The Merc lays off Martin Gee
According to a source — and confirmed by the status he posted on his Facebook page — Martin Gee has been laid off by the San Jose Mercury News.
My God. What are these guys thinking?
Martin lurks with his camera at SND/
Boston. Photo by William Couch.
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The famed features designer and illustrator had been describing himself lately as a “future layoff victim.” His dad passed away earlier this month after a very difficult battle with cancer.
Saturday is Martin’s birthday. We already had something ready to post. Which we cannibalized for this piece.
Earlier this year, Martin created a stir when he posted a photodocumentary of the effects multiple rounds of layoffs have had on the Mercury News. A few samples:
The slide show made the rounds of places like Romenesko and Editor & Publisher.
A famed features designer and illustrator, Martin is one of the more creative, more inventive, more artistically talented people you’ll ever be lucky enough to meet. His work is legendary. His wonderfully inventive presentations are legendary.
Even Martin’s legend is legendary.
Martin describes himself as a “multi-purpose ninja.”. He’s been at the Merc for two years, after spending about a year-and-a-half in Chicago, working for RedEye and then the Tribune.
Before that, Martin spent four years as a designer for the House of Blues. And before that, he worked internships at the Miami Herald and at the Merc while studying illustration at San Jose State University.
Martin has one of the more inventive galleries ever posted at NewsPageDesigner. Have you ever seen it?
If you haven’t won an SND award over the past few years, it’s probably Martin’s fault. After they get done with him, they might not have any awards left to hand out. He took home five awards of excellence this year from SND, including one for news design portfolio. Last year, he won two silver awards: one for combination portfolio and one for opinion page design.
A few samples of Martin’s design work:
Here are a few examples of his illustration work:
Find all this and a bunch more at Martin’s web site. Find his Twitter feed here.
Martin ought to be working for Disney. Or, better yet, he ought to be regarded as the next Disney. He has the ability to toss, off the top of his well-coiffed head, cute cartoon characters with tons of personality.
For example, check out these li’l fellas:
The one on the left is allegedly based on Martin’s cat, Citrus. The one in the middle looks a lot like Martin himself. We won’t mention the bloody fingers.
During his time in Chicago, Martin created the famed Sudoku Ninja:
Martin wrote at the time:
The Sudoku Ninja is a character I created for RedEye. He’s my baby. Inspiration: Sanrio, Hello Kitty, anime (especially super-deformed), comics, video games, Japanese and Chinese martial arts movies, vinyl toys, old sci-fi, basically everything.
I’d like to see him made into a vinyl toy and other merchandise. An occasional comic strip just started. I hope he’s not the only thing I’ll be known for.
Truthiness: I suck at sudoku. I can only solve one star puzzles and occasionally a two star.
Martin makes the rounds at SND annual workshops, distributing some of the most-sought after swag of each event: Buttons of the Sudoku Ninjas, for examaple. A couple years ago in Orlando, however, Martin handed out buttons advertising his very favorite software application:
It’s been a long two years for Martin. Luckily, he’s had the support of a truly great soulmate:
Martin and his sweetie, Carrie Hoover of the
Portland Oregonian. Photo by William Couch.
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Like we mentioned above, Saturday is Martin’s birthday. Also celebrating birthdays Saturday: actors Kathy Bates, John Cusack and Pat Morita; comedy movie writer and producer Mel Brooks, comedian Gilda Radner and former NFL great John Elway.
Plus, Saturday is Paul Bunyan Day. Seriously.
Martin, my friend: Please hang in there. Surely someone will hire you quickly. You’re one of the more creative minds working in newspapers today; you’re one of the more valuable commodities I can imagine any newspaper would want in its newsroom.
Best wishes.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:42 am
I saw Martin’s facebook status and was really, really hoping that it was a joke. I’m so sorry, dude. Hang in there, - you’ve got way too many insane skills to stay down for long.
//My God. What are these guys thinking?//
Couldn’t have said it better myself. WHAT THE HELL???????
June 27th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Get out of newspapers, seriously, go start a cartoon show on Cartoon Network and get paid millions. Unless you have a serious passion for journalism, your stuff is so much better on 72″ HD plasma/LCD screens than on newspaper print.
June 27th, 2008 at 10:26 am
The world has turned upside-down.
Happy birthday, Hellvetica. And you won’t be sidelined long.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Mercury News, you are dead to me.
Martin: Go get drunk. Turn up the drum and base. Break some plates.
Then go kick some ass in a field that truly appreciates the genius that you are.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Ditto What Hidgon said. Disney needs a PG-13 or R character. Think Stitch with a drinking problem (but the timing could be bad with “Hancock” coming out next week.)
And Mr. Apple, thanks again for an excellent post. For those of you who have never had the delight of meeting Mr. Gee, Charles has described him perfectly.
