After news broke yesterday that local transgender/drag icon Miss Vicki Marlane died, many folks in the queer community were taken aback. To say the least. Given the moniker "The Lady With the Liquid Spine" due to her trademark flexibility while lip syncing, Marlane was profiled in the New York Times two years ago, presumed to be the oldest, continuously performing, transgender performer in the U.S. at the time of her death. We asked a few local drag luminaries to give us their thoughts on Marlane's passing and her legacy. Here are there responses.

Juanita More: "Vickie Marlane's show the Hot Boxxx Girls at Aunt Charlie's is a jewel in our otherwise tarnished Tenderloin. I have been a gracious guest at this show more times than I can count. But, have only performed on that little stage - if you can even call it that, once or twice in the decade that its been going in San Francisco. And, it was absolutely petrifying. It was so hard to lip-sync while up in peoples faces with no lights, no stage and only half a sound system. To this day I still have no clue how the girls do it. There is only enough room for one person in the aisle that leads to back of the room. And, it gets used as part of the so-called stage. Used not only as a runway but as a way of making tips. The girls here depend on those tips and work hard for them. So you had better think twice before trying to block the aisle way. Or even worse to pass a performer as they started their number to use the bathroom during showtime.

"Those in the know came for Vicki. She owned both the stage and that little aisle. She also owned you as she slinked past you in one of her tiny little glittery dresses. She rarely missed a beat, a lip-sync or a dollar as she sauntered by you. She was both captivating and mesmerizing at the same time. I never knew if Vickie liked me or not. She never showed much interest in me either way. And, that was fine by me. Because I was there as a fan. Dollars in hand and totally mesmerized. She captured my heart just as she had to all of her adorning fans.

"I know Vicki's spirit will live on. And, I hope that in its tiniest form it is in the spirit of keeping the patrons out of the aisle at the Hot Boxxx Show during performances."

Heklina: "I did not know her well...maybe had her at Trannyshack two or three times during the club's existence at The Stud. But, much love and respect! Another major loss, along with Pat Montclaire and Gypsy Calabrese -- now a Holy Trinity. They just don't make them like this anymore."

Fauxnique: "I had the great fortune of seeing Vicki Marlane perform a few times. She was a true showgirl, an electrifying and graceful creature. That spine of hers truly was 'liquid' - and she could tell stories with it!"

Anna Conda: "Vicki Marlane was a hero. The lady with the liquid spine that could dazzle and expand your mind with a lipsynch. As a new girl I did several shows with the Hot Boxxx Ladies, and Vickie instantly stood apart as someone who knew where she had been and was proud of the travels. In a community that had lost so much of our connection to the past and our story tellers; due to AIDS; it was through people like Vicki that shared time honored codes with those of us on the way up.

My friends and I loved her with a passion! Brian Busta has a painting of Vicki by a local artist and I was always so envious that he had something so valuable representing a link to such a great woman. Sandy Shorts even performed as Vicki for Charlie Horse's 'Imposters Night' proving the imitation is the highest form of flattery. Vicki your loss is felt deeply and your legacy something to aspire to. You're missed."

Ambrosia Salad: "Going to Aunt Charlies to see the Hot Boxxx Girls in 2005 after moving back to SF from Mexico changed my life! I had already become a devout Trannyshack fan and had become so accustomed to the trannies in Mexico at the time. But after seeing Miss Vickie Marlane for the first time i knew my appreciation for drag had evolved in a way that would impact my life forever! This is all before the notion of Ambrosia Salad had even come into existence. I will be forever grateful for her asking me to perform regularly at her show. I truly had some of my favorite moments performing at Hot Boxxx Girls. Miss Vickis remnants will be stained on all of those who were blessed enough to encounter her. She will be missed and studied for years to come."

Angelina Josephina Manicotti: "[After Marlane died] I was called immediate, being a former Hot Boxxx Girl myself. I know the loss this city feels. She was a LEGEND in this city. May she go with the Angels Peacefully."