A comic strip born on the pages of the People’s Post newspaper in 2005 is celebrating 18 years with a special exhibition launch at the Peak Cafe in Fish Hoek.
Treknet, a comic strip created by local writer Dave Gomersall and illustrator Gavin Thomson, has been featured in daily and weekly newspapers since its inception.
The comic strip is inspired by everyday life and relationships in Cape Town, says Thomson.
And it all began by chance.
“On one of those chance meetings in 2003, I bumped into Dave and we just started chatting about comics and how we loved comics.
“He had developed a comic character called Ivan Wannabe who is about a guy who takes a yacht and sails around the world.”
Agreeing to work together, the duo later in 2005 met up with then editor Annelien Dean.
“On a Thursday we went to the office of People’s Post that used to be situated in Recreation Road.
“The editor took the time to sit with us and listen to our idea. She said it was great, but what we needed to think of was something local.
“So, we went away and came back with Treknet which is about a guy who fishes along the beach in Fish Hoek, using a trek net.”
And so, the characters of Boet and John were born.
After starting out in the False Bay edition the comic strip was later printed throughout the People’s Post editions and a year later printed in the English edition of Die Son.
“It became a daily comic strip picked up by publications in Johannesburg and Durban and if it hadn’t been for Annelien, there would be no Treknet.”
Treknet can still be found in daily and weekly newspapers as well as social media.
“Eighteen years for a comic strip is a long time.
“For us, the world is quite dark, so it is nice to just spread some light and have some humour.”
Thomson, who started out in advertising but pursued a career as an illustrator, says he loved reading comics when he was younger.
“At a young age I started reading comics such as Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
“I didn’t really know what I wanted to be and I wasn’t good at art,” he says.
After travelling extensively and living in England for 10 years, Thomson says his journey into illustrating began “accidentally”.
“I studied advertising and did quite well but I never actually got into advertising and I’m quite glad I didn’t because I enjoy illustration.
“When I lived in the UK, it all happend by accident.
“While there, I bumped into someone and we were both looking for work.
“He had just applied at a company that was doing artwork and he showed me some of the work and I was just blown away.”
Taking a chance, Thomson was later given an opportunity to practise illustration and to work as an illustrator.
“Back in those days I was doing everything by hand but now Treknet is also digital, so I do a little bit of both traditional by hand and digital.”
Thomson’s hand painted artwork and illustrations can be viewed at an exhibition launch on Saturday 14 October at 10:00.
The artwork is at the Peak Café in Main Road, Fish Hoek.
