Johnny Appleseed Cartoon

It's September in Fort Wayne and that means all kinds of area fall festivals. The biggest being The Johnny Appleseed Festival starting this weekend. Lots of crafts, food, games, humans and usually bees. It's the one festival that my wife and I often avoid because of the large crowds and parking situations. But to be honest, if we don't go, I often suffer from avoidance remorse. I think that I should've just paid the $8 or so to park and walked shoulder-to-shoulder with the citizens of Northeast Indiana through the trails of funnel cakes, turkey legs and famous root beer.  So, what about this year? We'll probably see you out there. 

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Past Fort Wayne Magazine Cartoon About Yoga Classes With Gumby

It seems like I've been hearing a lot about yoga recently. Classes are springing up all over town and people are bending over backwards to get in! Fladoomp-Pishhh! (That's the sound of a drummer's rimshot played after comedy gold like my sentence above). Anyhow, maybe that yoga joke is a bit of a stretch, Fladoomp-Pishhh! How do you like that? Another joke and hence, another rimshot. So, I thought I would post one of my past cartoons that I drew for Fort Wayne Magazine that featured yoga as the subject. Here it is. I hope you enjoy it. Want to browse more of my cartoons? Just click here to go to my homepage where you can choose cartoons by subject matter or search by keyword.

Cartoon About John Dillinger's Connection To Northeastern Indiana's Lake Areas

It's a known fact that John Dillinger and his mobster buddies would often choose northeastern Indiana as a place to hide out until the heat was off.

Maybe they had glommed some ice from some rich dame. Maybe they had hit the First National Bank of Anytown, USA with their chopper squad and lifted some cabbage. Who knows? Nevertheless, they needed a safe place to slip away from the G-men, flatfoots and gum-shoes who would've been hot on their tails. It was that or risk being hauled away in bracelets to the big house. So, they probably would've hid the loot, packed some heat, jumped in the bucket and blew the scene!

Finally, what would these guys look for in a hideout? Maybe a nice, private flophouse with plenty of molls and giggle juice. Oh, and a beach with fishing for some kicks.

Please enjoy this summer cartoon I did a few years ago for Fort Wayne Magazine.

Three Rivers Festival's Junk Food Alley and Elephant Ears Cartoon

It's that time of the year again in Fort Wayne Indiana. The middle of July brings all kinds of people downtown to celebrate the Three Rivers Festival. Concerts, competitions, amusement rides and of course, the famous Junk Food Alley!

Although, I think that they may no longer call it Junk Food Alley because of the negative connotations associated with the term, "junk food".

Maybe they need a new, politically correct name such as, Marginally Nutritious Sustenance Corridor. Man, I missed my calling! I really should've gone into marketing.

Anyhow, of my favorite marginally nutritious treats has to be the classic elephant ear. If you've never had one, give it a try. Just be sure to bring a permission slip from your cardiologist! I hope you enjoy my elephant ear cartoon that first appeared in Fort Wayne Magazine a few years ago.

Ho Ho Ho! It's A Cartoon About Downtown Fort Wayne Christmas Past.

It's said that writers write what they know. Well, the same can be said for cartoonists. Cartoonists cartoon what they know. I know about downtown Fort Wayne because I spent countless hours there for different reasons, at different times in my life. 

One of the most memorable times was that period of time in the '60s (when I was minus ten years old). Seriously, that period of time was magical. The big department stores, restaurants, specialty, shoe, music and almost any kind of business you can think of. I've often said Fort Wayne was like a miniature New York.

Many times throughout my childhood, my mom would round up my sister and me, to walk to the corner and hop on the bus to travel downtown. Getting off at the corner of Calhoun and Wayne, one of our first stops would be to go into Murphy's to grab lunch or a box of delicious doughnuts. Next, we'd go across the street to the department store called Stillman's. There, we could get on the elevator to go to one of probably four or five different floors to shop. I can almost still hear the elevator operator announcing, "Second floor: Ladies ready-to-wear! Bath linens! Small appliances!"  

Of course, that floor didn't interest me. I was thinking, "show me the toys"! Especially, if it was around Christmas. That was the time of the year that Fort Wayne pulled out all the stops. All the windows were decorated and the arch over the main corner of Calhoun and Wayne held a gigantic Christmas tree with over-sized ornaments that were just a strong wind away from being "exhibit A" in damaged car roof lawsuit. In the air, there were Christmas carols that played from who knows where and at this corner, when a bell sounded, it meant that pedestrians were free to cross in any direction, including diagonally. 

But perhaps, the biggest deal was the show window at Wolf and Dessauer (we called it "W&D's" for short). There, right before your eyes, was Santa's workshop, Christmas trains, woodland creatures, you name it, if it was magical, it was in those windows! 

Many of the Fort Wayne Baby Boomers remember these times and are more than ready to talk your leg off about them. Hence, this cartoon that appeared in the December 2009 issue of Fort Wayne Magazine.

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