SALUTE TO MIKE DIANA
In
1994, underground cartoonist Mike
Diana was thrown in jail for 4 days without bail on obscenity charges,
for publishing, advertising, and selling his zine BOILED ANGEL. Mike
was on probation for 3 years, terms included fines of $3000, no contact
with minors, 1280 hours of community service, maintain full time employment,
and at his expense, see a psychiatrist and take journalism courses;
AND no drawing for his own personal use... his home was subject to unannounced
searches by local police to make sure he was complying. On June 4, 1996,
a ruling issued by Largo, Florida, Circuit Judge Douglas Baird declared
Mike Diana's zines, Boiled Angel #7 and #ATE as obscene. The judge emphasized
that he personally found Diana's comics "patently offensive."
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."
Mike Diana was served with another 2 years of probation, including $2000
in fines, and the same probationary terms. |
See the official Mike Diana website (mikedianacomix.com)
for
original b/w artwork, silk-screened poster prints, color paintings
original comic pages, t-shirts made by Mike, and much more!
Mike Diana portrait by Jefe aka Johnny Chiba