Squidoo Launches SquidWho

This week Squidoo launched an offshoot project called SquidWho. I’ve been a fan of Squidoo since the beginning due to its usefulness in aggregating different technologies to share knowledge. SquidWho has some nice features and I’ve decided to make webpages (which Squidoo calls lenses) about some of the people who have influenced me.

Here is one such page I built about comic book artist, Alex Ross.

Do you have a favorite author? A famous role model? A not so famous role model? Who has influenced you?

Back in the Saddle

It’s been a busy summer. With Officer Candidates School in session and an influx in business, I haven’t had a chance to write much. Things are settling down now and I’ll be able to post on a more regular basis. Maybe I’ll get to write the second parts of the leadership series and the Unchain Your Brain series of posts I have planned.

In the mean time, here is a sketch from this week.

Mike Wieringo, A Man Worth Emulating

Comic book artist, Mike Wieringo, passed away last weekend from a heart attack at 44. If you don’t follow comic books, you may not know who Mike was; however, if you are surrounded by good people, you may know someone like him. Mike was the kind of person who would take the time to help people — this in spite of his stature in his profession. He always treated people with respect and seemed to inherently see the potential in everyone he met. I recently used a quote from Mike that is typical of how he showed genuine concern for people. He exemplified so much of what I believe about mentorship and set an example worthy of emulation. I think if more of us were like Mike, the world would be a better place.

Artist, Jason Latour, wrote a nice article on how Mike encouraged him early in his development as an artist. This comes as no surprise to those of us who participate on Drawingboard.org, as Mike would give similar support and inspiration to budding artists.

He will be missed.

What is in a name?

I dug this picture up today. I did it for the Captain Marvel jam on drawingboard.org a while back. I thought of it because I ran into a Major with the last name of Marvel, which means that before he was promoted, he was Captain Marvel.

I’ve met some Marines with cool names over the years. One of my mentors, was a Sgt Strong. I also knew a Cpl Hawk, a Sgt Kill, a Lt Sargent (who was prior enlisted and was at one point Sgt Sargent), and a GySgt Marine. And of course, there is GySgt Wolf, the artist of Semper Toons.

Some people, born with heroic names, were just meant to be Marines. I think if I changed my last name, I would change it to America. I’d have to get a commission and pick up rank though so that people would get it.

Ironically, I share the same last name with the artist and creator of Captain Marvel, C.C. Beck. I guess some are meant to be heroes, and others are meant to draw them — or at least draw attention to them.