Student-Drawn Strip Displays Sure Comic Touch
BY BYRON LAURSEN
r exans love Eyebeam, both the University of Texas-launched
comic strip and its crinkly-haired, reluctantly-maturing main
character. They even love Hank the Hallucination, the grin
ning, shape-shifting, reality-bending monster who drops in on
Eyebeam during long study sessions. Back in 1982, “H.T. Halluci
nation” was entered in the U.T. student body elections by some
non-serious types. He won the presidency in a landslide. Eyebeam
is the creation of Sam Hurt, now recently graduated from Texas'
law school. It features a goo!ily-interlocked cast of characters as
appealing as those of the Taxi garage or the M.A.S.H. field hospital.
There’s Eyebeam himself, for starters,
laconic, cynical and observant. Ratliff, his
roommate, procrastinator and under
achiever par excellence. Sally, the wisest,
sharpest-tongued of the lot, and also
Eyebeam’s steady girlfriend. Rod, the
maximal macho jerk and Beth, Sally’s
roommate and Rod’s “main squeeze,” a
girl who thinks football players are
gods incarnate.
But character, of course, is defined by
action. Here, then, are the folks of
Eyebeam, activated each in their peculiar
ways by the mysterious force of love.
Why love? Because Valentine’s Day is
here, and because you’ll love these Uni
versity of Texas knuckleheads as soon
as you get to know them.
Born in Austin, Sam Hurt now 26,
started doing cartoons for the Daily
Texan back in 1978. He was then a
junior. He started calling the irregular
feature Eyebeam, then later decided to
invent a character with that name. Things
just grew after that, as Eyebeam acquired
a roommate, a girlfriend, an hallucina
tion to call his own, and other neces
sities of college life.
Hun has published three books of col
lected Eyebeam strips: I'm Pretty Sure
I’ve Got My Death Ray In Here Some
where, Eyeheam —Therefore / Am and
Eenie Meenie Alinie Tweed. Famed
editorial cartoonist Ben Sargent wrote in
the first book’s foreword: “The only apt
comparison for Eyebeam's imaginative
ness is George Harriman’s late, great
Krazy Kat, and any comic strip buff will
tell you that is high praise indeed.. . . I
think Sam Hurt is just what the comic
strip trade needs.”
Hun recently graduated from Texas’
Law School and, concurrent with facing
the real world, is gradually "growing up”
his characters. Eyebeam has gone
through law school and taken a job with
Shortbread & Snuff, Attorneys at Law.
Ratliff got a position (and then got fired)
at a local TV station, where his function
was to turn up the volume whenever
mobile home commercials interrupted
the late movie. Sally is still trying to de
cide on an occupation. That is, Hurt Is
trying to decide for her. But he is certain
that she still listens to the Roche sisters
bizarre new wave music almost exclu
sively and she was very excited about
Geraldine Ferraro.
Hurt’s books are available in some
bookstores or by mail from AAR Tan
talus, Inc., P.O. Box 893, Austin, TX
78767 for $4.95 plus 50 cents extra per
book for postage and handling.
Sally and Eyebeam have found their own private wavelength.
Beth has a precise grasp on Rod’s appeal...
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Ratliff needs a good coach.
Sometimes Sally tries, in her ironic way, to help Ratliff under
stand how love works.
Wte’re Looking for People
Who Like To Draw
How’s the cartoon situation on your campus? Ampersand is
interested in measuring the National Collegiate Funny Bone, if
your campus has a sharp cartoonist, published in the campus
newspaper, we’d like a partisan to step forth and bring that
person to our attention. Our aim is nobie: to publish funny
things by talented college students. Address a brief letter,
including a few exemplary strips, to Campus Cartoonist/
Ampersand/1680 N. Vine Street, #900, Hollywood, CA 90028.