by Pinot on Fri Jul 13, 2001 8:46 am
Hi, Guys. Guess who.<P>I came here to get Jeff's email address so I could write him, but I saw Johnny and Mike here so I thought I'd just post something instead. I even REGISTERED to do this! Something I don't normally do.<P>Dawn here. I'm upset. And I don't want to talk about it on Toontalk. It's too public. Not friendly and intimate like it used to be when I started there. You know what I mean? It used to feel like a small circle of friends going out for a beer after work. Not anymore. There is this undertow of unpleasantness that drags me down. I no longer enjoy it there. I just stuck around for the animation bit. <P>I'd appreciate it if nobody posted there that I came over here!, okay?!<P>Not that I mean to crash your party here. I don't expect to stay long. I just wanted to stop in. Maybe whine and cry a bit.<P>I talked to Lee Salem today. He and his editorial staff had a meeting yesterday. They like Cloud 8, my panel. He has shown it to only one salesman so far but IF the others agree that it's good and think it will sale, they want to launch it in January.<P>So I should be happy, right? <P>But there was another if! IF I dump my present artist and let them partner me with someone!<P>So Jeff, you shouldn't feel bad, 'cause after you, I talked Jon into doing it and he actually started getting excited about it. He's a very good artist! Better than 90% of the cartoonists now in the paper! And now they don't want him either.<P>I've worked with Jon for almost 4 years now! If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have gotten this far. And I ENJOY working with him. I could tell you horror stories about other artists I tried to work with before him! It's not easy to find such a good working relationship!<P>I told Lee no, I'm not interested in dumping Jon like an old shoe. How could I do that at this point? I can't. Lee said he understands and he's willing to let Jon try to vary his style, to try to make it more distinctive and interesting (Easier said than done!...how does one come up with a completely NEW look?)<P>But now Jon's feelings are hurt and you can imagine what he's saying about Lee and UPS and this whole stinking industry after all these years of working so hard for nothing.<P>So I don't know what's going to happen. I guess we're just going to have to suck it up and keep plugging away and jump more hurdles, just as we have for years now. We've jumped so many, you'd think we'd be in good shape for it, but I tell you what, I'm getting tired and worn out. They never seem to end. <P>I wouldn't be surprised if we work and work and work on Cloud 8 and come Jan. there will be something that's come in that they like better and toss BOTH of us over. <P>It's a dog eat dog industry, that's for dang sure.<P>