Behind the Books – Book 14

This was the second volume of early Crankshaft strips brought out by Andrews/McMeel. It sported beautiful cover and interior art by Chuck Ayers, and continued the sequential printing of the strip picking up where the previous book ended. The Andrews/McMeel books, of which there would eventually be four, do a terrific job of providing a snapshot of the beginnings of Crankshaft. Many of the early tropes of the strip appear in these pages. Crankshaft backing over Keesterman’s mailbox, the little Johnson girl running after Crankshaft’s bus, the “unique” coffee found in the bus garage, the bus drivers bowling league, and more. It’s the point where Chuck and I were feeling our way into the strip and looking to stretch its possibilities. It’s a primer on how to start a comic strip and set it up for the long haul.