Meet the Cartoonist: Martin Bucella

The Post profiles cartoonist Marty Bucella.

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“That’s mistletoe. We like to give every passenger a chance to kiss their luggage good-bye.”

“That's mistletoe. We like to give every passenger a chance to kiss their luggage good-bye.”
“That’s mistletoe. We like to give every passenger a chance to kiss their luggage good-bye.”
Nov/Dec 2010

Meet another great Post cartoonist, Marty Bucella. You may or may not recognize the name, but if you’re a subscriber, you’ve no doubt found yourself laughing out loud at his dogs on Facebook or some of his other whacky situations. I love the one here from the December issue about kissing your luggage good-bye.

“Don’t worry. I turn 50 tomorrow. AARP will find me.”

“Don't worry. I turn 50 tomorrow. AARP will find me.”
“Don’t worry. I turn 50 tomorrow. AARP will find me.”
Nov/Dec 2009

Even cartoon clichés—like being stranded on that old deserted island—are funny in the hands of a master. Okay, maybe you have to be 50 to understand it, but I assure you that when you do turn 50, AARP will find you. The FBI could use those people. “I was born and raised and went to school and all that stuff and never had the slightest idea what I was going to do with my life,” Marty writes. “While passing time in college, I designed a greeting card for my girlfriend (now my wife) and thought, ‘Hey, maybe I can make money doing this!’ And I did… if you count $30 as money. The rest of my senior year in college was spent drawing in notebooks instead of taking notes.”

“Guess Your Wait!”

“Guess Your Wait!”
“Guess Your Wait!”
Mar/Apr 2011

Our cartoonists know that The Saturday Evening Post magazine is great for medical information for the layman, so medical humor is used often. Hint to budding cartoonists: know your market. It’s frustrating to go through stacks of cartoons that are inappropriate for the publication. (Can you guess whose job that is for the Post?)

“Yes, I am unemployed, but I prefer the term, stay-at-home Dad.”

“Yes, I am unemployed, but I prefer the term, stay-at-home Dad.”
“Yes, I am unemployed, but I prefer the term, stay-at-home Dad.”
Mar/Apr 2009

“Cartooning had much more allure than becoming a geographer,” says Marty, “so upon graduation, I set about doing up a comic strip that was rejected by every syndicate in the free world. After going through a ‘Rejected Cartoonist 12 Step Program,’ I picked myself up and started doing single panel gag cartoons. My first sales (4 from one batch) went for $5 each to a publication called Glass Digest. The rest, as they say, is history.” They say you’re not a writer until you can wallpaper at least one room with rejection slips. Marty’s right: the same is true for cartoonists.

“If it weren’t for diapers, I’d have nothing in common with him.”

“If it weren't for diapers, I'd have nothing in common with him.”
“If it weren’t for diapers, I’d have nothing in common with him.”
Mar/Apr 2011

“Now, many, many years later, I’ve sold tens of thousands of cartoons, humorous illustrations, greeting cards, ads, etc.” And his marketplace covers everything from Macy’s and Better Homes and Gardens to Apple Computers and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

“Honestly, if there was a virtual prostate exam, don’t you think I’d want to be the first to know?”

"Honestly, if there was a virtual prostate exam, don't you think I'd want to be the first to know?"
“Honestly, if there was a virtual prostate exam, don’t you think I’d want to be the first to know?”
Nov/Dec 2008

“I hope to continue until I drop dead or win the lottery,” Marty says, “whichever comes first.” We don’t want to wish you bad luck with the lottery, Marty, but we’re kind of hoping the “every guy” with his prostate exams, being a “stay-at-home Dad” or identifying with his grandson’s diapers stays around awhile.

Keep reading the magazine for great cartoons, and let us know who your favorite Post cartoonist is—we’d love to feature him/her.

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Comments

  1. That’s funny about drawing notebooks instead of taking notes. In my day kids would hide a comic book behind a giant geography book. Now they probably hide an inconspicuous electronic device.

  2. I’ve known Marty Bucella for many years. Besides being a successful cartoonist, he is also a terrific humorous illustrator for textbooks, greeting cards, etc.

  3. I really enjoy his humor. The Post cartoons are usually very good, his are almost always excellent. It was nice hearing alittle of his life story. I hope he continues his work for many years to come, no lottery winning for him.

  4. Another winning offering, Diana! Mr. Bucella–a genuine, endearingly quirky, talent–was expertly spotlighted.
    Enjoyed every word of this immensely entertaining post.

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