And let's celebrate Easter a day early. This makes slightly more sense if you know that the Almanac runs in the Post Style section right next to Doonesbury. If I remember right, the editor's only question was if the spelling of "Bunsy" was intentional. I do remember that drawing the rabbit was a lot of fun. It makes me want to illustrate some Beatrix Potter stories, which'd be a classic case of carrying coals to Newcastle.
A few years ago the Smithsonian hosted a traveling exhibition of Beatrix Potter that included a lot of drawings, letters and ephemera. One of the first things you saw when you walked in was a huge blow up of one of the iconic Peter Rabbit illustrations, the one where he's gnawing on a carrot, enlarged to like ten feet tall. On the opposite wall was the original drawing, and it was so small you could've hidden it with your thumb. Something about drawing little twee English animals wearing vests and cravats and such is awfully appealing. Though probably the dream job for an illustrator would be Alice in Wonderland, which has the little twee animals plus an assortment of visually arresting creatures and grotesques. It's hard to improve on the original drawings by John Tenniel, but many have tried and a few have succeeded to some extent, like Ralph Steadman and Peter Newell and Deloss McGraw.
But anyway, Happy Easter, and may all your chocolate rabbits be solid.
congrats on your NCS nomination!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Casey!
ReplyDeleteRichard, what nomination???
ReplyDeleteA National Cartoonist Society divisional award. Sshh! It's not a secret, but it hasn't been formally announced. Not that I've exactly kept my mouth shut about it.
ReplyDeleteHey, how come nobody's posted anything here in days? Wait, that's my fault. Sorry. I blame the deadlines.
*whispers* Anyway we can sway the vote? *shhhhhh*
ReplyDelete*whispers back* You could put a sign with my name on it in your yard, next to your Impeach Them Both sign. No, actually, the voting's already been done, there are three nominees and the awards are given out in New Orleans on Memorial Day weekend, at a black tie dinner. But thanks for your support.
ReplyDeleteOkay, never would've thought of Dad Otterloop's being downright mean — before today's installment. Poor Pete! : )
ReplyDeleteThe drawing of that rabbit in the second panel is the funniest drawing I've ever seen. Peeps's head falling off is a close second. Envy, man, envy.
ReplyDeleteSshh! Paul G should get the NCS award just for the Pooch Cafe of March 26th alone. As well as all the rest he's drawn in the last year. That's what I think.
ReplyDeleteHey Paul, I wrestled with that strip for a while, hoping Dad wouldn't look too harsh. Does he? The trouble is, Petey's such a immovable object that he needs to be pried loose sometimes and tossed outside. Though it looks like wherever he lands he's gonna be a fish out of water. Put it down to desperate plot contrivance.
Thanks for the props for Mar 26. I was wondering if there was still enough anti-Sinead sentiment that some Pope lovers would get down on me for the slogan.... guess it's sort of obscure now but you never know what some people will get down on you for. I got some letters saying I was disprespecing Princess Di when I had Elton John sing "Goodbye Poncho's Chew Toy."
ReplyDeleteWhich strip you refering to about not wanting to make Dad look too harsh?
Truthfully, that strip's a favorite. The more I commiserate with Petey, the funnier the whole thing gets. Sometimes feel like you've seen one side of the inner world of my childhood & distilled it on paper in all its pale, tragic nobility.
ReplyDelete(Still love Alice the most, though.)