New Wine/Old Bottle

In a nutshell, the "daily" format--consecutive panels in a rectangular
block--was traditionally a much denser visual artform than we see
today. As newspaper readership began to falter during the '80s, ad
revenues became critical for survival. So the generous scale allotted
to the standard daily strip was cut back. The reduced format made the

more detailed strips difficult to read. There is a certain point at
which text becomes too small to read, so the balloon size had to
remain fairly close to its traditional scale while the art got reduced
to more basic elements. Through the mandate of their accounting
departments, newspapers gravitated to the modern version which
emphasizes writing over art. It is my hope that the digital age will
enable the pendulum to swing the other way.

In some recent experiments with this form I came to the realization 

that the tablet format is becoming the most common way that news is

delivered. So why not comics, too?! By having a vertical division
exactly at midpoint, one can produce a two column strip that fills

 the parameters of a standard tablet screen. Though my inked
strips are done the traditional way, I reformat them as digital art.
The trick is knowing when to use Photoshop as a finish tool, and most
difficult of all, when to leave it alone. The above first appeared at the
www.pengrenades.com site which I shared with Brian Hagen and Dan
Schubarth. This and other original inked strips are 

now available on my Etsy site.

A Not-For-Profit Two Pager

This RAW piece from the early '90s was informed by my experience at the Sacramento-based California State Fair where I was the official sign painter for four years in the late '80s. The hectic job lasted through the cruel summer months, when the mercury often soared beyond 100. I was just a notch above the dicey carny folk who set up and staffed the rides and attractions. We were all itinerant tradesmen, grateful for the work.
  It sure payed better than this particular cartooning gig. I still don't even want to think about the "man hours" I put in on this labor-intensive piece. It was an experiment in constructing a double vision storyline as a premise for the resounding  punchline. I think this one was written backwards. When there's a lot of details that have to be covered in the action and narrative of a strip, starting with the last panel really helps to hone the continuity down to the essentials. Bottom line, sign painting still pays better than cartooning

Hope Springs Eternal

May your resolutions be within the realm of possibilities and not be broken by first thaw.