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January 2008
Coordinating Balloons ‘n ‘Toons
by
Karyl Miller, prez SCCS
SHOW BIZ UPDATE: Many of you have been asking if I’m part of the Hollywood writers’ strike. Yes. I’m the
strike captain for San Diego. For the inside scoop on union demands and news clips of us picketing locally,
please go to my website MillerReport.com.
CHRISTMAS CHEER: Now I can die happily since witnessing two stunning Karaoke performances at the
SCCS holiday party - Paul Gringle belting out “Great Balls of Fire,” and Greg Mullendore singing “Blue
Christmas,” while channeling Elvis Presley (hips and all). I’ll be taking those priceless images with me to my
grave where I can enjoy them for eternity.
We thank Jack White and Lynn Stedd for giving us the party and for use of the fantastical magical venue of
Jack’s Magic Place. Thanks also to all who contributed to the fun including Jack Zabawa’s presenting the
Karaoke, Joe Schmidt helping Jack White make the delicious made to order quesadillas and Ted Dunning
for adding magic to the mix.
HAPPY NEW YEAR: In 2008 I resolve to stop saying that cartoonists live the Life of Riley. Would I go so
far as to say cartoonists work hard for the money? No. Coal miners work hard for the money. However,
anybody who can earn a living without leaving his bedroom has a pretty cushy job (prostitutes excepted).
But I now readily admit that cartooning isn’t easy.
So what’s the reason for my new-found humility? For one thing I’m making my second attempt at spec-ing
a strip. While my writing and my drawing may have improved somewhat over my last strip, my biggest
bugaboo remains the placement of the damn *#@!*&% talk balloons. What a headache! The first speaker
has to be on the left because the balloons cannot cross each other. If, heaven forbid, your talk balloons
cross each other - you’re revealed yourself to be a clueless rank amateur who should have your pens
immediately confiscated and should go find a new career more suited to your simple, simple mind.
Anyway, as if to prove my point of how difficult balloon and ‘toon placement are, I site one of my
very favorite strips, Steve Breen’s Grand Avenue. Breen is a thorough pro and yet even he had a balloon
placement problem recently in a frame where the grandma is driving the children in her Cadillac. Here’s
how he solved it.
Could I have done better? Not in a million years.
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