Book excerpt: Humorous illustration is a lively art, as varied in attitude as in means of execution. For the illustrator who specializes in humor or the artist who wishes to refine that aspect of his work, the problem of translating a comic point of view into a graphic reality is vital. The illustrators in this book, whose work appears in comic strips, magazines, paperbacks, books, greeting cards, and on television, explain how they manage to capture on paper the spontaneity, the essence, of their particular brands of wit. The twelve highly successful artists represented here offer a remarkably diverse sampling of subject matter, technique, and approach. This behind-the-scenes look at their lives and work explores the unique creative process of each. -- From publisher's description.