The Adventures Of Drew
Posted on November 29, 2022
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by russ mckay Art by Jonathan Bernardo
The Equivalent of my Sonogram
“The truth is, that when anyone is born, they depend solely on others for everything! That was certainly the case for me, but with a twist. I was not born in a hospital, but in an artists studio. I really don’t have memories of the beginning, until I had my head on straight, my curly head! Even after I had my first smile, I had nothing to say because there was no balloon. Yes. I need my balloon to utter a single word. I am able to do onomatopoeia things like “Crash!” “Bang” “Wham”…you know stuff like that, without a balloon.”
“What?”
“Oh that’s a good question! Why am I able to communicate with you? Art, my creator, as he loves to call himself, always leaves me drawn with arms and hands after work, and I can operate the keyboard, although I do have to press hard on each key. Sometimes I just jump on them! Kinda dance a message!”
“I’m doing this interview with Russ, but I’m not so sure that the word “Adventures” that he suggested, is wholly accurate. But I guess whatever I do is somewhat interesting because, what other cartoon, I really dislike that word, is gonna reveal what really happens on those sheets of artist paper?”
“I’ll let you in on a little secret. I never have to sleep. so guess when I get to do what I want to do, and not just what Art decides? So maybe we could call them “Nightime” adventures. I’m OK with that.”
“Now, let me tell you about what happened… just… last… night!”
Adventure One
“It was getting late and Art was tired. He began to erase me because he didn’t like the idea he had started on, but after he erased my hair, my wonderful curly hair, he got a call and never came back.
I slipped over to the computer which he had left on, and was going through the Amazon site looking for new clothes. Art has me in Tee shirt, Cargo shorts and a back pack and those droopy socks and plain roundish shoes. NO COLOR! Although honestly I don’t have any suggestions, so I’m not going to complain…Art has that eraser,
But I heard a noise near the door. I thought it might be a cat trying to get into the studio. I went to the window and peeked out. It was a cat, but a cartoon one. Well, I can’t open a door (2 dimensions) so I just stuck myself to the window pane and made noises. He looked up at me. He had on a silly red and white long cap and red bow tie and a big mouth. I was jealous about the mouth, Igot his attention and held up a finger for him to wait, and as I looked at the door it hit me! I can’t grasp the door knob very well, but I’m sure I could slip through the side edge of the door, and so could the cat!
I went out and showed him how to get in and once inside I recognized him from one of the books that Art had. Wow! This cat was famous…THE Cat In The Hat! Here! In person!
We cartoons can converse with each other, but need those balloons to talk in our comics.
Art calls them Graphic Novels! Maybe one day I’ll be a main character in one of those, but it depends on Art! Anyhow, The CITH, for short, was very sad and I asked him why.
When he finished sobbing he whimpered…”I…..I’m…out of print! So many years and now just no more demand to read about me. Oh the old books are still around but I….oh this hurtst……there wasn’t even a Thanksgiving Day Balloon in the Macy’s Parade. It’s done!”
“We don’t have tears unless they’re drawn, so that’s a comfort I guess. But it was still a sad scene.”
“But then I asked why did he come to my studio. He said that maybe Art could give him a new life. Maybe we could be a team ….CITH and Drew. I said that I would ask Art about it in the morning, but I wasn’t too hopeful.”
“In the morning, I introduced Art to CITH by both of us lying flat on the drawing table. Art was surprised. He wisely gave us both our own balloons, and we told him about the night before. I also told Art about the clothes at Amazon …”That will have to wait!” he responded rather gruffly.”
“So what happened was that Art ditched the Hat and the bow tie, and changed CITH into “Ally Cat” and he and I would be buddies in a story series. But the best part, other than getting my own balloon, and my curly hair back, was that Art made my mouth almost as large as Ally’s!”
Watch this space for the further Adventures of Drew and Ally.