Why a mountain lion?
It was a toss-up between a mountain lion and a kangaroo. The kangaroo's agent was asking for too much money.
I have always loved big cats, and I have always wanted to own one myself. Since one has yet to appear abandoned on my front porch, I figured I might as well live vicariously through a comic strip. Also, I'm realistic. I have neither the money nor the resources to keep one. Plus, I'm pretty sure they're illegal to own in Arizona.
And I haven't found one that actually talks yet.
Why the names "Sandusky" and "Bunker"?
Sandusky is not named after the city in Ohio. Though I have been to Cedar Point many times.
Sandusky is actually named after a former assistant football coach at Penn State University named Jerry Sandusky. Penn State is my alma mater, and, since the school mascot is a Nittany Lion (a mountain lion from Mount Nittany), I figured it would be appropriate to name him after something Penn State related. Sandusky just seemed to fit perfectly. I don't know why.
Scott's reasons for naming him Sandusky are left purposefully vague, as he didn't go to Penn State, and, therefore, would have no reason to name his mountain lion after a former Penn State football coach.
Bunker is not named after Archie Bunker.
I'm a big time golfer, and I work in the golfing industry. So, I figured a golf-related term might be appropriate for my main canine character. For those of you who are not golfers, "bunker" is another term for a sand trap. Since bunker is another word for sand trap, and Bunker's roommate is named Sandusky, I figured it fit. It also helps that they both live in the desert.
What about "Mellencamp" and "Dickens" and "Kashmir"?
Mellencamp was named after John Cougar Mellencamp. Hopefully, that one is pretty obvious to anyone who is a fan of music. It is something that Sandusky could have easily conjured up in his catnip-induced subconscious mind upon first encountering his imaginary friend.
Dickens is named after the term "dickens". Mrs. Havercamp would have likely named him after Charles Dickens, but I prefer the term that preceded the author. What most people don't know is that "dickens" is actually a euphemism for the Devil. The terms "that little dickens", "hurts like the dickens", and "run like the dickens" are all derived from that word (not the author). Also, Dickens is pretty close to "Dingus", and that lends itself to some juvenile humor. Plus, I get to write the word "dick" over and over.
Kashmir was named after the song of the same name by Led Zeppelin. The song, in turn, is named for the disputed region in between far northern India and northeastern Pakistan. I'd like to think that I named Kashmir for deeper reasons. Both he and Sandusky are torn between their wild instincts and their domestic settings, just as Kashmir (the region) is torn between Indian and Pakistani control. You see, it's a metaphor (simile, actually). Mainly, though, I just really like the song.
What about "Dr. Rumack" and "Mrs. Havercamp"?
Dr. Rumack is named for a character in the movie Airplane, and Mrs. Havercamp is named for a character in the movie Caddyshack. Both movies are on my all time top ten list.
Where does the strip take place?
Sandusky is set in Scottsdale, Arizona, which is a suburb of Phoenix. Scottsdale is flanked on the north and east by the McDowell Mountains, and there are actually mountain lions that live in those mountains.
The park that Sandusky and Bunker visit in the strip is actually up in Sedona, which is about an hour and a half north of Phoenix. They also will visit the McDowell Mountain Regional Park from time to time.
How old are the characters?
Sandusky is about two and a half years old. He was a few months old when he appeared on Scott's doorstep, and he's been around for a little more than two years. He's basically a full-grown mountain lion now, though he is perhaps a little bit "out of shape".
Bunker is three and a half years old. He was a little over a year old when Sandusky arrived, so he's technically Sandusky's big brother.
Scott and Ashley are both in their mid to late twenties. But nobody really cares about them anyway.
What does Scott do for a living?
He makes and distributes Hungarian pornography.
Scott has a degree in architecture, and he works in an architecture firm. He's just not an architect yet. He hasn't been able to take all of the necessary tests to get his license, because you don't get much time to study when you live with a mountain lion. Architects don't make much money until they can basically own their own firm. He'd actually do much better by making and distributing Hungarian pornography.
Where did you learn to draw?
I learned to draw on the steppes of northern Patagonia.
To tell you the truth, I still haven't "learned to draw". I am self-taught, and there are many many things that I'm sure I do completely bass-ackwards. But, I think I'm improving. At least I hope I'm not getting any worse.
How do you draw the strips?
I have an infinite number of monkeys do my work for me. For me, it's just a matter of choosing the right monkey. I do spend a lot of money on supplies, though, and PETA's always after me.
I basically just draw the characters in pencil on decent weight 8.5" x 11" Bristol board. I then use a pen/marker thingy that I found at the art store to ink the drawings. After scanning them into the computer (dude, it's a Dell), I clean up the drawings and add the text and backgrounds in PhotoShop. There's not much to it.
How long does it take you to draw a strip?
A lot longer than it takes you to read it.
The length of time it takes me all depends upon whether or not I happen to be watching TV at the time. It can take me anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours to sketch the characters in the strip. Inking is usually a pretty quick and painless process. I know things will be colored in, so I don't worry too much about line weights (I probably should, though). The computer time will vary even more than the sketch time. Depending on how detailed the background, I will take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours on it. Overall, a single strip will take me anywhere from 2 to 8 hours to complete. It's usually closer to 8 hours.
Are you really colorblind?
Nope, I just started faking it so people would stop asking me to fly airplanes for them.
Yes, I am indeed colorblind. Then why would I put myself through the torture of doing a color comic strip, you ask?
Well, I'm also not very bright.
Where do you get your ideas?
eBay
Mainly, I just put the characters into a situation. They will basically write their own lines from there. Don't worry; I'm paying them double what I make, since they're both acting and writing.
How much money do you make doing this?
I eat ramen noodles five nights a week, so that should give you some idea.
I make whatever my readers send to me via PayPal, plus whatever I receive from my Project Wonderful ads. That's it. I probably make about $30-$40 each month, because I usually get 1-2 commission requests per month. But, like (almost) all web-cartoonists, I'm not in it for the money. I'm in it for the love of drawing and making people laugh.
Eventually, I hope to be in it for the money.
Do you own a mountain lion?
I rent one. I have a lease with an option to buy.
Nope, I never have and probably never will own my own mountain lion. I have interacted with them before, though, and that picture of me with the mountain lion cub on my back is real. Aside from reducing some red eye, there was no Photoshop work done on it.
I own/work with mountain lions. How do you know so much about them?
My aunt Phyllis is part mountain lion.
Honestly, most of my stories have simply come from the housecats I've owned in the past. I just draw the cats bigger and put in word bubbles over their heads. And, like I mentioned above, I have had the opportunity to interact with them before. The rest comes from Wikipedia.
John Prengaman, Jr. - March, 2008
