| Small Saves | |
|---|---|
 Small Saves in action | |
| Author(s) | James DeMarco |
| Website | http://www.smallsaves.com/ |
| Current status/schedule | Weekly |
| Launch date | 1991 |
| Genre(s) | Humor, sports, ice hockey, children |
Small Saves is a syndicated periodic comic strip written and illustrated by James DeMarco. Published weekly, the comic focuses on a young ice hockey goaltender named Small Saves and his adventures.[1]
The strip takes place in a small, unnamed northeast US town. Small Saves is about nine years old and plays goaltender for a team of children competing against other children's teams.
Small Saves always wears his game jersey and his goaltending helmet, even when sleeping. When not in a game, though, he wears his helmet tipped back on his head. The inspiration for this was an actual goaltender in the South Florida Hockey League, Anthony Citarella, did this regularly when not playing hockey. Small Saves wears #1, the traditional goalie jersey number. Small Saves is very talented at his position but when he has a bad game, or loses a game, he does so in spectacular fashion. He often instigates dressing room pizza fights among his teammates, much to the consternation of his coaches and league officials. His family is proud of Small Saves and he is friendly with his teammates and members of opposing teams alike. He is also very proud of his equipment, hosting parties at his home when a new piece of equipment arrives. His equipment is always pictured as retro, leather-and-wood equipment, tan-brown in color. His mask is plain, undecorated white. He has no doubts about his future vocation: Hall of Fame professional goaltender.
James "Jay"[citation needed] DeMarco started playing ice hockey as a goaltender at age 5 and at age 56 still plays regularly.[1] His experience included prep hockey in Watertown, Mass. and three years of semi-professional play in the South Florida Hockey League. Afterwards, DeMarco returned to Boston. He earned an associate degree in Commercial Art at Bunker Hill Community College. Later work as a graphic designer developed his drawing style, while continuing to indulge his passion for goaltending in local adult leagues. Goaltending contributes to the perspective needed to create the strip. "From your vantage point," DeMarco says, "you get to see the best and worst of your team, and you need to balance your desire to scream with the ability to laugh."[citation needed]
Small Saves debuted in 1991. DeMarco says that while writing the comic isn't hard, it is tough to keep it fresh given the specific subject matter of an ice hockey goalie. DeMarco draws the comic by hand on paper, pencilling it then inking it, and then coloring a copy to preserve the original.[1]
The comic is a part-time job for DeMarco, who also works at a nursing home, does silk-screening, and helps out at a skating rink.[1] James says that his fascination for cartooning began very young, drawing inspiration from classics such as The Family Circus, Peanuts and Dennis the Menace.[2]
In addition to Small Saves, He also illustrated a children's book about ice hockey, written by Darren Hersh, called Holy Moly, We Need a Goalie!: Robbin to the Rescue![3] DeMarco has also authored and illustrated another children's book called The Dinosaurs of Winter.[4][3]
Small Saves has appeared in hockey-related publications such as USA Hockey Magazine,[1] Independent Sports News,[5] Goalie's World magazine[6] and InsideHockey,[7] and is linked through NHL.com.[8] DeMarco has said his aim is for Small Saves "to be in every hockey media type there is."[1]
The Canadian Make-a-Wish foundation publishes a black-and-white version of the strip in coloring books that it provides to children in hospitals.[1]
Eight volumes of collected Small Saves cartoons have been published.[1] These include:
Small Saves has a variety of merchandise,[1] including T-shirts, mugs, stickers, and coasters.