Cartoonist says farewell
to 'Citizen Dog' comic
By Morgan Conklin
Summer
Reporter
After six years, Mark O’Hare, a former Purdue
student and cartoonist of the comic strip "Citizen Dog,"
is putting down his pen.
On May 26, the last edition of his strip will
be published. "I had to stop doing this comic because I could
not put the work into it that it deserved," he said. "I
have so many other wonderful things in my life right now, but if I
get the time to do ‘Citizen Dog’ again I would jump at the
chance."
O’Hare attended Purdue University from 1986-1990
with the intent to graduate with a degree in aeronautical engineering.
However, he couldn’t suppress his love for cartooning.
After working at the Purdue Exponent, he decided
to switch his major to graphic design. "The Exponent was so good
to me," O’Hare said. "It opened up a whole new world
to me, an artistic side that I didn’t know I had until I worked
at the Exponent."
He began writing "Citizen Dog" on May
14, 1995. The idea for his comic came to him after he got married.
He was working at Nickelodeon, but wanted to express himself through
a comic strip. He said it all just seemed to fit. He said that overall,
"Citizen Dog" was a humorous way for him to portray his
life.
O’Hare did his cartoons in the morning hours.
"The mornings are the best time to do cartoons," he said.
"My head is clear and I have a fresh outlook. By two o’clock
my head is so clouded with other things."
One thing he learned at the Exponent that he
has carried with him through life has been the importance of deadlines.
"Deadlines are a large motivating factor," he said. "If
you are put into a situation that is challenging, then you will rise
to that challenge. If you think simply and clearly then ideas come
through."
O’Hare now works on a cartoon called "Jeffrey
Cat/ Claw and Order."
He says he wanted to thank everyone for reading
"Citizen Dog." "It is great to have a large, supportive
audience where you went to school."
