Comic Feature – Mark Parisi

Off The Mark is a comic panel created by Mark Parisi which began in 1987 and now appears in 100 newspapers. It also appears on greeting cards, in magazines, on T-shirts and more. Off The Mark is distributed daily by Andrews McMeel Universal.

Parisi began drawing when he was very young, and frequently copied comic strips out of newspapers. Parisi said that after reading Charles Schulz’ comic strip Peanuts, he “immediately wanted to draw it.”

After many odd jobs and a graphic design degree from Salem State College, Mark felt he had two marketable skills: cartooning and grocery bagging. He decided to choose cartooning, even though it didn’t pay as well. With influences ranging from Charles Schulz, MAD Magazine and, more obviously, Gary Larson, he started self-syndicating his off the mark comic panel in 1987.

The humour of this comic panel focuses on off-beat, slice-of-life situations. Andrews McMeel Universal describes it as: “A world of scheming pets, evil computers, and talking plants that puts an ironic, absurd or just plain silly spin on everyday life.”

Off The Mark was named “Best Newspaper Panel” by the National Cartoonists Society in 2008, and again in 2011. It was also nominated in 2004, 2006, 2013, and 2016. Off The Mark greeting cards were named “Best Greeting Cards” by the National Cartoonists Society in 2013. Mark is still drawing hilarious comics as well as put out a book series for kids called Marty Pants. SOURCE WIKIPEDIA, OFF THE MARK,

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