Patrick McDonnell
Cartoonist,
Friday, December 19, 2003; 1:00 PM
The Washington Post Style section comics discussion, hosted by Comics page editor Suzanne Tobin. This week, Tobin welcomes 'Mutts' cartoonist Patrick McDonnell.
McDonnell joined Tobin online Friday, Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss 'Mutts', the art of cartooning and his Give the Gift of Nothing campaign to raise money for Toys for Tots.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Suzanne Tobin: Hello, comics fans, and welcome to our holiday edition of "Comics: Meet the Artist." Today we are thrilled to have Patrick McDonnell, creator of 'Mutts,' joining us from his studio in New Jersey. Welcome, Patrick, and happy holidays to you!
Patrick McDonnell: Happy holidays to you, Suzanne, and to all your readers. I'm happy to be back chatting with you all again.
Harrisburg, Pa.: How did you get involved with Toys for Tots, and what is your involvement with them?
Patrick McDonnell: On the muttscomics web site, a few years ago I did a storyline where Mooch the cat was trying to figure out what to give Earl, who he thought had everything. And, by that, he meant a bed and a food bowl. So he thought he would give him nothing, so he ended up giving him a big box of nothing. So in October of this year, we contacted Toys for Tots and suggested a "gift of nothing" promotion. So on we thought it would be a good idea to offer a Mooch-decorated "box of nothing" on the muttscomics site that people could give to family and friends. The idea was that all the profits from the $12 sale would go to Toys for Tots, so that even though YOU'RE getting nothing, there's a child who's getting SOMETHING. The other bonus is there will be a golden ticket in 10 of the "boxes of nothing" which can be returned to me, and I will do an original piece of art for those 10 lucky winners.
NYC, NY: Patrick, Thanks so much for your wonderful strip! On a personal note, 'Mutts,' along with 'For Better or For Worse' helped my wife come to appreciate what comics can be, and why I'm such a comics nut. My question is: through your "Shelter Stories" you have the potential to bring people to understand the plight of shelter animals, which I believe is seriously overlooked by many. As positive as these strips are, have you ever received negative feedback when you've run these weekly series?
Thanks, and enjoy the holidays!
Patrick McDonnell: I've never received any negative feedback for those stories. Some people say they make them cry, and some can be hard to read, but they feel they have to read them anyway. I think the biggest pleasure I get from doing 'Mutts' is when I get a letter from someone who says that because of my "Shelter Stories" they were inspired to adopt a new cat or a new dog.
Long Island, N.Y.: I LOVE the cartoon. I appreciate the "hidden messages" and hope others think twice about chaining up their pets, esp. when the weather isn't good, for example.
Thank you for your contributions to the animal world -- they can't speak for themselves, but I think you help them.
Happy Holidays!
Patrick McDonnell: Thank you! I do try to do the strip from the perspective of the animals, so on occasion, I do like to raise certain animal issues and the treatment of guard dogs is one of them.
Monterey, California: This is not an entirely "friendly" question, but it's sincere and I hope you will answer it.
To start with, I'm a big fan of some of your work. The whole "little pink sock" escapades were genius, and "cat thermometer" is a classic.
Shometimes, though, it sheems like there's a tendenshy to overwork or overmarket a particular shshshtick -- if you know the kind of shtuff I'm talking about. You also seem to be trying to create an image of yourself as a "fine artist" and, accordingly, price your work online very high.
Please dispel the misconceptions and/or cop to the truths.
Thanks again for answering my question.
Patrick McDonnell: Thanks for the questions. Yeah, Mooch, has a tendency to get a little crazy with the sh's, but that's the way he talks. And as far the fine art question, I do not sell any originals but I do offer some to charities to auction off to help their cause, so I don't know what high-priced online work you're referring to.
Manasquan, N.J.: Hi Patrick-- Thanks for all the work you do on behalf of our animal friends. Will we ever see a panel that shows Mooch and Earl as kitten and puppy, or tells us how they arrived at their happy homes? And of course, why Mooch loves that li'l pink sock? Love your work, you are the best!!
Patrick McDonnell: That's quite a coincidence!!!! I been sketching ideas about Earl and Mooch in their infancy. I hope to do a storyline about it in 2004. As far as Mooch's pink sock, that's just one of the mysteries of owning a cat.
