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Comics: Meet the Artist
With Russell Myers
Cartoonists, "Broom-Hilda"
Hosted by Suzanne Tobin
Washington Post Comics Editor
Friday, Dec. 21, 2001; 1 p.m. EST
Welcome to the Washington Post Style section comics discussion, hosted by Comics page editor Suzanne Tobin.
Creator Russell Myers conjured up story of a ornery, cantankerous, love-starved witch named "Broom-Hilda" in April 1970. Since its take-off the comic has been a mainstay of most comics pages with its fanciful and often wacky stories following the doings of the witch, a troll and a buzzard.
Myers was online Friday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. EST to discuss "Broom-Hilda" and the art of cartooning.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
washingtonpost.com:
Welcome, funnies fans to "Comics: Meet the Artist." Today our guest is Russell Myers, creator of "Broom Hilda," who is joining us from his studio overlooking the Rogue River in Grants Pass, Oregon. Welcome, Russell, and thanks for joining us live online.
Russell Myers: Thanks, Suzanne, it's a pleasure to be here. I'm looking forward to your readers' questions. I've never done an online chat before, so this is my first time, be gentle.
Alexandria, Va.:
Were you in the U.S. Marine Corps or is the "U.S.M.C." on Broom Hilda's bloomers just a tribute to the Corps?
Also, is it a challenge to come up with ideas everyday? Do you find yourself repeating ideas from previous strips?
Russell Myers: That was just one of those little bursts of inspiration, because I was creating this gnarly little woman, so I thought it would be funny to give her this Marine Corps underwear. I don't know where she got it. Was it from an old flame or a second-hand shop? Who knows?
Like anything, it's a challenge to come up with ideas everyday. That's really the crux of the job. And it is a job, a pleasurable enough job, but a job nonetheless. I make every effort not to repeat myself. If you catch me doing it, however, don't tell anybody. It's certainly not on purpose. When you've done a strip for 30 some years, times 365 days a year, that adds up to 11,000 some strips. And if I steal, it's probably from myself, and I don't even realize I'm doing it.
Baltimore, Md.:
I recall reading somewhere that the late, great Groucho Marx was a "Broom Hilda" fan, particularly after one cartoon in which Irwin (the troll) imagines that South American gauchos resemble and act like the famed comedian. Do you recall that particular comic strip? And, if the Groucho story is true, did he actually contact you? Thanks for reading.
Russell Myers: I remember it well, because it led to one of the more interesting incidents in my life. When that particular strip was published, a young man by the name of Steve Stoliar, who worked for Groucho at the time, called me and asked if they could have the original drawing. In an uncharacteristically bold move for me, I said "Yes, they could," if I would be allowed to deliver it in person to Groucho and meet him. At the time I lived in Santa Barbara, Calif., which was about 90 miles from Groucho's home. Steve called back and said "Sure, why don't you come for lunch?" I went there and was just thrilled to meet Groucho, who had suffered a stroke and was still Groucho, just at a slower speed. After lunch, he showed me around the house and said he'd invite me to dinner sometime, which I figured was just a nice way of saying goodbye. So I went home and told my friends all about meeting Groucho.
And a few weeks late, I pick up the phone and this raspy, growling voice said, "This is Groucho. Do you want to come for dinner?" The voice didn't sound anything like the Groucho from TV, so I thought it was one of my friends pulling my leg. So I said "If you're trying to imitate Groucho, you better do a better job than that." Then he cleared his throat and said again, "This is Groucho, do you want to come for dinner?" Thank God, I don't think he'd heard my inelegant response. So I went to dinner with Groucho and some other guests, including Hal Kanter, who had written for all these famous comedians like Bob Hope and Groucho, and they were telling stories and jokes as I sat in starstruck silence. Finally, I decided to tell a joke and they all just stared at me, like I'd dragged a dead rhinoceros into the room. From their response, I gathered that either one of them had written it or they'd heard it 50 years ago. Sufficiently withered, I don't know that I spoke up for the rest of the evening.
Atlanta, Ga.:
I'm embarrassed to admit this but I submitted
a strip to the syndicates when I was in 9th
grade (1977) about a witch and a talking
broom. It never dawned on me back then that
I was obviously influenced by Broom Hilda? I
apologize for my lack of imagination. Could
you give a run down of the types of pens you
use and the size you work in? Thanks, Boon.
