Journal

The Land of Make Believe

22 Comments

I refer to my years at Novell as time spent in “Day-Job Land.” I haven’t had a similarly apt descriptor for the land where I get to be a cartoonist, working for myself, playing with my family.

A private conversation with David Malki of Wondermark shook loose the descriptor I want to use. “The Land of Make Believe.”

Yeah, it’s been trademarked and copyrighted and all that by somebody else. I think it’s an amusement park in Jersey. But the idea is bigger than that.

My Land of Make Believe is not just about pretending, it’s not “make-believe” in the child’s play sense. No, this is the Land where every day I get to Make the things that I Believe in. I build universes and draw pictures about them. I share my stories and pictures with others, and I Make them Believe too. I’ve said before that few things are as flattering as learning that I’ve captured the imagination of another human being. I can’t bring myself to think of “fans” without feeling both humbled and exalted by their very existence.

But my Land of Make Believe is not just about creating worlds and inviting others to experience them with me. It’s also about Believing that these worlds, this shared experience can somehow support me and my family, and then Making that happen.

And every so often it’s about looking a skeptic or a critic right in the eye and Making him or her Believe, too. It’s a land of proof in the pudding, and then second helpings of pudding.

And yes, sometimes it’s about pretending I know what I’m doing, and then getting on with my day.

22 thoughts on “The Land of Make Believe”

  7. Well, lessee here….

    1) I knew you were a lucky man when you were able to make old themes new, entertaining, and downright delightful.

    2) I knew you were a lucky man when you started to get paid for your art.

    3) I knew you were a lucky man when I met Sandra & the kids.

    4) I knew you were a lucky man when you managed to get paid full-time for your art.

    And yet again, your ability to pull the right words out – well, you’re a lucky man, Howard. *smile* Congrats.

  8. Well, lessee here….

    1) I knew you were a lucky man when you were able to make old themes new, entertaining, and downright delightful.

    2) I knew you were a lucky man when you started to get paid for your art.

    3) I knew you were a lucky man when I met Sandra & the kids.

    4) I knew you were a lucky man when you managed to get paid full-time for your art.

    And yet again, your ability to pull the right words out – well, you’re a lucky man, Howard. *smile* Congrats.

  15. I’m still in Day Job Land, but the fact that you get to live in your Land of Make Believe is an inspiration–and so is the fact that what you Make is so amusing.

    Cheers!

  16. I’m still in Day Job Land, but the fact that you get to live in your Land of Make Believe is an inspiration–and so is the fact that what you Make is so amusing.

    Cheers!

  19. Blank Label

    Howard,

    Is there a reason Shortpacked no longer appears on the BlankLabel website?

    Also conrats on being almost done with the XDM project!

  20. Blank Label

    Howard,

    Is there a reason Shortpacked no longer appears on the BlankLabel website?

    Also conrats on being almost done with the XDM project!

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