Belle Plaine cartoonist in running for national honor

“Belle Plaine,” a newspaper cartoon strip by Eastern Iowa artist Eric Gapstur who grew up in Belle Plaine is in the running for Comic Strip Superstar, an online contest sponsored by Andrews McMeel Publishing through Amazon.com.

The strip was selected by judges as one of 10 finalists, although one of them has been disqualified because the cartoonist signed a publishing contract. The winner receives a publishing contract and a $5,000 advance.

The general public now votes for the winner online at Amazon.com through Nov. 6.

“Belle Plaine” is about Josh and Collingwood, two fifth graders who use their wit and ingenuity to stave off boredom in a small town. Gapstur told judges he enjoys wrestling and Superman comic books.

See “Belle Plaine” and vote at: www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000442211

See a Washington Post blog about the contest at:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs