By Tyler Maheu
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT — Local cartoonist Joseph Bergeron has made his print debut within the pages of the Eagle Times with the comic strip ‘First Date.’
Bergeron, originally from Methuen, Mass., moved to Newport in 2020 with his wife, Asha. The aspiring artist says that artistic proclivity runs in his family’s genes.
“My father was an artist who used to doodle, and my grandfather was a painter,” Bergeron said. “So, it goes in the family.”
The local artist added that he has always drawn and done cartoons, but that the focus on comic strips started less than a decade ago.
“I have been drawing cartoons for a long time and started my own comic strip in 2016,” he said. “It is a little different than drawing random things.”
His interest in comic strips dates back to his childhood. Bergeron said he cherishes memories of opening the Sunday paper every week to look at the funnies and mimicking that drawing style.
‘First Date’ is Bergeron’s first published comic strip, making it an Eagle Times exclusive. The art is based on his relationship with his wife. The content for the strips comes from the couple’s day-to-day life, which Bergeron thinks others may find interesting.
“I needed to think of something easy to come up with ideas for, so I thought of my life,” he said. “She [Asha] will do something quirky or I will say something goofy, and that makes the magic.”
His focus with the comic is to illustrate a blend of the human condition, incorporating warm and comedic elements, but also highlighting the dramatic, more serious events in a person’s life.
Bergeron’s wife was quick to point out that the humble cartoonist is more talented than he likes to let on.
“He is really passionate, but doesn’t know how good he is,” she said. “He does everything. The comics are what he likes doing, but he can do even more. He does amazing things.”
Bergeron is an employee at Timken Aerospace in Lebanon and says that a point of pride has been the admiration of co-workers and friends since his strip began hitting print in February.
“I’ve had people at my job comment,” he said. “My supervisor mentioned that he saw it and thought it was really cool.”
Kevin Brown, new General Manager for the Eagle Times, said the cartoon is yet another example of how your local community newspaper is stepping up its game in coverage.
“Anytime you can provide creative space in the newspaper to a community member while also expanding our local content is a win for everyone,” Brown said. “And, the introduction of a local cartoon strip is very unusual this day and age.”
Bergeron is proud of realizing a childhood dream and excited about continuing his comic strip.
“It is one of the achievements I was going for when I was little, so this is pretty cool,” he said.
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