The sawmill is closed for winter and December is promising lots of snow and cold temperatures. Christmas 1981 and my wife’s twentieth birthday are approaching fast. So is the deadline for the month’s Louie and Bruce strip.
A friend asks me why there are no women in the strip, so I consider giving one of the guys a girlfriend.
I spend time sketching girls out of catalogues and come up with the name Gloria for the character. Other names considered are Lisa, Natalie, and Roxanne.
Meanwhile, I need a joke for the strip but I’m having a creative block. Must be the weather. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were summer? Kids playing. Amusement parks. Hey, that gives me an idea.
That gets my imagination percolating and an idea about amusement park rides dances through my mind and takes away my winter blues caused by another blizzard outside my windows.
Thanks for joining me for another trip back, recalling the days of creating comic strips, and a glimpse at the sketches that went nowhere.
Sadly, Gloria never became a full-time character.
Until next time, peace and love.
Steve, 3/30/2025
This post “Recalling Louie and Bruce, Part 5” copyright © 2025 Steven Leo Campbell at stevecampbellcreations.com – All rights reserved.
Steve Campbell Creations 
Great comic strips. Thanks for sharing the fascinating details behind their creation.
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Thanks Joseph. I enjoy sharing my not-too-cringeworthy art and writing from the past. Drawing comic strips was a lot of fun.
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