Adams Morgan, DC: Thank you for Mutts. My question, though, is about the wonderful Krazy Kat book you co-edited (published by Abrams, and what a stroke of validation THAT is!). Did you and your colleagues write the introduction as a team, or in separate sections, or what? However you did it, it is worth the price of the book. (By the way, although the influence of Herriman on your 'tooning is profound, especially the opening panels on Sundays, I think maybe your style owes even more to the Katzenjammer Kids.)
Patrick McDonnell: I was one of the co-authors on a book about George Herriman's classic comic strip, "Krazy Kat" for Abrams publishers in 1986, I think. It was a real labor of love. We worked on it for about four years, collecting artwork and any information we could find on Mr. Herriman, who was pretty shy and reclusive. The introduction, actually, was written by Gilbert Seldes, a famous art critic in the '20s and '30s. The biography itself was written by my wife, Karen, Georgia Riley--a curator at the Graham gallery in New York City--and myself. It was very much a team effort. Anyone who isn't aware of 'Krazy Kat' should definitely take the time to discover the strip, and I'm not just saying that to sell copies of the book, which is still in print. And there are also quite a few more recent books on 'Krazy Kat' that are out there.
As for my style, and the influences on it, I'm a big fan of the early comic strips...Segar's 'Popeye,' DeBeck's 'Barney Google,' Cliff Sterrett's 'Polly and Her Pals,' and the 'Katzenjammer Kids.' I'm sure it comes out in my work in 'Mutts.'
Herriman's use of constantly changing his titles was a factor in me playing with my title panels.
You know, I've looked but . . .: I can't find my favorite strip. It is the one with Mooch and Earl at the deli and Butchie is selling hot dogs and Mooch calls him the Deli-lama and asks for one with everything as the punch line. I've looked throught the books but can't find this one. Any hints.
BTW: My wife and I got adopted by a black alley cat after we moved into our house, of course we named her "Mooch."
Patrick McDonnell: That's great. Give Mooch a treat from me. Off the top of my head, that sounds like a fairly early strip. I would say it's either in the second or third books, "Cats and Dogs" or "More Shtuff."
When I do the yearly compilation, there's not enough space for the entire year, so there's a couple of weeks that don't make it into the books, so there's a small chance that that particular strip didn't make it into a book, although I kind of doubt it because I like the strip so I probably did include it. The compilations are all still in print, so check again. Someday I hope to put a collection together of all the strips that got cut for space reasons out of the compilations. It will be like a "lost and found" collection.
Gaithersburg, MD: Hi Patrick--'Mutts' always makes my day. I particularly love "Shelter Stories" and hope those reach the hearts of those who should see them. Recently I saw that your Mutts characters are now featured on New Jersey license plates. Any chance they will become available in other states?
Patrick McDonnell: New Jersey had the first animal-friendly license plate, probably about 10 years ago. They were running out of the plate, and they asked me to redesign it, which I very happily did. It's actually a great cause. About 85% of the cost of the plate goes to help spay and neuter New Jersey's animal population. Soon, we're going to put on our Web site ways that you can contact your own state about doing an animal-friendly plate. For now, if you want a Mutts plate, you'll have to move to Jersey.
Arlington, VA: I have loved 'Mutts' since it first appeared in The Washington Post. I find the weeks when you do "shelter stories" so moving, maybe because I myself am adopted. Thank you for your work in making people think about smart adoption of pets!
Patrick McDonnell: A big thank you to you!
El Paso, TX: Hi, Mr McDonnell: How long did it take you to became syndicated? Have you done any cartoon gags about cats and dogs in Heaven? How much fan mail do you get in a month? Do aspiring cartoonists ever send you samples of their work for your opinion and/or advice? I really wish Mutts would be made into an animated cartoon for TV. Will that ever happen? Thank you for answering any or all of my questions. David (a future syndicated cartoonist).
Patrick McDonnell: I'll take your questions one at a time. I was doing magazine illustrations for about 12 years before I created 'Mutts.' But I put together five weeks' worth of 'Mutts' and sent them to all the syndicates and luckily King Features took a chance. So I was one of the lucky ones who got picked up on their first try.
