Cartoons of Yesteryear

I went home to eastern Kentucky to visit my parents the other weekend. When cleaning out my old bedroom while I was there, I uncovered a trove of my old cartoons, little comics my friends and I drew in middle and high school. There are literally HUNDREDS of them, drawn at school before, during and after class. I must not have been challenged enough in the Kentucky public school system. Go figure.

Anyway, I had to do some serious vetting: of the comics that weren't HORRIFICALLY politically incorrect, downright awful or pointless out of context, I picked out a few to share from throughout my cartooning career.

This is the oldest of the bunch, drawn when I was in 6th grade (1994ish). Frosty was my dog when I was a kid. Everything I absorbed as a child found its way onto a piece of 8.5 x 11 typing paper back then.

 Yes, it's senseless. No, it isn't funny. Give me a break, I was twelve. 

The next cartoon was drawn when I was in 8th grade (1996ish). By now I was starting to discover what was funny and what wasn't (I watched "In Living Color" in syndication every night- No, my mom did not know). Also my teachers and friends were making consistent cameos in everything I drew. 

I now separate my cartoons into two categories: "pre-ears" and "post-ears". I also evidently couldn't draw a straight line to save my life. Good thing I got my degree in architecture!

The next cartoon is from high school (1998, 1999 perhaps). My cartooning style was beginning to blossom. I'd also determined that senseless violence on inanimate objects was the pinnacle of visual comedy. 

Credit goes to my friend Brad Given for creation of the Beebo character. As you can see, I still hadn't learned anything about lettering (and God bless you if you can consistently read my handwriting- to this day I'm unsure how I passed English class). I also included a little banner at the top featuring the title (and sometimes the sequential number) of the cartoon. I'm unsure why I did this, but I still catch myself doing it from time to time.

Yes, there is a cartoon drawn on the back of this one (you can see it on the scanned image). But I didn't draw it- my brother Graham did. I'll see if he wants to share that one.

I have another cartoon that I did my freshman year of college (2001), but I'll save that little gem for tomorrow. Hint: It involves me and the crazy antics of my college roommates. Until then!