Whatever happened to Martin Wagner? As some of you older "FA" members know, Wagner was the artist/writer/creator of the popular humorous collegiate comic strip - that later became an even more popular humorous comic book - "Hepcats". The story mainly revolved around two characters - 'Joey' (a lion) and 'Gunther' (a rhino) - who were college roommates, and have interesting adventures (both together and separately).

I'd first discovered the comic book version of "Hepcats" at a shop just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, back in the late 1980s. I felt that it ranked up there with similar 'funny animal' comic fare like "Albedo: Anthropomorphics", "Omaha, the Cat Dancer", "Critters", and "Usagi Yojimbo". I even began to write to Mr. Wagner, praising him on his talents...

This drawing - which only seems appropriate for posting, now that it's time for NCAA Basketball and "March Madness" - was on the back of one of the envelopes I'd sent to Mr. Wagner, back in 1991...

Anyway, during the 1990s, the "Hepcats" comic book was running a 20-part serial, when (at its height) Martin quit 'furry fandom' altogether! Early speculation has it that a few 'fanboys' had ruffled his feathers, and he left without looking back.

I never had the opportunity of meeting the former Austin, Texas resident, and I'm sure that many others would've liked to have met him, too. I just hope that wherever he is, whatever he's doing, he's feeling good about his new life.

"Hepcats", 'Joey', and 'Gunther' (C) Martin Wagner