I get quite of bit of fan mail, but now because of the Web site, I get even more e-mail. The art of letter writing is definitely taking a back seat to e-mail. Unfortunately, it's more than I can answer personally.
I do get work from aspiring cartoonists, and I do write back, but due to my workload, it might take a while to get a response. But I do eventually respond to all of them. As for animation, it's definitely something I'm pursuing, but only if it can be done correctly. I would want it to have the same tone as my strip. Keep on doodling, and if you want to send me some of your stuff, I'd be happy to look at it.
Batesville Ark.: Hello, I'm local cartoonist from Batesville, And I wanted to know, do you have to be syndicated to join the National Cartoonists Society or to attend their convention?
Patrick McDonnell: You don't necessarily have to be syndicated, but you do have to be a working, published cartoonist. I became a member before 'Mutts' when I was doing magazine illustrations. The Web site is reuben.org, and you can find everything you'd want to know there.
Takoma Park, MD: No question, just a big thank you and a request! I absolutely love Mutts and it is the first thing I read in the paper every day. Being the "mother" of 2 adopted cats from a shelter and also 2 cats who basically knocked on my door, and also being a shelter volunteer, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the attention you give to shelters and the good work they do. I would like to make a small request/suggestion. In your shelter stories could you put a little more attention to the senior animals out there? In a land of forgotten and discarded animals they are always the most overlooked. I found a wonderful saying I would like to share: A truth about senior animals: In every old animal lives the shadow of the puppy/kitten that used to be. All the children wanted him. Echoes of "Mom, can we have him? Can we? Everyone noticed the puppy/kitten. Now there is only the shadow. Only special humans can see the shadow, they see with eyes of love." Best wishes for a wonderful holiday!
Patrick McDonnell: Thank you for all the great work YOU do for shelter animals. I will definitely do a storyline about older animals looking for homes. Happy holidays!
La Quinta, CA: My 6 year old daughter has been drawing cartoons for a few years and has developed her own comic strip. Can you give her/us any advice on what to do next?
Thank you
Carey Devlin
Patrick McDonnell: Just keep on supplying her with paper and pens. Good luck!
St. Mary's County, Md.: Love your comic strip and read it every day! The characters are delightful and your tribute to various other artists is very imaginative. Just wanted to say many, many thanks for helping to educate your readers about animals in shelters waiting to be adopted. I believe your efforts have helped people realize the opportunities to adopt and the joy that comes from adopting older animals. Keep up the great work!
Patrick McDonnell: Thanks!
Hyattsville, Md.: Do you use any particular software to edit your cartoons?
Patrick McDonnell: I'm a traditionalist and do everything by hand. I don't use the computer for anything in 'Mutts.' I'm still dipping a pen into a bottle of India ink and I watercolor the Sunday strips and number them for the printer the old-fashioned way.
Norfolk, Va.: Dear Mr. McDonnell,
A sincere and lasting THANK YOU for drawing 'Mutts.' I became "attached" to it many years ago reading it in the Post. You have the mannerisms of cats right down to the last detail. I later told my parents about Mutts, and they now love it. They even named a neighborhood cat "Mooch." We have all your books. Two questions:
A. Can we get autographed books from you, and if so, how?
B. Can you influence certain papers to carry the strip? I would like to see it in the Virginian Pilot, where I live in Norfolk, and in the Greensboro News and Record in North Carolina, where my parents live. They would love to see it daily.
Thanks again for hours of entertainment. I have a file of copies of my favorite strips. I think the best is when Mooch looks in a mirror and tells his reflection, who he thinks is another cat, to "Stay away from my food bowl."
Semper Fi.
Patrick McDonnell: I am offering autographed copies of my latest book, "Mutts: The Comic Art of Patrick McDonnell," on my Web site, muttscomics. It's a hardcover art, coffee table book, published by Abrams. It's a retrospective of my illustration career and the history of best of 'Mutts.' It's 90% Mutts. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at how I produce the comic. In it, I also write about and show examples of other cartoonists who influenced me. There are examples of some 'Mutts' watercolors, painting and sculptures that have never been printed anywhere before.
I have done book signings, and I post those on my Web site whenever I'm doing one, so you might catch me that way.
The best way to get any newspaper to carry my strip is to write to them and let them know that you're interested. Sometimes they actually listen. And it's even easier to do now, because if they have a Web site, they often have a e-mail address for feedback.
