Sean Martin (cartoonist) facts for kids

Sean Stephane Martin (born December 29, 1950, died August 3, 2020) was a talented artist. He was a cartoonist, illustrator, and graphic designer from both America and Canada. He is most famous for his comic strip called Doc and Raider. This comic was popular in the 1980s and 1990s in magazines. It also appeared online in the 2000s and 2010s.

Martin's Early Life

Sean Martin was adopted when he was a child. His adoptive mother, Elsie Martin, believed he was born on December 29, 1950. She thought this because of when he was taken from an orphanage in Montreal, Canada. She also believed he was born in Canada.

Sean grew up in Texas, USA. He lived in New York City and San Francisco before moving back to Canada in 1986. He became a Canadian citizen in 1989.

Creating Doc and Raider

Martin started his Doc and Raider comic strip in 1987. It first appeared in a gay publication in Vancouver. The characters, Doc and Raider, were named after characters from western novels. Even though that first magazine stopped publishing, other LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) publications quickly picked up the comic. This included the Xtra! newspapers in Canada.

Martin gave the money he earned from the comic strip to charities. These included groups helping with AIDS and arts festivals. He donated an estimated quarter-million US dollars. The comic characters also helped teach people about safer health practices and AIDS education. They also promoted rodeos, country dance events, and film festivals. Martin often included cats in his stories because he loved them.

Books and Digital Art

Sean Martin published two books of his comic strips:

• Doc and Raider: Caught on Tape (1994)
• Doc and Raider: Incredibly Lifelike (1996)

He stopped drawing the regular strip in 1997. However, he drew two special stories in 2002 for the Little Sister's Defence Fund. The original drawings of Doc and Raider are kept at the National Archives of Canada. They are also at the Pride Archives at the University of Western Ontario.

Later, Martin brought the comic strip back online. He used new digital art created from 3D models. This change happened because of an injury to his drawing hand. He used his online comics to comment on current events and politics. He even responded to sad events like the Pulse nightclub shooting. Some of his digital art was inspired by Eastern art, like manga, with characters having large eyes.

Other Creative Works

Besides comics, Martin wrote a guide for theatre designers called Big Show Tiny Budget. This book was based on his many years of designing sets and costumes for plays. He also wrote a short novel called Triptych. He adapted classic theatre scripts like The Prince of Pilsen and The Little Prince.

Martin also published a book of drawings about life in Montreal called "Les citains". He created illustrations for famous books such as Candide, Gilgamesh, and Aesop's Fables.

While living in Calgary, Martin worked with the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo. He designed their posters and brochures. In 2001, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Gay Rodeo Association. His illustrations for Candide are part of a special collection at the University of Wittenberg.

Martin's Passing

Sean Martin finished the digital version of Doc and Raider on July 13, 2020. This was its 5600th comic. He passed away on August 3, 2020, due to problems from pancreatic cancer.

Martin's Legacy

Sean Martin was a pioneer in his field. He was one of the first to work with theatre designers remotely. He also led the way when he switched to 3D art for his comics. Many of his drawings can still be found online.

Doc and Raider is now one of the longest-running LGBTQ comic strips ever. It is also the second longest-running Canadian comic strip, after For Better or For Worse. Sean Martin's work and memory continue to be shared online by his family and friends.

Archives

A collection of Sean Martin's drawings is kept at Library and Archives Canada. These 22 original cartoons focus on gay lifestyle and politics. They also touch on broader social and political events. These drawings were published in various gay magazines and papers around the world. The drawings are from 1989-1991.