About The Hurricane
The Hurricane grew out of a desire to artistically merge two unrelated subjects: film noir (which dates from the 1940’s) and Zen Buddhism (which, if you count its root forms, is about 2500 years old). Other than my interest in them both, what could they possibly have in common? It was quite a challenge.
Initially I had in mind only two components of the story: an American cinematic image, and an Asian folk tale. The opening image in the story — a private detective taking refuge from a stormy night in a bar — was inspired by film noir. 
Although I don’t recall that specific image from any of those films, it seems to sum up their atmosphere in general. Also, I’d been pondering the age-old parable of the Burmese Monkey Trap (a tale sometimes used in Buddhist training), and it became the story’s conceptual core and its literal center. It has recently been claimed that there never was such a trap; but even if that’s true, it would make no difference to the inner logic of the story. It is, after all, fiction.
History
The Hurricane was originally published in print form in 1989, during my long career as a print creative director. By 2001-2002, after additional years as a Web creative director, I decided to put some of my cartoon stories online. For technical reasons, the original drawings didn’t scan well; also, I’d become a better illustrator in the intervening years. So I ended up partially redrawing The Hurricane, and occasionally making minor writing revisions as well. I believe these Web versions are artistically superior to the original printed versions.
Technique
Each image in the Web version of The Hurricane was created using a hybrid technique. First, I made a traditional pen & ink drawing. This was scanned into digital form. The drawing was then further developed in a computer painting program, using a wireless electronic “pen” and drawing tablet rather than a mouse. The composition was refined, additional elements introduced, and gray tones and shading added. At every stage of the process, these images were created with Web viewing in mind.
Press Reviews
Here’s some of the press response to the original printed version of The Hurricane:
Read all of Lawrence San’s work!
He’s got three minis out now, and they’re all winners. The Hurricane is his first step into anthropomorphics, and a good step it is, too. He shows us a world savaged by a killer wind that sweeps away almost everyone who ventures outside any building. It’s an excuse for the characters to wax philosophical in an allegorical story that can be read on several levels. I’m blown away by The Hurricane. – Comics F/X Magazine San continues to turn out high-quality minicomics, with... attractive art. – Factsheet Five Quite clever. Dream interpretations, soul searching, expressive drawings, and even a bit of humor… Cross Woody Allen with Natalie d’Arbeloff, toss in a pinch of Jim Bricker and a dash of Frank Tashlin, and… you won’t have really come even close. Good try, though. – Amazing Heroes Magazine
– (referring to four of my titles) |
Peroration
May I stand on my soapbox for a moment? The majority of cartoon stories seem confined to a handful of stereotyped “comics” categories: musclebound macho fantasies; leering horror shockers; pretentious adolescent angst; and a few other genres. 
Even if done well, the very narrowness of the categories reinforces narrow expectations about what cartoon stories are good for. Along with a number of other cartoonists — a small minority, unfortunately — I’m trying to explore a more complex and subtle integration of writing and drawing, and to tell stories that might evoke thought and feeling in serious adults. Unfortunately, because of the (mostly justified) negative stereotypes about “comics,” the kind of readers who might enjoy these stories may also be among the least likely to look at cartoon stories in the first place. You can help transcend this chicken-and-egg conundrum by telling your friends about these stories. (If you don’t have time to send them a real email message, you can use this quick Tell a Friend form.) Thanks. End of commercial.
Reader Response
Many readers sent notes in response to the original printed version of this story. You are welcome to about this Web version, or, for that matter, about anything else. I also provide other contact information. And if I never hear from you... thank you for reading my stories.
Best wishes,
