Holy Shit! New Edition! Pat Robertson Still Anti-Christ!

I've been sending out the following Press Release to Trumpet my good news...

Pat Robertson Is Still The Anti-Christ!
Writer & Artist Mike Luoma Releases New, Expanded Edition of "Graphic Novel" Holy Sh!t: Or... Pat Robertson Is The Anti-Christ.

Second Edition of the Graphic Novel Available Now Online: http://stores.lulu.com/mikeluoma

In 2006, Vermont writer and artist Mike Luoma released his first comic, the non-fiction, self-published "Graphic Thingy" Holy Sh!t: Or... Pat Robertson Is The Anti-Christ. February 2008 sees the second edition released - Luoma has digitally cleaned up the lettering and digitally sweetened the illustrations to create a "digitally remastered" version of the comic. The free hand lettering is now easier to read, and the added shading and gray scale backgrounds help the illustrations flow better, creating an overall easier to read book while preserving the feel of the original edition. Luoma has written a new introduction, and the Second Edition of Holy Sh!t: Or... Pat Robertson Is The Anti-Christ also includes additional background material. Luoma's original essay that inspired the comic, "God Is Love, Pat Robertson Is The Anti-Christ, And Almost Everything You Know About Christianity Is Wrong" is now included, as is a full bibliography of Luoma's source material.

Reviews of the First Edition: Troy Brownfield of NEWSARAMA raved, "...it's for books like this one that I love doing this column... a damn fine example of what 'independent comic' really means. The fact that it's entertaining, informative and occasionally gut-bustingly funny is all icing... Holy Shit is certainly meant to anger and inflame a certain segment of the population. Luoma's taking aim at an especially nasty brand of American hypocrisy, and his work definitely has bite. It might not be to everyone's taste, but it's definitely thought-provoking, and that's something we can always use in comics."

J. Caleb Mozzocco in the Las Vegas Weekly: “…he posits that Robertson, and other similar Christian fundamentalists, are simply anti-Christ, as in, they often preach the exact opposite of what Jesus taught in the Gospels. You know, all that stuff about loving your neighbors. Robertson has the bully pulpit of TV to spout from, but Luoma takes him on via this self-published, magazine-sized comic book. Calling to mind Chick Tracts in its rough, sketchy art and preachy, folksy, occasionally funny tone, Luoma's Holy Shit is a pretty compelling read, tracing the history of Christianity from Jesus' original message to the rise of an institutional church to the fundamentalist movement that began in the 19th century, a movement that seems to rule much of America here in the dawn of the 21st.”

Steven Grant weighed in on HOLY SHIT in his CBR column "Permanent Damage": "...a surprisingly respectful (to Christ, anyway) dissertation on how Christianity got twisted throughout history from the original teachings to the inane blather of televangelists like Robertson. It briskly covers a range of topics like unpleasant discoveries in Biblical scholarship, the latter day misguided origins of Christian fundamentalism, religious right wing misinterpretation of the Constitution and its historical basis, and suggestions for finding paths back to the real Jesus. And he backs up his argument; it's not simply a screed. The art's iffy at best but the book's pretty impressive."

Shay Totten in the Vermont Guardian wrote, "Using rough-edged, often comical, ink drawings, Luoma guides readers from Jesus’ original teachings to the rise of an institutional church and eventually to the fundamentalist movement, which has become the dominant sect in the United States and influences both culture and politics. Rather than page after page of scholarly dissertation, readers find ink-drawn images of Christ and Pat Robertson, alongside biblical quotations and those from Robertson. This contrasting approach underscores Luoma’s core argument that what Robertson says is based on Christ’s teachings is not quite accurate. It also makes for a compelling read. For those who believe Christianity is more than the 700 Club and calls for the assassination of world leaders, Luoma’s work will tickle the mind, and the funny bone."

Holy Sh!t: Or... Pat Robertson Is The Anti-Christ is available now, online through glowinthedarkradio.com or at http://stores.lulu.com/mikeluoma and in comic and bookstores throughout Vermont.

Contact: Mike Luoma
Phone: 802-865-2597
EMail: glowinthedarkradio@comcast.net

Obama=Hendrix

Okay...

I Had to write this down, because when it hit me I laughed out loud. And I don't think anyone actually reads this blog anyway, so this is really just for me.

I flipped over to VH1 Classic and saw Jimi Hendrix playing. It struck me as I watched him: Hendrix was so good at what he did, you didn't think about what color his skin was. Didn't matter. His sheer talent on full display mesmerized you as you watched him play. Made you realize (if there was any question in your mind) that color was immaterial.

And Barak Obama is there, too. When he gives a great speech, you don't think about his skin color (unless you're really obsessed). He's inspiring, and makes you realize skin color is immaterial.

I'd like to think I don't care about skin color. I don't, so far as I know. Both Hendrix and Obama bring home the point that drawing distinctions is artificial.

Hillary Wants Schuster's Head for "Pimped Out" Comment

I just posted this over at Steven Grant's "Permanent Damage" Website, thought I'd put it here too...

The Clinton Machine keeps utilizing Republican tactics. The latest iteration? The use of the "Manufactured Outrage" campaign, employed successfully time and again by Republicans and Republican administrations to generate sympathy and publicity since Reagan took office. Hillary Clinton is generating fake indignancy over MSNBC Reporter David Schuster's asking if the Clinton campaign "pimped out" daughter Chelsea. Oh, the horror!

It was a stupid thing to say on the air. Schuster is usually sharper than that. I think he's a little stiff, a little square and was trying to sound "hip" and came off anything but hip to be square... But for the Manufactured Outrage Campaign to work, there has to be some truth to the offense, and on some level what Schuster said could be construed to be offensive. And ripe to be misconstrued to be abhorrent and horrific.

Hillary is demanding Schuster's virtual head, saying a temporary suspension and apology are not enough. Shame on her. She wants to ruin his career over this, and doesn't mind saying so. The Millionaire wants the under paid cable reporter on unemployment, or worse; a demand without mercy - scorched Earth tactics. Pretty brutal.

This false bravado covering petty retribution used to be the hallmark of Republicans, who used and overused it to the point where the American people stopped believing it. Hillary and the Clinton campaign are gambling on the fact that Hillary can preface her remarks with a statement no major Republican candidate has been able to use: "As a mother...". She's playing the "gender" card in a major way, and coloring the false indignancy she's shoveling with the patina of protective motherhood. It could prove a masterstroke of manipulation, or backfire against her. We'll see.

But, yet again, the Clinton campaign's tactics are Republican tactics.