Lio by Mark Tatulli for January 11, 2011

The dogs are lining up around the block even as we type!

I like it!

I have to get my dog a Michael Vick chewy toy.

Good one! I like.

Vick has been inflated like his ego since the beginning of the season.

Here comes a Green Bay Pack of dogs.

Can we put meat underwear on Michael Vick and then turn the dogs loose? PLEASE?

I’m an animal lover too, Lio. I hope they use all your darts, and some spears, and bayonets, and…

Hey, lighten up on the guy. His life has been ruined…he only made $3.75M this year. Isn’t that a cruel enough punishment?

I saw a quote where Vick said he’d like to own another dog some day. How sick is that?

Hope Lio has alot of patches ready.

Outstanding! So glad that punk Vick isn’t going to make it to the Super Bowl.

The Michael Vick Voodoo Doll! Only $9.99 + shipping! New fundraiser for the ASPCA.

Vick is a perfect character for Lio. After all, it’s all about monsters. It really angers me that a psycho like Vick was allowed to return to the game.

Well everyone else appears to have forgive & forgotten, but I guess Lio hasn’t.

Why is it everyone can be upset about vick still what he did was wrong yes but no cares about the players that beat their wives rape women or even get frunk and kill people?

Excellent, Mark!!!

Thanks Mark!! You’re aces in my book :-D

Yes!

Excellent cartoon! A good punishment for violence and stupidity.

I can forgive, but I can’t forget…and I certainly can’t cheer for him.

Packers took care of that for ‘ya Lio

Go Pack Go!

As for Vick: I guess we can really write off that Christian Nation thing.

Ah, Packer fans. Remember the Lions game. More to come next year.

tabsok58 said, about 3 hours ago:

“Why is it everyone can be upset about vick still what he did was wrong yes but no cares about the players that beat their wives rape women or even get frunk and kill people?

-People can get justice.. animals don’t have that option.

Seems everyone talks about how America loves a good redemption story. But in practice we put more people (per capita) in prison than any democratic nation on Earth, and there’s a strong “throw away the key” sentiment.

Seems to me this might have been better run say, back when Vick was on trial/in prison.

Well said, Amar7605.

BRAVO

cosman - physical abuse and rape are worse than torturing dogs. Singling out Vick while ignoring the other, serious crimes committed by other athletes is a bit disingenuous.

That said, I liked this toon.

Amar7605, yes, Vick did his time; however, he’s also said that he would like to get another dog. I think it’s reasonable to feel uncomfortable about that.

I guess some folks just won’t let sleeping dogs lie. =rimshot=

Not to worry, folks…my pithy little cartoon will have absolutely zero affect on the millions and millions that Vick will go on to earn, not to mention the adoration of sportcasters and fans everywhere. I was just giving a voice to those of us who resent The Eagles cynical decision to make Vick their public face; their willingness to sacrifice a segment of their fanbase in order to win games. That said, if you would like to sing Vick’s praises, get your own comic strip.

You all forget that Lio is a kid who marches to a different drummer….he befriends all sorts of animals and monsters…even aliens.lol It’s understandable that he would side with the dogs abused by Vick.

Although this cartoon seems extreme, it actually depicts an acceptable way for dogs to express their ‘dislike’ for this man…deflate his inflated ego via an effigy.

Let’s urge those dogs on to victory!!

After the comment by Mark all I can say is YAY!!!!!!!!!

Green Bay took care of this. Now if we can just make it through the winter without a constant barrage of “what he’s doing”. Hooray..

Y’all can make fun of me for being a Bible thumper. Go ahead. But I want to paraphrase Jesus as he was returning from the transfiguration. Peter asked Jesus about forgiving someone. Jesus replied that forgiveness does not stop with the first utterance but that to really forgive someone, you must forgive seventy times seven. That was a way of saying that forgiveness must be complete.

In another place Jesus said that in order to be forgiven, one must first forgive.

My two cents everyone. And, I watch football, knowing that many of the players are less than stellar role models. I still like to watch the game being played with excitement and enthusiasm.

should charge the dogs free money because the dogs couldn’t use them because the don’t have apposable thumbs

warreno said, about 2 hours ago

cosman - physical abuse and rape are worse than torturing dogs. Singling out Vick while ignoring the other, serious crimes committed by other athletes is a bit disingenuous.

I disagree. They are both heinous in their own right. Torturing animals often leads to doing the same to humans. Neither option is acceptable.

