Category: Ramblings & Reviews

Mort Walker 1923-2018 – RIP

Post author By Jim Keefe
Post date

Mort Walker (September 3, 1923 – January 27, 2018).

In memory of Mort Walker – My pic with cartoonists Mort Walker, Greg Evans, and Ray Billingsley. Circa 1992 at the King Features Christmas Party.

I’m biting my lip in this shot because I was just the young pup on staff at King standing next to three guys in the big leagues. My hobbit like size and ill-fitting suit just adds to the magic.

And here’s a 24-year-old Jim Keefe with Beetle Bailey up at King Features circa 1989 (when the offices were at 216 East 45th Street in New York).

As the colorist on staff at the time, I colored Beetle with Pantone sheets that had an adhesive back that you’d lay down, cut out, then burnish down.

I’ve been coloring Beetle for close to 30 years now (first on staff and now as a freelancer). My heartfelt prayers go out to Mort’s family and friends during this difficult time.

-Jim Keefe

Tags Beetle Bailey, Mort Walker

Ramblings & Reviews

The High Kings at the Cedar – August 22, 2017

Post author By Jim Keefe
Post date

Being that I am the totally unauthorized official Minneapolis artist for the famed High Kings, I thought I’d show you some art I did for their upcoming show at the Cedar Cultural Center. So first, here’s the inks.

And here it is cleaned up with type and color put in digitally.

And here’s my unabashed plug…
The High Kings
with Adam Coolong and Tony Comeau
at the Cedar Cultural Center
Tuesday, August 22, 2015 – 7:30pm
Doors Open: 7:00pm
Advance: $22.00 – Day of show: $25.00
Seated show; all ages

For tickets go to: the Cedar Cultural Center

Tags Cedar Cultura Center, The High Kings

Business of Cartooning Ramblings & Reviews

Working From Home

Post author By Jim Keefe
Post date

My daughter Anna to a friend’s mother: “My Dad can’t come out east when we go because he has to get work done first.”
Friend’s mother: “But why, doesn’t he work out of the home?”

Quick aside; I moved in with my brother for about a year when we first moved to Minneapolis. He said, “I always thought working from home would be great…until I saw you do it. Realized that working from home means you NEVER LEAVE WORK.“

Add to that (and in no particular order);
No paid sick days.
No tech department to fix your computer.
No health benefits.
No HR department to make sure you get paid.
No 401k.
Never mind someone “at the office” to fill in for you when you’re not there.
(Much less clean up and empty your waste basket during the night shift.)

And just to clarify, I get no health coverage through my work but I do get coverage through my wife’s job.

This is not the case for MANY freelancers who are one sickness or accident away from bankruptcy. GoFundMe accounts seem to crop up daily for fellow freelancers (sick or aging) caught in this trap.

Yup, just another day in the merry land of freelance-land!