How Cold Is It?

It's so cold I just saw a squirrel microwaving its nuts!

More Senior Moments!

FERNANDO LLERA - Mini-Biography

FERNANDO LLERA is a comic book artist, editorial cartoonist, illustrator, actor and writer from Mexico City.   He created his first comic strip, "MOBSTER NICK" in 1970. Six comic book issues of MOBSTER NICK were published by NOVARO under the Domingos Alegres banner in 1973-74.     From 1974 to 1992, he wrote and drew the Spanish language versions of "THE PINK PANTHER" and "BEEP BEEP, THE ROAD RUNNER" comic books for Western Publishing Company's Latin American licensees, Editorial Novaro and later Editorial VID.  He performed as a comedian at several local dinner theaters.  In 1985, he wrote and appeared in two comedy TV series. He's also a licensed radio announcer and from 1995 to 2007, he co-hosted a daily two hour radio talk show for Grupo Radio Centro, a large Mexican radio network.  He has illustrated several humor books and his cartoons have been published in several magazines. He published some editorial cartoons for Mexico's Reforma newspaper from 2004 until 2006. He has also appeared as an actor in Mexican films: HASTA MORIR ('Til Death - 1994) and BORRAR DE LA MEMORIA (2010). He was interviewed on-screen for a feature length documentary about the NOVARO era: NOVARO, THE MEXICAN COLOSSUS (2016). Since 2006, his editorial cartoons have been appearing regularly in Excelsior, a Mexican daily newspaper. 

MOBSTER NICK in Syndication...NOT!

After sending a request to every known Newspaper Syndicate in hopes of getting the MOBSTER NICK comic strip syndicated, the reactions have been quite disappointing. As expected, some syndicates didn't even bother to send a reply. Those who did, sent the same, standardized automatic response: 
"Regrettably, our editorial board has decided we are unable to distribute your material at this time. Please understand that this does not reflect on your talents but rather on our needs at present. Because the cost of launching a new feature is so high, only a few of the thousands of submissions received each year by syndicates can be accepted. Nevertheless, we would encourage you to continue developing your work and feel free to submit new samples at any point in the future."
Well, that's more or less what I was expecting, so the level of disappointment is not really that high! Nonetheless, although MOBSTER NICK may have gotten the pink slip treatment, he's not out yet! I expect to try some other means of publishing the strips, come rain or come shine. And even if it still doesn't work out, nobody will take away the fun of doing this strip! Frank Sinatra said it and I repeat it: "The best is yet to come!" 

"Please be advised that Tribune Content Agency has received the material you sent through our electronic submissions process. If we are interested in discussing your inquiry, we will contact you. Thank you for your interest in Tribune Content Agency."

Sincerely,
The Editors at TCA

Eduardo del Rio, celebrated political cartoonist known as Rius, dies.

Eduardo del Rio, Mexico's celebrated political cartoonist known as Rius, died yesterday at 83 in Tepoztlan, Mexico.

Rius was one of the first people who helped me get into the cartooning business. I began publishing my cartoons in Mexico's long gone La Garrapata satirical magazine back in 1970 thanks to his recommendation and later on, we both contributed to the children's magazine CUCURUCHO Y TIO RIUS which ran 20 issues. Gone now but always remembered and admired by thousands!