Dave Kellett

Kellett is a southern California native. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish. While there, he produced the daily comic strip Four Food Groups of the Apocalypse for the student newspaper The Observer.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sheldoncomics.com/forums/sheldontalk/3198/ |title=Forum on Sheldon Comics |access-date=2010-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103084023/http://www.sheldoncomics.com/forums/sheldontalk/3198/ |archive-date=2010-01-03 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/2.2755/starting-the-next-course-1.275388 |title=Starting the Next Course by KC Kenney |access-date=2010-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727000652/http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/2.2755/starting-the-next-course-1.275388 |archive-date=2011-07-27 |url-status=dead }} He earned a master's degree from University of California, San Diego in Literature with his thesis, To draw in the crowd : the cartoon and the 'public sphere' of eighteenth-century England.[https://archive.today/20120718213004/http://roger.ucsd.edu/search/akellett,+david/akellett+david/1,2,2,E/frameset&FF=akellett+david&1,1, ‘’To draw in the crowd : the cartoon and the "public sphere" of eighteenth-century England’’ by Dave Kellett] He received the Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship,[https://books.google.com/books?id=GTMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA9 Rotary Foundation article] to attend the University of Kent at Canterbury in England (within the Centre for Cartooning and Caricature Studies). There, he earned a master's degree in History of cartoon art propaganda with his thesis, Philip Zec: Cartoonist in a Propaganda War.{{cite web|title=Archive "Philip Zec: Cartoonist in a Propaganda War"|url=https://librarysearch.kent.ac.uk/client/en_GB/kent/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:401061/ada|accessdate=26 April 2025}}{{cite web|title=Thesis "Philip Zec: Cartoonist in a Propaganda War"|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/2020-eisner-nominees-complete-list-1297196/#:~:text=best%20humor%20publication%20,-Anatomy%20of%20Authors|accessdate=26 April 2025}}[http://opac.kent.ac.uk/cgibin/Pwebrecon.cgiv1=1&ti=1,1&Search_Arg=KELLETT&phrase_type=3&SL=None&Search_Code=FT*&CNT=50&PID=1573&SEQ=20060603210950&SID=1 Thesis ‘’Philip Zec: Cartoonist in a Propaganda War]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Dave Kellett is the creator behind the successful webcomics: Sheldon about a 10-year-old computer genius billionaire, and the sci-fi strip Drive. The author of twelve comic books, and the co-author of the Harvey-Award-nominated book How To Make Webcomics, Kellett regularly speaks around the country on the subject of cartooning in new media.

In 2014, Kellet released the comics documentary Stripped, produced with twice-Sundance-nominated cinematographer, Fred Schroeder.{{cite web |url=https://magazine.nd.edu/stories/the-business-and-art-of-the-funnies/ |title=The business and art of the funnies |last=Reidy |first=Jamie |date=Spring 2014 |website=Notre Dame Magazine |publisher=Notre Dame}} He has been a guest speaker at Savannah College of Art & Design, the Society of Illustrators, Ohio State’s triennial Festival of Cartoon Art, the Charles M. Schulz Museum, the San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum, Loyola Marymount University, South by Southwest (SXSW), San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con and more. His cartoons have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, and dozens of others.

Kellett holds two master's degrees in the art and history of cartooning: First, at the University of California, San Diego; and then at the University of Kent, at its Centre for Cartoon and Caricature Studies, on a full academic scholarship from The Rotary Foundation. After working for Mattel Toys as the head writer and a senior toy designer for 8 years, Kellett pursued cartooning full-time in 2007. He started Sheldon in 1998 and Drive in 2009.{{cite web | title=Dave Kellett – Cartoonist of 'Sheldon' & 'Drive' – filmmaker of 'Stripped' – Interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp56sHhHCLE |website=youtube.com |publisher=Sideshow Collectibles |language=en |format=video |date=Jan 21, 2019}}

• 2020: Nominated, Eisner Award, Best Humor Publication — Anatomy of Authors{{cite web|title=2020 Eisner Nominees: The Complete List|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/2020-eisner-nominees-complete-list-1297196/#:~:text=best%20humor%20publication%20,-Anatomy%20of%20Authors|accessdate=24 April 2025}}
• 2012: Nominated, Eisner Award, Best Humor Publication — Coffee: It's What's for Dinner{{cite web|title=2012 Eisner Nominees Announced|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/04/04/2012-eisner-nominees-announced#:~:text=best%20humor%20publication|accessdate=24 April 2025}}
• 2011: Nominated, Eisner Award, Best Humor Publication — Literature: Unsuccessfully Competing Against TV Since 1953{{cite web|url=http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_11nom.php |title=The 2011 Eisner Awards: Nominees Announced – Nominations Span Full Range of Works |accessdate=2011-06-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513193750/http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_11nom.php |archivedate=2011-05-13 }}{{cite web|title=2011 Eisner Award Nominees|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/04/07/2011-eisner-award-nominees#:~:text=best%20humor%20publication|accessdate=24 April 2025}}

