Charles Shulz (2000)

Today's Golden Oldie is from February 2000.

Charles Shulz, the creator of Peanuts had died two days earlier on February 12, 2000. The passing of this cartoonist genius saddened me. The amazing clarity of his simple line drawings, the absence of backgrounds, coupled with the attempt to tackle great issues with humor ...all were an influence on my work. In this cartoon Mr. Shuldig, my alter ego, speaks to Charlie Brown, Shulz's alter ego.

* * * Although I live and work in Israel, I am a card-carrying, dues-paying member of America's National Cartoonists Society. I've been invited to give a presentation at this year's National Awards weekend at the end of May. I haven't been to a convention in more than 30 years. Back then I met and swapped stories with the pros and the old timers. Great fun. but as I say that was a long time ago.

The story is that while in America on a recent speaking tour I met a friend who is a past president of the NCS. He convinced me to attend and give a seminar this year.

Here's how he convinced me. He said that most of the guys who knew Dry Bones were now dead. Therefore I had to speak to the new guys before I too was dead. It was a convincing argument. So I'm going. Now all I have to do is to figure out what I'm going to say.

I'll keep you posted.