Alumnus gains valuable experience in comics
Looney Toons, Peanuts and The Muppets are just funny characters to laugh at for most people.
But for Jay Fosgitt, they’re the inspiration he needed to draw a new chapter in his life.
Fosgitt, a Saginaw native, will be featured this month as a published cartoonist for the first time in the nationally read comic book “Yenny,” by Dave Alvarez.
Alvarez, freelance artist and “Yenny” illustrator, needed additional stories from quality artists. Alvarez met Fosgitt through the Muppet Central Forum, where he was impressed with Fosgitt’s work.
“Jay has a lot of humor in what he does and perfect cartoon timing for his gags,” Alvarez said. “His work quickly caught my eye. The story he did is quite unique and I hope we can do more in the future.”
The fourth edition of “Yenny” features a collection of comic strips telling the story of a young girl’s (Yenny) dream of becoming a model, but struggling in the industry because of her big feet.
Fosgitt’s story, “Poop-A-Doop Dreams,” has Yenny watching a marathon of old 1930s cartoons when she falls asleep. Yenny sees herself in a fantasy world looking like Betty Boop.
Fosgitt said he isn’t looking to hit the jackpot with his first publication as he won’t receive any money. But the exposure is what he said he is after.
“Cartooning is fun and creative, and followed me through my life,” he said. “It’s the purest, most distilled form of my imagination and creativity poured on to paper.”
Fosgitt has been drawing since he was 2-years-old, and said he knew he wanted to be a cartoonist at age 5.
He began cartooning for “The Delta Collegiate,” Delta College’s student newspaper, in 1996.
“There’s no doubt that he has a talent. It’s very professional and it’s his own style,” said Terry Rock, Delta College’s public marketing director. “He certainly has developed that over the years. Someday I am going to say I knew that Jay Fosgitt.”
Justin Engel was the editor of “The Delta Collegiate” when he first saw Fosgitt’s work.
“I saw Jay’s work as very daring, in-your-face and bordering on getting me fired for letting it publish. But his humor grows on you and his drawing abilities are undeniable,” Engel said. “He does things most cartoonists don’t dare to do. He’s not afraid to voice his opinion through his comics, no matter who it might offend.”
Fosgitt began cartooning for Central Michigan Life in the fall of 2001. Before graduating in 2004, he wrote “Mother’s Goofs” comic strips, a parody of the Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes, and “Waste Products of a Warped Vision,” an editorial cartoon.
Fosgitt said he received continual support from his family and friends. But it wasn’t until he spoke with his mentors – Muppets creator Jim Henson and Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schultz – he realized his dreams might just become reality.
“Meeting your heroes is a frightening experience,” Fosgitt said. “You adore these people and think you know them through their work, and they don’t know you from Adam, and that’s intimidating. Once you break the wall and shake hands for the first time though, it’s magic.”
Fosgitt said he learned a lot after talking with Henson in 1984. Henson said he liked Fosgitt’s work and wanted to meet him in person when he got out of high school. Unfortunately, Henson passed away before they could meet.
It was an opportunity Fosgitt said he never had a chance to fulfill.
But a girl named “Yenny” may have given him a second chance.
“I am thrilled to be published. Nobody could read this comic book and I could still be just tickled that I have made it this far,” Fosgitt said. “This is a childhood dream fulfilled and I couldn’t ask for anything more than that.”
