I started cartooning as a regular thing when I was very ill and didn’t have long spells of concentrated energy needed for writing. Naturally, many involve cats...

...but I deal with other animals, too...

That came from a report that certain supporters of the Spotted Owl were outraged that some Spotteds turned out to be, erm, inter-marrying with rival Barred Owls. Welcome to Nature’s environmentalism, folks.

Those have got to be the biggest reindeer in the world (real reindeer aren’t nearly that huge). I keep telling myself I’ll re-draw it, but obviously I haven’t yet. Yes, I’m lazy.

I have my own opinions about whaling, but that particular toon was drawn for a whole little series I did about the controversy – and there is one – in Iceland about whaling.

Speaking of which, since age 9 I’ve had an obsession about Iceland, coming out of reading folk-lore and sagas (in translation). It’s only quite recently I’ve had an opportunity to learn much about modern Iceland... and for me it’s just as fascinating as the old... and a good source of humour. The lovely folks at Iceland Review Online have been kind enough to print some of my drawings. (Hi, Eygló!) Icelandic politics are less stressful – for me – than our own...

(the cat’s sign says, We All Want to Fish; it’s about a fishing-rights protest, to enable people other than big conglomerated fishing companies to fish)

 

And while the people are lovely and mostly the country has a lot going for it, I’m not blind to the fact that there are some rampant problems and stupidities...

 

That building is – or, by this time, sadly, was – the NASA club, in the heart of Reykjavík. It was built in the 1840s and so it wasn’t the oldest building in Rvk (that would be one built in 1820), but most old buildings haven’t survived. It was beautiful (painted a light shade of green when I saw it) and genuinely historic. And now it’s gone. I was interested in Iceland long before it was The Tourist Destination, but sadly I wasn’t able to get there until it had become so, and I do wonder what will be left of the place by the time I manage to visit again. In the meanwhile, I’m working on a collection of short stories and cartoons related to Iceland. Know any publishers who’d be interested??

Last note: like most people I do have political opinions. Fair warning: I’m what’s called “progressive”.