Jerry Davich 219-853-2563
The large blue envelope arrived at The Times office with a two-word message written on the front: DO NOT DOUBLE.
Inside were four colorful cartoons, each on a separate piece of paper and each with the same title: “One More Day.” The cartoons are original, not copies.
One of them showed a father leaving the house as his son looked on near the front door. “Just leaving because you don’t know when to shut up,” the caption reads.
One of four “Just Another Day” comics created and presented by Logan Howell, a 22-year-old aspiring cartoonist from Hammond.
Jerry Davich, The Times
I laughed when I read it.
They are accompanied by a handwritten letter. “Dear NWI Times, I’m sending you this as an introduction, I hope you can get to your Sunday comic pages.”
The letter is written by Logan Howell, a 22-year-old aspiring cartoonist from Hammond.
“Sorry if my color or ink isn’t the best. If I don’t hear from you, thanks for your time anyway,” she wrote.
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“My drawings were crudely drawn with little or no informational value,” writes Jerry Davich. “These silly drawings eventually got me a job as a writer with The Times, first part-time, then full-time.”
Jerry Davich, The Times
Howell’s cartoons and letter instantly touched my heart. Almost 30 years ago, before I stumbled into the newspaper business, I sent a similar envelope filled with my cartoons to the NWI Times office. (See some of these cartoons in the online version of this column a NWI.com.)
My drawings were crudely drawn, with little or no informational value. For some, I focused on local news. For others, I tried to illustrate broader concepts that intrigued or amused me. Those silly drawings eventually landed me a writing job with The Times, first part-time, then full-time.
I’ve been writing ever since, using words, not pictures, to illustrate my point of view on life. Self-expression is part of the reason Howell draws cartoons. And why he mailed a sample of them, unsolicited, to his local paper.
“My cartoons were crudely drawn with little or no news value, although some were based on actual news events, like this one,” writes Jerry Davich.
Jerry Davich, The Times
“I want to get out there,” he told me. “I was looking to pitch my comic strips somewhere and…I decided to take a chance on you.”
As a child, Howell enjoyed the Sunday newspaper comics. This is how generations of newspaper readers got ink on their hands every Sunday morning. They became fast friends with Marmaduke or Peanuts or The Far Side or Calvin and Hobbes. For the older generations it was Blondie, The Family Circus, Dennis the Menace and Andy Capp. Maybe for you it was Dilbert or Zits or Garfield or For Better or Worse.
My favorite comics were The Lockhorns, The Born Loser and Bloom County. I didn’t just enjoy them, I studied them and tried to emulate them. I failed, but I enjoyed trying, going through countless drawing pens, reams of paper, and envelopes of various sizes to send to newspapers.
Sunday comics remain one of the most popular features of many newspapers. Readers feel a connection to their favorite strip, as if it were an old friend who greets them every day, or every Sunday, before reading the rest of the paper.
Jerry Davich, The Times
Three decades later, comics remain one of the most popular features of many newspapers. Readers have consistently told me that they read my column on a regular basis, but only after they’ve enjoyed their favorite comic. They feel a connection to their favorite strip, as if it were an old friend who greets them every day, or every Sunday, before reading the rest of the paper.
A loyal base of Times subscribers consider comics a reliable part of their paper, giving them a needed break from all the crime stories and negative news and political opinions. A laugh goes a long way these days.
One of my cartoon heroes is Stacy Curtis, an extraordinarily talented artist who worked on this paper. When he hired him, I was struggling to create political cartoons for the opinion pages. Stacy immediately reminded me, without ever trying, that I was not a professional cartoonist. I was simply an aspiring writer using illustrations to get my point across.
“My drawings were crudely drawn with little or no informational value,” writes Jerry Davich. “These silly drawings eventually got me a job as a writer with The Times, first part-time, then full-time.”
Jerry Davich, The Times
Howell hopes to find a home for his cartoon. He learned how to draw from books and YouTube videos.
“I wanted to make a comic that was fun and random, but also simple and made sense. About people’s everyday lives, whether they’re silly, silly, annoying, crazy or petty,” he told me.
One of four “Just Another Day” comics created and presented by Logan Howell, a 22-year-old aspiring cartoonist from Hammond.
Jerry Davich, The Times
He has a ways to go as he learns this craft and finds his voice as an artist.
“Man, sometimes it takes a long time to look like yourself,” Miles Davis once said.
I share this quote with young writers and creators. It took me a long time to write like me, and it’s going to take Howell a long time to draw like him, if that makes sense.
One of four “Just Another Day” comics created and presented by Logan Howell, a 22-year-old aspiring cartoonist from Hammond.
Jerry Davich, The Times
Howell asked me if I could get him a job at this paper. No, I replied. Newspaper cartoonists are a rare asset in our industry these days.
But I can share some of his work in my column space. If this had happened to me when I was her age, that day would have been so much more than Just Another Day.
Episode 16: Jerry and Karen explore the sensitive topic of losing a loved one and its poignant aftermath.
Contact Jerry at Jerry.Davich@nwi.com. Check out her “She Said, He Said” podcast. Find him on Facebook. Opinions are those of the writer.
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