Russell Myers: Thanks for imitating me. My attorneys will be in touch first thing in the morning.
Seriously, the originals of the daily strips are 15 inches by 5 inches, the Sundays are 13 and a half by 19 and a half. I use a Gillot 404A pen point which has not been available for years. A few years ago I located an obsolete pen point dealer who had some in stock, so I bought enough to last me forever, I hope. That's what I do all my drawing with. Sometimes, I add some of the details with a Sheaffer fountain pen. And, of course, I use a brush to put in the black ink, and a white retouch paint to correct my many errors.
Arlington, Va.:
I love Broomie and Friends as they are. Please don't change them or add others (I have finally got used to Nerwin!). "Broom- Hilda" is my favorite strip and my day is not complete without reading it. Thanks for your sweet imagination. Annette M. (Anya) Monsour
Russell Myers: Thank you for your appreciation. Just ssk my wife how sweet my imagination (or anything else about me) is. If anyone who's never committed a capital crime is sweet, that's me.
Chantilly, Va.:
Russell: I've been a Broom Hilda fan for so long I remember the Saturday morning cartoons on tv!
What other strips do you enjoy and/or respect?
Russell Myers: There were three major influences on me as a kid that made me really want to draw comics. Chester Gould's "Dick Tracy," because I loved his wild imagination, his sense of humor and the excessive violence--what all-American boy wouldn't?
Then Roy Crane, who did "Captain Easy" and "Buzz Sawyer." The third was the Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge
comics drawn by Carl Barks.
After "Broom Hilda" got syndicated, I made a special effort to travel and meet all of these guys, and I have three separate photos of me with each of them in a special frame in my studio. They were my heroes growing up.
Woodbridge, Va.:
How many hours do you spend on a comic strip? Is it an on-going thing or just a couple of hours?
Russell Myers: I would say I spend about 20-25 hours a week on the strip. Each daily strip takes about one hour to draw and each Sunday strip about three hours. That's just the drawing though. There's also the time spent writing and researching and staring out the window looking for the ideas, which is a very important part of the job. I do everything myself, I don't use gag writers or other people's material. I do it all from drawing and writing to wrapping it and mailing it.
I'm very organized and I treat it as a five day a week job. From the early days, I've always done one or two extra strips a week. That way I can have vacations and the readers still get a new strip each day. I've never felt secure enough to disappear for a year, like some others have. So I have about a year's backlog of material finished, which from what I understand is fairly unusual in this business.
Chevy Chase, Md.:
This isn't a question, but praise for the originality of your strip. You always seem to have a new funny take on the basic characters. I don't remember you ever repeating yourself, unlike some other cartoonists whom I won't mention. Thanks for your daily laughs and I hope you continue for a long, long time.
Russell Myers: Thanks so much. Last year, I just signed another 10-year contract, so you're stuck with me for at least another 9 years.
Ashburn, Virginia:
Mr. Myers, Not so much a question, but a "thank you." I've enjoyed Broom Hilda for many years and am impressed that you have managed to keep the cartoon consistently fresh and enjoyable. I work for the State Department and I also teach as an adjunct professor. I have often used your cartoon -- which I made into an overhead projection slide -- where Broom Hilda tells Gaylord of her wish to teach and "mold Little minds" and his response that the world really needs more "moldy little minds" at strategic times in my classes over the years. it is still one of my all-time favorites.
So, thank you Mr. Myers and I hope my family will continue to enjoy your efforts for many more years.
Russell Myers: I remember that cartoon. I think it was inspired by my father, who was a college professor at the University of Tulsa. I graded alot of his multiple choice papers for him while I was growing up, so I'm familiar with the moldy minds that inhabit many of our institutions of higher learning. So I want to thank you for carrying in the noble tradition of my dad, who was a pretty noble guy.
Suitland, Md.:
Three questions:
1. What is your inspiration for your comic strip?
2. Are the characters in any way based on people you know in real life?
3. Are there any plans for a live-action, full-length feature of "Broom Hilda"? Follow-up: If so, who would you like to see perform the role of Gaylord, the Vulture?
Russell Myers: To answer your last question first, Christopher Lloyd would make a great Gaylord the buzzard.
