While not possessed of the skills of the other recently departed, Nealy is none-the-less an interesting figure. Almost completely unknown outside the small world of whitewater kayaking and certainly unrecognized in the larger cartooning world, he left a fascinating variety of works drawn in a rough style lifted largely from the work of Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton. His work included profusely illustrated guides to various U.S. rivers, books of humorous cartoons on kayaking, and the truly amazing Kayak: the Animated Manual of Intermediate and Advanced Whitewater Technique. The last is one of the best example I have ever seen of the use of cartoons in an instructional manner, equaling Will Eisner's service manuals for the U.S. Army. Nealy's book lacks Eisner's formal inventiveness, but Nealy trumps the master with the sheer fun he brings to his work.
Nealy lacked the formal skills of a Barks, but his work points a way towards the potential of cartoons. He used them in a way few others would have dared or thought of, and he made a success of it. The cartooning world is weaker for his loss, and we should mourn along with the kayak world, where Nealy's work is rightfully adored. Cartooning is weaker for the loss.
For a sample of Nealy's work, click on the link above. Out of respect for his copyrights, I am not reproducing any of his work here, although I am contacting someone to see if I can include a sample page from Kayak on this site.
A few notes on the various cartoons presented herein, for your reading enjoyment:
Che Ukrops- Ukrops is a local grocery store owned by a family of the same name here in Richmond. They are omnipresent and quite right wing. Somehow, the notion of Che Guevera as a member of the Ukrops family appealed to me no end. Plus, I love old war comics like Sgt Fury and his Howling Commandos, so this fulfills a life-long dream to actually draw one-- I think. I hope the more local aspects of the humour don't elude you. As of 14 Oct, I've redone all the pages in this story so they show up better. Still learning this darn web thang. Last updated 30 Sep 2001
Outdoors Cartoons-Some of these were originally done for Blue Ridge Outdoors, who for some reason let me draw a cartoon for them every month. Some are unpublished, as is much of the content on this site. Most, though not all, have a kayaking kinda content, perhaps because I kayak. Last updated 14 Oct 2001
Spikey and Einstien- My favorite. They were created three years ago while working at an elementary school when I did a drawing of the boy. A nearby kindergartener suggested I name him Spikey. His dog, Einstien (the spelling is intentional), followed, then the family and the whole concept of the strip. The publishers who've seen it have said the strip is too smart for the kids it seems to be aimed at, while not being adult enough for an adult audience. I had no idea the children of America were so stupid. Or perhaps all the stupid children grow up to be art directors and publishers, I don't know. At any rate, enjoy. Last Updated 14 Oct 2001
I'll be posting new content every other week, I think. I've got drawers full of drawings lying around the house, and nothing else to do with them but stick them up on the web. I'll eventually start a few new strips, such my upcoming Corporate Tool and Finance Boy, the superhero strip that represents my latest attempt to sell out. I'll also change the content of this page as the mood strikes me.
Next Updates on our about 28 October 2001
All contents copyright©2001 Kirk Patrick O'Brien. All Rights Reserved.
