Even Marmaduke Got Rejected

on October 11, 2011

Brad Anderson Rejection Note

I found this note attached with a rusty staple to a completely finished Marmaduke daily from 1958, and thought I would share it with you. The unassuming square of paper is a rejection note from an unknown syndicate editor giving the man behind Marmaduke, Brad Anderson, a kick in his acorns for his “preposterous” comic strip submission. Anderson began his strip in 1954, so this strip was created four years into its run, a run that has lasted almost 60 years and continues to this day. It just goes to show that no matter how high up into the mountains you climb, you still have to deal with a few critical Yetis along the way! I know this editor was just doing his job, but I have to say Mr. Anderson probably knows a thing or two about squeezing the juice out of a gag, and I thought the strip was perfectly fine as it was. Still, it’s a fun find, something you don’t see every day.

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George Herriman Fan Sketch

on October 8, 2011

Herriman Krazy Kat sketch (click to enlarge)

Here’s a rarely seen sketch from a private collection made by Krazy Kat creator, George Herriman for a fan. It was pulled from a small sketchbook which held sketches by many other luminary cartoonists, mostly dated from 1929. It’s interesting to see that Herriman is able to keep the kinetic energy of his initial pencil drawings in his final ink work.

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Webcomic Alliance Pick of the Week: Zombie Boy

on October 4, 2011

What a thrill! The Webcomic Alliance, one of my favorite websites, has chosen Zombie Boy Comics as their Pick of the Week! If you’re not familar with the Webcomic Alliance, be sure to spend some time on their site and check out all the informative articles and podcasts they offer to webcartoonists. They’re great people who share their experience and advice with the webcomic community.

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Mort Walker’s 40th Birthday Bash

on September 27, 2011

This one-of-a-kind photo from the personal collection of Bob Gustafson shows a stellar gathering of newspaper cartoonists on the occasion of Mort Walker‘s 40th birthday, on September 3, 1963. The picture was taken at the Milbrook Country Club in Greenwich, Connecticut during the time when Gustafson was assisting Walker with his strips Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois. The cartoonists shown: (front kneeling) Jack Tippit, Bill Yates, Frank Roberge, Tony DiPreta, John Cullen Murphy, Gill Fox and in the center, Dik Browne; (standing) Bud Jones, Frank Johnson, Orlando Busino, Jerry Dumas, Mort Walker, Jerry Marcus, Dick Cavalli, Bob Weber, and Pulitzer winning editorial cartoonist, John Fischetti. According to notes, everyone made a drawing for Mort, and from the looks of the faces in the photo, all had a great time!

Mort Walker’s 40th Birthday – Collection of Bob Gustafson

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More Master Cartoonist Mojo

on September 17, 2011

We’re going back a bit here. This Zombie Boy strip sits next to a E. C. Segar pre-Popeye Thimble Theatre daily from 4-20-1926 with Olive Oyl’s brother Castor Oyl and Ham Gravy, a boyfriend she had before she hooked up with Popeye. I love to see the contrast between my strip’s bright bristol and the older paper that Segar used from 85 years ago.

Zombie Boy Meets Thimble Theatre

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