect). And in his first race for governor, he ran a positive campaign, and got his ass handed to him because his opponent used racist paranoia to get his voters to the polls.
He famously then said, "I will not be 'out-ni**ered again" and, though he never overtly stated racism in his speeches--couching it in "state's rights" code, but Alabamans knew damn well what was meant--he used it, and used a speechwriter who was from the KKK(later outed as the author of "the Education of Little Tree"), and lo and behold, he won. But he did not believe in it himself, he just wanted to be governor.
Which is worse than if it was his conviction. At least then you'd expect that. But he cynically used hatred for his own benefit--and increased it, giving not-so-tacit permission to whites in Alabama and the rest of the South to run wild with it. And caused a lot of pain and horror that was already there, but he affirmed it and made it worse, making it seem an issue of Southern identity itself.
He repented for this in his old age and was forgiven(and, if I recall, became governor again, with black support). So he realized what he had done, at the end. But it doesn't excuse what he did at all. The damage was done and took decades to fix.
The harm his ambition caused destroyed lives, and his example emboldened racists and right-wingers all across the country.
For something he himself didn't even really believe.
So that's an example of the danger of hypocrites.
This is why Romney is dangerous. He has no core, no principles. It's not even clear why he wants to be president, except just to be president. Like a certain Dubya we endured 8 years of, whose damage we're still picking out of our skin. A little prince who wanted to be president for the title, and left the true power to the very committed and much smarter, and vile, Dick Cheney. Otherwise he didn't care about actually doing the work of being president, and was the enabler for very dark interests indeed.
And see the results.
There is a difference. And Romney as president would be one final wound to America we could not endure, even given the massive imperfection of Obama.
All things to consider when you vote.
Then again, if Romney's underlings keep telling the press to "kiss my ass...show some respect; shove it"(lovely Mormon talk) it may not matter. I do hope they keep alienating the press. Because Fox alone won't save him. (thanks to longtime Bottomless Studio contributor and comedic genius Sam Henderson for alerting me to this)
___________________
...is to be president. He has no other convictions than that, which is why he's ready to reverse any position, any time, if it will get more of the Republican base behind him, as we saw most clearly in the primaries when he said he would readily sign a bill outlawing all abortion across the country. No matter what the reason--even in cases of rape and incest.
Maddow called his a "vague" stance. That's far too charitable. No, it's quite clear. He will hand the base whatever they want, if they make him president. Romney has no convictions, just tactics(which are barely thought out anyway). This is why on his trip to Israel he did something truly frightening: after insulting the Palestinians as an "inferior" culture(and saying the same of Ecuador and Mexico) he told them that he would greenlight an Israeli attack on Iran, something that could actually start a world war. Whatever you think of Obama, and I've been clear I'm not entirely cool with him for either his habit of giving in to the GOP or his drone strikes, those of you who see no difference: there's a big one right there.
He's exhibiting the ignorance of a man who just doesn't care and will say anything, and knows nothing about the region he could set afire with comments like this.
What is worse: actually believing this, or being willing to do it because you have absolutely no scruples?
To answer that, let me bring out something I know as a former Southerner. Let me tell you a little story about Gov. George Wallace. A far worse example but relevant.
Wallace was not actually a racist himself, at least by 'Bama standards. In fact, when he was a judge, he forced white lawyers to refer to black attorneys and defendants as "sir" and "mister"(sometimes they'd call them by their first names or "boy" out of disrespect). And in his first race for governor, he ran a positive campaign, and got his ass handed to him because his opponent used racist paranoia to get his voters to the polls.
He famously then said, "I will not be 'out-ni**ered again" and, though he never overtly stated racism in his speeches--couching it in "state's rights" code, but Alabamans knew damn well what was meant--he used it, and used a speechwriter who was from the KKK(later outed as the author of "the Education of Little Tree"), and lo and behold, he won. But he did not believe in it himself, he just wanted to be governor.
Which is worse than if it was his conviction. At least then you'd expect that. But he cynically used hatred for his own benefit--and increased it, giving not-so-tacit permission to whites in Alabama and the rest of the South to run wild with it. And caused a lot of pain and horror that was already there, but he affirmed it and made it worse, making it seem an issue of Southern identity itself.
He repented for this in his old age and was forgiven(and, if I recall, became governor again, with black support). So he realized what he had done, at the end. But it doesn't excuse what he did at all. The damage was done and took decades to fix.
The harm his ambition caused destroyed lives, and his example emboldened racists and right-wingers all across the country.
For something he himself didn't even really believe.
So that's an example of the danger of hypocrites.
This is why Romney is dangerous. He has no core, no principles. It's not even clear why he wants to be president, except just to be president. Like a certain Dubya we endured 8 years of, whose damage we're still picking out of our skin. A little prince who wanted to be president for the title, and left the true power to the very committed and much smarter, and vile, Dick Cheney. Otherwise he didn't care about actually doing the work of being president, and was the enabler for very dark interests indeed.
