Hello from Commander Broccoli

[cherylnickel]

Hey everybody. I'm really glad I found this forum, seems to be a lot of friendly and encouraging people. And you're all cartoonists at that! At least I'll have a group of people here who won't write me off as being from--you know--"the creative department" to explain why I'm not normal like everyone else in the office. javascript:emoticonp('')

I have been drawing my comic strip since high school, 1991/92 and it got published in my college newspaper for 2 and a half years as well. After doing graphic design for a few years I got married and pregnant and started to pursue my own graphic design business so I could work from home. Graphic design seemed to make me antsy after about an hour, so I decided to pursue my art.

At that time a lot of people started getting on my case to do my comic strip again. So I approached the local weekly newspaper editor and he said they were looking for a local comic strip! Yay! But then weeks passed and he didn't get back to me. I would contact him every month or so but he was always too busy. After 6 months I started leaving a phone message or an email every day for about 2 weeks until he finally got back to me. He sounded exasperated but finally did what he said and my comic was in the local paper for 2 and a half years. I got paid $25/strip. Better than $5 anyway, and to have a deadline kept me drawing.

Then we moved away etc etc and now we're back. Again people started asking about my comic strip, so I decided to start it up again. This time it was more difficult to get in, but I had a plan. I asked the editor if he wanted my comic again, he said probably not. So I asked if I could email it to him anyway. He said no problem. So I started sending it, offering it for $5 per comic and after 2 weeks he said he'd like to print them. Yay again!

Looking forward to seeing all your comics!!!
Cheryl

P.S. My website is http://www.commanderbroccoli.ca

[Leah-Admin]

Welcome Cheryl

We cartoonists do have to go to desperate measures sometimes to be seen, and what people fail to realise is that for us it is more about being 'seen' and sharing our art than being paid. Though being paid is a BIG bonus when we want to do it full time and have bills to pay. Else I'm sure we'd all happily do it for nowt.

Anyway good luck with it

Leah

[cherylnickel]

Yes, I also believe in small beginnings paying off in the long run, if I keep at it. I'm looking at the big picture too, which is eventually getting into numerous papers. Thanks for wishing me luck!