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Dave Lieber
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Well
known Columnist Dave Lieber of the Star-Telegram spoke at the
Colleyville Lions Club meeting this morning.
During Lieber's opening remarks, he entertained the crowd with
some well aimed jabs at the Colleyville political scene.
Lieber deployed a number of clever comical props to demonstrate
his points. His parody demonstrated that Colleyville's
controversial issues and hotly divided political camps already
appeared ridiculous to many on the outside looking in.
However, all local political bickering seems especially trivial
in a world after September 11th. |
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Dave holds up
the main NETroplex character "Stoney" wrapped
in the US Flag
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Lieber
pointed out he has not written about the area political scene
for over 100 days now and he doesn't miss it.
He confessed
that he had always wanted to be a war correspondent. He
indicated he certainly did not expect to become one because war
was inflicted on America within its own borders.
In addition, the event changed the focus of the NETroplex
cartoons published weekly. Until Sept. 11, 2001, the NETroplex
was a happy- go-lucky look at North Texas life. |
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February 2001 Book
Cover
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The
weekly cartoon series was first created in 1999 and published in
book form last year with the title "I Knew Rufe Snow
Before He Was A Road".
The first edition was published on November 2000 and the
second edition, seen here, was published in February 2001. |
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February 2001
Book Cover
Available at Barnes & Noble
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In
an emotionally charged speech, Lieber explained the basis for
the title of the latest publication of cartoons in a book
titled, "Give Us A Big Hug".
Known as the "Yankee Cowboy", Lieber is originally
from New York. His father still lives in New York right
around the corner from the 77th & Broadway Fire Station. |
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Tim Bedison, the
artist that draws the NETroplex cartoons
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After
Lieber wrote about his father's awful experience in New York
City on Sept. 11th, a reader called and asked Dave if he could
find out the address for the New York City fire
commissioner. The reader had prepared a plaque in honor of
the brave firefighters and wanted to know where to send his
work.
Dave asked his father to walk around the block to the
neighborhood firehouse and obtain the right address for the
reader.
His father later e-mailed Dave. |
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Lieber holding up a
post Sept 11th with the caption "Nuff Said"
 Click
Here to Hear Lieber talk about distributing the book to all
local fire stations.
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Dave
explained his father is not really a "hugger", however
he received the following e-mail from his Dad.
"I went
around the corner to our firehouse to check on the address of
the fire commissioner. I shook a firefighter's hand and
thanked him for everything. The big strapping guy puts his
around around me and says, 'Give me a hug!' They lost nine
men."
When Dave
discussed this incident with cartoonist Tim Bedison, the pair
decided to create a special cartoon theme that captured the
emotions of many North Texans. Give Us A Big Hug, is
published in gratitude of the firefighters and police officers
of North Texas and throughout the world.
Click
Here to Hear Lieber talk about the book available at Barnes
& Noble. |
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Dan Gannon, North
Richland Hills Fire Fighter
Tim Bedison,
and Lieber signing their book for Lion Roscoe Epperson
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Lieber
introduced Dan Gannon, (known for his work with kids as "Dan
Dan the Fireman"), to the club. Dan is a North Richland
Hills Firefighter out of the Rufe Snow Fire Station. Dan, formerly
from New York, was contacted by New York firemen and asked to come
to the city. So many firefighters lost their lives, there
literally were not enough to adequately attend the multiple
funerals. Dan traveled to New York and wore the traditional
New York Fireman uniform to honor his fallen brothers.
Lieber closed his
remarks about the book by saying that the new book really had no
local "political" cartoon.
Click
Here to Hear Lieber describe the latest cartoon book |