Suzanne Tobin: That's true here at The Post, I can tell you.
We have a dedicated answering machine at 202-334-4775 and a dedicated e-mail at comics@washpost.com where you can lobby for and against any strip you have an opinion about. We have someone who compiles those comments and gives them to the powers that be. (And, mind you, I'm NOT one of the powers that be. I'm just a working stiff!)
Washington, D.C.: Patrick, I read the comics everyday, most nearly every strip, too. But I only have one strip clipped and on my wall - a 'Mutts' from about two years ago that ran I believe, on a Wednesday:
Panel 1, fish in a tank
Panel 2, fish in a tank
Panel 3, fish says, "I keep thinking it's Tuesday."
Always gives me a laugh in my own fishbowl... thanks.
Patrick McDonnell: Thanks. That's one of my favorite strips also! Although he's tough to write for, I always try to do a Sid the Fish joke once a month.
Mantoloking: In one of your strips a while ago, you had a bird talking about going to Mantoloking. Did you mean Mantoloking, N.J.? Did you used to spend summers there?
--A long-time Mantoloking visitor
Patrick McDonnell: Although I don't state it anywhere in the strip, Mutts is defintely played out in the New Jersey of my mind. And every summer the gang does goes down to the Jersey shore.
Washington, D.C.: Hi,
No question, just wanted to tell you that I named my very own black & white cat (a rescued alley cat) "Mooch" in honor of your Mooch! She has quite lived up to the name, too.
Love the strip.
Patrick McDonnell: Right now I have a Mee-Mow, which is a cat my wife rescued from a parking garage. Some of her habits are starting to appear in Mooch's repertoire, shnubbing the food, being one of them.
Staunton, Va.: What an amazing gift you have for creating such full expressions out of "simple" lines. Thank you for the big hearts of your characters.
What pets currently own you, and are your main characters based on particular pets you have known?
Patrick McDonnell: Besides Mee-Maw, who I just talked about, Earl is based on my dog Earl, is a Jack Russell terrier who will be turning 15 in February. He still looks and acts like a pup. Most of the strips with just Earl and Ozzie are autobiographical. Mooch is based on quite a few cats I've known and loved over the years.
Washington, D.C.: Mr. McDonnell: I really like the way you stretch out on Sundays. The homage to Robert Crumb and his album cover of Big Brother and the Holding Company's Cheap Thrills was a particular favorite. Did you get a reaction from Mr. Crumb?
Patrick McDonnell: You know, I didn't get a reaction from Mr. Crumb, but it's the single strip I got the most fan mail on. But I did get to correspond with the guitarist, Sam Andrews, from Big Brother and the Holding Company, who got a big kick out of it.
Baltimore, MD: Thanks for your support of humane organizations and values that you voice through your strip (including Shelter Stories), as well as the artwork you donate for PSAs, etc. I want you to know that I worried about Tom-Tom for a year! His happy adoption is still on my refrigerator.
Patrick McDonnell: I've been getting mail about the latest Shelter Stories I did on the cat Chickpea and Chickpea's brother. They'll be returning to the strip soon. Keep reading!
Long Island, N.Y. again...:My favorite is Crabby -- will see more of him/her?
Patrick McDonnell: Crabby's a regular in the strip and usually appears in the summer when they go on vacation to the beach.
Mt. Rainier, Md.: I'm a sap for animals and the 'awwww, isn't he cute' pictures, so I guess I'm a natural for Mutts. Thanks for a sweet-natured and funny view from the furry side, and thank you for promoting adoption.
Patrick McDonnell: Thank you. It's been real. I wish everyone a happy and joyful holiday. I'm heading out now, because I'm a little late with Earl's afternoon walk.
Suzanne Tobin: Thanks so much Patrick for taking time out when I'm sure you're feeling the holiday crunch as much as the rest of us. In two weeks, we'll be holding the discussion at 2 p.m. because our guest will be Nick Galifianakis, who does the illustrations for Carolyn Hax's "Tell Me About It" advice column. Carolyn's chat runs from noon to 2, and we didn't want to go head-to-head with her, so we'll run right after her. See you then! And, relax, if you can, and enjoy the holidays!
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