Nate Fakes.
With a name like that, he’s pretty much got to be funny, right?
Fakes is the creator of “Break of Day,” a syndicated, single-panel daily comic strip in the mode of “The Far Side” or “Bizarro.” As are most successful newspaper comics, it is drawn in a style that is instantly recognizable and has a voice that is all Fake — I mean Fakes.
NATE FAKES podcast excerpt: “Ever since I’ve had a box of Crayons, I’ve been drawing.”
Three-hundred and sixty-five days a year, Fakes has to come up with a fresh gag that will evoke a smile, a chuckle, a belly laugh or even a declaration of “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”
I imagine there are days when it’s easy, when inspiration comes from all around.
And then there are probably days when his job seems like the worst possible way to earn a living in the world. An impossible task with no daylight ahead.
Complicating the work of the single-panel cartoonist is the lack of ongoing characters or storyline; unlike Rat and Pig in “Pearls Before Swine,” for example, Fakes can’t unfold a story over the course of a week, can’t demonstrate character development, or even stick with a single character.
Maybe that’s why he’s also broadening his palate with an in-development graphic novel for young people called “Don Giovanni.”
Oh, and one more thing you should know about Nate Fakes: he’s based right here in the NEW new media capitol of the world, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Nate Fakes Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Break of Day comics • Knocking on Heaven’s Door comic by Nate Fakes and Tommy Blaze
The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!
Just a clarification about the Reuben awards. There are separate division awards for syndicated panel comics, syndicated strip comics and magazine gag cartoons. The main Reuben (Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year) was won in both 2008 and 2009 by syndicated panel comic creators: Dave Coverly and Dan Piraro, respectively. In the last 7 years, the big Reuben has been won by syndicated comic strip creators only twice. There were also two MAD cartoonists and an editorial cartoonist.
And by the way, great interview.