Michael Jantze

Michael Jantze is an American cartoonist and illustrator, best known as the author of the syndicated newspaper comic strip The Norm.

Biography

Born in Middletown, New York, he grew up in Normal, Illinois. He now lives in Seattle, Washington.

Jantze attended Goshen College and California State University, Northridge, then worked as an art director, first in corporations and newspaper newsrooms and then at ILM, while developing his strip.^[1] He taught animation and sequential art at the Savannah College of Art and Design from 2009 to 2013.

Jantze is the author of the syndicated newspaper comic strip The Norm.^[2] Norm has been described as like a grown-up Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes.^[2] Indeed, Jantze sought Calvin & Hobbes creator Bill Watterson's advice on his early work.^[2]

In addition to the comic strip, Jantze owned Jantze Studios, LLC, a studio focusing on character-based humorous entertainment for print and animation. His clients included Joe Murray Studios, Fox Sports, LXR Resorts and Hotels, Hearst Media, and YouTube.^[3] Jantze Studios closed in 2016 when Jantze went to Amazon Publishing.