My favorite things about being a cartoonist

There are many aspects of the cartoonist’s life that are wonderfully enjoyable. Personally, I love the fact that I get paid for doing the very thing that annoyed so many of my teachers in school when I doodled in my notebooks at the back of the classroom. I enjoy being able to work alone in my studio at night with my favorite music playing or with old movies on TV. I’m delighted by the way children’s faces light up when I tell them I’m a cartoonist, and even more so when they react to seeing me draw Homer Simpson or the Little Mermaid, as if by magic, right before their eyes.

But my all-time hands-down favorite thing about being able to draw cartoons is that I occasionally have the opportunity to use my gifts to improve lives and mitigate misery.

Several years ago I was approached by a woman at ComicCon San Diego who thanked me for making Simpsons Comics. I politely thanked her for the compliment and she said, “No, you don’t understand. Your comics changed my son’s life!”

She then began to tell me about how her son was failing in school, and not because he wasn’t smart but because he didn’t want to learn to read. She tried everything she could think of to motivate him and create some sort of interest in reading but nothing worked. Then one day she was in a grocery store and spotted a Simpsons comic book on the racks in the magazine section. She knew that her son was crazy about The Simpsons and she thought that maybe this was something that would pique his interest. She took the comic home and gave it to her son, and in her words, “He flipped out!” She told me that he loved the comic and kept asking her what unfamiliar words were, how to pronounce them, what they meant, etc. She bought her son more Simpsons comics and he devoured them all. Before long he was enjoying reading and began to show interest in non-comic books (some without pictures at all!). She also began to see his grades improve and in a short time he went from failing marks to A’s and B’s in all of his subjects. The mother was incredibly grateful to have found comics that her son loved enough that he desperately wanted to learn to read them. And that boy’s life was changed forever by his newfound love for reading.

It felt incredible to know that by creating something that was intended to simply entertain and make people laugh, I could affect that kind of change in someone’s life.

Now, in the wakes of a trio of deadly back to back to back hurricanes in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico (and possibly more on the way as I write this) and a devastating earthquake in Mexico, an opportunity to change lives with art has presented itself to all of us.

With the help of our friends at Heritage Auctions and under the auspices of the National Cartoonists Society Foundation, we will be raising money to benefit victims of these terrible natural tragedies.

By now you’ve probably received an e-mail from NCSF President Steve McGarry and myself announcing a new

This issue’s cover art is by Chicago’s finest, Pat Byrnes. We initially asked during his New Yorker Daily Cartoon stint if he’d be interested in writing about the process for us — both good and (hopefully not as much) bad. He was, though begged off until his ten-week long effort was over. Taking that look back, Pat graciously wrote and supplied several examples of those dailies in an engaging account that begins on Page 6.

NCS BOARD

Honorary Chairman

Mort Walker President

Bill Morrison

First Vice President

Jason Chatfield

Second Vice President

“The Cartoon!st” is the official publication of the National Cartoonists Society, P.O. Box 592927 Orlando, FL 32859-2927. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the NCS. Entire contents ©2017 National Cartoonists Society, except where other copyrights are designated.

The Cartoon!st needs your news, opinions, drawings and photos. Address all materials to: Frank Pauer, 53 Beverly Place, Dayton, OH 45419. Phone: 937-296-0502 home, 937-229-3934 days.

Email: fpauer1@udayton.edu

Deadline for the next issue: October 25

Terri Libenson

Third Vice President

Carolyn Belefski Secretary

Ed Steckley Treasurer

John Hambrock

Membership Chairman

Greg Cravens

National Representative

Maria Scrivan

NCS COMMITTEES

The Cartoon!st Frank Pauer 937-229-3934 fpauer1@udayton.edu

Ethics

Steve McGarry mac@stevemcgarry.com

Education Rob Smith Jr. (rob@robsmithjr.com)

Greeting Card Contracts

Carla Ventresca 615-480-7931

NCS FOUNDATION President Steve McGarry 714-593-0514 mac@stevemcgarry.com

For questions about accounting, membership, database and dues renewals, contact: National Cartoonists Society P.O. Box 592927 Orlando, FL 32859-2927 407-994-6703 info@reuben.org

The National Cartoonists Society Web Site: www.reuben.org.

Please address correspondence to: Frank Pauer, 53 Beverly Place, Dayton, OH 45419, or fpauer1@udayton.edu

Thanks & Giving Auction, similar to the one we held back in 2001 to benefit devastated victims of the horrifying 9/11 attacks. This time we are asking EVERY NCS member and EVERY professional artist to participate, not just the syndicated community.

If you are a syndicated cartoonist, whether you create a strip, a panel or an editorial cartoon, please consider donating the art that runs on Thursday, Nov.

23 to the “NCS Thanks & Giving Auction.” You can include a tagline message that reads something like:

To benefit victims of the recent natural disasters, this original artwork is up for auction at www.HAcom.NCS.

In 2001, most cartoonists still created their art the traditional way, and we recognize that many of us have now switched, perhaps exclusively, to creating our art in a digital fashion. So if you fall into this category we are asking that either: a) You consider creating an original piece of art once more (we KNOW you haven’t forgotten how to draw with pen and paper!) b) Or please raid your archives to find a suitable piece to donate to the auction. (You can amend the tagline to read something like: Please visit the NCS auction at www.HA.com/ NCS to bid on an original cartoon to benefit disaster victims.)

If your work doesn’t run in syndication, you are not off the hook! We want your help and participation as well! We’re asking you to dig deep into your flat files for a valuable comic strip, illustration, or comic book page and donate it to the cause. If you don’t have a great piece of published art, draw or paint something new and sensational! If you don’t have time to work up a modern masterpiece, or you are an NCS non-artist associate member, please dig out something by another great artist from your original art collection. (It’ll just end up going to your ingrate heirs some day, so why not use it to help ease someone’s pain and suffering?)

