Sometimes, even after proof-reading a strip three times, having your husband and possibly a friend or two check it over, and — short of running it through the airport scanner — hindsight is still 20/20. I owe the Tooth Fairy and many readers an apology for the parents’ false impersonation in today’s strip. I just received this feedback:
“Where do I submit a comment not related to your blog but to the comic itself? My 9 year old reads the comics and today (Feb 18) he read them before me. Can you imagine how it felt for me to read your unveiling of the tooth fairy in today’s strip? Why, why, why? Do you think only mom’s read your strip? How about a strip about that, about trying to continue to foster the innocence of childhood to have it wiped out in the safest of places in the newspaper, the comics? Do I have to redact the comics?”
I’ll get emails occasionally complaining about a strip. I try to take these letters to heart and remember the scenario for next time. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t always agree…but I figure if a person cares enough to write, I care enough to respond and take their letter seriously. I am apologizing because this simple scenario completely, unfathomably escaped me. Why? No idea. My 7-year-old daughter read this cartoon and never even mentioned it (and she believes in her). All I can say is it was one of those “dohh!” moments. Ironically, last year I was careful to tread lightly around the existence of certain major December holiday character (there’s a sample of it in this blog under “J Factor”).
So, sorry to the reader and everyone else — I do apologize!,
I just had an interview with a writer from my college alumni magazine (Wahington U, St Louis). While chatting with her, I mentioned an old, irreverent college strip that I tried to get syndicated after graduation, called “Zero.” Since it was a college-based strip, editors weren’t too keen on publishing it (although many wrote nice things in their rejection letters).
I’ve always had an affinity for this cartoon. I even showed it to the King Features editor, Jay Kennedy, during the PD launch just as a fun diversion. I also whipped out his glowing rejection letter.
Thought I’d post some of those early strips, drawn back in ‘92-ish. Figured they might inspire some younger cartoonists who are hoping to get syndicated, or provide them with an excuse to say, “Man, I can do sooo much better than this s**t!”
To read more about Zero click on the image
I haven’t posted anything exciting to this blog in the past two weeks because I’ve been busy working ahead yet again. I’ve now garnered three days. This probably doesn’t seem noteworthy to most people, but in Cartoon Land, it’s quite a feat. Exactly what does this mean? Well, it means I have an extra three days to check over work, change out one cartoon for another if need be, and have some extra cushion for those pesky emergencies (or a giant sale).
Actually, I don’t plan on blowing any of those days if I can help it. They’re too precious. Instead, I decided once I’m an even two weeks ahead, I’ll start earning myself an actual “vacation” day once a month. Like the corporate policy at my husband’s workplace, if I don’t use it, I’ll roll it over to the next month, and so on. Guess I’ll have my own little corporate vacation policy. Let’s hope it works.
Huh. After that little spiel, looks like I still haven’t posted anything exciting…
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