Christmas Greetings from Inspector Clouseau and me.

Just a reminder of those long gone days when I used to write and draw comic book stories featuring

  The Inspector for Novaro publishers. Thought it'd be a nice touch to include him in my Xmas card. I think Inspector Clouseau was my favorite comic book character, even on top of The Pink Panther during my time working in the comics business.

NOVARO: THE MEXICAN COLOSSUS (2017)

                                  Available for a limited time through Amazon's Prime Video:

"Novaro - The Mexican Colossus traces the unknown story behind one of the biggest comic companies in Latin America, Editorial Novaro, its place in the Mexican comic industry, its relation with its consumers and its role in shaping the Mexican middle class".

 I was one of several people interviewed in connection to the NOVARO Publishing Company, trying to explain the reasons behind its sudden bankruptcy and eventual disappearance.

I spent about 13 years of my adult life writing and drawing the PINK PANTHER & BEEP BEEP, THE ROAD RUNNER comics as well as a short lived comic of my own creation called EL MAFIOSO NICK.

The 2017 documentary, actually filmed in 2013, examines the influence NOVARO had on several generations of readers from Mexico down to Uruguay, Peru and the rest of  Latin America during the nearly four decades it dominated the comic book market, printing mostly material from the U.S. but also generating a few locally produced titles. The documentary offers some theories about NOVARO's sudden demise and explores the collectibles phenomenon it triggered during its peak years.

This is the link to PRIME VIDEO which will be active for a limited time:

https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0GUT26IG56MHV26JAE6UCWRSWM/ref=atv_wl_hom_c_unkc_1_1

THOSE MAGNIFICENT FIRST YEARS AT THE DRAWING BOARD!

As I was preparing some materials for an interview, I came across several items that made me go back in time and recall those very first years when I started my career as a cartoonist.

Back then, during the early 1970s, where there was no internet, there were no scanners, no Photoshop or any other digital means to aid artists in their creations, you had to depend on the more traditional tools of graphic design.

Essential instruments for my work were the Gillott nibs, the wooden handles, the indispensable Pelikan Black India Ink, the erasers, the HB pencils and my paper of choice, the vellum cardboard.

And of course, another very useful item to complete the package, was me at the drawing board!

(That's me, in about 1976 or 1977.)

I really do not miss those days for I actually thrive using every digital assistance available today.

However, I do miss that long-gone comic book era, when BEEP BEEP, THE ROAD RUNNER and THE PINK PANTHER occupied my creative hours!

THE DIGITAL MAGIC

In an effort to convert my comic book covers from the 70s and 80s into digital files, I've tried a number of apps and Photoshop has been the one that works better for me. I am not going to attempt digitizing my entire output from those years but a few samples of selected issues will have to do for now!

You will appreciate below the difference between the original source material and the cleaned-up version.

                                             BEFORE                                                  AFTER

            BEFORE                                                     AFTER              

BEEP BEEP THE ROAD RUNNER

Beep Beep the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote made their debut on September 17, 1949 in "Fast and Furry-ous", a Warner Brothers Looney Tunes cartoon.

In 1973, I was commissioned by Novaro Publishing Co., to write and draw The Road Runner comics for the Spanish language market. The first few years I had to submit my story ideas and pencil sketches to Zetta DeVoe, Del Connell and Chase Craig at Western Publishing Company and upon their approval, I could proceed with the inking and coloring for publication. Later on, as they gained confidence in my work, I was only required to submit the finished artwork for their approval, which, of course, saved me a lot of time.

Those were great days in my cartooning career.  I split my time between The Road Runner and The Pink Panther comics until 1986, when NOVARO closed and I was forced to look for a job somewhere else.

In all, I did 156 issues of Beep Beep The Road Runner.

Remembering those bygone days, here is my last unpublished cover for THE ROAD RUNNER.

More of my PINK PANTHER & ROAD RUNNER comic covers from Novaro Publishing Co.

I started working at Novaro Publishing co., (which was one of Western Publishing Company's licencees) back in 1972.  My creation, EL MAFIOSO NICK (Mobster Nick) appeared under the DOMINGOS ALEGRES (Happy Sundays) banner and was one of four weekly rotating titles.
It lasted just 6 issues and was replaced by something else, but it helped me get the job of filling out additional issues of THE PINK PANTHER and BEEP BEEP, THE ROAD RUNNER, created for the Hispanic market.  All in all, I wrote and did the artwork for 156 Pink Panther issues and about the same for the Road Runner until 1985, when Novaro abruptly shut down production and vanished.

 .      
                                         

I've posted many of these covers before on this blog and here are a few more samples of my work during those golden years of comic book history.

                                                  BEEP BEEP THE ROAD RUNNER

                      

                         

                 

                        

                                                                  THE PINK PANTHER