cover image Cartoon Success Secrets: A Tribute to 35 Years of Cartoonist Profiles

Cartoon Success Secrets: A Tribute to 35 Years of Cartoonist Profiles

Jud Hurd, . . Andrews McMeel, $29.95 (368pp) ISBN 978-0-7407-3809-8

This hefty tome is a both a collection of Hurd's profiles of cartoonists and an insider's memoir of meeting and interviewing one's heroes. The first half charts Hurd's own life, from a 12-year-old fan worshiping the Sunday funnies to the beginning of his career in comics in the 1920s. Working first in animation and then on his own syndicated comic, Hurd developed a long career in the industry, eventually beginning the magazine Cartoonist Profiles , which he continues to this day. Fittingly, the first half of this work is taken up with reminiscences of cartooning greats like Rube Goldberg, E.C. Segar and even Walt Disney. These warm, casual memories are a delight, providing an oral history of these legendary figures accompanied by snapshots and ephemera. The book's second half moves into the present, with interviews and articles taken from Cartoonist Profiles . While not quite revealing "success secrets," these interviews do provide well-rounded portraits of professional cartoonists. Hurd writes from within the industry and with real affection, making this first collection of his magazine a compelling portrait of the comic strip industry past and present. (Apr.)