Award-winning cartoonist Jerry King is one of the most prolific, published and versatile cartoonists alive today. Cranking out a whopping 300 cartoons a month, he is able to juggle a client list that includes everything from Disney to Golf Digest to American Greetings.
Another of Jerry's great passions is boxing. Trained by famed trainer John Russell, who would also train World Heavy Weight Champion Buster Douglas, Jerry would win the golden gloves and represent his post boxing team in the Army. Fortunately for us, he decided not to go pro and plunged himself into a full-time career as a freelance cartoonist.
HERE'S A BRIEF INTERVIEW I RECENTLY HAD WITH JERRY.
Rob: Jerry, tell me a little about yourself.
Jerry: I live in Northeast Ohio. Married with 2 kids, 2 dogs and 1 bird. Fulltime, freelance cartoonist. I golf, but I suck.
Rob: Riddle me this, how and when did you get interested in cartooning?
Jerry: I started drawing before I could write. It was always cartoons.
Rob: Who were some of your earliest influences?
Jerry: I really didn't have any. There were a few cartoons I liked but nothing I really followed...until The Farside came along.
Rob: I think we can all relate to that. Tell me, what type of pen and paper do you use?
Jerry: I don't use pen or ink. I use a mechanical pencil on typing paper, then I scan in and use Photoshop.
Rob: Sneaky move. Sure looks like ink to me. Speaking of Photoshop, what are your thoughts about using the computer to color or edit your cartoons?
Jerry: The computer has made my life a lot easier! 99% of my cartoons are done in color, including the
cartoons I do for Playboy Magazine. I can't believe there are still cartoonists who won't embrace technology.
There's even cartoonists who still don't have websites.
Rob: So, what are you working on these days?
Jerry: I've been working on strips to send to the syndicates. I love rejections:O)
Rob: Any upcoming projects?
Jerry: I'm having a giant website made, offering thousands of my cartoons for sale. I'd like to start selling my
work on eBay.
Rob: Finally, in a nutshell, what is your philosophy on cartooning?
Jerry: I think the powers to be, syndicates and newspaper editors are idiots. Cartoonists think syndications is the end-all for a cartoonist, well, it's not. It's only one part of cartooning. I do cartoons for websites, newspapers, greeting card companies, magazines, newsletters, etc... But, for some reason, everyone thinks that ONLY syndicated cartoonists are REAL cartoonists. WRONG! It's the freelancer, in my opinion, who is the real cartoonist.
Rob: Not that you have an opinion. Finally, what's your most memorable experience in cartooning?
Jerry: President Bill Clinton mentioned one of my cartoons in a USA Today Article.
Rob: Thanks, Jerry.
Jerry: Can I go now?
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