|
|
 |
 |
Mark Parisi grew up in Gloucester, Massachusetts and wanted to be a cartoonist ever since he can remember. He was a bit shy, but loved humor. He recalls, "I could draw the teacher with fangs and hairy armpits and get laughs without actually having to SAY anything."
Parisi had a fairly typical progression of influences: first there was "Peanuts," then Mad Magazine, then "The Far Side." He dabbled with video production at Salem State College and even had a music video appear on MTV, but cartooning was always his first love. After many odd jobs and a degree in graphic design, Parisi realized he had two marketable skills: cartooning and grocery bagging. "I picked cartooning," he says, "even though it didn't pay as well."
In 1987, Parisi shopped his off the mark comic panel around to local newspapers and began picking up clients. It was a slow build, but years later he had 100 clients, a line of greeting cards, T-shirts, books, calendars and a heavily trafficked web site.
Currently the Chairman of the New England Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society, Parisi also does a weekly cartoon for Billboard Magazine called "Rim Shots." His four compilation books, A Cartoon Collection, Think Outside the Cat Box, The off the mark Science Fiction Picture Show and Rebooted, are all available from Plan Nine Publishing.
"My girlfriend, Lynn, encouraged me to pursue cartooning when I thought it was unattainable," says Parisi. "Now she's my wife and business partner." Together, they have a daughter and 3 cats, all of whom are sweet-natured and devilish at the same time.
|
|
|
|
Privacy Policy
