Simple Pleasures
maggie astor interviews patrick mcdonnell
Patrick McDonnell, the creator of “Mutts,” a comic strip centered on a dog named Earl and his feline companion Mooch, is soft-spoken and modest despite winning the National Cartoonists’ Society’s highest honor, the Reuben, and having his work dubbed by Charles Schulz “one of the best comic strips of all time.” His characters, from grouchy Sourpuss to mild-mannered dog owner Ozzie, have graced everything from the Marines’ Toys for Tots holiday posters to New Jersey’s animal-friendly license plates, and he has begun to expand his artistic vision to writing children’s books. His success has also enabled him to use his comics for pro-animal causes. He serves on the board of directors for both the Humane Society and the Fund for Animals. Maggie Astor sat down with the man of few words and many ideas to share a few of each.
Before “Mutts,” you worked as a freelance illustrator. Is being a cartoonist any less stressful with set deadlines? Is drawing a daily strip somewhat like a never-ending freelance job?
As a freelancer I always had an opportunity to take a break between jobs if I chose. With a daily comic strip the job never ends. It takes a while to get used to it. Being a syndicated cartoonist is a unique profession. I think only other cartoonists can appreciate the workload, which makes us all feel like kindred spirits.
Henry N. Abram Inc., a fine art publisher, released a monograph of your career (Mutts: The Comic Art of Patrick McDonnell) in 2003. Do you consider your work, and comic strips in general, to be a form of artwork?
I have been a student and fan of this form for as long as I can remember. At its best, it combines poetry and great drawing. As a plus, it can even make you laugh. From my perspective it’s art.
Who were your greatest artistic inspirations?
Here’s the short list: George Herriman, Charles Schulz, E.C. Segar, Ernest Shepard, W.W. Denslow, Hiroshige, Monet, J.M. Basquiat.
You and your wife, Karen O’Connell, are both vegetarians. You print “Mutts” on recycled paper. What sparked your love for animals and your commitment to the environment?
Even as a child I always felt a connection with animals and felt that we were all family. Growing up, we shared our home with a number of cats. Later, I adopted my first dog, Earl. He has inspired me artistically and spiritually, and his joyful spirit became the heart of “Mutts.” Caring for the earth is just common sense.
Many of your comics carry an advocacy message, such as a plea to adopt animals in shelters. Did you design your comic strip with advocacy in mind, or was it something that evolved over time?
From the start, I wanted “Mutts” to give back some of the joy I felt from reading my favorite comics. I also wanted to give a voice to animals. Creating the strip from their point of view has made me even more keenly aware of how tough they have it on this planet. “Mutts” and I seem to have evolved together.
In recent years, you’ve published four children’s books, with a fifth, South, coming in fall 2008. What motivated you to start writing books? Is it strange to illustrate a work in which “Mutts” characters are sometimes absent?
I’ve always wanted to create children’s books, but with the tight deadline of a daily comic it took a while before I could make this happen. Children’s books have a magic all their own but are similar to comics in that they rely on a combination of both art and words. I love being able to share little complete stories about my “Mutts” characters and inventing new characters as well. After 10 years of pen and ink drawings (of usually three panels), it was liberating to play with different mediums. I have enjoyed the process tremendously and plan to continue.
“Mutts” characters have been used frequently to back good causes. Do you feel the need to utilize your characters? Would it be different if they were used for strictly commercial purposes?
I feel it’s ok to lend my characters to organizations that are aligned with the positive message of “Mutts.” After “Mutts” became better known, I was asked by many groups to do so, and I felt that if I could help in some way I should.
Building off the last question: is it ever difficult to separate your advocacy from your artwork? Do you feel there is any need to, or are they one and the same?
When you do a daily comic strip for a while, all your “clever” ideas are used up, and you are just left with yourself and a blank piece of paper. That is where the work begins. I don’t feel that I can really separate myself from my artwork, but I’m well aware that the main goal of comics is to entertain.
How is “Mutts” different from the “Bad Baby” strips you made for Parents Magazine over a 10-year period? Do you ever want to go back to the strip, or wish you had done something with it? How did that experience help you fine-tune “Mutts”?
Creating a monthly strip for 10 years is equivalent to only four months of strips for a daily comic. This was a very sobering thought when I first started “Mutts.” I enjoyed drawing “Bad Baby,” and who knows, someday he may reappear, but for now “Mutts” is keeping me pretty busy. “Bad Baby” fueled my desire to go forward with a daily syndicated strip. \\\