This is a joint effort between the NCSF and the NCS, so in the coming weeks you’ll be hearing from either me or Steve as plans develop and unfold.

Please send a scan of the art you plan to donate to prez@ reuben.org, and send the original art to:

Bill Morrison

786 Twillin Ct. Simi Valley, CA 93065

I will collect all the donations and ship them to Heritage prior to the auction.

By the time this issue arrives in your mailbox, the news stories of these tragedies may be a fading memory, but the needs of the victims will go on for months and years. You can be confident in giving generously, knowing that the money raised by your gift of art will still be desperately needed.

Let’s come together and use our unique gifts and talents to benefit those who could really use our help right now. I’m willing to bet this will become YOUR favorite thing about being a cartoonist!

10/4

YadaYadaYada

When I was a freshman in high school, I read a book and had to do a book report, you know... and I read a book called The Art of Animation by Bob Thomas. And it dawned on me, people actually make cartoons for a living. They actually can do that as a job. Get paid for it.

And I was like, ‘That’s what I’m gonna do.’

John Lasseter , chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios and principal creative advisor of Walt Disney Imagineering, recalling the moment he decided to be a cartoonist, at the 2017 Disney’s D23 Expo

I came back from RoboCop2 convinced that writing a screenplay was the equivalent of building a fire hydrant and then having dogs run around and piss on it. … I think screenplays are essentially stupid. I certainly do not regard working in Hollywood as a step up from comics, by any means.

Frank Miller, he of the Dark Knight and Sin City fame, in an interview at playboy.com.

Bill Morrison prez@reuben.org

It’s too homogenous. It’s way too much the same. The films aren’t really that different one from the other. Despicable Me could have been made Pixar, by DreamWorks. It’s not a great time for feature animation if you want to do something even moderately outside the formula.

Henry Selick, director of the stop-motion films The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline , in Variety

Hollywood executives don’t really care about handdrawn animation, and don’t really care about animation that’s not for kiddies, so there is very little opportunity for me to make the films that I want to make.

Bill Plympton, celebrated independent filmmaker, in an interview at cartoonbrew.com

I have the greatest job in the world. Well, at least I think so. As the Director of the Comics Studies program at Portland State University I get to read interesting comics and cartoons and talk about them with interesting people. However, my origin story isn’t quite so auspicious. I was a nerdy and contrary kid — captain of the Brain Bowl team, Outstanding Band Member — you get the idea. I started to read comics because I was specifically informed that I shouldn’t. I remember the scene quite well: it was a crisp day at Jefferson Elementary when I wandered away from playing kickball and approached my classmate Sean, who sat huddled against the brick wall of the school, reading. Sean was kind of a tough kid, and I was curious to see what could hold his attention, which generally ran more toward pulling my hair. I asked if I could take a look at his colorful reading material, but Sean replied, “Girls don’t read comics.” After that, I set out to read every comic I could get my grubby little hands on and, shockingly, I’ve able to make a career out of reading comics, writing about comics (including my book Lynda Barry: Girlhood Through the Looking Glass), and hopefully, educating and inspiring new creators through my work at PSU.

skirtley@pdx.edu

Milt Priggee is an international award-winning editorial cartoonist who started his graphic commentary career with the Chicago Daily News in 1976. Beginning in 1978, he was the first staff editorial cartoonist for the weekly Crain’s Chicago Business

His first daily metro staff editorial cartoonist position was with The Journal Herald in Dayton, Ohio from 1982-1986. After The Journal Herald closed, Priggee moved to The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Wash- ington where he drew cartoons from 1987 to 2000.

He was awarded a Journalism Fellowship to the University of Michigan from September 2000 to May 2001.

Currently he is nationally syndicated with Cagle Cartoons, Inc. He also produces state and local editorial cartoons from his site www.miltpriggee.com. His work has been reprinted in Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today and CNN Headline News.

Milt lives with his wife Jan on Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound and are parents to four and grandparents to six.

I was born and raised in South Bend, IN. I began my love of drawing at a young age, and through much encouragement of my family, I began to take drawing classes. After high school, I attended Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, OH. I pursued my love for comic strips and animation by taking classes in illustration and film. Once I acquired my BFA, I went to UCLA’s Theater Film and Television school and received my MFA in animation.

Upon graduating I began working on King of the Hill and The Simpsons. I continue to work on The Simpsons today, marking my 12th year. Through a mutual friend, I was introduced to Richard Rosser, and we created Piggy Nation , which was developed into the children’s book “A Day At Work With Dad,” the chapter book “Let’s Go Camping,” the Off-Broadway play “Piggy Nation The Musical,” and a weekly single-panel comic.

I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have three beautiful daughters that keep us very busy.

I was born on July 9, 1967, to a skilled nurse and a mad scientist in Barrington, R.I. Since I can remember, I spent my days at the dock fishing all day every day. My first job at the age of 11 was as a deck hand on a commercial shell-fishing boat. By 16 I had purchased my own boat and continued to work as a quahogger on Narragansett Bay… until my boat sank in the middle of winter. That’s when I headed off to college to study engineering. It wasn’t until I had a roommate who was an illustrator that inspired me to become one myself. I went to Rhode Island School of Design and then School of Visual Arts to fine-tune my craft. I worked as an art director for 15 years at Disney, DreamWorks and Digital Domain, to name a few. In 2004, I switched to writing/illustrating children’s books, and with more than 20 books published, I’m glad I did. I was especially honored to receive a NCS Reuben Book Award in addition to the Caldecott Honor in 2011. See more at www.roccoart.com