A. Stein

When a 5-year-old spends all day alone, drawing pictures and telling everyone about his imaginary dinosaur friends, his parents are understandably concerned. But when a grown man does the exact same thing, he is hailed as a wry observer of human nature and nominated for literary awards.

 

Surely A. Stein has a first name, but he prefers to use only an initial. He is just so artistic. He must think he's the next D. H. Lawrence, T. S. Eliot, or H. L. Mencken – or perhaps the second coming of fellow cartoonists B. Kliban and R. Crumb.

 

And while others work for a living – running businesses, constructing buildings, selling products, and even saving lives – A. Stein spends his time pondering the really deep questions. How long will Willie remain slouched in front of the TV, watching a ballgame and consuming Cheez Doodles? What clever words will Wanda use to justify her latest shopping spree, or to put a happy face on totaling the car? And what will they both do when they encounter a 7-foot cockroach playing an accordion?

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That's a cartoonist's contribution to the world – spending hours coming up with a crude drawing and punchline, hoping to provide someone, somewhere, with 5-7 seconds of passive entertainment and (maybe) a mild chuckle.