Lead Paint made me do it
About the time I was coming up the ideas for Banks©, I was offered a job at the Adirondack Enterprise in Saranac Lake, NY. They ran this weekend supplement to the daily paper, and they needed a "creative mind" for editor. I was not a writer and had no clue what a newspaper editor did... And I was terrified, but took the job anyway.
The job turned out to be some of the best career experience I've ever had. I learned a Mac for the first time, learned QuarkXpress and got a first-hand education of the disjointed workings of a daily newspaper. I was also in charge of almost everything for a 24 page, weekly paper – The only thing I wasn't allowed to touch were the ads.
My days at the paper consisted of the following:
Tuesday was deadline, so I'd show up to my office – A filing cabniet drawer – Around 10am. My "office" contained all the local events and personal announcements sent in from the surrounding Adirondack Park, including everything from formal press realeases for an official NYS-sanctioned event, to a handwritten note that Mrs. Harrington was hosting Bridge in Bloomingdale next Thrusday, instead of Mrs. McKillip. Each week I'd rifle through the latest calendar items, throw in a couple of the regular local columns, fill the gaps with AP stories... And viola, the Adirondack Enterprise Weekender Edition was put to bed.
Why do I tell you this? Why should you care? Why the Hell do you read my stuff at all, if you have such questions?
ANYWAY, my reason is this: I was the editor. I could run what I wanted within reason, including comics.
And so, I give you all Lead Paint... Exclusive to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Almost...
At one point, I sent Lead Paint to the syndicates. One editor sent me a form letter, along with my original samples. Someone had written "good" next to this Superman gag. I imagine he/she was in a 4 hour meeting that was just wrapping up, causing he/she to express his/her excitement on my samples.
Years ago, King Features had something called The New Breed, a comic panel featuring "up and coming" cartoonists. They ran a different panel from a different artist everyday. This cowboy comic ran one day. Or so they told me... Well, they paid me, anyway.
And there you have that... Whatever it was. Next time I'll tell you the REAL reason you read my stuff.
The job turned out to be some of the best career experience I've ever had. I learned a Mac for the first time, learned QuarkXpress and got a first-hand education of the disjointed workings of a daily newspaper. I was also in charge of almost everything for a 24 page, weekly paper – The only thing I wasn't allowed to touch were the ads.
My days at the paper consisted of the following:
Tuesday was deadline, so I'd show up to my office – A filing cabniet drawer – Around 10am. My "office" contained all the local events and personal announcements sent in from the surrounding Adirondack Park, including everything from formal press realeases for an official NYS-sanctioned event, to a handwritten note that Mrs. Harrington was hosting Bridge in Bloomingdale next Thrusday, instead of Mrs. McKillip. Each week I'd rifle through the latest calendar items, throw in a couple of the regular local columns, fill the gaps with AP stories... And viola, the Adirondack Enterprise Weekender Edition was put to bed.
Why do I tell you this? Why should you care? Why the Hell do you read my stuff at all, if you have such questions?
ANYWAY, my reason is this: I was the editor. I could run what I wanted within reason, including comics.
And so, I give you all Lead Paint... Exclusive to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Almost...
At one point, I sent Lead Paint to the syndicates. One editor sent me a form letter, along with my original samples. Someone had written "good" next to this Superman gag. I imagine he/she was in a 4 hour meeting that was just wrapping up, causing he/she to express his/her excitement on my samples.
Years ago, King Features had something called The New Breed, a comic panel featuring "up and coming" cartoonists. They ran a different panel from a different artist everyday. This cowboy comic ran one day. Or so they told me... Well, they paid me, anyway.
And there you have that... Whatever it was. Next time I'll tell you the REAL reason you read my stuff.
1 Comments:
I like "...I believe your dog has my femur." best of all.
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