Rudy Park writer Matt Richtel (aka Theron Heir) tells me he’s taking a year off and turning over the writing duties for Rudy Park to the strip’s artist Darrin Bell. Matt cites needing to take a break to focus on other matters such as his family, his reporting for The New York Times and his writing career (three novels out with two more in the future).
“It’s taken a long time to make this decision. You can’t imagine how much these characters have been become apart of your life during a decade,” Matt says. While the decision was hard, turning the writing over to Darrin wasn’t. “It’s one thing to take on something new, but this isn’t new for Darrin. It’s something he already knows in his heart.” He adds, “I have noticed a new life in the strip in the last weeks. Darrin already has three months of story arcs planned. I’m kinda worried that the strip’s popularity will explode while I’m gone and everyone will figure out I’m the Joe Biden to Darrin’s Barack Obama.”
But he emphasizes that sabbatical is only for a year and he intends to resume the writing duties once some of the other projects wrap up.
It should be noted that writing a strip isn’t new to Darrin. In addition to Rudy Park, Darrin is also the creator, writer, artist for his strip syndicated strip Candorville.
Darrin’s going to write & draw 2 daily comic strips? When’s he gonna eat & sleep??
Good luck Matt(Theron) on your endeavors! You two make a great team! Rudy Park is one of my favorite strips! And I’m looking foward to Darrin’s storylines!
Darren talked about this in my interview with him, and he seemed awfully calm about it for someone about to do two strip. Personally, I’m thinking he’s either a really talented mutant whose power is that he needs no sleep, or he’s successfully cloned himself. It’s the only explanation.
Best of luck to Matt, and I’m sure “Rudy Park” is in good and familiar hands!