Husband (David Heatley) and wife (Rebecca Gopian) team give us this day's NY Times Op Art piece Godless and Penniless - A Christmas Story.
"And so we find ourselves at a crossroads. No jobs, no benefits, lots of potential, but very little security, the economy crashing ..."Rebecca (story) and David's (art) story is well done and insightful. The rewards with a creative career can be great, but it's not a 9 to 5 job, and there is not some well-worn path to a bright, secure future.
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5 comments:
Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to post such informative blogs over the year.
Have a good Christmas and a better 2009.
Euphrosene
Thanks for the link. A very interesting and sad comic.
Well..... I empathize a little with Gopian and Heatley. I'm not in the same boat, but I'm tied up at the same dock and can see their boat a few slips over.
At the same time, I think some decisions--especially having children--carry with them a lot of responsibility. Healthcare. A little financial cushion. It's not about you and your dreams anymore (dreams which, if you're honest with yourself, you've got to admit might not come true). You're not just gambling with your own life now. Time to grow up and figure out a way to satisfy your creative soul and live up to your responsibilities at the same time. People do it. I'm doing it.
So, as much as I empathize with the story of the starving artist, I don't think G&H are being particularly fair to each other, their kids, or their family as a whole. One or two book deals (most of which wouldn't pay a graphic novelist the equivalent of minimum wage, especially since each book takes so freakin' long to make) don't compensate for three hours of arguing every night or a kid in the hospital whose care you can't afford. My reaction upon reading their story is less sympathy than sadness.
Mike, I know you took the risky cold-turkey leap from "real job" to freelance cartoonist. It'd be interesting to hear your take...
Sorry I misspelled "Gopoian."
I can't believe the NY Times devoted almost an entire page to yuppies and their angst over their ho-hum jobs and self-inflicted financial strain.
Next time don't quit a steady job when you've got 2 kids to support. This is absolutely nothing like the people who got laid off and are suffering.
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