I've been spending time at Millarword Forums again, prompted by this thread:

Where is Michael Netzer? Why has he forsaken us?

A very warm welcome actually, compelling me to begin reading discussions in the News and Current Affairs forum (NCA). I'm not much of the surfer in forums, not the way most forumers' can magically appear in almost every active thread. I'm more of the one-thread-at-a-time type and I tend to write long posts which don't leave much time for navigation.

All the discussions I've participated in are lively and try to dig beneath the surface. A few have even been locked as tempers rose. It's a credit to MW moderators that they can nip potential flame wars in the bud, before things get out of hand. Most of these discussions revolve around America's involvement in the Middle-East, a subject I'm not detached from.

Needless to say, the present situation between the West and the Arab/Muslim world has grabbed the attention of the common people who, under other circumstances, haven't exhibited a big interest in. The right/left political polarization is what seems to drive the discussions and I found myself crossing these lines from time to time, depending on the spirit of things, and intuitively striving to reach for a deeper truth, underlying sometimes superficial assertions being made from all directions.

Here's a rundown of the threads, some I continue to participate in today.

The Iraq Thread, All Iraq News, Comments, Discussion.
This is the primary thread discussing the war in Iraq. The link above leads to page 12, where I jumped in. I'll likely stay with this discussion for a while, as all current Iraq news finds its way here.
Update: This thread has also been locked for discussion since this item was written. The exchanges leading this perhaps more essentially touch on the root of the polarization between the opinions expressed. Well recommended reading.

TV airing for Islam's story of Christ, Guardian Unlimited.
This 3 page thread became heated and sensitive religious issues were put on the table through it. It was locked for further discussion because of this but perhaps there wasn't any real need for more to be said. Interestingly, unlike other more politically oreinted discussions, I found myself heavily criticizing the Koran and an aspect of Islam's attempted revision of other peoples' creeds by claiming they're all Islamic... which is a driving force behind tensions between the Arab world and the West. Very informative reading.

Targeting Iran.
This is a 4 page discussion that became uneasy enough to also merit being locked.

Hamas TV's child star says she's ready for martyrdom.
Also 4 pages. Still active.

Karl Rove, Top Strategist, Is Leaving the White House, NY Times.
Small 2 page thread where Rove's departure is light-heartedly credited to my returning to Millarworld. Plus a cameo appearance in the last post.

I was also involved in a few other discussions, not relating specifically to the Middle-East:

Elliot S! Maggin is running for Congress!
A good friend, Elliot is perhaps the first of the modern era creators to exemplify the call to action in The Comic Book Creator's Party. A fun one-pager.

One Hour Site Shutdown for Mike Wieringo.
In this announcement for an hour of silence in remembrance of Mike Wieringo, I suggested opening a thread also for commemorating his art. Mark Millar quickly opened the new thread... also below.

Your favourite work from Ringo!
This thread is an excellent reference to remember Mike's work by. Upon seeing his Superman sketch there, I was compelled to ink it and posted the result on the 4th page, here.

Steven Grant's Comix State of the Union, CBR.
A one-on-one discussion with Alex about Steven Grants column commenting on the state of the comics industry. Alex digs deep beneath the surface here. Long posts but a good read.

And lastly, a thread I've just opened in the Creative forum. Inking the works of young aspiring artists who post their work into a sketchbook there. Something akin to the 2005 Millarworld Free Sketch Thread from which were taken some of the images in Flaming Sword's Heroes, Villains & Other Celebrities sketchbook.

Inking the Sketchbook.
I'll likely be spending a little time on this one.

Enjoy.