The Creator, Writer,
and Illustrator
of "Aford",
Aaron Riddle

NEW!

Click here to read an interview recently conducted with Aaron Riddle about the progress of

"Aford", his artwork, and other things!

 

Why be a cartoonist?

"Ever since I was a young boy, I've loved to draw. By the age of 10 I was an avid reader of

"Garfield" by Jim Davis. It was around that time that I realized that cartooning is what I wanted

to do with my life. After some years of just working on my observational drawing skills, I

proceeded to work on "Aford". People are always saying that cartoonists don't make that much

money, blah, blah, blah. So what! It's something I have a passion for whether money is made or not.

In addition I love to make people laugh.

 

Who are your biggest influences?

Jim Davis ("Garfield"), Greg Evans ("Luann"), Charles Schultz ("Peanuts"), Bill Watterson ("Calvin

and Hobbes"), Gary Larson ("The FarSide"). I've recently been reading the hilarious "Sherman's

Lagoon" by Jim Toomey.

 

Why create a comic strip with a turtle as the main character?

When I first developed the character of Aford around the age of 10, I collected box turtles as pets.

I would keep them for the whole summer and then release them before the autumn season. At the

time I was extremely fascinated by turtles, so I just started to draw cartoon versions of them.

Eventually Aford T. Turtle developed into the character that you see today. Also, I grew up (and

still live) right next to the Chesapeake Bay and a large acreage of woods, so I was exposed to a large

variety of wildlife as a child.

 

What are your long term goals concerning "Aford"?

My ultimate goal is to become a syndicated cartoonist. Although it is a tremendous challenge, I am

extremely confident that one day I will be offered a contract by a syndicate. "Aford" has already

grown in popularity (as this website's counter shows), and I just hope to have the strip continue

down the path of success.

 

 

Aaron Riddle is currently a graphic design student in his 3rd year of college. He resides in Pasadena,

MD and spends his time (when not working on "Aford") listening to music (everything from classical

to heavy metal), lifting weights, spending time outdoors, and directing small time films with

his younger brother Josh.

 

 

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