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Rejection is a bitter pill to swallow, particularly when it’s something that you really want. Imagine applying to your dream job, and told no by the likes of Cat Fancy magazine and the National Enquirer. When you accumulate enough rejection letters to fill a binder, most people might start considering a new career path. Not Canadian creator, Cale Atkinson.

The man behind the Simon and Chester graphic novel series talked about his early failed attempts to break into the syndicated comic strip game at this year’s ALA annual conference. His experience was spurred when a fellow panelist mentioned his 20-year experience in the field.

“Speaking of the syndicated [comic strip], that was my dream as well,” he said. “I loved Garfield when I was a kid. Once I could understand The Far Side, it changed my world and humor because it was irreverent. I wanted a syndicated strip.”

Atkinson’s story continued. “When I was maybe 12 or so, I started mailing comic strips to try to get syndicated. I had a binder of rejection letters. I was like, you can do it! You can just mail it to these places. There was this book. I don’t remember the exact name. Maybe the Graphic Artist Market Book and it had a list of magazines. If we buy your comic strip, we’ll pay you $50. Oh my god! I’m going to be rich! So I sent packets and packets as a 12 and 13 year old to Chicago. New York. And I was just in Vancouver.”

Alas, there were no takers for Atkinson’s comic strips. But instead of being deterred, he had a different perspective on the matter. “I have rejection letters from Cat Fancy magazine. The National Inquirer. I was so excited to get them too. It was a rejection, but they saw my comic. This is incredible. They had to pay to mail them back with the postage. I literally cut the postage out. You paid 50 cents.”

You might not find Atkinson’s art in your local paper everyday, but at least we have all his graphic novels and books to enjoy.

Get ready for what's next with our guide to upcoming comics, how to buy comics at a comic shop, and our guide to Free Comic Book Day 2025.