There have been some interesting comments and questions about this colorization business. They’ve caused me to mull over the subject, and I realize I could write an essay. Maybe I will, but for now let me address a few points. I am, of course, referring to my bit of recent news that I am assuming the duties of coloring the daily A&J strips, something heretofore done by a third party provided by Andrews & McMeel Syndication. First, this really is no big deal. Most cartoonists already perform this task for themselves, indeed, would have it no other way. It is something I should have been doing all along. No one at the syndicate or elsewhere is making me do this. And I am not disgruntled with the colorization done on my behalf by others. I know there has been some colorful weirdness on occasion and perhaps a day-to-day sameness—think Arlo’s red shirt. However, let me emphasize: this all was on me. I hardly ever communicated instructions to a colorist, and I am a notorious deadline pusher. Rarely has there been much time for a colorist to exercise his chops. In fact, I appreciate all that has been done on my behalf by a long parade of anonymous toilers. Coloring the daily strips simply is something I’ve needed to take on for a long time, and now I have. I’ll talk more about color and its role in a general sense.
