Title
To recognize award-winning artist, cartoonist, author, comic book innovator and Columbus resident, Jeff Smith.
Body
WHEREAS, Jeff Smith began his comic book career in Columbus at Colonial Hills Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, while attending The Ohio State University Jeff produced a daily comic for The Lantern, earning seven dollars per strip while developing his remarkable ability to blend great art with great storytelling; and
WHEREAS, in 1991, Jeff started the Columbus-based small business Cartoon Books to independently publish his black & white comic book BONE, and for the next 13 years he continued to pursue innovations in the field of long-form comics and graphic novels; and
WHEREAS, at its peak in 1995, the graphic self-publishing movement became a testament to the profitability of creative freedom, capturing nearly 20% of the overall comic market, a billion dollar a year industry; and
WHEREAS, although Jeff Smith's 2004 epic 1300 page book Bone: One Volume Edition was chosen as Book of the Year by The Comic Journal and named 'One of the greatest graphic novels of all time' by Time Magazine, he still prefers to call it a comic book; and
WHEREAS, Jeff's work is the subject of a retrospective exhibit at the Wexner Center for the Arts and The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library and he and Bone continue to receive awards for his work, in America and around the world, 44 separate awards so far including 10 Eisner Awards and 11 Harvey Awards, more than any other comic in history; and
WHEREAS, today, Jeff and his wife and business partner Vijaya Iyer live in German Village, adding richly to Columbus' artistic diversity and contributing to the local creative economy; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this council hereby recognizes Jeff Smith and honors his commitment to independence and creative achievement.