The blog of Richard Thompson, caricaturist, creator of "Cul de Sac," and winner of the 2011 Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Team Cul de Sac Has Some Nice Friends

Team Cul de Sac, the Parkinson's research fundraising project started by the indefatigable Chris Sparks, has received some inspired contributions by artists and cartoonists. The recent donation pictured above is particularly eye-catching. It comes from Mr. Bill Watterson, who's got a dab hand with a paintbrush and whose beloved Calvin & Hobbes stands as the platonic ideal of the comic strip, or as close to as such a thing is possible. I once saw a comment on a comics thread from someone saying that he'd dreamed about hiking in the Cascades and coming across a church newsletter stuck in some bushes that featured new Calvin & Hobbes strips that were being published nowhere else. That strikes me as eerie and charming and a good measure of the depth to which C&H has permeated the popular imagination.

So I was floored when I got a call yesterday from Chris saying that Caty Neis, who's shepherding the Team book project at Andrews & McMeel, had gotten a painting from Bill. An oil painting of Petey Otterloop of all people. After studying it pretty closely for the last consecutive 12 hours or so I can say that he's done Petey as much justice as possible. Adding another dimension to a 2D character is a tricky business and Petey's awkward enough in dealing with the two he's normally confined to.

Thanks to Bill from the bottom of my heart. And thanks also to Alex, Jim, Jerry, Bill L, Crow, Stephan, Steve, Ron, Matt, Canaan, Jim D, Shannon, Pab, Matt, Mo, Mark, Lynn, Peter, David and everybody else who's contributing. I appreciate it more than I can say.

6 comments:

chris said...

Oh Richard,
I couldn't sleep last night. I had to get up and look at in a few times last night. Even is signature is cool!

I was even more incoherent than usual yesterday when I called you. Glad you were home!
I would like to remind everyone, please, you still have time to contribute.

www.teamculdesac.blogspot.com

I just can never say Thank You enough to everyone who has helped me.

Unknown said...

this piee is great, we all miss the genius of Watterson in strip and comics world

Mike said...

I'm thinking it would be like being an actor, and having Spencer Tracy call you out of the blue and tell you how much he enjoyed your last film.

And this is what I mean when I say awards don't mean much. This means much.

Barbara L. Hanson said...

Fantastic. I just wish I had some,um, what's it called? Oh, yeah, money. But such is the freelancer's lot. I hope that tons and tons of cash comes in from people with actual jobs!

Anonymous said...

woooow! wants!

Tiffany prothero said...

This is awesome! By the way I love Alice. :D