Tribute to John Henry, the Steel Driving Man!

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John Henry was a childhood hero of mine, and probably one of the biggest influences on who I am and how I live my life. To me, the legend and the man are the same; I still see him as a regular guy who was confident in himself, and never, ever gave up. When he needed a job, he went and got one, convincing the boss that he was the right man for it. And when that job of Steel Driving Man was threatened by automation, he challenged that Steam Drill to a contest, and won. Sure, he died in the process, but that just adds to his legend. The point is, he said he would win, and did, against all odds. What a role model for young and old alike! It's a shame that kids these days wish to emulate sports stars, when there are legends like John Henry to remind us what the American Spirit is really about.

Like Bobby, I often invoke John Henry's spirit when faced with a daunting task such as shoveling 2 feet of snow. The same goes for everything else in my life, though; it has been a long and difficult trek in becoming a Cartoonist. I went for years with very little feedback or reward except for personal satisfaction. As a Cartoonist, though, you really need an audience; someone to tell you that yeah, you're doing the right thing, and we like it! Some financial compensation is nice, too, and justifies in another way that you are doing something worthwhile. I could have quit at any time when I was down, could have given up when opportunity was right under my nose, then snatched away. I never did give up, though, and Knight and Day nearly became syndicated, and those popular strips made up my first comic strip collection. I am still not syndicated, but my freelance career is growing, and my cartoons are finally being reprinted in books and magazines and on the web.

So here's to John Henry... he never gave up, and thanks to him, I don't either.

Please let me know what you think of this cartoon.

To learn more about John Henry, man and legend, visit your local library. Or check out the following link; John Henry The Steel Driving Man