A great man once said a society can be best judged on how they treat their most helpless - the very young, the very old and animals… Go Mark! Go Lio! I can’t believe how sick the soul of this pathetic excuse for humanity must be, or how totally and utterly morally corrupt the stupid football team must be to ever ask him back. There are thousands of young men with fabulous talent waiting in the wings for their chance, and they’d NEVER do what this ‘man’ did. I guess the mighty $$$ will always win out over what is right. Keep posting what’s REAL, Mark! much love from a rather damp Australia

I didn’t care for this one, but October 4 2009 was (expletive deleted) hilarious!

Lio needed to set him up next to a fire hydrant so dogs could choose which to use.

Way to go LIO

But dogs hate loud noises!

Ex 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Le 24:20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him [again].

the eye for an eye has to do with human hurting human, not an animal.

I agree with Mark, but I’d add that Vick has served his time, served his community since and has had backing by Tony Dungy, a guy who has been a very good judge of Character.

So all of you, Mark included, tell me exactly how much he’d have to do to get your forgiveness. If you say nothing, then you have to answer to the God who gave us the parable of the unforgiving servant.

tabsok58 said, about 11 hours ago Why is it everyone can be upset about vick still what he did was wrong yes but no cares about the players that beat their wives rape women or even get frunk and kill people? —————– Because people who are victims can file a complaint and press charges. Animals need people to stand up for them.

Vick is a sociopath. He’s only sorry he was caught.

Take a look at what Vick did: http://chrisdurant2000.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/michael-vick-was-wrongly-convicted/

If all of Michael Vick’s earnings went to support the humane society or other animal rescue groups, it would be fine for him to return to football. But to allow him to once again make millions for his own profit tells me he really didn’t learn much from his past. Michael Vick is no hero.

I love controversy.

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To “pamlicorat” - ROTFLMAO!!! Love it!!

To “kfccanada” - Well said!

To “Amar7605” - Do you understand/know the meaning of COMIC? Relax dude.

Thank you, Mark, for speaking for those who cannot. Dogs are very intelligent and feel pain as we do.

Yes, he did his time, but for me, real remorse would be donating a good portion of his salary to the ASPCA. Can you do it, Michael? Even 5% will do.

I think he should be able to have a dog again…like, Cujo, maybe…

GO MARK! & LIO of course! Loved this one

Did anyone really note that it is only the DOGS that are getting a chance at what’s-his-face now? He served his prison time, thus paying his dues to man. Now, he has to face (at least in effigy) those he actually hurt the worst. Once that is done, the majority of us can just forget that he ever existed (so long as someone is keeping an eye on him, and it doesn’t have to be me).

I do grant the artist the right to publish whatever he wants in his comic. However, I think this is such old news that he’s only showing his lack of awareness on this issue. Since Vick showed up week 1 for the Eagles there have been no PETA protests, no animals rights’ advocates picketing the stadium… NOTHING! This story is OVER! Considering the majority of the US cheats on their taxes, their spouse, traffic laws, and doesn’t donate SQUAT to charity, none of you have a pious leg to stand on. At least Vick admitted his guilt and served his time. All you sanctimonious morons should just SHUT UP!!!!

margueritem, I agree that abuse of humans and other animals is unacceptable; however, I consider abuse of humans to be more serious than abuse of other animals.

Duffer37 - the problems you listed are genuine, yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to focus on other problems besides them.

And given your declaration that no one has “a pious leg to stand on”, don’t you think it’s a tad hypocritical of you to tell others to shut up? Particularly in a public forum?

And dog fighting goes on!

Idiots like Vick continue to force dogs to fight to the death and hang them for “cowardice” if they don’t.

Perhaps I would be more open to giving Vick a chance if he started an organization funded by himself alone to end dog fighting.

If he paid for and appeared in well written and filmed public service announcements denouncing dog fighting as cruel and inhuman every day for ten years, maybe he would deserve forgiveness. Otherwise?

Mark it down - 1/11/2011 - the day I quit reading Lio. I cannot be more offended than I now am by this strip. Yes, Michael Vick did horrible things to those dogs and yes, many of them died, but the fact is the man was convicted, served his sentence and is now trying to rebuild his life as a changed man. Is he now perfect? Absolutely not!

It appears that Lio is above being able to forgive. Who do you want as an example for your child - someone who made mistakes, but served his time and is seeking to change or someone who cannot forgive others and holds bitterness in his heart?

Nobody gets through this life perfect. We all make mistakes and many are very egregious. But the worst faults are the internal arrogance and condescending attitudes of many who think they are above making the same mistakes of others. The real-life Lio will soon learn that he’s no different than Michael Vick and that his only hope is found in the forgiveness of God.

Good one Mark.

The guy had it coming!

Someone who watches football please explain?