• 2022: Nominated, Silver Reuben Award, Online Comics: Long Form — Drive{{cite web|title=Finalists announced for 2022 NCS Divisional Awards|url=https://nationalcartoonists.com/2022-divisional-finalists/|accessdate=24 April 2025}}
• 2015: Won, Silver Reuben Award, Online Comics: Short Form — Sheldon{{cite web|title=Reubens Division Awards|url=https://nationalcartoonists.com/awards/division-awards/#:~:text=dave%20kellett|accessdate=24 April 2025}}{{cite web|title=Reuben Award Winners 2016|url=https://nationalcartoonists.com/reuben-award-winners-2016/#:~:text=dave%20kellett|accessdate=24 April 2025}}
• 2015: Nominated, Silver Reuben Award, Online Comics: Long Form — Drive{{cite web|title=REUBEN FINALISTS 2023|url=http://www.rcharvey.com/opus352a.html#:~:text=online%20long%20form|accessdate=24 April 2025}}

• 2013: Nominated, Harvey Award, Best Online Comics Work — Sheldon{{cite web|title=The 2013 Harvey Award Nominees|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/15/the-2013-harvey-award-nominees/#:~:text=SHELDON,%20Dave%20Kellett|accessdate=24 April 2025}}
• 2009: Nominated, Harvey Award, Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation — How to Make Webcomics{{Cite web |url=http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/10/11/2009-harvey-award-winners-2/ |title=Publishers Weekly 2009 Harvey Award Winners|access-date=2010-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229222213/http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/10/11/2009-harvey-award-winners-2 |archive-date=2009-12-29 |url-status=dead }}

• 2014: Won, Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, Best Documentary — Stripped{{cite web|title=2014 Comic-Con Film Fest Award Recipients|url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/other/film-festival-awards/#:~:text=best%20documentary%3A%20stripped|accessdate=24 April 2025}}

• 1997: Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar{{Cite web |url=http://www.sheldoncomics.com/bio.html |title=Kellett Biography |access-date=2010-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102031428/http://sheldoncomics.com/bio.html |archive-date=2010-01-02 |url-status=dead }}[https://books.google.com/books?id=GTMEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Rotary+Foundation+Ambassadorial+Scholar+Dave+Kellett&pg=PA9 Article on Kellett by Rotary Foundation]
• 1996: Finalist, Scripps Howard College Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz Award{{cite web|title=Winners of the 1996 Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Awards |url=https://scripps.com/press-releases/121-winners-of-the-1996-scripps-howard-foundation-national-journalism-awards/#:~:text=david%20j%2e%20kellett |accessdate=24 April 2025}}{{Cite web |url=http://comixtalk.com/node/15 |title=Comix Talk |access-date=2010-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111225092743/http://comixtalk.com/node/15 |archive-date=2011-12-25 |url-status=dead }}

Kellett has authored the following book series.

• A Well Balanced Meal: The Very Best of: Four Food Groups of the Apocalypse (1996) {{ISBN|0-9655060-0-2}}

The Sheldon comics series chronologically-collected include:

• Get It Together, Pickles: A Sheldon Collection (2024) {{ISBN|978-1-7331266-6-3}}
• Pal Times for Pals: The Tenth Sheldon Collection (2020) {{ISBN|978-1-7331266-2-5}}
• In It to Swim It: The Ninth Sheldon Collection (2020) {{ISBN|978-1-7331266-1-8}}
• Delightful Jokes for High-Class Folks: The Eighth Sheldon Collection (2010) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-1-2}}
• Still Got It: The Seventh Sheldon Collection (2009) {{ISBN|978-0-9655060-9-0}}
• Living Dangerously With Saturated Fats: The Sixth Sheldon Collection (2009) {{ISBN|978-0-9655060-8-3}}
• Nerds On Parade: The Fifth Sheldon Collection (2008) {{ISBN|978-0-9655060-7-6}}
• A Blizzard of Lizards: The Fourth Sheldon Collection (2007) {{ISBN|978-0-9655060-5-2}}
• 62% More Awesome: The Third Sheldon Collection (2007) {{ISBN|978-0-9655060-4-5}}
• The Good, The Bad & The Pugly: The Second Sheldon Collection (2007) {{ISBN|978-0-9655060-3-8}}
• Pure Ducky Goodness: The First Sheldon Collection (2005) {{ISBN|0-9655060-1-0}}