He will NOT unemployed for long.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Wow. I don’t know whether to s–t or go blind. Hang in there, L’il Wolfie, even in this miserable newspaper economy I don’t see you being out of work for very long. But I think Mr. Higdon might have the better idea — I know you really like newspapers, and this racket does get under your skin, but by now you might have outgrown it.
– Your Old Man
June 27th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I agree completely! How can Martin be unemployed for long? Man, do I wish we were hiring!!!!! Best of luck Martin and do keep in touch! -FRED
June 27th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I think Martin should be a guest artist for my all-time favorite comic book “Fables.” Now THAT would be a collector’s item! :) I know you’ll find something that suits your unique talents in no time at all. And while I’m at it, I’d also like to extend my thoughts out to all the other people who have lost their jobs in the recent weeks.
June 27th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Paraphrasing a quote from “The Graduate”…
Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Martin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Martin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Pixar.
Good luck, Martin. You one the most talented people to ever work in this field.
June 27th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Finding out about Martin has really saddened me. He’s way too talented to be the victim of a layoff.
I had to get it down. So I wrote something up:
http://erniesmith.tumblr.com/post/40095623/thoughts-on-my-industry
June 27th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Damn! Best of luck Martin.
June 27th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Merc’s loss is the world’s gain.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Martin
You will be better off. Good luck and take over the world! Pixar could definitely use you! Were there other layoffs as well-I gotta get the scoop….
June 27th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Martin,
You are great!
Keep your head up and things will work out. You are always so helpful to my students and I’m so grateful. You will reap good things because you have certainly sown so much good. Thanks, buddy and Happy Birthday!
June 27th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
We’ll always have Shamu, Martin. In fact, maybe you should start your own theme park…Ninjaworld.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
It should also be noted that 8 other talented Merc journalists lost their jobs today, including picture editor Elly Oxman and artist Rob Hernandez. Very sorry to hear the news all around.
June 28th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Martin, you are the best. I wish you all the best. I know you will land on you feet. The good ninjas always do!!!
June 28th, 2008 at 2:07 am
It’s so sad to hear about this. You, and the other folks from the Merc laid off, are truly talented. God’s speed to all of you and may one of you win Powerball.
June 28th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
WTF? Martin, man, first you lost your dad and now this. I am really am thinking of you at this time. Let me know if there is anything I, or ViZEds can do for you. You have a community backing you up. Stay tough.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Holy S**t! Good luck, you’ll land somewhere HUGE, I just know it!
June 30th, 2008 at 9:22 am
i feel lucky to have worked with martin at the ocregister. he continues to inspire me with his bravery and, of course, his work. poor, shortsided, merc. the stupid. it burns.
June 30th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I figured martin would abandon ship on the merc before they’d let someone so talented go. speechless.
I agree with Trent though, I’d love to see martin draw an issue of Fables. But I’m not sure DC/Vertigo trolls newspaper design blogs looking for talent however …
July 1st, 2008 at 2:08 pm
WTF? You know, it’s horrible what this industry is doing to talented individuals like us. I am also without a job and it totally sucks trying to find one. I am back on the farm in Indiana at my old folk’s home. I am trying to land a graphic design job in Indy or Cincy and it doesn’t matter if it’s journalism. The search is almost like cow chip bingo… You don’t know where it will land and when it does, it usually a stinker of job.
Martin, good luck on finding a job. My advice: Go freelance!!!!!
Also pray that your next job is not CCI related…. Fuck CCI!!!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Just got back from vacation today and saw this. Sad, but not surprising — I think I’ve reached the point where it doesn’t surprise me any more to see anyone get axed by their papers, no matter how talented they are. Newspapers have long since passed the point where talent and quality actually matter next to a balance sheet.
Best of luck to you, Martin. With your talent, I doubt your free agency will be a long one. May you find a line of work more deserving of your skills.
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:37 am
Seriously Martin, while you may be a news junkie like a lot of us in the biz are, your ideas need to be immortalized in a medium other than newsprint. Sudoku ninjas, two-headed anime robots, geometrically-challenged cyborg felines…start your own toy/t-shirt company. My bank account is waiting to be drained.
July 4th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Yikes! If Martin Gee can be laid off, no one is safe.
This industry truly has a death wish. Lemmings off a cliff.
Martin, you should go into a field that would appreciate your many talents.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I feel your pain Martin, I too lost my dad on March 28, and I am now also facing the unemployment line. This is my last month here at ComputerGym (a computer training center) as an instructor in an area that is very difficult to find employment. I will pray for you and I hope you get through this, although something tells me that you may have already been contacted and have been given offers of employment. Best of luck to you, I have admired your artistry and I look forward to seeing your work again.