1000 Deadbeats and More

This past week isn't just the anniversary of the Mac, but it's also a work anniversary for me. I just lettered my one-thousandth issue of the online Deadbeats strip.

I started working for Claypool back in 98 or 99. Honestly, I don't remember. It almost seems like I've always worked for them. At the time, Richard Howell contacted me about doing a pick-up Elvira story. The first one went okay. The second one was a little rocky because of production reasons on my end, but we talked through it and, the next thing you know, I was the regular letterer of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. Along the way, I did an issue or two of Soulsearchers and I think even a Deadbeats. Then, in 2001, became the regular Deadbeats letterer as well.

Claypool has been an important part of my career. The regular assignments became the framework that allowed me to start a full-time freelance career. They were the known quanity that made taking the leap into the unknown so much easier.

We've gone through a lot of changes, from lettering on boards to paste-up to lettering completely digitally. Richard's been a good friend, and I'd like to think I helped the company a little, setting up the Claypool website and helping the transition from print to digital using some of the lessons (and mistakes) I made along the way on my own projects.

We've had a good run, and I'm glad it's still going.