Comics Kingdom | Alice by Andrea E. Beizer

Andrea E. Beizer

About

Alice may be described as an older woman...or a maturing woman...or a woman of a "certain age" -- as she is trying to make it in a society that doesn't "see" her. The Alice cartoon series explores the character's personality as she struggles with herself, her relationships and society in general.

There are many metaphors used in the cartoons, such as a house, a mirror, animals, buildings, and the sun, for example. The house depicts her longing for home and deeper relationship with her boyfriend, while the mirror only reinforces her insecurities about aging, with her animals representing the children she didn't have. Many images take place in public spaces, often revealing both personal and universal issues simultaneously.

"Alice is largely defined by her unique perspectives and mannerisms -- in particular, her quips, which are typically meant to be double entendres. Is she being comedic, deadpan serious, or a bit of both? Her comments embody dueling interpretations that are the core of Alice's persona...but no matter her situation, she is resilient. Her unique outlook on life and her eccentric points of view continually entertain and engage readers as they follow Alice's quirky journey through life". -- Leah Douglas, Chief Curator of Exhibitions at the Philadelphia International Airport, 2017 The drawing style relies heavily on line and is minimalist. Only a few elements may be found in each drawing, as they are needed. An example is the city landscape, which shows just a hint of buildings in the background. Original drawings are ink on Mylar and colored in Photoshop.

Characters

Alice

Alice, the main character, is getting older, but is still single and trying to make her mark on society. She is a person going about her life. Her reality depends on what is happening at any given moment and how she perceives it within the context of relationships, society's expectations and her own desires. Although it may seem like an endless struggle, there are signs of hope as Alice often questions her situation and the reality of her environment. I see her as a reaction of "every woman" or "every man," because in the end, who we are is really an accumulation of our own thought and struggles no matter how "real" or "dysfunctional" they may seem to others.

Steve: the Boyfriend

Steve acts as a foil to Alice's anxieties. He is the ever-faithful and somewhat-loving boyfriend.

The Niece

Alice's niece, or great-niece, is found in some of the strips. Interests as well as generational differences are explored through their relationship.The niece has two brothers who may appear in some of the strips.

Alice's Animals: Parrots and Dog

The parrots "take no prisoners" and say exactly what they think as they challenge Alice. They are the truth-sayers to Alice's "fantasy" world.
The dog is more agreeable to Alice's antics.

The Colleague

More practical, and also acts as a foil to Alice's antics.

Alien 1 and Alien 2

They wreak havoc on Alice's orderly worldview.

The Mirror

Alice's nemesis.

Other miscellaneous characters such as the Psychic, the Doctor, and the Boss appear periodically in the strip.

Author

Andrea Beizer

Andrea Beizer is an artist, cartoonist, architect and college professor. The one informs the other, each part being an important facet of her life. Having grown up in an artistic family, she was exposed to the visual arts early. She was drawn to outsider art before it became popular, and has looked for inspiration in the tribal artworks of Africa and Australia, folk art, children's and animation art, as well as the ancient artwork of Mayan and Sumerian cultures. Her interest in these types of works reflects her interests in myth and spirituality.This may be seen in both her artwork and in Alice cartoons as the character struggles to find meaning in the world around her as a woman and an individual.

Andrea Beizer practiced architecture full time prior to getting into teaching in 2000. She was a full professor at the Art Institute of Philadelphia until it closed its Philadelphia location in 2018 and is now an adjunct professor at Moore College of Art and Design.

While practicing architecture full time, she decided to create a cartoon strip as a means of personal expression. She joined the Publication Committee of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and asked if she could contribute a monthly cartoon strip. Thus, Alice was born. The cartoon strip was created in the 1980s (1984-89) for the Philadelphia Architect, a monthly publication for the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The strip was also published in the Manhattan Comic News in 1990.

It was during the 1980s that Andrea was introduced Tony Auth, editorial cartoonist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, by a friend who also worked at the Inquirer. Tony took an interest in the strip and became Andrea's mentor. In 1993, Andrea opened her own architecture firm, which took her away from her dream of developing the cartoon strip at that time.

Twenty years later (2013), Andrea invited several colleagues from the Art Institute to view her Alice cartoons from the 1980s. One of her colleagues really liked the strip and suggested that she bring it back to life. Around the same time, Tony Auth gave a lecture at the Philadelphia Public Library which Andrea attended. After the lecture, Andrea went up to Tony to remind him who she was. He said he remembered her and asked her What happened to you? Although Andrea was working on other areas of her art practice, she later discussed with Tony the option of bringing Alice back. Both agreed that if Alice wanted to come back to life, she should not be denied. Until Tony's untimely death in 2014, he acted as Andrea's mentor during the initial stages of Alice's rebirth.

The original Alice cartoon primarily dealt with issues concerning architecture and urban planning. For the new Alice, Andrea decided to make the strip about the inner life of a maturing (aging) woman and her struggles to find her place in society. Since 2013, Andrea has been working on and developing the strip. She has exhibited the strip at the Cerulean Arts Gallery; Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2018 at the State Museum of Pennsylvania; Art in the Age of Injustice: Women's Caucus for Art; About Alice: A cartoon by Andrea Beizer, Philadelphia International Airport; and is presently published in the Humor Times, an on-line magazine, and more.

Many people ask Andrea how she came up with the name Alice. When she was in kindergarten at J. Hampton Moore Elementary in Philadelphia, she was friendly with a very sweet little girl named Alice. It was on a visit to Alice's home that she discovered the Dr. Seuss books, which made a huge impression on her. It was at that time that Andrea decided to become an Artist. For the future, Andrea hopes to continue working on the strip as it offers an opportunity to continue developing Alice as a character with whom many can relate, as she struggles with herself, her boyfriend, her animals, and her time and place in society.