General

Where are you located?

Near Chicago.

Do you have a background and/or degree in history?

No. I just dig it. I'm like the fourth smartest guy in your History 101 class.

How often do you publish cartoons?

Between 2 and 3 cartoons a week, around ten a month. I still work a full-time day job, so these are estimates. I'll rarely post less. Hopefully more.

Where do you get your info? "fact XYZ" is totally wrong!

Could be. I find 2 or 3 sources that paint a picture of the event, person, or circumstance. Then I write a joke that makes me laugh and I move on to the next piece. Speed is pretty important to my operation.

If you find a gap in my research (or my judgement) I'd like to know about it. Reach out at JustTheFacts [at] Merton.Pictures.

Your cartoon was inappropriate/offensive/ignorant.

That sucks, my bad. I promise it wasn't intentional. Drop me a line and clue me in so I can do better.

What kind of pens/tablet/computer/programs do you use?

I use an iPad Pro with Procreate and the Affinity design suite. I'm not sponsored.

Will you draw my logo / comic / children's book / tattoo / etc.?

I'm not available for any commissions at the moment.

You should do NFTS!

I don't have NFT plans right now. If you see History Shapes NFTs they're fugazis.

The History Shapes Club

What is The History Shapes Club?

The History Shapes Club is an optional way to show support for History Shapes. It's like PBS, but for indie history cartoons.

How much does joining The History Shapes Club cost?

$5 per month. Plans automatically renew each month. More info can be found here.

What do I miss out on if I'm not a member of The History Shapes Club?

Everyone who joins the mailing list gets the Saturday Morning Cartoons newsletter by default. It's a weekly roundup of all the cartoons you may have missed that week. It's free to signup and always will be.

There's also an optional, opt-in by default mailing list called History Shapes, NOW! that notifies you the minute new cartoons are published. This optional email list is available in your account dashboard and also completely free.

History Shapes Club members get a handful of neat little perks on top of these newsletters. Things like members only discounts on (future) books and merch, exclusive offers, polls about new cartoons, and the inside track on where the History Shapes are going next.

They'll be more freebies as the club grows, too. It's the least I can do for those kind enough to help me feed myself.

Can I cancel my History Shapes Club membership?

Yes. At any time. The Shapes will miss the support, but no hard feelings.

Can I pause my History Shapes Club membership?

Yes. Reach out to support via your account portal and we'll get you squared away.

It's better for both of us, really.

It's better for you because you have one less ID and password. You're just using your regular ol' email. And unless you log out, clear your browser cache and/or cookies, or use a new device you'll stay logged in for up to 6 months.

It's better for me because it prevents spambots from subscribing, and provides industry standard verification — which gives me permission to actually email you. Which is helpful if you'd like to receive cartoons.

Where can I find History Shapes on social media?

You can find History Shapes on Mastodon at https://mastodon.social/@historyshapes. The posts federate with any ActivityPub network.