And see the results.
There is a difference. And Romney as president would be one final wound to America we could not endure, even given the massive imperfection of Obama.
All things to consider when you vote.
Then again, if Romney's underlings keep telling the press to "kiss my ass...show some respect; shove it"(lovely Mormon talk) it may not matter. I do hope they keep alienating the press. Because Fox alone won't save him. (thanks to longtime Bottomless Studio contributor and comedic genius Sam Henderson for alerting me to this)
___________________
Labels: bad ideas, bastards, election 2012, history, iran, Israel, racism, right wing, the south
¶ July 31, 2012 0 Comments
30 July 2012
Where Did the Title "This Sickness" Come From Anyway?
I get asked that often. It is an odd-sounding title, true. So where?
Why, Iggy Pop, of course. A song from AMERICAN CAESAR.
(and you can buy issues 6-7 here--the previous 5, unfortunately, out of print, but all the stuff in those is on the site here--featuring my version of Wedekind's LULU; the first two chapters, of three, of book 1 anyway)
___________________
I get asked that often. It is an odd-sounding title, true. So where?
Why, Iggy Pop, of course. A song from AMERICAN CAESAR.
(and you can buy issues 6-7 here--the previous 5, unfortunately, out of print, but all the stuff in those is on the site here--featuring my version of Wedekind's LULU; the first two chapters, of three, of book 1 anyway)
___________________
Labels: bottomless studio, my comics, my influences
¶ July 30, 2012 0 Comments
28 July 2012
Vladrushka 6: "Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart" pg. 2 (NSFW)
And the start of the new Vladrushka story continues with page 2, guest-starring Octobriana & Projunior. Now we get to the stuff that...you should not open at work. Or even look at if you're not an adult. Click here, and be sure to check back next week!
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And the start of the new Vladrushka story continues with page 2, guest-starring Octobriana & Projunior. Now we get to the stuff that...you should not open at work. Or even look at if you're not an adult. Click here, and be sure to check back next week!
___________________
Labels: communism, my comics, octobriana, satire, science fiction, smut, vladrushka
¶ July 28, 2012 0 Comments
26 July 2012
New Ebay Comics Auctions From Myself (UPDATED)
UPDATED. Items added.
There is a remote chance I may be able at last to leave this city, and toward that end I am auctioning as much as I can of the more major items from my collection(more coming, and this will be updated to reflect that so check back) to defray the expected costs. To wit, so far:
Helfer/Sienkiewicz/Baker THE SHADOW(1987-89) Complete
Len Wein/Berni Wrightson SWAMP THING v1 #4 - VF-NM 1973
Frank Miller Daredevil 169,173,191
JUDGE DREDD 1-30 COMPLETE! (Eagle Comics, 1983-86)
ARK Magazine (UK) #33 - FINAL ISSUE-1990 BRENDAN MCCARTHY WRAPAROUND COVER
COMICS JOURNAL 216-Busiek/Severin/Alex Ross cover
Grant Morrison ANIMAL MAN #9, 10, 11 + SECRET ORIGINS #39
Peter Milligan ANIMAL MAN #27-32 Complete VF-NM!
Jamie Delano/Steve Pugh ANIMAL MAN #51-79 Complete Run
My own original cover art(with Lulu on the ladder) for THIS SICKNESS #7
Pat Mills/Kevin O'Neill-NEMESIS THE WARLOCK 1-7 (1984)
KID ETERNITY: MORRISON(1-3) & NOCENTI (1-8) COMPLETE!
GEORGE PEREZ/LEN WEIN WONDER WOMAN #1 (1987)
JON J. MUTH "M" (1990, Eclipse)#1-4 COMPLETE
National Lampoon(from the early 70s classic period):
Nov 1972 (VF)-Decadence issue
Sept 1973 (VF)-POSTWAR Issue
May 1972 (VF)-MEN issue
COMICS JOURNAL 280-FRANK THORNE VF
I never ask this, but in this case: It would be a huge help if you shared these listings to Facebook, Twitter and what have you(if you use AddThis it's a snap) to help me get these sold. Or snap 'em up yourself! Also: if you read about this here or on Twitter, and you win, let me know and a free mini-sketch by me will also be yours.
Check 'em out, and thanks in advance! Happy bidding!
___________________
UPDATED. Items added.
