Date: Tue, 5 Nov 1996 12:42:53 -0500
To: [c--m--x] at [facteur.std.com]
From: [b--ea--y] at [po-box.mcgill.ca] (bart)
Subject: Who'd Win? Mike Diana vs Diamond

As our American friends from this list make their ways to the polls today
to celebrate 220 years of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
(bart's prediction: "Vice-President Choate", the political upset of the
century), I thought maybe it would be an appropriate time to post this.

The following was posted by [m--t--s] at [aol.com] to the comics newsgroups
under the title Mike Diana Attacked! With it's invocation of the American
Constitution and the monopolistic tendencies of capitalism this just may be
the most American post to appear here in ages. The fact that it ends with
an ad is just a bonus!

===

MIKE DIANA ATTACKED!

Diamond Comics, one of THE largest distributors of books and comics
refuses to carry ANY books or comix created by Mike Diana due to content.

CHICAGO-- A conversation on Friday, November 1 between Glen Folland, a
representative for Diamond Comics and Shane Bugbee, owner of Michael Hunt
Publications may have just began a censure precedent.   Folland announced
to Bugbee that after a stringent review of Mike Diana's new book, THE WORST
OF BOILED ANGEL the company decision was not to distribute the book or ANY
titles from Mike Diana.

"I asked Glen if other titles he carried such as Tim Vigil's, FAUST and
VEROTIKA comics were critiqued in the same 'page per page' manner." said
Bugbee. "Without hesitation he told me NO.  They also refuse to carry ANY
titles by Mike Diana and are in fear of getting in trouble for
distributing Diana's books.  They're basing this decision on a guilty verdict of
obscenity by the State of Florida on Diana's previous zine's, BOILED ANGEL
#7 and BOILED ANGEL #ATE."

Diana was found guilty of publishing and distributing "obscene" material
in June of this year by Florida Circuit Judge Douglas Baird who declared Mike
Diana's zine's, BOILED ANGEL #7 and #ATE as obscene. The judge emphasized
throughout Mike's ruling that he personally found Diana's comics "patently
offensive."  Referring to Diana as "the appellant," and stated, "The
evident goal of the appellant's publication is to portray shocking and graphic
pictures of sexual conduct so it will be noticed. If the message is about
victimization and that horrible things are happening in our society, as
the appellant alleges, the appellant SHOULD HAVE created a vehicle to send his
message that was not obscene."

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) has estimated that over $56,000
has been spent on Diana's case to date. The Diana case is being appealed to
the Supreme Court with continued support from CBLDF and Michael Hunt
Publications. To support their efforts, contact them at 1-800-992-2533.
Diamond Comics could not be reached for comment but the publisher is
urging concerned parties to contact them directly regarding their decision. Glen
Follard can be reached at DIAMOND COMICS, 410.560.7112  Ext. 353.  You
have a voice, use it.

To order Mike Diana merchandise, send cashier check or money order to:
Carmi, 360-23 W. Schick Road, Suite 116, Bloomingdale, IL 60108.

THE WORST OF BOILED ANGEL, $16.66, 225 pages, full color cover, perfect
bound. SUPERFLY #1, $3.50, Mike's first FULL comix, 6-color cover, 32 pages.
THE CHERRY BOMB REVOLUTION, $10, 6-color screen-print comix.

Prints & Posters are also available. Contact [M--t--s] at [aol.com] for further
details.

===

Bonus points will be given to respondents who use none of the following phrases:
"monopoly", "free enterprise", "moral obligation", "obscenity", "Ditkoesque"

bart


 _________________________________________________________________
 To leave this mailing list, send mail to [m--r--o] at [world.std.com]
 with the message UNSUBSCRIBE COMIX