I am facing a small work crisis today.  This coming Saturday, The 411 newspaper will have a table at a flea market in Gary, Indiana to promote the paper.  My editor, Jackie Harris will be there and so will I.  In order to promote my Page Two comic panel "Our Follies" I wanted to make microcomic books with reprints of past "OF" comic panels.  I can make them from my own home and I was hoping Jackie would kick in money for ink and paper.  So I sent her a sample comic in the mail.

Jackie did not like the microcomic.  It was too small for anyone to read, she said.  She thought no one would take it even if it was free because of its size.  Well, I do not agree with Jackie.  "Our Follies" microcomics are still readable by anyone who doesn't need reading glasses and even some that do.  And I know they'll go fast because years ago at another Gary event, I gave away minicomics and they went fast--mostly because they were free.

I'm thinking Jackie and I have different audiences in mind.  She must be thinking of the regular 411 readers who are interested in more than just the "Currents" page which I do.  I'm thinking of my Page Two fans, which I know I have plenty of.  So I see the only solution is to print a bunch of "Our Follies" microcomics myself, pay for the ink and paper out of my own pocket, and give them away Saturday.  It will cost Jackie nothing and I'll make my fans happy!

I am getting assertive as a cartoonist!  In the past I would have caved in and done what the "boss" wanted to do.  But I believe in my work, I know I have an audience and I'm doing my cartoons the way I'm supposed to do them.  Someone's negative opinion of my work is outweighed by the positive responses of others, including my Film Annex followers.  You people are my biggest supporters.  A thousand thanks from a grateful 'tooner!

 UPDATE:  I've printed 30 copies of the "Our Follies" microcomic for the flea market.  I'm not mad at Jackie, and for all I know she may be right--the cartoons did come out really tiny.  When I tried to make the panels bigger, parts of them got cut off.  But I'm showing them anyway.  Someone's gonna like 'em, I'm sure!