Bill Holbrook
Encyclopedia
Bill Holbrook is an American comic strip
& webcomic
writer and artist. Born in Los Angeles
in 1958, Holbrook grew up in Huntsville, Alabama
, and began drawing at an early age.
Holbrook majored in Illustration and Visual Design at Auburn University
in Alabama
. During his college career, he served as the Art Director of the student newspaper, where he produced a weekly comic strip, as well as drawing the paper's editorial cartoons and being published regularly in the Huntsville Times and the Monroe (Ala.) Journal. After graduation in 1980, he joined the Atlanta Constitution as an editorial staff artist.
During a 1982 visit to relatives on the West Coast, Holbrook met legendary Peanuts
creator, Charles Schulz. Following his advice and encouragement, Holbrook created a strip in the fall of that year about a college graduate working in a run-down diner. It did not stir syndicate interest, but what he learned on the strip helped him create his first winner, On the Fastrack.
Eleven days before Fastrack made its syndicated debut on March 19, 1984, Holbrook met Teri Peitso on a blind date. They were married on Pearl Harbor Day, 1985. They have two daughters, Chandler and Haviland. Peitso-Holbrook, whose novels were nominated for Edgar and Agatha Awards, is currently an assistant professor in literacy education at Georgia State University
. The family lives in the Atlanta area.
In October 1989, Holbrook launched his second strip, Safe Havens, and his third strip, Kevin & Kell was begun in September 1995.
He also provided artwork for a story written by Ben Bova
and Rob Balder
:
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
& webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
writer and artist. Born in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1958, Holbrook grew up in Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, and began drawing at an early age.
Holbrook majored in Illustration and Visual Design at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. During his college career, he served as the Art Director of the student newspaper, where he produced a weekly comic strip, as well as drawing the paper's editorial cartoons and being published regularly in the Huntsville Times and the Monroe (Ala.) Journal. After graduation in 1980, he joined the Atlanta Constitution as an editorial staff artist.
During a 1982 visit to relatives on the West Coast, Holbrook met legendary Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
creator, Charles Schulz. Following his advice and encouragement, Holbrook created a strip in the fall of that year about a college graduate working in a run-down diner. It did not stir syndicate interest, but what he learned on the strip helped him create his first winner, On the Fastrack.
Eleven days before Fastrack made its syndicated debut on March 19, 1984, Holbrook met Teri Peitso on a blind date. They were married on Pearl Harbor Day, 1985. They have two daughters, Chandler and Haviland. Peitso-Holbrook, whose novels were nominated for Edgar and Agatha Awards, is currently an assistant professor in literacy education at Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
. The family lives in the Atlanta area.
In October 1989, Holbrook launched his second strip, Safe Havens, and his third strip, Kevin & Kell was begun in September 1995.
Comic strips
Holbrook currently draws three strips:- On the FastrackOn the FastrackOn the Fastrack is a comic strip drawn by Bill Holbrook about the doings of various characters at the fictional Fastrack, Inc.Fastrack is run by its foundress, Rose Trellis, who is portrayed as a ruthless corporate leader, but with a recently discovered but seldom seen charitable side...
- About the misadventures at Fastrack, Inc., On the Fastrack has been distributed by King Features SyndicateKing Features SyndicateKing Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
since 1984. It now appears in 75 newspapers nationwide.
- Safe HavensSafe HavensSafe Havens is a comic strip drawn by cartoonist Bill Holbrook. It was originally syndicated by Washington Post Writers Group before switching to King Features Syndicate in 1993. Started in 1988, the strip is currently published in more than 50 newspapers...
- Initially about a day care center, this strip evolved into the adventures of Samantha Argus and her friends and is now syndicated nationally to over 50 newspapers.
- Kevin and KellKevin and KellKevin and Kell is a furry comedy webcomic strip by syndicated cartoonist Bill Holbrook. The strip began on September 3, 1995. It is one of the oldest continuously running webcomics....
- Originally an online-only stripWebcomicWebcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
but now also published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kevin and Kell centers on the mixed marriage between a rabbit, Kevin and a grey wolf, Kell Dewclaw. The plot revolves around species-related humor, satire, and interpersonal conflict.
He also provided artwork for a story written by Ben Bova
Ben Bova
Benjamin William Bova is an American science-fiction author and editor. He is the recipient of six Hugo Awards for Best Professional Editor for his work at Analog Science Fiction in the 1970's.-Personal life:...
and Rob Balder
Rob Balder
Robert T. Balder is a professional cartoonist, singer/songwriter, game designer and web entrepreneur. He graduated from Roanoke College with a major in English in 1993, and after a variety of jobs, entered a seven year career in IT, starting as a Manager of Database Development, which he left for...
:
- Duel In The Somme - A strip about a romantic rivalry between a computer-simulation designer and his boss.