I had the honor of being the Second Saturday Cartoonist at the Charles M. Schulz Museum on April 11, 2026. The Second Saturday event is an opportunity to have a visiting cartoonist engage with the public. It was created by Jean Schulz, the widow of Charles “Sparky” Schulz and President of the Board of Directors at the Charles M. Schulz Museum.
This is the book for any fan of comics, pop culture, and great stories!
This event allowed me to showcase my recent book. I was set up in the museum’s Education Room. It was my idea to sketch pencil portraits for visitors while also signing copies of my new book George’s Run, about the mid-century science fiction writer George Clayton Johnson (Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Logan’s Run). It all worked out so very well.
Among all the amazing folks who stopped by my table was the distinguished cartoonist Brian Fies, who will be giving a talk at the museum, May 16, 2026, on the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking graphic memoir, Mom’s Cancer, winner of the first-ever Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic.It has been hailed as one of the ten most important Eisner Award winners of all time by Comic Book Resources (CBR). Brian will talk about his work at 2:00 pm followed by a book signing. Details can be found at the museum website here.
“It is extremely important for a cartoonist to be a person of observation.” — Charles M. Schulz
Visiting cartoonists are treated quite well, I must say. I really got to know the lay of the land thanks to the hospitality and attention to deal my such stellar folks as Mary Shyne and Jessica Ruskin. So, after getting acquainted, the bulk of my time was spent in the museum’s Education room, an impressive and expansive space to learn, engage and be creative. Such a beautiful environment filled with people eager to participate. A lot of folks don’t think they can even draw a stick figure but, given a chance to relax and remember the joy of comics, they will loosen up and take it from there. Maybe they will draw. Maybe they will comment on what they see. Anything is possible. That sense of freedom is what amazing spaces like this encourage and cultivate.
This was such a rewarding and fun event. Once it took off, it was a rollercoaster! Above is an example of one of the numerous portraits I created on the spot, no time to overthink, just create! In fact, I managed to juggle bits of conversation along the way. It really helped as I was maneuvering my way through portraits. You really never know what to expect when you enter into a portrait session. I’ve done this many times before and I’m always amazed by how many things are going on all at once. One of the most compelling involved someone asking for some guidance on taking on a creative life. Of course, there’s so much to say! This is certainly not new to me in regards to doing some coaching. In this case, it was essentail to emphasize that there are so many factors up ahead and a number of detours and side trips. You can’t let anything get in the way. It’s your life. Live it!
