Richard Thompson: Creating a Cartoon Character

Richard Thompson tackles the topic of creating a comic strip character:

"I always scared myself off trying a comic strip because it seemed too difficult and incomprehensible. How could I build a water-tight character that'd walk off the page and respond in ways that'd surprise me? Then I'd see Walt Kelly do it with ease, and I'd want to punch him."

Okay … and this all becomes an excuse for running some of the great Cartoon Class strips. You know, the CUL DE SAC comics where Petey takes a "how to cartoon class" from a guy who's named Mr. Spinnerack.