Welcome to Forgotonia

Thanks to the my local shopper/ “McDonough County This Week,” I learned that a kid originally from Rushville and has penned a comic book that’s apparently making a bit of a splash, (at least in part because its “superhero” is not a wolf-man but the guy who happens to be that fella that’s runnin’ the country.

I went a Googlin’ for more info on the local boy-done-good, Chris Ward, and his Obama comic.

Here’s a May 22 entry from the blog splashpage.mtv.com:

Bluewater Productions will publish “Political Power: Barack Obama,” one of several comics featuring notable figures from recent US elections. Along with the Obama comic, Bluewater also has comics in the works featuring Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and, well… even the Obama’s dog, Bo.

And it’s that last comic, “Puppy Power: Bo Obama,” that prompted one of the funnier exchanges I’ve ever had with an interview subject — in this case, “Barack Obama” author Chris Ward.

“This ‘Bo Obama’ comic book really burns my ass,” laughed Ward. “Now I have to work twice as hard to make sure my Barack Obama comic sells more copies, or I’ll instantly shame my entire family. I’m not kidding. My grandmother’s dying words were, ‘Chris… outsell that godd—ed puppy comic.’”

The local pub mentions that Chris grew up in Schuyler County and graduated from WIU.

The MTV blog gives a sneak preview of the comic, which hints at a funny, smartly-written narrative style.

(But I would also like to hint that that claim of the horseshoe sandwich originating in Springfield might be a bone of contention with some people, who seem to think it belongs solely to Macomb’s Jackson Street Pub.)

(Here are the deets on MTV Splash Page from which I copied the above info:

This is (an apparently un-edited) news release which ran in yesterday’s Macomb Journal

Schuyler County Sheriff Don Shieferdecker is warning all Schuyler County residents of the gypsy movement within the next few weeks. According to a press release from Shieferdecker, the gypsies move from the southern states and head north every spring. The gypsy movement from south to north usually occurs during April and May.

During their travels, the gypsies stop at residences and offer home repair, roof repair, yard cleanup, driveway sealing and house painting, among other services. One of their scams is to offer a work service but actually use inferior products at a high price. Residents who are approached by someone other than a local contractor that was called to perform a service should ask to see a driver’s license, get a license plate number and call the Sheriff’s Department at 217-322-4366.

Another scam involves posing as a distressed driver with car problems. According to the press release, past cases show a person stopping in front of a home. The person raises the hood of their car, pours a jug of water over the engine, and then walks to the door of the home to ask to use the telephone to get help. The home resident looks outside, sees the steaming engine, and lets the person into their home to use the phone. While the resident is helping the person find phone numbers, two or more people enter the home and quietly enter the bedroom, carrying out stolen items in a pillowcase. Schieferdecker asks all residents to use caution before opening the door to strangers. Any resident who feels uncomfortable should not open the door and call the Sheriff’s Department at 217-322-4366 for assistance.