There is a remote chance I may be able at last to leave this city, and toward that end I am auctioning as much as I can of the more major items from my collection(more coming, and this will be updated to reflect that so check back) to defray the expected costs. To wit, so far:
Helfer/Sienkiewicz/Baker THE SHADOW(1987-89) Complete
Len Wein/Berni Wrightson SWAMP THING v1 #4 - VF-NM 1973
Frank Miller Daredevil 169,173,191
JUDGE DREDD 1-30 COMPLETE! (Eagle Comics, 1983-86)
ARK Magazine (UK) #33 - FINAL ISSUE-1990 BRENDAN MCCARTHY WRAPAROUND COVER
COMICS JOURNAL 216-Busiek/Severin/Alex Ross cover
Grant Morrison ANIMAL MAN #9, 10, 11 + SECRET ORIGINS #39
Peter Milligan ANIMAL MAN #27-32 Complete VF-NM!
Jamie Delano/Steve Pugh ANIMAL MAN #51-79 Complete Run
My own original cover art(with Lulu on the ladder) for THIS SICKNESS #7
Pat Mills/Kevin O'Neill-NEMESIS THE WARLOCK 1-7 (1984)
KID ETERNITY: MORRISON(1-3) & NOCENTI (1-8) COMPLETE!
GEORGE PEREZ/LEN WEIN WONDER WOMAN #1 (1987)
JON J. MUTH "M" (1990, Eclipse)#1-4 COMPLETE
National Lampoon(from the early 70s classic period):
Nov 1972 (VF)-Decadence issue
Sept 1973 (VF)-POSTWAR Issue
May 1972 (VF)-MEN issue
COMICS JOURNAL 280-FRANK THORNE VF
I never ask this, but in this case: It would be a huge help if you shared these listings to Facebook, Twitter and what have you(if you use AddThis it's a snap) to help me get these sold. Or snap 'em up yourself! Also: if you read about this here or on Twitter, and you win, let me know and a free mini-sketch by me will also be yours.
Check 'em out, and thanks in advance! Happy bidding!
___________________
Labels: comics, it's all about ME, sale
¶ July 26, 2012 0 Comments
22 July 2012
Another Bastard Murders People
And it was him, and him alone, and his freaking evil that made him do it. Not violence in the media. Not a lack of Jesus. Not a left issue, not a right issue. His evil, enabled by easy access to weapons--with NO background checks--that were built for war and have no business in civilian life, killed 12 people, hopefully no more to come among the 72 that were shot, some of whom are still in critical, and my best wishes to all of them and their families.
And any of you using this as yet another excuse for a right-wing/left-wing wrestling match: you are what is wrong with this country. So please just do us all a favor and shut up for once. This is about a bunch of innocent people who were just trying to watch a damn movie, and one complete bastard who had them gathered in a darkened and confined space, and knew with the film's hype it would get attention. That's all.
This country is rotten because of either side's desire to keep using events to score one for the team, and it's not getting better. And it's your fault. Just shut up.
In any case, look to the real problem: why was someone like this able to so easily amass an arsenal of explosives and guns? That's not politics. That's public safety. And please don't talk to me about how those people should have been armed and then they'd have been able to stop him, like victim-blaming scumbag Russell Pearce. Being armed didn't help the cops who were killed here a little while back while they were having coffee. And those people at Cafe Racer, or the people at the Aurora theatre, wouldn't have been armed either. Because you don't normally carry when you're going to a movie or for coffee(and guns are not hard to get in Washington or Colorado). And as for those who do: the Cafe Racer shooter was open-carrying.
The guy with the gun=the threat.
In regards to much of what's been said about action films and their effect on society in the last couple of days: you're looking in the wrong place. Think about the kind of world NRA members think they live in, where if only one is armed, one can always defend oneself and always wins.
It's not the crazy lunatic shooters who are taking action films as a guide to life.
It's the NRA and their allies.
And has anyone who's, for some reason, blaming the completely fictional Batman for this, considered two things:
a) No one, including the shooter, had even seen the film, so how could it have influenced his behavior?
b) Batman kind of has a thing about guns.
Frank Miller, DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, 1986
"Inside her idiot madness spoke and bang, Andy fell onto the floor."--Lou Reed
___________________
And it was him, and him alone, and his freaking evil that made him do it. Not violence in the media. Not a lack of Jesus. Not a left issue, not a right issue. His evil, enabled by easy access to weapons--with NO background checks--that were built for war and have no business in civilian life, killed 12 people, hopefully no more to come among the 72 that were shot, some of whom are still in critical, and my best wishes to all of them and their families.
And any of you using this as yet another excuse for a right-wing/left-wing wrestling match: you are what is wrong with this country. So please just do us all a favor and shut up for once. This is about a bunch of innocent people who were just trying to watch a damn movie, and one complete bastard who had them gathered in a darkened and confined space, and knew with the film's hype it would get attention. That's all.
This country is rotten because of either side's desire to keep using events to score one for the team, and it's not getting better. And it's your fault. Just shut up.
