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Cartoonist Stephanie Piro is Still Going Strong at 74
Life Gives Her Plenty to Laugh About
“Cartooning is the best revenge,” jokes Stephanie Piro when I ask where her ideas come from.
A marital spat with husband John or a stranger’s insensitive remark will quickly find its way into Piro’s comic strips and illustrations, or into King Feature’s popular “Six Chix” feature, where Piro has been the “Saturday Chick” for 25 years.
They may start with a gripe, but her cartoons end in a laugh. Piro knows how to turn the challenges women face each day into good funny cartoons.
Of course, all of Piro’s comics don’t begin with a kvetch. Her humor is also inspired by her love of cats, dogs and books, the library job she loves, motherhood and her abiding interest in how men and women interact.
The typical Piro character is strong, self-assured and witty. Feminist but deeply feminine, she’s attractive and loves wearing nice clothes, but she doesn’t put up with guff from anyone. Quick to stick up for herself (or for a friend) with a snappy remark, she can be acerbic, but she’s never unkind. She pushes back at the way our culture limits women and has no problem complaining about the man in her life. (She usually has a good pal to confide in.)
Most important, she knows how to have fun. Piro’s work is upbeat and positive. Her glass is more than half full. And although she’s been at this for decades, her work remains fresh and original.
“I read a lot of magazines to stay on top of things,” she says. “I want to stay current.”
Just living her life, the cartoonist says, provides her with plenty of material.
