by Tony & Tony Tallarico

Clang-clang went the trolley!

I want to be a cartoonist…

Keep at it, kid!

Jack of all arts…

15 minutes of fame…

Lights…Camera…Lobo?

…steps along the highway in this so very affectionate a memoir

a distinguished cartoonist’s magical tale…

a comic book hero first…

A truly charming, truly wholesome, truly affectionate book. Besides all of that, the lovely creative treasures you will find on these magical pages are the contributions of THREE generations of Antonio/Anthony/Tony Tallaricos! – each of them with an artist’s eye and a story-telling soul.

Additionally, this memoir of a young boy’s spirited process on his way to becoming a world-renowned cartoonist, tells the story of how the world’s first African-American comic book hero was imagined, nurtured, and eventually came into the world.

From humble beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, we follow the middle Antonio/Anthony/Tony Tallarico’s long and successful career as an illustrator. We share with him his hard work; we celebrate with him his lucky breaks; we appreciate with him the loving relationships surrounding his charmed life. Starting out as an industry “go-fer” (“go for/get me this! go for/get me that”), his path led him through the world of drawing comics, and into the universe of creating thousands of children’s books – for such distinguished publishers as Simon&Schuster, Kidsbooks Inc, Modern Publishing, Tuffy Books, and Putnam.

Bottom line: his story is proof that nice guys can finish first!