Local cartoonist draws up a unique way to share interests

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A local cartoonist is putting his experiences on paper and it’s all centered around something he loves — the city of Sioux Falls.

Drawing and reading comic books are things Tom Devine has always loved. However, it wasn’t until just a few years ago that he combined the two after a friend inspired him to make his own magazine.

“I’ve always enjoyed art. And so after having all of that too, seeing that inspiration, I said, I can make my own zine,” Tom said.

Unlimited adventures through the library

Tom recently came out with his sixth issue of his zine “Spork” that shares his version of the best places in Sioux Falls.

“I think there’s a lot more to South Dakota and Sioux Falls than meets the eye and I think it’s up to us local artists to produce and create unique material that everybody else can consume and learn about our our local scene,” Tom said.

Mainly just using black ink, Tom describes his style as similar to 1980s underground comic books.

“I used pencil for a long time and then probably in the last five years really starting to just use black ink on white paper. And that has really become my signature,” Tom said. “It’s very gritty and not perfect. I don’t use rulers, I don’t use straight lines. I am definitely just shooting from the hip on what I draw.”

Creating each issue of Spork by hand, his wife Jenna says it’s a project their whole family gets in on.

“We all have a busy life and three kids and jobs and you know, but in that free time, still focusing on expressing himself in a way that he can share that with others is really inspiring to see,” Jenna Devine said.

“I’m doing everyone by hand. I pay for the print, but then I employ my children to help me fold the comics and staple them. And we make it a big fun event of, you know, kind of putting a craft together and have fun that way,” Tom said.

Each copy can take anywhere from two to six months to make.Although Jenna is by Tom’s side throughout the whole process, she says she never knows what the final copy will look like.

“You don’t know what the next page is going to say. So that’s what makes it really exciting, even though I see all the original, you know, prints and before he makes all the copies and puts them together, it comes together and like this whole new way,” Jenna said.

Many of the issues illustrate memories their family shares.

“It’s really nice to see that come out through his art, through his illustration and then it’s just a little insight into our world and what makes us happy and how we enjoy life,” Jenna said.

Besides just being a fun thing to read, Tom hopes his zine inspires others to create their own.

“But let’s say you can’t draw, you can write poems, you can write stories, you could list your favorite things. All of those things can be a zine. So a zine is whatever you make it to be,” Tom said.

And as for the future of Spork, Tom says he’s just getting started.

“So being able to highlight and share the things that I love about Sioux Falls is exciting for me,” Tom said. “Spork will be going on forever for the rest of my life. I will be doing Sporks. So hopefully there will be Spork #550 at some point in my life,” Tom said.

If you’re interested in picking up a copy, all six issues of Spork can be found at Rainbow Comics in Sioux Falls for under $5.