"Jerkwater"

This series, the first submission I ever made to all the principle syndicates, was soundly rejected as a matter of course, but was a good exercise to undertake regardless. With hindsight it was probably a good thing, especially given my ambivalence to most of the content currently stagnating on the funny pages, and independent attitude towards alternative and regionally-themed material. What the challenge was for me was to generate a cohesive body of work in a consistent style with a recognizable cast of characters, each with their own individual personalities, something that stood in contrast with the weekly gag panel cartoons, that up to this point was my only area of experience. That and alligators and catfish were something completely new, totally alien and really fun to draw.