Cartooning 101 by Chance Brown (Hagar the Horrible)Olive Grove Publications
BACKGROUND
So what is Olive Grove Publications? It's the pen-name for my pseudo-publication/imagination (or something like that). It comes from the people, places, and experiences that I have come across during my lifetime. Just for your info, "Olive Grove" is the name of a street in a subdivision located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
It's no secret that I like to draw. I'm not really a hero when it comes to drawing new things. I fancy myself to be a good copy-cat artist, i.e. I can draw things that I can see like objects, people, other comic strips, etc. I've had many ideas for comic strips, but never quite had the discipline or desire to keep drawing them.
Then 1989 hit...it was during that boring summer in Regina that "Life in Lapland" was born. The original basis: Four friends living in a huge mansion in a nice subdivision (namely Edgemont Pointe) in Calgary, two guys, a duck, and an elephant. Clearly Berke Breathed's "Bloom County" and Jim Davis's "Garfield" were my biggest influences. One could say that the four characters are different extensions of my personality, and the strips are based on personal experiences. In some ways, I guess it's like a visual diary of my life. Scary!
The Boys
Ali X: Born June 1989. The so-called "hero". He's clean-cut, polite, cool, decent, and has a wicked sense of biting wit! I originally called him Alistair Handelman, but decided that he should be more in tune with my roots after living in Saudi. I couldn't think of a decent last name.
Jedson Einstein: Born June 1989. The intelligent and quiet one, often isolated. Wears glasses, has that nebulous-feel about him that you really can't fathom. Not really a dark character, but represents the darker sides of my personality.
Gavinn Tuskus: Born July 1989. The elephant-man. Has styles galore, but not the ideal body-frame for them. Wicked cook though!
Edwing Quackenbush: Born July 1989. The warped duck. Often incoherent, watches mass-amounts of television, known abuser of caffeine and sugar. This is one messed-up duck!
The Ladies
Miriam Mills: Born July 1992. Ali's female equivalent, i.e. the heroine. Has the same qualities as he does, but is less confused.
Jasmine Bay: Born July 1992: Intelligent, independent female. Wears glasses, has the curves. Men do backflips for her when they look into her eyes.
Erin Mills: Born July 1992. Miriam's sister. The true Toronto faithful.
Mary J.: Born July 1992. Hip-hop queenie. Major hottie. Hooked up with Edwing? Kind of a sad irony.
The Cameos
P.G.M.: (re)Born July 1991. The Progressively Grinning Man. This wide-toothed smiling guy was NBC's "We'll be back" character for Saturday morning cartoons in the 1990-91 season.
Frankie Slurp: Born Winter 1988. A small Kool-aid man. He's a pitcher (not baseball), and he's green.
Hairfax: Born August 1991. Pseudo-Captain Caveman type who basically forgot to shave many many years ago. The name comes from a hair-replacement clinic in Regina.
Bernie Whitman: Born 1987. The portly and aged subject of a strip with the same name that I used to draw in my younger days. A complete hash of other comic strip characters: Hi's nose, Popeye's chin, Born Loser's hairline, Jon Arbuckle's persona, etc.
I like to slip in characters from other strips too like Bill 'n Opus, Garfield, Archie & co, etc. Sometimes I put myself in the drawings.
IGNORELAND
I have continued to draw "Life in Lapland" for the past nine years. It has gone through many incarnations, kind of a reflection on how often my life has changed in that time. I was going to rename the strip to "The 'loo" after Waterloo, but I nixed that idea...I realized that I'm not going to be in Waterloo forever. I think "Ignoreland" is more appropriate at the moment. Perhaps a reflection of my angst, but more like just a cool R.E.M. song! The basis is the same: The four friends, but now living in a T.O./twentysomething environment with their extended Lapland friends. Basically, they go where I go.
I have plans in the works to publish these comics online. Soon people, soon!
BECOMING A CARTOONIST
Here's a few links to some useful information on how to become a syndicated cartoonist...
Cartooning 101 by Chance Brown (Hagar the Horrible)
Cartoonist Profiles, info on the top cartoonists
Tribune Media Services, submissions
United Media Syndicate, submissions
Universal Press Syndicate, contacts