Ruben Bolling
Encyclopedia
Ruben Bolling is a pseudonym
for Ken Fisher, a cartoonist
, the author of Tom the Dancing Bug
.
and later attended Harvard Law School
. It was at Harvard in the mid-'80s that Bolling came up with the idea for "Tom the Dancing Bug" and his pseudonym, Ruben Bolling (which is a melding of the names of two old-time baseball players, Ruben Amaro
and Frank Bolling
).
After graduation Bolling practiced law for several years before resigning to pursue comic writing full-time. When that didn't work out, comic writing became a side interest and Bolling became a full time bank employee. He is currently working on building a full-time writing career, driven in part by an ongoing project with New Line Cinema
to produce a movie about his character Harvey Richards, Esq., a “Lawyer for Children."
He currently lives and works in New York, and his sensibilities suggest liberal/left political inclinations. His pieces demonstrate concern about the power of large corporations and satirize the way government has been corrupted by money. Particularly since 9/11, Bolling's work often concerns war, arguing that the government manipulates the media to propagate false versions of the events surrounding the Iraq war.
Many of his strips admit no political interpretation, instead featuring absurdist
humor or parodying comic strip conventions. Bolling's lampoons of celebrity culture
, such as in the parodic series of comic strips labeled "Funny, Funny, Celebs", can be scathing.
He is a member of Cartoonists With Attitude.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
for Ken Fisher, a cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
, the author of Tom the Dancing Bug
Tom the Dancing Bug
Tom the Dancing Bug is a weekly satirical comic strip by cartoonist and political commentator Ruben Bolling that covers current events from a liberal point of view. The strip appears in mainstream and alternative weekly newspapers, as well as on the Boing Boing website. Tom the Dancing Bug won...
.
Biography
Bolling, who has no formal art training, read many comics when he was a child, and sometimes features their styles in his work. However, he didn't aspire to be a full-time cartoonist; instead he studied economics as an undergraduate at Tufts UniversityTufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
and later attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. It was at Harvard in the mid-'80s that Bolling came up with the idea for "Tom the Dancing Bug" and his pseudonym, Ruben Bolling (which is a melding of the names of two old-time baseball players, Ruben Amaro
Rubén Amaro, Sr.
Rubén Amaro, Sr. was a shortstop and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from through .son of a cuban Santos Amaro and a mexicanJosefina Mora....
and Frank Bolling
Frank Bolling
Frank Elmore Bolling is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Detroit Tigers and with the Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves . Bolling batted and threw right-handed...
).
After graduation Bolling practiced law for several years before resigning to pursue comic writing full-time. When that didn't work out, comic writing became a side interest and Bolling became a full time bank employee. He is currently working on building a full-time writing career, driven in part by an ongoing project with New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
to produce a movie about his character Harvey Richards, Esq., a “Lawyer for Children."
He currently lives and works in New York, and his sensibilities suggest liberal/left political inclinations. His pieces demonstrate concern about the power of large corporations and satirize the way government has been corrupted by money. Particularly since 9/11, Bolling's work often concerns war, arguing that the government manipulates the media to propagate false versions of the events surrounding the Iraq war.
Many of his strips admit no political interpretation, instead featuring absurdist
Absurdism
In philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...
humor or parodying comic strip conventions. Bolling's lampoons of celebrity culture
Celebrity culture
A celebrity culture is the structure that influences those deemed to be celebrities.-Brief history of celebrity culture:Any medium can be viewed as a vehicle for creating a celebrity culture. The famous religious books of the world's faiths are replete with examples of individuals who are well...
, such as in the parodic series of comic strips labeled "Funny, Funny, Celebs", can be scathing.
He is a member of Cartoonists With Attitude.
External links
- The Comics Journal #247 (contains an interview)
- 20 Questions with Ruben Bolling on Quirkee.com
- Deconstructing Comics #228 (podcast interview)