Time Bomb

I had created a number of short strips for Drawn & Quarterly back when they were only a single magazine anthology, before they grew to become one of the greatest publishers of comics ever. This was the last one I did. After this strip I was never invited to contribute to the anthology again. I guess I can't really blame them. I mean, the strip meant something to me, but I can see how it might not have meant anything to anyone else. It's a little too - I don't know - over-the-top or something.

I can't say exactly what I was going for with the strip. I do recall feeling rather bleak at the time and I am one of those artists who sometimes allows whatever their current mood may be dictate the direction of whatever they are working on at the time. I know that's not always very professional for a working artist who needs to develop relationships with editors & art directors based on trust. But it was something ingrained in me from my years in art school; I had grown accustomed to "exorcising demons" with art (I know that sounds glib, but it's kind of true).

Things have certainly changed (thankfully), but at that time, 1991, I probably should have been submitting some earnest auto-bio strips - or at least something with jokes - if I wanted to create a relationship with publishers. The sad fact, though, is that this was as close to auto-bio as my psyche would allow me to get... (Maybe as close as I got to making jokes, too).

Anyway, thank you to my loyal readers for tolerating all these recent trips down memory lane. I promise to post more current work again soon. (Yes - I've been hard at work on a couple of things, but I'm keeping the lid on for now. But watch for more previews of my upcoming book The Hidden very soon).