This week, I’m going to show you a few samples of a strip I shopped around in 1984. It had a large cast of young adults, including a married couple named Ben and Nettie. The concept of the strip was very broad. It didn’t even have a name. Understandably, all the syndicates rejected this half-baked submission, although the rejection letters were all personalized, as opposed to a form letter. Supposedly, that was a very good omen. One editor at United Media, Sarah Gillespie, did say she liked my work and asked if I had any more cartoons involving the married couple. I did not, but I hurriedly drew up a slightly different concept based upon a married couple similar to Ben and Nettie. This became Arlo and Janis.

In no particular order and for the first time ever, I’m publishing those early strips featuring Ben and Nettie. I think you’ll find them oddly familiar.