Kowalczyk Kartoons

Monday, April 30, 2012

Street scenes, part 1

I seem to gravitate to things happening on the street in my pun cartoons. This week, I'll trot those out, starting with this one.

Stilwell frogs -- still more Stilwell

Since this is my blog and I can do what I want, I'm attempting to post all of my old Cleveland State University cartoons from 40 or more years ago. Once I get them all digitized and online, I can finally throw away all the crusty, yellowing originals and get on with my life. Here are a few more. Explanations: The feminist movement was in full force then. I have always been a supporter, but back then I felt that ALL men were being villified by the movement. Still, I probably should not have drawn that cartoon. The comic about calling a dial-a-prayer number seems so dated now. And the pathetic attempt to meet a girl is the story of my sorry social life on campus. The reference to "Fat Chance" on the wall in the background was a play on "Fat Glenn's," the name of the campus night spot that opened while I was attending. It was launched in the basement of what formerly was a building occupied by the AAA, the Auto Club. Thanks to a 2002 posting for The Cleveland Stater, a laboratory newspaper put out by students of classes in CSU's Department of Communications, I can tell you that Fat Glenn's opened on April 13, 1969, while I was attending school, and I remember that opening. It was a big deal at the time because, as I recall, although there were a number of bars and night spots near the campus, this was the first place where you could actually buy and drink a beer on the actual campus. At the time, I don't recall knowing this, but The Cleveland Stater says Fat Glenn's was run by a mock fraternity called Tappa Kegga Dae. This amuses me, because a group of my friends on campus formed a mock fraternity as well. Because we had both men and women in our group, we called it a "frasority." We called it "Mei Kong Delta." We had a small plastic King Kong toy that we would bring along to social events, a couple of informal picnics, actually. But I digress majorly. Fat Glenn's, I have learned, thanks to The Cleveland Stater, was named after Glenn Arthur Esch, a CSU grad who I believe actually was an assistant dean of student affairs at the time the bar opened. I vaguely remember what he looks like. Kind of ruddy complexioned and, yes, a bit chubby.