Monkey inspiration for artist

La Crosse Tribune, Jul 05, 1995 by Parlin, Geri

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. -- John Mundt owes his current career to a little sock monkey he owned as a child.

That monkey has become the model for the super hero of his new comic book, "The Adventures of Monkey," about a monkey from an enchanted forest in Africa.

"When I was about 6 years old, we got a miniature version of those sock monkeys they make," says Mundt. "I had that and I thought it was kind of neat, and I would draw little adventures for him."

But like all kids, Mundt eventually put the monkey and his comic books away.

"I must admit during high school and college I didn't draw the monkey," he says with a laugh. "I got too sophisticated."

Before taking up with his old sock monkey again, Mundt attended the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in Dover, N.J., from 1984-85, helped build churches on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, and directed several community theater productions in the Prairie du Chien area. But a couple of years ago, Mundt started toying with the idea of creating a comic book for kids. And he remembered that old sock monkey.

"I still have that monkey. He's in rough shape. He's been through a lot."

Even battered, that monkey still inspired Mundt. So he dug out his comic books and started re-reading his old work.

Now, nearly 25 years after he first started writing about his sock monkey, Mundt has published a comic book about him.

Mundt saw the first copy of his completed work last week. On the cover, it says the same thing it said on the comic books he drew as a little kid -- $1.50.

"I have the comic books I drew as a kid and they all say $1.50. At the time, comic books were 25 cents and 35 cents," says Mundt, but he told people that when he finally sold a comic book, that's the price he would ask.

"And I'll be darned if that isn't what they cost now I look back and kind of marvel that I was that smart when I was a kid."

Eager to show off his work of art, on Thursday Mundt took a copy into Paper Moon, a bookstore in McGregor, Iowa, where he works part time.

"A little kid came in and asked if it was for sale. He held out his hand and it was a $1.50 in dimes. That was worth it right then."

Mundt is publishing 3,000 copies of "The Adventures of Monkey" and has about $1,000 invested in this first issue. He's fully committed to the comic book, he says, and won't wait to see if it's successful before going to work on the second issue.

Mundt admits he's had to spend a lot of time explaining why he is so devoted to his old sock monkey. At least now, says Mundt, the monkey may make him some money.

"It's a silly character and I've had to always defend it."

But if sales go well, he may not have to defend it much longer. Advance sales have included such far away places as England and Nepal.

WHERE TO FIND HIM

River City Hobbies in La Crosse is among the stores carrying John Mundt's comic book. Mundt will be at the store from 1-3 p.m. on Thursday to sign copies of his new comic.

"I'm actually going on a whole tour of Wisconsin," Mundt says.

But his old sock monkey -- the inspiration for the comic book --will stay safely at home, says Mundt. He's in pretty bad shape and Mundt is fearful that he will somehow meet with a bad fate if he totes him around the state.

"It's been one of the treasures that I can't begin to put a price on."