There is actually a Broadway musical in development, being worked on right now by one of the fellows who did the "Annie" musical several years ago. That's really all there is to say right now.
The characters aren't based on people I know. I suspect that they all stem from various facets of my own personality. Since the one usually on center stage is the grumpiest, you can draw your own conclusions.
The actual inspiration and title for the strip came from a man by the name Elliott Caplin, who was Al Capp's brother and creator of several continuity strips, including "The Heart of Juliet Jones." He was an enterpreneurial type who always had ideas for things. Through a mutual friend, we got together and over the 30 years, he handled the business end of things, while I handled the creative side. He died about a year ago, and boy do I miss him.
Harrisburg, Pa.:
I am impressed how cartoonists continually find humorous subjects to keep a daily strip going. "Broom Hilda" has done an excellent job at bringing amusement day after day. Do you have particular things you do to keep finding humorous subjects? Do you do anything particular when, if ever, you find it difficult to think of something to create?
Russell Myers: I've been fortunate through my 40 years of creating first greeting cards and then comic strips to never have had a dry spell. I've always made it a point to put things down on paper, figuring that it you put enough stuff down, you're gonna come up with something usable. It's the never say die approach. The quality may vary. One day you'll write 10 strips and eight are great and the next day you'll write 10 and only two are any good. It's just a matter of plugging away and figuring out which are the good and which are the bad out of all the material you write. In mathematics, it's either right or wrong, in humor you just look at it and shrug your shoulders.
Woodbridge, Va.:
Do you think its harder now than ever before to get a comic strip syndicated?
Russell Myers: I don't that it's ANY harder. It's always been difficult because they get several thousand submissions per year, of which they'll pick two or three. My "overnight success" came after 15 years of failure. I submitted by first strip when I was 16 years old, and several others along the way.
I actually-through diligent practice--refined the art of failure to an exact science.
I was living in Kansas City writing and illustrating greeting cards for Hallmark, and I would take the 8 a.m. plane to New York City, set up appointments with about six of the major syndicates, have them all reject my current attempt at a comic strip in a single day, and be home by midnight. Practice makes perfect!
Woodbridge, Va.:
Who is your favorite fellow cartoonist?
Russell Myers: Well, in an earlier answer I talkied about the older cartoonists I admired. But as for the modern cartoonists--of course I had enormous love and repsect for Charles Schulz. After him, my three modern favorites, unfortunately, all retired in the same year: Bill Watterson of "Calvin and Hobbes," Berkeley Breathed of "Bloom County" and "Outlands" and Gary Larsen of "The Far Side."
Woodbridge, Va.:
How many tries did it take you to finally get syndicated?
Russell Myers: It was about six or seven, spread over 15 years. And the when Elliott called me about "Broom Hilda," I sent him six sample strips, he sold it to a syndicate, and it all happened within a week. Go figure!
washingtonpost.com:
Since Broom Hilda is the only woman in the strip, what does this say about your view of the opposite sex? Is she a reflection of your "feminine side"?
Russell Myers: Yes, my feminine side is three feet tall and green and meaner than hell.
Gaithersburg, Md.:
Russell,
I like your strip because of some of the strange imagery in it as well as the characters. Where do you get the ideas from?
Russell Myers: An assistant of a major cartoonist I used to talk to swears that he used to ask that question of all his boss's colleagues, and what he'd learned was that every single one of them had admitted to a major head injury as a child, and I can't swear to it for anyone else, but I
DID have a major head injury as a child. So if you're trying to get syndicated, you might want to give head trauma a shot.
And if you like my strange imagery, you might want to log on to comicspage.com and check out the new line of "Broom Hilda" t-shirts. It makes a lovely holiday gift for that special witch in your life.
Russell Myers: Since I know we have to close, I just want to say that it's been a pleasure to talk about myself for an entire hour. When I try that here at home, noone pays any attention to me.
Thanks to all the "Broom Hilda" fans who joined us today, I'll try to keep you giggling.
washingtonpost.com:
Happy holidays to you, Russell, and to all our comics page readers. We'll return Jan. 4, with Frank Cho of "Liberty Meadows," who has decided to discontinue the daily strip to return to his comic book roots. See you then!
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