Meet Duane Abel, creator of the comic strip ZED.
After being born in a small Ohio town and growing up on a steady diet of Saturday morning cartoons, the Sunday Funnies and cereal, Abel discovered his destiny the first time he picked up a pencil and scribbled his first cartoon. He joined the ranks of professional cartooning at the age of 13, selling cartoons to several small magazines and regional publications.
He walked into his hometown newspaper at the age of 15 with the comic strip ZED. The feature began in the fall of 1995 and soon Abel was offered a syndication contract from a Future Features Syndicate. By signing on the dotted line Abel became the youngest syndicated cartoonist in the country…but before launching the comic strip, the syndicate closed its doors. However, with a strong local readership, Abel began to offer his creation to other publications. It was during this time that he was offered a full tuition scholarship to the University of Akron, to major in theatre arts. While preparing ZED for his first book collection with Plan Nine Publishing, Abel signed another contract with American International Syndicate, but the owner suffered a heart attack before promoting ZED to newspapers. Abel was too busy to notice as he was touring in a one-man theatrical production and exciting football fans as the school mascot, Zippy the Kangaroo.
Upon graduation (and putting out of business a book publisher and two newspaper syndicates) Abel married his college sweetheart, Coral, and soon welcomed his first child into the world. He then took control of his creative destiny and formed Corkey Comics, ensuring that ZED would always have a home in book collections and newspapers. ZED currently appears in several weekly newspapers and has been collected into Corkey Comics book publications.
Abel is a member of The National Cartoonists Society and has been nominated for the Ignatz Award.
In the summer of 2014 he wrote, directed and starred in the comedic stage play JELLY JARS.
Abel travels to more than 100 schools every year presenting his student assembly “Draw Your Destiny” and is a busy keynote speaker, sharing the wisdom of the Sunday Funnies and how they can be used for personal and professional development.
Abel and Coral are the proud parents of two boys, Zackie and Clayton, and live in Ohio.
Abel’s comic strip ZED has been enjoyed by readers for more than two decades.
ZED is a laundry dweller that began his life within the secret underground tunnels that connect to all washers and dryers. He had the fortunate experience to make a wrong turn one fateful morning, leading him into the lives and hearts of his adopted family.
