One of The Center for Cartoon Studies’ founding faculty members announced his retirement today. Steve Bissette began teaching at The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) when the school opened its doors in the summer sessions and fall of 2005. Since then he has been an integral part of the school teaching an array of courses—most notably Survey of the Drawn Story where his years working in the American comic book and graphic novel industry, and encyclopedic knowledge and enthusiasm for the material, made for so many memorable lectures. Steve, a lifelong Vermonter, still expects to visit the CCS classroom on occasion but he looks forward to prioritizing more time in his studio.

“Being a part of CCS and the ever-growing CCS community has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in or with my life,” says Steve Bissette. “The honor of working every single year with such fantastic fellow staff and faculty members, and a new group of storytellers and cartoonists coming from all corners of the world, has been almost indescribably invigorating. I’ll miss this and all of them terribly, but using whatever time I have left on this dustball, I’d love to follow the example of our students’ and graduates’ and create new stories, new art, and as many new books as I possibly can.”

Steve has left a lasting mark on CCS and the school looks forward to honoring his service once the Covid-19 dust settles. “Steve’s exceptional intelligence and curiosity and genuine warmth made him an incredible teacher,” says CCS cofounder James Sturm, “It has been an honor and privilege to work beside him all these years. I’m lucky to have him as a friend.”