San Marcos Cartoonist Focus of a new exhibition Comic-Con Museum

Greege Evans, growing up in South California and dreamed of becoming a cartoonist and artist.

Today, the resident of San Marcos has become a crowned, successful cartoonist whose strip, “Luann”, is published in 330 newspapers.

His creation is the focus of a new exhibition that was opened on Monday at the Comic-Con Museum In Balboa Park.

For Evans it is an achievement to see an exhibition of his work in his hometown.

“It is a great honor to be in the Comic-Con Museum,” said Evans. He added jokes: “The Louvre asked if I was interested, but I said, no, I will be in the Comic-Con museum.”

“Growing Up Luann: 40 Years of Comics” contains panels of art and information about the strip, which focuses on an uncertain teenage girl and her family and friends.

Evans did not expect the continuous success of the comic when it was launched in 1985.

“I just wanted to draw cartoons and earn a living and that is hard to do,” he remembered. “I am very grateful that I have been able to do this for 40 years.”

The comic was inspired by Evans, who ran around their house in the heels and makeup of her mother, who was then five-year-old daughter, Karen. Today, he is now grown daughter co-maker of De Strip and works together with Evans to work out the characters and their stories.

“I tend to throw in more complex relationships and storylines,” said Karen Evans, who lives in Bonsall, close to her father.

“These characters are very real,” said Karen Evans. “They tell stories for us.”

Father and daughter worked together to design the museum exhibition, which includes an interactive activity where visitors can write punchlines or statements for Luann and place them on a wall in the display room.

“Sometimes people think of museum exhibitions and think it will be serious,” said Karen Evans.

It is not the first representation of the popular strip. An “Luann” exhibition could be seen on the California Center for the Arts Museum In Escondido and California State University, San Marcosboth in 2016. There was also a ‘annual’ musical performed at Palomar College in 2008.

Greg Evans has been honored for his work over the years, including winning Comic-Con Internationals Inkpot Award In 2005.

The “Luann” exhibition in the Comic Con Museum is planned for November this year.

In the meantime, the museum also opened a new exhibition on Monday called “20 Years of Kawaii & Chaos”, with the emphasis on the daring, Streetwise way inspired by Japanese “inspired”Kawaii(Nice) designs on everything, from shoes and handbags to toy figures and skateboards. This exhibition is planned for 31 May 2026.

Both exhibitions are on the lower floor of the museum. For more information, visit Comic-con.org/museum.