I want to apologize to everyone for the absence of this column last week.  It was caused by circumstances totally beyond all control. However, I am back this week with an interview I really enjoyed conducting recently.

Like many of you, I had seen and laughed at the comic strip, “The Trek Life” on the now slumbering STARTREK.COM for many months and would wonder what the man who gave all us Trekkies a good laugh on ourselves, David Reddick, was really like. From his website one can see wonderful examples of his other work, but not a lot about the man himself.  So you can see why when I was asked to interview David, who is now illustrating two new comic strips for Roddenberry.com, “Gene's Journal,” and “Rod & Barry,” I jumped at the chance.  

I started off by commenting that, after reading David's biography on his site and his accomplishments that he must be one of those folks that are so busy that all they need is something to do with his spare time.  Laughing, he revealed that when he has a few spare moments, he gets out his sketchbook and doodles.  I believe he is a man that truly must love his work.

If one checks out his website (http://davidreddickstudio.com), they will find that his work has appeared in numerous of places.  One that caught my attention was that he is employed at Paws, Inc. working for Garfield creator Jim Davis.  When I asked about this, David told me that he works with him, helping write and draw the comic strip and is also involved in licensing and publishing areas and in animation and website.  “He is a fantastic boss.  You simply couldn't ask for a better guy and better company to work for during the day.”  

He also has worked in the past for a daily newspaper in Indiana as a staff cartoonist and newsroom artist, drawing three political cartoons a week and a daily single panel cartoon daily for about six years.  “Working at a daily newspaper is great, great, great practice for meeting deadlines, working under pressure and multitasking.”  His political cartoons were syndicated, appearing in newspapers around the nation.  He told me of one day in particular:  9/11/01.  “I remember I was at the newspaper the morning of 9/11.  That happened and immediately my job was to provide commentary.  I was asked if I could get a cartoon out on the events in forty-five minutes.   This was actually happening at that time.  I was stunned, dumbfounded, shocked and terrorized and suddenly under the gun...under deadline pressure.”  His cartoon for that day was an eagle, rising up from the ashes, like the legendary phoenix of lore with the American flag in his beak, with the caption The Eagle will rise again.  

In July of 2005, David became known and loved to Trekkies as the creator of the comic strip, “The Trek Life,” which appeared on STARTREK.COM until the site went dormant near Christmas of this 2007.  It started out in March of 2005 when David was watching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at lunchtime.  “I was thinking, 'You know, if I could do any comic strip in the world, simply for my own pleasure that I enjoy, without worrying about if anyone else likes it, what would it be?'  I got my sketchbook out and started doodling my ideas.  I thought that something about Star Trek would be so fun.”  He started doodling different ideas and playing around with it.  Very soon, the characters Carl, Kate, and Steve began to take form and substance in his sketches along with the core of the strip, three fans at different levels of fandom, and looking at their everyday life and how much Star Trek was involved.  He pitched the idea to the editors of STARTREK.COM and as they say, the rest is history.

A lot of fans want to know what will happen to “The Trek Life” in light STARTREK.COM’s current situation.  David advised me that it does continue in every issue of Star Trek Magazine.  There are things being looked into and considered that he could not talk about, but he assured me that “The Trek Life” is not dead by any means.  It's simply taking a break which is great news for all of its readers.

Recently, David has started two new strips for Roddenberry.com, the first being “Gene's Journal.”  David told me that the idea came from various people in the site's staff, along with Rod and himself, basically taking a “factual” look at Gene as a kid and the influences that inspired him to create the wondrous things we all enjoy.  Last year, David was talking with Roddenberry.com's Trevor Roth when Trevor mentioned a funny idea that he and Rod Roddenberry had been talking about.  They began discussing it and fleshing the idea out further.  They both decided this would make a great comic strip and “Gene's Journal” was born. “After we established the premise of the, what young Gene and the aliens (Agent 4 & 6) are about, Trevor turned me loose to write and draw a few concept strips and then talk some more.  I did that and came back.  Trevor functions as a great editor.  I write and draw these comics, then I send them over......Trevor and I then discuss them and try to squeeze more funny stuff out of them.”  He stated that the strip is going to get funnier and funnier as we get to know the characters more and watch what happens.  A little hint of things to come:  Agent 4 and Agent 6 will very soon reveal what they are up to and their plans for young Gene. “Gene's Journal” is now a weekly feature here on Roddenberry.com and one I greatly look forward to each Monday.

David's second weekly comic strip for Roddenberry.com started last Thursday featuring a couple of strange little guys who the strip is named after, Rod & Barry. “What you have here is a different set of aliens, who are scouts for their Supreme Overlord on their home world,” mentioned Trevor. “They have been sent Earth to scout it out for annihilation.  They come to Earth and decide to start monitoring the Earth, and what better way to monitor Earth and it's communications than using a primitive device call a TV.  Well, happens is, I'm afraid that Rod and Barry get a little sidetracked as they become addicted to Earth's Science Fiction TV and genre entertainment, in essence becoming a couple of fanboys without meaning to.”

“Speaking of the characters,” included David, “you have Rod, who has a curl on his head which indicates his personality:  rough around the edges and typically cranky.  He's the one who is ready to push the button for annihilation.  Then you have Barry who is the Anti-Rod.  Barry is more sweet natured, more humorous and ultimately he sees some potential here and is not so ready to pull the trigger or push the button......he just can't throw away this great TV.  So, you have these two characters who are now practically 24/7 fanboys and they comment a lot about the Sci-Fi entertainment we all know and love, keeping track of current happenings and such.”  He went on to say that a lot of timely stuff will pop up in the strip.  Their biggest problem will be fending off the Supreme Overlord who is demanding reports and demanding the Earth's annihilation.  The strip premiered last Thursday and it clearly shows great promise.

When one talks to David, they can tell how much he enjoys creating the strips and truly loves the characters by the pure excitement you hear in his voice, not so much as a creator would sound, but more like a pure fan would be.  He told me of how a cartoonist gets to a point that he “hits his groove” and knows where things are going.  He believes he had hit the groove on both of these strips and the excitement in his heart for them clearly shows.   He is one of those lucky individuals who are blessed with a career that they truly love and enjoy and it is clearly revealed in his work.

With all of the problems and headaches in this world, it is great to take a step back, become diverted from all of those threats and just have a good laugh.  A wise man once wrote that he who laughs lasts and lasts and lasts.  It is people like David who helps us take those much-needed breaks that helps us all keep a grip on our sanity.  Next time you feel the world closing in on you, take a breather and check out "Gene's Journal" or "Rod & Barry" and have a good chuckle.  It will amaze you how it will help your outlook at life.

Think about it.

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My column "Two Strips of Latinum" will be changing to every Monday starting March 17, 2008. So check back next Monday. If you have a comment, send it to drayburn@roddenberry.com

 

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