Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 14, 1983)
Dog Boy ain’t your usual Fido Take a hike, Huckleberry Hound, move over Marmaduke and watch yourself, Garfield. Dog Boy is here, and he’s hungry for a piece of the cartooning action. Dog boy was a figure of Steve Lafler’s imagination until he came to life a few weeks ago in Dog Boy Number One, the sixth edition of the Cat-head Comics series. Lafler, a Eugene artist and entrepreneur, began the series a few years ago in the hopes of making a living as a cartoonist. The dream still survives, but inventories of back issues are mounting to the critical point. “I’ll know by May whether this’ll be something that will go, that I can make a living at,” says Lafler. “I’m confident that I’ll succeed.” But don’t expect Dog Boy to grace the comic section of the Sunday paper, at least not in his (or its) present form. In Dog Boy Number One, we discover that the protagonist has a fetish for members of the opposite sex (species?) wearing open-toed shoes. Dog Boy gets into trouble when he accosts a store clerk who is wearing a pair of provocative pumps. Dog Boy fails in his attempt to procure the shoes for his girlfriend, but it turns out that Dog Girl is already wearing a pair of open-toed shoes when her fella comes home. Suffice it to say that on Page 12, Dog Boy and Dog Girl become Dog Couple. Lafler acknowledges that overtones of bestiality may not be every reader's cup of tea. "If some people get bummed out about it, that’s OK,” says Lafler. “But they’ll probably go away thinking that’s what the magazine is all about when it isn’t. Sometimes I like to bounce a few non-sequiturs off people’s heads, not so much to confuse them as to make them think." Lafler’s idea of a non-sequitur, a conclusion that does not follow from the premise, is illustrated on the comic book’s last page, which is devoted to “more Pope jokes." After asking the standard question "Is the Pope Catholic?” Lafler considers — with supporting graphics — "Does the Pope shit in the woods?" Lafler’s contention is that the Pope does indeed defecate in the woods and in decidedly unsaintly fashion. Like the Pope, Dog Boy is not free from common vice — and not endearing vices such as Fred Flintstones's weakness for brontosaurus burgers. Born years ago in a crude sketch on a table napkin, Dog Boy, says Lafler, eventually evolved into “a basically grotesque, sort of funny character, but he was a manifestation of the macho, blunt, piggish male. And sort of perverted too.” Lafler finances his publishing venture with profits from a silkscreen T-shirt business based in Eugene and from fees earned by freelance work for ad agencies and art directors, "The T-shirt business makes a good profit, and I invest that back into the comic . books," says Lafler. "I have friends who are heavy capitalists that say if I reinvested the money into something else I’d make a good profit, but I want to make the cartooning work.’ Lafler, a native of Massachusetts, says ■ he gets part of his inspiration from Alberto Salazar, Oregon’s top-ranked long-distance runner. As a miler in high school, Lafler competed against Salazar, who was a year younger and a student at a rival high school. While Salazar “blew me away” in the race, Lafler admired his competitor’s attitude. “Talent like his is more determination than anything physical, I’m certain of that,” says Lafler. “He wants to be the best long-distance runner in the world, and I want to be the best cartoonist. You find out that if you do certain things and do them with enthusiasm and heart you’ll succeed, but you have to do it professionally.” Lafler says he began doodling at age three and drawing cartoon formats by age 10 or 11. Early influences include Richie Rich and Sad Sack. Later it was Spiderman, Fantastic Four and other Marvel Comics characters. Then it was Will Eisner, who drew cartoons in “The Spirit” from 1940 to I952. Lafler, 25, earned a degree in oil painting at the University of Massachusetts “But what I really did in college was get my cartooning degree,” he says. He penned 500 strips of “Aluminum Foil” for the college newspaper while earning his degree. He eventually headed west and settled in Eugene, where from January to June of 1981 he authored the comic strip “Mixed Nuts" for the Emerald. Lafler’s East Coast perspective was ill-received by many University students “I got a good amount of hate mail, which I sort of enjoyed,” says Lafler, revealing a personality trait he finds essential in the publishing business. “Self-publishing is for the true