I thought I’d start using this blog to, every once in a while, highlight the work of other cartoonists and their comics. Some of the cartoonists are friends, some are just acquaintances, some I’ve never spoken to at all. The common thread is that they all produce good comics that are worth reading and have, at some point, been part of the Comics Sherpa website. Jonathan Mahood, Scott Metzger, Pab Sungenis, Bill Bettwy, Jarrett Osborne, Alex Hallatt, Justin Thompson, Rick Ellis - these are just a few of the great cartoonists that have graced the pages of Comics Sherpa.
When I began this journey almost a year ago, I submitted my work to Comics Sherpa, a website associated with Universal Press Syndicate and GoComics, that hundreds of amateur cartoonists employ to improve their skills, gain feedback and build an audience. Funny thing, cartooning is. As competitive as the business is, cartoonists are some of the friendliest people I know and while I was on Comics Sherpa, I made a lot of friends and received a lot of advice. One friend in particular was probably the most helpful and influential in guiding me through the murky waters while getting started.
Mike Witmer draws the comic 44 Union Avenue. When I was considering using Comics Sherpa to promote my cartoon, I noticed 44 Union Avenue was one of the most consistently funny and highest rated comics on the site. After reading a few of his comics I quickly realized why. Mike has a talent for capturing the mischievous essence of his own childhood with pen and paper and makes the funny even funnier through the use of his extensive vocabulary of silly words.
Anyhow, Mike is now taking on the unenviable task of starting a second comic. And so far, it’s at least as good as his first one. It’s called Pinkerton. It’s still in the development stage, but with characters like Buckley an obliviously happy fox, Tucker a cynical and (surprise) divorced rabbit, and Steve the guinea pig with a Napoleon complex (who, by the way, happens to have been raised by a herd of moose) how can this comic NOT be funny? Now, go show Mike some love. Check out Pinkerton -updating Wednesdays and Fridays.
Thanks for the namecheck, Scott. The best thing about ComicsSherpa was being in that crowd you mention. Amazing how many of us who were sending emails to each other behind the scenes ended up going on to bigger things. Great company.
You’re welcome, Alex,and I agree, a lot of talented people started on Sherpa. Outside of the names I mentioned in my blog, Brian Anderson of Dog Eat Doug started there, as did Brevity’s Guy and Rodd. And there’s a lot of talent still there too. Craig Boldman who writes the syndicated Archie comic strip is on Sherpa with Talipoe. Scott Nickel who works for Jim Davis (Garfield) and also has his own syndicated comic, Triple Take, is on Sherpa with Show Buzz. Not counting a lot of other great comics that are too numerous to mention.