Almost 3 years after #30, #31 was published as a farewell to a proud run of outstanding tributes to a true American art form and if you flipped the book over...printed upside down in the back half (this issue was thicker than the rest and square bound) was a posthumous issue #32. I treated it as a gift from some folks who had given me a lot already.
Alphabetically listed (there's no other fair way) Hal Foster, Chester Gould, Harold Gray, George Herriman, Walt Kelly, Gary Larsen, Winsor McCay, E.C. Segar, Charles Schulz, Bill Watterson are my top 10 favorite comic strip artists. A unique category of cartoonists who, unlike comic books or animation, are the sole progenitor of their own vision. A one-man-army of creativity that is a constant fascination to me.
#31 of "Nemo" devoted itself whole-heartedly to one of these men, Charles Schulz.
It's a good read. Enjoy.
Talk to you soon.
In his later years, Schultz built an Ice Skating Rink for his community and would go there mornings to doodle and think up strip ideas over a cup of coffee, then take a morning skate, go home, and make the comic. I love this kind of disciplined work ethic because it involves a fun, positive ritual. Charles Schultz also NEVER used subcontracted gag writers. Every Peanuts strip ever made, are his own words and pictures.
ReplyDeleteRight you are, buddy. While playing golf once, Hank Ketchum asked Schulz why he was working so hard. Told him to hire some ghosts and spend some time enjoying himself (as Ketchum had done). Schulz replied with something like, "Does Arnld Palmer hire someone to hit his balls for him? Cartooning is the only thing I've ever wanted to do, why would I let someone else do it?".
ReplyDeleteThat perspective is one of the 80 bajillion reasons he's my hero.