masochist with thousands of bucks to blow,” writes Lafler in Dog Boy. "... try like hell to sell thousands of copies to distributors, band together and do it with other artists!” Dog Boy Number One already has sold nearly 900 copies of the 2,500 press run. “I'm pretty jazzed up by the original reaction." says Lafler. “The last book only had initial sales of 300 copies.” However, 5,500 unsold copies of previous issues sit gathering dust in storage. Lafler sells some copies to area outlets like Emerald City Comics and Warp Factor 7. But he says the “big money” is in finding a distributor who will make bulk purchases at 40 percent of the cover price. Making money isn’t Lafler’s only goal, Sieve Lafler hopes his cartoons will make people think some "crazy, crazy thoughts. however. “I want to redefine what a cartoon book is. I want to change people s sensibilities about what to expect from a comic took,” says Lafler. “Things like (Dog Boy) throw a curve ball with people. Hopefully, this will help them think some crazy, crazy thoughts.” Story by Sean Meyer Photos by Elisabeth Podesta INVESTIGATE FURTHER... APPLICANTS REQUIRED TO ATTEND ONE OF THESE MEETINGS: Sun. APRIL 3 - BEAN WEST CONFERENCE ROOM 7 p.m. Mon APRIL 4 - UNIVERSITY INN MAIN LOUNGE 7 p m Tucs APRIL 5 - CARSON GOLD ROOM 7 p.m APPLICATIONS DEADLINE APRIL 8 FORMS NOW AVAILABLE AT HOUSING OFFICE IN WALTON HALL *2 year* of univemty or college etpertence an required to be n tendered for tbn pmitkm Graduate Student* an encouraged to apply Umveroty of Oregon » M eqwel oggorTnM) /efflwwnv kwm mmmmmm V—: THINKING OF BEING AN R.A.? (Resident Assistant)* Vie 2W TOeet cetefautiee THE OPENING OF “MOOSEHEAD SEASON” Wednesday, March 16 Starts at 9:30 with a Moose Calling Contest Men's and Women's Divisions Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners in each division 2165 W. 11th, Eugene ALSO MOOSEHEADS 2 for 1 PAD/MQOSEHEAD T-SHIRTS $5.00^ S.F. *39 L.A. *39 *39 each way on Round Trip *49 one way 344-7433 -U >etW i{o^ '' announces CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP SALE! 30-70% off selected items such as: stationery ★ note cards ★ mugs ★ stuffed animals * packaged and rolled wrapping paper ★ small gifts ★ chimes The perfect time to wish that special friend good luck on finals and save money too! Open 10-5:30 Mon-Sat 683-8480 Corner of East 11th & Mill 3-HOUR PHOTO FINISHING v Filins in before 10 a.m. Ready by 1 p.m. No Limit • Develop & Print C-41 only C -fl QQ 12 Exposure V I 77 24 Exp. $3.99 JL 36 Exp $5.99 j coupon -musi accompany- order OREGON PHOTO LAB 1231 Alder “On Campus” Abortion: A woman's choice Abortion is safe and legal in a clinic setting We offer abortion services up to 20 weeks from the last menstrual period The abortion procedure used up to 12 weeks is vacuum aspiration with minimal dilation Dilation and Evacuation (an adaption of the suction method) is used for abortions 13 to 20 weeks. Abortions are performed with optional local anesthetic. Medicaid, insurance and major credit cards are accepted Other referrals are available - call for further information Fees: up to 12 weeks LNMP SI 80 00 13 14 weeks LNMP $2 3S 00 IS I / weeks LNMP S 100 00 IH 19 weeks LNMP S ISO 00 20 weeks LNMP S400 00 6510 SE FOSTER ROAD PORTLAND, OREGON 97206 503/777-7044 PORTLAND FEMINIST WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTER OLD TOWN PIZZA COMPANY 174 E. BROADWAY. EUGENE • 342-3366 Tired of studying? Treat yourself to an Old Town Tradition. Have You Tried Our New Items? HALF FULL Submarine Sandwich 1.75 2.95 A combination of martadella, provolone cheese. Genoa and Cariani salamis. lettuce, onion and tomato on out special bread. Italian Meatball Sandwich 1.75 2.95 Big Italian meatballs smothered with our own marinara sauce and accented with parmesan cheese. Italian Sausage Sandwich 1.75 2.95 Melted provolone cheese on our own roll with spicy Italian sausages and topped with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. Calzone 3.25 A choice of mushrooms and olives or sausage and Canadian bacon in a dough turnover filled with onions and bell pepper, our traditional sauce and mozzarella and topped with marinara sauce. MED. LQ. Antipasto Salad 2.25 3.25 A combination of martadella. provolone. salami, and marinated vegetables on a bed of lettuce, top ped with our italian dressing. Garlic Bread .75 Our own roll spread with garlic butter and parmesan and baked to perfection. Cannolli 1.00 Ask us about it. We offer you all these new items while still bringing you that great Old Town Pizza you've come to expect.