Collections of Sheldon comics curated by theme include:

• Pop Culture (2019) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-8-1}}
• Pugs Unleashed (2018) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-6-7}}
• Pugs: They Think They're People (…Old, Retired People) (2012) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-1-2}}
• Coffee: It's What's For Dinner (2011) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-2-9}}
• Literature: Unsuccessfully Competing Against TV Since 1953 (2010) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-0-5}}
• Pugs: God's Little Weirdos (2008) {{ISBN|978-0-9655060-6-9}}

• Drive: Act 4 (2024) {{ISBN|978-1-7331266-7-0}}
• Drive: Act 3 (2021) {{ISBN|978-1-7331266-3-2}}
• Drive: Act 2 (2018) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-7-4}}
• Drive: Act 1 (2017) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-3-6}}

• Anatomy of Dogs (2025) {{ISBN|978-1-7331266-9-4}}
• Anatomy of Dinosaurs (2022) {{ISBN|978-1-7331266-5-6}}
• Anatomy of Authors (2019) {{ISBN|978-1-7331266-0-1}}
• Anatomy of Animals (2017) {{ISBN|978-0-9844190-5-0}}

He also co-authored the book How to Make Webcomics{{Cite web |url=http://drawn.ca/2008/04/06/how-to-make-webcomics/ |title=Drawn.ca review of How To Make Webcomics |access-date=2010-02-20 |archive-date=2008-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410222323/http://drawn.ca/2008/04/06/how-to-make-webcomics/ |url-status=dead }} (2008) with Brad Guigar, Scott Kurtz, and Kris Straub. Around the same time, the quartet hosted the podcast Webcomics Weekly{{Cite web |title=Webcomics Weekly |url=https://www.webcomics.com/category/webcomics_weekly/ |access-date=2025-05-04}} (2007–2011). Kellett deliberately self-publishes many of his books under the publishing name Small Fish Studios. The editions are financed with great success through Kickstarter.{{Cite web |title=League of Comic Geeks |url=https://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/comics/small-fish-studios |access-date=2024-08-31}}

Kellett was a part of the sketch comedy group And Donkey Makes Five from Los Angeles, California.[https://web.archive.org/web/20050126194518/http://anddonkeymakesfive.com/ And Donkey Makes Five] He also performed in Comedy Central's South Beach Comedy Festival in Miami in 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://www.southbeachcomedyfestival.com/2009/ |title=South Beach Comedy Festival |access-date=2010-02-20 |archive-date=2012-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303155103/http://www.southbeachcomedyfestival.com/2009/ |url-status=dead }} Kellett has performed on stage in Skirts and Flirts in New York[http://www.fleen.com/archives/2007/05/21/an-evening-of-uplifting-frolic-and-cavortment/ Skirts and Flirts in New York] and in Los Angeles.[http://www.fleen.com/archives/2010/01/20/achievements/ Skirts and Flirts in Los Angeles] He also performed in Der Inka von Peru at the [https://web.archive.org/web/20090923182624/http://www.gold.ac.uk/drama/facilities/ George Wood Theatre] in London.

Since 2018 Kellett has co-hosted the podcast ComicLab with fellow cartoonist Brad Guigar. It's aimed at comic professionals and semi-professionals, marketed as a show "about making comics — and making a living from comics!"{{Cite web |title=Simple Cast |url=https://comiclab.simplecast.com |access-date=2024-08-31}} As of August 2024 there are 350 episodes of ComicLab available on Spotify with a rating of 4.9.{{Cite web |title=Spotify |website=Spotify |url=https://open.spotify.com/show/3xJpaHpmwUWCG1sH9CLzGl |access-date=2024-08-31}}

• [http://www.drivecomic.com/ Drive Comic website]
• [http://www.sheldoncomics.com Official Sheldon website]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzRival4atI "Freeing of the Comics"]

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Category:American comics writers

Category:American comics artists

Category:American webcomic creators

Category:Living people

Category:University of Notre Dame alumni

Category:University of California, San Diego alumni

Category:Alumni of the University of Kent

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)