I’m Four Years Old Today
Thursday, 5 November 2009, at 23:19I almost forgot. Today, four years ago, I became a full-time cartoonist.
I don’t know how many original readers I have from the days of my first comic strip, Urban Trash, but I do know that The Biggish Five (syndicated throughout South Africa, in English and Afrikaans) is exponentially more popular and more fun to write and draw.
Following my rather bizarre departure from the corporate world in 2005, I immediately took on the daunting task of drawing funny pictures for a living, with no official experience or training. The first publication (other than my website and a now-defunct discussion board) to print Urban Trash was the South African (a weekly newspaper for expats in the UK). I’m still with them today.
This is the strip they ran in early November 2005:
A lot has changed since then.
Like my chair. It’s broken in more places now.
I started drawing for The Times in June 2007, with an offbeat one-panel cartoon called Ditwits. At the beginning of 2008, my editor spurred me into political commentary, which was a potentially dangerous move for such a large newspaper; never before had I drawn politically, nor had I caricatured anyone.
Amazingly, I haven’t been canned. Especially with an average nearing one rejected cartoon per month. (Versus Zapiro’s decades-spanning career total of two, if memory serves.) By the end of this year, and about 500 cartoons later, I will have been drawing politically for two years.
Last year, after just less than 1000 Urban Trash strips, I decided to hang up those boots nibs and venture into something less restrictive. Enter The Biggish Five (which is nearing the 500 mark).
The journey has been interesting. From eating chocolates with Desmond Tutu, to being nominated for a few awards, to receiving weird death threats (the poor guy, bless his socks, was arrested), to hanging out with Leon Schuster, to inspiring a nationally televised toast, to being turned away by every book publisher, to being turned away by generally anyone to whom I introduce myself.
This is the original Urban Trash strip. The one from which my entire career stems.
Friday, 6 November 2009, at 00:06
awesome!
Friday, 6 November 2009, at 00:16
Wow, scary to think it has been 4 years, congrats and may there be many many more.
Friday, 6 November 2009, at 00:29
You know you’re my favourite cartoonist IN THE WORLD but congrats anyway.
Friday, 6 November 2009, at 03:33
J, you are also my FAVOURITE CARTOONIST!
Who else can make me laugh at 3.30 in the morning ???
WELL DONE! AND MANY MANY MORE!
Friday, 6 November 2009, at 07:30
May the ideas and the ink flow freely, and mayyour nibs never break
Here’s to the next 46 years (at least!)
Friday, 6 November 2009, at 08:48
Congratulations, and I’m sure you don’t regret the move to cartoonist. I have been following your work online for a few years now, and am sure it will be many more.
Friday, 6 November 2009, at 08:55
well done dude. how about some stats for your fans: daily hits, prolific posters etc etc etc…
Friday, 6 November 2009, at 11:03
Happy 4th Birthday!
what an amazing journey so far! huge congrats on all your achievements
looking forward to many more years…