Jef Mallett

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Jef Mallett bigraphy, stories - Cartoonist

Jef Mallett : biography

1962 –

Jef Mallett (born 1962) is the creator and artist of the nationally-syndicated comic strip Frazz. He attended nursing school for a period of time before leaving to pursue his artistic interests. He has a longtime interest in bicycling and is an avid triathlete, having completed his first triathlon in 1981 (coming in 9th); twice, he has also participated in and completed the Iron Man. He is married and lives in Huntington Woods, Michigan, United States.

Accomplishments

Books

  • Dangerous Dan(children’s book). Willowisp Press (1996) ISBN 978-0-87406-720-0
  • Live at Bryson Elementary. 2005, Andrews McMeel Publishing. 128 pages. Includes foreword by Gene Weingarten and introduction by Jef Mallett. ISBN 0-7407-5447-5
  • 99% Perspiration. 2006, Andrews McMeel Publishing. 128 pages. ISBN 0-7407-6043-2
  • Frazz 3.1416. 2008, Andrews McMeel Publishing. 128 pages. ISBN 0-7407-7739-4. Includes an introduction by Charles Solomon
  • Trizophrenia: Inside the Minds of a Triathlete VeloPress (2009) ISBN 978-1-934030-44-8

Illustrations

  • Live Albom II by Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, Inc. (1990) ISBN 978-0-937247-19-8
  • Mallett donated cover artwork for the Bob and Tom Show CD: Operation Radio which was distributed for free to US Servicemen, serving overseas, as part of the USO’s Operation Care Package.
  • Created all the artwork for the Bob and Tom Show CD: Man Boobs released in 2006.
  • Roadie: The Misunderstood World of a Bike Racer by Jamie Smith, published Spring 2008 by VeloPress.

Other

  • He was 2005 commencement speaker at University of Michigan–Flint.
  • Participated in Nevada Passage, which featured two-person teams competing in cycling, kayaking, and many other outdoor events during a 2006 television reality program; his partner was adventure journalist Stefani Jackenthal, who like him is also an all-American triathletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/stefani-jackenthal/.

Awards

  • 2003 annual Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council for "Excellence in Communicating Values and Ethics", for Frazz.

Career

While in high school, Mallett created a comic strip for his local newspaper, the Big Rapids Pioneer. After becoming a graphic artist, he worked in that capacity for regional newspapers, the Grand Rapids Press and the Flint Journal. He then worked in Lansing as art director and editorial cartoonist for Booth Newspapers’ Capital Bureau. Afterwards, Mallett left the commercial world to concentrate on Frazz full-time.