See All Topics

Home / Section: Comic history

Tom Mason looks back at Bud Sagendorf work with Popeye

Tom Mason is pulling gems of comic history from an ol’ publication, “These Top Cartoonists Tell How They Create America’s Favorite Comics.” He’s posted a snippet from Bud Sagendorf who worked with Popeye creator E.C. Segar and eventually took over the reins.

My working habits are quite loose. Some of my fellow cartoonists are able to follow a regular, daily work pattern, but I have never been able to do this. I usually work on ideas and do my penciling in the morning and save the inking for the evening. Inking is the mechanical part of the business; so I enjoy half-watching TV while I do it.

“I do not like to write out a complete daily continuity too far in advance. When I have a continuity idea I blab an outline into a small tape recorder and file it away until I’m ready for it. The day-to-day strips are done on a weekly basis. I feel that too-tight writing holds me down, and I lose the spontaneous ideas that always pop up when I’m working.

Community Comments

Currently there are 2 Comments
Stay up-to-date on the comments by subscribing to the comments RSS feed.

#1 Henry Clausner
February/23/2010
@ 9:03 am

well blow me down…!

#2 Jeff Pert
February/23/2010
@ 10:00 am

Sagendorf’s book for (I think) Popeye’s 50th anniversary is wonderful reading. He talks about what it was like to be E.C. Segar’s assistant. Fascinating stuff.

Join the discussion!

PLEASE NOTE: Please use your first AND last name when posting a comment. Please refrain from swearing. It's one of the rules that I enforce strictly. Thanks.

Want a cool icon next to your name? Go add one to Gravatar.com

*
*
This will not be published

(Optional)