Paul Merklein's 'exit interview'

by Mike Rhode

Paul Merklein wrote in to say that the cartooning course he's been teaching for Arlington County needs a new teacher because he's leaving the area for Wisconsin. I last interviewed Paul in 2015 - http://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2015/04/paul-merklein-dabney-and-dad_10.html (where the images seem to have broken - sorry!). With three cartoonists departing the area  in a month (Jason Axtell is also moving for family reasons, and Vanessa Bettancourt also did so recently), I suggested we do an 'exit interview' with Paul to ask about his plans for the future.

MR: Why are you moving?

PM: My family and I moved to Silver Spring in 2009, and we're moving back to Wisconsin for a variety of reasons that involve being closer to our family there.

MR: Are you continuing the Dabney and Dad strip after you move? Is Facebook still your distribution method for it?

PM: I consider Facebook to be the most effective platform to deliver your cartoons to your audience.  Newspapers and magazines are going the way of the dodo, and books might be right behind them.  That said, my first "Dabney and Dad" book should be published before the end of the year.  You can see my cartoons at https://www.facebook.com/dabneyanddad

MR: For the past few years, you taught cartooning in Arlington? What did that entail?

PM: I was hired to do two things I love to do - draw cartoons, and talk about cartooning.  My students were teens and tweens - some just beginners, and some who were already skilled.  I enjoyed the conversations and questions.  Many of the students have never read a newspaper, and only know cartoons from book collections.  "Calvin and Hobbes" is still incredibly popular.

MR: Is there anything in particular you'll miss about DC?

PM: I love the people in DC, our neighborhood in Silver Spring, crab shacks on the eastern shore, and more places than I can count.  We already miss Obama in the White House.

MR: What's your favorite cartoon-related memory or event or place?

PM: I met a lot of famous cartoonists at Comic Cons - Stan Lee, Jeff Smith (Bone), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Frank Cho, Jules Feiffer, and Liza Donnelly and Sam Gross from The New Yorker.  I also met cartoon editors like Amy Lago, and Bob Mankoff and Emma Allen at The New Yorker.  They all said they liked my cartoons and wanted to see more.

I still enjoy writing and drawing cartoons, and I believe the digital world is an ideal place for them.  People's attention spans keep getting shorter, and cartoons are a perfect way to tell a very short story.

Local Cartoonist Tour by Paul Merklein

PRESS RELEASE

Do you like to draw?  Do you want to be a cartoonist?

See local cartoonist Paul Merklein this month at libraries in DC, Maryland
and Virginia.

Merklein is touring libraries in May thru August, drawing cartoons, super
heroes and people right from the audience!  Who will he draw next?

Merklein lives in Silver Spring MD, and tours Libraries, Schools and Comic
Cons. His cartoons appear in publications and online.

See Merklein's Tour Dates here...   http://greatbigfaces.blogspot.com

See his cartoon "Dabney and Dad" at DabneyandDad.com

See his cartoon "Take Five" at TakeFiveCartoons.com

Paul Merklein, Dabney and Dad

by Mike Rhode

Paul Merklein recently tossed a message over our virtual transom about a cartooning class he's conducting in Arlington on April 19th. We took the opportunity to make him answer our usual questions.

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

I currently draw my cartoon "Dabney and Dad', which you can read here... https://www.facebook.com/dabneyanddad

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

I still love pen & ink, but I'm planning to start coloring with Photoshop soon.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

1963 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Why are you in Washington now? What neighborhood or area do you live in?

My wife & I moved to Silver Spring MD in June 2009, and we love DC.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

I have freelanced cartoons to newspapers, magazines, books, online media - and even church newsletters - since I was in college in the 80's.

Who are your influences?

Peter Arno, Charles Addams, Matt Groening & Charles Schulz. I admit that I still read The Family Circus.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

I would stop trying to copy the style of greater cartoonists.

What work are you best-known for?

Fame has eluded me so far, but this interview may change that.

What work are you most proud of?

I drew cartoons for several Milwaukee newspapers in the 80's & 90's, and I always enjoyed getting "hate mail".

What would you like to do or work on in the future?

An illustrated novel. Something like "Dabney and Dad go to Las Vegas."

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

I take a walk in my neighborhood.

What do you think will be the future of your field?

I use social media to engage my audience, then I market my cartoons & services to them.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?

My teenage son & I have attended most of the local comic cons, and The Small Press Expo is my favorite. A few years ago, we were sitting in the audience listening to Jeff Smith (creator of Bone) and I recognized a famous cartoonist from The New Yorker sitting next to me.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

The variety & diversity of people here.

Least favorite?

The Beltway.

What monument or museum do you like to take visitors to?

If the weather is nice, I take visiting relatives & friends for a walk on The National Mall, and lunch on U Street.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

I eat at Ben's Chili Bowl whenever I can. My family loves The Big Greek Cafe in downtown Silver Spring.

 Do you have a website or blog?

You can see me drawing & teaching here... https://www.facebook.com/greatbigfaces

Starting April 19, I'm teaching Cartooning at The Walter Reed Community Center in Arlington VA. Here is the link to register for my class, which is 320122 - Cartooning.