ABOUT

This introduction appears in Volume One of Stranger Two Stranger

I have always been somewhat of a late bloomer in life. This book that you are holding in your hands is yet another example of this. I discovered the brilliance of comics pretty late in life. It was only a few years ago that I became consumed with comics which for someone in the late 30s seems like it is pretty late in the game of life. Also about this time, I picked up sketching and drawing. As a photojournalist the experience of sketching and drawing appealed to a whole new set of senses when documenting and observing the world around me.

The concept of telling stories visually is something I have always had a passion for. Up until this point, the tool I used was a camera. Now I have added pen and paper to the toolbox.

This book is inspired by a great anthology of comics edited by Julia Wertz called “I Saw You…” The book compiles comics from many talented artists to illustrate tales of real-life missed connections from Craigslist and newspapers around the country.

I wanted to try drawing a comic book, but I was lacking a story line and a concept. I really enjoy autobiographical comics like those of Wertz, R. Crumb, Guy Delisle, Joe Sacco, and Harvey Pekar. However, I am not sure my life would make a very interesting comic.

The idea of illustrating anonymous people’s attempts at getting the attention of others fascinated me. Some descriptions are very detailed about their encounters, while others lack specifics and could happen anywhere. Yet these notes are typed up and sent into the wide world of the internet in the hopes that they will hit their mark. The stories range from the sweet to the strange, yet I always find them interesting.

- R. Hendricks
May 2011