Broadway Bug

"Go, little Bug;
thy self Present,
as Child whose Parent
is unkent!"

'Broadway Bug' began back in 1994, when I wrote the story and made the original illustrations - experimenting at that time with brush-tipped felt pens.

It tells the story of Gordon, a little grub-like insect that discovers one fine morning that he can sing beautifully. He goes to Broadway; but upon the threshold of stardom, he undergoes a metamorphosis into something like a chubby mantis. He can't sing anymore, but he can dance.

I wrote all the lyrics to the music of old Bing Crosby, Paul Whiteman, and Fred Astaire records. I hoped that in that way I might catch a little of the original syncopation of those tunes.

Of course the story has a happy ending, when the new Gordon becomes the brightest dancing star of the Silver Screen.

For the longest time, I didn't feel that 'Broadway Bug' would be a successful project; I didn't like the final effect of the felt pens and thought the story was too long. But everyone who saw it loved the adventures of Gordon - in spite of the fact that it was for twenty years in a very forlorn state; only a worn-looking dummy and two finished pictures existed for it.

Now, I'm glad to say that after I had given this project some more thought, and decided to revitalize the story and freshen up the pictures in india ink and colored pencil, my friend Cayem T. Rawin has brought it out under the umbrella of the Red Admiral Press!