24x36 Graphite on Canson mixed media paper
8.5x11 Graphite on computer paper
Have you ever thought about having a funeral for your imaginary friends?
Inspired by my imaginary best friends growing up Tom & Jerry.
Jom & Terry is a crime fighting duo Sunday cartoon.
Commemorating Terry's death by suicide.
The episode Blue Cat Blues aired on November 16th of 1956 depicts a scenario of Tom Cat trying to impress a cheeky little cat woman. But ultimately ends up failing by going broke to the point of even selling an arm, a leg and himself to slavery to pay off a car loan and constantly getting one'd up by his competitor Butch Cat. He spirals down into a terrible depression having nothing but Jerry by his side. Jerry tries to comfort him but Tom pushes him away. Tom is seen sitting on a bridge with train tracks implying he is waiting for the train to run him over. By the time Jerry comes to talk Tom out of suicide a parallel experience happens to him, with Jerry's girlfriend Toots leaving to marry another man. The Episode ends with the duo sitting on train tracks sulking in sadness waiting for the blinking lights to come crashing in.
Like most cartoons there are formulaic filler episodes ie. the beach episode, the Wild West episode, the concert episode, etcetera. But the one that takes the cake though, is the suicide episode. Not many exist, but the fact that it is out in the world is a bold move for animation companies to make.
A production crew of people sat in a board room, willingly fleshed out an episode noticing to the cartoon characters suicide, produced it, aired it, went home, and slept like a baby. Not a second thought or hesitation.