Lackadaisy
Encyclopedia
Lackadaisy is a webcomic
created by artist Tracy J. Butler. Set in a Prohibition
-era 1927 St. Louis
with a population of anthropomorphic cats, the plot chronicles the fortunes of the Lackadaisy speakeasy
after its founder is murdered. The comic won multiple Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards
in 2007 and 2008, and in April 2011 was nominated for the Eisner Award
for "Best Digital Comic".
The style of the comic is highly detailed, with elegantly attired cartoon characters that resemble styles from animated films of Walt Disney
and Don Bluth
. The strips are sepia-toned, resembling aged photographs of the 1920s era. Launched on July 19, 2006, the comic updates on an irregular basis, with 23 pages in 2006, 25 in 2007, and continuing on a monthly basis through 2011.
. In high school she would doodle and create characters while sitting in class. She studied biology for a year at Our Lady of the Elms College
in Massachusetts, before returning to her art. She created a website with some of her work, which led to a job offer from Simutronics
, a Missouri game development company. Butler performed illustration and graphic design work before moving into 3D character design and animation. After living in St. Louis for some time, she purchased a 100-year-old house, and began researching its history, as well as that of the local neighborhood, and ultimately the history of St. Louis itself. Combined with her interest in jazz music, and the characters she had designed in school, this led to her starting Lackadaisy in July 2006. An Italian print version was released in 2008, and an English version in 2009.
called the Lackadaisy. Situated at the mouth of a network of limestone caves, access to the speakeasy from the Café is only granted to those showing a pin in the shape of a Clubs card suit. With fairly easy access to illegal alcohol
and a steady clientele, business burgeons, and the Lackadaisy becomes a premier establishment.
In 1926, however, Atlas is mysteriously killed, and management of the Little Daisy and the Lackadaisy falls to his widow Mitzi. Patronage at the Lackadaisy gradually falls off, bringing it to the brink of collapse, with only a handful of its original crew remaining and doing their best to keep the business alive. There is a band that plays at the club, and one of the members is a rumrunner, which brings the characters into conflict with other locals who distill their own whiskey and moonshine
.
. (winner) (winner) (winner) (winner)
In 2008: (winner) (winner) (winner) (nominated) (winner)
In 2009:
In 2011:
by ReNoir Comics, ISBN 88-9526-135-6.
An English version was released in 2009, ISBN 0981959911, published by 4th Dimension Entertainment. In a 2011 interview in Draw!
magazine, Butler revealed that Volume 2 is in the works, and plans are being made for an iPhone version of the comic as well.
webcomic by Phil Foglio
.
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
created by artist Tracy J. Butler. Set in a Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
-era 1927 St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
with a population of anthropomorphic cats, the plot chronicles the fortunes of the Lackadaisy speakeasy
Speakeasy
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
after its founder is murdered. The comic won multiple Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards
Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards
The Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards are annual awards in which online cartoonists nominate and select outstanding webcomics. The awards have been held since 2001, were featured in a The New York Times column on webcomics in 2005, and have been mentioned as a tool for librarians.The WCCA represent a...
in 2007 and 2008, and in April 2011 was nominated for the Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for "Best Digital Comic".
The style of the comic is highly detailed, with elegantly attired cartoon characters that resemble styles from animated films of Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and Don Bluth
Don Bluth
Donald Virgil "Don" Bluth is an American animator and independent studio owner. He is best known for his departure from The Walt Disney Company in 1979 and his subsequent directing of animated films such as The Secret of NIMH , An American Tail ,The Land Before Time , and All Dogs Go to Heaven ,...
. The strips are sepia-toned, resembling aged photographs of the 1920s era. Launched on July 19, 2006, the comic updates on an irregular basis, with 23 pages in 2006, 25 in 2007, and continuing on a monthly basis through 2011.
