“Death mysteriously strikes down top-flight cartoonist — twelve unpublished comic strips disappear — a nude woman holds a supernatural rendezvous in a dead man’s studio — a blue sedan roars down upon two persons in a cab … purpose: death for two — and murder strikes again and again in this exciting mystery which reveals some unusual trade secrets of the men who create newspaper comic strips.” Ooh! Yup, just another day in the life of a cartoonist!
Now, why isn’t this old Dell paperback still in print? It’s got a wonderful cover by artist Harry Barton. Dig her pearls and nice hairdo! She’s high maintenance. This guy’s strip must’ve been in 2000+ papers for her to be that well-coifed!
From Chapter 3, “Cartoonist in a Tailspin:” ” … it got so he was too drunk most of the time to do the drawing.”
You see? One of the trade secrets revealed! “Drawing While Drunk” is one of the regular symposiums at the Cartoonists Association. Why, this tale is as contemporary a story as when Mr. Iams wrote it in 1949!
OK, now I know. It’s right there on the back cover. Cartoonist “Zeke Brock’s” apartment is in the West Village. This ruins the believablity! This is back when a cartoonist could afford to live in Manhattan!
Oh my lord, this is priceless! You find the coolest stuff!!
I agree!
Mike is doing a bang-up job while you're away — actually thinking we (the blog readers) may not let you have your job back when you return.
Mike, is your chair comfortable enough?
Can we get you any coffee?
(Note to self: Lynch has proven too popular. Have him killed, then write mystery about it.)
Elementary my dear Watson, it was the cartoonist in the "drawing" room, with a crow-quill pen!