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BARRINGTON – Charles Boyce, 12-year Barrington resident and Universal Press syndicated cartoonist, is celebrating the 20-year anniversary of his comic strip "Compu-toon." Boyce produces this single panel cartoon online, daily – despite his "early retirement" nearly 15 years ago.
Boyce's "Compu-toon" strip keeps him busy with Chicago area speaking engagements. The comic details humorous interactions between humans and technology. Boyce shared his story of growing up in Tennessee and his accomplishments with Barrington Suburban Life Reporter Tarah Thorne.
Q. Please describe your Compu-Toon comic panel.
Compu-toon is about how we are constantly battling to see which one is in control – humans or technology. The concept itself was thought of when I was asked to create something funny and entertaining to be used by in-house newsletter publications at the Chicago Tribune.
Witnessing the early evolution of how technology was handling the newspaper industry built my knowledge and understanding about the new way of doing things, giving me a base of ideas and concepts to work with.
Q. What do you enjoy about the Barrington area?
I am heavily involved in the arts and associated with the Barrington Cultural Arts Center. I volunteer with youth organizations like Youth Communication Chicago, and Axis (Willow Creek Church). I also participate closely with the Care Center at Willow Creek.
Another major project I oversee is The KeyPad Kid Project – a program that helps to supply and recognize needy families, groups, and individuals with the latest technology to avoid the digital divide.
I love chess, a lengthy walk and the theater scene.
Q. How often do you publish a new Compu-Toon? What inspires you?
The comic panel is seven days a week and prepared for digital and print use. Six black and whites and one 4-color for Sunday. My inspiration stems from life. Everyday there are situations and conditions that comes up that I observe in the moment, then recall it later.
Q. How do you share your experience with today's developing artists?
The trick of any profession is staying ahead of it by continuing to learn and know your craft. The approach on how cartoon strips are produced today is very wide. From conventional drawing to electronic pads to digital apps – it makes the career more exciting than ever.
When talking with young and upcoming artists, I encourage them to be in the midst of a thrilling time for the arts with all the digital toys and systems available.
Starting off in this business can be hard and frustrating, but very rewarding if you maintain a positive objective, knowing your idea or concept will be a great fit somewhere.
Q. What inspired you to move to the Chicago area? Did your artwork change with the change of location?
I came to Chicago to further my education by enrolling at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and later to the University of Illinois Chicago Circle. My interest was animation and art history. The face of an art form is always changing and I have learned to always welcome that.
My style of cartooning has evolved in a way that reflects the time as opposed to culture. People and situations I look for is the same no matter where you are. How I tackle the humor of it has changed somewhat because the society is more aware of the technology around them and more educated on terms and equipment.
Q. How do your friends and family members describe you?
I am not sure how I am being seen by others. I hope others see me as someone who is concerned about helping to improve the future of our youth and making the ones I meet a better person, for I become better for meeting them.
My immediate family overwhelmingly supports me. Some hoped I had stayed in the fine arts by becoming known as a profound painter like a Henry O'Tanner or Jacob Lawrence. They are mostly proud of my achievements.
Q. You served in the U.S. Navy, working in the print shop of a ship during the Vietnam War. What sort of work did you do during this time? What did you take away from this experience?
My experiences in the Navy really rounded me out as a person – as a man, and I do not regret having enlisted in that year of 1969. My interest in the print world was discovered and I got involve with journalism and lithography.
I never toured Vietnam. My path directed me into producing the ship newspaper and working closely with the USO. I also developed a comic strip for the crew which developed a nice following that ran in the ship's newspaper The Cascader.
The field of lithography was something I added to my repertoire along with being more mature and knowledgeable about the world.
Q. You recently spoke at a Barrington Area Library event. What else do you have in the works for this year?
I will have been doing Compu-Toon for 20 years officially on May 1, and there will be several gatherings and events throughout the year that I will be involved in.
Universal Press Syndicate has scheduled me for a tweeting (Twitter) engagement with my readers by mid-February. I will be answering questions regarding the strip by way of tweeting.
An NBC-5 appearance will be announced in March, and I will conduct a cartooning class at Crabtree Nature Center in Barrington on April 13.
Other things are in the planning stage at this point in time.
Q. Any specific plans for the future? Will you ever really "retire?"
I have been talking about a book for years of wish I am close to finishing. Will do a modest tour when ready. I have several telecommunication projects I am involved in. The face of retiring has changed considerably. It is how you wear it.
Learn more
Boyce said his Compu-toon readership is strongest online, with several comic websites connected to his comic. For information, visit www.gocomics.com/compu-toon, www.computoon1.wordpress.com, or www.compu-toon.blogspot.com.