Interview with Dean Yeagle

Can you give us some background on yourself?
I've been an animator most of my life, mostly in NY but also in LA and London occasionally. I have my own animation company, Caged Beagle Productions, Inc., and I've done TV commercials (Cookie-Crisp, for instance), CD ROMS (Cat in the Hat, Berenstain Bears, Rugrats), some consulting (Warner Bros., Blue Sky {ICE AGE}). For the past ten years I've done cartoons for Playboy Magazine, and I've published my own sketchbooks, and had two books published in Paris as well. I've also recently had a one-man show at the Arludik Gallery in Paris.

How about Mandy's origins?
She was first seen in a Playboy cartoon, and went on from there, with a few changes, to the web and then to books.



How did the idea for a Mandy sketch card set come about?
I was contacted by Steven Frank of 5FINITY to do them...until that, I'd been unaware that such a thing as 'sketch cards' existed at all.

Did you do any sketch cards for the set? If so, how many?
Yes, ten.

Did you have an active role in the set itself?
Yes, I did. Steve was very careful to send me examples and designs for the packages, etc.



I understand the set sold out fairly quickly. How does it feel to know your character has a large fan base?
It's very gratifying - I've known she has a wide fanbase, all over the world due to the Internet, but I wasn't sure how well known she was in the sketch card community. Nice to know she's liked there.

How do you feel about the finished product?
Haven't actually seen it yet, but a CD of all the cards is on it's way.

Do you think you would like to do another sketch card set featuring Mandy in the future?
Yes, love to.



What are you working on now?
I have some Playboy cartoons to finish and new ones to sketch out, and I have to get started on a new book for the San Diego comic con in July. I also need to do some large originals of Mandy for another gallery show in Paris (examples attached), as well as commissions for a number of collectors. Last month my wife and I were invited to Brussels and Paris so that I could sign a new sketchbook that's been published there; we also went to the comic fest in St. Malo, in Brittany. The publisher is also doing a sculpture based on the cover girl on my sketchbook. I've attached a turnaround. I also have some projects for charity in the works, and a comic book cover to do.

http://www.cagedbeagle.com/

Thank you so much for your time, Dean!