Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Wood, Guns and Politics


A controversial picture of our hero considering his ultimate demise, this was the "contributor" photo of Woody that appeared in the second issue of Al Goldstein's NATIONAL SCREW featuring MALICE IN WONDERLAND.

Speculation when I posted this on Facebook arose as to Wood's politics. Obviously, he collected guns. He also liked country music. Did those two things point toward his being a Republican or, as one person said, was he in spite of these bits of circumstantial evidence, a "liberal democrat, Minnesota born and bred?"

It matters not either way as we are all here for love of his his art, not his politics, but those of you who knew him, chime in. Was he a red or blue? A libertarian? An independent? Or did he just not give a damn? Just curious.

11 comments:

  1. Steve, From what I've read Wood was a big fan of Woody Guthrie. Flo Steinberg wrote: "Woody played the guitar and sang. He knew all the words and music to the old labor songs, especially the IWW songs which have become a part of American labor history. He was especially fond of Woody Guthrie; maybe their common nickname made them soulmates?"
    Another person in comics who is very interested in guns is Gary Groth, who based on his recent twitter statements sees the right wing as near lunatic.

    Patrick Ford

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  2. A recent bio on Woody recounted how he loved to do ride alongs with the police and fancied himself "deputized"; I see it more of a psychological cause than political. It seems so many men of his generation had tough role models (brando, etc) and the expression of emotions was forbidden...that can lead to all sorts of neurotic behavior and the guns I theorize was an attempt to assert that touch guy image which I believe was actually contrary to his real self - the artist we know, the sensitive guy. Although also he was in the military (paratroopers?) so maybe he just picked up an enjoyment of guns from that. I would guess he was libertarian, but have nothing to base that on...

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  3. Actually, Wood was in the Merchant Marine.

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  4. I'd like to ask both of the previous respondents what your sources are for saying that Gary Groth is interested in guns and that Wood loved to ride along with police and considered himself deputized. More information, please.

    I'll hasten to add that it's not that I'm doubting either of you gentlemen, it's only that both comments surprise and startle me. The bit about Wood in particular sounds more like something that Elvis would have done than Wally Wood (laugh inserted). Wood was such a dynamic and surprising man in so many ways that I'm not discounting anything out of hand, though. :-)

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  5. Answering-my-own-question Department (one of them, anyway):

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantagraphics/sets/72157624472276042/detail/

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  6. My source concerning the police ride alongs is (I believe) the book from Spurlock on Wood (available on Amazon and highly recommended. I am fairly certain I read that after the Merchant Marines he joined the paratroopers, but will need to go back and look. The best book on Wood I've found is Against the Grain...

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  7. With all the respect,we do not need in here theories upon theories and speculations upon speculations.Wallace Wood was a great artist and his art speaks to the heart.It's enough to love,admire and cherish his work.Don't try to be small experts or political analysts or mind doctors.

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  8. With all due respect, I agree to disagree. To love the work and to be fascinated by it is also to love the man and to be fascinated by him in all of his human aspects.

    Art springs from the id and from the mind and the heart, and that's why it's called personal expression. The only thing that would be inappropriate in this forum, to my way of thinking, is gossip that's paraded as fact, without attrition.

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  9. I agree that rumor mongering wouldn't be right; my interest is a love of his art, and in that respect I think trying to figure out what made Wood work (a pun of sorts) is of great interest. I'd also like to know da Vinci's political beliefs, and those of Odd Nerdrum's as the knowledge can help understand their art. Wood in my opinion is of the highest artists, not a mere cartoonist, and thus worthy of such thought. Milt Caniff, maybe not so much, if you get the difference.

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  10. I don't care about Wally Woods politics to be honest. Whatever it was, it doesn't matter to me. Wood owned a gun and posed with guns, but that means nothing one way or the other. It means that he liked having photos taken of him holding guns! Many of these photos (like the one above) might have been taken for the sake of artistic reference. We artistic types love taking photos with swords, guns, armor, etc. lol.

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  11. I don't hold an artists' politics against their art, but I'd like to know them just the same if I can, along with the rest of their mind set, and whatever of their life stories they care to share. As an artist i also know how risky that can feel, but for sure once were done and gone, fuck it, bring it on.

    As an artist myself I know that our work often reflects these things, but it's not always obvious how or why. Even for those who claim to keep a partition between the two, knowledge can give insight still.

    Some of the details here make me think of the working class lefties i grew up with myself. I suspect my father would have been just as at home with both labor songs and ride-alongs. It’s a misnomer the left dislikes cops or guns as a rule.

    Knowing their biography helps inform our reading of their work, even if it is wildly escapist fiction. Redundant to say but i think it would be nice to know more about what someone Like Wally Wood thought.

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