Island cartoonist Paul Karasik, known for his work in the New Yorker and the Vineyard Gazette, teaches a weekly comics workshop online beginning Jan. 13.
An architectural salvage expert in Tampa was charmed to discover a scrapbook full of cartoons by the late Denys Wortman, renowned syndicated cartoonist in his day and a Vineyard resident.
For Daniel Cooney, it began with Superperson. After spending his childhood doodling dinosaurs and imaginary creatures, Mr. Cooney took his first steps towards what would be his eventual career with the 120-issue comic featuring the “stick figure Superman.” He worked on the series from sixth grade right up through high school, penciling his friends and family into the action, and occasionally getting into trouble for drawing in class.
Today Mr. Cooney is still drawing in class, but as an instructor he’s no longer getting disapproving looks.
The artwork of Renée George O’Sullivan is timeless. Her watercolors depict the Vineyard as it is today, even though the paintings were done years ago. Her cartoons that have appeared in publications for generations still tickle the ribs, despite the fact that humor has changed so much over the years.
Ms. O’Sullivan is having an exhibition this week at the Old Sculpin Gallery on Dock street in Edgartown. Her opening was last Sunday and the work will come down in two days.
Each week for the past 10 years, Paul Karasik completes and sends about 10 cartoons to The New Yorker magazine. For those at home doing the math, that’s around 5,000 cartoons, give or take.
Paul Karasik takes cartoons seriously. Take a gag cartoon from the vault of Ernie Bushmiller’s much-loved Nancy strip, for instance. The three-panel cartoon is not so much read by Mr. Karasik as absorbed.
