Comics and Cousins: Childhood Memories of Being Creative with My Cousins

From elementary school to middle school, I didn’t really have many friends growing up. Partly due to my Autism and the fact I was very shy, my cousins AJ and Shane were my best friends growing up. Growing up my cousins and I loved being creative and to entertain people. I remember during sleepovers with my cousins, as we all hung out in the basement of my childhood home, we wrote and drew our own comic books. We even created our own comic book publisher named “That Spells Action Comics”, and we slowly started to build a shared universe of characters together. We weren’t very good artists and since we were kids, our humor wasn’t well defined yet. 

But it was just fun bonding with each other over comics. We created superheroes like The GreenSpeed and Super Dude. We created silly characters in our humor book “Silly Comics”, like Funky Monkey and Bear and Snake. One thing we collaborated that wasn’t a comic book, it was something magical. Quite literally, we wrote a fantasy book together called “The Warriors”. My cousin AJ drew illustrations for the book, I wrote the first chapter, and excluding chapters four through seven, I finished the rest of the book on my own. My cousin AJ wrote the second chapter on his own, and my cousin Shane wrote the third chapter on his own. Eventually, my cousins couldn’t finish the book with me though, but since it’s our book, they deserve credit no matter what. Besides comic books, my cousins and I made home movies together. I played Super Dude, and my cousin AJ played his sidekick Young One. I have to say though, our greatest legacy together is The Shekys. The Shekys were made up of Sheky 1 (Shane), Sheky 2 (AJ), Sheky 3 (Myself) and occasionally we bring in our older cousin Brock to play Sheky 4. It was our homage to The Three Stooges which my cousin AJ and I were really into at the time. 

We even loved to perform The Shekys live at family parties in front of relatives. But to be honest, we weren’t ready for prime time yet and as I grow older, I don’t quite remember those live shows at family parties. As my cousins and I got older, we kind of slowly began to grow a part. As time marched on, the sleepovers stopped and well, I’m slow to mature due to my Autism. 

Elsewhere, my cousins were moving on with their lives, finding love and living in the real world. Funny enough, we’re all still performing in our own ways. I perform improv with my improv group at Laugh Out Loud Theater in Schaumburg, IL. My cousin AJ moved to LA to pursue an acting career and is a stand-up comedian. Lastly, my cousin Shane occasionally posts videos of him doing Yo-yo tricks online. My cousin Shane even appeared on The Steve Harvey Show to show off his Yo-yo tricks. As for writing, I self-published a book of my own with some of the characters I created with my cousins. I’m currently writing to this day anyway I can. Be it screenplays, TV pilots or short stories. My cousin AJ still writes jokes and comedy sketches. Of course, we still stay in touch and see each other at family gatherings. We’re still close, but I do miss the bond we had in the past. But I’m just happy I’m still close with my cousins AJ and Shane today and that we still have a relationship. We may not be as close as we used to be, but we’re still definitely friends for forever.

Comic Strip Carl's Face Reveal!

Hello, I'm Comic Strip Carl and I review comic strips because why not! Here's what I look like below! What, you didn't know that I looked like this? What did you think I looked like some overweight white guy or something? Anyway that's me Comic Strip Carl right there below and I will be reviewing more comic strips very soon! Until then, please support your local newspaper and please remember to keep reading comics! I look so cute in this photo, with my one eye and pointy head! And with hands like these, I bet you're wondering how I could even hold a newspaper in to read these wonderful comic strips. Also, I'm likely not of this world but that's another story.

Comic Strip Carl's Comic Strip Reviews: Broom-Hilda

 Hello, I'm Comic Strip Carl and I review comic strips because why not! Today's review is of the comic strip Broom-Hilda created by Russell Myers and it debuted in 1970. Broom-Hilda is a witch, and that's it. Broom-Hilda is just a witch who goes on adventures with her friends. Three Stars out of Five! I wanted to give it Three Stars out of Five because I kind of feel bad for Broom-Hilda even though I shouldn't. All of this is pointless at the end of the day and you go read Broom-Hilda yourself and see if you like it. Please support your local newspaper and remember to keep reading comics! Also Broom-Hilda turned me into a frog once outside of a Wendy's. Bad first date! 

Comic Strip Carl's Comic Strip Reviews: Toon Lagoon Tribute

 Hello, I'm Comic Strip Carl and I review comic strips because why not! Well, today's review isn't a comic strip, but of a theme park land inside Universal's Islands of Adventure simply called Toon Lagoon. I went there over the summer a few years ago and it was my Valhalla! I didn't ride any of the rides because I don't really like water rides, but it is my Valhalla because it's where comic strips come to life and do you not know who you are talking to here for God's sake! Sadly, theme park fans hate this land, but for us comic strip and cartoon fans, it is our Valhalla that's sadly in the state of Florida. Five Stars out of Five! Go visit it before they will likely re-theme the land to either Pokemon or Nicktoons because we can't have nice things. Please support your local newspaper and remember to keep reading comics!

Comic Strip Carl's Comic Strip Reviews: Garfield vs. Heathcliff

Hello mortals! I'm Comic Strip Carl and I review comic strips because why not! Today isn't truly a review, more like answering an age old question of who is better? Garfield created by Jim Davis or Heathcliff created by George Gately. Two orange fat cats and I'm here once and for all to decide who is the best. Is it Garfield or Heathcliff? 

My pick is Heathcliff because not only did he come first, but he's just a better character whereas Garfield was built to just sell out. HEATHCLIFF WINS DECLARES COMIC STRIP CARL! The debate is over and done with once and for all! Please support your local newspaper and please remember to keep reading comics! Good day!

Comic Strip Carl's Comic Strip Reviews: Mark Trail

 Hello, my name is Comic Strip Carl and I review comic strips because why not! Today's review is Mark Trail. Mark Trail was created by Ed Dodd in 1946. Mark Trail was made to promote trail mix. Okay, I didn't have time to read Mark Trail, so that may or may not be true. Yet, he does look handsome. Or I don't know, I forgot to read it. CRAP! Two Stars out of Five! Please support your local newspaper and remember to keep reading comics!

Comic Strip Carl's Comic Strip Review: The Little King

 Hello, I'm Comic Strip Carl and I review comic strips because why not! Today's review is the classic comic strip, The Little King, created by Otto Soglow. The Little King debuted in 1930 back when kings were cool. NO MORE KINGS, even The Little King. Plus, The Little King comic strips weren't really that funny either. Zero Stars out of Five. But The Little King would be a cool name for a dog, but that's a story for another day. Please support your local newspaper and remember to keep reading comics.