The blog of Richard Thompson, caricaturist, creator of "Cul de Sac," and winner of the 2011 Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Eight


Cul de Sac is now eight years old, having launched in the Washington Post Magazine in its 2004 Valentine's Day issue. Above is the first sketch and the drawing used on the Post Mag cover the week it debuted. Originally it was going to be on the plastic bag holding the paper too, but that didn't happen. Which is a relief, as it might've scared away Post readers and depressed sales.

This proto-Alice is a little weirder looking than the more recent model. But I like the sketch a lot, and I wish I could draw the strips so loosely. Drawing things in little boxes cramps looseness and forces the lines to behave and stay in place. Especially when they have to share the available space with words which, for reasons of coherence, get more elbow room and the choice spot in each panel.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, Alice!

Unknown said...

Happy Birthanniversevalentine! and thank you for the lovely gift of Cul de Sac. Those of us out here in Readerland truly appreciate and love it!

MAUMONT said...

Really funny!

Neil J Murphy said...

Happy anniversary! I hope the therapy is going well, and hope all your readers are enjoying Petey's return visit to PJ Piehole's as much as I am.

Andrew said...

Congratulations! Shaenon and I got married on Valentine's Day in 2004, so it was a good month for a lot of people.

Rickie Wu said...

Ha, ha! I laughed

gilda92 said...

Happy Anniversary Cul de Sac. Mornings just wouldn't be the same without you. Evenings too for that matter, when I look at the strip for a second time. Thank you Richard.

DanC said...

smoochie boochies!

DanC said...

smoochie boochies!

Unknown said...

How come the cartoons in the paper have been reruns as of late?

Mike said...

... and many more