I am the author of 'Moebius: A Sketch' which was originally printed in Negative Burn #1, and has just been re-printed in Growing Up With Comics.

The story really did happen, and I am surprised that it seems to have become an Urban Legend. The story has been told to me by complete strangers, in new and strange versions(!), but the core of the story remains.

As with all stories, the orginal version is the most accurate, and makes the most sense, but is often eclipsed by other versions of the story...

Interestingly this story was witnessed by lots of fans, and several people in the comic book field, including Dean Motter and David Scroggy. Both David and I have shared the story with Mike Richardson who included it in his Dark Horse book of comic book stories.

I am not surprised that the roots of this story have been lost, but I am surprised by how persistently the story thrives!

BTW- I have searched for the boy in the story, but I have lost touch with him.

Mark Askwith

Or maybe we could put stereotypes aside and behave like adults?

Actually, when you put both of them together like that... I 've got no problem with either of those stereotypes!

Or maybe we could put stereotypes aside and behave like adults?

The moral is: don’t expect decent behavior from the French.

Yeah, that's exactly the moral.
It's all about stereotyping the French.

Idiot.

As funny as when the cops start laughing at him when he shows them the "inked" sketch, and tell him not to waste their time before leaving?

So you really think that the kid's request was totally reasonable and not obnoxious? You've said nothing about that aspect of it at all. There's pretty much nothing sympathetic about the little turd depicted in the piece.

I am, after all, just enjoying a little bit of schadenfreude at the version of the kid shown in the strip, nothing more. After all, this is a semi-apocryphal anecdote told as a series of drawings and words, not something that happened to my best friend's little brother that happened in my presence. For all intents and purposes, the kid in the strip is a character, and so is the version of Moebius.

And I'm not American, in America, or an American lawyer either (nor do I think much of your use of that tactic, but whatever) but regardless of the legal aspect, I personally believe that the ethics are a bit different when you're talking about: a) a piece of art or other creative work, b) which was *gifted* and then *returned for changes* for which c) _no contract exists_ beyond the vaguest of culturally based rules of etiquette which are themselves sufficiently abused by the kids demand as to make the artists reaction fully within bounds.

Well the kid had the unearned sense of entitlement of a stereotypical American…

Well, yeah... but since I'm not in America (North, South or Central), I can only afford to piss off one country at a time. I figured I was okay with France, you know, as long as they don't send Andre the Giant, or Godzilla, to beat my ass!

Another way to deal with this might have been for Moebius to call out to the room “Does anyone want this sketch?

You know what would've been really funny? ...if the kid had had Moebius arrested for destroying his property.

You see, I'm not an American Lawyer, but I'm 100% sure that once you give something away... it's no longer yours to do as you please ...or take back ...or regift ...or simply destroy.

Hell, my case law may be a little bit rusty, but I believe that rule goes all the way back to "Indian Giver v. No Backsies!"

I believe Indian Giver lost that case.

I also think that the rule was reinforced in the Robert Downey Jr. case when the Judge issued his opinion entitled: "Dude, I don't care what you think, that's no longer your bed! YOU CAN'T SLEEP THERE!"

He's already well on the way, or at least the kid character in that strip is (no idea how true this is to the real incident, if at all). What next, he insists that it has to be coloured and framed?
Another way to deal with this might have been for Moebius to call out to the room "Does anyone want this sketch? Does anyone care that it's not inked? You don't? Here, have this." Then tell the kid "that's what you get with that attitude." Maybe not a "better" solution, but it's just as funny (and mean) without having to wreck the sketch.

In the Askwith and Taylor version, the story is narrated from the first person and begins: “In the mid-80s I was the manager of the Silver Snail comic shop.” I don’t know if this strip is meant to autobiographical–and if so, if it truly happened to Mark Askwith–but the Silver Snail is a real comic shop in Toronto (which parallels but doesn’t quite match up with the mention of a “Canadian Comics Show” in the page posted here). The setting is the Silver Snail in 1987, during a signing visit where Moebius is at the comic shop.

Mark Asquith was indeed manager of the Silver Snail in the '80s (indeed I think he was there right from the very start). If he said it happened at the Snail, then it did.

PEOPLE PAY FOR SKETCHES NOW?!?!?!

What's the going rate?

Okay, so I haven't been to a Con for about ten years, but in those days you waited in line, asked for your favourite character by the artist, and chatted (if they were talkative...)
I have a beautiful Death by Bryan Talbot, a Cerebus "Happy Birthday" drawn by Dave Sim and inked by Gerhard, and my personal fave, Axel Pressbutton, drawn by Mike Collins and Inked by Mark Farmer (who loudly refused to ink the celery blood in protest across the room!, causing Adam Hughes to offer me the "Character of my choice" even though he'd sprained his hand!!! Naturally I asked for Power Girl!!)
Not a penny changed hands...

What wuold that have cost me these days, beyond the hours spent queueing??

I was at the Angoulême Convention in 2005 at the (french publisher) Dargaud booth, waiting in line for a sketch by Sfar when Trondheim took a break from drawing sketches. The fan who was going to be next if Trondheim hadn't taken a break asked if he could do a last sketch to him before his break. Trondheim took the comic book the fan was holding, drew for like 5 seconds on the white page right after the cover, asked for the fan's name, didn't wait for an answer, said "you look like a Gérard to me", signed the (mediocre) sketch "to Gérard" and gave the book back to the fan.

I heard a story in the same notes about Picasso, but he was at a restaurant, having dinner with friends, when the owner came and asked for a sketch instead of the check. Picasso said he was okay to do a sketch but that he would take the restaurant in payment for it.

Dude, you are so wrong. It’s obvious that the guy was trying to teach the kid how to be a stereotypical French.

Well the kid had the unearned sense of entitlement of a stereotypical American...