A common thing that people ask me in interviews is how I got started in cartooning, and what my first comic was. I usually answer with the same set of memories from when I was a kid: My sister lived in Germany, and I used to mail comics to her once a week or so, mainly because I didn't know what to do with them. A few days ago, however, I suddenly remembered the following repressed story, which describes the first comic I ever drew that was actually funny, as funny today as it was back then.

I must have been about 10 years old. Back then, Super One Foods had a logo on its bag involving a dorky-looking superhero in a cape with a large number "1" on his chest. Above that, the words, "Super One" were emblazoned in a cartoonish font.

One night, barely able to control the pen because I was giggling so hard, I copied the Super One superhero on a sheet of white paper. However, in my version, he was completely nude except for the cape. At the crotch area, I drew a tiny, tiny penis. And just like it was on the bag, I copied the logo's font above the drawing of the insane, grinning, naked superhero, altering the lettering slightly so that it read, "Super Small One." Putting the finishing touches on my drawing, I remember finally bursting out into gales of laughter that made me both cry and hyperventilate.

My family, of course, wanted to know why I was laughing so hard. I hesitated for a moment, and then proudly laid my drawing down on the kitchen table. Suddenly, the whole kitchen was roaring with laughter. (Admittedly, there'd been some drinking going on.) My mom, wiping tears of hilarity from her eyes, chided, "That's not nice." But even she couldn't control herself.

I kinda wish I still had that drawing. Oh, well.