Production
Butler creates the comic by pencil sketching original images, then scanning and adjusting them with software such as Photoshop, where the panels are then assembled. Lighting is then added in grey tones, sharpening where needed, and dialogue and sound effects are added in a separate layer. The sepia tones are added in the final pass. Some of the feline characters are based on Butler's own pets, Ivy and Calvin.Artist bio
Tracy Butler was born in 1980 in Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. In high school she would doodle and create characters while sitting in class. She studied biology for a year at Our Lady of the Elms College
Elms College
The College of Our Lady of the Elms, often called Elms College, is a Catholic liberal arts college located in Chicopee, Massachusetts, near Springfield.- History :...
in Massachusetts, before returning to her art. She created a website with some of her work, which led to a job offer from Simutronics
Simutronics
Simutronics is an American online games company whose products include GemStone IV and DragonRealms. It was founded in 1987 by David Whatley, with husband and wife Tom & Susan Zelinski...
, a Missouri game development company. Butler performed illustration and graphic design work before moving into 3D character design and animation. After living in St. Louis for some time, she purchased a 100-year-old house, and began researching its history, as well as that of the local neighborhood, and ultimately the history of St. Louis itself. Combined with her interest in jazz music, and the characters she had designed in school, this led to her starting Lackadaisy in July 2006. An Italian print version was released in 2008, and an English version in 2009.
Setting
When Prohibition grips the country in 1920, Atlas May sets his eatery, the Little Daisy Café, as the front for a successful speakeasySpeakeasy
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
called the Lackadaisy. Situated at the mouth of a network of limestone caves, access to the speakeasy from the Café is only granted to those showing a pin in the shape of a Clubs card suit. With fairly easy access to illegal alcohol
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
and a steady clientele, business burgeons, and the Lackadaisy becomes a premier establishment.
In 1926, however, Atlas is mysteriously killed, and management of the Little Daisy and the Lackadaisy falls to his widow Mitzi. Patronage at the Lackadaisy gradually falls off, bringing it to the brink of collapse, with only a handful of its original crew remaining and doing their best to keep the business alive. There is a band that plays at the club, and one of the members is a rumrunner, which brings the characters into conflict with other locals who distill their own whiskey and moonshine
Moonshine
Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
.
Awards
In 2007, Lackadaisy won every award for which it was nominated in the Web Cartoonists' Choice AwardsWeb Cartoonists' Choice Awards
The Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards are annual awards in which online cartoonists nominate and select outstanding webcomics. The awards have been held since 2001, were featured in a The New York Times column on webcomics in 2005, and have been mentioned as a tool for librarians.The WCCA represent a...
. (winner) (winner) (winner) (winner)
- Ursa Major Awards, Best Anthropomorphic Comic Strip (nominated)
In 2008: (winner) (winner) (winner) (nominated) (winner)
In 2009:
- Ursa Major Awards, Best Anthropomorphic Graphic Story (nominated)
- Butler named Guest of Honor at Furry Connection North.
- Lackadaisy artwork used on the cover of the Turkish Photoshop magazine
In 2011:
- (Nominated) Eisner AwardEisner AwardThe Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for Best Digital Comic
Collected editions
In 2008, the first hardcopy volume for the Lackadaisy comic was released in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by ReNoir Comics, ISBN 88-9526-135-6.
An English version was released in 2009, ISBN 0981959911, published by 4th Dimension Entertainment. In a 2011 interview in Draw!
Draw!
Draw! is a 1984 American/Canadian comedy-western film by Steven Hilliard Stern-Plot:In the final days of the Old West, a former desperado faces down a now drunken ex-sheriff, who was his long time nemesis.-Recognition:...
magazine, Butler revealed that Volume 2 is in the works, and plans are being made for an iPhone version of the comic as well.
Legacy
The art style of Lackadaisy has been cited as an influence on other webcomics, such as Zebra Girl by Joe England, and received a mention in the Girl GeniusGirl Genius
Girl Genius is an ongoing comic book series turned webcomic, written and drawn by Phil and Kaja Foglio and published by their company, Studio Foglio LLC under the imprint Airship Entertainment...
webcomic by Phil Foglio
Phil Foglio
Philip "Phil" Foglio is an American cartoonist and comic book artist best known for his humorous science fiction and fantasy work.-Early life and career:...
.
External links
- Lackadaisy (Russian version)
- Tracy Butler's gallery on deviantARTDeviantArtdeviantART is an online community showcasing various forms of user-made artwork. It was first launched on August 7, 2000 by Scott Jarkoff, Matthew Stephens, Angelo Sotira and others. deviantArt, Inc...