Essay / Art

Jesse Hamm, Cartoonist’s Cartoonist

Comics artist Jesse Hamm has died. Jesse worked in comic books at all levels: from the self-published days of photocopied zines, up through small presses and indie/alternative publishers, to Marvel & DC. Click through to the obituary at comics.com for a list of his most notable projects, and see what names you recognize (currently, for most people, Hawkeye might be the big name)

If there is one thing that set Jesse apart from other artists, it was his ability to explain the art form he worked in. His “Tips from Jesse Hamm” Twitter account was a steady stream of insight into the craft of cartooning. He just handed out tricks and tips with both hands, explaining in clear writing and brilliant illustrations exactly how drawing for comic books worked. He named and anatomized details of cartooning that I’ve never seen anybody else even try to articulate. He had the skills of a visual artist, but he also had another skill set not widely shared in the visual arts: a keen and searching intellect that constantly investigated visual form and its communicative power. Beyond his “tips” Twitter feed, Jesse wrote a regular “Carousel” column for the Comic Con website. He also bundled a lot of these tips and analyses of cartooning for his Patreon supporters, some available at his Gumroad store. (I have not yet confirmed that money spent at these two locations in the coming days will definitely find its way to his wife Anna, but I hope to find out soon.)

I met Jesse in the late ’90s when he was already kind of legendary in the zine scene for things like Comics to Bore & Confuse You, Savage Daisies, and Religious Fred the Naughty Evangelical (no relation, I swear). His masterpiece in this period was surely Seven Seconds and a Dead Fish, a tiny book that gave indie self-publishing cartoonists a thrill of hope: just maybe it was possible to do really significant work of this caliber in the humble medium of photocopied booklets.

Jesse and I corresponded a little bit, and he did me the great honor of showing up in Berkeley at the book launch party for my own comic book series, Dr. Doctrine’s Christian Comix. Jesse was simultaneously very encouraging (praising the visual clarity of my exposition –yay!) and utterly committed to honesty and high standards of professionalism (“Fred, your inking is so sloppy that it significantly detracts from the overall effect of the work” –ouch!). Faithful are the wounds of a brother.

And Jesse was a brother; a brother in Christ and a very serious Christian. He wasn’t a “Christian cartoonist” in the sense of working in religious publications, but certainly was in the broader sense of being a working professional in comics who was a devout believer. His ethics and his demeanor showed his faith on a daily basis, and his ability to articulate what he believed was also at the high level you might expect of such a consummate explainer.

By the way, the archival Christian Comics Collection that I helped put together at the Biola University Library does house a number of Jesse’s self-published comics (mostly in the Don Ensign collection). In fact, collecting mini-comics and self-published items like this is one of the most important research functions of a proper library collection like this. This stuff is so easily lost if left uncollected. Three cheers for library archives!

I haven’t seen Jesse for years, but we continued to be Twitter friends with a steady stream of chit-chat. He was a force for good in all his social media feeds. In 2019, my daughter interviewed him as part of a class assignment in which she was exploring cartooning as a career, and wanted to hear from serious people making a living in the business. When I learned of Jesse’s death, I thought about that brief interview, and decided it would be nice to publish it here. It’s all vintage Jesse, including of course the fact that he took the time to field questions from, and give encouragement to, a young artist, and to do what he did best: explain the art of cartooning. Rest in Peace, Jesse Hamm.

[Bio provided by artist] Jesse Hamm has worked as a cartoonist and illustrator for over fifteen years, illustrating such characters as Batman, Flash Gordon, The Phantom, and Hawkeye. He is currently (2019) drawing a comic book series called The Blessed Machine.

1)     How did you get interested in this job?

I always drew as a kid. I assumed I would end up in advertising or book illustration, but when I saw some beautifully drawn comic books in 6th grade, I realized the comics medium would offer me the chance to draw much that I enjoyed drawing, so I began aiming for a comics career.

2)     What paths did you take to get where you are now?

I drew and photocopied my own comics, and attended comics conventions, where I swapped my comics with other artists. Eventually, some of those artists began recommending me to publishers they knew, who were in need of the sort of work I draw. This eventually led to enough assignments that I was able to earn a full-time living from drawing.

3)     Did you need any special schooling to get where you are?

No, I’m self-taught. My schooling came from a lot of practice, as well as from studying How To Draw books, and receiving criticism and advice from artists and editors to whom I showed my work at conventions.

4)     What does a typical work day look like/ what’s your cartooning process?

I begin with a script, either one written by me or one sent to me by the publisher. I sketch simple layouts to establish which elements will appear in each panel, and how the panels will be arranged on each page. After those layouts are approved by the publisher, I pencil the pages. I typically pencil one or two pages per day. After the pencils are approved, I ink them. And after the inks are approved, I bill the publisher! The art at each stage is scanned and sent electronically.

I have a studio at home, with a drawing table and a scanner and computer, along with a lot of art supplies. I also rent a studio space with several other artists downtown, where I work periodically. This is useful for networking, because new jobs often come through my colleagues. It’s also an opportunity to get out of the house and stay socialized.

5)     What’s one of your favorite parts of your work?

I enjoy drawing faces and figures, especially in sequence. It’s a pleasure to see lines come together to portray characters’ behavior from moment to moment, as though they’re alive.

6)     What’s one of your least favorite parts of your work?

Drawing environments is often a chore. It’s necessary to establish each scene, but environments require a lot of work and rarely carry the emotional charge of a face or figure.

7)     What motivates you to keep going?

Bills!

8)     Do you find your work rewarding?

Yes. When what ends up on the page matches the feeling that inspired the image, I feel like I’ve hit a bull’s-eye, which is satisfying.

9)     Do you ever find your work stressful?

Sure. Deadlines always loom! It’s a rare project that offers me as much time as I’d like to tinker with my drawings.

10)  What advice do you have for someone young who wants to do what you’re doing?

Study the instructional books of Andrew Loomis (especially CREATIVE ILLUSTRATION) and Jack Hamm; they feature a wealth of great advice.

Draw often from observation. This will do more than anything to improve your skills.

Network with others online and at conventions. Most job offers will come through people you meet in the industry, including fans and fellow artists.

Post your art often on social media. Keep putting your work out there to attract clients and readers!

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