In any case, look to the real problem: why was someone like this able to so easily amass an arsenal of explosives and guns? That's not politics. That's public safety. And please don't talk to me about how those people should have been armed and then they'd have been able to stop him, like victim-blaming scumbag Russell Pearce. Being armed didn't help the cops who were killed here a little while back while they were having coffee. And those people at Cafe Racer, or the people at the Aurora theatre, wouldn't have been armed either. Because you don't normally carry when you're going to a movie or for coffee(and guns are not hard to get in Washington or Colorado). And as for those who do: the Cafe Racer shooter was open-carrying.
The guy with the gun=the threat.
In regards to much of what's been said about action films and their effect on society in the last couple of days: you're looking in the wrong place. Think about the kind of world NRA members think they live in, where if only one is armed, one can always defend oneself and always wins.
It's not the crazy lunatic shooters who are taking action films as a guide to life.
It's the NRA and their allies.
And has anyone who's, for some reason, blaming the completely fictional Batman for this, considered two things:
a) No one, including the shooter, had even seen the film, so how could it have influenced his behavior?
b) Batman kind of has a thing about guns.
Frank Miller, DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, 1986
"Inside her idiot madness spoke and bang, Andy fell onto the floor."--Lou Reed
___________________
Labels: bastards, comics, crime, film, guns, left wing, politics, right wing
¶ July 22, 2012 0 Comments
21 July 2012
Vladrushka 6: "Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart" pg. 1
As frequently threatened, the start of a new Vladrushka story has come. Click here for page one if you're a grownup. If not, bugger off. More coming weekly.
___________________
As frequently threatened, the start of a new Vladrushka story has come. Click here for page one if you're a grownup. If not, bugger off. More coming weekly.
___________________
Labels: communism, my comics, octobriana, science fiction, smut, vladrushka
¶ July 21, 2012 0 Comments
16 July 2012
None of You Are Safe: The Adventures of Popsicle Pete
By Seanbaby and Count Ramsley.
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By Seanbaby and Count Ramsley.
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Labels: comedy, horror, stupid comics
¶ July 16, 2012 0 Comments
15 July 2012
Your Random UK Comedy For Today #8: Monty Python- Biggles Dictates a Letter (1972)
"SILENCE, naughty lady of the night!" The late Graham Chapman at his apex of sublime silliness.
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"SILENCE, naughty lady of the night!" The late Graham Chapman at his apex of sublime silliness.
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Labels: 1970s, comedy, monty python, UK
¶ July 15, 2012 0 Comments
05 July 2012
The Joe Walsh Voter: Who?
Watching his argument with Ashleigh Banfield on CNN today, I can see who'd vote for this guy: a bitter alcoholic who lost his wife and kids because of that night he broke the youngest kid's arm. And it was an ACCIDENT. A momentary loss of muscular coordination. But wouldn't you know, the ol' sperm bank just wants to make him pay and pay.
And all these other women since, don't they understand sometimes you just get mad and have to hit something? She shouldn't have been in the way!
Then this guy starts a blog about men's rights and gives complimentary comments on Scott Adams' site every day.
This is the guy that votes for Joe Walsh.
And the way he keeps calling her by her first name, and repeating it again and again: this is no doubt how he argues with and tries to wear down any woman who questions him.
I've been watching this dude and in all footage I've seen, he ALWAYS seems impatient and ready to explode when talking to them in particular. With men too, but in a very different way. With the women you genuinely feel that he'd throw a punch if they were alone.
Oh, and as far as his attacks on Tammy Duckworth: when has this chickenshit risked his life for anything? Fuck you, Walsh. I can't wait to see you explode when you lose, and start throwing sharp things.
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Watching his argument with Ashleigh Banfield on CNN today, I can see who'd vote for this guy: a bitter alcoholic who lost his wife and kids because of that night he broke the youngest kid's arm. And it was an ACCIDENT. A momentary loss of muscular coordination. But wouldn't you know, the ol' sperm bank just wants to make him pay and pay.
And all these other women since, don't they understand sometimes you just get mad and have to hit something? She shouldn't have been in the way!
Then this guy starts a blog about men's rights and gives complimentary comments on Scott Adams' site every day.
This is the guy that votes for Joe Walsh.
And the way he keeps calling her by her first name, and repeating it again and again: this is no doubt how he argues with and tries to wear down any woman who questions him.
I've been watching this dude and in all footage I've seen, he ALWAYS seems impatient and ready to explode when talking to them in particular. With men too, but in a very different way. With the women you genuinely feel that he'd throw a punch if they were alone.
Oh, and as far as his attacks on Tammy Duckworth: when has this chickenshit risked his life for anything? Fuck you, Walsh. I can't wait to see you explode when you lose, and start throwing sharp things.
___________________
Labels: bastards, election 2012, illinois, right wing
¶ July 05, 2012 1 Comments
