In December 1996, I was in Corsica looking after my first wife, who was ill. At this time I started a comic strip called “Betty Zapat and Yorrick“, from then until the middle of 1998, I created 127 episodes. Most of them have disappeared but I have rediscovered a few of the early episodes that I scanned and put onto a memory stick.
Betty Zapat and Yorrick Episode 10
This episode features most of the major characters. It started with a cat “Betty Zapat” (which was an anglicized version of the French “Betises à Pattes” (which meant a silly thing with paws)). The cat was modelled on our own cat “Feline”, who was always doing crazy things. Her sidekick was Yorrick, modelled on a toy fox cub, named after Hamlet’s friend. There was also Rugbyman, a rugby playing macho man, Carolina, the sensible one, she wore a headband and played rugby, too. Trev was a baldheaded fashion victim, Eddie was a human sized rugby playing elephant. Carolina had a dog called Fang, which looked vicious but was friendly.
Betty Zapat and Yorrick Episode. 11. The cast meet Fang
It is giving me goosebumps seeing looking at these closely again after nearly 18 years. When I drew the following episode, back in 1997, I hadn’t been on the internet….
Betty Zapat Episode 21: Surfing
jim holroyd 365 