Late summer on the Decarie Expressway

In honor of the new Nipper 1963-1964 book going to the printer this week, here's a sample that should be recognizable to most Montrealers. The cars are older and the concrete overpass is newer (and probably a lot safer), but otherwise the Decarie Expressway seemingly hasn't changed much.


Nipper, and Doug Wright in particular, reminds me of an interesting and possibly overlooked fact about Montreal and its surroundings. This city is full of many talented cartoonists and artists, but it's worth noting that at one time or another several of Montreal's suburbs were also home to many of this country's most notable, or soon-to-be notable, figures in the medium. Doug Wright lived and worked in Lachine (also the home base of Nipper for over half of its run); Chester Brown grew up in Chateauguay (where his books The Playboy and I Never Liked You are set); Julie Doucet spent her formative years in St. Lambert; and Michel Rabagliati grew up in St. Leonard (another childhood well-documented in comics, in his Paul series).