You may have guessed, from some of my cartoons earlier this year ( specifically Jan 26-30, but sporadically since ), I am a big fan of old comic books. I am also a big fan of cartoon strips – their history, and stories behind the people who write and draw them. To that end, I recently received one of my semi-regular orders of comics from mycomicshop.com, including a couple of issues of the wonderful and sorely missed Cartoonist PROfiles magazine.

For over thirty years, Cartoonist PROfiles was, as comics historian R C Harvey called it, “the profession’s longest-running periodical—the industry’s leading ‘insider’ magazine”. It featured articles on how to break into the field, interviews with professionals, and so much more. For anyone wanting to be a cartoonist, editor Jud Hurd opened up this playground for all to see on a quarterly basis.

In one of the issues I just received though (cover-dated Sept. 1985), was a surprise, and a pleasant one at that. In their pages they were announcing the winners of a cartoon context run through the Museum of Cartoon Art, and one of their winners ( third prize for the 11 and under ) was none other than ( well, I’m pretty sure it is anyway ) Family Guy and American Dad creator Seth McFarlane ( cleverly disguised, or more likely mislabeled, as Seth McFarland ).