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A comic strip is a musing somewhere between a doodle and a letter. There’s no need for comic strip characters to be elaborate, animation-like images when all they really need to do is tell the truth. Ideally, drawing a comic strip character should be no more difficult than signing one’s name. If an artist has put in his/her time, drawing should be next to effortless.
Children love to see grown-ups draw comics, especially on napkins, because the effect is always magical.
To take out a pen, doodle a line down, and have it look like a dog or spaceship is a trick second to none. I’m glad there are so many young people interested in drawing comics now. It reaffirms my faith in the general use and goodness of comics as an art form.
The greatest thrills I’ve had in my career have had nothing to do with money or celebrity, and everything to do with smiles and good cheer. I have drawn rockets and dogs for children, and being of use in that way has been priceless. I wish more aspiring cartoonists would have more faith in themselves and their abilities to “get there,” wherever there is. If you can make your doodles and your doodles make others smile while making you smile, then that’s all the “there” you’ll truly ever need.
Being a cartoonist, or any kind of artist, is a godawful way to make money and pay the bills.
That said, it’s absolutely the most wonderful way to be alive and remind yourself what being human is all about.
There was a great article I read over the weekend about a new push by broadcasters to create more (and better) kid-centered podcasts. Not only does this allow kids to use their imaginations more, but it also gets them away from the TV and their electronic screens. One of our new favorite shows here at home is a podcast called “Wow in the World” that teaches kids about Science through all kinds of exciting stories and tidbits. I’ve been a big fan of radio (and Old Time Radio shows) since I was in my early teens, and am glad there’s a new revitalized interest in people listening to well-produced stories on the radio. In addition to “Wow in the World” we also like the adventure mystery show “Eleanor Amplified,” which is something of a kids’ serial show. That, too, is also very fun and exciting. Hope some you looking for a little fun check them out.
I’m very excited for the new season of “Stranger Things,” which will debut on October 27th. If you look down below to one of my previous posts, you’ll see I had lots of good things to say about the film “Super-8” and all the nostalgic goodness it brought. At the time, I remember thinking that the premise of “Super-8” was such a good one, “kids riding on bikes” would be the next “big thing” someone would grab a hold of because the thrill of it resonated in so many great ways, doubley so with people who grew up in the 80s. I’m so glad to see that “Stranger Things” is doing so well, and I hope the new season does even better than the first.
